novelAbuy Chapter 1 The Apocalypse Military Parade
Chapter 1 The Apocalypse Military Parade
Sky, dawn, daybreak.
May 30, 1626, which was the sixth day of the fifth month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign.
At the drill ground in the northern suburbs of the capital, banners fluttered like a forest, and armor gleamed in the sun.
On the towering reviewing stand, a young man in his early twenties, dressed in golden armor and a red robe, rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist, while his left hand held the hand of a stunningly beautiful woman in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, exuding elegance and grace.
The imposing young man was none other than Zhu Youxiao, the Tianqi Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, also known as Zhu Ming, while the stunningly beautiful woman beside him was Empress Zhang Yan of the Ming Dynasty.
Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her temperament was dignified and gentle yet revealed a hint of heroism. As soon as she appeared, she drew countless amazed exclamations of praise from the people below.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
"Long live the Empress!"
The two men solemnly looked down at the orderly ranks of the three major military camps of the capital below, accepting the profound respect from the entire city.
At this moment, the soldiers of the three battalions were in high spirits and their reputation was awe-inspiring.
The civil and military officials, nobles, and relatives below the stage all showed expressions of astonishment.
The Tianqi Emperor's gaze swept over the dark mass of people below, over the civil and military officials with their complex expressions, and finally landed on the neat and solemn military formations standing on the training ground.
Who could have imagined that in just a few months, the three major camps of the capital, which had already suffered severe decline in the history of the late Ming Dynasty, could be reborn and regain such a formidable military appearance?
The cheers from the people grew louder and louder.
However, Zhu Ming, the creator of all this, had no interest in this at all.
His gaze passed over the army and civilians who were shouting "Long live the Emperor!" and was fixed on the huge sundial in one corner of the reviewing stand.
The shadow of the gnomon moves inch by inch, like an invisible knife slowly cutting toward a fatal mark.
9:00 AM (巳时).
He was waiting for the hour of Si (9-11 AM).
The closer the time came, the more tense, expectant, and complex emotions churned and churned within him.
Because only he knows what day it is today.
Was it the grand and magnificent Tianqi military parade?
Do not!
On the sixth day of the fifth month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign (1626), a tremendous explosion occurred near Wanggongchang in Beijing—the Tianqi Explosion.
That explosion, recorded in history as the "Apocalypse Explosion," would have wiped out more than 20,000 people, shaken the capital, and turned the area under the emperor's feet into a battlefield.
Was it a natural disaster or a man-made one? Was it caused by gunpowder contamination or a meteorite impact?
Zhu Ming himself was unsure, which led to the Tianqi Grand Military Parade.
Yes, we traveled through time!
The spirited young man on the stage is a time traveler.
Meanwhile, during the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, undercurrents were surging both inside and outside the court, and the Liaodong defense line was shrinking rapidly, already in the midst of multiple crises.
At this moment, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty placed his hopes on turning the tide and saving the crumbling empire.
However, what is widely known is that most of the emperors of the Zhu family were eccentric!
And the current Tianqi Emperor, Zhu Youxiao, was the one known as the Carpenter Emperor, and was an oddball among oddballs!
After all, this young emperor had personally experienced the storms of the Clubbing Case, the Red Pill Case, and the Palace Relocation Case, and had endured many hardships that were beyond his years!
Sure enough, in the fifth year of his reign, this carpenter emperor from the Zhu family suffered yet another undeserved calamity—
On May 18th of last year (the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, which is 1625), after the carpenter emperor finished his sacrifice at the Fangze Altar, he went to the West Garden to play on a boat, accompanied by Wei Zhongxian, Wang Tiqian and others. However, a gust of wind capsized the small boat, and he accidentally fell into the water.
For some reason, this carpenter emperor could swim. He even dragged Wei Zhongxian straight to the shore, and then went back into the lake to drag Wang Tiqian ashore as well.
At the time, he did not know that the two people he saved were Wei Zhongxian, the powerful eunuch, and Wang Tiqian, the second-in-command of the Directorate of Ceremonial.
It was this unexpected act of saving his life that led him to quickly gain the unwavering trust and loyalty of the eunuch faction after he regained consciousness.
This laid the most important piece in his later complete control of the Forbidden City.
Two months ago, Ningyuan was the site of a great victory.
When news of Yuan Chonghuan's victory over Nurhaci with his red-coated cannons reached the capital, the entire court was thrilled, and the Donglin Party members hailed Yuan Chonghuan as an "unparalleled military genius."
Only Zhu Ming, upon hearing this news, was secretly making plans in his mind.
Since transmigrating, things have been much the same as those recorded in the history books of my previous life.
He intervened to change things, and with great difficulty, managed to secure a glimmer of hope in the cracks of history.
People like Wei Zhongxian and Sun Chengzong have already been won over!
So, the next major event, the legendary "Apocalyptic Explosion," is a crucial historical juncture that Zhu Ming, with his omniscient historical perspective, also wants to take advantage of.
However, time was tight and the task was heavy.
That night, Zhu Ming summoned Wei Zhongxian to the Qianqing Palace for the first time, and they had a secret talk that lasted all night.
He didn't explain anything about the explosion to Wei Zhongxian; instead, he used an unprecedentedly tough attitude to reprimand the arrogant young master.
He accurately described all of Wei Zhongxian's cronies planted inside and outside the court, pointed out the various methods he used to eliminate dissidents through the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even clearly explained how much bribe Wei Zhongxian had privately accepted.
