Chapter 458: The Emperor's Grand Military Review (Part 1)

Old White Bull: Suddenly realized it's New Year's Day — Happy New Year, everyone.

……

That day, and the morning of the next, the Jingbian Army at Laishui transported the cannons and provisions stored there to the capital to rendezvous with the main army; for this, they mobilized a large number of civilian laborers.

At noon on the twenty-fifth, the moment arrived for the Emperor to host a grand banquet to send off the expedition's commanders. Wang Dou, Yang Guozhu, and Wang Pu all meticulously dressed, donned their armor, strapped on bows, arrows, and swords, and fastened their great scarlet cloaks. Wang Pu repeatedly asked whether he had overlooked anything, clearly nervous inside.

Both Wang Dou and Yang Guozhu had previously had audiences with His Majesty, so naturally they were not as restless and uneasy as Wang Pu. At the beginning of the noon hour, someone from the imperial palace arrived to summon Wang Dou and the other two into the capital. They entered the capital through the Deshengmen Gate, accompanied by the men of their personal guard battalions.

From Deshengmen Avenue all the way to the Bei'anmen Gate in front of the imperial city, the streets and alleys were packed with crowds gathered to watch. They all cheered for Wang Dou and the other two, with dense shouts of "General Who Subdues the Captives" and the like unceasing — the commoners of the capital are truly passionate.

Upon reaching the outside of the imperial city, the three generals' guards were all kept outside and entertained by designated personnel, but they were not permitted to enter the imperial city itself.

The three followed the eunuch guide into the imperial city, but took a roundabout route, arriving outside the Chengtianmen Gate on the south side of the Forbidden City (the later **), and from there entered the palace city. By the Emperor's special decree as an exceptional honor, the three generals were allowed to ride their horses along the palace city corridors and square, though of course they had to dismount before the great hall.

At this time, civil and military officials arriving for the banquet streamed in unceasingly. On the square before the Huangji Hall (formerly the Fengtian Hall), dazzling ramie silk robes clustered like clouds. Officials and officers who knew them kept greeting Wang Dou and the others, then successively entered the Huangji Hall. Wang Dou and his companions, however, had to wait for the Emperor's decree summoning them before they could enter the great hall under the gaze of the multitude.

Here, Wang Dou again encountered the senior eunuch Wang Chengen, as well as Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Shaoyu from the Ministry of War — all of them serving as army supervisors for this campaign.

Wang Chengen was primarily responsible for supervising provisions and pay, and for recording merits and faults. Zhang Ruoqi and the others were to advise on strategy and urge the army forward, each wielding extremely heavy authority, and so they too were to be feted at the grand send-off banquet.

Fu Yingchong, Assistant Regional Commander of the front battalion of the Divine Machine Brigade, also arrived. He wore a cloud-winged helmet, a long-body armored surcoat, and arm-guards, all in the bright-armor style. He also carried a bow and arrows. The armor plates seemed to have been freshly lacquered, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight. His expression was excited, and his thin face was full of high-spirited elation.

As everyone met, pleasantries were inevitable. The senior eunuch Wang Chengen, whose expression was deep and inscrutable, smiled faintly at Wang Dou and said, "Loyal and Brave Count, since we parted at Xiangyang, we meet again."

Fu Yingchong seized every opening to joke and chat. In his words, he was full of flattery toward Wang Dou and Wang Chengen, but toward others, he carried a faint air of arrogance.

By now, all the civil and military officials had entirely entered the Huangji Hall. Outside the hall, only the dense ranks of the Imperial Guard remained, along with the musicians and dancers of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. There were also officials of the fifth rank and below, whose wine goblets and dining tables were placed in the eastern and western corridors of the great hall.

At the final quarter of the noon hour, the imperial carriage proceeded from the Youshunmen Gate to the vermilion steps of the Fengtianmen Gate. Wang Dou and the others immediately heard grand music resound within the hall, and the crack of the ceremonial whip arose.

They then heard the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial lead the hundred officials in salutations and prostrations. Afterward, the dancers of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices filed in, performing in succession: the first piece, the "Song of Ten Thousand Years of Life"; the second, the "Song of Looking Up to Heaven's Grace"; the third, the "Song of Feeling Earth's Virtue"; the fourth, the "Song of the People's Joyful Livelihood"; and the fifth, the "Song of Gratitude for Imperial Grace."

