Li Mingyuan has already planned the tour route in various parts of the country. He will first start from Gyeonggi Province and pass through Jiangzhou, Weizhou and Songzhou in the central area. Then he will return from Songzhou to inspect Wuzhou, Yangzhou and Luozhou in the Jiangdong area.
After visiting the development status of the three regions of the state, we finally approached the Haihai Road. After paying some condolences to the officers and soldiers stationed in Patagonia and the pioneering people, we ended our tour and returned to Chang'an City via the original route.
Returning to the palace from the Zhongji Hall, Li Mingyuan told Wu Lingxuan and Zhang Baoyi about the news of their upcoming trip. After obtaining the consent of the two women, on August 12, 1881, the group included 2,500 Guards officers and soldiers and 1,300 central government officials.
A huge team of nearly 4,000 people, including department officials, army and navy staff officers, attendants, and maids of honor, left Chang'an Imperial City, and their first stop was at Jinjiang Town (Carlos Pas), which is more than 20 kilometers away from Chang'an.
On the grassland and forest, Li Mingyuan, the queen, the concubine and others accepted the audience of the people in the town.
The eastern part of the town has a wide view, and at a glance is a grassland that stretches for more than ten miles. One green dwarf tree after another is regularly arranged in it, dividing the grassland into pastures of different sizes.
On the edge of the grassland, in the area separated by mountain streams and woodlands, one can vaguely see nearly 10,000 cattle and sheep, as well as more than a dozen local people scattered around the cattle and sheep.
"Your Majesty, the common people have prepared several small programs for Your Majesty, the Queen, and the Imperial Concubine. Do you want to start now?"
Leaning on the center, the attendant respectfully asked for instructions.
"It's time to start. Let the accompanying boys from the Boy Scout camp also go up and perform a few performances with the people. After being restrained in the Boy Scout camp for so long, it's time to find a chance for them to relax."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will inform you immediately."
The attendants bowed and left, and after a while, local young and strong people dressed in costumes with the characteristics of their hometown, in groups of dozens, performed six or seven local-style performances.
"Your Majesty, look at those little ducks, they are so cute!"
While watching the people's performance, Queen Wu Lingxuan sitting next to her excitedly pulled Li Mingyuan's sleeve, pointed with her right hand at the six or seven penguins in the middle, and said in surprise, "What a strange duck, short and fat.
There are no feathers yet, I’ve never seen them before.”
"Those are not ducks, they are penguins. There are many such penguins in the Patagonia region in the south of the mainland. If you like them, I will have some of them brought to you as pets."
"The weather in Patagonia is very cold. If we bring the penguins back from there, will they not adapt to the weather environment in Chang'an City?"
"It has a certain impact, but some penguins live in places with mild climates and can adapt to the climate environment in the Gyeonggi region."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, brother. Then please ask someone to bring back a few more penguins, and give two to each of sister Baoyi, Yinger, and Xiaolan."
"Okay, it's all up to you."
Li Mingyuan held Wu Lingxuan's hand lovingly and agreed.
Li Mingyuan has been married to the two girls for a year and a half. Wu Lingxuan is lively and cheerful, and Zhang Baoyi is virtuous and gentle. Although the two girls are not pregnant yet for some reasons, Li Mingyuan's love for them is still the same as before.
"Your Majesty, Yinger and Xiaolan have also reached the age of marriage. Do you think we should choose a date to bring Yinger and Xiaolan into the palace?"
The imperial concubine Zhang Baoyi was sitting on the left side of Li Mingyuan. She observed the expressions of Xiaolan and Ying'er, the escort maids, secretly looking at Li Mingyuan. After thinking about it for a few times, she directly raised it.
"Baoyi, are you worried that I will neglect you because you haven't been pregnant since entering the palace?"
Li Mingyuan suddenly heard Zhang Baoyi's words and comforted him, "Keep your hearts in your stomach. Don't be anxious about the child. When the time comes, the child will come naturally."
"Your Majesty is the king of a country. It is my responsibility to give birth to an heir for you. Your Majesty loves me and my sister. I and my sister are very happy. But for the sake of the stability of the country, I kindly ask your majesty to accept Xiaolan as soon as possible. Ying
When you enter the palace, you will not only give Xiaolan and Ying'er a status, but also settle the hearts of the court ministers and generals as soon as possible."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I know that my status is low and I dare not pursue Your Majesty. Please take back my life."
Xiaolan and Ying'er stood behind the three of them. They did not expect that Zhang Baoyi would bring up the matter of marrying the emperor in public, so they hurriedly defended themselves.
"My mother also mentioned to me that the queen and the noble concubine have not given birth to royal heirs for a long time. Even if the ministers and generals do not mention it on the surface, they must be secretly worried about the lack of heirs in the country. Xiaolan and Ying'er have been following your majesty for a year and a half.
, Your Majesty, Sister Baoyi and I both know them very well. Although they are from a lower background, our affection and loyalty to Your Majesty can be seen by both Sister Baoyi and me."
After several reminders from her mother, Wu Lingxuan had already accepted the possibility of Li Mingyuan marrying another newcomer to the palace, so she took over Zhang Baoyi's words and persuaded her together.
"I can understand your thoughts. Xiaolan and Ying'er are both good girls, and I can see it in their behavior."
Li Mingyuan held the two girls with both hands, turned to Xiaolan, and Yinger said, "Queen, you have heard what the concubine said, are you willing to stay in the palace forever?"
"Being able to serve His Majesty is a blessing that I have earned over many lifetimes. I am willing to stay in the palace and serve Your Majesty all the time."
Xiaolan and Yinger's faces turned red and they replied in low voices.
