Year 1 of the New Ming Calendar.
Cheng Xu stood atop the walls of the Forbidden City.
Behind him, inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the new leadership was already managing the affairs of the state. In front of him stretched the reborn capital, where the people filled the streets and began their new lives. Everything carried a sense of vitality.
A new era had begun. A new nation had been established.
What about the Jinyiwei?
Cheng Xu turned his head and looked. A large group of former guards stood in line outside the headquarters of the Sky Battalion, submitting reports one by one.
They were undergoing re evaluation and competing for positions again. Just like the former civil officials, whether they would be retained by the Gao Village Family system remained uncertain.
Cheng Xu lifted his head toward the sky.
Golden sunlight poured down. Within that warm glow, he saw a gentle old grandmother smiling at him.
He raised his hand and waved.
The old woman smiled kindly.
"My good great grandson, I no longer need to worry about you. You will live well from now on."
Cheng Xu let out a soft sigh.
"I suppose I will have to delay coming to accompany you below for a while longer."
She chuckled.
"There is no need to hurry. I am doing well now. You should live your own life properly."
Her figure gradually faded, blending into the golden sunlight until she disappeared completely.
Cheng Xu slowly reached up and untied the cloth covering his face.
He no longer needed it.
His real name, Cheng Xu, could finally be revealed.
In the distance, a soldier noticed and exclaimed.
"Look. General He has removed his face covering."
More soldiers gathered and whispered among themselves.
"Finally."
"He no longer needs to hide his identity."
"Yes. No more living under a false name."
"I am truly happy for him."
They spoke quietly, filled with admiration.
The cloth fell away, revealing Cheng Xu's true face. It was neither especially handsome nor particularly imposing. He looked like an ordinary man, with a hint of cleverness in his expression.
Yet the soldiers reacted as if they saw something extraordinary.
"Wow, General He looks so majestic."
"That face is truly handsome."
Their admiration added a layer of brilliance that reality itself did not quite possess.
At that moment, Shan Shier walked up onto the wall and leaned beside Cheng Xu.
"Oh. You finally removed the face covering."
Cheng Xu smiled.
"Yes. The new nation has been established. Why should I still fear the Jinyiwei? Of course I would remove it."
Shan Shier chuckled.
"You could have removed it earlier. Waiting until now feels a bit late. This is what we call arriving after the moment has passed."
Cheng Xu shrugged.
"Caution ensures longevity. Until everything is absolutely safe, one should not relax. After all, no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first. By the way, you are very busy these days. You did not come here just to talk about my face covering. What is the real matter?"
Shan Shier took out a map and pointed north.
"Although the country is now stabilized, there are still some historical issues that need to be resolved. The army cannot rest yet."
Cheng Xu glanced at the map and immediately recognized the location.
"That is the territory of the Tsardom. What about it?"
Shan Shier nodded.
"Back in the fifth year of Chongzhen, the Tsardom expanded into eastern Siberia and established Yakutsk as a base for advancing south. Since then, they have repeatedly sent forces to harass the northeastern frontier."
Cheng Xu understood at once.
In the past, the Qing had stood between them and the Tsardom. Now that the region had been integrated into New Ming, the responsibility fell entirely on them.
He smiled.
"I understand. I will lead the army north and give them a small lesson."
Shan Shier laughed.
"Border disputes between nations are complicated matters. This is very different from reclaiming internal territory."
Cheng Xu waved his hand dismissively.
"What is complicated about it? I push their army back fifty li, then move the boundary marker forward fifty li. Then I push them back again and move it again. If they have the ability, they can push me back. In the end, it depends on who can carry the boundary marker farther."
Shan Shier burst into laughter.
"You soldiers really do speak fiercely. Still, such directness is quite useful in matters like this. It is a perfect match for the job."
Cheng Xu laughed as well.
Throughout history, border disputes had never been settled by words alone. They depended on strength.
The people of the Central Plains valued reason and diplomacy, but when pushed too far, they would not hesitate to respond.
If the Tsardom wanted to move the boundary marker into their land, then New Ming would simply move it back.
Soon, the official order was issued.
Cheng Xu would lead the campaign, commanding Gao Chuwu, Zheng Daniu, Xing Honglang, Zao Ying, Ma Shouying, and a total force of fifty thousand troops to march north against Yakutsk.
The announcement caused immediate uproar.
"Who is Cheng Xu?"
"I have never heard this name before."
"Is he some official from the old court?"
"Why does he get to command? Even General Gao and General Xing have to follow him?"
"I refuse to accept this."
"Why not let Instructor He lead instead?"
"I am going to demand an explanation."
"I will go too."
A large group of mid level officers stormed toward the Ministry of War, surrounding it completely.
Sun Chuanting, the newly appointed Minister of War, stepped out after hearing the commotion.
The officers, who had been full of anger, immediately lost some of their momentum upon seeing him.
"Principal Sun, we came to raise a concern."
Sun Chuanting asked calmly.
"What concern?"
"Why is someone named Cheng Xu leading the army? We have never heard of him. Is he a favored insider from the old regime? We cannot accept this."
Sun Chuanting could not help but laugh.
"Cheng Xu is Instructor He. That is his real name."
The crowd froze.
"What? We thought his name was He Kegang."
Thus, in the first year of the New Ming Calendar, Cheng Xu's true identity became known to the world. The rumors about He Kegang gradually faded away.
Year 2 of the New Ming Calendar.
Cheng Xu led the campaign at Yaksa and achieved a decisive victory against the Tsardom. The border was pushed hundreds of li to the north.
Throughout the campaign, reporters recorded an almost comical routine. At dawn, soldiers would dig up the boundary marker, carry it north all day, and bury it again at dusk.
Cheng Xu intended to continue advancing, but the harsh conditions of the frozen wilderness proved too much. The soldiers struggled not against the enemy, but against the unforgiving environment.
In the end, the army was forced to withdraw.
Even four hundred years later, the two nations continued to argue over the territory Cheng Xu had seized.