owlsbooks Chapter 1420 Preparations for the Imperial Ceremony
Chapter 1420 Preparations for the Imperial Ceremony
Zhu Qiwu gazed at the large banner bearing the character "Ming" fluttering outside the window and said softly, "It exists, and it is stronger than ever before."
Seven days later, in Zhu Yuanzhang's central command tent.
"What did you say?" Zhu Yuanzhang's fingers almost crushed the teacup. "You want to tear down the walls of Yingtian Prefecture?"
“It’s not demolition, it’s reconstruction.” Zhu Qiwu spread out the blueprints. “The current city wall is made of rammed earth, which the Yuan army’s cannons could blast open in three shots. But the one I’m building,” he pointed to the “reinforced concrete” structure marked on the blueprints, “is a city wall made of this material. Not to mention cannons, it won’t collapse even in an earthquake.”
Zhu Yuanzhang's temples throbbed: "Reinforced concrete? What's that?"
"It's just iron bars and cement." Zhu Qiwu pulled a sample out of his backpack. "Fourth Brother, feel it, it's harder than stone."
Zhu Yuanzhang took the sample, and his fingers were immediately stung by the rough surface. He suddenly slammed the sample on the table: "Nonsense! Yingtian Prefecture is our foundation, how can we just tear it down like that? Do you know how much it would take just to demolish the walls?"
“It will take three months,” Zhu Qiwu interrupted him. “But I have a way to have the demolition and construction of the wall carried out simultaneously, without affecting the lives of the people in the city.”
"Oh?" Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes. "Tell me about it."
“First, build ten temporary camps outside the city, allowing the people to relocate in shifts.” Zhu Qiwu opened the system interface and brought up the 3D model. “Second, use pulley systems and logs to transport building materials; it will be ten times faster than now. Finally,” he suddenly laughed, “trade sweet potatoes for the demolition compensation.”
"Sweet potatoes for demolition compensation?"
“Yes.” Zhu Qiwu zoomed in on a section of the model. “Each household affected by the demolition will receive ten jin of sweet potato seeds and three mu of new farmland. The sweet potato yield is high, more than enough to feed a family. Once the new city is built, they will also have priority in moving into the new houses.”
Zhu Yuanzhang's thumb traced the rim of his teacup, and he suddenly asked, "Were all these ideas taught to you by that 'time traveler'?"
Zhu Qiwu's heart tightened, but his face remained calm: "I suppose so. But Fourth Brother, the real test is yet to come."
"What kind of test?"
“Chen Youliang is dead, but Zhang Shicheng is still alive.” Zhu Qiwu pulled up a map of Jiangnan. “He controls the most prosperous Suzhou and Hangzhou region, and commands a navy of 200,000. What’s more troublesome,” he pointed to a point on the map, “is that he has recently been in secret contact with the Yuan court.”
Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his teacup on the table with a loud thud: "What? He dares to collude with the enemy?"
"It's not collusion, it's cooperation." Zhu Qiwu zoomed in on the map. "Zhang Shicheng knows he can't defeat our army alone, so he wants to use the Yuan army to eliminate us. Once we and the Yuan army are both exhausted, he'll reap the benefits."
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and paced back and forth in the tent: "That Zhang Shicheng! He dares to scheme against me! Seventh Five, what do you say we do?"
“Let’s turn the tables on them.” A cold glint flashed in Zhu Qiwu’s eyes. “We can feign falling into their trap, luring the Yuan army deep into our territory. Once they’re on the pre-arranged battlefield, we’ll use our new weapons.” He made an explosion gesture. “…to wipe them all out.”
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stopped and stared at Zhu Qiwu: "You had this planned all along?"
"The plan started the day we killed Chen Youliang," Zhu Qiwu frankly admitted. "However, to carry out this plan, Fourth Brother needs to agree to three conditions."
"explain."
"First, the Directorate of Works must obey my orders completely, and no one may interfere."
"Can."
"Secondly, Chang Yuchun's vanguard army will be under my command."
"He only ever listens to me."
“Therefore, I need Fourth Brother to give the order personally.” Zhu Qiwu took out the tiger tally from his pocket. “Without this, General Chang will not listen to me.”
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the tiger tally, then suddenly laughed: "You rascal, you even planned this out?" He took the tally. "What's the last condition?"
"Third," Zhu Qiwu took a deep breath, "after this battle, I want to lead my troops to the Western Regions."
"The Western Regions?" Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. "What are you going there for?"
“Find rubber trees,” Zhu Qiwu explained. “Without rubber, we can’t make tires and seals, and the development of new weapons and vehicles will be limited.”
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, then suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Fine! I agree! However," he walked up to Zhu Qiwu, his eyes blazing, "if you dare to betray me, even if you are my own brother, I will show no mercy."
Zhu Qiwu looked directly into his elder brother's eyes: "Fourth brother, rest assured, I will always stand by your side."
Three days later, somewhere on the Yangtze River.
Standing at the bow of his flagship, Zhang Shicheng gazed at the densely packed Yuan warships on the river, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Zhu Yuanzhang, you're doomed this time."
