Chengtian Gate.

Two big flags fluttered in the wind, filled with a solemn and murderous aura.

On the city tower, Sun Chengzong, Sun Chuanting, Shen Yongmao, Lu Xiangsheng and others stood and looked down.

Both east and west doors of Chang'an were opened, but they were blocked further away. People under Chengtian Gate hurriedly, running around and shouting.

Shen Yongmao held a telescope in his hand and said to Sun Chengzong and others, "Because it was the first time such a big martial arts performance, it was a bit messy. They were still organizing it in a regular order..."

Sun Chengzong was in his hand a 'big martial arts manual', which was discussed by the Sili Supervisor, the Cabinet, the Ministry of War and other departments. He looked down and nodded slightly, saying: "The New Year is still two days away. The training here cannot be stopped. This martial arts performance is very important to our Ming Dynasty. There must be no mistakes!"

Sun Chuanting and others nodded. This great martial arts performance is to boost morale internally, and to show off their power externally, warning those "potential enemies" who are ready to move, quiet them, and freeing up time for the Ming Dynasty to repair their internal affairs.

Not long after, dull drums sounded on both sides of Chengtian Gate, followed by a flag-raising ceremony.

As soon as the flag-raising ceremony ended, after a dull drum sound, a team of shield soldiers appeared from the west gate of Chang'an, wearing heavy armor, wearing steel helmets, holding a shield in his left hand and a knife in his right hand, and appearing calmly and forcefully.

Then there was a team of about 600 people, wearing silver armor, praising knives around his waist, holding a spear, as if he was stomping his feet, and slowly moving from west to east.

Behind this team are infantry, then archers, and continue with arrows, then cavalry, engineers, artillery, etc.

Almost all the military branches of the Ming Dynasty can be seen here. They are all elites, with strict steps and a solemn expression. They strictly abide by military rules in every move, without any confusion.

This is just a simple drill. After a few days on the city tower, people looked at each other and didn't know what to say.

After a while, Lu Xiangsheng said: "Although there is no problem with the military appearance, the Xiaguan always feels that something is wrong..."

Sun Chuanting nodded, his eyes still looking down, and said, "It's too complicated, not only does it not show its mightiness, but it's a bit like a little..."

Shen Yongmao and Sun Chengzong would also like it. Seeing the last artillery entering the east gate of Chang'an, Sun Chengzong pondered and said, "Then, all of them will be changed to infantry, with the mighty military appearance as the key, and some cannons and muskets are displayed. Before the great martial arts performance, we ask the emperor to take all the officials and envoys from various countries to the Jingdong Camp station in the east of the city to show the power of artillery. Only cannons are simple and direct!"

Shen Yongmao took over the conversation and said, "I agree. I want to establish my authority in the Ming Dynasty, but the real artillery is more intimidating."

Lu Xiangsheng thought for a while and said, "The officials agree. If artillery fire and other things show enough power, if the Chengtian Gate walks here again, it will be more popular and will make the little one dare not act rashly!"

Sun Chuanting said, "Okay. Then I will enter the palace and advise the emperor later, mobilize more cannons, arrows, and heavy armored cavalry to be transferred, and in a short time, I will show the strongest military strength of the Ming Dynasty!"

"JD Camp is basically empty,"

Sun Chengzong said: "When the time comes, we will open to the people and allow them to enter and watch. We will let everyone see. My Ming army has been transformed and is the strongest army in the world!"

The other three nodded and agreed very much.

Seeing that the few people had no objection, Sun Chengzong said, "The heavy armored cavalry of Zhao Shujian, the light cavalry of Mangui, and the artillery was personally directed by Cao Wenzhao. They were transferred to the Jingdong camp overnight. We will start training tomorrow. Use duds first, so as not to alarm the people."

"Yes." Shen Yongmao responded and prepared to send an order.

As soon as he left, Sun Chengzong looked at him again and said, "When will the governors from all over the country arrive?"

Shen Yongmao said: "The emperor's wedding is scheduled to be on the ninth day of the second month, and they should arrive before the sixth day of the first day."

Sun Chengzong looked at the direction of the Daming Gate and thought, "Okay, the new military system, military posts, military ranks, etc. have been clearly determined. There is still plenty of time before the court discusses, so we must all take care of it."

