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

Chapter 319 Headmaster's Address
While the Central Plains were engulfed in war and the Liaodong Peninsula was filled with smoke, Jiang Han, who was living in a remote corner of the southwest, had been having a very smooth time lately, and was quite pleased with himself.

From late February to mid-March, reports from various prefectures and counties in Sichuan were all positive.

The report indicated that spring plowing in various regions had basically concluded.

The new year's rice seedlings have all been planted, and the lush green scenery covers the terraced fields of the Chengdu Plain and even the surrounding hills.

Water conservancy projects organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry have also been put to use.

Maintenance of facilities such as the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and dredging of ponds and canals in various regions have also played a positive role in spring plowing, laying a solid foundation for a bumper harvest in the autumn.

The scene of prosperity stood in stark contrast to the famine and war reported from the outside world.

Meanwhile, the spring imperial examination and the palace examination have also come to a successful conclusion.

Thanks to the early announcement from the Ministry of Education, the selection criteria will favor those who are knowledgeable in practical matters and capable of settling down in their localities.

Those newly appointed candidates who had just emerged victorious from the provincial examinations had no time to relax before they began to immerse themselves in practical matters such as how to govern the newly opened territories, appease the Han and Yi people, and promote agricultural education.

With clear examination guidelines, this group of newly appointed candidates were able to pass the examination smoothly and become the first batch of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) recruited under Jiang Han's command.

Of course, they also understood that passing the imperial examination was only the first step, and the real test would come in the days to come.

Soon, these newly recruited talents were entrusted with important responsibilities.

When conferring official positions, Jiang Han did not hesitate and sent nearly two hundred of the most promising and capable scholars to Guizhou, a province that had just experienced war and was in dire need of reconstruction.

They will serve as assistant officials in prefectures and counties, or preside over the administration of a county, in order to stabilize the local area as soon as possible and completely assimilate Guizhou.

The remaining eighty-odd people were appointed by Jiang Han as "inspectors" and quietly dispatched to various prefectures and counties in Sichuan.

Their duties included investigating public sentiment, conducting unannounced investigations into official conduct, verifying the implementation of policies, and having the right to submit reports directly to the Prince of Han's court.

With these informants deployed, Sichuan's officialdom will face a comprehensive test.

In military terms, the fighting in Guizhou has come to an end, and some of the participating troops have begun to withdraw to Sichuan for rest and recuperation in an orderly manner.

The first batch of evacuees were mainly the wounded. Jiang Han specially issued an edict granting them a three-month long leave and allocating money, food and medicine so that they could recuperate at home with peace of mind.

As for those soldiers who unfortunately died in battle, their remains were properly buried on the spot, and only their identification badges were brought back.

Following precedent, Jiang Han personally presided over the sacrificial ceremony and welcomed the memorial tablets of these fallen soldiers into the Martyrs' Shrine to receive seasonal sacrifices.

Inside the ancestral hall, incense smoke curled and ancestral tablets were stacked one on top of another, silently telling the story of the hardships and costs of starting a business.

In addition, Deng Qi's troops who came to surrender were settled in Jianzhou, where they were handed over to the garrison commander Dong Erzhu for screening and reorganization.

Those who wished to continue serving in the military were reassigned to different battalions and given unified training and command.

Those who no longer wish to serve in the military are given a small amount of travel expenses and sent back to their hometowns.

As expected, the majority of the Ming soldiers who chose to stay were those who did not.

After all, in chaotic times, being a soldier and getting food is at least a way to survive, and I heard that the army under the Prince of Han pays its soldiers in a timely manner, which is much more secure than the army under the Ming Dynasty.

Those soldiers who chose to stay, along with their former commander Deng Qi, temporarily resided at the Jianzhou camp, where they received new military discipline and ideological training.

Jiang Han already knew from Deng Yang's secret letter that Deng Qi was able to surrender south after beheading Fang Guoan, a Ming army adjutant. This "pledge of allegiance" was enough to show his determination.

Jiang Han was even more satisfied with the performance of another surrendered general, Ma Ke. He was said to be the first to breach the city walls, kill enemy generals, and persuade them to surrender. He worked very hard.

This shows that the Ming army was not without capable people, but most of them were buried and delayed by the corrupt system of the court, the tight food and salary, and the incompetent command.

Jiang Han has high hopes that these two surrendered generals will perform even better in the future.

At the same time, we hope to take them as role models and attract more insightful people in the Ming army to join us.

He firmly believes that as his own power grows stronger and his demeanor becomes more and more innovative, there will inevitably be more and more people like him who are aware of the times.

In summary, since the establishment of the capital in Chengdu, the situation in Sichuan has gradually stabilized, people's livelihoods have recovered, and the military and political system has been initially established.

It was a scene of vibrant life and flourishing life.

Recently, Jiang Han's life has become much more regular.

Aside from handling necessary government affairs, he focused his main energy on two areas:
The first is the newly built Tianfu Academy, and the second is their own harem.

