Di Ming

Chapter 454 "The Nation's Sons and Daughters, My Brothers and Sisters!" (Long Chapter)
Zhu Zhiwen and Zhu Yunniang stood under the corridor, unsure whether to go in or leave.

But the elder brother angrily retorted, "It may lack dignity! But so what? We are still descendants of the founding emperor! Even if we die poor, we are still nobles of the Ming Dynasty! To be poor but not lowly, to be destitute but not servile, that is true integrity!"

"If you go back to your maternal home with one less donkey, does that mean our family is no longer part of the imperial clan?"

Seeing her elder brother's anger, the sister-in-law choked back tears and said, "The court is too harsh on us! When will it end! I'm just making a fool of myself..."

The second sister-in-law said, "At least my eldest sister-in-law is a titled lady of the Imperial Household Department and the wife of a lieutenant. But what about me? I don't even have a title; I'm just poor."

"Alright," the second brother's hoarse voice rang out. "Why did you interfere when your sister-in-law is angry? What use is an imperial title? Has the court given her a shi of grain? It sounds good, but it might even invite ridicule. What kind of woman walks back to her parents' home?"

The eldest sister-in-law said, "Second brother is right. We are, after all, women of the Lieutenant's household, and we should at least have some dignity. It's inappropriate for us to travel without even a donkey, let alone a carriage or sedan chair."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhiwen strode into the main room and declared loudly, "Eldest brother, second brother, don't worry, I'm going to apply for a job!"

Inside the main room, sunlight streamed down through the broken tiles, leaving a few thin beams of light. The light spots floated in the simple hall, casting shifting shadows on the faces of the people in the room.

When Zhu Zhiwen saw his familiar family members and looked at the familiar main room, he couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

The floor tiles in the main room were cracked everywhere, uneven and bumpy, to the point that the tables and chairs were slightly tilted. In the corners, even tenacious weeds peeked out from the cracks in the tiles, bringing a bright and lovely touch of greenery to this dark and old main room.

The shrine enshrines a portrait of Emperor Taizu Gao, but the incense burner has long since turned cold and gone, and moss has grown inside, indicating that incense has not been burned for the statue of Emperor Taizu for a long time.

To the left of the octagonal table in front of the shrine sat a man in plain clothes, about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a square face and thick eyebrows, who was sighing deeply with a worried expression.

It was his elder brother, Lieutenant Zhu Zhichu of Fengguo.

Sitting to the right was a woman with a pale face and a resentful expression; she was the eldest sister-in-law, Zheng.

Below them sat the second brother, Zhu Zhijing, with a purplish-red face, and his sister-in-law, Sun, who also had a sorrowful expression. Sun's belly was slightly swollen; she was pregnant.

The eldest brother's two young children, around five or six years old, sat in the corner with their heads down, like quails, silently counting the bricks without daring to utter a sound.

In the corner by the threshold, there was a small yellow dog, so thin it was practically skin and bones.

At this moment, everyone looked up at Zhu Zhiwen's words, their expressions filled with astonishment. Even the little yellow dog raised its bewildered eyes, tilting its head to peek at Zhu Zhiwen.

"Third brother, what nonsense are you spouting?" The eldest brother frowned. "You got into a fight and damaged your head? We're members of the imperial clan, how can we be paid a salary?"

The second brother shook his head. "Third brother, don't do anything reckless! Enlisting in the army is against the law. Do you want to be imprisoned in Fengyang? Even if you dare, which general would dare to accept you?"

The eldest sister-in-law, Zheng, rolled her eyes at her younger brother-in-law, thinking him unreliable and too lazy to even question his words. She simply looked at her sister-in-law behind him, stretched out her hand, and asked, "Sold it? Where's the money?"

Zhu Yunniang took out thirteen copper coins from her handkerchief and handed them to her sister-in-law, saying, "I got thirteen coins from the sale, and they're all here."

