Chapter 386: The Prince of Fu

Lu Weiqi signaled Wang Yinchang not to dwell on this matter, and then brought up another topic.

"What I most admire about General Wang is that in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, he marched south to Julu without hesitation, fought bloody battles alongside Lord Lu on the battlefield, and dealt heavy blows to the barbarian invaders, so they dared not look down on our China as having no men. It is a pity that Heaven did not grant him more years, and Lord Lu died a martyr for the nation, yet his heroic spirit lives on, serving as a model and example for us all."

Perhaps the greatest gain for Wang Dou from following Lu Xiangsheng into battle in the eleventh year of Chongzhen was earning a reputation for loyalty and fearlessness. Wang Dou, undaunted by retaliation from Yang Sichang, Gao Qiqian, and others, resolutely marched south to Julu and fought shoulder to shoulder with Lu Xiangsheng in bloody combat. Many literati of the Great Ming, when mentioning this, could not help but praise: "Though this man is of the warrior class, he still understands the principle of loyal service to the nation — rare, truly rare."

At the mention of Lu Xiangsheng, Wang Dou's eyes reddened, and memories surged into his heart like a tide.

Seeing his expression, Lu Weiqi nodded inwardly and continued: "Lord Lu was upright and unbending, and General Wang did not fear the wicked and corrupt — both were talents of their time. It is a pity that although there were worthy ministers at court, the wicked still remained. The situation where upright men filled the court is gone, never to return. Lord Lu, in the netherworld below, must surely be heartbroken as well."

A wave of disgust suddenly welled up in Wang Dou's heart. He now understood the implication behind Lu Weiqi's words. Who did this "wicked and corrupt" refer to? Yang Sichang, of course. And who did the "worthy minister" refer to? It was the current Senior Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel, Li Rixuan.

Lu Weiqi signaled Wang Yinchang not to dwell on this matter, and then brought up another topic.

"What I most admire about General Wang is that in the eleventh year of Chongzhen, he marched south to Julu without hesitation, fought bloody battles alongside Lord Lu on the battlefield, and dealt heavy blows to the barbarian invaders, so they dared not look down on our China as having no men. It is a pity that Heaven did not grant him more years, and Lord Lu died a martyr for the nation, yet his heroic spirit lives on, serving as a model and example for us all."

Perhaps the greatest gain for Wang Dou from following Lu Xiangsheng into battle in the eleventh year of Chongzhen was earning a reputation for loyalty and fearlessness. Wang Dou, undaunted by retaliation from Yang Sichang, Gao Qiqian, and others, resolutely marched south to Julu and fought shoulder to shoulder with Lu Xiangsheng in bloody combat. Many literati of the Great Ming, when mentioning this, could not help but praise: "Though this man is of the warrior class, he still understands the principle of loyal service to the nation — rare, truly rare."

At the mention of Lu Xiangsheng, Wang Dou's eyes reddened, and memories surged into his heart like a tide.

Seeing his expression, Lu Weiqi nodded inwardly and continued: "Lord Lu was upright and unbending, and General Wang did not fear the wicked and corrupt — both were talents of their time. It is a pity that although there were worthy ministers at court, the wicked still remained. The situation where upright men filled the court was gone, never to return. Lord Lu, in the netherworld below, must surely be heartbroken as well."

A wave of disgust suddenly welled up in Wang Dou's heart. He now understood the implication behind Lu Weiqi's words. Who did this "wicked and corrupt" refer to? Yang Sichang, of course. And who did the "worthy minister" refer to? It was the current Senior Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel, Li Rixuan.

Li Rixuan was a member of the Donglin faction. During the Tianqi reign, he had been impeached as a "Donglin evil partisan" and dismissed from office. After Xue Guoguan was dismissed, Li Rixuan took his place as Minister of Personnel and Senior Grand Secretary. After assuming office, Li Rixuan's greatest interest was attacking and impeaching Yang Sichang. Lu Weiqi, a diehard member of the Donglin faction, naturally felt an obligatory duty to echo him.

