"The Northern Army will arrive in Beijing on August 15th?"
"Isn't that the day after tomorrow? Why is it so sudden?"
"Do you want to go to Beijing to welcome the troops from the north who are returning to the imperial court?"
"What are you going to do there? You may not be able to squeeze in even in Beijing!"
"You have to squeeze in even if you can't squeeze in. Don't you want to see the first castrated, living 'Khan'? This is an opportunity to witness history!"
"Damn it, when you say that, I feel a little itchy, but without a road guide we can only move within a hundred miles!"
"This damn road guide system, when will Your Majesty change this system so that we can travel freely in the territory of the Ming Dynasty?
If it really doesn't work, it would be better to expand the range. It's almost within three hundred miles! "
"Is it possible? Why did Taizu set up a road guide system? The government stabilizes the people, prevents adultery (gUǐ), and allows people in the four industries to perform their duties. Taizu is afraid of it, but isn't Your Majesty afraid?"
"What are you afraid of? Your Majesty has abolished the ancestral system established by Taizu after he ascended the throne. Isn't it enough?
It’s just that no one mentioned it. If someone did, it’s not impossible that His Majesty would really abolish it. "
"Okay, stop arguing. Now we are discussing whether to go to Beijing to meet the Northern Army and see the eunuch Huang Taiji!"
"Nonsense, how can we get there without a road?"
…
On August 12, the news of the return of the Northern Army troops once again plunged the Ming Dynasty into cheers.
Those who had no road guide were complaining, wishing they could fly directly to Beijing;
When the caravans on the road heard the news, they immediately became energetic and beat the horses and oxen that were pulling the carts wildly. They traveled day and night, and the official road made the sound of rumbling.
People from cities within a hundred miles of Beijing began to flock towards Beijing, all wanting to take part in the joy of the victory of the Northern Army.
The entire official road was crowded with people. The closer we got to Beijing, the more people there were.
All the restaurants and inns in Beijing were full, and the outside of the city was also packed with people.
Especially when the army came back, the queues on both sides of the official road outside Deshengmen were four to five miles long, and they were still growing. A rough estimate was that there were at least 100,000 people.
Faced with the crazy...enthusiasm of the people, six ministries of the cabinet...and even Shuntian Governor Wang Yuanya who was stationed in Zunhua City rushed to Beijing for more than 300 miles after hearing the news.
On the city wall, Wang Yuanya, who was covered in cold sweat, looked at the crowd of people gathered in darkness, and said hurriedly: "Mr. Sun Ge, do you want to send someone to disperse the people? Or set up checkpoints fifty miles away to stop the people?"
"Mr. Sunge, I think what Governor Wang said is true. Now the restaurants, inns, etc. in the city are full, and there have been many troubles.
Moreover, the people voluntarily cleaned up the city of Beijing, but now it is also in chaos. "
"No!"
Li Banghua, who had just returned to Beijing, objected: "The Northern Army has destroyed the Jiannu coalition, destroyed the Jiannu, Mongolia has surrendered, and Korea has been included in the territory of the Ming Dynasty. This is a great joy, and we should rejoice with the people.
Secondly, these people are all within a hundred miles radius and within the scope specified by the road guide. What reason do you use to disperse them?
Third, when His Majesty visited Xi'an, Suzhou, Nanjing, Qufu and other places, he never evacuated the people in advance, let alone dispersed them. Now that you have dispersed the people, where will your Majesty go? "
Listening to Li Banghua's rhetorical question, Shuntian Governor Wang Yuanya's face turned red. Although he felt that Li Banghua was right, he had his own considerations.
He argued with reason: "Master Li, what you said is all right, but now that the slaves have been destroyed, what if there are some remnants of the slaves hidden inside?
Moreover, there are more than 100,000 people outside the city, and the number is still increasing. Even if they bring their own food, diarrhea will be a big problem. As soon as there are more people, sneakers will come out. When the time comes..."
"Anyone who dares to cause trouble will be punished with thirty canes!"
Before Wang Yuanya finished speaking, Li Banghua interrupted, his voice a little cold: "If you dare to do anything like stealing, I will chop off the hand that stole it.
I would like to see how many people who are not afraid of death dare to cause trouble at this juncture.
As for eating, drinking and defecating, it would be easier to set up toilets a few miles away. If you can hold it in, you can hold it in. If you can't hold it in, you can defecate in your crotch.
Anyone who dares to defecate anywhere will be responsible for cleaning the toilet if caught! "
Sun Chengzong thought for a moment, and then looked at the crowd gathering in the distance: "Your Majesty often explains that we must put people first and not criticize the people harshly.
Now this kind of great victory is really a joy for the people, allowing the people to vent their fear of slavery for so many years.
During extraordinary times, the six ministries of the cabinet jointly mobilized the Beijing battalion out of the city to maintain order, and also mobilized some Jin Yiwei to blend into the crowd to prevent accidents.
We will immediately write a letter explaining the situation and submit it to His Majesty.
As for the sanitation in the city, notify the merchants along the street and let them clean up on their own. You will make a lot of money from the victory, so you can't go too far! "
Having said this, Sun Chengzong looked at Li Banghua, Song Yingxing, and Hubu Shangshu Bi Ziyan: "Sir Li, our pavilion is responsible for the outside of the city, and your five-city inspection department is responsible for the city. If there is any trouble, regardless of the reason, we will give it to you first. Whip, and banished from the city!
In addition, tell the merchants in the city that it is okay to increase prices, but not more than 15%. Those who dare to raise prices will have their stores closed directly! "
"Don't worry, Mr. Sun Ge, I will keep an eye on this matter personally!"
Li Banghua responded coldly, and the officials behind him were shocked, secretly saying that they would have to say hello to the merchants he was related to.
If you are caught by this 'King of Hell', it will be useless for anyone to plead for mercy.
Since His Majesty came to the throne, he had reorganized the military affairs and killed at least 10,000 to 20,000 generals and implicated wealthy merchants and gentry. He was very cunning.
"Dean Song, please make arrangements for these pickled things. I estimate that the amount will not be...not small!"
If you need manpower for transportation, you can directly recruit people, and the required funds will be allocated by the Ministry of Finance. "
"Haha, it's easy to say, as much as you need, the more the better. It's perfect for retting and composting. The output will increase greatly next year!"
Song Yingxing cupped his hands with a smile on his face.
In the eyes of others, it is a smelly thing, but in the eyes of him, who is engaged in agricultural research, it is a treasure.
"Bi Shangshu, if the merchants in the city are short of food, you can prepare a granary and distribute the food to them first, and tell them they must pay it back within ten days with 10% interest!"
"Ten days, 10%? Is it too high?"
"If it's too high, then let them do it. We can't put in more people and effort, and let them take all the good things, and we won't get anything!"
"Hahaha, don't worry, Mr. Ge, you have to make a fortune no matter what!"
"Each ministry will act in accordance with the previous arrangements of this pavilion. We must not take it lightly. Let's all disperse!"
After the officials bowed their hands towards Sun Chengzong, they turned and walked towards the bottom of the city wall.
Half an hour later, Zhang Zhiji, who received the military order from the Jingying camp outside the city, led the Jingying sergeants to move to maintain order outside the city.
Although there was great pressure from all parties, the salesmen who traveled from house to house made a lot of money.
While waiting, it was August 15th.
Countless people outside the city looked eagerly toward the northeast, which was the direction in which the army was coming back.