"Only thirteen coins?" The elder sister-in-law's eyes immediately reddened. She rubbed the thirteen copper coins, weighed them in her hand, and then lifted her pale but still decent-looking face, scrutinizing her younger sister-in-law with a somewhat unfriendly gaze. "You've hidden money again. Give it to me."

"Ah? I didn't." Zhu Yunniang lowered her head, twisting her handkerchief in her hands. "Sister-in-law, you've wronged me. I really didn't hide anything."

"You can't even lie properly!" the older sister-in-law snapped, stomping her small foot hard on the broken brick, sending a few drops of mud flying from the crack.

"Look at you! You blush every time you lie! Do I have to search you again?" The sister-in-law stretched out her hand again. "Give it to me!"

Zhu Yunniang was about to cry, and could only sadly rummage through her bosom to pull out three copper coins, still warm from her body.

"What a disgrace!" The elder sister-in-law angrily took the three copper coins and slapped her younger sister-in-law's palm. "She never learns her lesson! Is this the proper upbringing for a member of the clan?"

The three brothers coughed once upon hearing this, looking embarrassed and remaining silent. Zhu Zhiwen, for the time being, did not offer any further explanation regarding his military service and receiving a salary.

The second sister-in-law, Sun, couldn't bear to see this and advised, "Eldest sister-in-law, don't be angry. Your younger sister is still just a child..."

"What child?" The eldest sister-in-law frowned. "Thirteen years old, still a child? If we don't correct this bad habit, who knows what will happen to her after she gets married! Is this a small matter? Everyone talks about it so casually! Only I discipline her, and you all act like good guys!"

Zhu Yunniang mustered her courage and said, "Sister-in-law, I just want to save up money to buy a small bronze mirror..."

"Here, take mine!" the sister-in-law sneered. "Anyway, I'm in such a sorry state now, I don't need to dress up. You can have my dowry mirror. Don't hide money anymore, understand? It's not a good habit."

"Yes!" Zhu Yunniang's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, sister-in-law!"

Then, in a flattering tone, he said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. A notice has been posted in the city saying that the Regent has ordered the recruitment of clan soldiers, with a starting salary of five taels of silver. Third Brother has already told the registrar he wants to sign up..."

What? The group looked at Zhu Zhiwen with expressions of seeking confirmation.

Zhu Zhiwen chuckled, poured himself a cup of cold tea, drank it down, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, sat down, and then said with great enthusiasm:

"The notice is written very clearly, and the registrar even came out to explain it personally. It's absolutely true! There's no way to lie about it!"

"The Grand Tutor personally issued the decree, along with the Prince of Shu's instruction. Any member of the imperial clan between the ages of fifteen and thirty, as long as they are physically fit, can join the clan army, starting with a monthly stipend of five taels! Five taels, brother!"

"Five taels!" The eldest brother, Zhu Zhichu, was also overjoyed. "So it's true? Even border cavalry don't receive such high pay! It's said that back in the day, Qi Jiguang's army only received two taels a month! Five taels... that's the salary of a servant!"

"Could this Zong Jun be the regent's personal servant?"

"It's definitely not just a servant!" Second Brother Zhu Zhijing shook his head, his expression excited. "There are already rumors in Shu that Grand Tutor Zhu Yin publicly addresses the Prince of Shu as 'Uncle,' and the Prince of Shu also acts as an elder. The Princess of the Prince of Shu's Mansion even calls the Grand Tutor 'Brother.' Have you heard about this, Eldest Brother?"

"Is that so?" the eldest brother exclaimed in surprise. "So, the Regent Grand Tutor is a member of the imperial clan? Which branch? Could it be... the eldest branch?"

The second brother nodded, "Most likely. The Prince of Shu definitely knows far more than we do. Since the Prince of Shu is of seniority with him, he must be a member of the imperial clan. Most likely, he's from the eldest branch. Otherwise, he wouldn't have reached this point. If he wasn't from the eldest branch, why would he have participated in the Jingnan Campaign?"

