Chapter 514: Military Parade, the Army of the Song People

December 29th, the 12th year of the Qingli calendar, was a climax of the celebration.

On the 24th, there was a small year celebration, on the 28th, there was a new year celebration, and on the 29th, there was a grand military review and a grand awarding of titles, demonstrating the national strength and military power of the Song Dynasty.

In the early morning, newspapers in Bianliang began to move.

Nowadays, there are many newspapers in Bianliang. In addition to the official ones, there are also a large number of private newspapers.

And non-Bianliang newspapers must also set up an office in Bianliang.

For example, local newspapers in commercially developed areas such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and Chengdu have offices in Bianliang to facilitate the development of the court at any time.

So in addition to Bianliang local newspapers, dozens of major newspapers from other places flocked to Xuande Gate.

Because the camera had not yet been invented, many times the illustrations of newspapers in order to increase newspaper sales were purely hand-drawn.

This gave many unknown painters a place to make a living.

But in order to achieve a better effect, a wider field of vision and a better position are needed to draw the most beautiful pictures.

According to the investigation of many newspaper reporters, Changqing Tower on the east side of the Imperial Street outside Xuande Gate and Baoci Temple on the west side are currently the best places to observe Xuande Gate Square.

The military parade requires a larger square, and only Xuande Gate Square meets the requirements. After the expansion of the imperial palace, the original Jingling East Palace and Xingguofang were included.

The current Xuande Gate Square is the southern part of Xingguofang and Jingling East Palace. The horizontal street outside Xuande Gate has become the Imperial Street outside the palace.

In this way, the south gate of the imperial palace has become the east and west gates. The Changqing Tower located in the east gate is three stories high, and the Baoci Temple located in the west gate is not high, but there is a five-story tower inside.

Standing at the highest point of the tower, you can even overlook the South Palace of the imperial palace.

So early in the morning, Baoci Temple and Changqing Tower were crowded with people, and the location at Baoci Temple was the most sought-after. Because there were too many people, the monks in the temple originally wanted to close the temple, but they paid too much money for incense.

So after offering a position as high as ten strings of money, the monks of Baoci Temple let more than 20 people in, and the top of the originally small tower was crowded with people.

If it weren't for safety, they would even want to climb over the railings on the side of the tower and run to the eaves or even the top of the tower.

Baoci Temple has the best location, but the place is too small. Basically, only those who pay a lot of money or have a noble status can go up, and the problem of eating can only be asked by the monks of Baoci Temple to send some vegetarian food up.

Changqing Tower is different. The place is large, you can sit down when you go up to eat, it costs less, and you can solve the problem of breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is much more comfortable than Baoci Temple.

Therefore, more than a hundred people gathered on the big stand on the top floor of Changqing Tower.

Although it is a bit far from Xuande Gate, separated by a street and a square, who said that glass craftsmanship has been popularized?

In addition to selling glasses, folk optical shops also sell telescopes.

As a result, many people went up to take seats from the morning, and all kinds of drawing boards, tables and chairs, pens and inks were arranged, and everyone had a telescope.

By the beginning of the morning, that is, at seven o'clock in the morning, the palace had become lively.

On the Imperial Gate Square outside the Chuigong Hall, hundreds of officials gathered, and more than a hundred generals wearing new military uniforms were extremely excited in the crowd. Each of them had a small team and gathered together to chat.

Zhao Zhen, Zhao Jun, Fan Zhongyan and others stood at the door of the Chuigong Hall. They were accompanied by Zhang Kang, Di Qing, Wang Deyong, Cao Cong, Li Yonghe and Li Zhaoliang.

All six of them wore new light blue military uniforms, with straight figures, and ribbons, epaulettes, seniority badges and general stars on them.

Compared with the excitement of the lieutenant generals and major generals below, they were much calmer.

Cao Cong, Li Yonghe and Li Zhaoliang were Zhao Zhen's confidants, with shallow qualifications. They became generals purely for Zhao Zhen's face. They had no real power, so they naturally couldn't laugh.

Zhang Kang, Di Qing and Wang Deyong were veterans of the battlefield and had long known how to conceal their feelings.

Zhao Zhen walked out of the Chuigong Hall, glanced down, and then noticed Di Qing's collar beside him, so he came over and helped him turn it up with a smile, saying: "Han minister, how are you, how are you feeling?"

Di Qing was flattered, but he didn't dare to resist. After Zhao Zhen helped him turn up his collar, he stepped back and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty, I can only repay your grace with my death."

"Okay."

Zhao Zhen patted his shoulder and smiled, "These merits are all earned by your life and death, and everything you have now is what you deserve, don't belittle yourself."

"Yes."

Di Qing was still very cautious and remained humble.

Although he was no longer attacked by civil officials, even if he was attacked by them, he was often protected by Zhao Zhen, Zhao Jun and others, and the attackers were also dealt with as they should be.

For example, Ouyang Xiu once criticized Di Qing without authorization, and was scolded by Fan Zhongyan, and he did not get promoted for several years.