After several rounds of wine, the dancing in the great hall ceased, and the music stopped. Fu Yingchong whispered to Wang Dou, "It's our turn."

Sure enough, not long after, martial music swelled, and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices struck up the "Song of Pacifying All Under Heaven." A voice resounded from within the great hall: "By His Majesty's decree, summon Regional Commanders Yang Guozhu, Wang Dou, Wang Pu... and Army Supervisor Wang Chengen and the others to enter the hall."

Wang Dou and the others all adjusted their armor and attire, then strode proudly up the steps and into the Huangji Hall.

The moment they entered the great hall, countless gazes turned toward them. Wang Dou swept his eyes around and saw that within the majestic hall, rows upon rows of banquet tables were neatly arranged, each set with wine vessels and dining utensils. Seated all around were civil and military officials, every one of them looking straight ahead, only stealing glances at Wang Dou and his companions from the corners of their eyes.

Along the edges on both sides of the great hall were arrayed dense rows of musical instruments — banners, yu drums, sheng pipes, chi flutes, and the like — and numerous musicians from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices played with focused attention...

A grand imperial banquet was indeed awe-inspiring in its solemn order.

The Chongzhen Emperor sat high above at the imperial banquet. Seeing the expedition commanders enter, he cast his gaze toward them, paying particular attention to Wang Dou.

Amid the martial music, Wang Dou and the others, led by the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial in the ritual salutations, called out "Long live His Majesty" three times. The Chongzhen Emperor said, "My ministers, please rise. Be seated."

Wang Dou and the others, guided by the inner officials, went to their seats and sat down — civil officials on the left, military officers on the right, all at the tables closest to the Emperor. Indeed, at a grand send-off banquet, the treatment was entirely different.

At this point, thirty-two dancers entered the hall. Each held a shield in the left hand and a battle-axe in the right, arranged in four rows of eight. In harmony with the musical movements, they danced with martial vigor, striking and thrusting in seated and standing postures. Two dance masters, holding banners to guide them, performed the "Dance of Pacifying All Under Heaven."

The music ceased, and the Chongzhen Emperor declared in a ringing voice: "The royal army goes forth on campaign, northward to pacify Liaodong. Now we have the Loyal and Brave Count Wang Dou, Regional Commanders Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu, and Assistant Regional Commander Fu Yingchong — loyal and brave, praiseworthy, striving without regard for their own lives. With such great commanders in the realm, good tidings of victory shall surely return, and the eastern affairs shall be without worry."

He raised the imperial cup: "All my ministers and commanders, please drink this cup full, in celebration of our Great Ming."

Led by the Senior Grand Secretary Fan Fucui, everyone rose and declared in a ringing voice: "In celebration of our Great Ming."

All drained their cups in one draught.

The Chongzhen Emperor drank his wine, and in his excitement, a flush of red rose on his pallid face. At this moment, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices knelt to announce the "Dance of Pacifying the Four Barbarians." Sixteen dancers from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices entered the hall — among them, four Eastern Barbarians, four Western Rong, four Southern Man, and four Northern Di — along with two dance masters holding streamers to guide them.

Amid the dance, a magnificent musical movement arose: "Little General, Great Ming Lord. Settles the realm, sacred grace wide, holds firm the rivers and mountains. Eastern caitiffs, Western Rong, Northern Di, Southern Man. Hands raised high, treasure trays, rejoicing before the hall. Five-cloud palaces and towers link the celestial river, golden light shines bright upon the eye. Jade gutters, golden waters murmur and babble; bowing heads to gaze, hastening steps to see. The ceremonial guard, solemn in its hundred thousand forms, strikes awe and chills the heart... Our Emperor's ten-thousand-year peace! Pass the gate — settle the realm, settle the realm. Hold firm the rivers and mountains, soothe the hundred barbarians, singing praises, dancing in worship, gazing up in blessing — for ten thousand times ten thousand years, the imperial enterprise secure!"

Amid the dance music, the Chongzhen Emperor nodded repeatedly, his heart carried away in reverie, clearly imagining the grand spectacle of the Great Ming restored to glory under his rule, the imperial enterprise enduring for ten thousand times ten thousand years, and the four barbarians pacified.