Wei Zhongxian was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, sweating profusely, thinking that Zhu Ming was going to kill him.
But Zhu Ming changed his tune, not only refraining from punishing him, but also promising him greater power and wealth.
The prerequisite is absolute loyalty.
That night, Wei Zhongxian finally understood that this young emperor, who once only knew how to do carpentry, was no longer a puppet that he could easily fool.
This young emperor was like a lurking tiger, seemingly lazy and harmless, but in reality possessing the power to deliver a fatal blow.
After sharpening Wei Zhongxian, the sharpest blade, Zhu Ming immediately launched another plan.
The grand military parade has been restarted.
This decree caused an uproar in the court and among the public.
Since the Battle of Tusarhu, the prestige of the Ming Dynasty has plummeted, the capital garrison has become corrupt, and the grand military review ceremony has been neglected for nearly forty years.
The Donglin Party members were the first to launch an attack, denouncing the emperor for his ambition, lack of thrift, and waste of resources and manpower.
However, this time, Zhu Ming did not give them any chance to argue.
In the imperial court, in front of everyone, he uttered only one sentence.
"My mind is made up. Anyone who objects will be considered a traitor."
The cold and domineering words, coupled with the image of Wei Zhongxian and his ruthless henchmen, instantly silenced everyone.
No one knew that behind this seemingly militaristic military parade lay three core objectives carefully considered by the Ming Dynasty.
Firstly, it is naturally about establishing authority.
He wanted to use this grand military parade to declare to the whole world that the emperor of the Ming Dynasty was no longer a carpenter obsessed with whimsical skills, but an iron-fisted monarch who held military power.
Secondly, it was about controlling the army.
By preparing for the military parade, he legitimately seized command of the three major military camps in the capital from the Ministry of War and the group of civil officials. After all, an emperor with military power is like a tiger breaking free of its cage.
Moreover, the reorganization of the three major battalions in the capital was not only for the military parade, but also to prepare a rapid reaction force in response to the impending disaster.
Thirdly, and most importantly, it was to preserve the last spark of technology of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Ming knew better than anyone that the area around Wanggongchang was not only the location of gunpowder depots, but also the gathering place of many important workshops and research institutions of the Ming Dynasty.
There, the most outstanding artisans, mathematicians, and scientists of the entire Ming Empire gathered.
These people are the true foundation for his future industrial revolution and the revitalization of the Ming Dynasty.
He absolutely could not allow these people to be reduced to ashes in the explosion.
So, during the two months of preparations for the military parade, he used the pretext of "improving military equipment" and "supervising the manufacture of new firearms" to transfer all the top registered craftsmen near Wanggongchang, along with their families and important blueprints and equipment, in batches and quietly to several secret bases in the suburbs of Beijing that were heavily guarded by the army.
The plan has already been laid out.
Now, all we're waiting for is the east wind.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The stirring sound of war drums pulled Zhu Ming's thoughts back to reality.
Today's grand military parade is the moment to test the results of all these arrangements.
Zhu Ming took a deep breath, his heart brimming with pride.
He slowly raised his right hand and pressed it down lightly.
The deafening roar, loud enough to shake the heavens and the earth, abruptly ceased within a few breaths.
The entire drill ground was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Only hundreds of thousands of fervent gazes were focused on him alone.
He was intoxicated by this feeling of being in control of everything.
"The parade begins!"
Zhu Ming's voice, transmitted clearly through an exquisite copper cylinder, reached every corner of the training ground.
"The Great Ming Dynasty!"
"Victory!"
Several cavalry battalions marched in orderly formation, simultaneously letting out angry roars that blended together!
The exclamations and praises of the people resounded through the sky.
Even those Donglin Party officials who initially dismissed this issue now stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.
Is this still the same Third Battalion that couldn't even get enough to eat and couldn't even hold its weapons properly?
The military bearing and the imposing presence are even more impressive than the military parade of the ninth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign!
The military parade is still ongoing.
The cavalry charge was just an appetizer.
Next, the Shenji Battalion, infantry, and other formations will perform a military drill.
Swordsmen, spearmen, archers...
One military formation after another took turns showcasing the results of their training over the past two months.
As a result, the cheers of the people grew louder and louder.
The entire capital city was immersed in an atmosphere of grand celebration.
However, just as everyone was immersed in the grand military parade, Zhu Ming's gaze fell once again on the sundial.
The shadow cast by the bronze pointer moves slowly under the sunlight.
One point.
Even a fraction.
Slowly but steadily, it quietly approaches that fatal mark representing the "9-11 AM" hour.
Time seemed to slow down infinitely at this moment.
Zhu Ming could even clearly hear the sound of his heart pounding violently inside his chest.
coming.
Nearly.
Closer!
As the parade nears its end, that slender shadow will perfectly coincide with the "first quarter of the hour of Si" mark.
The wheels of history have reached that pivotal moment that will determine our fate.
Zhu Ming's pupils contracted sharply, his heart skipped a beat, and then he looked up at the sky in the southwest direction of the capital.
There, the sky was cloudless and a clear blue.
Everything seemed so peaceful.
Zhu Ming knew that beneath that calm, a storm was brewing that could devour everything.
At this point, the legendary Apocalyptic Explosion still hadn't arrived, and Zhu Ming was filled with unease: he feared she wouldn't come, he feared she would come, and he feared even more that she would cause trouble again...
And in that very instant.
An unexpected change occurred!
A crimson meteor streaked across the sky—