Di Ming

Chapter 252 "Little Tiger! I'm here!"

Triumphant marches are celebrated with gongs and drums; the returning army resounds with triumphant songs.

It was early morning.

Zhu Yin and the others were still outside the city, so the music being played was naturally a cymbal song. But from the Yongding Gate tower, the ceremonial music of triumphant cymbals drifted gently in.

According to the naoge music system, instruments such as copper horn, gong, nao, cymbals, flower drum, victory drum, conch shell, xiao, flute, guan, chi, and sheng are played together.

On the city wall, a group of dancers performed "Po Zhen Zi".

Amidst melodious and elegant music, a large group of civil and military officials dressed in court attire filed out of the city, led by the master of ceremonies.

Before Zhu Yin and his entourage arrived in the southern suburbs, officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial Affairs came to make contact, bringing them ceremonial robes and hats, and instructing Zhu Yin and his entourage on changing clothes, burning incense, and being taught the etiquette of a triumphant return.

Only after everyone understood the situation and the rehearsal went well did they report back to the Ministry of Rites and prepare a grand victory ceremony.

Therefore, at this time, Zhu Yin, Qi Jiguang, and other officials were all dressed in new clothes according to their rank, and everyone changed into court robes.

Zhu Yin was a fourth-rank civil official. He wore a four-beam court hat, a blue-edged red silk robe, a red silk knee-covering, a gold belt around his waist, and jade ornaments. He also wore a brocade sash woven from four-colored silk with cloud and crane patterns, tied with a blue silk net at the bottom, and gold sash rings. He wore white socks and black shoes.

This magnificent outfit looks quite impressive.

But his adoptive father, Qi Jiguang, was even more impressive.

He was a first-rank official, wearing a seven-beam court hat, with a leather belt and sash made of jade. The sash itself was a four-colored silk brocade woven with clouds and phoenixes. The sash rings were also made of jade, and he wore red shoes.

He appears to be far superior to Zhu Yin.

Both men wore ivory tablets at their waists, but Qi Jiguang's tablet was straight, while Zhu Yin's tablet was curved.

Hao Yunlai and Zheng Guowang were seventh-rank officials, and could only wear the double-beamed court hat, with silver belts and silver ribbons, but they did not have a scepter.

The most eye-catching was Qin Liangyu. She was not a court official, but merely the wife of a Pacification Commissioner, a titled Lady Gongren.

Therefore, she wore the formal attire of a fourth-rank noblewoman: a bright red silk robe with wide sleeves, a dark blue shawl with gold-embroidered cloud and peacock patterns, gold pendants, and an outer silk jacket with gold-embroidered cloud and peacock patterns.

She has five golden peacocks in her hair, one pearl and jade peacock in the front, and two pearl and jade peacocks in the back of her head, for a total of seven peacocks.

With the addition of eyebrow makeup and floral decorations, she looked truly magnificent and stunningly beautiful.

The moment she put on this imperial robe, she instantly transformed into a graceful and elegant noblewoman, completely obscuring her former heroic figure, clad in silver armor and wielding a white spear, commanding the battlefield.

Not only did the generals and commanders change into their court robes, but the three thousand soldiers attending the ceremony also polished their armor until it shone, changed into clean and tidy clothes and hats, and were all in high spirits.

There were no people changing clothes, only a group of Mongolian nobles and rebel leaders.

But in the elegant "Triumphant Return Order," the singers from the Ministry of Rites' Music Bureau sang in unison Yang Shiqi's "Song of the Suppression of the Barbarians," which went as follows:

"In the primordial harmony, all things come to fruition, beauty abounds, and praises resound... The imperial palace stands in resounding grandeur, the drums beat loudly, the procession is solemn and dignified, and the spirit is majestic..."

There is also Tao An's "Da Ming Nao Ge Gu Chui Qu", which goes like this:

"Prospering Linhao, establishing Jiankang. Wind and clouds gather, divine dragons soar… Sweeping away the stench of war, restoring order and discipline… Heaven and man unite to quell the rebellion in all directions. Like the sun rising in the sky, illuminating all things…"

The soldiers, hearing this from afar, were about to doze off.

