The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 176 Rewarding the Army as the Year Ends Approach
After discussing the matter with his generals, Jiang Han sent someone to fetch Wang Ziyong's messenger and politely declined the request for military support.

He only said that his troops had suffered heavy losses and that it was difficult for them to compete with the main government army in the short term.

As for provisions and weapons, we can provide some of them as a way of showing our loyalty as fellow rebels.

The messenger was filled with disappointment upon hearing this, but there was nothing he could do, so he could only leave dejectedly.

At least during this cold winter month, Jiang Han has no plans to move again. He intends to stay in Shanzhou City and recuperate properly.

Firstly, the weather was indeed freezing cold, which was not conducive to the army's long march.

Secondly, there are still many wealthy households and officials in Shanzhou City who are waiting for him to visit them one by one.

The people in Shanzhou City were initially terrified of the arrival of Jiang Han and his group of rebels.

The city was filled with fear and panic; every household closed their doors, and many people even packed up their valuables and prepared to flee the city.

But when they reached the city gate, they found that it had already been sealed off by the enemy soldiers.

For a time, panic gripped the city. The people believed that the bandits had sealed off the city gates and were about to massacre and plunder the city.

After all, Henan Prefecture had recently suffered a major disaster. In the Funiu and Xiaoshan Mountains, there were many starving people and bandits hiding, who specialized in robbing, looting, and massacring villages.

But to everyone's surprise, after the band of bandits entered the city, they first sent people to post notices everywhere to appease the people.

Then, many yamen runners and clerks were sent out to go from street to street, beating drums and gongs, preaching military discipline, and claiming that they would not disturb the people.

Just as the people breathed a sigh of relief and were still somewhat skeptical, they saw squads of heavily armored, fierce-looking bandits heading menacingly towards the wealthy families in the city.

Immediately following were the sounds of banging on the door, cries for help, pleas for mercy, and screams of agony.
The commotion continued for most of the night, frightening the people in the city so much that they kept their doors and windows tightly shut, covered their heads and huddled under their blankets, not daring to make a sound, for fear that the bandits would hear the noise and rush in.

Some of the bolder ones peeked out through the crack in the door and saw that the streets outside were brightly lit and filled with the figures of bandits coming and going.

Cart after cart of gold, silver, treasures, grain, and cloth were continuously confiscated and transported out of the mansions of those wealthy and powerful families.

Finished!

Everything before was indeed an illusion!

These people keep talking about some kind of righteous army, but deep down they're just a bunch of bandits!
The glimmer of hope that had just begun to rise in the hearts of many people vanished in an instant, leaving only despair.

But it wasn't until dawn that the villagers were surprised to find that the bandits hadn't broken into their homes.

Some people cautiously peeked out and found the streets deserted. The menacing bandits from last night had vanished without a trace, leaving only streaks of blood on the roadside.

For several days, Shanzhou City was desolate. The people dared not go out, fearing that they would be captured by the bandits and forced into military service, or slaughtered like fat sheep.

But after several more days, the people gradually realized that apart from the occasional armored soldiers patrolling the streets, the other bandits seemed to have disappeared and did not cause any trouble for their lives.

Finally, some of the bolder ones tentatively pushed open the door and went out for a stroll.

However, he found that as long as he didn't provoke the patrolling soldiers, no one paid any attention to him, and he was not conscripted into the army.

As time went on, the people gradually calmed down, and many shops along the street gradually reopened for business.

The city of Shanzhou gradually regained its vibrancy.

Especially as the Lunar New Year approaches, more and more people are buying New Year's goods in the city.

Whether you're rich or poor, you still have to get through the year, right?
Inside the main hall, the campfire was burning brightly.

Jiang Han looked at Dong Erzhu, Li Laowai, Shao Yong, Zhao Sheng, and others standing in the hall, and asked with a smile:
"Everyone, before we know it, the end of the fourth year of Chongzhen's reign is approaching."

Do you have any ideas?

Upon hearing his question, everyone suddenly realized what he meant.

After all the fighting and running around, it's almost the end of the year.

It is now December of the fourth year of Chongzhen's reign, which means that Jiang Han has been in the Ming Dynasty for two years.

So much happened in that year that Jiang Han felt like he had been there for several years.

Zhao Sheng, quick-witted, understood the implied meaning from the music and bowed with a smile, saying:
"Does the commander mean that he intends to take advantage of the New Year holiday to properly reward the brothers?"

Jiang Han nodded approvingly:

"That's what I meant."

"After a series of battles, the brothers are all exhausted. A string stretched too tight will break easily, so we need to let everyone relax a bit."

