PDLP Chapter 694 Do You Have This Ability?
Chapter 694 Do You Have This Ability?
Several more imperial edicts were read out, covering all the generals who died in this battle. They were all posthumously honored, and the emperor also promised compensation for the deceased soldiers in the imperial edicts.
After all the commendations for everyone were read out, the civil and military officials in the court still did not dare to speak, because they all knew that the commendation order for the greatest hero of this battle, Zhang Shikang, the Grand Marshal of the Army, had not been read out yet.
Sure enough, Wang Chengen took out another imperial edict from behind him. This imperial edict was not piled together with the others, but listed separately.
The commendations for deputies such as Sun Weifan and Huang Degong had already been given in this way, so naturally everyone present was mentally prepared for the commendation for Zhang Shikang, who made the greatest contribution in this battle.
Of course, they only thought they were mentally prepared.
When Wang Chengen slowly unfolded the last imperial edict, almost everyone held their breath, even the common people.
In today's capital, the names of the Duke of Zhenguo and the Grand Marshal of the Army are known to everyone.
The more people have never had enough food, the more clearly they remember it.
They also knew that such a great victory was still achieved by their benefactor.
"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, proclaims this."
As soon as the first sentence was read out, Hai Zhongchu and Li Banghua looked at each other unconsciously.
The edict said something different from the decree, and it was about to be announced to the world. Everyone couldn't help but look at Zhang Shikang.
"I believe that 'if the borders are not at peace, the national humiliation cannot be avenged'.
The ancient land of Liaoxi is the left arm of the capital and a key point shielding against mountains and seas.
Since the 30th year of the Wanli reign, the Jianlu have repeatedly invaded our borders, captured Guangning, occupied Yizhou, plundered Jinzhou, and had beacon towers everywhere.
Border residents have no means of farming or grazing, and merchants and travelers are cut off from the roads.
I have been thinking about this hatred and unable to sleep or eat, and I have been crying and thinking about recovery for fourteen years.
Today, Marshal Zhang Shikang led an army of 60,000 and marched a thousand miles. He first defeated the enemy in Jinzhou and then went to Guanshan, where he used his strategies to confuse the enemy and force them into a decisive battle.
In the Battle of Guanshan, more than 100,000 enemies were killed, and the elite troops of the pseudo-Qing were completely lost, making them no longer able to invade our territory.
You took advantage of the victory and attacked with courage that could not be matched by ten thousand men. You stood on your horse with your sword drawn on the bank of the Liao River and recovered our territory in thirty years.
In the past, Ban Chao of the Han Dynasty conquered the Western Regions, and Xue Rengui of the Tang Dynasty recovered Liaodong. Now your achievements surpass those of your predecessors, and I am very pleased.
Imperial decree.
Jin Qing was made the Prince of Wuying County and the Right Pillar of the State, and was granted a red-lettered iron certificate and five sets of python robes and jade belts.
He was given 10,000 taels of gold, 200 pieces of brocade, and 10 carts of calligraphy, paintings, and jade.
I hope you will not change your original intention, be as careful to the end as you were at the beginning, so as to hope for the revival of the Ming Dynasty.
Announce it to the world and let everyone know.
Imperially bestowed."
The pinnacle of military honors! A king of a different surname! Hereditary succession!
Even though the ministers were mentally prepared, they still had to eat cold noodles.
Although it was rare to promote Sun Weifan to the rank of hereditary duke, he was granted the title during the founding of the Ming Dynasty and the Jingnan Rebellion.
However, the title of king of a different surname was only conferred posthumously during the entire 270-year reign of the Ming Dynasty.
For example, Mu Ying, King of Qianning, Li Wenzhong, King of Qiyang, Chang Yuchun, King of Kaiping, Xu Da, King of Zhongshan, etc., were all posthumously conferred titles and could not inherit them, but they were all dukes and marquises during their lifetime.
Living kings of different surnames in the Ming Dynasty were not rare, but they had never appeared at all.
Even Zhang Shikang was stunned for a moment, and then he quietly looked up at Brother Chongzhen, and found that the other party was smiling at his aunt, and he couldn't help but shudder.
Li Banghua finally couldn't help it. After the imperial edict was read out, before Zhang Shikang could receive it, he was the first to kneel down and said:
"Your Majesty, our dynasty follows the Han Dynasty's system, which states that only members of the imperial family can reign. Furthermore, the Duke of Zhenguo is only of age. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider this!"
As soon as Li Banghua took the lead, at least one-third of the other civil servants knelt on the ground, hoping that Emperor Chongzhen would revoke his order.
It’s not that Li Banghua is jealous. The most important reason why every dynasty since the Han Dynasty has had a system where only a member of the royal family can be king is that the royal power is too great, which easily breeds rebellion.