The former is a new nursery on which he places high hopes and cultivates the foundation for the future, while the latter is related to the continuation of his bloodline and the successors of his career.

Both sides are of paramount importance and neither can be neglected.

On Qingming Festival, before dawn, Jiang Han had already gotten up.

Today's schedule is very full. First, as the King of Han, he must preside over the ceremony to commemorate the fallen soldiers.

Afterwards, in his capacity as headmaster, he will go to Tianfu Academy to address and teach the children there, as a sign of care and attention.

At 3:45 AM, the spacious training ground of the academy was completely silent and solemn.

The light rain fell all night during the Qingming Festival, and the air was still slightly cool, making people's clothes slightly damp.

The 1,200 students, dressed in uniform indigo robes, lined up in neat square formations according to their respective "training quarters".

Most of them were only eight or nine years old, their faces still showing signs of childhood, but after two or three months of training, their posture was already quite good.

Between the rows, no one dared to sway or whisper among themselves.

Xu Le'an was standing in the middle of the line for the "Elementary School Dingzizhai" class. He shrank his neck slightly and tried to wipe the water droplets off his face.

He remembered that three months ago, he was in a government shelter, crammed together with dozens of other orphans who had also been adopted, with no idea what the future held.

One day, an official claiming to be in charge came and said that His Highness the Prince of Han wanted to send them to a top-notch new academy to study, learn to read and write, and acquire skills.

Then they were brought here—to this grand and spacious courtyard that he could never have imagined.

"Straighten up!"

At the instructor's loud command, all the children instinctively pulled in their stomachs, straightened their backs, and pressed their heels together.

Xu Le'an quickly followed suit, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the reviewing stand in front of the training ground.

Soon, a tall figure, accompanied by Wang Chengbi, the head of the academic department, and several other officials, steadily ascended the reviewing stand.

He was dressed in a red and black outfit with dark gold cloud patterns, and a wide Shu brocade belt around his waist, with an upright posture.

His face was calm, his gaze steady, as he slowly swept over the nearly one thousand pairs of young eyes below the stage.

Upon seeing that familiar figure and robes, Xu Le'an, standing in the queue, couldn't help but tiptoe slightly, his heart pounding with excitement.

It's His Highness the Prince of Han!
No, here, he would address Jiang Han as "Headmaster".

Xu Le'an clearly remembers that it was at the Martyrs' Shrine that Jiang Han personally promised to give them food and books to read;

Xu Le'an was the first child to be led into the Martyrs' Shrine, and he still vividly remembers the scene.

Jiang Han stood on the reviewing stand, but did not speak immediately. Instead, he stood quietly for a while, scanning the neat formations below.

The queue remained quiet throughout, without any disturbance or noise, which made him nod in satisfaction.

Good, the training recently has been quite effective, and these kids are doing a great job.

It's important to know that Tianfu Academy operates under quasi-military management, with strict rules and regulations governing everything.

After a long silence, Jiang Han finally spoke.

He picked up the tin megaphone, cleared his throat, and his voice echoed throughout the entire drill ground:
"children!"

"Today is Qingming Festival, a day to pay respects to our ancestors and remember our deceased loved ones."

"Standing here looking at you, my heart is filled with countless emotions, as if I am seeing the shadows of old friends." "Although you are adopted sons, and although the blood of those heroes does not flow in your veins, you have inherited their surnames, which means you have inherited their spirit and shouldered their glory!"

"You must know that your fathers sacrificed their lives on the battlefield to quell the chaos and allow countless people to live in peace and prosperity!"

Jiang Han's voice was deep and powerful, striking a chord in the hearts of every child.
"I do not expect you to be like your fathers, immediately taking up arms, mounting your horses, and rushing to the front lines to kill the enemy."

"On the battlefield, there are still us old guys!"

"I have only one requirement for you: study hard in this academy, understand principles, and learn skills!"

"Your fathers sacrificed themselves to fight the enemy. I hope that in the future you will study and do things to save the people!"

"These are two different battlefields, but both are equally important!"

At this point, Jiang Han took a stack of documents from Wang Chengbi beside him.

"Do you know what it's like outside Sichuan, in the entire Ming Dynasty, when you're standing here with shelter and food to fill your stomachs?"

He slowly turned to the top page, his tone becoming unusually heavy.
"In the ninth year of Chongzhen's reign, Shaanxi suffered a severe drought. Guanzhong and Hanzhong were barren for thousands of miles, rivers and canals dried up, and the ground cracked."

"Furthermore, locusts swept through, darkening the sky and devouring all the remaining seedlings, resulting in a complete crop failure and widespread famine..."

"In Shanxi, Henan, Huguang and other places, war broke out everywhere, and bandits and government troops fought each other endlessly."

"Bandits pass by like combs, soldiers pass by like fine brushes; nine out of ten houses are empty, and people exchange their own children to eat."

