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

Chapter 274 The King is Getting a Wife!

As a notice to "select eligible women in Sichuan to marry off soldiers" spread throughout the prefectures and counties, the whole of Sichuan was abuzz with excitement.

This royal decree first and foremost benefits the several generals who have followed Jiang Han through thick and thin.

These men are not young anymore. Now that they have established themselves, it's time for them to settle down, start families, and truly put down roots.

Furthermore, these people will all become generals or commanders-in-chief who lead their own armies in the future, responsible for guarding key locations or conquering cities and strongholds.

Some things are better left unsaid. Although Jiang Han trusts them implicitly, there must still be the necessary constraints and rules.

Having a family at home is both a comfort and, to some extent, an invisible constraint.

Shao Yong, Dong Erzhu, Hei Zi, and the others were clever; they had already secretly found lovers and taken care of their personal lives.

Jiang Han turned a blind eye to this.

But Jiang Han had to personally oversee Li Zicheng's case.

He vaguely remembered that this fellow seemed to have extremely bad luck in matters of love and sex, as if he had suffered a great loss, even losing troops and generals as a result, and his vitality was severely damaged.

According to the History of Ming, Zicheng was not fond of wine or women, ate coarse grains, and shared hardships with his subordinates.

However, if you are too concerned about your personal career, it is easy for your subordinates to take advantage of you and steal your business.

In the original history, Li Zicheng was said to have been cuckolded twice.

The first time, he didn't know if it was true or not, but the second time it really had a significant impact on him.

At that time, Gao Jie, one of Li Zicheng's generals, had an affair with his wife, Madam Xing.

After the plot was exposed, Gao Jie led his troops and Madam Xing to defect to He Renlong's government army.

As Li Zicheng's trusted and beloved general, Gao Jie was very familiar with his combat style, military strategy, and even the details of his troops.

His betrayal brought enormous trouble to Li Zicheng's rebellion.

He Renlong's troops were able to repeatedly seize Li Zicheng's vital points in his later battles, and Gao Jie made a significant contribution to this.

Now that Li Zicheng has submitted, Jiang Han will never allow such a thing to happen again.

Li Zicheng was one of his key generals. If anything went wrong, the loss would not only be a great general, but could also cause the war to collapse.

Therefore, Jiang Han specifically summoned Zhao Sheng and solemnly instructed him:

“You must handle matters that need to be accomplished personally.”

"Find a woman with a clean background, whose parents are honest and upright, and who is gentle and kind."

"Looks don't have to be outstanding, the key is to be steady, law-abiding, and well-known."

"Send someone to visit the neighbors in the village and make sure everything is taken care of."

Zhao Sheng was well aware of the implications and solemnly accepted the order before leaving.

After nearly half a month of careful selection, and even a secret investigation, Zhao Sheng finally chose a woman named Zhou Yuanfeng for Li Zicheng.

This woman comes from an ordinary family in Jintang County, near Chengdu Prefecture. Her parents are still alive, and she has an older brother named Zhou Yuanhong.

The Zhou family has a long tradition of combining farming with scholarship; though not wealthy, they highly value their reputation.

The woman was pretty and dignified, clearly a person of pure heart.

After Jiang Han personally reviewed the files and the scouts' reports, he nodded in satisfaction and betrothed Zhou Yuanfeng to Li Zicheng.

After the marriages of the main generals were settled, it was time for the ordinary soldiers to take their place.

For these ordinary soldiers, Jiang Han's royal decree was an immense blessing.

From the perspective of maintaining morale, soldiers with families have something to care about and a foundation to rely on. They fight to protect their homes, wives, and children, which will boost their morale and cohesion.

From an economic perspective, after soldiers got married, their families could be granted land, which could stabilize local production and realize economic circulation.

Jiang Han's soldiers are all carrying a lot of silver, but they are too busy marching and fighting to spend it.

After they get married and start a family, they will definitely need to acquire property.

For building houses, the Ministry of Works had cheap and durable cement; for purchasing household property, the Ministry of Works also had sturdy and abundant homespun cloth.

Once the king issued his order, the thresholds of government offices throughout Sichuan were practically worn down by the crowds.

Countless families with daughters of marriageable age rushed to register their children's marriages.

For the vast majority of poor families, it didn't matter who the emperor was or who the King of Han was; survival was their primary concern.

These people from Sichuan had long heard that the soldiers under the Han King were well-fed and well-paid.

If my daughter can be selected and successfully invite these sons-in-law back, then there will be hope for the future.

Some small and medium-sized landlords and gentry families set their sights on some junior officers in the army.