But from the bottom of the army to the highest level of the Song Dynasty, he was used to being looked down upon and humiliated, and he also knew that he was walking on thin ice all the way, so he was cautious and had long become a habit.

Seeing his appearance, even Zhao Zhen felt a little heartbroken.

"Sir, the military parade is about to begin."

Zhao Jun said on the side.

"Yes."

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "Then you go first."

"Yes."

Zhang Kang, Di Qing, Wang Deyong and others around him bowed and said goodbye.

As they shouted, many lieutenant generals and major generals below also lined up and headed towards Chongwenyuan.

Chongwenyuan is located between Daqing Palace and Changqing Palace.

Daqing Palace used to be a parade ground, where the emperor worshipped and held celebrations. Later, it was changed to the Political System Institute and the offices of various departments of the court.

Chongwenyuan is the place where royal books are stored.

Before, the palace was small, so the royal books could only be stored separately, one in Chongwenyuan, two in Wende Hall, three in Longtu Pavilion, Tianzhang Pavilion, Baowen Pavilion, and four in Yanfu Palace.

Now after the expansion, the place is larger and there are more places for storage. Chongwenyuan has been changed into the office of some departments. There is also a large square outside, which is connected to the square of Changqing Palace and Taimiao.

The scale of the imperial city has expanded several times. Even if more than 50 departments move in, it will not seem crowded. Therefore, the direction close to Zuoye Gate has become the place for the parade.

At this moment, from Chongwenyuan to Changqing Palace, dozens of squares were neatly arranged on the huge square, and each square stood in a neat line, arranged in the order of appearance.

For this New Year's military parade, the court ordered to select 10,000 tall and well-dressed soldiers from the 600,000 imperial guards and divide them into many squares.

Some were representatives of the army, some were from various battalions, and some were emerging combat heroes and outstanding soldiers who had repeatedly made military achievements.

Although this was an ancient military parade, it could not be compared with the airplanes, tanks, cannons, and rocket vehicles in the later military parades, but at least it had the initial prototype of modern troops.

After many generals returned to the army, some served as the leading generals of the military parade square, and some collectively stood on carriages to appear in the general square.

As the prime minister and general, Zhang Kang rode alone on a war horse, with a square of infantry behind him.

They also wore the new military uniforms of the Song Dynasty, with ring-headed swords hanging from their waists. In front of them were flag bearers and flag bearers, which formed the three-army guard of honor.

Di Qing came out from the back, leading a cavalry formation.

Then came Wang Deyong, Cao Cong and others.

Just as the soldiers lined up in the back, preparing to go out, at the end of the Chenshi hour, that is, at nine o'clock in the morning, the military parade finally officially began.

Outside the fence of the square outside Xuande Gate, the crowds of people from the Song Dynasty had already been crowded. In order to prevent crowding, fences were built around to separate the crowds. The entire Nanheng Street outside Xuande Gate was ten miles long, and the few miles near Xuande Gate were full of people.

Many people waved a small dragon flag of the Song Dynasty in their hands. The cold wind of winter was blowing, and the weather was a little gloomy. The temperature was not high, but it could not resist the enthusiasm of the people, and they all stood in their positions to watch the ceremony.

The busiest places were Kaifeng Prefecture and the Imperial City Department. To maintain order, thousands of yamen runners from Kaifeng Prefecture and thousands of inspectors from the Imperial City Department had to patrol everywhere to prevent illegal activities such as crowding, trampling, or petty theft.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Just after the last quarter of Chenshi, at the beginning of Sishi, at nine o'clock, fireworks shot straight into the sky from the palace gates on both sides behind Xuande Gate.

As dozens of explosions ended, Zhao Zhen, Zhao Jun and other officials, hundreds of people, slowly walked to the Xuande Gate platform. There was a rostrum on the high platform, and Zhao Zhen stood beside the rostrum in a solemn robe.

As the host, the Minister of Rites came on stage first and said, "May the peace and prosperity be with you. Today is a day of celebration for all, and also a day to show the military strength of our Song Dynasty."

"The Song Dynasty has been established for 93 years. Since the founding of the country by your Majesty, we have made outstanding military achievements and have been feared by all. The army has been invincible wherever it goes, and it is the bloody struggle of the soldiers in the army that has made us what we are today."

"On this special day today, the emperor will review the majesty of the three armies, and at the same time, he will also give military ranks to the countless soldiers who have fought since the Baoyuan war, to show the honor of the country."

"Now, let us welcome His Majesty the Emperor of the Song Dynasty."

The Minister of Rites hid the notes in his hand in his arms, and then walked backwards off the rostrum.

Zhao Zhen first took a deep breath, looked at the crowds of people watching the ceremony in the distance, and scanned the sea of ​​people outside the Xuande Gate, and then he dodged his eyes unconsciously, and then looked at Zhao Jun next to him.

Seeing that his eldest grandson gave him an encouraging look, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but feel more confident. He couldn't help but cheer himself up and calm down his nervous mood.

