weaving

Chapter 85
In the 11th year of Chongzhen in Ming Dynasty, October 22nd, it was the end of time.

Beijing, the Forbidden City, the Meridian Gate, the sky is clear and cloudless, and the sun shines on the earth.

The Meridian Gate is the tallest building in the Forbidden City. It is divided into two parts: the base and the building. Half of the Meridian Gate is more than twelve feet high, nine feet wide and nine deep, about twenty feet wide and ten feet deep.

On the east and west sides of the Meridian Gate, there are two buildings, each with a width and a depth of five couplets.

At this time, the gate tower of the Meridian Gate was in the middle of the front couplets, with a yellow cover under the eaves, and the emperor's throne. There are more than a hundred of them, all of them are big and round, and they look very mighty.

"The emperor drives!"

Following the shrill voice of a young eunuch, the silence in front of Taihe's door was broken.

A bright yellow chariot carried by dozens of people slowly came towards the Meridian Gate from the direction of Taihe Gate. There were many courtiers and guards around the chariot.

In front of the Meridian Gate Building, there is a group of nearly [-] people playing the triumphant band. After receiving the instructions from the officials of the Ministry of Rites, they immediately played the drums and music together, and the triumphant songs resounded inside and outside the Meridian Gate.

Accompanied by the triumphant song of drums and music, dozens of people lifted their bright yellow chariots and walked along the wide driveway to the city wall of the Meridian Gate, surrounded by courtiers and guards.

Emperor Chongzhen walked down the chariot slowly, and saw that he was wearing a nine-inch high celestial crown, a deep red crimson gauze robe, and a collar decorated with a formula heart song.

Under the guidance of the inner eunuch Wang Dehua and Wang Chengen, Emperor Chongzhen walked to the throne in front of the Meridian Gate Tower. He first stood on the gate tower and looked down at the civil and military officials and nobles in front of the Meridian Gate. After a while, he became complacent. Man sat down on the throne.

As Emperor Chongzhen took his seat on the throne, the drums and music stopped, and the triumphant song stopped.

In front of the Meridian Gate, civil and military officials stood on both sides of the straight road of the Meridian Gate according to the text, and honored ministers and nobles also stood in front of the Meridian Gate, and at this time a large number of them knelt down.

"...Long live my emperor, long live, long live..."

They bowed three times and kowtowed nine times, shouting long live, and the scene was extremely spectacular. Emperor Chongzhen on the throne felt an unprecedented sense of happiness, and it was only at this moment that he had a sense of glory as the emperor of Ming Dynasty.

All civil and military officials and Xungui line bowed down and worshiped.

Lu Xiangsheng, the right servant of the Ministry of War of General Zou Kai, and the former Governor of Xuanda, Lu Xiangsheng, got up from the military officer's stand in front of the Meridian Gate, and walked slowly towards the Meridian Gate.

Yang Guozhu, the chief soldier of Xuan Town, is on the left, and Zhang Cheng, a thousand households of Xuan Town, is on the right. They both follow behind Lu Xiangsheng, and behind them are more than a dozen lower-ranking officers from each battalion, including Qian Zong and Zong Zong.

"...Long live my emperor, long live, long live..."

They came to the Meridian Gate Gate Tower, knelt there neatly, bowed and kowtowed four times, shouting long live, after all, they were all warriors, although the number was small, their voices were even louder.

After saluting, they retreated one by one to the military officer's standing position in the south of the Meridian Gate, and stood there standing upright.

At this time, the Zoukai band began to play triumphant songs again, and the drums were beeping in unison. Zhang Cheng led Zhu Qianzong and Xiaozong from the edge of the Meridian Gate Straight Road and slowly retreated outside the Duanmen.

In the middle of the inner road in front of the Meridian Gate, there are several cases of receiving good news. From here to the south, hundreds of civil and military officials, court officials and dignitaries are lined up near Duanmen. The door is even more majestic.

Zhang Cheng and others came out of Duanmen, and they saw a guard of honor composed of great Han generals in Jinyiwei, holding soldiers and flags, lined up on both sides of the imperial road and inside and outside the Jinshui Bridge.