Zhu Yin was somewhat displeased upon hearing this.

Why can't the Hanlin Academy or the Imperial Household Department compose a new set of "Raoge"? Why are they still using the old "Raoge"? It's just repeating the same old tune.

How much effort would it take to write a few new "Rao Ge" poems specifically about suppressing the rebellion in the Northwest? The emperor and the court are being far too perfunctory.

The lyrics proclaimed that the world should be won by following the will of Heaven and the will of the people, without resorting to conquest or punishment, and proclaimed that Heaven's justice would prevail and that barbarians and vile creatures would flee in submission. But Zhu Yin found them unpleasant to listen to.

No, it's not just a simple perfunctory response!

Is the emperor and the prime minister trying to suppress me on purpose?
Not entirely correct!

Zhu Yin immediately realized this. The emperor and the chief minister wanted to deliberately downplay the great achievements in the northwest and the impact of Bo Bai's rebellion and Prince Qing's ascension to the throne.

This was primarily for political reasons, and secondarily to suppress him. After all, he was only fifteen years old and had already made such contributions; it was normal for them to want to put him down.

Qi Jiguang shook his head inwardly upon hearing this. How many "Rao Ge" (a type of folk song) did he receive when he was suppressing the Japanese pirates in the southeast? Nearly a hundred!
These were all written by renowned figures known for their generosity and tragic spirit, and many are still popular masterpieces, worthy of being passed down through the ages.

The praise he received in the "Raoge" alone made his life worthwhile.

However, this suppression of the rebellion in the Northwest was a rare victory since the founding of the country, yet the court did not prepare a special "Rao Ge" (a type of ceremonial song) for it!
This indicates that the emperor and the court wanted to downplay the matter and did not want to make too much of a fuss, since Prince Qing's ascension to the throne had damaged the court's reputation and should not be widely publicized.

Of course, there was also an intention to suppress Zhihu and himself. Especially Zhihu, being suppressed was inevitable. After all, he was only fifteen years old.

Haha. The Emperor and the Grand Secretary are so cunning.

Qi Jiguang's smile grew even more distant. The old general sat idly on his horse, squinting at the autumn sun, his mind no longer on this triumphant celebration.

Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang, one a civil official and the other a military commander, led three thousand soldiers, escorting two coffins, more than one hundred prisoner representatives, and hundreds of camels carrying the spoils, and arrived at Yongding Gate with banners.

Since ancient times, when a royal army returns in triumph, the emperor has held a grand ceremony to welcome it, demonstrating that "rites, music, and military expeditions originate from the emperor," inspiring soldiers, and proclaiming the power and virtue of the nation.

Therefore, it should have been the emperor personally welcoming them and offering sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, and the ancestral temples.

Even if the emperor truly had a reason not to come, he should have sent the prime minister and the crown prince in his place.

However, neither the Wanli Emperor nor any of the cabinet ministers appeared. Not to mention the non-existent crown prince.

Those who came out to greet them were only Luo Wanhua, Minister of Rites, and Shi Xing, Minister of War.

Apart from the two ministers, the more than one thousand officials who came to welcome them looked like a vast, dark mass, but there wasn't a single one of the Nine Ministers. The highest-ranking officials were only about ten vice ministers of the third rank.

Upon seeing this scene, both Zheng Guowang and Hao Yunlai looked rather grim.

Isn't the imperial court being too perfunctory?
This welcoming lineup is hardly befitting of the great victory in the Northwest. Only two ministers have arrived, and not a single cabinet minister. Not to mention the emperor, who should have been there.

Although Zhu Yin was used to it, he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

Emperor Wanli was a scoundrel who disregarded national affairs for his own selfish desires. How could such a piece of trash have been emperor for forty-eight years? How could the Ming Dynasty have survived?

