Chapter 208

When these things ended, Wang Yan had already spent three years taking the northern region.

In these three years, except for Wang Yan's internal anti-Confucian movement, a large group of peasant armies in the south gathered together and forcibly crossed the Huaihe to go north, and have been in a state of fighting back and forth.

And under the silent guidance of Wang Yan's subordinates, basically the entire southern region was plowed through. Relying on these peasant armies to completely eliminate the landlords in the south is not possible. After all, there are always those who are greedy for wealth, and there are always those who stand on the wrong side. Plus they also have territory to manage, and they also need those people to help.

Wang Yan is clear that having the current results is very good, and it has saved him a lot of trouble. The remaining ones are not worth worrying about and can be destroyed with a wave of his hand.

However, it must be said that these peasant armies who have been fighting for more than ten years are not useless. Because of the chaos in the Central Plains before, the ethnic minorities and local chieftains in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, and other places all rebelled. Now the peasant armies who have entered these places have beaten those people like grandsons, and have subdued them again...

And in these three years, the development of the entire northern region is bound to not catch up with Liaodong, after all, resources, land, and population are not equal. So except for the visible prosperity of Shuntian Prefecture, other places are basically restored to the level of the early Chongzhen years, better than that in that there is less oppression and fewer taxes.

Of course, this is not to say that Wang Yan is great, that he developed the entire north in three years, that's just... as long as there is no war and no indiscriminate tax collection, Wang Yan is quite humble to say ten years... After all, he also built so many roads, so many water conservancy projects, and so many factories and shipyards. And the farmers under him, although sometimes they didn't eat too full, they didn't starve or freeze to death, and there wasn't a single beggar on the road.

This is mainly because on the one hand, when Wang Yan allocated materials, he would reserve a part for those who embezzled, and on the other hand, because Wang Yan really knew where malignant events broke out. Once he knew about this kind of thing, Wang Yan's practice was generally to demote everyone from top to bottom to hard labor. Just demoting them a few times guaranteed the basic bottom line of these people.

He founded the Dark Guard until now, fifteen years, that is, training from little dolls just born is almost successful, not to mention that they were all half-grown boys like orphans and beggars that Wang Yan gathered at that time. They have long had objective intelligence gathering capabilities, and he knows the secret situation of some ministers, not to mention this kind of thing that cannot be hidden, it is easy.

This is why he has the confidence to let corruption go, everything is under control. And if there is really someone who doesn't care about the lives of the ordinary people below, Wang Yan will not let him grow, and will raid his home early. In short, you can be greedy for money, but don't disturb the people.

It is also because he is so cooperative and even actively sends money that the ordinary people below can truly recuperate. Plus the power of the Little Ice Age has reached the end, basically almost over, so the overall situation is still good.

In fact, three years have passed, and Wang Yan's paper vouchers have been circulating in the north and most of the south, quite strong. Even these officials, what they are greedy for is basically his paper vouchers, and then they exchange them for gold and silver everywhere, what's the use? It's all printed by himself...

And after these few years, Wang Yan's combat troops expanded by 300,000, reaching 700,000. This is a qualified soldier with superior physical talent selected from the entire north. It has to be said that having more people is useful. Before, he operated in Liaodong for more than ten years, including Han people, and the conquered Mongols, plus the veteran soldiers who retired and transferred to police, they only added up to 500,000.

Now, in just over three years, the army has expanded by 300,000, and these 300,000 people have all taken turns to fight outside and have seen blood. Although the battles they experienced were relatively small, their combat effectiveness is worse than the previous 400,000, but they are all first-class good soldiers. And most importantly, these 300,000 people are literate and have thoughts.

Now Wang Yan has 700,000 brave soldiers in his hands, the northern territory is stable, and he has saved quite a lot of resources in his hands. It is time to do big things.

The nineteenth year of Chongzhen, early March, except for border guards, overseas troops, and local stability troops, Wang Yan's 200,000 troops and some middle and lower-level officials such as civil officials and small clerks selected before, crossed the Huaihe to the south, and the unification war started.

