C1436 Jiangnan People's Heart

The Suzhou City, on the sixth day after the market opened, the atmosphere in the entire city suddenly became strange. First, there were three battalions of Xiang Army outside the city, and this was different from the usual guards that were stationed there.

There were two Battalion Head s amongst them who came from the regular army battalions selected by the Jiangning Great Marshal Zeng, while the other one came from Jiu Shuai's Zigzag Camp.

These were all core forces of the Xiang Army. Even during times of peace, they had to maintain their war preparations.

Once these elites were stationed in Suzhou, the air in the entire city became sluggish and the number of patrolling soldiers on the streets multiplied by several times. The yamen runners in the day were all awestruck, as if they were facing a great enemy.

A company of Marines crossed the Taihu Lake from the docks into the city. They had no braids, a brand-new sky-blue uniform, a lacquered cap, shining leather boots above the knees, a German Mauser on the back, and a revolver hanging from the officer's waist.

The belt was filled with magazines, wooden grenades and cantaloupe grenades. Qiu Wei, who had previously issued an imperial edict, returned with a big cigar in his mouth as he puffed with an unruly look on his face.

When these soldiers lord appeared, even the idiots of the Suzhou City knew who was coming. All the merchants had gone mad, and immediately said, "The prime minister is here!" "The prime minister must be here …"

"That's right, the Prime Minister has arrived. Even His Majesty has come …" Maybe the Great Marshal Zeng would come too! "Oh my god, these six days have not been wasted!"

The entire city fell into a sleepless night, the security was so tight that not even flies could fly in. The anxious Big Merchant s lived in their homes and bitterly waited, or waited in taverns.

In the dark of the night, the sounds of the war horses on the long street were what countless merchants were hoping for. They truly hoped that the war horses would stop in front of their houses and bang on the door. To be able to see the emperor, the marshal and the Prime Minister Xiao of the East China Sea with his own eyes, this was definitely something recorded in the family tree.

When the sun rose, the Suzhou City did not sleep at all. Just after five o'clock on the foreign watch, the elders and merchants who had been invited headed to the Suzhou stock market under the protection of the soldiers. These distinguished guests were the people closest to the emperor and the prime minister.

After the distinguished guests were seated, there were the city's numerous representatives. Next, there were the twenty thousand people who came to watch the ceremony, filling the long street to the brim.

At nine in the morning, the Suzhou Stock Market opened punctually. The first group of people who came out were all fully armed Marines, their guns and ammunition forming a ring around the core of the cordon as they clashed against the Xiang Army's guards on the second floor.

Amidst the shocked voices of the crowd, Ceng Guofan and Jiu Shuai walked out first. The entire place was filled with cheers, with commoners everywhere bowing down to the ground as they greeted the marshal.

The heat wave of excitement had yet to subside when the nine ceremonial cannons began to roar, followed by a burst of music. The people who walked out together with the music were the bright-yellow Emperor Tongzhi and Imperial Advisor Xiao Letian who was beside him.

The atmosphere suddenly froze for three seconds, followed by tens of thousands of people prostrating themselves on the ground, calling out 'Long live' in unison. "Huanhuan!" "Hualuu!"

The citizens of the Middle Age revered and worshipped the imperial power from the bottom of their hearts. They were willing to put all the bad troubles on the corrupt officials, and also unwilling to put even the slightest bit of doubt in the Emperor's heart.

The Emperor was always a Holy Lord, and the one at fault was always the vile people by his side. Otherwise, how could there be so many people from the past who were on his side?

The appearance of Emperor Tongzhi caused the citizens of Jiangnan to forget about the pain of taxes, the evil of corrupt officials and the misery of war. At this moment, they only had one thought in their hearts, Your Majesty, long live your life, and you have come to visit us!

Seeing tens of thousands of people prostrating themselves in the dust, Zai Chun finally found the sweet taste of imperial power. He was a little dizzy, but Xiao Letian, who was holding his hand, squeezed his palm, telling him to calm down.

Zai Chun walked to the improvised viewing platform in the middle of the stairs, and used his young and tender voice to shout down below, "Stand up!" With this order, the yamen runners and soldiers in the crowd who were maintaining order all shouted out in a low voice, "The emperor wants you all to rise. Kowtow and shout 'Long live' before you rise again …"

It was impossible for the twenty thousand citizens to hear the emperor's voice all at once. He needed the countless voices in the crowd to spread back and forth. The scene on the stage was like an unimaginable wave.

Zai Chun watched as the twenty thousand citizens stood up one after another like the waves of the ocean.

"This... This feels great! " Zai Chun started talking to himself, and his face started to turn red.

Xiao Letian was so excited that he couldn't control his emotions. He couldn't blame for speaking in front of tens of thousands of people for his first time, thinking back to when he was in his teens, during the beginner's reading competition, he was even scared of a hundred people, let alone tens of thousands of people.

He lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty is calm. If you speak less, you will show your dignity!"

Zai Chun nodded, he took a deep breath and suppressed his restless heart, and suddenly roared out loud. My people! "I've come to visit you all …"

"Fur Cholera has been in the south for more than ten years. I am deeply regretful that I was not able to personally come to the battlefield when I was young!" I have not personally experienced your suffering, and I am even more ashamed … Jiang Nan, oh Jiang Nan! "You've suffered!"

After saying that, Zai Chun cupped his hands together in a bow, and bowed deeply 90 degrees! None of them expected that the Emperor would use such an opening statement to meet the commoners in Jiangnan.

Only Kang Xi and the dryad had ever entered Jiangnan, so the people of Jiangnan had never seen the other emperors. Everything was according to the legends. However, Jiang Nan had to pay almost half of the tax. It would be a lie to say that he didn't have any grievances.

Compared to the land of wealth in Jiangnan, which was the main battlefield for many powers, the foreigners arrived, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom also came, the Eight Flag Green Camp came, and the Xiang Army also came … After more than ten years of war, the population of Jiangnan had greatly decreased. This was a painful memory that the people of Jiangnan did not dare to recall.

But today, Emperor Tongzhi's bow had resolved most of the citizens' resentment, like a wave of spring wind.

Xiao Letian was also stunned, he had thought that Zai Chun would do as he was told last night.

Deception! Zai Chun suddenly awakened a completely new skill today, and that was bewitchment! He suddenly understood. He finally understood what the common people wanted, and what the higher ups were supposed to give them.

This move was originally Xiao Letian's unique skill, but today, this disciple had actually comprehended it himself. This made Xiao Letian look at him in a new light.