The elder brother understood. "What a grand vision! This Imperial Clan Army is no longer just a simple household guard. It's the protective army of the Ming Dynasty! It's a banner for involving members of the Imperial Clan in military affairs! If the Grand Tutor weren't from the Imperial Clan, he would never have come up with the idea of ​​forming an Imperial Clan Army!"

Zhu Zhiwen said, "That's why I signed up immediately. I also saw the notice for the population census, saying that the Prince of Shu has already taken office and has been appointed by the Grand Tutor as the Imperial Commissioner to oversee the household registration in Sichuan!"

"Even the Prince of Shu can become an official?" The eldest brother was even more delighted upon hearing this. "If even princes can become officials and participate in politics, will the restrictions on the imperial clan be loosened?"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Zhu Zhijing laughed and slapped the table. "Letting the Prince of Shu serve as an official and participate in politics, and recruiting members of the imperial clan to serve as soldiers and receive pay—isn't that loosening the restrictions? I estimate that within a few years, it will be completely lifted!"

"The Grand Tutor's actions are truly a great kindness to us poor members of the imperial family."

The eldest brother nodded and sighed, his expression filled with emotion, "The restriction on the imperial clan is too oppressive; the court should have changed it long ago! But the court uses ancestral rules as an excuse and stubbornly refuses to lift the restriction!"

"The ancestral rules also stipulated that the Lieutenant of Fengguo would receive an annual stipend of two hundred shi of grain, and that every male member of the imperial clan could be granted a title. But what happened? Why doesn't the court abide by these ancestral rules? They change them whenever they want, and deduct from them whenever they want. Do they ever take the ancestral rules seriously? But when it comes to the prohibition against the imperial clan, the court uses the ancestral rules as an excuse and refuses to make any changes!"

"In short, officials have two mouths, they can say whatever they want. Ancestral rules that benefit them remain ancestral rules, immutable. Ancestral rules that don't benefit them are all changed! Is that fair? Has the court ever truly cared about ancestral rules?"

"If the Regent Grand Tutor lifts the restrictions on the imperial clan, he will be the benefactor of countless members of the imperial clan! He will be their second parents!"

The second brother sighed, "No wonder some members of the imperial clan would deliberately break the law just to be imprisoned within the high walls of Fengyang. At least there would be food inside. It's understandable that those poor members of the imperial clan who served as regents back then would collude with the Mongol Tartars to rebel against the Ming Dynasty just for food and clothing."

The eldest brother sneered, "It's not just the princes of the Dai clan who colluded with the Mongols to rebel. There are many princes who want to rebel; they're all Zhu family members who can't survive. A few years ago, even Prince Qing and his son rebelled, establishing the Western Ming in the Western Regions. The Grand Tutor even launched a second rebellion in Nanjing, creating a Southern Dynasty. Isn't all this because the Northern Dynasty is tyrannical? If they're so cold-blooded towards the poor imperial clansmen, what will they do to the common people?"

Zhu Yunniang couldn't help but ask, "Brother, the court knows that we poor members of the imperial clan are starving. Since they say that the national treasury is too burdened and cannot afford to pay taxes, why not lift the ban on the imperial clan and let everyone make a living on their own?"

This was the first time she had asked this question, and even though she was only thirteen years old, she found the court's actions very strange.

The ancestral rule was that all members of the imperial clan were granted titles and received their full share of imperial stipends. Now, the court claims there are too many members of the imperial family to support, so it can only reduce the number of titles granted and delay or deduct stipends. Everyone knows this, and everyone can understand it.

What I don't understand is why the restrictions on clan members are still so strict, and why poor members of the clan are still not allowed to make a living on their own? Why are all other trades prohibited?
The imperial court can't afford to provide everyone with a stipend, and it won't let everyone make a living on their own. Is it deliberately trying to starve everyone to death?