"No one is forcing you. If you don't want to, the people in the palace will not stop you from leaving the palace. You should think about it carefully and there is no need to give me an answer immediately."
"No one forces me to serve you. I serve your majesty and the two ladies voluntarily. If your majesty dislikes me and refuses to let me continue to serve you, my only choice is to die to prove my innocence!"
At the end of the 19th century, in Chinese society, most women valued reputation and honors more than their lives. Although local reforms had been carried out, in terms of inheritance of traditional culture, both the government and the private sector had little regard for moral issues such as marriage between men and women, honors and honors, etc.
, generally tend to be conservative. If a man beats, scolds, and insults his wife at will, and fails to fulfill his corresponding responsibilities to his wife, children, and parents, he will not only be criticized by those around him, but also bear corresponding legal responsibilities.
On the other hand, while local women's social status has been greatly improved, they also pay more attention to personal integrity and reputation. Xiaolan and Ying'er are Zhang Baoyi and Wu Lingxuan's maids, respectively.
According to the custom at the end of the 19th century, after they accompanied their young ladies into the palace, they became the emperor's women. If Li Mingyuan let them out of the palace, no other family would dare to marry them home.
Li Mingyuan may not have thought that far out of respect for them, but it is impossible for the two women not to know the consequences of leaving the palace. Of course, since the two women entered the palace and spent time with Li Mingyuan day and night, they have already developed feelings for him, and they have not
Thoughts of leaving the palace.
Zhang Baoyi took advantage of the opportunity of the emperor's trip to bring up the matter of Xin Na marrying a concubine in public. At first I thought it was inappropriate, but after careful consideration, it also has profound meaning.
Li Mingyuan thought for a moment and understood Zhang Baoyi's intention. However, he just smiled and didn't take it to heart about the little girl's little thoughts. However, Xiaolan and Ying'er, who got their wish, were very grateful to Zhang Baoyi.
, kept expressing his gratitude to Zhang Baoyi and Wu Lingxuan with his eyes.
Promising to marry Xiaolan and Ying'er as concubines was just a small episode during the parade. After watching the performances of the common people and more than 40 young people from the children's camp.
Li Mingyuan ordered his entourage to escort the four tired women down to rest. After gathering the main officials and generals on the trip, he took advantage of the situation and put forward two policies that had been brewing for a long time.
"Everyone has just watched the performances by the Youth Camp and the young people of Jinjiang Town. I think the performances were very good. They used the unique terrain around the town to hold horse racing, simulated hunting and other activities, which were both educational and entertaining, which can enrich the people.
Business life can also enhance the physical fitness of the people and improve the country’s military potential, which is of great promotion significance!”
"Does His Majesty plan to hold several more similar events every year?"
A mid-level officer guessed.
"Holding fixed military training activities is only one of them. Establishing a complete youth education and training system is the foundation for a long-term strategy."
Li Mingyuan explained, "I plan to popularize basic military education among the people. On the basis of national military service, I will establish a semi-private organization specifically responsible for youth politics and military education. It will be mainly responsible for teaching local teenagers loyalty to the emperor, patriotism, physical fitness, and defense of the country."
We should start from childhood to reshape the patriotic and promising young people needed for national development, and ensure that when a war breaks out in the future, the local army and government will have sufficient reserve officials, officers, and soldiers to supplement them."
"Isn't this similar to the children's camp system?"
A young guard officer with a boy scout background said suddenly.
"The brain is quite flexible."
Li Mingyuan praised the other party and said with a smile, "The boy camp system has an irreplaceable role for the imperial army. We are going to promote and expand the boy camp system and set up corresponding branches in every immigrant town, every county, and every state.
Unify the management of youth political education and military education.”
"How should newly established institutions be positioned? Should they be under the jurisdiction of local governments?"
Liu Pu noticed the hidden power ownership dispute and asked directly.
"The new organization is temporarily named the Federation of Young Reserve Soldiers of the Han Empire to Loyal to the Emperor and Protect the Country, or the Han Youth Army Association for short. The Youth Army Association is a semi-private organization and does not accept the jurisdiction of local governments.
"
Li Mingyuan named the new organization and continued to explain, "I plan to set up a Youth Army Squadron in each immigrant town. The size of the squadron will be determined according to the population of each immigrant town, with a minimum of 60 people and a maximum of 200 people. The squadron leader
It is held by young people under the age of 18 who have outstanding performance.
Each county sets up a brigade, with the number of brigade between 600 and 1,500 people. The brigade captain is an outstanding lieutenant-level officer in active service. The selection criteria for brigade captain candidates are outstanding young people under the age of 25 and with military ranks ranging from second lieutenant to lieutenant.
Officers. Each state has a corps! The captain is an active school-level officer. The selection criteria for the corps captain are outstanding officers with the rank of major or lieutenant colonel, under 35 years old, and with practical experience. The headquarters of the Youth Army Association has established a number of
The management department, whose chief officer has the rank of colonel or major general, is responsible for coordinating the national youth education management, and providing the army with outstanding soldiers with strong political ideology and firm will to fight in wartime and peacetime."
"Your Majesty is wise. If the branches of the Youth Army Association are successfully established, there will be no shortage of excellent soldiers for the local field armies and garrison forces."
"When we fight against Argentina, if we have established a youth association system, we might be able to reduce a large number of soldier casualties."
Following Li Mingyuan's ideas, the officers and generals quickly understood the benefits of establishing military and political education for young people, and they all agreed.
"The family situations of people in various parts of the country are different, especially the families of new immigrants, whose living conditions are relatively difficult. For this group of teenagers, townships, towns, and county-level branches must cooperate with local management departments to provide them with free services while they receive training.
Food, accommodation and other logistical support must be provided to make them realize that the government takes care of them and that the country treats all young people equally.”…