He led all the people along the royal road and came to Chengtian Gate, where the Qing army's leaders, captives, and carts with golden banners, drums and armor were lined up here, and groups of soldiers also lined up here.

They had all dismounted, and the horses were guarded by soldiers from the Beijing camp at the side of the square. Seeing Zhang Cheng and other generals coming out, all the soldiers were refreshed and ready to enter Chengtian Gate and offer up prisoners at the Meridian Gate.

…………

In front of the Meridian Gate, the triumphant song ended, and Lu Xiangsheng walked out slowly again, holding the victory report in both hands, and walked to the west of the inner road. On the east side, give the news to the officer who received the news.

Then the ceremony officer will lead the victory report to the reading officer, and the reading officer of the Ministry of War will read the victory report loudly at this time:

"...Lu Xiangsheng's command is determined...Yang Guozhu, the general officer of Xuanfu Town, made a sudden decision...Zhang Yanyong, a member of the Right Wing Battalion of Xuanfu Town, fought against the slaves... Zhang Cheng, a thousand households, was unparalleled in bravery. Nujia Lazhangjing Harba..."

The good news is spread, heard from all directions, and finally spread the good news to all parts of the country to show the world.

Only then did the actual offering of prisoners begin.

As the captive general, Zhang Cheng led the way and walked in front, with teams of sergeants lined up on both sides, and there was still a cart in the middle.

They stepped forward, and after stepping on the Jinshui Bridge, they passed the Chengtian Gate and walked straight north along the Royal Road, heading towards the Duanmen Gate.

On the Thousand Steps Corridor on both sides of the Royal Road, there are big Han generals standing with their troops and banners. They really look tall and mighty, full of energy, with bright armor and bright armor, they are very majestic.

But Zhang Cheng knew that they were just silver-colored pewter spearheads, and they just looked good. If they were thrown outside Beijing, let alone fighting against the Qing army, they might not even be able to see them. Let the birds and beasts disperse.

On the royal road, there is only the sound of combat boots hitting the ground. Although they have not been specially trained, they are born with the heart of the crowd, not to mention that they are very disciplined sergeants. The footsteps gradually became uniform.

"Squeak... squeak..."

The unique sound of the wheels pressing against the bluestone ground penetrated the footsteps of the soldiers and spread far away.

On the thousand-step corridors on both sides of the royal road, the big Han generals holding their troops and banners all focused their eyes on these carts. Like the common people outside the imperial city, they all had expressions of surprise.

The only difference is that they only showed surprise, nervousness, envy, terror and other expressions, but they opened their mouths wide and did not dare to make a sound.

Just when Zhang Cheng led the generals from the Meridian Gate to the Chengtian Gate, he heard someone whispering something behind him. At that time, he was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat, and he turned around and stopped: "Shut up, don't die!" Is it?"

…………

Beijing, Forbidden City, Duanmen.

The Duanmen Gate Tower was built in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. It is between the Meridian Gate and Chengtian Gate. The entire building structure and style are the same as Chengtian Gate. It is mainly a place to store the emperor's ceremonial supplies.

Zhang Cheng was the first to appear at Duanmen. With his burly figure, delicate and handsome face, and his shiny steel armor, which gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight, he made the officials standing on both sides of the Meridian Gate, Xungui's eyes brightened.

There was a sound of astonishment, and most of them did not expect that the Ming general who captured the Qing army Jia Lazhangjing was so young.

As he continued to walk in, the heads of the Qing army in the car behind him also appeared in front of Baiguan Xungui. They opened their mouths wide, with surprised expressions on their faces, and some even pointed at the convoy. with.

After the eight carts passed through the end gate, they were lined up on both sides, leaving a space in the middle, and then the prisoners of the Qing army appeared in the sight of hundreds of officials.

They were all dressed in red linen smocks, with shackles on their hands and feet. Four sergeants crossed a Qing army prisoner and strode towards the prisoner offering position in front of the Meridian Gate.

(End of this chapter)