All those present at Sun Chengzong understood that the Ganqing Palace had always been vague about the "military reform" they were brewing. Obviously, there were still many dissatisfactions. They must persist and cannot allow the Ganqing Palace's reform to continue to take the wrong steps, which was not conducive to the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty and unification for thousands of years!

"You mean, just to go through the motions?"

Zhu Xu of the Ganqing Palace received the news before leaving, and couldn't help but be stunned.

Cao Huachun stood behind him and said, "Yes, it ended in a hurry, and seemed to want to change it again."

Zhu Xu sat on the soft collapse and was looking at the memorial book. He nodded after hearing this and said, "Okay, keep staring."

"Yes." Cao Huachun said.

Zhu Xu continued to look at the memorial, with a relaxed expression. Regardless of whether the cabinet satisfies him, he has shared a lot of his affairs and pressure in the end, and he does not need to do everything himself and work hard.

The memorial in his hand was from the Ministry of Works, which was the Ministry of Works' plan for next year, with a cabinet's ticket.

The Ministry of Works was ambitious before and planned to build roads across the country and connect major cities. This was a very huge project. In the past, it was a waste of money and was now a "work-for-relief". It has indeed played a good role and has immeasurable benefits to all aspects of the Ming Dynasty and the future.

In the memorial, the Ministry of Works stated that it would continue, and the annual expenditure was more than 7 million taels of silver, and the rice and valley were not included. This was a huge burden for the current treasury. However, this plan has been in place for four or five years, and a lot of work has been done halfway, and it is even about to be completed. Naturally, it cannot be stopped. Even if you grit your teeth, you must continue to invest.

The Ministry of Industry has reduced the plan and removed some projects, but it still retained a huge plan and two major arteries. It is attempting to establish two widest official roads, one leading to Gansu Town and the other along the coast until Kunming. As for the plan that connects various cities, it can only be temporarily released.

Zhu Xu watched slowly and pondered. Now there are as many as three million refugees gathered to build bridges and roads, covering the north, south, east and west of the Ming Dynasty. If the Ministry of Works’ plan is terminated, what should these three million people do?

After thinking for a while, he turned to Cao Huachun and said, "Did the cabinet mention that after the Ministry of Works plan is completed, how can these farmers be placed?"

Cao Huachun stepped forward and said, "I have read the brief summary of the cabinet meeting. These farmers were all convened by the local area, which probably means to dismiss the local area."

Zhu Xu frowned slightly. These people were originally victims of disasters, and the disaster situation was aggravating. What's the point of putting them back?

After thinking for a while, he said, "Transfer a message to the cabinet. Before the Ministry of Works' project was completed, these people arranged to go to Liaodong or Bei'annan to reclaim wasteland, and they could not be saved and left alone."

"Yes." Cao Huachun said. Just as he was about to leave, Cao Huachun suddenly said again: "Princess Ping went to see the old concubine yesterday and talked for a long time."

Zhu Xu said 'um' and was about to flip the book, he raised his head and said, "Is there anything wrong?"

Cao Huachun hesitated a little and said, "Wang Yuyang was in the Six Gate before, and later merged into the Anti-Corruption Bureau of the Governor's Yuan, but was excluded and resigned from the official position and returned to the Shuntian Prefecture Criminal Division. I heard that he had caused some trouble recently."

Zhu Xu looked at Cao Huachun and smiled and said, "Who did you mess with a big shot?"

Cao Huachun said: "She may think that Cao Dingjiao was involved in the corruption case in Wan County, so she followed Cao Dingjiao and searched for evidence, and had some conflicts."

After hearing this, Zhu Xu shook his head and said, "How can the Cao family be so easy to mess with... I have helped me in the end. Let's do this. The Anti-Corruption Bureau will leave her a place. By the way, when will Gong Dingzi arrive in Beijing?"

"Yes. I have notified it in advance, but it will be here after the New Year." Cao Huachun said.

Zhu Xu waved his hand and said, "It's okay, go there. Go to the imperial kitchen again, check it carefully, and prepare, and don't make any mistakes."

"Abide by the order." Cao Huachun bowed and quietly retreated.

Zhu Xu opened his eyes, exhaled, picked up the memoir in his hand, and continued to watch. This year's matter is basically over, and the rest is a messy ending.

"Uncle Emperor."

Without reading a few words, Xiao Yongning came in from outside with a depressed expression and walked directly to Zhu Xu's table. His little head was placed on the table, his little mouth was sluggish, as if he had suffered a significant blow.