Zhu Yunniang couldn't understand it!
The elder brother explained, “Because the emperor fears that after the ban is lifted, the imperial clan will harbor ambitions and rebel. The civil officials and ministers fear that after the ban is lifted, the imperial clan will compete with them for power. The wealthy gentry and merchants fear that after the ban is lifted, the imperial clan will compete with them for business and property.”

"In short, from the emperor to the officials, no one wanted the imperial family to be free to make a living and choose their own career. They would rather imprison or confine the imperial family than take any risks."

Zhu Yunniang was still puzzled, "Then why... did the Regent Grand Tutor dare to do that? He established the Imperial Clan Army and appointed the Prince of Shu as an official to participate in politics. Why was he so at ease with that?"

“Perhaps it is because…” the eldest brother, Zhu Zhichu, thought for a moment, “… that the Grand Tutor has a broad mind and is not afraid of the imperial clan’s rebellion! Or perhaps he empathizes with them and cannot bear to imprison the imperial clan any longer.”

"In short, only a great hero like him can lift the sect's restrictions. Ordinary people really wouldn't dare to do it, or wouldn't be willing to do it!"

Zhu Zhiwen picked up the teapot and poured a cup for each of his elder and second elder brothers, saying, "Elder and second elder brothers, I'm going to get paid and join the Zong Army. Besides earning a salary to support my family, I also have the opportunity to earn merit and become a general!"

"Alright! I agree!" How could Zhu Zhichu object? This was a golden opportunity he couldn't have asked for. At least the eldest son could join the army and receive a salary, which meant he could do one profession instead of being completely forbidden from doing anything.

"Big brother! I'm going too!" said the second brother, Zhu Zhijing. "The notice says 15 and under, and I'm 38 and 21, which is the prime of our lives! We're both quite strong! It's just that we have plenty of strength but no opportunity to use it!"

The imperial princes had an advantage that ordinary people didn't: they were taller than average men. Even their intellect was superior to that of ordinary people. This was true even for poor members of the imperial family.

As for the women of the royal family, they were more beautiful and had fairer skin than ordinary women.

This is because the imperial family had enjoyed wealth and status for generations, and their wives and concubines were always chosen from the best. Over two hundred years, their descendants had been optimized. Even if they are poor now, their foundation is still better than that of ordinary people.

Zhu Zhiwen said, "Second brother is right! Moreover, we are literate and can read military books and registers. I heard that the Regent Grand Tutor likes literate soldiers."

Zhu Zhichu nodded. "Yes, literate soldiers are indeed easier to promote. If the Grand Tutor really likes literate soldiers, then they have an even better chance."

The imperial family had extensive book collections and special schools for the imperial family to attend. Those with the rank of general were even assigned dedicated professors and academic officials. Their education was actually better than that of the princes in the palace who were taught by empresses and eunuchs.

This explains why the Jiajing Emperor, who succeeded to the throne as the son of a prince, was more intelligent than his cousin, the Wuzong Emperor, and also more intelligent than his sons and grandsons. It's because the education of the imperial clan was superior to that of the royal family.

Take Zhu Zhiwen, for example, a member of the lower-ranking imperial family. Although he worried about food and clothing and often faced the danger of starvation, he still possessed over a hundred books in his collection. How could ordinary people compare? Less than 20% of the common people were literate. Although the imperial family was not as powerful as the previous generation, 70% of them were still literate.

The second brother said, "Big brother, why don't you go too! All three of us brothers are of age and should be able to enlist. If the three of us join the army together, we'll start with fifteen taels of silver!"

Zhu Zhichu also wanted to go, but he was in a dilemma because he thought about how there was no one to take care of him at home and that his two children were still young.

"You go too!" the eldest sister-in-law said. "With me, my sister-in-law, and Yunniang at home, you three brothers just go and make a name for yourselves! It's a rare opportunity for the Grand Tutor to recruit soldiers, and we can finally start a business. We can't miss this chance; once it's gone, it'll be gone forever!"

