xymnovel Chapter 53 The Ministry of State Security of the Ming Dynasty
Chapter 53 The Ministry of State Security of the Ming Dynasty
Lu Xinghe took a step forward after receiving a signal from Zhu Ming.
The Imperial Guard flag officer, in his forties, was known for his booming voice.
He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and then spoke.
The biting wind tore through the gloom of the Ming Dynasty.
It is the bugle call of the border guard, the long song of the lonely city, and the countless bones piled up on the mountains and rivers.
Passionate young people stepped forward and embarked on a journey.
We vow to sweep away the dust of the barbarians and prevent their iron hooves from trampling our old city walls.
I can't bear to see the flames of war raging across the nine borders, the capital in peril, and the emperor guarding the nation's gates.
I am willing to forge an unbreakable barrier with my whole heart and soul.
Even if he dies on the battlefield, he will still raise his head and shout to the sky.
When the state is on the verge of collapse, you will always hear the general say...
He said, how can the hatred of family and country amidst the flames of war ever end?
Holding the dragon flag high, I trample the enemy camp; what fear do I have of ten thousand mountains?
He said the bright moon in the dark night illuminated the painting.
Fighting tirelessly to protect our land and our people
The fate of the Ming Dynasty, spanning three hundred years, has never been sealed.
Countless loyal ministers and generals sacrificed their lives to support half of the country.
Even now, the setting sun still shines on the path paved with blood from those days.
The horse neighs against the ruins of the Great Wall, the dragon banner still flutters in the west wind.
Undeterred by the blood-written edict and final words in the palace that night, he resolutely went to the highest heavens.
Never forgetting the bombardment of foreign powers, the iron-willed defenders of Ningyuan held Liaodong in check.
The fertile land they irrigated with their blood still yields red chrysanthemums.
In the midst of turmoil, we would hear the general say again.
He said, how can the hatred of family and country amidst the flames of war ever end?
Holding the dragon flag high, I trample the enemy camp; what fear do I have of ten thousand mountains?
He said the bright moon in the dark night illuminated the painting.
Fighting tirelessly to protect our land and our people
I have also dreamt of returning to the Yongle era when all nations came to pay tribute.
I also once tossed and turned in my sickbed, sighing over my old brocade robes.
The blood of the new generation flows on the mighty river, and the loyal bones of the people have never been extinguished.
With my broken body, I will rebuild the walls of the capital, so that the torch may be passed on from generation to generation.
Only by ending war with war can peace be restored.
In the blood-soaked twilight, the war drums rise once more.
The sound that echoed in my ears was the gasping of hundreds of millions of people.
Deeply etched in my heart is the noble principle of restoring the brightness of the sun and moon.
He said, how can the hatred of family and country amidst the flames of war ever end?
Holding the dragon flag high, I trample the enemy camp; what fear do I have of ten thousand mountains?
He said the bright moon in the dark night illuminated the painting.
Fighting tirelessly to protect our land and our people
......
This is the tune of "Sailor," which was written by Zhu Ming before.
The tune wasn't complicated; you could memorize it after repeating it a few times. When Zhu Ming wrote the lyrics, he deliberately kept the melody difficult so that the soldiers could sing along.
The words that came out of that middle-aged man's voice were powerful and resounding.
When the last sentence was uttered, nearly half of the four thousand people had already shouted it out.
The sounds overlapped, traveling from the front of the queue to the back, and from the riverbank to the workers' sheds on the opposite bank.
Several water birds were startled and fluttered towards the upper reaches of the canal.
After listening, Yuan Keli stood there looking at the queue, remaining silent for a long time.
He had led countless soldiers and heard countless war drums throughout his life, but never had a single command made those young faces show such an expression!
Military song!
This is so inspiring!
More powerful and forceful than any preaching!
Yuan Keli stood beside Zhu Ming, his gaze slowly sweeping over the four thousand faces.
He saw the new recruits in the back row, their lips still moving, silently repeating the last few lines of the song over and over again!
"It's just as good as the 'Loyalty to the Country' sung by the three major battalions!" Shen Yourong said, savoring the performance.
"Serve the country with utmost loyalty?" Yuan Keli turned his head to look at him.
"Hehe! Old Yuan, you just don't understand!" Shen Yourong suddenly perked up, lowering her voice with a hint of smugness, "During this trip back to Beijing for my work report, I added quite a few good things!"
Previously, when Shen Yourong returned to the capital, she visited the Three Great Camps!
The appearance of the three battalions has changed dramatically. After each training session, a group of soldiers would gather around a campfire and sing loudly.
At the time, he thought it was just part of their entertainment and didn't pay much attention!
This time, witnessing the new-style military training and inspection, I was surprised to see such inspiring military songs!
It also reminded him of what had happened before.
"Alright! You've got a knack for this, old Shen!" Yuan Keli ignored Shen Yourong, knowing that this guy was definitely up to no good. He only needed to ask Zhu Ming to find out what it was!
"No! As long as you tell me the true identity of the commander-in-chief, I will tell you about the major changes in the three major camps!" Shen Yourong whispered to him.
