The Revolt of the Three Feudatories: All-in at the start in Beijing

Galdan had no interest in dealing with the Korean envoy; he wanted to see the tribute that Korea had just sent.

The gold and silver offerings, along with some local specialties, were not much and were not valuable; they were just a token of goodwill.

The most outstanding were the three tribute women, five maids, and ten fire-bringers; these were the finest items from Korea.

The tribute women were chosen to serve as noble ladies or concubines for the emperor, and they were selected from noble families and minor clans.

They can speak Chinese, and everyone in Korea can speak Chinese characters because Chinese characters are the official script, while Korean characters are considered a local script and are not considered respectable.

This is why later generations feel that Korean culture is severely fragmented; it represents a cultural disconnect, as people can't even understand their own country's historical architecture.

This was even more severe than the Manchu Qing dynasty's forced hair removal and clothing changes.

The maids were farm women who, after receiving training at the Korean royal palace, came to Beijing to take care of the tribute women.

The "fire men" were Koreans, eunuchs castrated from poor families, who were also used to take care of the tribute women.

These three Korean tribute women were all arranged by Zhao Fengnian to live in Yongshou Palace, which is located behind Yangxin Hall.

The original palace buildings were all somewhat damaged, and Yongshou Palace was renovated.

When Galdan arrived, eighteen people knelt in front of the palace gate to greet him; the maids and eunuchs all looked rather young.

Tsk tsk tsk, that's really ruthless!

The three women had their heads down and couldn't see clearly, so Galdan strode forward and gently lifted one of the women's chins.

"Kim Hee-sun?"

Galdan then provoked the other two women in succession.

"How can they be exactly the same?"

"Could they still be three sisters?"

"These genes are incredibly powerful!"

Zhao Fengnian, who was standing to the side, immediately followed the rules of the Ming Dynasty and began to present the names of three tribute women, so that Galdan could draw lots and whoever he drew would be the one to serve him in bed.

Triple the happiness is within reach.

Galdan had no interest in such things.

"Is that not necessary?"

After Galdan finished speaking, he waved to the three tribute women.

"You may all get up."

"Come with me and see if it's cold in the palace!"

Day two.

New Year's Day.

The year is 1675.

That is, the 1876th year of the Han Dynasty.

Urged anxiously by Zhao Fengnian, Galdan staggered out of Yongshou Palace. His bright eyes were devoid of any desire, filled with the wisdom of a saint.

Because the war was still raging, only generals of the rank of general or a few important generals who had surrendered were invited, so there weren't many people in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

When Galdan, dressed in his imperial robes, sat on the dragon throne, everyone kowtowed and shouted "Long live the Emperor!" three times.

"My esteemed subjects, please rise!"

Galdan raised his hand, signaling everyone to rise, thus concluding the New Year's Day courtesies between the monarch and his subjects.

"Serve the feast!"

Zhao Fengnian immediately shouted towards the outside of the hall.

Before long, the female official, accompanied by palace maids, brought out dishes of delicacies to the tables of everyone, mainly consisting of various mountain delicacies, such as venison and bear paws.

Because of the cold weather, each dish was heated with charcoal, and the style was similar to that of hotels in later times. So it can be said that the ancients were always at the forefront in terms of enjoyment.

Among the civil servants, there were three veterans: Li Guangdi, Zhou Peigong, and Ouyang Jing, as well as three newcomers: Zhang Ying, Xu Qianxue, and Chen Jingting.

Zhang Ying himself was very capable, and his son Zhang Tingyu was even more remarkable. Xu Qianxue and Chen Jingting were also very capable people. In an era when the Manchus indulged in eating, drinking, and having fun, they were still able to assist Kangxi in quelling the Three Feudatories and fighting the Dzungars by virtue of their deputy positions.

These three men had not yet been promoted by Emperor Kangxi, and their treatment was similar to that of Li Guangdi. Galdan extended an olive branch, and they all joined the Han government as officials.