Originally, the Ministry of Rites suggested taking a piece of paper to read out, but Zhao Zhen thought that this was not good, so he had been reciting the lines every day these days.

Although he was already familiar with it, it was still frightening to see such a scene.

Fortunately, Zhao Zhen had seen the style of the founding ceremony in his notebook, and had imagined himself standing on the city gate tower and overlooking the people below in his dreams countless times, so the tension slowly subsided, replaced by excitement.

He stood on the stage, and the surroundings were instantly thunderous with applause. At the same time, the people in the distance below also sounded the sound of mountains and seas. All kinds of applause and cheers gathered to form a sea of ​​people.

"The emperor, the emperor!"

"Long live the emperor, long live the emperor."

"The Song Dynasty has the emperor, how lucky it is."

The people shouted one after another.

Zhao Zhen was very moved. He waved his right hand and waited until the cheers died down before he reached for the microphone and said, "It has been more than 400 years since Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty started an uprising and eliminated the chaos of the Sui Dynasty to establish the country, and then to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, when the Yan and Song dynasties rose."

"During these four hundred years, the late Tang Dynasty was in turmoil, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms countries fought against each other, the bandits were like combs, the soldiers were like combs, the armies of various countries brought heavy disasters to the people, so that the early Song Dynasty had to be strict with the army."

"I know that being strict with the army is not a good thing, it will make the army's combat effectiveness low and unable to resist the enemy. But Taizu, Taizong, Zhenzong and others knew this?"

"It's just that the consequences of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms for us Chinese Han people are too great. I don't know how many people were looted, killed and even eaten by the army. The people are afraid of them, and Taizu, Taizong and Zhenzong are also afraid of them."

"So in the early years of the Song Dynasty, in order to resist the army, the generals were forced to separate the soldiers. The soldiers did not know the generals and the generals did not know the soldiers. As a result, in the foreign wars in the early Song Dynasty, they could not defeat the foreign invaders and suffered many defeats."

"Since I ascended the throne, I have always hoped to rectify the army, eliminate the pests in the army, insist on daily training of the army, ensure the supply of the army, strictly enforce the army's laws, and improve the status of soldiers in the hearts of the people, so that the army and the people can be of one mind. "

"What I hope is that the Han Chinese have an army that fights for the people."

"I hope that the blades of the Song Dynasty soldiers will always be pointed at their foreign enemies, and the people behind them will always be their own people."

"I also hope that the soldiers can stand up straight and no longer be called "thieves and soldiers" by people."

"But I know that the beginning is not the right time, because the image of the Song Dynasty soldiers in the hearts of the people of the world has been fixed, and no matter what I say, they will still be looked down upon.

"So I have been waiting, waiting for the day when the Song Dynasty army can prove itself."

"Until with the help of Zhao Xiang and Fan Xiang, I finally defeated Xixia, destroyed Yuan Hao, and attacked Khitan in the north to recover Yanyun."

"I know that the day I have been waiting for has finally come. ”

“The army of the Song Dynasty has proved itself with practical actions. They are not the bandits in people's eyes, but the guards of the Song Dynasty and the heroes in my heart.”

“Since then, I have reformed the army, let the soldiers return to the barracks, and let the army of the Song Dynasty become strong again.”

“And today, I want to tell the world about this matter and tell the people of the world that the soldiers of the Song Dynasty are all good.”

“From now on, they must remember that their mission is to defend their country, to protect the Han people of the Song Dynasty, and to protect their own country.”

“I will also put this law as an iron rule in the army. You are the guards of the people, the guards of the Song Dynasty, and the pride of the people of the Song Dynasty. From today on, you should not be called bandits, but real heroes!”

“I declare that all those who insult soldiers will be considered criminals. I also hope that the people of the world can get to know them again and change everyone's views on them. If the people encounter difficulties, please be sure to seek their help! ”

“I also believe that they will not be stingy with their help and are willing to lend a helping hand to everyone who trusts them.”

“They should be the most trusted people of all my people in the Song Dynasty!”

“The soldiers of the Song Dynasty are all our people’s soldiers. Long live our soldiers and the people of the Song Dynasty!”

Zhao Zhen took a long breath and finished the manuscript he had memorized.

In fact, the content inside is somewhat different from the original manuscript. The manuscript written by the Ministry of Rites does not have so many words praising soldiers.

But Zhao Zhen added some of it himself and polished it a little to make the manuscript more perfect.

At this moment.

There was thunderous applause at the Xuande Gate.

Then, below, there was another thunderous cheer from the direction of the people.

“Long live the soldiers!”

“Long live the soldiers!”

“Long live the soldiers! "

The cheers were like a tsunami, one wave higher than the other.

At this moment, the Song Dynasty government finally began to change the image and status of soldiers in the hearts of the people.

And this official promotion is just the beginning. If the people want to really trust the army of the Song Dynasty, they will need to demonstrate with more practical actions in the future.

Just like our soldiers in later generations, whether it is flood relief or earthquake firefighting, they will always be on the front line!