What they valued was these people's future prospects, and with this marriage connection, they wouldn't face any more difficulties in the local area.

After more than half a month of busy screening, matchmaking activities have begun in various places.

In Chengdu Prefecture, on the open ground outside the Five Star Temple in the east of the city, there was a great deal of noise.

The eligible women who came from nearby towns were roughly divided into two groups under the organization of the officials.

Standing on the west side of the open space were all young, unmarried women.
To the east of the open space were women whose husbands had died or who had been separated from their families, many of whom had innocent children with them.

The first batch of soldiers from Jiang Hanzhong's army quickly arrived at Wuxing Temple.

Guided by their respective team leaders, the group entered the square in a line, both excited and somewhat reserved.

Yang Lin was one of them.

He looked at the groups of women in the open space not far away, his expression somewhat dazed, as if he were dreaming.

He had wanted to start a family for a long time, from the age of sixteen to twenty-six, for a full ten years, but unfortunately it was just wishful thinking.

Yang Lin is from Qingjian, Shaanxi. In his hometown, you can also see groups of women, but they are mostly seen at the city gate or near the market.

There were young women and young wives, women of all shapes and sizes, tall and short, fat and thin.

They had straw tags stuck in their hair, like goods waiting to be bought.

These are all pitiful people whose families have been destroyed and who have nowhere else to go. As long as you have the courage to pull up the grass marker, you can take them away.

Although Yang Lin was envious, he never dared to pull it out.

Once you pull up the grass, you have to provide food to feed the people; you have to give them something to eat.

Yang Lin had no military pay and struggled to even feed himself, so how could he dare to delay others?

Despite Yang Lin's tall stature and martial arts skills, he charged into battle and killed without batting an eye.

But these things are of no use to the matchmakers in their hometown.

When matchmakers heard he was a soldier, they turned and left without saying another word.

In Shaanxi, who doesn't know that these soldiers are without pay?
There are more Shaanxi soldiers like Yang Lin, skilled in martial arts but who don't live past thirty, than there are bricks piled up on the Great Wall beyond the Great Wall.

The emperor and the officials of the court seemed unaware that they needed to eat, marry, and have children.

Yang Lin felt that the luckiest thing in his life was being chosen to follow the army to the capital to defend the emperor.

Although the emperor didn't provide meals, General Jiang, oh no, the Prince of Han, did provide meals, and he even provided three full meals a day.

Later, as the team grew, they were not only able to eat and dress well, but also receive wages.

When Yang Lin received his silver-plated military pay for the first time, this tough man wept uncontrollably, wishing he could tear out his heart and offer it to the commander-in-chief on the spot.

Now that the commander-in-chief has become king, Yang Lin carries a thick amount of reward money and accumulated military pay, totaling more than a hundred taels.

This time, he finally stood tall and had the confidence to choose a woman he liked and settle down with her.

Yang Lin already had a plan in mind when it came to choosing a wife.

He followed the group into the open space, ignoring the delicate, inexperienced young women to the west, and headed straight to the east.

He was looking for a woman who could bear children and work.

Yang Lin's gaze swept over each woman, carefully examining their hands, waists, and expressions.

Soon, his gaze was drawn to a woman in the crowd.

The woman was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. She wasn't particularly pretty, and her face showed signs of weariness and frost. She was also holding the hands of two three- or four-year-old children tightly.

These conditions weren't exactly ideal, but Yang Lin took a liking to the woman at first sight.

Calluses on her hands indicate diligence and hard work; carrying a child proves she is fertile; though there is some timidity in her eyes, there is also a strong sense of resilience.

It's her!

Yang Lin strode up to the woman and got straight to the point:
What's your name?

The woman was taken aback by the direct question, then lowered her head and replied softly:

“Wang Guilan, a commoner woman.”

"Where are you from?"

"Guan...Guanxian County."

How did the man in your family die?

Yang Lin continued to ask, "This is the key question."

At this moment, Wang Guilan's eyes reddened, but she held back her tears, and her voice rose slightly:
“A few years ago, the government troops flooded the village to drown the bandits, and... they flooded our village.”

"My parents, my in-laws... none of them managed to escape."

"My husband risked his life to push the three of us to the shore, but he was too weak and was swept away by the current..."

As she spoke, she hugged the two children at her feet tightly.

Yang Lin nodded. He had heard about the incident in Guanxian and had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

This woman had a hard life, but she wasn't a woman who brought misfortune to her husband; she suffered from the calamities of war.

"I've taken a liking to you."

