Chapter Eleven: Crazy

  "Everyone stand up and speak!"

  Looking around, Zhu Ciyan smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying: "Etiquette cannot be abandoned, I am the Crown Prince of the Great Ming Dynasty, and you are my subjects, so it is only natural to receive your kowtows! However, in the military, we value masculinity and bravery, every day, officials come and go, bowing and scraping, holding their tablets and reporting for duty, just like actors on stage... I don't want such servile subordinates!"

  This remark, with a military tone of voice, made everyone in the scene relax and come alive. Many officers just smiled and nodded, most of whom were loyal and honest warriors. However, no one could continue this conversation.

  Zhu Ciwen didn't think much of it and had already anticipated what was going to be said from the very beginning.

  If these military officers were all quick-witted and eloquent, they would probably have stayed behind, but it would be useless anyway.

  At this moment, seeing that everyone was still hesitant, he personally stepped forward, stretched out his hand and pulled up a sturdy iron official who was as strong as an iron weight. When he took action, the official was also surprised and thought: "It's really strange, can't see it coming, but my lord's strength is not small."

  He didn't know that Zhu Ciyan had been reborn for some time, and every morning he would get up early to run, exercise, and temper his body. As the crown prince of the Ming dynasty, he was not comparable to ordinary people, having grown up in luxury and with a good physical foundation since childhood. Although the time was short, Zhu Ciyan had already cultivated a good physique through effective methods, and his strength was increasing day by day. As for martial arts training, horseback riding, and archery practice, he hadn't stopped for even a single day!

  This is called having no choice, with a noose around your head, even the laziest person will be busy to the point of flying.

  He pulled one person up, and Zhu Ciwen smiled at the crowd: "What's wrong, are you all really waiting for me to pull? More than 300 people, can't we have dinner after pulling everyone?"

  This time, everyone burst out laughing loudly, completely unlike the situation where they couldn't let go just now. Since the Crown Prince had given orders repeatedly, there was no need to be polite anymore. At this moment, they all had smiles on their faces and scrambled up in a flurry.

  In this imperceptible way, the originally stern and isolated atmosphere was dissolved a lot, and the distance between the Crown Prince and these Beijing camp soldiers naturally narrowed.

  Everyone stood up, still divided into two sides, those with guns holding guns, those with knives holding knives, standing in a symmetrical formation, red flags and red sleeves with green hats, plus the dazzling cold light of the knives and guns in their hands, which indeed exuded a few degrees of majestic and heroic aura.

  Here, after all, is the last bit of splendor left from the Jingying troops that Chengzu led in his heyday!

  But even so, in Zhu Cixun's eyes, this team is still far from qualified.

  For example, the tactics of cold weapons warfare, from reconnaissance to engagement, is a huge project. From scouting horses to deploying troops, without modern communication tools, commanders need to understand and analyze enemy situations, based on terrain, as well as grasp their own side's mobility capabilities, through flag signals, slowly unfolding, until the battle begins, when tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people's formations are fully deployed. Just this one item requires a lot of effort to learn, and must be tested in actual combat!

  In addition to the usual training, there's troop management, logistics, armory, provisions, bows and arrows, not to mention drums, banners, squad formations... Just thinking about it makes one's heart sink!

  Zhu Ciwen had a lot of miscellaneous knowledge, but he had never led troops before. However, as a modern person who traveled back in time, his experience was beyond what people at that time could compare to. The four hundred men in front of him were standing in disarray, their clothes and decorations were mixed and disorderly, their weapons were also inconsistent, let alone their military posture and majestic demeanor, which were far inferior.

  To say that every individual is a strong soldier, among them there must be many with high martial arts skills and expertise in archery and horse riding. However, when mixed together as a whole, the shortcomings are immediately apparent. With less than 400 people, it's already so disorganized and chaotic, if an army of 10,000 were formed from such soldiers, how could they be commanded at will? How could the entire army advance or retreat in unison?

  Not to mention Li Zicheng's seasoned veterans, even Zhang Xianzhong's Great Western Army and Li Dingguo's generals were not easy to deal with.

  The most terrifying one is naturally the Eastern Barbarians who have been fighting with the Great Ming for decades!

  What immediately stood up and shot, the arrow rod was as thick as a child's arm, one arrow came, and both men and horses died. What is full of ten thousand cannot be defeated, ten thousand cannot fight with him in the wild... These are all shameless and ignorant scholars' rumors... However, the only thing that can be confirmed is that this strong army, which has been at war for decades, has rich experience in siege warfare, field battles, and even long-distance raids. This point is absolutely beyond doubt!

  Looking at the current appearance of the Beijing garrison, they can't even stand up straight on duty. If they really were to engage in a field battle and face the enemy one-on-one, not many people would have a chance. Even if it's ten-on-ten, they wouldn't be afraid. But if it's a cavalry battle with over a hundred men, the Ming army will undoubtedly lose!

  "I'm calling you out, I suppose you all know what's going on?"

  Suppressing the surging thoughts in his mind, Zhu Ciyan smiled warmly, and with his identity, he was indeed too far apart from these military generals.