"Don't even think about it!" Yuan Keli ignored him.
"Ha!" Shen Yourong chuckled softly, then muttered, "I roughly know now!"
As he spoke, he carefully observed Zhu Ming, who was wearing a mask.
Zhu Ming remained silent behind the mask, his gaze sweeping over the resolute and passionate faces.
Military songs embody the spirit of the military, instantly igniting the courage and fervor of listeners, transforming abstract beliefs into concrete motivation for action, and inspiring a strong sense of mission.
The "voice group" effect can generate an overwhelming momentum, allowing individuals to feel a power that transcends themselves in collective resonance, and strengthening team identity and fighting spirit.
Back then, a single piece of music, the Qin King's Battle Song, was enough to extend the life of the Tang Dynasty by more than a decade!
It is easy to see the importance of military songs!
Especially in the present Ming Dynasty, this can quickly instill a sense of identity in the soldiers, making them fight for the Emperor! Fight for the Ming Dynasty! Fight for the world!
Beneath the bronze mask, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
The Ming Dynasty will surely be reborn in his hands and then move towards a higher dimension!
The inspection ended shortly afterward.
Zhu Ming returned to his residence and changed into casual clothes.
He took off the Qilin mask and placed it on the table, then put on an ordinary square cap, a moon-white robe, and a plain silk sash around his waist.
He looked like a wealthy young master, and no one would associate his face with the man wearing a bronze mask on the stage just now.
He had just finished tying his belt when he heard hurried footsteps outside the door.
"You old Yuan, you almost made me trip!" Shen Yourong's voice came first, followed by her bursting in. She looked up and saw Zhu Ming's attire, paused for a moment, and the words caught in her throat.
"Is it my fault?" Yuan Keli followed him through the door, looking indifferent.
Shen Yourong ignored him.
He looked at Zhu Ming for a good three or four breaths, then bowed deeply, his voice much lower and deeper than before: "General... no, this old minister greets Your Majesty."
"Lord Shen! No need for formalities!" Zhu Ming looked up at him, his tone indifferent.
After all, if this veteran still doesn't understand his performance, then he has wasted more than 60 years of his life!
"Your Majesty!" Shen Yourong straightened up. He had thought that the commander of Gouchen was Man Gui, but it wasn't until the Tai Chi and military songs just now that he realized who was in front of him.
He stood there for a while, his expression changing several times, finally settling on a pitiful look, as if he were about to say something.
"Lord Shen, outside I am the Commander of the Gouchen Guard!" Zhu Ming interrupted him a step ahead.
“…?” Shen Yourong was stunned for a moment!
Then he remembered that the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, the Zhu family, had a history of doing such things.
The history books clearly record that Emperor Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao, who styled himself General Zhu Shou and went out to fight.
It's not surprising that Zhu Ming, the commander of the Gouchen Guard, has emerged now.
He thought for a moment, and was about to speak again with that aggrieved expression when Zhu Ming turned and walked towards the door.
"Now I... this young master is going out for a walk! We'll talk about everything when I return!"
"?? General? Young Master?" Shen Yourong stared blankly, completely bewildered.
Yuan Keli stood to the side, looking at Zhu Ming's attire with an air of accustomed composure. "Young Master Hou, are you going to take a stroll over there?"
"Yes!" Zhu Ming stepped out the door and glanced back at Yuan Keli.
"Then, what about the security?" Yuan Keli followed up, his face showing worry.
"With Shen Yan and Jin Yidao following along, that's enough!" Zhu Ming said.
"But..." Yuan Keli was still a little worried.
"Lord Yuan, you are my Minister of State Security!" Zhu Ming paused, turned to look at him, and said in a light tone, "Don't tell me you haven't sorted out the security improvements in Linqing over the past year?"
The Ministry of State Security was specially established by Zhu Ming.
This was considered a year ago, so we appointed Yuan Keli, a reliable veteran, as Minister of State Security.
At that time, he gave Yuan Keli a secret order, ostensibly to supervise the construction and training of troops at the Weihe Shipyard, but secretly he was to do something else!
The goal was to establish an intelligence network in Linqing, implement security measures along the canal, and detect any unusual activity on the trade routes.
What kind of place is Linqing?
It is the gateway to the nation's grain transport, a place where goods from the north and south converge, and nine out of ten of its inhabitants are Huizhou merchants, making it more prosperous than the two capitals.
Such places are both money bags and information hubs.
Zhu Ming wanted more than just boats; he wanted absolute control over the canal.
Yuan Keli did not disappoint him. Throughout the year, any news or disturbance in Linqing would appear on his desk the next day.
Yuan Keli nodded and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old minister has made all the arrangements."
"Um!"
Zhu Ming gave a satisfied "hmm" and turned to walk outside. Shen Yan and Jin Yidao were already waiting outside the door. Seeing him come out, they silently followed behind him.
"Let's go," Zhu Ming said. "This young master has to take a good look around Linqing, a place whose prosperity surpasses that of the two capitals."