Do you have any good ideas?

Dong Erzhu scratched his head and said in a muffled voice:

"Relax? That's easy."

"Wouldn't it be better to just give them more money?"

Jiang Han rolled his eyes at him:
"All you ever think about is money. You need to find a way to spend it!"

"Otherwise, what's the difference between them and stones?"

He pondered for a moment, then said:

"How about this, since the end of the year is approaching, let the entire army take turns to rest for a while."

"Let the brothers take their pay and go for a stroll around the city to relax."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sheng repeatedly praised it:
"The commander's move is excellent. It allows the soldiers to rest and also promotes the prosperity of the city's markets. It's a win-win situation."

"I'll make arrangements right away."

Jiang Han nodded, then added seriously:

"Rest is fine, but the city defenses and daily patrols must not be relaxed! Scouts must also be sent out!"

"Furthermore, all soldiers on leave must change into civilian clothes and are not allowed to wear battle robes or armor, so as not to disturb the people in the city."

As he spoke, he emphasized his words.
"Furthermore, all officers must strictly order their soldiers to be paid on time, whether they are eating, drinking, having fun, or purchasing goods outside, and there must be no shortage of money!"

"The salaries I pay are for them to use, not for them to show off!"

"I finally managed to calm the people down. Patrol teams, keep your eyes peeled. If you find anyone daring to bully others by using force, arrest them and punish them severely!"

Hearing Jiang Han's serious tone, everyone in the hall straightened up and responded in unison.

Jiang Han nodded, then looked at Zhao Sheng:

"In addition, send people to clear out the open space near Baolun Temple Pagoda in the city, set up a stage, and find a few opera troupes to come over."

"From now until the Chinese New Year, for the next two weeks, let them take turns performing on stage every day."

"Let the people in the city have some fun too."

Jiang Han paused, then added:
"Also, immediately send people to the city and nearby villages to purchase livestock. Find a way to bring back any animals that can be slaughtered and eaten."

"Let the brothers have a prosperous New Year!"

Zhao Sheng agreed to all of them, and then led several officers to discuss the division of labor.

As the Spring Festival approaches, Shanzhou City is becoming more and more lively every day.

The people of Shanzhou City seemed to have gradually forgotten that the city was currently occupied by a group of rebels.

To them, these bandits seemed no different from the constables of the yamen, and in some ways even better.

Because of its proximity to the ferry crossing, Shanzhou City was an important hub for trade between Henan and Shanxi, and it has always been a prosperous and wealthy place.

In previous years, as the Lunar New Year approached, the city was always filled with groups of yamen runners, officials, local thugs, and hooligans who would come out in droves to beg for alms.

They were always demanding bribes and extorting money, causing the merchants in the city to complain bitterly, but they dared not speak out against it.

Now, these annoying insects have all disappeared.

Instead, squads of spirited and powerful armored soldiers patrolled the city day and night.

The city's security is visibly improving.

Moreover, the city's vendors were pleasantly surprised to find that recently, there have been many more people eating, drinking, and shopping in the city than in previous years.

Although most of these newly emerged "consumers" were dressed in coarse cloth, their words and actions still carried an air of unapproachability.

These people were, of course, soldiers on leave in Jiang Han's army.

They went in groups of three or five, like they were on a shopping spree. After browsing the clothing stores, they went straight to the tea and snack shops. They were generous with the snacks and food they saw, stuffing bags and bags of them into their arms.

Some simply plunged into taverns, ordered fine wine and food, and played drinking games with their comrades, getting thoroughly drunk.

Only a few bolder, more restless individuals mustered their courage and sneaked into the brothels in the west of the city, where lanterns hung high, and spent the entire night embracing the soft, fragrant women.

Faced with this group of suddenly appearing "big spenders," many vendors and shopkeepers initially dared not accept money and repeatedly waved their hands in refusal.

The owner of a tavern in the east of the city looked at the silver ingot handed to him by a burly man with a full beard, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and he hesitated to reach out and take it.

"Sir, please accept this small gift as a favor."

"You should keep this silver and use it at another place."

What a joke!
These people are clearly the same group of bandits in disguise.

These ordinary people, who run small businesses to make a living, would never dare to accept money from these old men.

It wasn't that soldiers and officers hadn't come to the city before; there were always some foolish young men who dared to take money, and what happened to them?

Within a few days, the shop was ruined one after another by yamen runners and officials who came to cause trouble, and in the end, it had no choice but to close down.

The shopkeeper was determined not to accept the money, no matter what!