As for Wang Dou, he utterly detested the chronic ailment of factional strife throughout the Great Ming. To him, no matter what faction, whether civil officials or military men, as long as they engaged in factional strife and did no real work, they were no good faction. When he followed Lu Xiangsheng into battle back then, it was not for the sake of factional strife. Although Lu Xiangsheng was a member of the Donglin faction, he understood the need to step forward in the nation's hour of crisis, and that was why he was worth following. If Lu Xiangsheng had been merely someone who understood factional strife, Wang Dou would not have disregarded his own life and resolutely followed him into the siege at Julu.

Now, with a great army bearing down on them, Lu Weiqi still could not forget factional attacks and alliances, as if this were more important than defending Luoyang. How could this not disgust Wang Dou?

To be honest, Wang Dou was extremely dissatisfied with Yang Sichang. This man was neither a capable minister nor a sycophantic one — merely a neurotic. Everything he did was to achieve his own ideals by any means necessary, and those who blocked his path would be eliminated by him. Though he had a heart to serve the nation, his methods and vision were flawed, so the affairs of state only worsened.

In Wang Dou's view, people like Li Rixuan and Lu Weiqi were no better than Yang Sichang, and were even somewhat inferior.

Yang Sichang at least knew how to do some things, even if those things turned out worse and worse. The reason the Chongzhen Emperor stayed with him from beginning to end and always protected him was precisely because he valued Yang Sichang's ability to proceed from the overall situation, temporarily relieve his worries, refrain from forming partisan cliques, and avoid empty talk.

People like Li Rixuan, however, engaged in factional strife purely for its own sake, opposing for the sake of opposition.

Although Wang Dou was dissatisfied with Yang Sichang, he would not become a tool for others' factional strife. Moreover, by the late Ming, finding patrons and engaging in factional strife were all heterodox paths.

In former days, whether it was Wang Yinchang or Lu Weiqi, both were figures Wang Dou needed to look up to. Now, however, they were the ones trying to win him over. Was it because Wang Dou was handsome? No, it was because he had an invincible army in his hands.

By the late Ming, the power of military warlords had already taken shape. Even the Hongguang Emperor of the Southern Ming ascended the throne relying on the strength of warlords and military chiefs. Wang Dou was even less likely to discard the watermelon to pick up sesame seeds — he understood clearly where his main energy should be directed.

Looking at Lu Weiqi's expectant gaze, Wang Dou said slowly: "Viceroy Lu sought benevolence and obtained it; he died a fitting death."

Lu Weiqi was taken aback. He thought Wang Dou had not understood what he was saying and was about to make it clearer, but Wang Dou continued: "As a general of the Great Ming, the army in my hands is His Majesty's army. I follow His Majesty's lead in all things; wherever His Majesty orders me to strike, there I shall strike. My loyal heart is plain for all to see under the sun."

Lu Weiqi stroked his long beard and nodded with a smile, his estimation of Wang Dou rising another level. Wang Dou's mental acuity did not match his outward appearance. The maturity of his mind could rival that of old bureaucrats who had served inside and outside the court for many years, and yet he could still speak with such righteous solemnity, leaving no flaw for anyone to pick at.

There would be time enough in the future. Lu Weiqi's first probe thus came to an end.

After Wang Yinchang once again assured Wang Dou of provisions and pay, they discussed the stationing of Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu. Having arrived at Luoyang, their armies certainly could not remain encamped in the outskirts indefinitely.

Following Wang Dou's proposal, Wang Yinchang also agreed that his and Chen Yongfu's vanguard battalions should be stationed at the northern gate fortifications of Luoyang. In fact, the main function of the gate fortifications outside some large cities was to protect the direction of the city gates, allowing for coordination between internal and external forces to strike the enemy from both sides. However, due to the defenders' circumstances, this function often went unrealized.

