Chapter 417: Rushing Together to Xiangyang

As for what Zhang Kejian and Wang Chengceng were thinking, Wang Dou actually knew it perfectly well in his heart.

In the battle of Xiangyang, although the great bandit Zhang Xianzhong was slain, all the credit belonged to Wang Dou’s troops — what did it have to do with Zhang Kejian and the others?

What did concern them was only their crime of dereliction that let the city fall!

How had the roving bandits entered the city? Even after they entered, there were still several thousand government troops inside — how could they have been utterly helpless, allowing the bandits to run rampant and nearly bring the Prince to mortal peril? Once the court finished rewarding merit, the next step would likely be investigating and punishing these derelict officials and officers!

At present the court dared not move against military officers, but it would show no such courtesy to civil officials. Even Zhang Kejian, despite his honored position as Circuit Intendant, faced a very grim future, so he could only seek a solution through Wang Dou.

Zhang Kejian and Wang Chengceng spoke in gentle tones, proposing that they be mentioned in a few strokes in the victory dispatch.

They said that after the roving bandits entered the city, the two officials, along with some officials close to them, had all fought a bloody battle and in the end even slain several dozen bandits. With the timely aid of the State-Settling General, the roving bandits were routed and fled the city; they then joined the General in leading troops to pursue and kill beyond the walls. By fortunate reliance on the ancestors’ great blessings and His Majesty’s heavenly might, they finally took the head of the great bandit!

The victory dispatch would give Wang Dou the main credit, with themselves as auxiliaries. Zhang Kejian and the others’ thinking was that keeping their official posts would be enough — of course, gaining a little reflected credit would be even better.

In truth, Zhang Kejian and the others very much wanted to find a scapegoat to take the blame, but after searching around, apart from their own guilt, they found that the blame for that night lay mostly on the heads of those officers who defended the city. Yet these soldiers and officers were all unruly men, many of them former surrendered troops and mutinous soldiers. If they were punished, what if they mutinied one day? Wang Dou would eventually have to leave and could not stay in Xiangyang forever.

So for the fault of that night, Zhang Kejian and Wang Chengceng could only take it upon themselves. In any case, with the merit of slaying the bandit Xianzhong included, merits and faults would offset each other, and the court’s punishment would not be excessively severe. With a little maneuvering, at most they would receive a few words of reprimand from above and that would be the end of it, while they themselves would gain a reputation for “shielding subordinates with benevolence.”

After they finished speaking, both stared at Wang Dou with eager eyes. Zhang Kejian even thumped his chest and guaranteed he was willing to produce one hundred thousand taels of treasury silver to reward the troops, to express gratitude for the Shunxiang Army’s kindness.

Wang Dou pondered. In today’s battle, Zhang Xianzhong’s forces had been nearly annihilated; over seventeen hundred heads alone had been taken. Giving a few dozen heads to Zhang Kejian and the others would be no problem, as long as it was established that Zhang Xianzhong was slain by his own troops.

Meeting the two men’s expectant gazes, Wang Dou extended two fingers: “Two hundred thousand taels of silver — not one tael less!”

“Two hundred thousand taels?”

Prefect Wang Chengceng nearly cried out, but under Zhang Kejian’s stern gaze, the two stepped aside and conferred in low murmurs.

Zhang Kejian thought it was feasible. He argued that part of this silver was for rewarding the troops, and part was provisions and pay for the Shunxiang Army. The two already knew that several thousand more Shunxiang troops were heading for Xiangyang; counting those already in Xiangyang, the total was seven thousand men. In the wake of a great victory, rewarding each soldier thirty taels of silver was not excessive.

Victorious guest troops, or even non-victorious guest troops, demanding reward silver from the local authorities was common everywhere at this time and not considered strange.

Historically, in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, to persuade Zuo Liangyu’s troops to go out and fight the Dashing King, the then Regional Commander Hou Xun had disbursed five hundred thousand taels from the treasury to reward the troops. Later, when Li Zicheng attacked Xiangyang, Zuo Liangyu withdrew his troops to Wuchang and demanded five hundred thousand taels in provisions and pay from the Prince of Chu; when this was not granted, his troops plundered Wuchang, including the tribute grain and salt ships.

In the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, Zuo Liangyu’s army mutinied, broke through Jiande, and plundered Chiyang. At that time, Censor-in-Chief Li Banghua drafted a proclamation to Zuo Liangyu and used one hundred fifty thousand taels of Jiujiang treasury silver to pay them, then personally entered the army to soothe them; only then did Zuo Liangyu’s troops settle down slightly.

In any case, Xiangyang’s treasury silver was plentiful. As long as the local authorities could resolve it themselves without causing chaos and could explain it away, the court would not question it too closely.

After their discussion ended, Zhang Kejian came over beaming and said, “The silver is easily settled — two hundred thousand taels it is. But as for the heads…”

Wang Dou said, “I’ll give you fifty heads.”