How could these peasant armies be the opponents of Wang Yan's subordinates? However, in eight months, the entire southern land entered Wang Yan's hands. As for those peasant armies before, except for those who were crushed to death on the battlefield, most were caught as hard labor and built the south nearby, and only a few ran to the territory of the Nanyang Five, and they will have to come back to work sooner or later...

Although land reform, commercial tax reform, anti-Confucian cultural movement, restoration of production, infrastructure construction, etc., in the south have not ended, and some have not even started. But taking the southern region, unifying the whole country, and returning China to one family, Wang Yan is already the emperor in fact. Those tasks have plenty of time to be done slowly, but the big event of founding the country and ascending the throne cannot be delayed.

In fact, as early as September, the relevant officials in the capital had already been preparing for the enthronement ceremony. No one would doubt the combat effectiveness of the troops under Wang Yan. Since they have sent troops, they will definitely decide the world in one battle.

To be honest, Wang Yan is quite twisted about this enthronement ceremony. On the one hand, such a large ceremony, the cost is secondary, after all, he lacks nothing, mainly the complicated and grinding process, Wang Yan is quite impatient. But on the other hand, he is about to be the emperor, and he is quite looking forward to such a ceremony... It's all a cheap illness...

The nineteenth year of Chongzhen, New Year's Eve, night.

Wang Yan didn't set up the drama of feasting the ministers. It's New Year's Eve, so he should have a good rest. Except for the normal duty personnel, basically everyone is on holiday.

In the Forbidden City, Wang Yan's family of dozens of people sat at several tables and had a New Year's Eve dinner, which was very lively.

Sitting at the same table as him were Ding Baiying, the Zhou sisters, Zhang Yan, and Wei Ting, five women. Other concubines who came later couldn't get in line. As for the children, those who could take care of themselves sat with their friendly brothers and sisters, and those who couldn't were attended by their mothers.

As a person from four hundred years later, although Wang Yan is quite not a thing, it is also difficult for him to enjoy other people's services with peace of mind. Although strictly speaking, this land of China, everything living, dead, even a stone, a grain of sand, is his private property.

So except for the necessary dozen or so palace maids and eunuchs, most of the other palace maids and eunuchs in the Forbidden City were given a holiday by Wang Yan. The chefs from the General's Mansion in Liaodong, together with the original imperial chefs, cooked a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner, letting those people have fun together.

Once you enter the palace gate, it is as deep as the sea. Wang Yan himself is not afraid, but he has to consider the women and children in the harem, so it is difficult for these people in the palace to have contact with people outside the palace. He has no need to take that risk, although this is sacrificing the freedom of thousands of people...

Wang Yan drank tea with a smile, looking at the Wang family that was branching out here, he was still quite proud.

Ding Baiying, who was more plump at thirty-something, looked at Wang Yan with a smile: "Tomorrow, our big master is going to ascend the throne. He is going to be the emperor. I used to like to mutter, but I never thought there would really be such a day..."

Then several women chattered a lot, sighing about time and so on.

Seeing the lively conversation over there, seventeen-year-old second son Wang Junyi poked the twelfth son, Wang Junxiao, who was only four years old and born to Zhou Miaoxuan.

The four-year-old child was too young, what did he know? He ran to Wang Yan foolishly: "Father, Father, your child wishes you to be the emperor tomorrow..."

Wang Yan laughed, rubbed the boy's head, picked him up, and put him on his lap: "Good, Father knows, come and eat meat."

Wang Junxiao forgot the task for a while, sat happily in Wang Yan's arms, and ate. Until after a while, feeling the murderous aura of his second brother, he smiled embarrassedly, tilted his neck, called Father, and interrupted Wang Yan's conversation with others.

"What's wrong?" Wang Yan looked down at his son in his arms.

"Father, if you become the emperor, are we princes?"

"Definitely."