"Xiangjun has seen the emperor." Li Xiangjun was very polite to Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu put down the memorial book, looked at Yongning and smiled, "What's wrong? The emperor's sister-in-law punished you again?"

The little girl raised her eyes, said in a silence, "The Empress Dowager asked her to be a female girl, but she couldn't hold the needle."

Zhu Xu laughed and said, "By the way, where is your little red horse?" Xiaohong was a little red horse. Zhu Xu gave it to the little guy, plus a pair of red armor and red tassel gun.

"I was hidden by the Empress Dowager." The little girl said, then climbed up to the soft collapse and sat opposite Zhu Xu.

Zhu Xu waved and said to an internal supervisor, "Turn a carbon stove over, a kettle, and a snack."

"Yes." The internal supervisor responded and hurriedly ran out.

The little guy sat opposite Zhu Xu, looked at the music book full of the table, glanced at his mouth, his eyes turned around, and suddenly saw two boxes beside Zhu Xu, and his eyes lit up and rushed over.

Zhu Xu shook the table, held it down quickly, and said, "Be careful."

The little girl hugged the box and opened it excitedly. Her eyes lit up immediately. She held two necklaces in her little hand, which looked quite delicate and unusual.

The moment the little girl was about to put her in her arms, Zhu Xu said, "Let it be for me, I want to give it to me."

The little girl looked up at Zhu Xu, then glanced at the inner prisoner not far away. The palace maid probably couldn't run out. She reluctantly pursed her lips and reluctantly put the chain back.

The little girl looked at the two boxes, looked up at Zhu Xu again, her eyes suddenly opened and said, "Uncle, are you going to send me off to my aunt?"

Zhu Xu picked up the memorial again and said slowly: "Yes."

The little girl rolled her eyes and said, "Then, will the aunt come at the New Year banquet?"

Zhu Xu said: "No, avoid suspicion."

"Oh." The little girl nodded seriously, her eyes shining.

Zhu Xu looked at Xiao Yongning's expression and always felt that this girl was malicious. She got up and put on her shoes, carried her ears, and pulled her down.

"Wear shoes, go, I don't have time to play with you, go back to your palace." Zhu Xu said.

The little girl pretended to be stubborn and refused to leave, saying, "Uncle, if you don't disturb you, just sit for a while..."

"I have no place to sit for you, so leave quickly, I still have something to do." Zhu Xu waved his hand with disgust.

Xiao Yongning looked angry and didn't want to leave, but when he saw the two boxes, his eyes narrowed, and he was driven out by Zhu Xu with reluctance.

Zhu Xu drove away the little girl, continued to sit on the soft collapse, and looked at the memorial.

After a while, Sun Chuanting and Shen Yongmao arrived.

"You mean to change the way of performing martial arts?" Zhu Xu sat on the soft collapse and looked at the two of them.

Shen Yongmao said, "Yes. Cannons, arrows, and muskets cannot be seen intuitively. I discussed and performed martial arts at the Jingdong Camp station to show everyone in the world."

Zhu Xu looked at the two of them and nodded with a smile: "Your idea is very good. You can arrange it."

When Shen Yongmao saw Zhu Xu nodding, he felt relieved and said, "Yes, I will arrange it as soon as possible and conduct the drill. I will definitely not have any problems before the martial arts performance."

Zhu Xu was holding the memorial in his hand and said, "Well, you have to hurry up. Let's just let us embarrass you, and we can't throw it outside. I will ask Jin Guoqi to help you in the Jingdong Camp."

Shen Yongmao quickly thanked him. Seeing that Zhu Xu was in a good mood, he said in a situation, "Emperor, the 'military reform' has been basically completed. I have already drafted a memorial. Will the emperor want to read it?"

Zhu Xu waved his memorial in his hand and thought for a moment: "You will continue to improve this matter. When the generals from all over the country enter Beijing, we will discuss it carefully. We cannot work behind closed doors."

Seeing that Zhu Xu still refused to nod, Shen Yongmao felt a little uneasy and turned to look at Sun Chuanting.

Although Sun Chuanting did not participate in the "military reform", he also knew that Sun Chengzong had added a lot of selfishness to it, and the army, departments, etc. were constrained, balanced, and even weakened each other. Such reforms were obviously not in line with the emperor's mind.
To be continued...