Chapter 31: Entering the Hall in Armor

In the capital.

The three Yangs of the Cabinet, after half a month’s toil, had promoted one hundred and forty-three officials to critical positions across various ministries, eradicated the plague of rats from the city, and made up the back pay owed to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Eastern Depot, and the Five Cities Constabulary.

Military numbers were tallied: the Embroidered Uniform Guard boasted over five thousand men, the Eastern Depot more than a thousand eunuchs, while the Imperial Guards and the three main camps, ravaged by the epidemic, could muster fewer than twenty thousand troops.

Owing to Chongzhen's policy of increased and actualized pay, the three main camps gradually filled their ranks back to fifty thousand, many of whom were former Shun rebels who had earlier fled. With the addition of the one hundred thousand elite troops stationed under Hongwu, the capital’s military strength swelled to a formidable one hundred and fifty thousand. So intimidated were Shun generals Liu Zongmin and Liu Fangliang that each led over thirty thousand men to flee the vicinity by night, pursued relentlessly by Lan Yu.

Even the Tatars far off in Liaodong, after occupying Ningyuan which Wu Sangui had abandoned, seemed oddly pacified and settled.

With these few men managing affairs of state, the Chongzhen court was swiftly recovering vitality.

All departments were functioning again; memorials from all over the empire were arriving in a steady stream, especially from Nanjing. There, the Donglin faction grandly denounced Chongzhen’s massacre of senior officials and nobility, invoking ancestral laws and rituals to bombard the court with criticism.

Thankfully, most of these were handled by the three Yangs, leaving Zhu Youjian merely to observe their work and spare himself the vexation of reading the memorials.

In the Hall of Diligent Governance.

“Your Majesty, Lord Zuo Liangyu of Ningnan, Lord Wu Sangui of West Peace, and Lord Liu Zeqing of East Peace have all set out on their journeys,” reported the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard with utmost respect.

Chongzhen had ordered Xu Da, Fu Youde, and Hao Yaoqi each to lead five hundred light cavalry, with fifty thousand taels and supplies escorted by trusted hands, splitting into three routes to the three garrisons. The results were remarkable: the generals in the three towns offered almost no resistance and meekly agreed to enter the capital for audience.

“Through our eyes among them, let it be known: I intend to make an example of them. At least one among them must die,” Zhu Youjian said with a cold laugh.

The submission of the three garrisons was no surprise; under both reward and threat, even those with military power had no choice but to submit. The court could easily pay and feed the soldiers—who would dare risk their necks for rebellion when their bellies were full?

“Your servant obeys,” the vice commander replied, withdrawing respectfully.

Not long after.

Zhu Youjian summoned Fan Jingwen, tapped the dragon throne, and said in a deep voice:

“Grand Secretary Fan, the frontier garrisons are no longer a concern. You must devote yourself to recruiting craftsmen; within a short time, the Celestial Works Pavilion must reach a scale of ten thousand artisans!”

“Your Majesty, large numbers of skilled craftsmen are already being dispatched from all over the realm. There are already signs of factions forming among the two thousand craftsmen in the Pavilion. I fear that, in time, some may overreach,” Fan Jingwen replied, apprehension coloring his words. Having overseen both the Ministry of Justice and later the Ministry of Works, he was well versed in the intricacies and wary of trouble ahead.

“No matter. You are in full charge of recruitment. Other than you and me, no one may interfere with the Celestial Works Pavilion! Assign one thousand men from the Eastern Depot and five hundred from the Embroidered Uniform Guard to serve at the Pavilion’s disposal. Any violator will have his house confiscated and clan exterminated!” Chongzhen declared.

The Celestial Works Pavilion was his lifeblood—anyone who dared meddle would lose their head!

What?

Fan Jingwen was momentarily bewildered—how had he suddenly acquired a retinue of living ancestors? He quickly protested, “Your Majesty, I believe it unnecessary to place the Eastern Depot in supervision of the Pavilion.”

“Rest assured, Grand Secretary. The men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot are only to investigate leaks and other security matters. Within the Pavilion, they have no authority and are yours to command,” Chongzhen replied with a smile.