Wang Junxiao asked happily: "Do we have fiefs? Will there be monthly money?"

Wang Yan is old and cunning. He knew it with his toes. The former was asked by someone else, such a small child knows a fart about fiefs, and the latter doesn't need to think about it, it's his own private goods.

"Father is also considering this, do you want a fief?"

Wang Junxiao shook his head: "I want monthly money, lots and lots of monthly money."

"Haha, little money-grubber. Good, when you grow up, Father will give you lots and lots of monthly money." Wang Yan laughed: "Tell Father, who asked you to ask about the fief?"

As soon as this was said, the lively atmosphere instantly quieted down. The second son was so scared that his face turned pale, and he prayed to all the gods and Buddhas, just hoping that his twelfth brother would not betray him.

But obviously, he was disappointed. Such a small child knows nothing. Hearing his father's question, he subconsciously turned his head to look at him not far away.

Wang Yan looked in the direction, saw the nervous look of the second son, and the gloating look of several children on the side, and knew who it was.

He immediately said to the second son: "No need to be afraid, what are you shivering about? Can I eat you? Salary penalty for one year, understand?"

Wang Junyi hurriedly knelt and kowtowed: "The child understands."

This is equivalent to not being punished. After all, there is his mother, who definitely can't watch him suffer. Salary penalty is a small matter.

"Alright, get up." Wang Yan waved his hand, looked at the women in the field, and a group of children: "Ascending the throne tomorrow, it is normal to have some thoughts. Today everyone is here, I will say it directly if I have anything to say. You all know before, your mothers, my women, are all noble concubines, I don't set up an empress."

"As for the position of crown prince, you don't have to think about it. I am only thirty-eight after the New Year, it's hard to say if you will live longer than me, what's the use of thinking about that? As for the fief problem asked by the twelfth just now, look at yourselves. Those with ambition, I will give you an army, if you want a big place, go and fight for it yourself."

"Those who don't want it, just want to live a down-to-earth life, I won't force you. Do whatever you want. If you want to be an official, go to the grassroots level in the villages and start from the bottom. If you want to enjoy, just keep your tail tucked. As long as you don't harm the people and don't be corrupt, I, as your father, won't treat you badly."

"As for the successor of the empire in the future, it depends on whether your children can meet the requirements. The empire is so big, you all know it, not just anyone can control it. So, you should cultivate the next generation well. Do you all understand?"

"Understood."

For a time, women and children all responded.

Wang Yan nodded with satisfaction: "If you understand, then eat."

After saying this, I believe there will be no annoying things about this for a long time. As for the future, he doesn't know what his children will do. As for them using troops to remonstrate against him... Wang Yan has this confidence, no child has the guts. Mainly because the temperament of these children is still okay. Although they are affected by various aspects when they grow up, what they developed when they were young will not change easily. Except for some small cleverness, they are all good children.

The whole family had a lively New Year's Eve dinner...

The next day, the first day of the first lunar month.

In the capital, gongs and drums were loud, firecrackers were ringing, and all the people in the city came out to watch the fun...

Wang Yan wore a bright yellow nine-dragon robe, a crown on his head, and a long sword hanging from his waist, with the aura of an emperor, showing majesty.

The enthronement ceremony is very complicated and quite long-winded. Wang Yan followed the customs and basically didn't say anything.

One thing to say is the link of sacrificing to the ancestral temple, ancestors and ancestors. The distant ancestors are easy to say, the old ancestors of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the recent ancestors are finished. Wang Yan's identity here is an orphan, no father, no mother, can't find ancestors. Because of this, a group of people racked their brains to think about which famous person in history was qualified to be Wang Yan's ancestor...

Wang Yan definitely couldn't do this kind of thing, and if he really wanted to set it up, he could just set up his father. It's just that his father is living well in the real world, and he set up a tablet here, which is somewhat of a filial son. So in the end, that's it, just sacrificed to the distant ancestors.