At this moment, over a thousand officials, led by two ministers, lined up inside and outside the city gates. In front of them was a ceremonial guard to welcome the triumphant return, followed by a band of musicians and dancers. The faint roars of tigers, leopards, and elephants could also be heard.

Further away, there were huge crowds of Beijing residents.

As the ceremonial procession approached, Zhu Yin and the others immediately dismounted, holding ivory tablets in their hands, their expressions solemn.

The honor guard immediately parted to surround Zhu Yin and the others.

Then, two ministers, dressed in the regalia of imperial envoys, arrived together.

Upon reaching within three zhang of Zhu Yin, Grand Minister Luo Wanhua held up the imperial edict, scrolled with jade and embroidered with yellow silk, and proclaimed:
"Luo Wanhua, Minister of Rites, has been appointed by imperial decree to welcome the royal army to the suburbs!"

Zhu Yin and the others immediately lifted their robes and bowed, taking their ceremonial tablets from their waists and holding them with both hands, saying:

"Your subject, Zhu Yin, Vice Censor-in-Chief, was appointed Imperial Commissioner to oversee military affairs in the five northwestern garrisons. Now that the northwest has been pacified and Gansu and Ningxia have been recovered, I have been ordered to return to the capital to present the captives and submit the imperial decree!"

When responding to an imperial edict, one should hold a tablet.

After Zhu Yin finished speaking, someone immediately knelt down and presented him with the imperial envoy's seal, military tally, flag, and the records of the spoils.

Qi Jiguang also held his scepter and kowtowed, saying, "Your subject is the Left Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Commissioner in charge of military affairs in the Northwest. Now that the rebellion has been quelled, I have been ordered to return to the capital to present the captured prisoners!"

All the generals and soldiers knelt on the ground, and a group of prisoners also knelt down in fear.

Luo Wanhua unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud:

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Supreme God, with His mighty presence, oversees all under Heaven. He observes the four directions and seeks the well-being of the people. The sage conducts spring hunts and autumn hunts, regulates the five elements and cultivates the five grains, cares for the people and surveys the four directions. Therefore, he is dignified by virtue, not by force; his campaigns are always well-planned, and his military expeditions are always justified…"

"...Then the Yellow Emperor campaigned against Chiyou, and Gaoyang attacked the Jiuli... He also campaigned against the Xianyun, and the Manjing came to his aid. With the chief scourge eliminated, the rebellious were subdued, the drums of war were silenced, and joy filled the land... Therefore, the Zhou dynasty sang the 'Jianghan' ode, and the Qin dynasty sang the 'Siti' ode..."

"...Your Excellency, the Emperor, is dignified and solemn. I, the Emperor, reside in the Nine Heavens, and my sincere devotion is as if I were personally present. The soldiers of the three armies stand guard, spears at the ready. The rabbit traps are set in solemn silence, and the warriors are valiant and spirited. The nation relies on you as its Great Wall, and I personally depend on you as my own people. I don my armor and oversee the army, and every victory is reported. Now, as we report our triumphant return, we shall announce our victory to Heaven and Earth at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, present the captives at the Meridian Gate, and the relevant officials shall reward the three armies and comfort them for their hardships, in accordance with established regulations... This is my decree!"

Zhu Yin and his men were one thing, but many soldiers didn't understand at all. They only understood that the emperor himself didn't come, but claimed that he was there as if he were in person. Then came the ceremony of offering condolences at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, presenting captives at the Meridian Gate, and rewarding the soldiers who went on the expedition.

After all that, that's the gist of it.

Gone.

After Luo Wanhua finished reading the elaborate imperial edict, Shi Xing, the Minister of War, took out another document and read it aloud:

"Your Majesty is discerning in recognizing and appointing capable people, and has exceptionally selected Censor Zhu Yin, bestowing upon him an imperial edict to oversee military affairs and entrust him with the task of maintaining order. He has rejected slander and refused to serve, thus ensuring the success of your endeavors. Have you not heard that merit is never wasted, and that success is achieved through perseverance? Therefore, within a few months, the northwest was pacified, and the treacherous rebels were beheaded. This is a rare and admirable example of a harmonious relationship between ruler and subject, a truly exceptional tale..."

