Chapter 72: The Triumphal Ceremony

On the Yongding Gate of Beijing and the city walls around it, countless colorful banners fluttered in the wind, and the band atop the gate tower played a cheerful welcome tune without pause.

Only during grand festivals or major celebrations would such a scene take place.

The court had long since issued a notice throughout Beijing that a grand triumphal ceremony would be held from Yongding Gate, the southern gate of the outer city, to Zhengyang Gate of the inner city.

On the day before the Yongwei Camp arrived at the capital, all the gates of Beijing had been closed, with only Yongding Gate of the outer city and Zhengyang Gate of the inner city opened for the triumphant army to pass through.

Along the boundless broad main thoroughfare from Yongding Gate to Zhengyang Gate, soldiers of the Capital Camps and officers of the Troops and Horses Office of the Five Wards packed both sides, and behind the officers and soldiers stood the common folk who had come to watch the spectacle.

Although the July weather in Beijing was scorching hot, the crowd of onlookers was still exceptionally large. Many had traveled a long way, hurrying here from every corner of Beijing, all for the sake of seeing the army's triumphal ceremony.

It was just past eight o'clock in the morning, and the area near Yongding Gate in the outer city was already packed with people. They chatted among themselves while casting glances into the distance from time to time...

Summer weather changes in an instant. Soon the sky began to grow overcast, and a light rain slowly started to fall. Yet the fervent mood of all those waiting at Yongding Gate was hardly dampened, and they kept gazing into the distance...

Before long, what first appeared in everyone's eyes in the distance was a huge red dragon banner, followed gradually by a blurry column of figures emerging.

As the crowd watched, the column in the distance drew closer and closer, and the once-vague figures gradually became clear.

At the front of the column, Huang Degong, clad in imposing armor, held aloft the red banner of the Yongwei Camp. He wore no iron helmet, and a strip of white cloth was tied around his head.

Behind this officer stood orderly ranks of infantry, every soldier with white cloth bound about his head, clutching a memorial tablet to his chest. On each tablet was carved a person's name — they were the soldiers of the Yongwei Camp who had fallen in the bloody battle of Liangxiang.

Zhu Cilang had not had time to send their remains back to the capital and build a cemetery for their burial, but he would most certainly bring back their spirit tablets.

Huang Degong, Assistant Regional Commander of the Yongwei Camp, held the dragon banner high with a solemn expression. As they were about to reach Yongding Gate, officials of the Ministry of Rites immediately came forward to greet them. Huang Degong roared: "Form ranks! Enter the city!"

Thereupon the infantry of the Yongwei Camp marched in precise goose steps. A formation of several thousand men moved as one, their footfalls thudding heavily against the ground — each step landing like a heavy hammer, striking awe into the hearts of everyone present.

In their uniquely rough and stirring voices, they roared out "Loyal Heart, Serving the Nation." These soldiers of the Yongwei Camp had all passed through the trials of life and death, of blood and fire.

They were true warriors, their faces bearing a killing austerity, yet on every soldier's face there was also a grief for fallen comrades of days past. And so they sang with a poignancy that tugged at every heartstring.

It made people feel as though they were transported back to the bloody battle of Liangxiang, seeing its savagery, seeing the fearless warriors who defied death. Many were moved by their atmosphere...

After entering Yongding Gate, behind the infantry formation came the cavalry formation, numbering only a few hundred men — in the bloody battle of Liangxiang, more than half of the Yongwei Camp's cavalry had been lost.

To their astonishment, people discovered that at the very front of the cavalry formation was none other than the Crown Prince of the Great Ming — Zhu Cilang.

Zhu Cilang rode atop a snow-white warhorse, clad in golden armor patterned with coiled dragons, and in his arms he likewise held a memorial stele. People could clearly see the words carved upon it — "Loyal souls, return!"

Behind Zhu Cilang, Sun Yingyuan held a funeral oration in hand, reading it aloud in a voice both impassioned and full of feeling.

