The captive offering ceremony was an interesting event. Not only was it extremely attractive to generals, it was also very attractive to ordinary soldiers.
Going to the capital to participate in the captive offering ceremony meant that they would not only have the opportunity to observe the Emperor's glory up close, but they would also be able to experience the customs of the capital up close and see the smooth-skinned and tender ladies.
In addition, the most important thing was that they would be treated well. They would be able to eat several meals of meat, drink several meals of meat soup, and eat several meals of dried rice! They might even be rewarded with extra money.
Wasn't this a good thing for the soldiers who had been suffering all year round?
They were very clear in their hearts that after this battle, they would be separated from Xiao Ruxun. It was impossible for Xiao Ruxun to continue commanding them. The imperial court would not allow it, nor would it allow them to enjoy such good treatment. Eating dry rice every day, eating oily pancakes, eating meat, drinking meat soup, this kind of dream-like days, in fact, was really coming to an end.
It would be the same in the future. One meal of dried rice and two meals of watery rice, or one meal of dried rice and one meal of watery rice, or even two meals of watery rice. There would be no meat, no oil, and not even enough pickled vegetables.
They could not taste the oil, could not taste the meat, and might not even have enough of the salty taste. The dry and astringent feeling in their mouths seemed to be coming back. Now, the days where they ate meat pancakes and drank meat soup and felt warm and full of energy were coming to an end.
They would have to suffer from the cold in winter and the heat in summer. There would be no comfortable days in the year, and they would be bullied by the guards. It was fine if they were sent to do odd jobs or private soldiers, but it was as simple as not being able to go hungry.
The days where they were taken care of by Xiao Ruxun might really … be … gone forever?
With this thought, an indescribable atmosphere slowly spread through the army. Other than the joy of victory, this atmosphere was also very heavy.
The feeling of reluctance to part with the beloved general, the strong sense of belonging.
They did not know if they would be able to fight side by side again in the future.
Thus, the victorious captive offering ceremony might be the last time they would work together. There were many people who wanted to go.
Needless to say, there was no need to mention the meritorious generals. Naturally, everyone would be able to obtain benefits and go. As for the lower-level officers and ordinary soldiers, if they wanted to go, they would have to fight for it. The quota was limited, and there would be no exceptions.
What was more depressing was that Xiao Ruxun's troops and Li Rusong's troops were all transferred from other places and had to pass through the capital on their way back. Whether they were counted as part of the ceremony or not, they could still enjoy such treatment. Besides, didn't the Liaodong Army and the Zhennan Army play an important role in the war?
The slots were even more scarce.
Xiao Ruxun did some calculations. His side still had around 2,300 people to bring back, while Li Rusong's side had around 14,000 people to bring back. These people couldn't all be counted as part of Victorious Return, otherwise there would be too many of them and it wouldn't be appropriate.
To be honest, there weren't that many soldiers who had made enough contributions to participate in the victorious captive offering ceremony.
There were more than 1,500 people on his side who met the standard. If they couldn't all go, then he would send 500 people to represent them. Li Rusong couldn't send all of them, and most of Nurhachi's female soldiers couldn't go. They could only count a few leaders in the Liaodong Army, which barely counted as 2,000 people.
In this way, there would be 2,500 people. In addition to these 2,500 people, there were also the meritorious soldiers of Ji Town, Taiyuan, Yulin, and other places. After a rough screening, there were about 10,000 people who met the standard. These people couldn't all be taken away, otherwise it would be a serious problem whether the fragile national treasury of the imperial court could support it.
If he took too many people back, it would give people a feeling that they didn't know what was important. Although Xiao Ruxun was not afraid of the criticism of the civil officials, he still had to abide by the rules as an official.
Then he would screen and screen again, and choose about 5,000 people to bring back to participate in the captive offering ceremony.
After Xiao Ruxun gave a rough number, the troops below began to fight openly and covertly. All kinds of moves were used, and they fought without any mercy. Even someone as ferocious as Li Rusong suddenly realized that no matter how ferocious he was, under such circumstances, those generals were actually clenching their teeth and refusing to retreat.
He couldn't help but feel very depressed.
The army was happily preparing to participate in the victorious offering ceremony, while waiting for the imperial court's edict. But when the imperial court received the news of the army's complete victory, it was already in chaos.
At first, it was indeed joyous, because this was an extremely brilliant victory against the Northern Barbarians, which had not been seen for decades.
This battle was a great defeat at the beginning, and the Datong Army retreated all the way to the west. A big hole was broken in the Nine Border Defense. The Central Plains and the capital were shocked, and now, forty thousand cavalrymen marched north to Guihua City, defeated the Northern Barbarians in Guihua City, set fire to it, and announced the great victory of the Celestial Empire …
In just a few months.
Daming spent the New Year of the 26th year of the Wanli Calendar in fear of the one hundred thousand Northern Barbarians marching south to Shanxi. But after the beginning of the year, after the famous general Xiao Ruxun led the army back north, good news came one after another.
Recovering Shanxi, restoring Datong, killing Hukou and counterattacking, and marching north to Guihua City, the Ming Army fought an extremely beautiful turnaround battle.
The first one hundred thousand Northern Barbarians heading south had already become heads and bones. More than three hundred thousand Tumut tribes who moved south to try to occupy their territory were also killed by the Ming Army. Most of the five hundred thousand Northern Barbarians in Hukou were killed. Who knew how many Northern Barbarians in Guihua City were killed …
How many heads did the Ming Army behead in this battle?
The Ministry of War sent someone to slightly count. From beginning to end, ever since he set out, Xiao Ruxun had never lost a battle. He had always been winning. Every time, he beheaded many heads. The number of heads that could be counted as beheading merit was probably no less than one hundred thousand.
As for the other heads that were chopped off by the Ming Army and made into statues, there were no less than two hundred thousand. Just the heads alone were three hundred thousand. As for the dead …
When the officials were counting the numbers, their hands were trembling.
They did not dare to imagine such a number. They also did not dare to imagine that so many heads were chopped off by those Qiu Ba that they despised and ridiculed. For so many years, every time there was a victory, it was always a dozen or dozens. Occasionally, when it broke a hundred, they would dare to call it a great victory. Now, one hundred thousand heads were chopped off in one breath. This …
Was this back to the Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties? Was it back to the time when the Daming Dynasty had just been established? Was it the time when Taizu Chengzu had ten expeditions north to the grasslands and beat the Northern Barbarians to the point that they could only call their mothers?
When did those Qiu Ba become so ferocious? After this battle, they had actually beaten the Northern Barbarians to such an extent?
For some reason, a feeling of reverence that bordered on fear suddenly rose in their hearts.
That was like a comet … No! What method did the demon-like General use to bring the military soldiers of the Nine Borders who mainly protected themselves and rarely went out to fight to achieve this great cause?
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