The sky was just getting dark, and the city gate was slowly pushed open. Smoke and dust rose all the way in the distance, and several knights carrying letter bags and red feathers in their hats ran towards them.
From a distance, the officers and soldiers guarding the city hurriedly moved away the roadblock in front of the city gate. Several knights roared past and rushed straight into the capital from Zhengyang Gate without stopping for a moment...
In the Wenhua Hall, the morning dynasty was being held.
As Xu Bin and others were beheaded in public, the court finally calmed down for a while. Not only that, but a lot of good news came.
The biggest thing is that the canal that the Ministry of Works has been building for nearly eight months has finally been successfully completed.
After running around for more than half a year, almost doing everything by hand, Chen Xun, a civil servant with a clean background, has really lost a lot of weight, and the official robes that originally fit him are a bit loose.
However, in the Wenhua Hall, Mr. Chen was holding a wat board in his hand, and he was particularly high-spirited.
"Your Majesty, for this Guangji Canal project, 50,000 Beijing troops were mobilized. It took several months to build a large canal that is more than 600 miles long, with seven sluices in it, connecting the Yellow River and Qinshui River."
"Once the canal is completed, it can solve the long-term breach in Shawan. In addition, it can also ensure the transshipment of grain next year."
"Fortunately, I have fulfilled my duty and come here to reply to His Majesty's order and submit a detailed report."
After saying that, Chen Xun took out a memorial from his sleeve and handed it over.
The chamberlain came down the imperial steps and handed the memorial to the emperor. Zhu Qiyu opened it and looked at it. With a smile on his face, he put the memorial down and said.
"Chen Shangshu has worked hard on this trip. Guangji Canal is a matter of benefit to the country and the people. In just a few months, the 600-mile-long canal can be built. It is thanks to the full cooperation of Chen Shangshu and the accompanying officials, officers, soldiers, and people."
"Cheng Jing, hereby pass the decree. All officers and soldiers who participate in the construction of the canal will be rewarded with five taels of silver, a piece of cloth, and will be allowed to rest for seven days."
"Chen Shangshu has also worked hard. I also allow you to take a rest for seven days. After that, you can go back to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and hand over a memorial to me based on the merits of the other officials involved."
Cheng Jing nodded and leaned forward to accept the order. Chen Xun also knelt down to express his gratitude. The whole court was filled with a harmonious atmosphere.
Although there were many people in the court who objected when the emperor first wanted to build the canal, the benefits were obvious after the canal was built.
At least next year's water transportation of grain can be guaranteed. In this way, everyone can receive their salary safely, and naturally they will be happy.
For those who participated in the construction of the canal, ordinary officers and soldiers received real rewards, and the emperor who contributed was also asked to report their merits.
Although as the leader, Chen Xun, who had been busy for more than half a year, seemed to have gained nothing, except for seven days of rest.
But for him, at this level, any rewards are external.
The existence of this large canal itself is the best reward for him.
You must know that Chen Xun was born in Qingliu after all and had been circulating in the Hanlin Academy with little contact with practical matters. Therefore, he was able to rank among the seven ministers of the Ministry of Industry, which has been criticized by the whole court.
However, once the Guangji Canal is completed, all these voices of discussion will disappear, which in itself is a huge political resource.
Everyone was happy, except Shen Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue, who secretly felt sorry for the money in the treasury, and was thinking about whether to go to court and try to trick the emperor and get some money from the inner treasury.
Well, at least half of the rewards for the officers and soldiers must be paid by the emperor, yes, at least half!
Shen Shangshu was typing Xiao Jiujiu, and at the same time shouting long live with other ministers, the abacus was crackling.
This was also due to the reopening of the mutual market. Just a few months ago, envoys sent by Huangdian and the five major tribes completed the first transaction.
Although it was the first time for mutual trading, both parties were relatively restrained and cautious, and the types of items traded were not particularly large.
But the Ministry of Accounts finally started to get extra income, which comforted Shen Shangshu, who had been unable to get in or out.