Consider it a loss to avoid disaster, and a tribute to these lords.

But the burly man in front of him immediately became enraged upon hearing this, his eyes widening as he roared:
"You scoundrel, are you trying to harm me on purpose?!"

He slammed the silver coins down on the counter with a loud "bang," making the abacus jump.

"Our commander has given a strict order: anyone who dares to eat for free will be punished when they get back!"

"You think military orders are just a joke? Hurry up and calculate the money!"

Seeing that the burly man's voice and expression were stern and not feigned, the shopkeeper was even more distressed.

He picked up the silver with trembling hands, weighed and calculated it carefully, and then cut off the change and handed it to the man.

"Well, that's pretty much it."

The burly man took the change, nodded in satisfaction, and then turned and headed towards the Baolun Temple Pagoda in the city.

I heard there's a theatrical troupe hired by the warlord, performing a scene from "Water Margin" called "Song Jiang receives an imperial edict to defeat the Liao Dynasty, and at Chenqiao Post Station, he sheds tears as he beheads a lowly soldier." I must go and see what's going on.

Watching the burly man's departing figure, the tavern owner breathed a sigh of relief, but his face was still full of worry.

I'm afraid my little shop won't have an easy time from now on.

To his surprise, several days passed without any officials or yamen runners coming to cause him any trouble.

On the contrary, thanks to the patronage of those high-rollers, his business has been much better than in previous years, and he has made a considerable profit.

Before we knew it, it was Lunar New Year's Eve.

That evening, Jiang Han held a grand banquet at the drill ground of Hongnongwei.

Hundreds of tables, hastily put together, filled almost the entire training ground.

The soldiers, whether combat or auxiliary, all took their seats with great joy, led by their respective officers and platoon leaders.

Looking at the overflowing chicken, duck, fish and meat on the table in front of them, and smelling the enticing aroma of wine and meat, everyone couldn't stop smiling.

But since the commander-in-chief at the head of the table didn't speak, no one dared to pick up their chopsticks first, and they all stared expectantly at Jiang Han on the platform.

Jiang Han was still wearing his signature gold-lacquered mountain-patterned armor, and he was carrying a large tin megaphone.

He cleared his throat, picked up the megaphone, and his deep voice immediately resounded throughout the entire training ground:

"Brothers, from our efforts to serve the king to our uprising, from Shaanxi to Henan, two years have passed in the blink of an eye."

"Over the past two years, everyone has followed me, Jiang Han, through countless battles, braving fire and water, enduring wind and rain. We have faced numerous hardships and narrowly escaped death!"

"Thank you all for your hard work! I, Jiang Han, am deeply grateful!"

"Today is New Year's Eve, and I've specially prepared a few cups of wine to reward everyone!" Jiang Han said, taking a large, rough porcelain bowl filled with cloudy rice wine from the soldier beside him.

He raised the wine bowl high, his voice tinged with a hint of hoarseness and sorrow:
"With this first bowl of wine, I offer neither respect to heaven nor to earth."

"I would like to first pay tribute to our comrades who unfortunately died in the many bloody battles!"

“They died young and couldn’t drink and eat with us. I feel guilty.”

"I toast them with this first bowl of wine!"

After saying that, Jiang Han solemnly put down the tin megaphone, held the bowl in both hands, and slowly poured the wine in the bowl onto the yellow earth below the stage.

Upon seeing this, the thousands of soldiers in the training ground, regardless of whether they were new or old, all became solemn. They picked up the wine bowls in front of them and, following the example, silently poured the wine from their bowls onto the ground to commemorate their fallen comrades.

Jiang Han picked up the wine bowl again, filled it once more, and said loudly:
"This second bowl of wine is a toast to all the brothers present!"

"If it weren't for your bravery and selfless fighting on the battlefield, my head would probably have been cut off by the government troops for a reward long ago!"

"I thank you all!"

"Come, brothers, drink this cup with me!"

After saying that, Jiang Han nodded slightly, signaling everyone to raise their glasses and drink with him.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the training ground felt a surge of warmth in their hearts. They quickly filled their cups with wine, raised their bowls high, and drank it all down with Jiang Han.

The spicy liquor went down my throat, as if igniting a fire in my chest.

After finishing his second bowl, Jiang Han refilled it again. His gaze swept over every face in the audience, young or weathered, and his voice became even more impassioned:
"This third bowl of wine is for tomorrow!"

"The future is long, and I hope you will all remain healthy and useful to follow me in overthrowing the Ming Dynasty!"

After drinking three bowls of wine, Jiang Han slammed the bowl down, looked at the excited crowd, and laughed loudly:

"In addition, every soldier, whether combat or auxiliary, will receive an additional thirty taels of silver!"

"Consider this my red envelope to everyone!"

Jiang Han confiscated a considerable amount of gold and silver treasures from the wealthy families in Shanzhou City on this trip.

Today is a good opportunity to reward these soldiers who have risked their lives for me.

Upon hearing this, the training ground was silent for a moment, and then erupted into a thunderous roar of cheers!

"The Commander-in-Chief is mighty! The Commander-in-Chief is benevolent and righteous!"

"I am willing to die for the General!"

Countless soldiers were so excited that their faces turned red, and they raised their arms and shouted, their voices shaking the heavens.

Seeing this, Jiang Han nodded in satisfaction, picked up the tin megaphone again, and laughed:
"In that case, everyone, eat and drink well!"

"Today is New Year's Eve, there's plenty of meat and wine, everyone eat and drink to your heart's content!"

"Even if you get drunk, it's fine!"

"Tonight, as the commander-in-chief, I will personally lead my personal guards to keep watch and patrol for you all!"

After saying that, Jiang Han waved his hand, signaling everyone to begin the banquet.

He then led his personal guards, turned around and walked down from the command platform, preparing to go to various parts of the city to relieve the troops.

Upon receiving the order, the crowd below could no longer contain themselves and began to wolf down the fragrant food and wine in front of them.

But as they ate, these men, who were usually tough enough to shed blood but not tears, gradually had red eyes, and large tears involuntarily fell into the wine bowls in front of them.

These soldiers, who once struggled to find enough to eat, could never have imagined they would be where they are today.
You know, the end of the year used to be the hardest time to get through. How could we eat and drink like this?
Even if you sold your life, you couldn't get a meal like this.

The commander-in-chief is kind-hearted and considerate. He has thought of not only them, but also the brothers guarding the city and patrolling.

Many people were moved to tears. They put down their bowls and chopsticks and, without prior arrangement, knelt down heavily in the direction Jiang Han had left, kowtowing repeatedly.

At this moment, in their simple hearts, only two words remained:
loyalty!

I am willing to die for the General!

Jiang Han was unaware of this scene, but Zhao Sheng, who was in the corner, witnessed it all.

At this moment, he only regretted that he did not have a yellow robe in his hands.

Otherwise, taking advantage of this moment, they could simply drape it over Jiang Han's shoulders, wouldn't that be...
Ahem, I'm getting ahead of myself. Now is not the time. Donning the yellow robe would be a disservice to the commander-in-chief.

Zhao Sheng sighed inwardly, then shook his head, composed himself, and sent men to patrol the training ground to maintain order.

Now that the commander-in-chief was personally keeping watch, everyone felt completely at ease, picked up their wine bowls, and began to wolf down their food.

At this moment, the opera troupe also took to the stage, and with the sound of gongs and drums, they played music and made a lively scene.

Night fell quietly, and the bonfire on the training ground crackled and popped.

Many people were so drunk that they were completely disoriented, their faces flushed, and with the help of their comrades, they staggered back to their barracks and fell asleep immediately.

At this moment, Jiang Han, along with several captains and Zhao Sheng and others, was patrolling the city.

The city walls, gates, and patrol teams of Shanzhou City were all replaced with Jiang Han's personal guards.

Of course, Jiang Han would never mistreat his personal guards. With a wave of his hand, he gave each of them an extra ten taels of silver.

"Work hard! Do your best in this last shift of the year!"

Jiang Han patted one of his bodyguards on the shoulder and smiled encouragingly.
"I'll personally issue you red cards when we change shifts tomorrow morning!"

Upon hearing this, the guards present immediately straightened their backs and responded in unison:
"Thank you for the reward, Commander!"

"Don't worry, Commander, as long as we're here, the sentry will stay!"

Jiang Han nodded in satisfaction, and then led the group up the stone steps to the city wall of Shanzhou.

"Hello, Marshal!"

Jiang Han had just passed a corner tower when two slightly childish voices suddenly came from beside the crenellations of the city wall, startling him.

He turned his head and saw two boys, about half a year old, standing in the dim corner.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Yu Chengye and Li Dingguo.

Jiang Han was somewhat surprised:
What are you two doing here?

"I remember you two, you're auxiliary soldiers, right? Why didn't you go to the drill ground?"

Yu Chengye scratched his head and replied:
"Reporting to the Commander, Dingguo and I came over after having a good meal at the drill ground."

