ATPnovel Chapter 51 Regent
Chapter 51 Regent
While Zhang San ordered his men to infiltrate Cebu to gather military intelligence, the date for the Grand Regent's Ceremony was finally set after more than half a month of preparation, and the necessary ceremonial guards, ceremonial robes, and utensils were all made in a rush.
While these were not as elaborate and exquisite as those of the Central Plains dynasties, they were adapted to local conditions and displayed as much nobility and grandeur as possible.
The flags were made of locally produced, durable abaca cloth, dyed with bright yellow, crimson, and dark blue plant dyes such as sappanwood and indigo.
The dragon and sun and moon patterns are meticulously embroidered by skilled Chinese women using mother-of-pearl pieces, colorful bird feathers, and gold and silver threads, which are both luxurious and have local characteristics.
Zhu Jiheng's regency robes were simplified based on the system for princes. The upper and lower garments were made of fine blended hemp and cotton fabric dyed black, and the twelve imperial symbols were embroidered with gold, silver and colored silk threads. The knee coverings, belt and other accessories were decorated with small Philippine pearls and polished coral pieces.
The crown is made of light hardwood and covered with black lacquer. Nine tassels hang from the front and back, and the tassel beads are made of evenly distributed light gold mother-of-pearl beads, interspersed with small coral beads. They sway gently with each step, making it solemn yet lively.
Due to time constraints and limited resources, the vessels used were mainly captured Spanish silverware that was remelted and polished, with European patterns removed and simple cloud and dragon designs engraved; as well as exquisite pottery made locally.
It can be said that, despite limited conditions, Lin Qingyuan has made full use of all available resources.
On December 18, 1683 (the first day of the eleventh month of the thirty-seventh year of the Yongli reign of the Ming Dynasty), Zhu Jiheng held a grand ceremony to assume the regency outside the former Governor's Mansion amidst the great attention of the people of Luzon.
On that day, the sky was clear and the air was fresh. Flags fluttered all around the square, and the Ming army's line infantrymen, each carrying a musket, stood at attention to guard the area.
The civil and military officials led by Lin Qingyuan, the elders and local dignitaries led by Chen Jialu, and the indigenous chieftains such as Ma Kandong who were invited to attend the ceremony were all dressed in their finest attire and lined up in order.
Zhu Jiheng, dressed in a black imperial robe and wearing a nine-tassel crown, slowly walked out of the governor's mansion. The tassels made of pearls and coral beads swayed gently with his steps, reflecting a warm luster in the sunlight.
The crowd standing solemnly in the square, including civil and military officials, elders, local gentry, and tribal chiefs, all held their breath and focused their attention on the young regent.
The adjutant, Chen Ang, who was in charge of the ceremony, took a deep breath and loudly proclaimed: "The auspicious hour has arrived, the grand ceremony of the Regent begins—!"
As the drums and music began, though not the elegant music of the Central Plains, the powerful and unique melody created by the captured Spanish brass instruments and local bamboo and wood instruments resonated throughout the square.
Zhu Jiheng walked steadily along the red carpet, step by step ascending the temporary platform adorned with hemp cloth and dragon-patterned embroidery.
Upon reaching the center of the platform, Zhu Jiheng turned around, facing the north towards the Central Plains, solemnly straightened his hat, and bowed deeply three times, thus demonstrating his will to restore the Central Plains.
After the ceremony, Zhu Jiheng turned around, his gaze sharp, and slowly swept across the entire hall. At that opportune moment, a guard presented the imperial edict with both hands. Zhu Jiheng accepted the edict and read it aloud:
"I, Honghuan, the heir apparent of the Prince of Lu of the Great Ming Dynasty, respectfully inform Heaven and Earth, and my ancestors: The barbarians have seized China, the imperial regalia is tarnished, the land is shattered, and the people are suffering. Though I am unworthy, as a descendant of the Zhu family, I have been fortunate enough to conquer Luzon and gain a temporary respite thanks to the spirits of my ancestors and the strength of my soldiers. However, the Xiaoling Mausoleum has not been cleaned, and the national shame has not been avenged. How dare I rest in peace and claim to be the most honored?"