Given their combat ability, being able to claim fifty heads was quite good; any more would arouse suspicion. By contrast, for Wang Dou’s troops, even taking several thousand heads would surprise no one.

Having obtained the ideal result, Zhang and Wang summoned Li Tianjue, who handled Xiangyang affairs, and Judge Jiang Yueguang and others, got everyone to speak with one voice, and finally went to pay a visit to the Prince of Xiang.

Watching their departing backs, Prince of Guiyang Zhu Changfa said angrily, “Isn’t this telling barefaced lies with eyes wide open? When the bandit Xianzhong entered the city, the government troops collapsed. Without the State-Settling General, Xiangyang would likely have fallen into the bandits’ hands, and we ourselves would probably have… Where was the slightest merit on their part?”

The Prince of Xiang sighed, “Wang Dou has also agreed to this matter. Wang Dou is after all a guest army and cannot stay long in Xiangyang. Xiangyang’s affairs must still rely on the local officials and officers — consider it forming a good connection.”

That day Zhang Kejian drafted the field dispatch. He was merely the Xiangyang Sub-Circuit Intendant and needed to first send a document to Huguang Provincial Governor Song Yihe, who would then fly the victory dispatch to the capital.

The field dispatch was carefully polished. Wang Dou reviewed it and found no problems, so he and the Prince of Xiang both affixed their seals, and it was then flown to Huguang Provincial Governor Song Yihe.

It should be said that Song Yihe had originally been the Military Defense Circuit of Runan, stationed at Xinyang. At that time, Xiong Wencan was Regional Commander of military affairs for Nanzhili, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Huguang, and Sichuan. Because Yihe repeatedly suppressed fierce bandits, Wencan often reported his merits and recommended him; he was promoted to Vice Commissioner and transferred to Yunyang.

After Wencan was executed, Yang Sichang, considering Yihe capable, recommended him, and he was promoted to Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief, replacing Fang Kongzhao as Provincial Governor of Huguang. At that time, with Xianzhong and Cao causing chaos, Song Yihe dispatched Vice Generals Wang Yuncheng and Ju Yingyuan and others to inflict a great defeat on Luo Rucai at Fengyiping, taking over three thousand heads. Yang Sichang rated Yihe’s as the first merit in Jing-Chu.

At this time Song Yihe was at Jiangling. When he received Zhang Kejian’s field dispatch several days later, the normally steady and composed Military Governor Song was so startled that even his teacup dropped to the floor.

He had heard something about the bandit Xianzhong raiding Xiangyang and was just then worried, yet what arrived was a dispatch from the Xiangyang Sub-Circuit Intendant: the government troops had won a great victory, the bandit Xianzhong was dead, and his subordinate generals and adopted sons had all perished!

To be honest, Song Yihe could not believe it, yet the facts were before his eyes. In a matter of such magnitude, would Xiangyang Sub-Circuit Intendant Zhang Kejian dare to fabricate it? Song Yihe knew Zhang Kejian and had always considered him seasoned and experienced. Moreover, the field dispatch was clearly written — the bandit Xianzhong’s corpse was in Xiangyang, and one would know upon seeing it.

Furthermore, the dispatch bore the seals of Wang Dou, Assistant Regional Commander of the East Road of Xuanfu Garrison, and the Prince of Xiang. Song Yihe certainly knew Wang Dou’s great name. If he had commanded the battle, slaying the bandit Xianzhong was indeed possible.

Reading the dispatch more carefully, Song Yihe understood: it was still Wang Dou’s merit; Zhang Kejian and the others had merely taken advantage. Strictly speaking, Zhang Kejian and the various officials were guilty of no small fault, but under the merit of the bandit Xianzhong’s death, this fault seemed to pale into insignificance.

Thereafter, news kept coming in, all concerning the great victory at Xiangyang. The matter had already spread with a roar throughout Huguang, with various versions full of vivid detail, but in every version the death of the bandit Xianzhong was certain.

Just at this time, Regional Commander Yang Sichang arrived at Jiangling; his traveling headquarters had already entered Shatoushi. Song Yihe hurriedly went to the Xu Family Garden to pay a visit.

At one glance, Military Governor Song was startled. Grand Secretary Yang looked haggard, as if he had suffered a serious illness.

Song Yihe hastily inquired after his health. Yang Sichang waved his hand and said with utter disinterest, “I already know about the Xiangyang affair. Although Prefect Wang is somewhat frivolous, Military Defense Circuit Zhang is seasoned and prudent, and with the seals of Wang Dou and the Prince of Xiang, this matter cannot be false. Report the victory quickly to set His Majesty’s mind at ease. Whatever the dispatch says, send it out as written!”

