6th Year of Zhengyong, the second day of August.

Inspectorate Censor Yuan Qichang accuses Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Tian Wenjing, making the Emperor furious, ordering the Three Ministries to jointly investigate!

6th Year of Zhengyong, the ninth day of August.

Tian Wenjing is detained and brought back to the capital, held at the Celestial Prison of the Ministry of Justice.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the tenth day of August.

Tian Wenjing’s sister, Consort Wen, pleads for her brother, forcibly entering Baiyu City; the Emperor, in anger, strips her of her title, demotes her to a beauty.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the fifteenth day of August.

Tian Wenjing attempts suicide in the Celestial Prison of the Ministry of Justice, but is fortunately saved by the Shadow Guard, while capturing seven prison guards and prison officers of the Ministry of Justice.

That night, Tian Wenjing is transferred to the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s Imperial Prison.

Seven prison guards and prison officers of the Ministry of Justice are also detained.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the twentieth day of August.

Right Minister of the Ministry of Justice Zhou Zicheng hangs himself, leaving a final written confession admitting all crimes.

The Emperor is furious.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the twenty-fifth day of August.

Tian Wenjing confesses, implicating thirty-two officials of various ranks.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the twenty-sixth day of August.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard follows the trail, capturing officials related to the Yongzhou Grand Canal.

Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Chen Dongming, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Pan Shi’en, and others from the Inspectorate are captured and imprisoned.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the third day of September.

A total of one hundred thirty-one officials from within Yongzhou, including over thirty local landlords and members of noble families, are captured and imprisoned.

Some members of noble families use Dock Fortresses as strongholds, expelling arresting officers.

Even some noble family members contact rebellious people, gathering bandits to attack county governments, thus rebelling!

6th Year of Zhengyong, the tenth day of September.

Seventy-three officials within Bingzhou are captured and imprisoned.

Noble families in Bingzhou also contact local bandits and horse thieves to attack county governments, but are suppressed by General Cui Xiawu, who happens to be transporting compensation, horses, livestock, and other goods.

To quell the rebellion in Bingzhou, Cui Xiawu temporarily stationed in Jinyang County at the repeated requests of local officials to suppress the rebels.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the fifteenth day of September.

The entire Yongzhou region rebels, affecting Shuzhou, Bingzhou, Youzhou, Jingzhou, Yangzhou, and other places with rebellions also spreading.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the twentieth day of September.

Officials propose reinstating the State Governor System to suppress riots in various states, but are rebuked by Emperor Zhengyong.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the twenty-fifth day of September.

Lu Xiangqing is appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, while former Jiangzuo Governor Zheng Xuanyue is appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice Liang Fan is appointed as the Left Imperial Censor at the Inspectorate.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the first day of October.

Tian Wenjing and twenty-two other officials are executed at the market.

Tian Wenjing, along with his entire Nine Clans, is executed.

Over a hundred lesser officials pay eighty-nine thousand acres of Punishment Field land to receive pardon.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the fifth day of October.

Beauty Weng commits suicide in the harem, and the Emperor, considering her two years of service in the palace, orders her buried with the ceremony of a concubine.

6th Year of Zhengyong, the tenth day of October.

The figure of Zheng Yi appears in a large drill field beneath Celestial Longevity Mountain.

Celestial Longevity Mountain has gradually been transformed into a training camp for the New Army under Zheng Yi’s guidance.

About two years ago, after Zheng Yi developed matchlock guns at the Ministry of Industry, he decided to train a new army.

In his vision, the New Army would be completely modeled and adapted to the army system of Great Yu.

Organized in divisions, each division has over ten thousand men, formed by four regiments, each with about three thousand men.

They are equipped with more advanced flintlock guns!

A year ago, under Zheng Yi’s vision, the Ministry of Industry developed the flintlock gun.

Compared to the previous matchlock guns, flintlock guns had higher quality, greater accuracy, and longer shooting distance.

In addition to flintlock guns, each soldier would be equipped with fifty bullets, twenty wooden-handled grenades, and bayonets attachable to the end of their guns.

Each regiment is equipped with one hundred Red Coat Cannons, maintained and kept by specially trained artillerymen.

Zheng Yi did not establish a specialized artillery regiment, not just because the cannons were few, but also because their weight was too heavy, greatly reducing mobility.

Therefore, it was better to distribute the Red Coat Cannons among the new army regiments for their use.

The arsenal, funded by Zheng Yi and staffed with recruited refugees, now has over twenty thousand workers.