The soldiers were all somewhat puzzled when they heard this.

However, Zhu Yin, Qi Jiguang, and others knew the reason. This edict from the Ministry of War was also a formality, meaning it praised the emperor for his ability to use people, which led to this great victory.

Ultimately, it was all about demonstrating that "rites, music, and military expeditions originate from the Son of Heaven." No matter how great a subject's military achievements were, the greatest credit ultimately belonged to the emperor.

Of course, if the emperor himself came to greet them outside the city, then this formality would be unnecessary. However, the Ming emperor was lazy and unwilling to even leave the city, so the ministers could only resort to this gesture to remind the soldiers that the emperor's merits were the greatest.

After the Grand Marshal finished reading the Ministry of War's edict in a long, rambling manner, Zhu Yin immediately put his ceremonial tablet at his waist, stood up, and bowed, saying:
"Thanks to His Majesty's great fortune and divine martial prowess, the court is filled with wise and capable officials. Loyal and upright ministers generously dedicate themselves to the country, and those who are devoted to serving the country emerge in an endless stream. Civil officials who command troops are able to personally lead the troops into battle. Military generals are all proud and vigorous when facing the enemy. The bravery of the three armies and the spirit of the soldiers in armor burst forth."

"Now that the Holy Emperor is on the throne, and this extraordinary opportunity has been granted, the victory in this battle does not lie in the Northwest, nor in our own offices, but in the imperial court and in the Holy Plan."

"It was Your Majesty who, though he was the one who took up the reins and volunteered to tour the land on behalf of Heaven, returned west in imperial robes, and the wind and grain all rose up!"

Once Zhu Yin finished his words of praise, attributing the credit to the emperor, this segment concluded.

The two ministers bowed together and said, "Commander-in-Chief, General, and soldiers, you have all worked hard. Let's enter the city now. Please mount your horses!"

Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang bowed together and said, "Grand Minister of Rites, please! Grand Marshal, please!"

Zhu Yin and his entourage then remounted and led a large contingent of men and camel caravans into the city amidst the watchful eyes of civil and military officials and the resounding music.

There is an ancient poem to prove it, but it is:

"The clamor of drums and gongs could be heard all day long, and cheers thundered at the army gates. The six armies had slain countless enemies, and camels and horses were driven in in hundreds of herds."

This is the glory of triumphant generals, receiving the admiring gazes of officials and common people, which is very impressive.

Of course, Zhu Yin remained humble. Although he was riding a white horse and became the most eye-catching young man under the spotlight, he still kept bowing to the officials and common people on both sides, while his eyes searched through the crowd.

When the officials saw Zhu Yin, who was only fifteen years old, returning in triumph to present the captives, they couldn't help but feel envious, admiring, and even a little jealous.

I thought he was too young to know anything about military affairs. I'd be lucky if he didn't suffer a defeat on his way to the Northwest. But this young governor acted swiftly and decisively, ruthlessly suppressing the Northwest rebellion. He won battle after battle, annihilating and capturing no fewer than 100,000, and seizing countless spoils!

Despite such a huge upheaval, with Prince Qing even declaring himself emperor, Zhu Zhihu quelled the chaos in just five months.

Even the government's top officials, upon hearing the news of Prince Qing's ascension to the throne, assumed the war would last until at least the end of the year or even next year. Who would have thought it would be quelled so quickly?

Now, who would dare say that Zhu Yin was young and ignorant of military affairs?
One should aspire to be an official like Zhu Zhihu!

They were so skilled at the imperial examinations, and they were also incredibly adept at warfare.

For a time, even the most learned civil officials, who were most resistant to superstition, felt that Zhu Yinzhen might be a reincarnated star deity.

However, many envious people believe that Zhu Yin was just a figurehead governor, and that the battles were fought by Qi Jiguang and Li Rusong, and that he was just a figurehead.

As they entered the outer city of Beijing amidst the welcoming crowds lining the streets, the people on both sides cheered even louder.

Many people in the shops on both sides of Zhengyangmen Street set off firecrackers, the crackling sound even drowning out the music.

"Look! It's Mr. Chitora!"

"Oh dear! Mr. Chitora!"

"My God! He's truly a living god!"

"A reincarnated star lord! A prodigy of the three realms!"

"Mr. Zhihu is truly a genius!"

Amidst the shouts of the people along the roadside and the explosions of firecrackers, many women, clutching their skirts, giggled and threw out flower petals and even sachets, causing flowers to fall like rain.

Zhu Yin was covered in autumn blossoms. A sachet was tossed into his sleeve without missing a spot.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but glance to the side and saw a pretty girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old looking at him with a smile, making a face at him, looking very playful.

Moreover, this woman's expression seemed somewhat different from the others.

"Hmm?" Zhu Yin couldn't help but pick up the sachet and take a look. He saw two words embroidered on it: Wu You.

The surname is Wu, which means there's some connection between them.

When Zhu Yin looked up, the woman was no longer visible in the crowd.

Just then, Zhu Yin suddenly heard a familiar voice. Although the voice was drowned out by the noise, Zhu Yin still managed to catch it.

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw several women waving at him on the high platform in front of the Shengle Temple.

It was none other than Ning Caiwei, Ning Qingchen, and Jin Yunniang!

The Ning sisters were overjoyed to see Zhu Yin riding a white horse.

Unfortunately, they cannot rush up to see each other at this moment.

“Little Tiger! I’m here!” Ning Caiwei waved her handkerchief, her eyes shining like stars.

“Little Tiger Duck! Here, here!” Ning Qingchen shouted in a cute and adorable voice. The little guy waved his little hand, with a snake wrapped around it.

The moment Zhu Yin saw them, all his fatigue vanished, and he was filled with energy once again.

I knew they would come to pick me up!

Here we are, aren't we?

Zhu Yin couldn't help but reveal a bright and clear smile, completely free of any worries, just like the autumn sunshine.

Many women in the crowd were momentarily stunned by the boy's sudden, radiant smile.

"Little tiger..." The Ning sisters couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh. This little tiger was simply too tempting for female demons.

Soon, amidst the cheers of the crowd, Zhu Yin and his entourage bypassed the Shengle Temple and arrived at the Temple of Heaven.

This is an offering to the heavens.

This is what is known as "reporting victory to Heaven".

At this point, the cymbal song was finally replaced by a triumphant song, and the musical instruments were also changed to cloud, square gong, star, copper dot, tang, staff drum, clapper, etc.

Attributing victory to divine mandate has been a custom for thousands of years.

Although the emperor did not come, the imperial envoy represented the emperor in offering sacrifices to Heaven to report the victory, and the ceremony was still very grand.

However, due to the emperor's negligence and laxity, the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was greatly simplified. The Wanli Emperor completely neglected important steps such as the inspection of sacrificial animals. Left with no other option, the ministers could only go through the motions.

Thousands of people gathered inside and outside the Temple of Heaven, creating a grand and solemn scene. The soldiers attending the ceremony were all seeing it for the first time, and they were all filled with awe and remained silent as if trembling in fear.

Zhu Yin and other officials all stood in their proper order, as if at a court assembly, at the foot of the steps in front of the Circular Mound Altar, without uttering a single cough.

On both sides of the Temple of Heaven Square, a large number of ceremonial flags have been set up, along with auspicious beasts such as blue oxen, tigers, leopards, sika deer, cranes, elephants, and rhinoceroses, which are lined up on both sides and each is guarded by animal trainers dressed in black.

The officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices had already made preparations.

In front of the altar at the highest point, there are nine incense burners. In the center is the altar of the Supreme God of Heaven, and on both sides are the altars of the Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain Master, and Wind Master.

Grand Minister Luo Wanhua had changed into his sacrificial robes and, representing the emperor, began the burning ceremony in front of the Altar of Heaven.

