novelhk Chapter 1-Awakening
Chapter 1-Awakening
"Go! Hurry up! Stop dawdling, do you think you're some kind of high and mighty lords?!"
Several shouts, accompanied by cries and sobs in the background, reached Zhu Jiheng's ears, gradually clearing his senses and consciousness, which were still in a daze.
What followed was an endless torrent of memories, as well as exhaustion and unbearable bitterness throughout the body.
Burning cities, sunken warships, and the sun and moon battle flag slowly consumed by flames...
The next moment, Zhu Jiheng opened his eyes. He saw a group of officials and relatives being driven away by soldiers, crying and wailing. The soldiers were all dressed in Qing army uniforms with money-tailed turbans.
He instantly understood his current situation—
He crossed.
He traveled back in time to the 37th year of the Yongli reign of the Ming Dynasty, which was the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and became Zhu Honghuan, the 12th and last Prince of Lu of the Ming Dynasty.
It was early August of the 37th year of the Yongli reign. The Qing army had already captured Taiwan. Liu Guoxuan, Feng Xifan, and others had surrendered to Zheng Keshuang. Prince Ningjing, Zhu Shugui, and his wives and concubines calmly hanged themselves to die for their country. A group of Ming imperial family members, including Zhu Honghuan, were all imprisoned. Their seals of office were stripped by Shi Lang, and they were currently being escorted to the mainland.
Thinking of this, Zhu Jiheng felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, not only because of the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the last Han Chinese dynasty, but also because of his bleak future—given the Qing Dynasty's nature, he, a member of the Ming imperial family, probably wouldn't live much longer.
"My lord, are you alright?"
Just then, Princess Zheng, who was following closely behind Zhu Jiheng, seemed to notice his unusual behavior. She took his arm and asked him. Princess Zheng was the fourth daughter of the Prince of Guoxing. She also resembled her father in appearance, with a heroic air between her brows. However, at this moment, this heroic air was filled with worry.
Zhu Jiheng's gaze swept over Zheng's worried face, then swept over the four young and bewildered children behind him, some being led along the way, others being held in the arms of his wives and concubines. A flame, a mixture of historical sorrow and personal will to survive, suddenly ignited in his chest.
No.
I cannot just sit idly by. Since God has sent me here, I must not embark on a path filled with humiliation and death!
The next instant, a cold, yet heavenly electronic voice suddenly rang in Zhu Jiheng's ears:
[Host's determination to fight against the Qing Dynasty has been detected. The Total War System is now activated for you.]
[A newbie gift pack has been sent to the host!]
Upon hearing this voice, Zhu Jiheng was first taken aback, and then an overwhelming joy welled up in his heart.
Total War System!
That must be his secret weapon!
Having frequently read online novels, he was well aware of the importance of a "golden finger" (a cheat system in Chinese web novels), but he never expected that a golden finger would appear so quickly.
With his cheat code, how could he not escape his current predicament and turn the tide?
"Open the newbie gift pack!"
Without hesitation, Zhu Jiheng did not shout it out directly, but tentatively shouted it in his mind. The next moment, a light screen appeared in front of him, and three soldier cards that could be found in the game he remembered were clearly visible in it.
You have acquired the General's Guard (24)!
You have acquired 120 line infantry!
You have obtained a Tier VI ship!
The soldier's tag flashed with an electronic sound for a moment before disappearing without a trace. Immediately afterwards, footsteps and shouts of people and neighing of horses suddenly rang out from the woods on both sides of the road.
Before Zhu Jiheng and the Green Standard Army soldiers guarding them could react, a dark musket barrel emerged from the woods!
"Get down!"
Zhu Jiheng reacted quickly, grabbing his wife and the nearest eldest son, then shouting to the concubine behind him who was holding a child, before decisively lying down.
The next instant, a piercing bugle call rang out from the woods on both sides, and bursts of flame shot from the muzzles of guns. Before the Green Standard Army officer at the front, still on horseback, could react, a bloody flower bloomed on his chest, and he screamed as he fell from his horse and died.
The unsuspecting Green Standard Army soldiers near the perimeter also screamed and fell to the ground, and Zhu Jiheng could even hear the sound of stray bullets whistling through the air overhead.
The sudden attack threw the Green Standard Army soldiers into chaos. Some hid behind carriages and shouted loudly, while others hurriedly picked up their weapons and prepared for battle. Most of the Zhu imperial family members, Ming Zheng officials, and their families who were driven away took advantage of the chaos to flee in the direction where there was no fighting.
The Green Standard Army soldiers, no longer concerned with the escaped prisoners, hastily attempted to form ranks or rely on wagons for a counterattack. But just then, a deafening battle cry erupted from the woods, accompanied by the muffled thud of horses' hooves—
"Charge! Rescue His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Amidst roars of fury, dozens of riders charged out of the woods, brandishing their sabers and shouting as they fought fiercely. In an instant, they pounced into the crowd, and several Green Standard Army soldiers who couldn't dodge in time were beheaded, their blood gushing out like a fountain.
Hearing the shouts of battle around him, Zhu Jiheng couldn't help but look up and saw that the cavalrymen were wearing half-breastplates and Western-style ship-shaped Morion helmets, but they all looked like Han Chinese.
The Green Standard Army soldiers responsible for escorting the troops clearly did not expect that they would be attacked by unidentified armed forces even after the entire island had surrendered. Under the charge of those cavalrymen, they were quickly scattered and fled in panic.
At this moment, several cavalrymen stepped forward, dismounted, and helped Zhu Jiheng and the others to their feet. The leader, his right fist clenched and his left chest sternly struck the ground, and said:
"Your Highness, we are late in coming to your rescue, please forgive us!"
Although Zhu Jiheng had prepared himself mentally, he still couldn't control his shock and excitement when he saw the soldiers he had summoned right in front of him.
However, he quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "I forgive you for your innocence, but you must quickly annihilate the enemy soldiers, leaving no one alive."
"Yes, sir!"
The lead cavalryman responded in a loud voice, then immediately shouted, "His Highness has ordered the complete annihilation of the enemy troops, leaving no survivors!"
Upon receiving the order, the cavalry, who were already pursuing the fleeing enemy, launched an even fiercer and more ruthless attack. Loose Green Standard Army soldiers fell one after another under the iron hooves and sharp sabers, their screams echoing throughout the battlefield.
The few Qing soldiers who tried to resist by relying on horse-drawn carriages were quickly defeated by the line infantry equipped with muskets that emerged from the forest. The sudden ambush ended with the complete annihilation of the Qing army in a short period of time.
Zhu Jiheng forced himself to watch the massacre of the Green Standard Army soldiers. He felt a churning in his stomach and his body trembled slightly, but he still tried to remain calm and not let himself show any discomfort.
Lady Zheng and several other members of the imperial family who hadn't run far watched in shock. After a long while, Lady Zheng seemed to snap out of a daze and tentatively asked, "Husband, where...where did these people come from?"
As the wife of the Prince of Lu, Lady Zheng believed that she knew Zhu Honghuan best. Since Dongning had stopped providing for the royal family members, they had been living in poverty. Even the Prince of Lu had to cultivate the countryside himself. How could he possibly raise a private army?
Moreover, these soldiers who suddenly appeared did not resemble those from the Central Plains in terms of equipment and attire; they looked more like Western barbarians who came from the sea…