weaving

Chapter 222 Xuanfu Township
Xuanfu town was built in the 27th year of Hongwu as a rammed earth city wall. It was repaired in the second year of Longqing in the fifth year of Zhengtong, with a circumference of 24 miles and a height of three feet and five feet.

The total number of garrison troops is 340 and 310 horses, mules and camels. It is the core defensive fortress of the defense area of ​​Xuanfu Town.

During the Hongwu period, seven city gates were built, forming a symmetrical layout with Guwangfu as the core, strictly adhering to the hierarchy of "Nine Emperors and Seven Kings".

Later, from the reign of Yongle, the town of Xuanfu gradually highlighted the pattern of military towns, and only one gate was left on each of the four sides. Guangling Gate.

The defensiveness of Xuanfu Town has been strengthened with the reduction of the number of city gates. Xuanfu Town has finally transitioned from a royal city to a border city military town, and the inside of the city is a "ten"-shaped main road with one horizontal and one vertical.

In Chinese history, most of the city walls before the Ming Dynasty were built of rammed earth or mountain stones. After the middle of the Ming Dynasty, due to the advancement of firing technology, a large number of fired green bricks were used. Brick remodeling.

The gates of the town are also tightly designed and complex in structure. The four gates are surrounded by urn cities, and there is a moon city outside the urn city.

The moon city is arc-shaped, with two ends connected to the city wall. The moon city gate is in the same direction as the city gate, and it is staggered with the urn city gate, so that the people entering the city can make a roundabout way, but the attackers can't drive straight in. Guancheng has a circumference of four miles.

Surrounded by a moat outside the town, there is an arch tower on the Changping Gate in the south. It is two stories high, five rooms wide, and surrounded by corridors. Nearly eight feet.

During the "Civil Change" during the Zhengtong period of Ming Yingzong, the city defense of Xuanfu Township still maintained its brilliance in this disgraceful incident.

The Wacha army hijacked the captured Ming Yingzong to seize the customs, and wanted to defraud Xuanfu and other important towns, but first forced Ming Yingzong to summon Yang Hong, the general guarding the Xuanfu, and Luo Hengxin, the governor, to open the door to welcome them.

But when Ye Xian embraced Ming Yingzong and came to the south of Xuanfu Town, the governor Luo Hengxin stood on the city with a sword and shouted: "I have been ordered to governor Xuanda, and I dare not neglect. Anyone who surrenders or violates the city will be killed. Swear to live and die with Zhencheng, and keep the Daming country forever..."

I had no choice but to take Ming Yingzong to the west.

The phrase "the country is more important than the emperor" was fully reflected in the Xuanfu at this time.

Subsequently, Yang Hong, the commander-in-chief, dispatched more than 2 elite officers and soldiers from Xuanzhen, went straight to Juyongguan, and assisted in the defense of the capital.

…………

On the first day of April, at noon, the sky was sunny and cloudless.

Outside Xuanfu Town Chengnanguan, Zhang Cheng's mother Zhang Yang, aunt Zhang Han, younger sister Zhang Lifang, and all the clan members lined up on the side of the official road, crying loudly.

Zhang Cheng knelt in front of his mother and aunt. On the official road, the iron armored sergeants under Zhang Cheng stood on the hatchback. In the middle, Chen Zhong, Chen Zheng, Zhang Guangda, and Wei Zhice were four people wearing iron armor and red cloaks. Zhang Yan's coffin came slowly.

Yang Guozhu, the chief soldier of Xuanzhen, and guerrilla Guo Yingxian, Li Jianming, Wen Hui and others accompanied him. As Zhang Yan's coffin got closer and closer, the crying became louder.

On the other side, Liu Yongzha, the governor of the Xuanfu, also led the officials to welcome the returning soldiers of King Qin on the official road. Yang Guozhu stepped forward quickly, came to Aunt Zhang Cheng, knelt down and said, "Mrs. Zhang, brothers Zhang Yan serve the country. To sacrifice your body is a worthy death, and we will welcome General Zhang's coffin into the city first, and set up a spirit pendulum as a sacrifice."

Zhang Yan's wife, Zhang Hanshi, also knew that it was wrong to weep here, so she helped her sister-in-law Zhang Yangshi to get up together, and her daughter Zhang Lifang also got up and supported her mother.

I only heard Zhang Hanshi say: "Cheng'er, protect your uncle and return home."

Zhang Cheng got up and walked towards Chen Zhong and the others, shouting loudly: "Enter the city, the coffin of Hussar General Zhang Yan will return home!"

Officials and common people on the official road scattered to both sides to give way to the middle road. Zhang Cheng led the way, Chen Zhong and others carried the coffin into the city, and Zhang Yang, Zhang Han and other family members followed the coffin and slowly entered the city.

…………

Xuanfu Governor Liu Yongzuo, accompanied by General Yang Guozhu, also followed Zhang Yan's coffin slowly.

Today, Zhang Cheng is already the light of the military circle in the eyes of Emperor Chongzhen, and he is also a celebrity in front of the cabinet minister Yang Sichang and Xuanda Governor Chen Xinjia. Now everyone knows it.

What's more, the imperial court favored Zhang Yan, not only posthumously as a gift to General Hushi, but also conferring Zhang Yan's wife, Zhang Han's second-rank wife, which is already a very high honor.

Moreover, for offering sacrifices and burials, the imperial decree to build a shrine has already been passed to the Xuan Mansion, so how dare they neglect, the relevant officials have already arranged everything in Zhang Yan's mansion, and only wait for Zhang Yan's coffin to return.

Even Zhang Guowei, the deputy general of Xuanzhen, came from Yongning's garrison. He followed Yang Guozhu, the general, and chatted with Yang Guozhu from time to time. Yanfu worships.

…………

Although Xuanfu Township is a military center, after the Ming Dynasty, it quickly evolved into a center of commerce and trade. Inside, there are row upon row of houses and dense population. The big market in the southeast of the city is full of shops. People from Jiangnan, Shanxi, and Shandong Silk and satin shops, cloth and silk shops, and sundries shops stretch for four or five miles.

The city is even more criss-crossed with streets, many of which are named after the city trade, such as Mishi Street, Caishi Street, Yandian Street, Youdian Street and so on.

However, by this time, the commercial center, which used to be densely populated with smokers, has also shown signs of decline. Not only has the population in the city decreased, but some government offices have also collapsed, and many houses and courtyards have collapsed.

Some turned into vegetable gardens, but it was the main city of Xuanzhen after all, and there were many officials in each yamen, and their family members supported the only prosperity.

There are not many other things in the town, but there are many government offices. The area of ​​each government office, together with Gu Wangfu, accounts for more than half of the town. This is also a problem in the town of Xuanfu over the years. Soldiers, common people, and public buildings have too little area to enjoy .

Of course, the decline returns to decline, the foundation of the town is still there, and the gentry, scholars, and merchants are mixed in it. Although the northwest and southwest corners are secluded streets and alleys, there is no gap. , a small place, bumpkins also.

Whenever it comes to the descendants of various dynasties, it is reflected in the big cities in various places, that is, the management is chaotic, and the government is unable to control the localities. It is reflected in the city appearance, which is almost dirty, weak, or not paying attention to hygiene.

At this time, Zhang Cheng had entered the town from the south gate and was walking on Changping Street.

He only felt that the street was extremely filthy, full of cow dung and horse urine from passing livestock carts, which made the street permeated with a strange smell, which really made people want to vomit.

(End of this chapter)