Daily production of flintlock guns, gunpowder, bullets, grenades, and Red Coat Cannons is immense.

These firearms are partially issued to the Imperial Guard, Divine Strategy Camp, Miao Xiu, Shi Heilang, Xu Mujun’s troops, etc.

But over seventy percent of the supply goes to the New Army!

Zheng Yi has organized as many as five divisions of the new army.

Including auxiliary soldiers and supply soldiers, the New Army numbers over one hundred thousand!

A modernized force of over one hundred thousand, armed with flintlock guns and artillery support, might impact this world in unimaginable ways.

Moreover, apart from these fifty thousand troops trained for over two years, he continually recruited refugees to form additional new units during these two years.

The second and third waves of the New Army are still in training, and two years later, their turn will come!

The second wave, eighty thousand strong.

The third wave, one hundred fifty thousand strong!

This is the limit of what Zheng Yi’s internal treasury and the Royal Chamber of Commerce’s liquid assets could support.

It’s imperative to deploy the troops to test their success and also to annihilate noble families and landlords to recoup the Royal family’s losses.

Zheng Yi slowly ascends the stage to face ranks upon ranks of young men standing at attention, their eyes ablaze.

The New Army!

Each one clad in camouflaged uniforms, holding flintlock guns, their eyes following Zheng Yi’s every move.

“Salute~!!!”

A general who had transferred from the Shadow Guard shouted loudly; with a ‘swish,’ a massive formation of over fifty thousand raised their hands in salute, shouting in unison, “Greetings, Your Majesty!”

“Long live Your Majesty!”

More than fifty thousand voices shouting long live shook the sky, scattering the birds in the surrounding forest.

“Everyone, attention!!!”

With another ‘swish,’ over fifty thousand stood at attention, creating a powerful atmosphere.

Zheng Yi had made significant investments in training these fifty thousand.

All were selected from refugees across the land, grateful to Zheng Yi.

Not only were they well-fed and paid, but Zheng Yi often addressed and trained them personally.

He also placed most of the younger Shadow Guard members within the New Army to tell them of the Emperor’s great deeds.

Through Zheng Yi’s deliberate cultivation and storytelling, loyalty among these fifty thousand was ensured.

Moreover, Zheng Yi specifically selected a large number of activists and loyal individuals, converting them into members of the Emperor Faction, and assigned positions such as company commander and battalion commander based on their personal abilities and training results.

As for the regiment commander and division commander, these positions were filled by experienced officers transferred from the Imperial Guard and Divine Strategy Camp.

Under such training, the more than fifty thousand new soldiers have far surpassed ordinary county soldiers both in physical fitness and combat awareness.

What they currently lack is nothing more than actual combat experience.

And now, what Zheng Yi is doing is enhancing their actual combat experience!

“Gentlemen!”

Zheng Yi spoke, his voice amplified by his powerful inner strength, resonating throughout the entire camp.

Every one of the more than fifty thousand new soldiers could clearly hear his voice.

“To raise soldiers for a thousand days, only to use them in an instant!”

“Now, as Great Yu trembles in the winds and rains, it urgently requires loyal individuals like you to restore order and protect the common people of the world!”

“Currently, there are disloyal people in Yongzhou who are inciting refugees to cause chaos, and what’s more, they have slain the Emperor’s personal guard, occupied towns as bases, and rebelled against Great Yu, an act of grave disrespect!”

“After undergoing two years of training, it is time for you to pacify the unrest, slay the rebels, and restore peace to the world for the people, for Great Yu, and for me!”

His voice reverberated throughout the camp, echoing in the ears of every new soldier.

More than fifty thousand new soldiers immediately shouted in unison, “To die for Your Majesty!!!”

Their voices roared to the skies, like a storm cloud over a city.

“Dismiss!”

“Prepare to break camp!”

Under the leadership of their respective officers, more than fifty thousand soldiers immediately dispersed to prepare for departure.

Meanwhile, Zheng Yi entered the military tent to meet with the five division commanders.

These five individuals were carefully selected by Zheng Yi.

Though young, they are loyal enough, and all came from the Emperor Faction, with unwavering loyalty to him.

First Division Commander, Qu Bo, originating from the Shadow Guard, a member of the Emperor Faction.

Twenty-seven years old, a First-grade Martial Artist.

Second Division Commander, Tian Yiguang.

Thirty-eight years old, ranked fourth in the military examination, a First-grade Martial Artist.