Yang Lin was straightforward.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Wang Guilan suddenly looked up, staring incredulously at the tall, robust soldier before her, then glanced at his equally burly comrades behind him, and nodded frantically.
"Yes! Of course I'm willing!"

Yang Lin nodded after listening, and then confirmed:
"Are you able to work in the fields?"

"I'll definitely be following the King to conquer the land in the future, so you'll have to manage everything at home and in the fields." "If you can't manage it all, we can just hire a female helper later."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Guilan quickly assured him:

"No need for help, I can do it myself!"

"I can do any kind of work!"

Yang Lin, standing opposite him, nodded and a smile appeared on his face.
"That's good."

"These two children will take my surname from now on."

"When they grow a bit older and are stronger, we'll send them to join the army, so they can fight alongside the commander and earn a future!"

He paused, then added:
"As for their biological father, just set up a memorial tablet for him at home, and let the children offer incense to him during festivals."

Upon hearing this, Wang Guilan finally couldn't hold back her tears and was about to kneel down with a thud.
"Thank you, sir! You are so kind!"

Wang Guilan naturally had no objection to the request to change her surname. It's the simplest principle that you should take the surname of the family you eat the grain from.

Even setting up a memorial tablet shows that Yang Lin is kind-hearted.

Yang Lin helped Wang Guilan up and brushed the dust off her clothes.
"Alright, from now on we're family."

"Come with me, let's go to the back to register."

"After the registration is complete, the King of Han will even allocate land to us!"

"The King will not mistreat us. I heard that these are all top-quality irrigated fields confiscated from the Shu King's palace. They are very fertile!"

Wang Guilan's eyes lit up when she heard this; she couldn't believe such a good thing could happen.

Yang Lin led her towards the registration point, planning their future as they walked:

"Once we're married, the king will grant us a three-month leave."

"Let's hurry up and have a few more kids."

He patted the heavy reward money and military pay in his arms, full of confidence.

"Your husband is rich; he can raise as many children as he wants!"

There are many soldiers like Yang Lin.

They all came from hardship and know very well what they need to start a family.

Therefore, these soldiers unanimously chose women who seemed more capable of enduring hardship, managing a household better, and who had experienced life's hardships.

For them, this is the kind of partner they can truly build a life with.

While the soldiers below were enthusiastically arranging marriages and starting families, Jiang Han, under Zhao Sheng's arrangement, was preparing to meet two women in the back garden of the Shu King's mansion.

His marriage partner was the eldest daughter of the Wang family in Pingwu County and the Li family in Jiangyou.

The woman from the Li family was named Li Manwen, and her father was Li Xinghuai, the prefect of Jianzhou.

The woman from the Wang family was named Wang Yiying, the daughter of Wang Chengbi, the prefect of Long'an.

Ancient emperors and generals frequently engaged in marriage alliances with their subordinates during the early stages of their reigns.

From the distant past, there was Emperor Gaozu of Han; from the more recent past, there was Emperor Taizu of Ming.

Jiang Han was not opposed to the marriage alliance.

While there are certainly political considerations involved, for Jiang Han personally, it was indeed time to resolve his personal issues and have children.

It wasn't really about romance; it was more like a natural progression, a choice involving both responsibility and self-interest.

On the fifth day of the fourth lunar month, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.

The back garden of the Shu Prince's Mansion, though simply maintained and lacking in exotic flowers and plants, still exudes a serene and elegant charm.

In a lakeside pavilion, Jiang Han changed out of his military uniform and into a light blue casual dress. He sat on a stone bench, waiting for Zhao Sheng to bring the people over.

He appeared calm, revealing little emotion, as if he were simply handling a routine official matter.

The first person to be attracted was a woman dressed in a light green ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

She straightened her clothes slightly outside the waterside pavilion before slowly walking in, accompanied by her maid.

She was slender with an oval face, fair skin, and long, narrow eyes, exuding a scholarly air. She was Li Xinghuai's daughter, Li Manwen.

She stopped about five steps away from Jiang Han, lowered her eyes slightly, curtsied, and spoke softly:

"This humble woman, Li Manwen, pays her respects to the King of Han."

"No need to be polite, just sit down."

Jiang Han nodded and pointed to the stone bench opposite him.

Li Manwen sat down as instructed, placing her hands folded on her knees with an extremely upright posture, but her gaze remained fixed on the hem of her skirt, making her appear somewhat reserved.

Jiang Han looked her over and asked:
What do you usually like to do at home?

Li Manwen answered softly:
"To answer the King of Han, it's nothing more than reading 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Biographies of Exemplary Women,' occasionally practicing calligraphy, or doing some needlework."

Her voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that this was the first time she had encountered such a situation.

In this era, women from wealthy families were expected to stay within the confines of their homes, and scenes like this, where they faced men, were extremely rare.

Jiang Han found Li Manwen's talk about "Admonitions for Women" and "Biographies of Exemplary Women" rather uninteresting, so he changed the subject:

Have you read any other books?

"For example, historical texts, novels, or poetry?"

Li Manwen gently shook her head:
“My father said that studying history and miscellaneous subjects is not a woman’s duty, so he has not read much of it.”

"I only occasionally peruse Li Qingzhao's graceful poems to pass the time."

Her answer was watertight, but it also blocked any possibility of in-depth communication.

Jiang Han casually asked some questions about the customs and culture of Jianzhou and her family situation. Li Manwen answered them one by one, speaking politely and respectfully, but it always seemed as if there was an invisible wall between them, making it difficult for her to approach.

The entire conversation was uneventful, polite yet distant.

About an incense stick later, Jiang Han had a maid escort Li Manwen out.

After Li Manwen left, Jiang Han picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his face remained expressionless.

After a short rest, the second woman was led in.

Unlike Li Manwen's reserved demeanor, this woman's steps were noticeably lighter, and she wore a pale yellow dress that made her skin appear even whiter and rosier.

She was Wang Chengbi's daughter, named Wang Yiying.

She has a round, oval face, large, bright eyes that seem to hold two pools of clear spring water, and a naturally upturned mouth with a playful smile.

As soon as she entered, she curiously surveyed the pavilion's furnishings before turning to Jiang Han, giving him a graceful and poised bow in a clear, melodious voice:

"The commoner, Wang Yiying, pays her respects to the King of Han."

"sit."

Jiang Han also pointed to the stone bench.

After Wang Yiying sat down, unlike Li Manwen who kept her head down and looked at him submissively, she boldly raised her eyes to look at Jiang Han with a bright gaze and a hint of inquiry.

"I've heard that Prefect Wang comes from a family of scholars and poets. What kind of books does Miss Wang usually read?"

Jiang Han asked the same question.

Wang Yiying smiled, revealing two small dimples:

"Your Majesty, my father does indeed have a large collection of books."

“Besides the books that a daughter should read, I also secretly flipped through the Records of the Grand Historian and the Zizhi Tongjian, but I only understood them superficially.”

"Besides that, I prefer reading geographical miscellanea, such as the Commentary on the Waterways Classic and the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions."

"It's a pity that as a woman, I can't go to those places to see for myself."

She spoke a little fast, with the liveliness of a young girl.

This piqued Jiang Han's interest:

"Oh? You also read 'The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions'?"

Wang Yiying was a little embarrassed and scratched her head:

"Just flipping through it randomly."

"I just felt that there were some stories in it, which were more interesting than the romance novels about talented scholars and beautiful women."

"Your Majesty, you have fought in many places, and you must have seen far more wonders than are described in books, right?"

She naturally steered the conversation towards Jiang Han.

Jiang Han, unusually, became quite talkative, so he picked out a few interesting and dangerous things he encountered during his journey.

Wang Yiying listened intently, sometimes widening her eyes in surprise, sometimes clenching her hands in tension, and when she heard that the danger had been averted, she would breathe a sigh of relief and clap her hands in delight.

The atmosphere of the conversation was noticeably more relaxed and lively.

Jiang Han discovered that this girl was not only beautiful and charming, but also quite clever and insightful, far surpassing ordinary young ladies. She had her own opinions when she spoke, but did not come across as abrupt or off-putting.

About two incense sticks' worth of time later, Wang Yiying, reminded by a maid, reluctantly got up to take her leave, bowed, and gracefully departed.

After she left, Zhao Sheng emerged from some hidden corner, a smile on his face:
"Your Majesty, what do you think of these two?"

Jiang Han tapped the stone table lightly with his fingers, pondered for a moment, and then spoke:

"The Li family's daughter has excellent manners, just like a lady from a prominent family."

He paused, his tone flat.
"This one from the Wang family... is quite interesting. He's bold and quite talkative."

Zhao Sheng, being an extremely astute man, immediately understood the implied meaning behind the song, and his smile deepened.
"So, Your Majesty means..."

Jiang Han made the final decision:
"Let's just have the two of them."

"Go back and draw up a plan: should you marry them one after the other, or all at once?"

"Make sure it's done properly, without being impolite or too extravagant."

He thought for a moment and added:
"By the way, aren't there many brothers in the army who are also getting married?"

"See if you can think of a way to hold a collective ceremony, to make it lively and let all the brothers share in the joy."

(End of this chapter)