“Being a soldier may not be very respectable, but it’s still a respectable profession, and we’re paid by the government!” Zhu Zhichu frowned and said, “But if the three of us leave, there won’t be a single man left in the family. I’m worried about that!”

"Go ahead without worry!" a loud voice rang out, and then a man in his thirties entered the main room.

It was his cousin, Zhu Zhiyan, who lived in the East Courtyard and was also a lieutenant of the Feng State.

"Big Brother!" Everyone stood up and bowed.

Zhu Zhichu immediately relinquished the seat of honor. His cousin, Zhu Zhiyan, first bowed respectfully to the portrait of the founding emperor on the shrine, then naturally sat at the head of the table and said:

“All three of you should go. Although we have separated our family, we have not separated our residences. We all belong to the same Lieutenant’s Office and are of the same lineage as our grandfather. We are not different from each other.”

"The women of the West Courtyard are well taken care of by your second cousin and me; no one will dare to mistreat them. Alas, I just heard some good news from the city. It's a pity that your second cousin and I are both over thirty and no longer meet the requirements. And your nephews are all under fifteen. Not a single one of them can go!"

Zhu Zhian was quite disappointed. He wanted to go too. It was so rare to be able to run a business, and the starting salary was a generous five taels of silver—who wouldn't be tempted?
However, none of the men in their East Courtyard were able to go, either because they were too old or too young!
Fortunately, all three of my cousins ​​in the west courtyard can get paid, so they have something to look forward to. If even one of them becomes a military officer and makes a name for himself, the east courtyard will also benefit.

"Good!" Zhu Zhichu clapped his hands. "We'll listen to you, elder brother! The women of the West Courtyard are in your care! And Yunniang's wedding is also in your care!"

Zhu Zhiyan nodded: "You prepare for a day, and tomorrow you will go to see the village head and clan chief, sign the guarantee document, and then go! The sooner you go, the sooner you will receive your pay!"

The eldest sister-in-law was very happy and quickly stood up, saying, "I'll go start the fire and cook! Today at noon, our two courtyards will have a family reunion meal together. Sisters-in-law, nephews, and nieces from the east courtyard, please come and eat!"

After saying that, he took out a handful of copper coins and carefully counted them for his sister-in-law, "One pair, two pairs, three pairs... Yunniang, go to Butcher Ding at the village entrance and cut two catties of pork, the fatty kind. Then go to Widow Wang's shop and get two catties of rice wine! Keep an eye on her, don't let her add water!"

"Alright!" Zhu Yunniang was very happy. She took the copper coins and ran outside like a whirlwind. She didn't have bound feet, so she ran very fast.

"Auntie, I'm going too!" My six-year-old nephew followed me out of the main room like a little shadow.

Then the skinny little yellow dog let out a howl and chased after it.

My five-year-old niece, who had no one to accompany her, immediately burst into tears.

"Waaah... My brother and Little Yellow won't play with me anymore!"

"What are you crying for!" Zhu Zhian laughed. "We're having meat for lunch, why are you still crying?"

"Huh?" Upon hearing about eating meat, the little girl immediately stopped crying. Tears still clung to her face, but a smile appeared on her lips.

"What a disgrace!" her mother cursed. "Just like her aunt, all she does is eat and be greedy! A princess with the fate of a maid!"

"Third brother! Go kill a chicken! Kill that lame speckled hen, it hardly lays any eggs anymore, don't kill the wrong one!"

Zhu Zhiwen stood up, rubbing his hands together and laughing, "There's still chicken to eat! It's almost New Year's! Don't worry, sister-in-law, the killing was excellent!"

After saying that, he went out excitedly.

The eldest sister-in-law and her brother's wife left the main room, while the two sisters-in-law tied on aprons and went to the kitchen to cook.

One person used mugwort to start a fire and blew the fire tube to make it burn brightly, while another person took down dried salted vegetables from under the eaves and grabbed pickled radishes from a jar.