On the altar of burning offerings, the sacrifice was a whole calf, smeared with flammable oil.

"Clang clang clang—"

"Clap clap clap—"

Amidst the ringing of bells and the cracking of whips, all the officials burned incense together.
After burning incense, Luo Wanhua took the torch from the official assisting in the ceremony and personally lit the sacrificial offerings. With a "boom," the offerings burst into flames on the altar.

At the same time, the Shao music "Yuhe Melody" was played softly.

The master of ceremonies chanted in unison, "All officials—welcome the gods—"

"The gods have descended—boss!"

With a whoosh, thousands of people bowed down, prostrating themselves in unison with the master of ceremonies.

"kneel!"

"prosper!"

As the officials bowed, the jade ornaments on their robes jingled together, the crisp sounds of the jade pendants blending into a unique and melodious symphony.

This is to tell Heaven that a virtuous person is like jade, and jade will not leave their body without good reason.

Amidst the sounds of kneeling and worship, a group of captured Mongol nobles and rebel leaders were bound and led to kneel on the altar, standing alongside the burning sacrificial offerings.

The grand and solemn sacrificial ceremony performed by the Han people terrified these Mongol nobles, who turned pale and trembled with fear.

The assistant priests of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices took turns touching the heads of the prisoners, telling Heaven that these were prisoners and should be killed as a sacrifice to Heaven.

However, they won't actually kill anyone.

This is just a ritual, placing them alongside the sacrifices to symbolize that they have been offered as sacrifices to heaven.

Then, Luo Wanhua received the prayer text from the official in charge of rites, knelt down and recited the text, which read:
"In the twentieth year of the Wanli reign, the year of Jia Chen, your humble servant, with utmost trepidation and reverence, dares to solemnly proclaim to the Supreme God of Heaven: By the mandate of Heaven, the Great Ming Dynasty was established... May you accept this offering!"

While the Grand Minister of Rites was reciting the prayer, the master of ceremonies kept chanting and shouting.

"bye!"

"offer!"

"rise!"

On the stage, dancers dressed in red robes danced gracefully in sync with the movements of the priests.

Whenever the priest bows, the musicians and dancers embrace him like the bright moon; whenever the priest rises, they open their arms, look up at the heavens, as if they are about to fly away.

Zhu Yin and the others all knelt and bowed three times and nine times.

At this point, the divine descent ceremony has begun, and the welcoming of the gods is complete. Next comes the offering of jade and silk.

The so-called offering of jade and silk is the act of presenting jade objects and silk.

Luo Wanhua held the jade tablet, a symbol of humanity, high in the air. Then the assistant priest presented a bamboo basket containing ritual vessels.

Luo Wanhua slowly and solemnly placed the jade tablet into the bamboo basket.

Then, a yellow jade cong, symbolizing the earth, was offered and placed in the bamboo basket.

Then they offered up the Azure Wall, a symbol of heaven.

This is not over yet.

Luo Wanhua then took a pure white silk cloth from the assistant priest and placed it in the bamboo basket.

Then he personally placed the entire bamboo basket in the altar and burned it.

Thus concludes the important initial offering. The Shao music has also been replaced by the "Dance of Wende".

The dance moves of the students have also changed.

The subsequent sub-offering and final offering involved libations, wine offerings, libations, the drinking of blessed wine, the receiving of sacrificial meat, and finally, the sending off of the gods.

By this time, the offerings had almost burned out, and the ritual was finally over.

Zhu Yin also breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices personally went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, Zhu Yin and the others did not need to go to the temple to offer sacrifices; what awaited them was the presentation of prisoners at the Meridian Gate!

The soldiers were filled with anticipation. Soon they would be going to the Meridian Gate to present the captives. Would His Majesty the Emperor personally attend the ceremony?
P.S.: This chapter was difficult to write, but I couldn't skip it, so I'll keep it simple. Actually, such a grand ceremony would require a lot of detail. The real plot begins tomorrow. Thank you, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)