  As usual, the drill was held inside the Forbidden City, and it was also monitored from within. The Crown Prince sometimes accompanied Chongzhen to come over, both sitting in a sedan chair, until the drill review, when several eunuchs would lead the horses, surrounding the young master for just half an hour before finishing... As for these Beijing garrison officers, wanting to curry favor with the palace eunuchs was already a big deal, let alone with the Crown Prince, which was absolutely impossible, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

  Now that people have just gathered, everyone has a feeling of being in a dream... If we start rigorous training now and make the whole army obey orders, it will change suddenly, but that's not training soldiers, it's fooling around. The person in charge is not qualified to be a commander, he's just a living stick.

  Want to establish prestige, want strict management and training, want people to accompany you to play with your life, then you must first make people respect and cherish virtue... This is the first meeting, and it's necessary to leave a deep impression on everyone!

  Zhu Ciwen asked a question, and as expected, no one answered. Fortunately, he didn't expect an answer either. He just smiled slightly and turned back to stand on the steps of Shou Huang Temple, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the crowd.

  His face exuded an unshakeable confidence and calmness, his voice was clear and pleasant to the ear, as he slowly said to the crowd: "This Shou Huang Temple, some of you are here for the first time, while others have already been serving here, helping to train the eunuchs in internal affairs... What is this internal affair, do you all understand what it entails? If you can ride a horse, shoot arrows with a bow, arrange troops, hold flags, and shout 'Long live' loudly and in unison, then you are considered qualified."

  He said, with a slight curl of his lip and a skeptical smile. However, it's better to stop here, as commenting on the inner court is the most embarrassing thing for eunuchs. Chongzhen thought it was not good either, so he changed the subject: "Let's not mention the inner court, today I chose you all, but it's not just to play around in Wansui Mountain, set up a target and shoot a few arrows, or have you line up, hold flags, shout loudly and consider it done... What I want is someone who can fight, can take risks, can protect me on both sides, keep me safe, for the sake of the Ming dynasty, dare to say that losing one's head is not a big deal, and is willing to be a brave warrior!"

  "Our great Ming dynasty has stood for nearly three hundred years, and you are all hereditary military officers, nurtured by the gold and silver of the imperial court for nearly three hundred years. As a military officer, one must take to the battlefield, fight the enemy, ride and shoot like flying, pursue and defeat the enemy, behead them, raise the national prestige on the border, sweep away the strong enemies on the grasslands, and capture the wolves... Only then can you be considered true military officers! For over two hundred years, the Qin army, Jin army, Liao Dong army, and others have fought against the northern or eastern barbarians, sometimes winning, sometimes losing. They have earned their salaries through blood and sweat, fighting with every sword and spear! You were born in the capital garrison, and for many years, except for occasional expeditions, you have been enjoying peace and prosperity in the imperial city. Now that the country is in trouble, with internal rebels and external eastern barbarians invading our borders, what will you do? Are you still thinking of hiding in the city, pretending nothing is wrong, waiting for the enemy to arrive at your doorstep, or do you think that after eating the imperial salary for over two hundred years, you should at least make some repayment... Hmm? Is there a Han among you who dares to answer me? Who is willing to follow me out of the city gate, cross Ningyuan, and reach the Great Liao River, capture Shenyang and Liaoyang, dig up the old slave's tomb, cut open his heart, and offer sacrifices to the over one hundred million innocent military personnel and civilians who died in vain outside our borders... Who dares? Who dares?"

  Zhu Ciwen had previously spoken in a gentle and affectionate tone, so everyone who heard him didn't think much of it.

  It's just ordinary conversation, a few casual words, and then it's business as usual. But many people are concerned about salaries and rewards... The emperor can't starve his soldiers, the crown prince can't ask everyone to work for nothing, he has to come up with something decent to make up for their hard work.

  However, as Zhu Ci's tone gradually rose, the originally calm and noble tone had disappeared without a trace, leaving only crazy shouts!

  It wasn't until now that everyone realized that this fifteen-year-old crown prince, who looked dignified and majestic with a literary air about him, actually had such a crazy side, and even crazier ideas!

  Recover Liaoyang and Shenyang, and let the old slave Nuerhachi be defeated and humiliated. It's probably something that any hot-blooded Han man would want to do, but who would have thought that the majestic Ming dynasty's crown prince could use such a heroic tone, in front of hundreds of soldiers, and shout it out so recklessly!

  "I, Li Gong, the hundred-household officer of the Five Army Camps and the Garrison Commander of the Lower City, wish to follow Your Highness to the left and right, and be willing to die for you!"

  "I, Wang Yuan, the hundred-household officer of the Five Army Camps and the Garrison Commander, am willing to render service to the Crown Prince. Even if I die, it's just a bowl-sized wound, which is really nothing!"

  "Under the wise and powerful leadership of the Emperor, the officials in charge of the hundred households..."

  "The minister's vital energy is declining..."

  ============

  Typing is hard work, especially the tedious process of revising and re-typing new versions, it's really exhausting.

  Please keep some tickets for us, thanks.

  Tomorrow is the weekend rush ranking again, and I will update an extra chapter in the middle of the night, so I'll give you a heads up.

  Besides, to a certain unscrupulous writer: I'm not flustered!