Soon, the firelight illuminated the dilapidated kitchen, and the greasy smell of firewood filled the air, mingling with the scent of sunshine from outside, making one hungry just from the aroma.

The second son's wife stoked the fire and went to check on the rice bin. Upon opening the lid, the woman frowned, revealing her beautiful, willow-leaf eyebrows.

"Sister-in-law, we're almost out of rice."

While chopping pickled vegetables on the cutting board, the older sister-in-law turned around and asked, "Is there enough rice for two meals?"

The second son's wife smiled bitterly and tossed her hair. "We could only eat two meals a day originally. If it were just porridge, it would last for a few days. But the east courtyard also comes over for lunch, and with sixteen mouths to feed in the whole household, we can only eat one meal at noon. Tomorrow we'll run out of food..."

"Never mind that for now! Steam it all!" The eldest sister-in-law waved her hand. "The three brothers are about to go to work for the army, so this meal is a celebratory feast. We can't skimp on it; they should at least eat solid food. Once the military pay is gone, the family will be better off. My younger sister's dowry will also be secured. And you, as a pregnant woman, can eat better too."

The second son's wife rubbed her lower abdomen while washing the rice, "Can the government really be trusted? What if it's not related to wages, but they also delay and withhold payments like they do with rice rations?"

The eldest sister-in-law thought for a moment, "This is Mr. Zhihu's recruitment notice. You should believe him, right? He'll definitely pay you, and he shouldn't delay or withhold your salary. This Zong Jun, no matter how you look at it, is not simple. Everyone says Mr. Zhihu is a star deity descended to earth, would he fool us?"

At this point, the pickled vegetables were all chopped. The older sister-in-law then bent down and carefully, as if counting her treasures, took out four eggs from the cupboard.

Then, with a touch of reluctance, she cracked the eggs into a bowl and cracked them with chopsticks, saying with a "smack-smack" sound, "Doesn't that sound nice? It makes me hungry."

The second son's wife swallowed hard and said with a bitter smile, "Buying meat, killing chickens, cracking eggs, and the whole family eating nothing... Sister-in-law, are we going to starve after this meal?"

The elder sister-in-law laughed and said, "Don't worry, as long as the salary is paid, things will be better. Now that our Shu region has been returned to the Southern Dynasty, and Mr. Zhihu is in charge of the Southern Dynasty, things should be a little better."

The second son's wife took out the copper hairpin from her hair, washed it in rice water, then put it back in her hair. She put her hands together and said, "May the Great Ancestor bless Mr. Zhihu and bring him great fortune."

The sparks from the kitchen reflected on the two women's faces, making them glow red, and the color of the food seemed to disappear, making them look radiant.

With a sizzling sound, the thin layer of hot oil in the pan came into contact with the eggs, and immediately a fragrant aroma rose.

Once the chopped pickled vegetables are added, the aroma becomes even richer and more intense.

"It smells so good! Pickled vegetables and scrambled eggs!" The second son's wife added a piece of firewood to the stove, patting her belly and smiling warmly.

The eldest sister-in-law smiled broadly and grabbed another handful of pickled vegetables, saying, "Add more pickled vegetables, otherwise the plate will be empty in just a few bites."

...

Inside the main room, Zhu Zhichu took out a bundle of incense that he usually couldn't bear to use and only used during festivals, and placed it in the incense burner to offer incense to his ancestors, including the founding emperor and the first Shu king, who had not received incense offerings for many days!
Another cousin also arrived with his son, and everyone knelt down in the main room and kowtowed to the shrine where incense smoke curled.

On the offering table sat a wooden bull's head. There was no other way; the lower-ranking members of the imperial family were too poor to afford a bull's head for offering. Fortunately, the founding emperor was the first emperor, and having grown tired of delicacies, he wouldn't have complained.