So, amidst the compliments of "Long Live the Holy Ming", a chamberlain hurriedly came in from outside the palace and said a few words in the ear of the eunuch Cheng Jing.
Then, Cheng Jing returned to the imperial steps and reported to the emperor in a low voice. The ministers saw that the emperor's originally relaxed expression suddenly became solemn.
"Xuan!"
As the sound of the sound fell, two veteran delivery sergeants came in from outside the hall. Carrying letter bags made of cowhide, they came to the hall, prostrated themselves on the ground and said.
"Long live my emperor, long live my Majesty. Yu Shangshu has sent an urgent military report in Datong. Please read it."
With this outfit, there was no need to elaborate on his identity, so the sergeant didn't waste any time. He took off the letter bag on his back, opened it carefully, took out a well-wrapped envelope, and raised his hands above his head.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, a chamberlain came down to take the military report and handed it to the emperor. The courtiers also started to feel a bit commotion.
Yu Qian, Datong, emergency military report...
In the battle of Shawo, Oara was newly defeated, and mutual trade has just begun on the Tatar side, so there should not be any major events happening on the border in a short period of time.
The military report was sent directly to the emperor, and it was sent by Yu Qian himself.
To have such weight, if there is not another war on the border, it can only be...
As a result, everyone's eyes were immediately fixed on the emperor's hands.
The next moment, they saw a smile on the emperor's face, feeling somewhat relieved.
Then, the emperor casually handed the general's report to Cheng Jing who was standing aside, and said calmly: "Xuan."
Cheng Jing bowed and took it, then unfolded the general's newspaper and read it loudly in the eyes of everyone looking forward to it.
"I, Shaobao, Minister of War, Governor-General, and Minister of Military Affairs on both sides, Yu Qian, hereby report that I have been ordered to thoroughly investigate Prince Jingyuan, Prince Ji, and the case of Luo Tong, the left deputy capital censor, for reselling weapons to Datong, and received the mission on August 13th. Urgent report.”
"Fortunately, Zhu Jian and others have lived up to their orders and have completed peace talks with the enemy chiefs. The Supreme Emperor will set off in seven days and arrive at Datong Mansion on the first day of September. In order to prevent the captors from cheating, I have ordered Datong to restrain the officers and troops in all parts of the Xuan Mansion. , be ready."
"In order to welcome the emperor, I request you to temporarily stay in Datong. I also ask the Ministry of Rites to complete the ceremony as soon as possible and send another capable minister to greet him as a courtesy to the whole society."
After reading the military newspaper, there was a sudden "buzz" in the hall.
Many ministers shed tears immediately and kept muttering "the blessings of our ancestors" and "the blessings of the country".
At the same time, many ministers also stood up and said.
"Congratulations to Your Majesty, the return of the Supreme Emperor can be expected, and the Heavenly Family will finally be complete. This is the blessing of the country and the blessing of all people."
Suddenly, the entire court was filled with congratulatory voices.
After all, the Supreme Emperor's Northern Hunting Camp has always been a big stone weighing on everyone's heart.
Even though the Supreme Emperor made a big mistake in the civil war, as a human king, he was held hostage by prisoners. This shame was deeply engraved in the hearts of every courtier.
It was not until this moment that the news of the return was truly confirmed, and everyone was relieved.
It’s still the same sentence from the beginning, no matter how beautiful the victory at Zijingguan is, how exciting the victory at Shawo is.
But the Emperor is still in Yibei, so this battle cannot be said to be won.
Only when the Supreme Emperor truly returns to the capital can the Ming Dynasty completely bring this war to a real end.
Perhaps because the atmosphere had been suppressed for too long, the people in the court cheered for nearly half a quarter of an hour before slowly stopping.
Zhu Qiyu looked at the detailed peace negotiation document sent by the mission in his hand, and almost read the entire negotiation process while the officials cheered.
After reading it, I felt quite complicated.
Peace talks are not easy after all, even when Ming Dynasty already has the advantage, it is still full of twists and turns.
Of course, what made him feel even more difficult was.
The Supreme Emperor, his long-lost brother, is finally coming back...