But the Shunxiang Army was different. The northern fortifications were only two li from the main city of Luoyang. He and Chen Yongfu's main force would leave a portion of men to garrison there. The remainder would serve as mobile troops, able to defend the city and also to sally forth from the northern fortifications from time to time, attacking the roving bandits assaulting the north gate and other gates from behind, thus preventing the Chuang Army from devoting all its energy to attacking the main city of Luoyang.

After arranging the garrison matters for Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu, and leaving behind an official to instruct Wang Dou and the others on the protocols for meeting the Prince of Fu, Lu Weiqi, Wang Yinchang, and the rest took their leave.

Three days later, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, the Shunxiang Army and the vanguard battalion entered Luoyang through the eastern gate fortifications. That day, from the Great Stone Bridge at the eastern fortifications all the way to Changchun Gate, the streets were densely packed with Luoyang citizens who had come to watch. Wherever the great army passed, wave after wave of cheers arose, and the morale of both soldiers and civilians surged to a fever pitch.

The Shunxiang Army's most elite guard troops led the way, every man mounted on a fine horse. The long barrels of the Lumi muskets slung across their backs made the commoners curiously discuss what kind of bird guns these were.

Next came the great banners of Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu. Wang Dou wore his imperial-gift armor, and Chen Yongfu was also impeccably dressed. Riding on horseback, they smiled broadly and clasped their hands in salute to the commoners lining the streets, drawing dense clusters of raised thumbs and shouts of approval.

Then came the Shunxiang Army cavalry and Chen Yongfu's retainer battalion. Not only Li Guangheng's regular cavalry, but even Wen Fangliang and Gao Shiyin's mounted infantry were counted as cavalry. They all rode five horses abreast in formation. The Shunxiang Army musketeers, all wearing cotton armor, carried their bird guns on their backs, while the pikemen in iron armor had their pike shafts inserted into saddle holsters. Looking out, the pikes were all of uniform length, forming a dense, awe-inspiring forest of spears. Including Chen Yongfu's retainer battalion, this cavalry stretched over six hundred columns, seeming as if it would never end, the rumbling of iron hooves ceaseless.

The commoners along the streets whispered among themselves. In their eyes, the cavalry of government troops were all elite soldiers. With these three thousand-plus cavalry alone, it seemed there would be no problem defending Luoyang. As the cavalry passed, the enthusiasm of the commoners grew even higher.

After the cavalry came the Shunxiang Army infantry — the three newly trained Company Commanders marching out to battle. They too marched five men abreast, unit by unit in orderly advance, leaving the Luoyang commoners even more dumbfounded. For government infantry to have such excellent equipment and such intimidating sharpness was truly rare. Especially the vigor and keen edge of this army were truly unforgettable at first sight.

The Shunxiang Army had already been outside Luoyang for several days. Although heated discussion surged within the city, the Shunxiang Army had remained as elusive as a divine dragon, hiding inside their camp and not coming out. While this was very good in the commoners' eyes — showing that this army committed no offenses against the people and maintained strict military discipline — it also stirred much speculation.

Now that this army unveiled its mysterious veil, the excitement it brought to the soldiers and civilians of Luoyang was indescribable.

With these three thousand more elite troops arriving, it seemed not only could the city be defended, but even driving back the roving bandits would be no problem. They exerted themselves to display their warm hospitality, shouting loud cheers at this army.

Although the tidal waves of cheers rose higher and higher, the orderly footsteps of the Shunxiang Army did not change in the slightest. They held their heads high, and even the lowering and raising of their feet seemed to be identical movements, drawing even more exclamations of wonder.

After the Shunxiang Army infantry came the infantry of Chen Yongfu's vanguard battalion. Although their equipment was not as good as the Shunxiang Army's, and their overall quality not as strong, their sharpness and confidence were not one bit inferior. They too drew tidal waves of cheers.

To the people of Luoyang, this was the army of their own Henan people, so the cheers they gave the vanguard battalion infantry were not one bit weaker than the shouts of approval for the Shunxiang Army.