Another point is reading the sacrificial text. When sacrificing to heaven and earth, Wang Yan was somewhat distracted. He hadn't read novels before, so he knew about the title of Son of Heaven. Things like the Shang Dynasty were all human emperors, supreme and noble equal to heaven and earth, but Zhou was finished, and it became the Son of Heaven. When reading, he was still studying whether there is such a thing as luck, and what would happen if he set himself up as a human emperor...

Of course, he just thought about this point. After all, the system father is out, so if God really exists, what if he gets struck by lightning...

After being busy for most of the day, Wang Yan didn't drink a sip of water or eat a bite of food, and finally finished the complicated enthronement ceremony.

Wang Yan officially founded the country "Huaxia", ascended the throne as emperor, established the reign title "Huaxia", and this year is the first year of Huaxia. Wang Yan stipulated that this reign title is eternal, and later monarchs cannot change it. The official calendar uses the Yellow Emperor calendar, and the first year of Huaxia is 4344 of the Kaiyuan era.

Actually, when the country name was decided, it was quite grinding. Since ancient times, country names were basically based on fiefs, titles, or some awesome ancestors, but it was quite embarrassing for Wang Yan.

Wang Yan has no father or mother, no awesome ancestors, no titles, and no fiefs. Only the place of origin was in Liaodong. The Qin Dynasty called it Liaodong, and it is very difficult to examine it further up. You can't call the country name "Liao", after all, the previous Liao country was called barbarian in modern terms, not worthy.

Finally, Wang Yan made the final decision, directly Huaxia. Some ministers felt it was inappropriate and wanted to keep it consistent with the previous dynasty, similar to "Great Yuan" and "Great Ming", and get a "Great Hua".

Wang Yan rejected it. He is the founding emperor, whatever he says is what it is. If he doesn't respect the previous dynasty, what can they do? Besides, his territory will be so big in the future, he doesn't believe anyone can make Huaxia perish. Besides, if it weren't for the fact that "China" and "Zhonghua" were inappropriate, he would have wanted to call it that.

As for the national flag, Wang Yan didn't follow the Great Ming, and set up some sun and moon flags, five-element flags, etc. Wang Yan set one, which he drew himself, "Five-clawed Golden Dragon, Holding the Sun Rising in the East". The background is blue, the golden dragon is bright yellow, and the rising sun is red.

A group of women, children, etc., were all granted noble concubines, princes, and princesses. As for the high-ranking civil and military officials, Wang Yan granted them titles. Of course, the titles here are purely honorary, at most adding some salary, nothing else is useful.

Among these people, Sun Fugui is the happiest, because he is the one who followed Wang Yan to today. No matter who it is, no one has his seniority. Now that he has achieved something, he is naturally honored.

And the title Wang Yan gave him is also what he likes, which is the "Duke of England" whose survival method he studied when he had nothing to do, a title that accompanied the Great Ming for more than two hundred years without falling.

As for the amnesty of the world after ascending the throne, Wang Yan didn't have that immature idea. After all, he has millions of hard labor slaves, and those in prison have all joined, if he releases them, who will work?

Most importantly, choosing women from the world to enrich the harem, with the ability of the system father, Wang Emperor Yan realized the great wish he didn't even dare to dream of before. He is thirty-eight years old this year, still in his prime, and can finally enjoy it... Well... the characters prepared for his son's name might not be enough...

In general, Wang Yan, except for holding a ceremony and clarifying his status as emperor in terms of law, there is nothing different.

If you have to say a difference, it is the title for himself, changing from "I" to "Zhen" (We).

At first, Wang Yan was quite unaccustomed to it, but after calling it for a long time, he adapted. Now he is very skilled at calling himself Zhen.

Another point is that when he wandered in the harem, hearing the "Emperor" one after another, he was somewhat excited, which once caused his combat effectiveness to decline slightly...

However, even if the combat effectiveness declined, he was still a fighting chicken among roosters.

Mainly it was a kind of psychological satisfaction, a huge achievement, Wang Emperor Yan was somewhat unable to hold back...