Chapter 302: In front of Valhalla

In the second year of Chongzhen, the construction of the Valhalla was completed, and the generals from all walks of life also returned to Beijing.

The renovated Valhalla stands on top of the newly demolished vacant lot to the west of the Forbidden City, connecting with the original royal temple.

Depending on the topography, the high hall itself is not large. However, Valhalla's grounds are very large, and countless pine and cypress trees are planted on it. A stone-paved path in the middle leads straight from the main hall of Valhalla.

On both sides of the road, there were countless tall black flags, on which the golden dragons did not show their teeth and claws like the black dragon flags outside, but with half-closed eyes, prostrate on the clouds sadly.

The wind blew between the pines and cypresses, blowing the black dragon flag to a loud sound, and in the northeast corner of the main hall was a huge bell.

Zhu Youzhen rejected the request of the temple and Longhu Mountain, and did not hand over the caretaker responsibility of Valhalla to them, but handed over the Valhalla to Jinyiwei. As a result, Luan Yiwei even set up a special honor guard, which was specially used for greeting, traveling, and placing sacrificed soldiers. Today, they are standing outside the gates of Valhalla, waiting for the various commanders who are ready to go to the temple.

The guide of the requiem ceremony was Zhu Cunshu, the king of Qin, who wore a black robe and stood on a high platform at the main entrance of the Valhalla.

The doors of Valhalla are only open today, as if to welcome the Heroic Souls who died outside the country to return to their home in Daming from the long corridor.

Under the leadership of Luan Yiwei, the first to go to the palace was Li Ruolian, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, who was holding a thin roll of silk cloth in his hand, on which was the list of soldiers who died in the second year of the Jinyi Wei Chongzhen. Walking to the bottom of the high platform, he handed the silk cloth in his hand to the Luan Yiwei who was standing under the high platform, and then turned sideways to face the corridor leading to the main hall, and put his hands intertwined in front of his chest, as if waiting for his children to return to the Jinyi Guard.

Luan Yiwei ascended the high platform and handed the silk cloth to Zhu Cunshu, the master of ceremonies of the sacrifice, who carefully unfolded the silk cloth and began to recite each of the names on it in a slightly chanting tone.

Each time the superintendent has a name, the Luan guards in the hall will hang their tablets on the walls of the hall.

Next is Wei Zhongxian from the West Factory, and the list of the West Factory is also very long. Although Wei Zhongxian's face was covered by a black veil, everyone present knew who he was.

In third place is the Academy of Sciences. They don't come alone, they come together. Accompanied by Dean Xu Guangqi, Sun Yuanhua held the list of sacrifices on the test site and production line, and Song Yingxing held sweet potatoes and corn. For the list of the Academy of Sciences, Zhu Youzhen also argued with the people of the Ministry of Rites for a long time before the name of the craftsman appeared in the national sacrifice ceremony for the first time.

Sun Chengzong stood behind Zhu Youzhen, so the academy sent three student representatives. Some of the people on their list this year died on the training ground, and some died on the practice battlefield of the student army.

At the back of the list of the sacrifices of each student army, they were awarded the corresponding position in the army.

Next, the old general Qin Liangyu, walked up with a straight waist, followed by a woman in a white filial piety suit, after handing the list to Zhu Cunshu, the old general stood alone at the threshold of the gate, his expression collapsed suddenly, like an old gatekeeper.

Her Third Army did not die many in Datong, but it was the one with the longest recitation list. There are more than 3,170 soldiers in the Qi family army alone. When he finally read Qi Jiguang's name, Zhu Youzhen walked out and handed over the three-character gold medal of Qi Jiajun to the woman next to the old general. She kowtowed step by step and enshrined this gold medal on the offering table in the main hall.

In the past, Zhu Youzhen didn't believe in these ceremonies, and he didn't even want to participate in the grave during the New Year's holidays. But today, standing outside the main hall, he could even see those shadowy souls, according to the instructions of the huge lantern towering outside the main hall, flying back hand in hand from all directions, crowded, watching, pushing and pulling into this main hall.

The ceremony continued after the nameplate of the Qi family army was placed.

Dong Chaopu represents that the night is not closed.

Hong Chengchou represents the Third Army.

Yuan Chonghuan represented the Fourth Army.

Zhao Shujiao represented the First Army.

The more they went on, the more fierce the war became, and the more they went on, the thicker the silk cloth in their hands became, and when the old general Zhao led the teaching, the silk cloth was almost piled up on the long table in front of Zhu Cunshu.