Zhu Zhiyan and Zhu Zhichu, unusually, changed into the sixth-rank ceremonial uniform of the Fengguo Lieutenant: a black-cornered single-beam crown, a red silk robe with blue edges, a black-cornered iron belt, and an oriole badge.

"Great Ancestor," Zhu Zhiyan, kneeling at the front, held a locust wood tablet, "We, your tenth-generation descendants, the three brothers Zhichu, Zhijing, and Zhiwen, of the Deyang Prince lineage of Shu, are about to join the clan army to serve the country. We beseech Great Ancestor to bless us, to turn misfortune into good fortune, and to bring glory to our ancestors..."

Zhu Zhichu and the others kowtowed and prayed together.

...

The next morning, the three brothers went to their ancestral home, which was the general's mansion where the clan leader lived.

Upon arrival, they discovered that the people who were to receive their pay were not just the three brothers from their own branch of the family; there were more than a dozen of them!

The clan chief and the village head jointly prepared the guarantee document, and then collectively worshipped the founding ancestor, the first Shu King, the first Deyang King, and the branch's Fengguo General in the family temple.

The clan chief also invited a Taoist priest from the village to perform a ritual and pray for blessings for more than a dozen members of the clan who had gone to apply for a salary.

On the third day, more than ten people set off for the county town amidst the tearful farewell of the entire clan and the sounds of firecrackers and drums.

Many family members were in tears.

The eldest sister-in-law, Zheng, the second sister-in-law, Sun, and the youngest sister, Zhu Yunniang, saw them off for a long way before reluctantly returning to the village, crying as they turned back at every step.

The skinny little yellow dog followed its owner all the way to the city gate, and only whimpered and went home when its owner's figure disappeared from sight.

On that day, important figures in the city, such as the Prince of Deyang, the county magistrate, and the county assistant magistrate, personally welcomed the recruited sons who had gathered in the county town and hosted a banquet to entertain them.

Deyang County is a county with a large number of members of the imperial clan, with more than seventy members of the clan successfully enlisting.

The county magistrate personally read out the commendation order, encouraging his eldest son to serve the country. Then, under the supervision of the envoy from Chengdu, the first month's military pay was distributed on the spot, and the money was sent home to help him in his time of need.

Next, the Prince of Deyang led all the eligible princes to the royal temple in the palace to worship their ancestor.

In the afternoon, the princes, led by the clerk and the inspector, set off for Chengdu!

In recent days, many young men from various parts of Chengdu Prefecture have been flocking to Chengdu to participate in the recruitment drive.

As of October 26, more than 600 people have applied to become members of the clan in Chengdu!

By the deadline of the 28th, the number of soldiers in Chengdu had reached seven hundred!

That afternoon, the order that the soldiers had been longing for finally came from Qingyang Palace:

"The Regent Grand Tutor announces that the Great Ming Imperial Army is officially established from this day forward."

"Tomorrow morning at Chenzheng, the Regent Grand Tutor will meet with all the clan soldiers at the Shu King's Ancestral Temple, and together with the Shu King, lead the clan soldiers in worshipping the Great Ancestor!"

That same day, city officials delivered brand-new military uniforms, robes, shoes, socks, and waist badges, while the Chengdu Prefecture sent wine, meat, and fruits to entertain them. The soldiers were also organized to bathe and change clothes.

This level of attention alone brought great comfort to the soldiers who had left home to join the army.

In addition, the regent also uttered a statement that was not a command, which was sent out of Qingyang Palace.

The Grand Tutor said to the King of Shu and others, "Zong Bing is the son of the nation, my brother."

The soldiers were all very excited when they heard this.

The sons and daughters of the nation, my brothers and sisters!
The Regent Grand Tutor is not worried about the imperial clan rebelling at all; he is much better than the emperors of previous dynasties!

I will serve the Grand Tutor to the death!
...

The perspective from the bottom is temporarily over. Thank you for your support, and I'm asking for more! I'm so tired!

(End of this chapter)