"Commander Shao wouldn't let us drink, saying we were too young."

"We figured we didn't have much to do, so we volunteered to come up and defend the city."

These two lads were mainly envious of the crowd drinking and playing drinking games in the training ground, and they wanted to find a place to hide.

Furthermore, after hearing Jiang Han say that he would personally keep watch tonight, the two clever individuals decided to go straight to the city wall, hoping to make a good impression on Jiang Han.

There was no way around it; they were both too eager to improve.

Jiang Han nodded:
"Yes, Not Bad."

He then sized up Yu Chengye and Li Dingguo's physiques and asked:

"Have you made any progress in your combat skills while you were in the army recently?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Chengye immediately perked up and puffed out his chest:
"Don't worry, Commander, we're pretty formidable now!"

“Recently, whenever we have free time, we go to consult with veteran soldiers in the army, and Commander Shao also gives us pointers when he has time.”

"We wouldn't dare say we're perfectly skilled in horse stance right now, but we certainly won't hold back when we go into battle!"

Li Dingguo nodded vigorously in agreement, his eyes filled with a desire for battle.

Looking at their expressions, Jiang Han immediately understood what these two boys were thinking.
They definitely want to switch to military service, go into battle, fight the enemy, and make a name for themselves.

However, these two are indeed still quite young.

If you really threw them to the front lines to fight, they'd probably be dead on the spot after only a few moves.

We'll have to wait at least two or three more years, until they're around fourteen or fifteen years old, before they can go into battle.

However, considering that these two boys are intelligent and quick-witted, suppressing them would not be ideal.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Han began to make arrangements:

"Alright then, you two will be transferred to my command starting tomorrow. Remember, speak less, learn more, and observe more."

"Tomorrow is the change of guard. You should go and report to my personal guard captain, Feng Chengxuan."

Upon hearing this, both of them could hardly believe their ears.

I thought it would be a pipe dream to become a mere soldier, but now I've been transferred directly to the commander-in-chief's command.

This means they can learn more, and will naturally have more confidence when leading troops in battle in the future.

The two were so excited that they immediately knelt down:
"Thank you for your guidance, Commander!"

"My brother and I will certainly live up to the commander's expectations!"

Seeing this, Jiang Han immediately helped the two up:

"Okay, get up."

"From now on, doing things with your heart is more important than anything else."

Upon hearing this, the two were even more excited and nodded in agreement repeatedly.

Jiang Han encouraged them a few more times, telling them to do a good job, and then led everyone to continue their inspection.

Only after Jiang Han's figure had disappeared into the distance did Li Dingguo dare to speak, his voice still trembling slightly:
"The General is such a kind man!"

"Brother Chengye, do you think we can continue living like this?"

Yu Chengye watched Jiang Han's departing figure, nodded heavily, his eyes resolute:
"Yes, in the future, not only us, but everyone in the world will live this kind of life!"

Jiang Han and his generals stood silently atop the city wall, overlooking the city of Shanzhou below.

As night deepened, fine snowflakes began to fall silently from the sky.

Inside the city, lanterns and candlelight shining through windows resembled twinkling stars as adults kept vigil to welcome the new year.

From the neighborhoods, the faint sound of firecrackers could be heard, as children celebrated the arrival of the festival.

The air was filled with a faint smell of gunpowder and the aroma of burning pine.

In the deep of night, the ancient city of Shanzhou appeared peaceful and serene.

But at this moment, a touch of sadness involuntarily welled up in Jiang Han's heart.

He knew better than anyone how hard-won this tranquility and peace was; it was merely a brief calm before the storm.

As natural disasters and man-made calamities intensify, countless people in the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty will be left destitute, their homes destroyed, and their families displaced.

The crowd remained silent for a long time, all deeply moved by the sight of thousands of lights shining in their homes.

Standing quietly on the city wall, I relaxed my tense mind.

Looking at the tranquil city and feeling the rare festive atmosphere, Zhao Sheng felt a long-lost scholarly spirit well up in his heart again.

He gently shook his head, gazing at the sparse stars in the sky and the falling snowflakes, and softly recited:

"Who has ruined this beautiful land? It is now shrouded in mist and miasma."

"I have given this body to the stubborn heavens; let me no longer inquire about the Qin and Han passes."

Jiang Han listened to the somber and poignant lyrics and felt a deep resonance within himself.

He imitated Zhao Sheng, shaking his head and adding:

"When the Ming Dynasty arrives, golden armor will soar into the clouds, and blood will be shed to rewrite the history of spring for all people."

(End of this chapter)