"Your Highness is wise," the advisor beside him flattered. "With 200,000 Yuan troops pressing in, even a god couldn't save Zhu Yuanzhang."
Zhang Shicheng remained silent, staring intently at the river. Suddenly, he frowned: "What's that?"
The strategist followed his gaze and saw dozens of strange ships cutting through the waves behind the Yuan army's warships. These ships had iron plates covering their prows, low hulls, and were extremely fast, closing in on the Yuan fleet in the blink of an eye.
"It's Zhu Yuanzhang's navy!" the strategist exclaimed. "How dare they launch a preemptive attack?"
Zhang Shicheng's pupils suddenly contracted. He saw several holes suddenly open on the sides of the strange ships, and then countless black dots shot out from the holes, drawing eerie arcs in the air, and then...
"boom!"
The first explosion rang out on the Yuan army's flagship. Immediately afterwards, the entire river surface boiled. Fireballs rose one after another, wood chips and blood flew through the air, and screams echoed through the sky.
"Fire arrows?" The strategist collapsed to the ground. "No! These aren't fire arrows! These are..." "Thunderbolt cannons!" Zhang Shicheng gritted his teeth. "Where did Zhu Yuanzhang get so many thunderbolt cannons?"
What he didn't know was that these "Thunderbolt Cannons" were merely the lowest-level weapons Zhu Qiwu had exchanged from the Time-Space Shop. The real killing move was yet to come.
The center of the Yuan army fleet.
Commander-in-Chief Kökö Temür (Wang Baobao) stood at the bow of the ship, his face ashen. Looking at the warships exploding around him, he suddenly roared, "Retreat! The entire army retreats!"
But it was too late.
Suddenly, dozens of iron chains rose from the river, firmly locking the Yuan fleet in place. At the same time, iron pipes shot out from the bows of the strange ships, accompanied by a piercing "whoosh" sound, and countless iron bullets rained down like raindrops.
"Franklinan cannons!" Kökö Temür recognized the weapons. "How could Zhu Yuanzhang have so many Franklinan cannons?"
He would never know that these cannons were all obtained by Zhu Qiwu using the system, and the cost of each cannon was only one-tenth of that of similar weapons in this era.
"General! Zhu's main force has been spotted to the southeast!" the lookout suddenly shouted.
Kökö Temür turned his head and saw a dark mass of soldiers on the opposite bank of the river—Zhu Yuanzhang's infantry. The leading general was on horseback, holding a long spear; who else could it be but Zhu Yuanzhang?
"We've fallen for their trap!" Kökö Temür slammed his fist on the gunwale. "Zhu Yuanzhang wasn't in Yingtian Prefecture at all! He's been waiting for us here all along!"
His words had barely faded when a deafening roar erupted from the river. Countless Zhu army warships emerged from both banks, completely surrounding the Yuan fleet. Soldiers on board, armed with muskets, unleashed a furious barrage of fire at the Yuan warships.
"It's over." Kökö Temür collapsed to the ground. "It's all over."
Three days later, at the city gate of Yingtian Prefecture.
Standing atop the city wall, Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at the triumphant army returning in the distance, a smile playing on his lips: "That kid Qi Wu really got it done for me."
"Fourth Brother!" Zhu Qiwu rode his horse to the city walls. "The Yuan army of 200,000 has been completely annihilated! Kökö Temür has been captured alive and is now being escorted to Yingtian!"
Zhu Yuanzhang descended from the city wall and personally led his brother's horse: "Good! Well done! But," he suddenly lowered his voice, "where did you get all those new weapons?"
Zhu Qiwu laughed: "Fourth Brother, I promised you I'd always stand by your side." He patted his elder brother's shoulder. "As for where the weapons came from... just consider them a gift from the gods."
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at his younger brother for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Excellent! A gift from the gods! From this day forward, you are my Ming Dynasty's 'divine younger brother'!"
The two looked at each other and smiled, then walked side by side through the city gate.
Standing atop the city wall of Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Qiwu gazed at the distant, sprawling camps, silently calculating in his mind. With only half a month left until his coronation ceremony, he had to ensure that every detail was impeccable. The treasures rewarded by the system had begun to arrive, but the ceremony design still needed repeated refinement—this was not only Zhu Yuanzhang's coronation ceremony, but also a crucial moment to showcase the new dynasty's grandeur to the world.
"Seven five!" Zhu Yuanzhang's voice came from behind, tinged with urgency. "Xu Da just sent an urgent report that Chen Youliang's remnants are stirring up trouble around Poyang Lake, which may be detrimental to the grand ceremony."
Zhu Qiwu turned around and saw his fourth brother with a furrowed brow, followed by Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing. He smiled slightly and gestured for everyone to follow him into the council hall inside the city tower: "Fourth brother, don't worry, I have already made arrangements."
After everyone was seated, Zhu Qiwu took out a roll of sheepskin map from his sleeve and spread it on the table: "Although Chen Youliang has been defeated, his remaining followers have not been eliminated. I have ordered Lan Yu to lead three thousand light cavalry to bypass Hukou and cut off their retreat; at the same time, I have ordered Feng Sheng to lead the navy to block the exit of Poyang Lake and trap them like turtles in a jar."
