On the first day of the first lunar month of the 18th year of Chongzhen's reign in the Ming Dynasty, in Nanjing City.

The brigade of flag bearers and guards, holding bright and dazzling emperor's banners, filed out of the Xipu Palace in a mighty manner. Now that the country is facing a national crisis, everything is simple, so after the emperor's banners, there are the escorting warriors and guards officers and soldiers, one after another.

Behind him, Emperor Chongzhen, who was guarding Emperor Chongzhen on a white horse, burst out.

After Emperor Chongzhen, there were also a large group of nobles riding in cars or riding horses. Most of the people riding in the cars were first-class concubines and princesses of Emperor Chongzhen. The number was much larger than when he was the Mingjun in Beijing! Those on horseback were from the Ming Dynasty.

Princes. The thirty-three kings in Beijing are all wearing the regular clothes of princes and princes, and they are following behind the concubines and princesses.

Although everything is kept simple, there are not many people following. Many people have followed Zhu Cixi to go to the Xiaoling Mausoleum first, and there are flag bearers and ceremonial guards around Chongzhen. There are five to six hundred eunuchs and maids who follow. The nobles of the Tian family follow behind.

There were dozens of people, each with his own entourage and guards. Grouped together in one place, there were between three and two thousand people!

This kind of procession filed out of Xipu and walked through the streets of Nanjing. It was a grand scene that was rarely seen in two hundred years!

Coming out of Xipu is the broad Dongpailou Baoyuan Street. Walk northeast along this bustling street, go up Taipingli, cross the Dazhong Bridge, cross Tongjimen Street, and enter the central yamen and government offices of the Ming Dynasty.

The "core area" where the Imperial City is located is currently under construction and renovation, but the various government offices south of the Imperial City have been renovated and put into use.

After entering the "core area" of Nanjing, there are West Chang'an Street, Chang'an right gate, Chang'an left gate, East Chang'an Street, East Imperial City Gennan Street, and then Chaoyangmen Wengcheng. After exiting Chaoyangmen, walk along Chaoyangmenwai Street.

You can go directly to Xiaoling.

Now all the streets and city gates from Dongpailou Baoyuan Street to Xiaoling Xiamafang have been dispatched with soldiers from the New Army to guard the streets. The New Army soldiers with high morale have all put on brand-new military uniforms.

Wearing red military uniforms, wearing red hats on their heads, carrying bird guns with spikes on their shoulders, standing along the street with a sentry every five steps. These are the elites of the four "All Fire Gun Associations" under the jurisdiction of the New Army to overcome difficulties.

More than 4,000 people were dispatched to guard the streets where the Emperor's carriage was going to pass.

By the way, among the new army to overcome the difficulties, which has reached 150,000 in number, the truly elite ones, namely the fire riflemen of the Four Associations and the iron cavalry of the Two Associations, are now all concentrated in Nanjing.

The five foreign generals headed by the German foreign general Shi Ruien will soon all be in place. Zhu Cixang will sign a Chinese and French version of the contract with all five teams. Each of the four foreign generals will be responsible for a "model regiment".

The training of the so-called "Model Regiment" is equivalent to the "Association", but the organization is slightly different, adopting the formation organization method of the Dutch Morris Square. The most basic combat unit is a battalion of 500 people, and a "Model Regiment"

It has 4 battalions under its jurisdiction, excluding auxiliary troops, with a total of 2,000 people.

There is also a foreign general regiment composed of artillery officers. According to the contract, they will train Zhu Cihong according to the composition of Swedish artillery. A standard field artillery regiment consists of eight artillery companies, an engineer company and a baggage company. Among them

The six artillery companies are equipped with a total of 24 copper-cast three-pound field guns purchased from the Macau Bugalao Cannon Foundry, and the remaining two companies are equipped with 12-pound Hongyi cannons.

Currently, the four "model regiments" and one "artillery regiment" have not yet formed an army, but the corresponding personnel have been gathered in the military camp in the Daxiaochang in the southern part of Nanjing. They are working overtime to train the formation. The proper "697" will be celebrated during the New Year.

No rest.

Therefore, the only ones that can be pulled out to defend Emperor Chongzhen and Zhu Cixiang today are 4 Fire Gun Associations and 2 Cavalry Associations.

Of course, there were huge crowds of people on both sides of the street where the Fire Gun Association officers and soldiers were on guard.

The people of Nanjing have not seen such grand events as the emperor leaving the palace for many years! Moreover, yesterday there was a rumor that the emperor fell into the water, and there was a strong smell of conspiracy, as if there were traitors who couldn't wait to plot and usurp the throne and gathered in Nanjing.

, the scholars in the southeast who were waiting for Kaunke no longer thought about reading books about sages. Today they heard that the emperor was going to Xiaoling to worship, so they all went to the streets to see the emperor, although the emperor only visited Sanshan Gate once yesterday.

But it was getting late at that time, and the emperor was so high that the people below could not see clearly. Of course, ordinary scholars and common people did not know Chongzhen, but there were still many idle and elected officials in Nanjing, some of whom had served as court officials.

He knew Chongzhen.

If they believe that the emperor is still fine, then the scholars can naturally take the exam for the Ministry of Rites with peace of mind. Otherwise, they have to think carefully. Can a rebellious son who kills his father and usurps the throne really become the leader of the Ming Dynasty?

Now in the Ming Dynasty, where "filial sons and loyal ministers rule the world", killing the emperor's father is the height of treason!

At this time, the sound of mountains calling for long live, one after another, began to sound on both sides of the street where Emperor Chongzhen drove through. There were also loud-voiced chamberlains riding horses in front, shouting as they walked: "The Holy One has arrived, and the officials and the people will welcome him!"

"

In the Ming Dynasty, people were required to kneel when greeting an emperor, but by the end of the Ming Dynasty, the rules were not strict. It was enough to kneel, not to prostrate on the ground, and you could look at the emperor happily. Some retired officials who were elected were already prepared.

, now I took out my monocular and started scouting from a distance.

"It's the emperor! He's riding a horse and looks good."

"Thank God, the emperor is fine!"

"It's good that the emperor is still alive. Ming Dynasty can be saved."

"It seems that someone still doesn't dare to risk the disapproval of the world."

"The emperor is here, hurry up and greet him!"

"Welcome to you, Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live!"

Seeing Chongzhen's arrival, everyone subconsciously held their breath and concentrated, bowed down deeply, and at the same time burst out shouts of long live the mountain.

The cry resounded in the sky, shocking Emperor Chongzhen who was riding on horseback. It seems that the people's hearts are still there! Isn't it said that if you win the hearts of the people, you can conquer the world? If the people's hearts are still there, does that mean that he can still be emperor?

At this moment, Prince Zhu Cixiang, his ministers, ministers, ministers, commander-in-chief and other nobles in Beijing had all arrived at the palace outside Xiamafang of the Xiaoling Mausoleum in advance.

The palace where emperors, princes and ministers used to bathe and change clothes has been in disrepair and is very dilapidated.

Therefore, after Zhu Cixiang arrived in Nanjing, he ordered people to expand and renovate the palace. He also wrote a plaque saying "Si Guo Palace" in his own handwriting and hung it at the gate of the palace. This "Si Guo Palace", as the name suggests, is used to reflect on past mistakes behind closed doors.

place?
Chapter completed!