"Even in the Jiangnan region, which is known as a land of fish and rice, there are countless exorbitant taxes and levies, rampant corrupt officials, and people living in misery..."

"These are all messages that came back not long ago. Every single one of them is shocking and every word is heartbreaking!"

Jiang Han, unhurriedly, recounted the natural disasters, man-made calamities, and the horrific scenes of war recorded in the letter in a poignant yet clear manner.

The audience was completely silent, except for the rustling sound of the breeze.

Most of these children have experienced displacement, hunger, and cold.

Jiang Han's words also awakened their painful memories.

Many children's eyes were already brimming with tears, and they bit their lips tightly, trying hard not to cry out loud.

Xu Le'an, standing in the crowd, trembled uncontrollably.

He remembered the sudden flood in his hometown that destroyed the thatched hut they lived in; he remembered his parents who died one after another from illness and hunger.

He also recalled the countless scornful looks, scoldings, and even beatings he suffered when he was a lone wanderer begging.

In contrast, life at the academy, with food, clothing, and books to read, was like a paradise on earth.

Jiang Han spoke for nearly half an hour, and the audience remained silent.

"alright,"

He gently closed the letter in his hand and handed it back to Wang Chengbi, his tone softening as he did so.

"Today is a special day, the Qingming Festival, a time for remembering and honoring our ancestors, which is why I spoke a little more than usual."

Jiang Han glanced at the many young faces below the stage, his tone solemn:

"I hope everyone will remember what I said today."

"You study hard today so that you may become rich and powerful and bring glory to your family in the future; but one day, you can use what you have learned to end the chaos of the world."

"Only in this way can we live up to the name of heroes and my high expectations for you!"

As soon as Jiang Han finished speaking, more than a thousand children below the stage shouted in unison, their voices shaking the rooftops:

"Thank you for your personal instruction, Headmaster!"

Seeing this, Jiang Han nodded in satisfaction, and then left the reviewing stand surrounded by officials such as Wang Chengbi.

He would be teaching different classes at the academy all day and needed to rest for a while first.

It was breakfast time at the academy. Jiang Han casually drank a bowl of hot porridge to warm himself up, then lay down fully clothed in the duty room of the academy's general office and took a nap.

He was awakened by a soft sound after an unknown amount of time:
"Your Majesty? Your Majesty?"

"It's time for the first class of the day, Chen Shi (7-9 AM)."

Jiang Han rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up from the simple bed, straightened his clothes, and then pushed open the door to go out.

Waiting outside the door was a teacher in his thirties with a sharp and capable appearance.

Upon seeing Jiang Han emerge, the instructor bowed and gestured for Jiang Han to follow him to the classroom.

As Jiang Han walked along the road, he noticed that the instructor in front of him seemed to have some difficulty with his left leg, limping, and looked somewhat familiar.

So he casually asked:
"You look familiar. What's your name?"

When the instructor saw that the King of Han had taken the initiative to ask him a question, he was so excited that his face turned red. He immediately stopped and straightened up, replying respectfully:
"Your Majesty, I am Changyu, formerly a commander under General Cao's Left Battalion."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han looked the instructor up and down in surprise:
"Oh?"

"Since you're in charge of the army, why aren't you serving in the camp? Why are you at the academy instead?"

What's wrong with your legs?

Changyu gave a wry smile and explained:
"I dare not hide it from Your Majesty, but last year when I followed you to attack Baoning Prefecture, I was seriously injured in my left leg."

"Although the treatment saved my leg, it left me with a disability, making it impossible for me to fight in battle anymore, so I retired from the front line."

"Later, when the academy was being established, it was necessary to select veteran soldiers from the army to be in charge of training and management, so I was transferred here."

"Now I am mainly responsible for the children's daily management and training."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Han suddenly realized:
"I see."

He patted Changyu heavily on the shoulder and encouraged him:
"Yes, you deserve credit."

"Although I can't fight on the front lines, serving at the academy after retiring is a guarantee."

"These are the sons and daughters of our comrades who died in battle, and now I entrust them to you."

“Take good care of these children for your brothers. Their spirits in heaven will thank you. It is a great responsibility!”

Upon hearing this, Changyu immediately straightened his back and solemnly replied:
"Your Majesty, rest assured!"

"Your humble servant will certainly do his utmost to live up to the trust placed in him!"

"it is good!"

Jiang Han nodded, signaling him to continue leading the way:

Where is today's first class scheduled?

"Is everything ready?"

Changyu quickly took out a piece of paper from his pocket and presented it with both hands:
"It's all arranged. As you instructed, the vegetarian temples were all randomly selected."

"The first lesson today is scheduled in Room 3 of the Bingzi Hall, with a total of seventy-three students."

"This is the list, please take a look."

Jiang Han took the list, quickly glanced at it, and already had a general idea of ​​what was going on.

"Let's go, we're going to be busy today."

(End of this chapter)