Li Banghua's opposition was largely due to this. Zhang Shikang's prestige was already high enough. He was one of the Three Dukes, a hereditary Duke. He entered the palace with a sword and shoes, was unyielding during court proceedings, and was praised without a name...
If I were to be promoted to king and announce it to the world, Your Majesty, are you really serious about this?
In fact, Zhang Shikang had no ill feelings towards Li Banghua. Even though Li Banghua opposed his promotion to the title, Zhang Shikang was still not angry.
Before this, Li Banghua had submitted dozens of memorials in a row, hoping that the emperor would remove him from his post as Marshal of the Army.
As the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhang Shikang knew all these things, but he never fought back once.
Because he was worried that if he fought back even a little, this guy would be dead.
Because he understood better that loyal ministers have their own role. If the whole court was full of people who submitted to his tyranny, he would feel disgusted.
It was also for this reason that Zhang Shikang felt that the current court could finally be said to be full of righteous people, so he really began to think about retiring, or at least giving up some of his military power.
Li Banghua kept kowtow- ing with his forehead on the ground, and Zhang Shikang felt a little distressed.
He thought it was not easy at such an old age, so he bowed and looked at Brother Chongzhen, thinking of just declining it, since he didn't care much about the title anyway.
However, before he could open his mouth, he heard Emperor Chongzhen say unhappily:
"If you can recapture the thirty cities in western Liao, I will make you kings!
But do you have the ability to do this?"
In front of everyone, Emperor Chongzhen's words were powerful.
Now that he is not in the court and is surrounded by a large number of people, the impolite conversation between the emperor and his subjects actually has a great impact.
But Emperor Chongzhen was really angry. Since the ministers were the first to refute him regardless of the occasion, he could not be blamed for being ruthless.
In the past, court officials always refuted him from the moral high ground. Emperor Chongzhen was one of the few who took the high ground and left the court officials speechless with just a few words.
He mentioned the ancestral system to him again. Now Emperor Chongzhen got angry when he heard the ancestral system, and he wanted to take out the skinned and grass-stuffed stems and spray them again.
"Conferring titles is a private matter of the royal family. You should stop talking about it, as it will damage the harmony between the monarch and his subjects.
Wuji, don't you accept my order?"
Seeing that none of the ministers dared to say anything more, Emperor Chongzhen turned around and gave Zhang Shikang a cold look.
He had just seen it all. If he hadn't spoken too quickly, Emperor Chongzhen would have thought that the boy seemed to be trying to disobey the emperor's order.
Zhang Shikang grinned. It must be said that Brother Chongzhen was really domineering just now.
Seeing that things had come to this, he did not hesitate and said directly:
"Your Highness Zhang Shikang accepts your command and thanks you!"
After being an uncle for two months, a monkey for three months, and a duke for two years, I am now a king!
Zhang Shikang was not very excited, but the Second Sons Regiment behind him and even the 3,000 guards who followed him were much more excited.
Cheers broke out everywhere, and the people also cheered when they learned that their benefactor had been promoted to king.
There were even many people from better-off families who set off firecrackers. It had never been so lively outside Deshengmen, so much so that the Wucheng Bingmasi, who were in charge of security, were grinning.
After receiving the imperial edict, Zhang Shikang saw Brother Chongzhen waving at him, so he walked over.
"You must be exhausted after these two months, right?"
Emperor Chongzhen's words were so gentle that Zhang Shikang was too embarrassed to complain of being tired.
"It's okay, except for the Battle of Guanshan. It almost ended in disaster and many brothers died." Zhang Shikang sighed.
Seeing Zhang Shikang say this, Emperor Chongzhen naturally showed worry on his face. After all, even in the Battle of Jingshui, Zhang Shikang's reports were very relaxed.
"You'd better not take risks in the future. The imperial court's finances are now abundant. After the harvest this autumn, our Ming Dynasty will never be short of food again. I won't allow you to take risks again, understand?"
Emperor Chongzhen's words were almost all about concern.
In the past, the imperial court was poor, with no food and no money. Later, it had money but no food. Now, new crops are blooming everywhere, and more than half of the canals in the north are full of water.
According to estimates by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, the Ming Dynasty's food crisis will be completely resolved by the end of the year.
In the past, we took risks because we couldn't fight a prosperous war. Including this expedition, the reason we turned back after reaching the banks of the Liao River was because of insufficient reserves.
But it probably won't happen again.
Zhang Shikang scratched his head. Fighting a war was not something he could avoid taking risks just because he wanted to. On the vast grassland, who knew where the enemy would appear from.
But he was too lazy to argue with this old man, after all, the other party had never even seen the grassland, so he changed the subject:
"Your Majesty, don't you miss anyone else?"
Emperor Chongzhen was puzzled, and Zhang Shikang helplessly pointed at his personal guards not far away.
There, Zhu Cilang, wearing the uniform of his royal guard, quietly gave his master and father an awkward yet polite smile.
……