"Warriors of the Yongwei, you exalted our nation's might, fought bloodily against the slave bandits, and defended our homeland. Alas! Heroes of our people, return your souls! Warriors of the Great Ming, drive out the foe, fight without cease; the hero's sword, bent after a hundred battles; the soul of the Great Ming, endures for all eternity!

Gaze upon the land of Shenzhou, its fair mountains and rivers — what regret to die a hundred times for home and country? Blood dyes the sandy battlefield, yet the soul is not extinguished; the sky's curtain hangs low and rain falls thick, the heavens shed tears to honor the loyal dead."

The rain continued to fall in a fine drizzle, and from time to time muffled thunder rumbled across the sky, as if heaven itself were sighing and weeping for these departed heroes...

Then, suddenly, Zhu Cilang, seated upon his warhorse, raised his voice to the heavens in a hoarse, desperate cry: "The loyal souls of the Imperial Ming still hold their fighting spirit! Though buried in foreign soil, return your souls! Warriors — I have brought you home!"

As Zhu Cilang's words fell, the Yongwei Camp once again sang "Loyal Heart, Serving the Nation" with tragic grandeur, expressing their indomitable resolve and their determination to defend home and country unto death.

Everyone at Yongding Gate was overwhelmed by the momentum of these four thousand men, moved by it. Many were infected by the tragic solemnity of the moment and, without realizing it, shed tears of emotion.

They followed along both sides of the Yongwei Camp's column, keeping close pace, not a single sound of laughter remaining. In that moment, all hearts were bound tightly together...

With this act, Zhu Cilang meant to tell the world that soldiers who sacrifice their lives for the nation possess supreme glory;

He meant to tell every soldier of the Great Ming that when facing powerful foreign foes, daring to fight and dying gloriously is a thousand times, ten thousand times better than surrendering or fleeing!

When the Yongwei Camp's formation reached Zhengyang Gate of the inner city, the Son of Heaven's ceremonial guard appeared atop the gate tower. Beneath a bright yellow canopy stood the Chongzhen Emperor of the Great Ming, with civil and military officials arrayed on either side.

As the faint figures of men and horses began to appear in the distance beyond the gate, the drums, gongs, and horns arranged by the Ministry of Rites all sounded.

The Chongzhen Emperor stood atop the gate tower, watching the slowly advancing formation of the Yongwei Camp and the endless procession of common folk stretching far into the distance. His feelings were somewhat complicated — and that very glance happened to be caught by Wen Tiren.

The assembled officials on the gate tower whispered among themselves, murmuring: "In our dynasty, military officers hold low status. The Crown Prince's act here seems intended to elevate the standing of military officers, so as to win over the hearts of the army."

The Chongzhen Emperor said nothing. Only when he saw that the Yongwei Camp had arrived beneath Zhengyang Gate did he wave his hand and say: "My dear ministers, come with me to welcome the triumphant warriors!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the civil and military officials behind him answered in unison.

The Chongzhen Emperor turned and walked down the steps from the tower, several eunuchs leading the way ahead. These senior ministers of the court followed behind the Chongzhen Emperor, descending from the Zhengyang Gate tower, streaming out in a long, grand procession through the city gate.

The generals of the Yongwei Camp had all dismounted and were waiting outside Zhengyang Gate. Zhu Cilang stood at the very front, flanked by Huang Degong and Sun Yingyuan, with Xu Sheng and the other officers of the Yongwei Camp behind him.

The court officials took their positions at the city gate. The Chongzhen Emperor, wearing the Tongtian crown, a round-collared robe of deep purple gauze, and a great belt of gold and jade at his waist, walked toward where the generals stood. At his side were Cao Huachun and Wang Cheng'en, and behind him followed two ranks of Grand Han generals.

Seeing the Chongzhen Emperor lead the assembled ministers out of Zhengyang Gate, Zhu Cilang led the generals forward and rendered a military salute to the Chongzhen Emperor. He declared in a loud voice: "Your son, leading all the officers and soldiers of the Yongwei Camp, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

The assembled warriors of the Yongwei Camp followed in saluting as well, crying out "Long live" three times.