Although the Shunxiang Army's more than one thousand wagons had already been sent ahead from the eastern fortifications into the northern fortifications and did not participate in the city-entry ceremony, the ten Hongyi cannons were still dragged into the city, following behind the infantry. Looking at these ten heavy cannons, the commoners on both sides of the street discussed them curiously while pressing forward to get a clearer look, much to the distress of the local militia and Luoyang troops maintaining order.

The Luoyang officials, along with Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu and others, were all waiting in front of the Prince of Fu's residence. Wang Dou and the others entered the city through the east gate, proceeded along East Street to the crossroads, then turned onto North Street, and then headed toward the Prince of Fu's residence in the northeast corner.

The streets of Luoyang crisscrossed in a complex network, known for its "nine main streets, eighteen lanes, and seventy-two alleys." In truth, there were far more streets and alleys than that, and without officials to guide the way, one might well fear taking a wrong turn.

After entering the city through the east gate, the great army passed successively by prominent landmarks such as the Donggong Temple and the Drum Tower. All along the way, the watching crowds packed the streets and alleys, with people even crawling all over the rooftops.

Not long after entering North Street, they saw a dense-eave style brick and stone pagoda, probably thirty meters tall. This was Luoyang's famous Wenfeng Pagoda. In Ming times, it was dedicated to Wenchang and Kuixing. Besides expressing hopes for local cultural flourishing and the emergence of many talents, in wartime one could ascend the pagoda and survey everything inside and outside the city without obstruction.

Historically, the Wenfeng Pagoda was destroyed by Li Zicheng and rebuilt in the early Qing. At this moment, the nine-story pagoda was likewise packed with people. Not far northeast from the Wenfeng Pagoda was the Prince of Fu's residence. And not far northeast from the Prince of Fu's residence, within Ying'en Lane, was the seat of the Luoyang county government.

From a distance, when Wang Dou saw the Prince of Fu's residence, he could not help but sigh: what a magnificent and splendid place. With its lofty terraces linking the city walls, high and thick ramparts, set against the backdrop of grand and imposing flying eaves and red walls, the plaza before the princely residence appeared especially broad and level, and the tall stone lions exuded full majesty.

This Prince of Fu's residence was in fact a city within a city, housing a large number of civil and military officials, soldiers, and servants. The Great Ming's princely estates all had a complete set of specialized institutions. Externally, there were two Administrators and eight offices. Internally, there were the Eastern and Western Bearing Offices, along with numerous supernumerary officials. A Prince of the Blood could have 360 civil guards, and a Commandery Prince could have 24.

All male and female members of the princely clan received stipends; companions and captains received grain rations; civil and military officials all received salaries; and various servants all received wages for their labor. The Prince of Fu maintained about five hundred soldiers and guards; the Prince of Zhou in Kaifeng had about eight hundred. Supporting all these princely establishment officials, soldiers, guards, and various personnel required an enormous annual expenditure of wealth, grain, and silver.

Looking at those high palace walls, the continuous and towering glazed tiles, and the majestic government offices and the splendid courtyards where various officials dwelled along the way, and then thinking of the displaced refugees inside and outside the city, Wang Dou understood why, historically, Li Zicheng could effortlessly breach one impregnable city after another.

The Prince of Fu's residence had four gates, with the main gate called Zhenghua Gate. At this moment, in the broad Zhenghua Gate plaza, the officials and generals of Henan Prefecture, along with the entire princely establishment, had long been led by Army Supervisor Wang Yinchang and former Minister of War Lu Weiqi to await their arrival.

In front of Wang Yinchang and the others stood a middle-aged man in a yellow robe. The first impression was that this man was very fat, a bloated figure probably weighing over two hundred jin.

It turned out that, to show the importance the Prince of Fu's residence attached to this, the heir apparent Zhu Yousong had personally led a party to welcome Wang Dou and the others — clearly something very rare. Wang Dou could already see the expressions of extreme envy on the faces of Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu and the other officials.