Former Imperial Guard, years of safeguarding Zheng Yi, gradually captivated by Zheng Yi’s charisma.

Salaries and rewards were never interrupted, and his loyalty to Zheng Yi continues to elevate.

Joined the Emperor Faction after being vetted by Zheng Yi.

Third Division Commander, Yao Song.

Thirty-two years old, a Second-grade Martial Artist.

Former Chiliarch of the Imperial Guard, former Captain of the Divine Strategy Camp, Zhao Tieshan’s comrade, recommended by Zhao Tieshan to the New Army.

Excelled during training, with significant firearm combat experience, and was specially promoted to Third Division Commander.

Fourth Division Commander, Xu Hu.

Forty-five years old, a Second-grade Martial Artist.

Formerly a personal soldier of Xu Mujun, from the Xu Family, heavily injured and disabled, retired, with a bleak late-life existence.

Later promoted by Zheng Yi to train the New Army.

Due to Zheng Yi’s favor and the command of Xu Mujun and Xu Qingluan, devotedly serving Your Majesty.

Fifth Division Commander, Zheng Yuanqing.

Thirty-one years old, a First-grade Martial Artist.

Cousin of Emperor Zhengyong, a member of the Royal Family, second son of Zheng Zongxian.

Fond of martial arts since childhood, rapidly advancing in Martial Dao under the influence of Zheng Zongxian, closely connected with Zheng Yi.

A person who likes the military life the most but was explicitly forbidden to join the army by Prince Xian.

Later persuaded by Zheng Yi to join the New Army, displayed a great interest and talent in firearms, with an astounding gunmanship.

These five individuals are all close to Zheng Yi, either from the Shadow Guard, promoted by Zheng Yi, or indebted to Zheng Yi, or belong to his clan.

This arrangement guarantees the absolute loyalty of the New Army.

Even if Zheng Yi employs some loyal but ordinary individuals, he would never use those with divided loyalties.

The same applies to other regiment commanders, battalion commanders, and company commanders.

“Your humble servants greet Your Majesty!”

Zheng Yi walked in, and the five knelt on one knee, respectfully saluting.

“Rise from your greetings!”

Zheng Yi sat in the main seat, speaking indifferently, “As the saying goes, a soldier who has not seen blood is not a qualified soldier.”

“The newly established army has existed for two years now, it’s time to take them out and let them witness real warfare!”

“Do my five esteemed ministers have the confidence?”

The five had their eyes lit up, Zheng Yuanqing first replied, “Rest assured, Your Majesty, though the New Army is newly established, with Your Majesty’s deadly firearms and new troop training methods, it’s capable of facing a hundred at once!”

“No, facing a thousand, facing ten thousand at once!”

“Good!”

Zheng Yi clapped his hands and said, “That’s the spirit I want from you!”

“For this training, the First, Second, and Third Divisions will engage in combat in Yongzhou.”

“The Fourth and Fifth Divisions will engage in combat in Shuzhou.”

“I won’t give you specific missions; everyone has the authority to act as needed.”

“Suppress refugees, kill the rebel leaders, and capture the traitors, all to be decided by yourselves without needing to report.”

“Do you have confidence?”

With the New Army equipped with new firearms facing a group that possibly doesn’t even have armor, Zheng Yi felt it was like using a cannon to swat a mosquito.

If they still cannot suppress the refugees in this case, they’d better hit their heads on a piece of tofu and die.

This operation’s true purpose remains training the troops!

To let all these new soldiers see blood!

The five replied in unison, “To die for Your Majesty!”

The most experienced in combat among the five, Xu Hu, suddenly said, “Your Majesty, with five divisions entering Bingzhou and Shuzhou to suppress the refugees, what about Bingzhou?”

“For Bingzhou, I have my arrangements.”

Zheng Yi replied calmly, “Remember, when suppressing refugees, you must not pursue them if they flee; after all, they are all my people, only manipulated by the ill-intentioned.”

“However, when facing rebellious armies, as well as rebellious landlords and noble families, no mercy shall be shown. Do you understand?”

“Your ministers obey!”

“Go and prepare, departure is imminent.”

“Understood!”

The five departed in succession, while Liu Cheng’en entered from outside and respectfully said, “Your Majesty, someone wishes to see you.”

“Who?”

Zheng Yi frowned and said, “Didn’t I say? While I’m in the camp, all affairs are to be handled by the Cabinet.”

“It’s not about government business.”

Liu Cheng’en said softly, “It’s… the Tomb Raider Captains.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep