After reading a few newspapers, Huang Degong felt that his brain was a little unwell.
"General, what's written in this report?" Seeing Huang Degong's complicated expression, Qiu Yue asked curiously.
"Look for yourself!" Huang Degong threw the newspaper over and urged the warhorse under him to walk towards the imperial city.
After Qiu Yue took the newspaper, he couldn't help but read it aloud.
"Self-narration: One Thousand Days Captured by the Jiannu!"
"The current situation of the Han people in Liaodong: If you keep your hair, you lose your head; if you keep your head, you lose your hair. Life is worse than death!"
"The origin of Jiannu cannibalism!"
"The story of Dorgon and Huang Taiji's (Huang Taiji) widow."
this...
As Qiu Yue read out the contents of the newspaper word by word, the emotions of the other accompanying personnel were aroused.
They were first angry, then furious, and then furious.
"Fuck, are the Jiannu still human? They let the people farm, and after they finished farming, they killed them because they were worried that there would not be enough food."
"What else? The Jiannu invaded the country many times and plundered millions of people. In their eyes, we are just animals."
"They are worse than animals! Animals work only when they are full and satisfied! The people work on an empty stomach, and countless people die of starvation."
"Are the Jiannu sick? They don't want to keep their hair, but have to shave it off and leave braids. Why are they so different?"
"The barbarians believe in barbaric things, and you should just watch for fun."
Speaking of the word "joy", everyone looked at Qiu Yue at the same time, and one person said, "Hurry up and read the story of Dorgon and Huang Taiji's widow again. It's so well written that I'm excited."
"Is it hot or cold?"
"Go away, I'm telling you the truth. This passage is as good as a banned book!"
“It’s better than the banned books!”
After listening to the last part, Huang Degong had already arrived outside Chengtian Gate. He took a deep breath, dismounted, and looked up at the wall of the imperial city.
The soldier of the Yongwei Camp on the city wall looked at the tiger head on the flag and said in a trembling voice: "Is it... Is it Master Huang Degong?"
In the eighth year of Chongzhen, the governor of the inner court Cao Huachun proposed to change the four guards of Tengxiang into Yongwei Camp, with Sun Yingyuan, Zhou Yuji and Huang Degong as commanders. It thus became a powerful force, and whenever they attacked the bandits, they always made achievements.
Huang Degong's soldiers painted a tiger head on black cloth and wore them on their armor. When the bandits saw the black tiger-head soldiers, many of them fled. Huang Degong successfully left the Beijing camp and went to the cloud.
Among the four generals, Cao Huachun had already returned home due to illness due to his advanced age.
In the 15th year of Chongzhen, Sun Yingyuan died alone in Luoshan without any support.
Zhou Yuji died in battle at Ningwu Pass!
Huang Degong is the only one who dares to fly the tiger-head military flag!
"I am Huang Degong, where is Pang Zijin?" Huang Degong asked.
Although he had been away from Beijing for several years, as the nominal commander of the Yongwei Camp, he still knew something about the transfer of generals in the capital.
"General Pang... led his troops out of the city to engage in battle with Li Zicheng's main force, and died in battle outside the capital."
Huang Degong opened his mouth and wanted to speak but didn't know what to say.
As his former subordinate and as a soldier, dying on the battlefield is the highest honor and he should be happy.
But...
He felt indescribable sadness in his heart.
"Huang Degong has been ordered to go to Beijing. Please inform him!" Huang Degong was silent for a long time, then clasped his fists and bowed.
"Master Huang, please wait a moment. I will go and report it right away." The defenders on the city wall hurriedly ran down the city wall and reported to the inner court.
Chongzhen was very excited when he got the news. He hurriedly said, "Quick, let him in."
"Your Majesty, I, Huang Degong, greet you!"
Chongzhen looked up and saw a burly man standing in the center of the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.
He had strong limbs, broad features, a dark complexion, and a glaring scar on his face that made it look a little hideous.
Huang Degong, the Marquis of Jingnan, was a famous general in the Beijing camp.
In the war against bandits, he forced the surrender of the soldiers of the Gezuo Fifth Battalion, captured Ma Wu, killed Wang Xingguo, defeated Zhang Xianzhong, and made great military achievements.
He was the only general among the four towns in Jiangbei, Nanming, who took the imperial court seriously. He was also the only general among the four towns who died on the battlefield.
This shows his loyalty.
"I have finally got you here, please stand up quickly!" Chongzhen walked to Huang Degong and helped him up personally.
"Have you had lunch yet?"
As Chongzhen supported him and asked, "Have you had lunch?", the burly man's eyes turned red.
The Ming emperor treated him like a family member.
"Your Majesty, I haven't had lunch yet."
"Wang Chengen, tell the Shangshenjian to bring me the lunch prepared for me. I want to have lunch with Jingnan Bo."
"Your Majesty, I cannot do that. I am a coarse man and I am not worthy of such grace."
"You are the general of the Yongwei Battalion, and you are also my personal soldier. What's wrong with having a meal with me? Come, bring a stool for Jingnan Bo!"
Huang Degong declined several times, but since Chongzhen insisted again and again, he had no choice but to sit down.
The lunch from the Imperial Kitchen was quickly served and the two chatted while eating.
"How many soldiers and horses does the Marquis of Jingnan have under his command?" Chongzhen asked while asking Wang Chengen to bring a dish on his table to Huang Degong.
Huang Degong, who was nearly fifty years old, wiped his eyes with tears in his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I currently have 2,000 cavalrymen, 20,000 armored soldiers, and 20,000 other combat soldiers stationed outside Tongzhou City."
The Ming Dynasty valued northern soldiers and despised southern soldiers.
Almost all northern soldiers, whether combat or defensive, wore armor, but some southern soldiers did not. In addition, there were refugees who surrendered along the way, so the proportion of armored soldiers under Huang Degong was not high.
Twenty thousand... Chongzhen calculated and said, "Go to the Ministry of War to get armor when you leave. If the Ministry of War does not have enough, borrow from the three major camps in the capital. Everyone must be equipped with armor."
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