The originally empty Valhalla Great Hall only took less than half a day for the spiritual seats to occupy a large wall, and the spiritual seats of each deceased were only one inch wide and two inches long.

A jar of ashes, thirty dragon silver, and a document stamped by the military department.

This is all the gains of every soldier after the death of Chongzhen in the second year.

It is also the last trace of them in this world.

The ashes need to be escorted back to the homes of the fallen soldiers for burial, and the dragon silver also needs to be distributed to the relatives of the soldiers. As for the certificate, it is in duplicate, one for the family and the other for the county.

According to the newly promulgated law in the second year of Chongzhen, the land property in the name of the sacrificial soldiers can be exempted from paying taxes for fifteen years, and the brothers and children can be given priority to enter the Ming Zhengjun and the Royal Academy.

After reading the more than 12,000 names, Zhu Youzhen, under the leadership of Zhu Cunshu, meticulously completed all the next worship ceremonies. Even if Zhu Youzhen hated all the cumbersome formalities in the dynasty, today, in the face of this set of etiquette, he did not tire of it. Scrupulous.

All the generals stood with their hands tied above the main hall.

Zhu Cunshu, who served as the commander of Valhalla, had been standing on the high platform for four hours, but his voice was still calm and calm, so that the name of each soldier clearly floated among the pines and cypresses.

Similarly, Sun Chengzong and Han Ying, who were standing on both sides of the gate of Valhalla, clasped their hands in front of their chests and with dignified and warm smiles on their faces, stared at the empty corridor in front of them, as if they were looking at the soldiers who were about to go on battle.

The major affairs of the country are in worship and Rong.

Kong Shangqian did not go to the hall, he led thousands of scholars and students who had been admitted to the county school, and sat in the pine and cypress outside the main hall.

As the bells rang in the main hall, the thousands of scholars began to recite Wen Tianxiang's last words in unison.

"Heaven and earth have righteousness, and miscellaneous manifolds. The lower part is the river mountain, and the upper part is the sun star. Yu people say Haoran, full of gloom.

The royal road is clear, containing and Tuming Court. When the poor festival is seen, one by one. In Qi Tai Shi Jian, in Jin Dong Fox Pen.

In Qin Zhang Liangshi, in the Han Su Wu Festival. For General Yan's head, for Ji's blood. For Zhang Suiyang's teeth, for Yan Changshan's tongue.

Or for the Liaodong hat, clear the ice and snow. Or for the teacher's table, the ghosts and gods weep strongly. Or for crossing the river, Kang swallowed Hu Qi.

Or for the fight of the thief, the reverse vertical head is broken. It is majestic and majestic. When it runs through the sun and the moon, life and death are sufficient.

The earth is based on it, and the heavenly pillar is respected. The three outlines are really life, and morality is the root. It is not effective to give Yang Jiu, and it is really ineffective.

Chu prisoners were crowned, and the car was sent to the poor north. The woks are as sweet as gluttony, and they can't get it. The hell house is full of ghost fires, and the spring courtyard is closed and dark.

Cow Ji has the same soap, and chickens perch on phoenix food. Once covered with fog and dew, it was divided into barren ditches. In this way, no matter how cold and hot it is, it is easy to find its own.

Sorry and depressed, for my peace and happiness. How can he be skillful, yin and yang cannot be thieves. Looking at this, look up at the clouds.

I am sad, and the sky is very strong. The philosopher's day is far away, and the punishment is in the past. The wind eaves show books and read, and the ancient road shines in color. ”

The sound of reading and the long-ranging bell mingled together, like the sound of heaven.

It was not until dusk that the ritual of sacrifice ended.

Seeing off all the officials, Zhu Youzhen held a horizontal knife in his hand and sat down on the main hall of Valhalla, behind him was a large wall engraved with a world map.

The rest of the generals and ministers sat in front of him.

"Don't defile yourself, I'm not an emperor who can't tolerate war exploits." Zhu Youzhen sat on top of countless candles and spoke.

"It's really not so mediocre that you need to be corrupt and marry concubines to survive."

While speaking, Zhao Shujiao and Xiong Wencan walked out and knelt in the middle.

"One is sixty years old and wants to marry a beauty in the Jingshi, and the other asks his subordinates to go to Jinyiwei to sue him for corruption." Zhu Youzhen smiled silently.

"Do you look down on me, or do you look down on yourselves?"