On New Year's Eve, snowflakes began to fall again in Tongguan City. Sun Chuanting was on the city gate, looking at the snowflakes all over the sky with tears in his eyes.
Early this morning, Jin Yiwei, who came from northern Shaanxi, sent an imperial edict along with a personal letter from the emperor.
The content of the imperial edict was beyond Sun Chuanting's expectation. It did not contain the responsibilities as expected, but instead focused on encouragement and support. The personal letter moved Sun Chuanting even more. He had served the imperial court for so many years. When he received this letter, he felt
It's all worth it.
"Your Majesty is more important than thousands of troops and horses, and more important than a hundred and two cities."
Which minister could bear such a heavy review? Which minister was lucky enough to receive it? It is difficult to repay the emperor's favor. At this time, Sun Chuanting regretted the strategic risk of leaving Luoyang. The persecution of the court at that time was one aspect, and he was indeed a little too confident.
.Feeling that Li Zicheng was not something to be afraid of, and because his soldiers were more adventurous than him, the situation took an immeasurable turn.
Now looking at His Majesty's autograph letter, Sun Chuanting realized that starting from the imperial edict in 15 years, the emperor had a clear prediction of the situation. He made himself the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, with the garrison in Guangyuan. Isn't it the same as today's autograph?
Are the contents of the letter exactly the same?
In other words, the emperor's judgment of the overall situation is more accurate than any official in the world. Looking back now, it is unimaginable how important Sichuan and Shaanxi are.
"Bo Ya, can Tongguan be defended?" Lu Zhenfei also left the Tongguan tower and stood with Sun Chuanting. More than a month ago, he was full of confidence in wiping out the bandits. But now looking at the densely packed bandits under the city, he was full of
pessimistic.
People who have never fought seriously are like this. They feel good when the wind is going down, but panic when the wind is going against them.
"See Brother Bai, the most important thing in the war is the morale of the army. Although Ruzhou was defeated and our army suffered heavy losses, it is still there. Why can't we defend it? I'm here. The rebels can't even think of crossing Tongguan City unless they step through me.
's corpse."
"Bo Ya, your Majesty's personal letter doesn't mean..."
"Holy grace is hard to repay, and I have made preparations to live or die with Tongguan City. No one can say anything to mess with the morale of our army. Seeing the truth, guarding Tongguan means guarding the country for Your Majesty. We have no retreat in this battle. I am deeply affected by this.
Holy grace, how can I protect half of the country for Your Majesty?"
If Shaanxi is here, the world will be safe. If we retreat to Sichuan, Sun Chuanting also knows what it means. It means that the world can only maintain half of it, which means that the emperor in Beijing will have no hope of turning around. As a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty, Sun Chuanting did not want things to develop into that.
Look. So, he was not going to take the retreat indicated by the emperor, either to die or to leave a complete foundation of the country. It was not Sun Chuanting's character to be content.
"Jian Bai, let's go back to the city tower! Let's talk with the soldiers about how to fight the next war. Your Majesty has asked someone to bring some jugs of good wine so that everyone can have a taste of the royal wine."
Having made up his mind, Sun Chuanting felt much more relaxed. Isn't it a matter of life and death? There is nothing difficult to face.
Sun Chuanting, who had put down his psychological burden, calmly walked into the Tongguan Gate Tower and had New Year's Eve dinner with the soldiers on the front line.
At this time, Zhu Youjian in Beijing was also having New Year's Eve dinner. Compared with the excitement on the front line, the New Year's Eve dinner in the palace was somewhat deserted. The prince and others were in Nanjing, and the only remaining family members in the palace were the queen and a few concubines.
.
Let the eunuchs prepare a fairly sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner and sit down with the queen and others.
The first one to use chopsticks was naturally the emperor. When taking the first bite of food, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but wonder if he would have a chance to eat next year's New Year's Eve dinner.
After eating some food and drinking a sip of white wine, a formal New Year's Eve dinner was completed.
You have to celebrate the New Year in a way, even if you are going to face mountains of swords and fire, Zhu Youjian wants to have a good New Year this year.
Not only do I have to live a good life myself, I also have to let the people in the capital live an impressive New Year.
How to make a deep impression is, of course, to set off fireworks.
Tonight, Zhu Youjian asked the eunuchs in the palace to prepare a grand fireworks show. At midnight, they would set off as much as they wanted in the square outside the Meridian Gate.
This is a gift given by the time traveler to the people of Ming Dynasty. I hope this is not the only one.
"Let's all go to the city gate to watch the fireworks and see if the fireworks made in the factory area are good-looking." The queen and several concubines were invited to go up to the middle gate tower to have a good look at the welcoming fireworks. In the new year, please enjoy it.
Come on!
Brilliant fireworks bloomed in the dark night sky, making the entire sky colorful.
"Your Majesty, these fireworks are too gorgeous. I have never seen such beautiful fireworks." The queen, who has always been dignified and steady, became uncomfortable when she saw the gorgeous fireworks in the sky. She looked at the sky excitedly and gave
The emperor expressed his joy, as happy as a big girl.
Mrs. Li Zhang was also standing in the yard with her son at this time, watching the fireworks in the sky. She had never seen such a scene in the world.
"Where did these fireworks come from and why are they so beautiful?" Li Yuting looked at the beautiful fireworks in the sky and asked his own question.
"These are the fireworks set off by the Holy Spirit for the people of the city, so that we poor people can also see the beautiful scenery during the New Year."
"Mom, after the Chinese New Year, do we really listen to Uncle Liu and apply for positions as accountants and clerks in the supply and marketing cooperative? Can they choose us?"
"Mom, I don't know either, but I have to give it a try anyway. I can't let you push the urine cart all the way through the streets, right? The supply and marketing cooperative is a property of the palace. When we go to work there, our lives will become easier.
"
In the evening, neighbor Liu Laosan took his son Liu Dazhuang to visit Li and Zhang and brought some new year's goods, and brought them a piece of news.
Liu Laosan was recently employed as a temporary worker by the supply and marketing cooperative, responsible for carrying New Year's goods. Then he heard the news that the supply and marketing cooperative was planning to open several shops specifically for women's families, and was now recruiting women with literary skills to serve as salespersons and
He quickly brought the news to his neighbor Li Zhang, because among the women he knew, this female neighbor was the only one who could read and write.
At the same time, due to the expansion of the business, the supply and marketing cooperative is also recruiting some clerks who can read and understand arithmetic, especially young boys. They recruit young boys mainly because these children are more malleable and have fewer connections with the outside world, unlike those who have grown up.
Children are so slippery and difficult to train.
Although there are many people in the capital, it is not easy to recruit literate young men and women. There are such people in the capital, but they are usually the children of ladies and eunuchs. It is unlikely that they will come out to work. There are also
Some of them are not young ladies or children of wealthy families, but they are either in brothels or working as helpers or bookboys in wealthy families. Such people cannot go out to work, so there are not many people who really meet the conditions in the market.