The Shunxiang Army and vanguard battalion soldiers who had entered the city assembled in formation on the plaza, while the perimeter of the plaza was still packed with Luoyang citizens who had come to watch, their noisy and excited discussions unceasing. However, when the Shunxiang Army stood at silent attention in formation in the cold wind, the surrounding clamor gradually quieted down.

The heir apparent Zhu Yousong at first craned his neck curiously at the army, pointing and gesturing with a few close attendants beside him, but in the end, he could only stand there with his mouth agape, unable to close it.

This great ironclad army stood motionless in the cold wind, its formations straight lines from any angle, with no sound except the neighing of horses. Where had he ever seen such a powerful military presence? He stared dumbfounded, his eyes filled with both novelty and awe. Even Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu and the others watched with pale faces.

As the army assembled, Wang Dou also cast a cold glance at that bloated man in the yellow robe. This fellow, aside from being so fat that his eyes appeared even smaller, had no other distinguishing features. Not a trace of the bearing of imperial nobility could be seen — a typical rich wastrel of a son, seemingly even carrying some of the curiosity and fear of the outside world characteristic of a sheltered young lady from a wealthy family.

This fellow was actually the historical Hongguang Emperor, yet also a tragic figure. The Great Ming's princely nobility were raised like pigs, and the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun, was a prime example. His son Zhu Yousong was another, possessing no ability beyond eating, drinking, and pleasure-seeking.

Still, Zhu Yousong did manage one extraordinary performance — he understood the principle that political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. With no advantage in the succession struggle, he knew to seek help from the army, and got his wish to become emperor.

But beyond that he had no other merits. After ascending the throne, this second-generation fallen noble was also a puppet. With powerful ministers within and domineering warlords without, he had no say in any political affairs. Apart from eating, drinking, and merrymaking, he could not lay a hand on anything.

Perhaps the only decree he ever issued was ordering a wide selection of beautiful women for the palace. Yet unexpectedly, the chosen beauties only became bridal gowns for others — one could say he was even more pitiful than A-Dou.

A-Dou at least died a natural death. The several garrison warlords Zhu Yousong relied on as his shield scattered at the first breath of an external foe, and in the end he was taken to Beijing and executed, leaving behind nothing but a body covered in scapegoat blame. This is the tragedy of raising Ming princely lords like pigs.

Among princely-born rulers, the only one worth mentioning is probably the Jiajing Emperor. In ruthlessness and outstanding cunning, he could match the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang. Countless wily old bureaucratic ministers were toyed with in the palm of his hand. It is a pity he lacked the founder’s sense of duty.

Wang Dou’s thoughts raced. After the Shunxiang Army and the Vanguard Battalion merged and reformed ranks, he and Chen Yongfu stepped forward to pay respects to this man who would be known in history as the Hongguang Emperor. As they walked over, he even heard the heir Zhu Yousong mutter to a nearby attendant, “These officers and soldiers look so mighty and imposing, don’t you think?”

The attendant said with a grin, “Yes, Your Highness, extremely mighty and imposing.”

Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu came forward according to protocol to pay respects to Zhu Yousong. Chen Yongfu’s expression was rather agitated; Wang Dou remained fairly calm.

When the words “Forgive us, we are in armor and cannot perform the full ceremony” reached him, Zhu Yousong waved his hand dismissively. He looked Wang Dou over again and again, from head to toe, and asked curiously, “So you are General Wang Dou?”

Wang Dou also got a clear look at Zhu Yousong’s appearance. Nearly forty years old, yet still fair-skinned and plump, chubby and soft, without a single wrinkle on his face.

He said, “Replying to Your Highness, I am he.”

Zhu Yousong grunted, “I have heard your name even within the prince’s residence.”

Wang Dou performed a bow, “I am exceedingly honored.”

Zhu Yousong said, “That suit of armor you wear — it was bestowed by His Majesty. It fits very well.”

Wang Dou: …

Zhu Yousong spoke again, “I have heard you are formidable at fighting the Tatars. Rumor has it those Tatars all have three heads and six arms, blood-basin mouths, and brass-bell eyes — is that true?”