"Now, in accordance with the requests of my ministers and the hopes of both the Chinese and the barbarians, I hereby assume the position of Regent, overseeing both military and political affairs. I have established Luzon as my temporary capital and changed the era name to Year One of Regent. I vow to work together with my civil and military officials, loyal subjects overseas, and the people of both China and the barbarians, to strengthen our military, promote beneficial policies, eliminate abuses, and accumulate wealth and provisions. When our troops are well-trained and our provisions are plentiful, and the opportune moment arrives, I will personally lead a powerful army to the north to conquer the Central Plains, wipe out the invaders, and recapture the old capital, thus comforting the spirits of our ancestors in heaven!"
"Proclaim this throughout the land, so that all may hear it!"
After the imperial edict was read aloud, Chen Ang shouted, "All officials, pay homage! Congratulate the Regent!"
Lin Qingyuan and other officials were the first to kneel and shout, "Your subjects pay homage to the Regent! Long live the Regent! Long live the Regent! Long live the Regent!"
Immediately afterwards, elders, local dignitaries, onlookers, and even indigenous chieftains followed suit, and cheers like a tsunami resounded through the sky and shook the rooftops.
Zhu Jiheng accepted the court's congratulations, his gaze slowly sweeping over the excited crowd below the stage. His heart was filled with turmoil, and he felt a heavy responsibility pressing down on his shoulders, making it hard for him to breathe.
Although he did not have the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty on his shoulders, the future of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Luzon rested on his shoulders, leaving him no room for relaxation or slackness.
……
After the ceremony, the newly established Luzon Regency government, like a wound-up machine, began to operate at full speed. Zhu Jiheng was not immersed in the ceremony; he knew that time was of the essence and that powerful enemies were all around.
After the ceremony, he immediately summoned his core civil and military officials to the governor's mansion, which had been converted into a temporary palace, to discuss the next steps.
"The regency ceremony is complete, and the title has been officially bestowed." Zhu Jiheng got straight to the point and said to everyone, "However, the powerful enemy has not yet been eliminated, and everything needs to be rebuilt. At present, the most urgent tasks are threefold: first, to consolidate the foundation of Luzon; second, to eliminate the remaining Spanish enemies; and third, to deal with the Dutch."
Lin Qingyuan, as the head of the civil officials, was the first to respond: "Your Highness is absolutely right. To consolidate the foundation, the first priority is to appease the people, restore production, and accumulate wealth and grain. We have already drafted several preliminary policies, and we await Your Highness's review."
"Oh? Hurry up and bring it up!" Zhu Jiheng urged.
Lin Qingyuan bowed in agreement, straightened his sleeves, and said, "First, we must continue to investigate land and household registration, determine taxes, and strive for fairness to reassure the people."
Secondly, it encouraged land reclamation, the construction of small-scale water conservancy projects, and the promotion of rice varieties and farming methods brought from Fujian to increase grain production.
Third, restore and regulate the market, protect legitimate trade, and provide certain tax incentives to Chinese merchants to attract more maritime merchants.
Fourth, establish simple schools, recruit impoverished children and bright indigenous children, and teach them Chinese language, arithmetic, and the principles of loyalty and righteousness, thereby assimilating the indigenous people into Han culture.
After finishing speaking at four o'clock, Zhu Jiheng's eyes flashed with approval, and he nodded, saying, "Jingzhi's considerations are thorough. We should proceed accordingly and implement them immediately. The affairs of the school deserve special attention."
He knew that his generation could not Sinicize the natives of Luzon, but everything had to start, so let's start Sinicizing Luzon now.
Lin Qingyuan bowed and accepted the order: "Your subject obeys the decree and will certainly do his utmost to implement it, living up to Your Highness's trust."
Zhu Jiheng nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to the officers standing solemnly to the side, and asked in a deep voice, "We have already formulated a strategy for internal affairs. As for the matter of gathering intelligence on Cebu's military situation, have you received any reports?"
Lieutenant Chen shook his head and said, "Your Highness, the spies are still infiltrating, and no valuable intelligence has been sent back yet."
"Although no intelligence has been sent back yet, we still need to prepare for the expedition in advance," Zhu Jiheng said.
Then, he looked at the officers and warship captains and ordered: "From this day forward, all ships will be incorporated into the Nanyang Fleet. The position of Admiral will be temporarily held by Lü Qianfan. Except for the two-masted fast ships which will continue to patrol the Luzon coast, all other warships will be transferred to the outskirts of Cebu to block Cebu's external shipping lanes and prohibit any ships from entering or leaving."
Lu Qianfan was taken aback at being chosen as the acting naval commander, but quickly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Highness, I will certainly live up to your trust! I will lead the naval forces to lock down Suwu and ensure that not a single enemy ship escapes!"