Fan Jingwen’s heart settled; he let out a long breath and bowed. “As Your Majesty commands!”

……

Ten days later.

The three lords, weary from their relentless journey, finally dragged themselves into the capital.

Liu Zeqing, with his thick brows and large eyes, was of unremarkable appearance but clad in a vivid red robe adorned with a qilin. Upon seeing the others, he greeted them heartily, “Lords of West Peace and Ningnan, you have traveled far and suffered much!”

“We rough men are unlike you, Lord of East Peace, journeying with carriages and fair maidens for company—how leisurely,” Zuo Liangyu replied, smiling as he ordered his three hundred personal guards to settle with the capital’s garrison.

“Let us not spread rumors. Those maidens are all my adopted daughters. I was injured in a fall from my horse recently, and my girls, worried for me, insisted on accompanying. I had no choice—do not impugn my virtue!” Liu Zeqing deflected, then turned to Wu Sangui. “Well then, Lord of West Peace, why do you travel with only fifty personal guards? From Shanhai Pass to here is over six hundred li—hardly a safe road.”

“On imperial command, I dared not delay,” Wu Sangui replied with a façade of calm, though only he knew the bitterness in his heart.

Zuo Liangyu, Lord of Ningnan, commanded two hundred thousand troops and was entrenched in Wuchang. Though often short of pay, his officers were his most trusted confidants, giving him firm control of his forces. Guarding nearby cities, he would routinely extract supplies from the local gentry, barely maintaining military needs and living quite contentedly.

(Most of Zuo Liangyu’s two hundred thousand were hereditary military households; the inflated numbers of the military farm system meant their actual combat power was barely equal to Liu Zeqing’s, and incomparable to Wu Sangui’s.)

Liu Zeqing, Lord of East Peace, had the fewest troops—just eight thousand Shandong infantry and over two thousand cavalry, but they were highly mobile, plundering everywhere to supply their needs.

With the wealth seized in his raids, he privately recruited personal guards, so his true force numbered in the tens of thousands. Moreover, he was notorious for his lust, keeping many wives and concubines, and his mansion was more opulent than the imperial palace—he led a life of utter pleasure!

Wu Sangui cursed inwardly—so only he suffered, yet must wear a smiling face. “May I ask, my lords, has His Majesty summoned us to the capital to hold us to account?”

“Rest assured, Lord General Wu, were there blame to be assigned, it would not fall to you,” Liu Zeqing sneered. “Lord Zuo commands two hundred thousand troops yet, fearing the bandit king, dared not advance to aid the capital, watching as the city was besieged. He will not escape punishment this time.”

Zuo Liangyu, though often victorious against Zhang Xianzhong, had suffered repeated defeats at the hands of Li Zicheng, so much so that he bore psychological scars. He watched helplessly as Li Zicheng marched north, not daring to relieve the capital.

Holed up in Wuchang—his cowardice was only to be expected!

Zuo Liangyu replied with a cheerful retort, “I had my reasons. With so many troops, it takes time to coordinate movement. His Majesty understands. Not like Lord Liu’s swift excuse of a riding injury.”

Liu Zeqing, touching his leg with feigned indifference, replied, “My forces are few, and when I fell from my horse, I could not travel. Without leadership, my troops had no fighting strength. It was not unwillingness, but inability to march to the capital’s aid. Unlike Lord Wu, who, when Yuan Chonghuan led nine thousand cavalry from Liaodong to relieve the capital in mere days, now takes over ten days and is still en route—hardly a record of urgency.”

At this, the three fell silent.

“Enough bickering!” Wu Sangui said grimly. “The three garrisons still need our command. If we stand united and strong, His Majesty would not dare act rashly. Otherwise, should he be enraged, none of us would escape with our lives!”

“Lord Wu is right. Tomorrow I shall don my armor in court. I have toiled for the realm, running about for years—let us see if His Majesty truly dares slay a loyal servant,” Zuo Liangyu agreed at once.

After a moment, Liu Zeqing said, “As you two suggest—tomorrow, at the morning audience, let us enter the palace in full armor.”

“So it must be!”

“Well said, Lord Liu!”

…