His tone carried fresh curiosity and puzzlement, looking very much as if he eagerly awaited Wang Dou’s answer.

Wang Dou smiled faintly, “Rumors are not to be trusted. The Eastern Slave soldiers are no different from ordinary men. When a blade slashes down, they bleed, they wail, they beg for mercy — nothing special.”

Zhu Yousong said, “I never imagined that. Later at the banquet, General Wang, you must tell me in detail how you fight the Tatars.”

Wang Dou said, “I obey your command.”

A chief steward of the prince’s residence beside him gave a light cough and reminded, “Your Highness…”

Although the steward read the commendation and proclamation with cadenced intonation, the lengthy discourse still made everyone present dizzy and disoriented before it finally ended with great difficulty.

The Prince of Fu’s residence expressed solicitude for Wang Dou and the others, commended their great victory at Ruzhou, and bestowed wine, meat, money, and silks in due measure. Afterward, the Shunxiang Army and the Vanguard Battalion exited the city via North Street, led by officials toward the North Pass, marking the conclusion of this city-entering ceremony.

Wang Dou and Chen Yongfu followed Wang Yinchang and others into the prince’s residence, where the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun, and the heir Zhu Yousong hosted a banquet in their honor.

Entering the prince’s residence, one painted corridor after another seemed endless. The Ming imperial clan was divided into eight ranks: Prince of the Blood, Commandery Prince, Defender-General of the State, Bulwark-General of the State, Supporter-General of the State, Defender-Lieutenant of the State, Bulwark-Lieutenant of the State, and Supporter-Lieutenant of the State. A Prince of the Blood received ten thousand shi of grain annually, a Commandery Prince two thousand shi, a Defender-General of the State one thousand shi, and a Supporter-Lieutenant of the State two hundred shi.

As a Prince of the Blood, the prince’s residence — in its crown and robes, carriages and banners, mansion and domain — was second only to the emperor’s. Within the residence, just like the imperial palace, there were the “Three Great Halls”: the Front Hall, the Middle Hall, and the Rear Hall. Flanking each hall on both sides were further buildings including three palaces, an ancestral temple, a study, storehouses, baths, and dining halls. The Prince of Fu’s residence was the same.

Though they did not enter the imperial palace, the protocol within a prince’s residence was equally strict. The heir Zhu Yousong’s carriage and retinue proceeded at the very front, while the various civil and military officials followed on foot — civil officials in front, military officers behind. To be able to enter the prince’s residence for a banquet, one could see that Henan Regional Commander Wang Shaoyu, Mobile Corps Commander Liu Jianyi, and the others were all extremely excited, each wanting to glance around furtively yet afraid of being caught.

The party finally arrived before the Prince of Fu’s Front Hall, the Hall of Accepting Fortune. The eaves and pillars of the great hall were all carved from single massive blocks of stone, quite imposing. Before the hall stood bronze tripods and gilded bronze lions, along with numerous palace maids, eunuchs, and attendants.

Wang Dou and the others waited below the steps. Mobile Corps Commander Liu Jianyi stood beside Wang Dou. He glanced at Wang Dou and said with a forced, mirthless smile, “Come to think of it, being able to enter the prince’s residence for a banquet is all thanks to General Wang’s good fortune…”

Wang Dou said flatly, “General Liu is too kind.”

After an unknown wait, word came from within the hall summoning Wang Dou and the others to an audience. The line of officials and officers entered the hall in succession and prostrated themselves in homage.

When Wang Dou rose, he saw seated on the throne an extremely fat man in yellow robes. Zhu Yousong was already very fat, but compared to this man he was a mere trifle. The truly large throne seemed stuffed full by his bulk. As he leaned back in the seat, his belly bulged high, like a woman ten months pregnant.

Needless to say, this man was the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun. His son Zhu Yousong stood below him. Father and son shared one defining trait: fatness.

It was said the Prince of Fu weighed three hundred sixty catties. Judging by this posture, that could not be far wrong.