Song Yihe could not fathom Yang Sichang’s state of mind. Seeing the Grand Secretary so listless, he tactfully took his leave and went to consider how to issue the victory dispatch.

After Song Yihe left, Yang Sichang looked at the dispatch in his hand and sneered repeatedly: “Ridiculous, how ridiculous!”

He did not know what taste was in his heart. He recalled how, at the beginning, he had been full of high spirits and vigor, yet in the end, despite all his painstaking efforts, he had suffered repeated military setbacks — especially the crushing defeat of Meng Ruhu, which dealt Yang Sichang an enormous blow. In the end, he had even let the bandit Xianzhong escape from Sichuan and raid Xiangyang. Had Wang Dou not happened to encounter him, what awaited him would have been the dire news of a fallen Prince.

Although Xiangyang was a great achievement and could be credited to himself, Yang Sichang knew that he had failed — this was self-deception!

Yang Sichang was by nature obstinate and self-willed, with an extremely strong self-esteem. His own painstaking efforts had come to nothing, while another had unintentionally planted a willow that grew into a shade tree. The victory at Xiangyang was like a mockery of all his exhaustive exertions — how could this not fill the high-self-regard Yang Sichang’s heart with bitterness?

He suddenly broke into violent coughing. His trusted aides and Army Supervisor Wan Yuanji saw that something was wrong and all asked, “Is the Grand Secretary unwell?”

The aides nearby were somewhat puzzled — why was the Grand Secretary unhappy instead of pleased at the great victory at Xiangyang? Only a few quick-witted ones seemed thoughtfully aware.

Yang Sichang knew he had lost his composure. Gasping for breath, a sudden clarity flashed through his mind: his heart’s strength was already exhausted, and he feared he would not live much longer. Before he died, he must see the corpse of that bandit Xianzhong.

He said, “I am fine. A great victory at Xiangyang — we should go and see it. Summon Provincial Governor Song, and let us go together!”

Very quickly, Huguang Provincial Governor Song Yihe’s victory dispatch flew to the capital. When the victory report reached the capital, the news that the bandit Xianzhong was dead and Xiangyang had won a great victory truly shook the capital and shook the northern realm. Public discussion seethed, and the whole nation was in an uproar.

At this very time, Regional Commander Yang Sichang, Army Supervisor Wan Yuanji, Huguang Provincial Governor Song Yihe, and others, leading the Supreme Command Personal Battalion, aides, and various subordinate generals, hurriedly left Jiangling and headed for Xiangyang.

Not only that, but Liu Yuanbin and Lu Jiude, who were guarding the Xian Mausoleum at Chengtian Prefecture and defending against roving bandits in the Jingshan and Qianjiang areas, upon learning the news, also hastily led several of their top generals — Zhou Yuji, Huang Degong, Sun Yingyuan, and others — and rushed toward Xiangyang.

Also, the Bandit-Pacifying General Zuo Liangyu, who had originally fled to Xing’an in Shaanxi, and Shaanxi Regional Commander He Renlong and others, upon hearing of the Xiangyang affair, were all struck speechless and promptly led their troops down the Han River, all hurrying toward Xiangyang.

In that day’s battle, the Xianzhong camp could be said to have been completely annihilated. Of the two thousand elite cavalry, over seventeen hundred heads alone were taken. Yet there were fish that slipped the net — Zhang Xianzhong’s adopted sons Li Dingguo and Sun Kewang (then called Zhang Dingguo and Zhang Kewang), who escaped with a dozen or so riders.

The Night Scouts and Li Guangheng’s cavalry searched everywhere exhaustively but saw no sign of them and did not know where they had gone.

On the second day, Wang Dou had originally intended to attack Luo Rucai at Yicheng, but subsequent news came that Luo Rucai had fled overnight the previous day toward Suizhou and other places, so he had to abandon the plan.

This battle could be counted as rich in spoils. Over fourteen hundred intact horses were captured; by the Shunxiang Army’s standards, nearly five hundred of them were fine horses suitable as warhorses. There were also many bandit horses killed or wounded, which were just right for eating. The whole army’s morale was high.

On the sixth day of the month, Military Defense Vice Commissioner Zhang Kejian and Xiangyang Prefect Wang Chengceng visited Wang Dou again — this time to plead for those mutinous troops captured the previous day, especially that Company Commander.

It turned out that by this day, the officers and soldiers who had fled outside the city that night were returning one after another, and some officials and officers came to plead for them, particularly Zuo Liangyu’s favored concubine.

She was currently residing in the city. Seeing that her brother had been captured, she had some sense and did not dare go to the military camp where Wang Dou was staying to make a scene, so she went to the Prefect’s government office and the Military Circuit government office to raise a ruckus. She even made threats, saying that when General Zuo returned, he would not let them off, giving Zhang and Wang a great headache.

But these men were imprisoned by Wang Dou, so they could only come and plead.