Xu Da stroked his beard and nodded: "Qiwu's plan is excellent, but with the grand ceremony imminent, if Chen Youliang fights to the death, there may be unforeseen circumstances."
"Don't worry, Brother Xu." Zhu Qiwu pointed lightly at a spot on the map. "I'll have Liao Yongzhong lead five hundred elite soldiers, disguised as a caravan, to infiltrate Chen Youliang's remnant camp. Tomorrow at noon, they'll set fire to create chaos. Once they're thrown into disarray, Lan Yu and Feng Sheng can then attack from both sides and wipe them out in one fell swoop."
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with approval: "Seventh Five, you always plan ahead. With that in mind, I am at ease."
Tang He suddenly interjected, "Seven Five, is everything ready for the ceremony of his coronation as emperor? The brothers are all looking forward to it!"
Zhu Qiwu smiled and said, "Brother Tang, don't be in a hurry. I was just about to discuss this matter with you." He turned around and took out a booklet from the table. "In designing this ceremony, I combined the systems of the Han and Tang dynasties with some new ideas. For example, during the coronation, the hands must be washed with water from the Nine Tripods, symbolizing the people's allegiance to the emperor; and the Imperial Seal must be personally carved by Fourth Brother, with the eight characters 'Received the Mandate of Heaven, May it last forever' to demonstrate its legitimacy."
Zhou Dexing's eyes lit up as he listened: "Great! This is more like the founding ceremony of the nation! But where did those nine tripods come from? I've heard that the nine tripods of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties have long been lost."
Zhu Qiwu smiled mysteriously: "Brother Zhou, you may not know this, but when I checked in the other day, the system rewarded me with a set of 'Ancient Nine Tripods.' Although they are not genuine, their craftsmanship is exquisite enough to pass for the real thing. As for the Imperial Seal of the State..." He paused, "I have already ordered craftsmen to carve it with Hetian jade, and I am just waiting for Fourth Brother to inscribe it."
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, walked to the desk, and stared at the design drawings in the booklet, remaining silent for a long time. After a while, he suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing: "Seventh Five, you have put so much effort into this grand ceremony, how...how can I thank you?"
Zhu Qiwu shook his head: "Fourth Brother, what are you saying? We are brothers, why should I thank you? I only hope that this ceremony will go smoothly, so that the world will know that my Zhu family will create an unprecedented golden age!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with fervor. Xu Da stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Seven-Five, if there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask!"
Tang He and Zhou Dexing also expressed their willingness to do their utmost for the coronation ceremony. Looking at these brothers who had shared life and death with him, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew deeply that without them, there would be no Zhu Yuanzhang as he was today, and no sooner-to-be-established Ming Dynasty.
"Very well!" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand on the table. "In that case, let's split up and make preparations. Qi Wu, you'll be in charge of the ceremony and the treasures; Xu Da, you'll coordinate military affairs and ensure the safety of the ceremony; Tang He and Zhou Dexing, you'll assist Qi Wu with miscellaneous tasks. As for me..." He paused, "I'll focus on carving the imperial seal to express my feelings."
Everyone obeyed and left, but Zhu Qiwu remained, gazing at the design drawings on the table, deep in thought. This imperial coronation ceremony was not only Zhu Yuanzhang's coronation, but also a moment for him, Zhu Qiwu, to prove his worth to the system. The value of the system rewards increased with one's status, and now that Zhu Yuanzhang was about to become emperor, his status was rising accordingly, so the rewards to come would surely be even more generous.
Just then, a system notification sounded in my mind: "Ding! The host has completed the 'Preparation for the Imperial Ceremony' task, and has been rewarded with the complete set of the 'Tiangong Kaiwu' classic texts. Do you wish to claim it?"
Zhu Qiwu was taken aback, then overjoyed. This "Tiangong Kaiwu" was a monumental work of science and technology from the Ming Dynasty, covering many fields such as agriculture, handicrafts, and military affairs. If the technologies in it could be applied to the Ming Dynasty ahead of time, it would surely promote social progress and enhance national strength.
In an instant, a flood of knowledge rushed into his mind, making his head throb, but he endured the discomfort and carefully sorted through it. Of all the parts of *Tiangong Kaiwu* (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature), those concerning firearms manufacturing and metallurgy were of greatest interest to him. If these technologies could be applied to the army, the fighting power of the Ming Dynasty would undoubtedly reach new heights.
Just as he was pondering this, he heard footsteps outside the door. Zhu Qiwu looked up and saw that Xu Da had returned, holding a secret letter in his hand.
"Seven-five, we just received an urgent report. Chen Youliang's remnants, as expected, couldn't hold back any longer and have led their troops towards Yingtian Prefecture, expected to arrive in three days." Xu Da's expression was grave. "I'm worried they'll launch a surprise attack on the eve of the ceremony, catching us completely off guard." (End of Chapter)