Zhang Ying, through his own efforts, managed to bring Shuntian Prefecture back to its initial state of recovery in just a few months.

The military commanders consist of six veterans: Subutai, Liu Weiqing, Liu Xin, Wanyan Wu, Zhao Liangdong, and Zhao Lie. The newcomers are Wang Fuchen, Zhao Weishang, and Zhao Yingkui.

Leaving aside the six veterans, Wang Fuchen, one of the newcomers, is a natural-born general. He rose through the ranks from a lowly soldier and is known as the "Northwest Horse Hawk." He is adept at combined infantry and cavalry tactics.

Zhao Weishang was unclear, but Zhou Peigong said that this man was skilled in cavalry and had repeatedly annihilated Qinghai Mongols in Gansu.

The last one, Zhao Yingkui, was the General of Taiyuan at the time. He was recruited by Zhou Peigong as a Lieutenant General and put in charge of military affairs in Taiyuan. He then killed the Governor of Shanxi, who was in charge of the Bordered Yellow Banner.

Zhou Peigong was unaware of his talent, but Galdan knew it; he was a brave general who followed Kong Youde south and had unique insights into firearms.

If they hadn't recruited him beforehand, he would probably have already marched south to Jiangxi by now. Given his control over firearms, it wouldn't have been so easy for Shang Zhixin to penetrate into Jiangxi.

After receiving Zhou Peigong's letter, Galdan immediately issued an edict promoting him to the rank of General, commanding 30,000 Han troops in Shanxi to guard the entrance to Henan.

The steps beneath the Ming Dynasty's dragon throne were too high, making it impossible to see people's faces while sitting on them. Due to the design of the main hall, there was also a feeling of being surrounded by enemies, which Galdan disliked very much.

So he picked up his wine glass and wine pot, walked straight down the steps, and plopped down on the third step, which was just the right spot.

"Gentlemen, as you all know my temperament, there's no need for formalities here. Let's drink this cup to the brim!"

After Galdan finished speaking, he drank the wine in his cup in one gulp.

The old men all knew Galdan's temper, so they all drank it down in one gulp, their faces relaxed. Zhao Yingkui and Wang Fuchen, as military generals, exchanged a glance and then also drank heartily.

Only new civil officials like Zhang Ying, who had previously been oppressed by Manchu officials, still appeared very constrained in their new environment and couldn't change their ways immediately.

The three cups of wine were quickly finished. These were medicinal wines treasured in the palace. Everyone drank until their faces were flushed, but this was tonic, not drunkenness.

Galdan immediately walked to the center of the main hall.

"Gentlemen, I have already sent people to investigate. The Choros clan to which I belong is descended from Liu Fa, the King of Changsha, who migrated north and settled in the grasslands. They rose to prominence when our ancestor Esen controlled the southern and northern deserts and the western regions."

"Therefore, there is no doubt that I am a Han Chinese!"

"From this day forward, I will change my surname to Liu and my given name to Mu, the Mu of 'acting as a shepherd on behalf of Heaven.' I am determined to destroy the Manchu Qing dynasty, pacify the world, and restore a bright and clear world to all the people."

After Liu Mu finished speaking, he felt extremely relieved. He stepped onto the Emperor's steps and sat down on the dragon throne. After revealing his name, he immediately felt very secure sitting on the dragon throne.

Li Guangdi and Zhou Peigong, who were sitting at the bottom, were the most quick-witted and pulled the other civil officials to stand up immediately.

"Your Majesty, we respectfully congratulate you on restoring the Liu family!"

"Expel the Tartars and restore our Han dynasty!"

Oh, I see.

So the military officers also stood in the center of the hall.

"Restore the Liu family, expel the Tartars!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Mu coughed twice and took out a small book from his bosom. In fact, this was Liu Mu's notebook, which recorded the achievements of his subjects.

"Gentlemen, I have been able to stabilize this northern land thanks to your contributions, and I have never been stingy with my praises!"

"Subutai, heed my decree!"