The dance ended, the music stopped, and the Chongzhen Emperor laughed heartily, his gaze sweeping over Wang Dou and the others. He declared in a ringing voice: "Attendants. Bring the golden bowls. We shall personally pour wine to send off the expedition commanders."

The inner officials brought forth four golden bowls. The Chongzhen Emperor personally poured wine into each golden bowl. Wang Dou, Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and Fu Yingchong stepped forward from the ranks, one by one received the imperial bowls, and raised them high.

The Chongzhen Emperor looked at the four great commanders, helmed and armored, bows and arrows on their backs, and especially gazed at Wang Dou's face, his eyes full of expectation. He said: "The battle of Jinzhou concerns the fate of the realm. Whether we can deal a heavy blow to the eastern slaves hinges on this battle. I hope you commanders will fulfill your loyalty to the utmost and not disappoint Our expectations."

Wang Dou said in a deep voice: "Your servant is filled with trepidation. I shall not fail the imperial grace."

Yang Guozhu said in a deep voice: "I shall surely fight to the death to requite the nation!"

Wang Pu said: "Your servant shall exert all his heart and strength, fulfill his loyalty to the utmost, and fight fiercely to slay the bandits."

Fu Yingchong, Assistant Regional Commander of the front battalion of the Divine Machine Brigade, declared in an even louder voice: "Your servant holds only His Majesty in his heart. So long as His Majesty gives the word, though it be a mountain of blades or a sea of flames, your servant would dare to charge through!"

The Chongzhen Emperor said with gratification: "Good. With these words from you commanders, We are at ease."

Wang Dou and the other three were each granted three bowls of imperial wine to drink, and the golden bowls were bestowed upon them as well.

Such an exceptional honor. The various ministers in the hall watched with secret envy. Wang Pu and Fu Yingchong stroked their golden bowls, grinning so broadly their eyes nearly disappeared.

Thereafter, the atmosphere in the hall grew fervent. Led by the various officials of the Grand Secretariat, voices toasting victory rang out unceasingly, and the Chongzhen Emperor also happily accepted the continuous toasts from the hundred officials.

This continued all the way to the ninth round of wine. The Court of Imperial Sacrifices knelt to announce the ninth piece, the "Song of the Six Dragons Chariot," and only then was the grand banquet concluded. The officials of the Court of Imperial Entertainments removed the imperial table. All the ministers rose from their seats, faced north, and performed four bows. The ceremonial whip cracked, grand music arose, the Chongzhen Emperor departed in his carriage, and the hundred officials filed out in order.

However, Wang Dou and the others did not leave the palace, because the Chongzhen Emperor had issued another decree, summoning the army supervisors and expedition commanders to a small banquet in the Western Garden...

……

Wang Dou and the other military officers, guided by the inner officials, changed into informal attire in a side hall. Wang Dou donned his own python robe, and then the inner officials led them to Cuihua Garden.

By this time, the senior eunuch Wang Chengen, along with Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Shaoyu from the Ministry of War, and others, had already arrived. The Minister of War, Chen Xinjia, was also there, attending upon the Chongzhen Emperor.

The Chongzhen Emperor had also changed into the Emperor's informal attire — round collar, narrow sleeves, embroidered with golden coiled-dragon patterns on the front, back, and both shoulders, and wearing a winged black gauze cap. He was now over thirty years old, but looked as if he were in his forties or fifties, his temples graying, his face bearing an unhealthy pallor. At this moment, however, his expression was excited, and his face had some of a normal person's color.

Several seats had also been set out in the garden, each table laid with four simple side dishes and a bowl of coarse rice — even the Emperor's own table was the same.

Wang Pu, Fu Yingchong, Zhang Ruoqi, and the others all wore expressions of deep emotion, choked with sobs, repeatedly saying that His Majesty was so frugal and so harsh to himself that it cut their hearts like a knife to behold.

Whether they were performing or not was debatable; only Wang Chengen's face showed genuine, heartfelt distress.

Wang Dou knew that Wang Chengen's feelings for the Chongzhen Emperor were far from ordinary, and that the Chongzhen Emperor, in his subconscious, might well have regarded Wang Chengen with the sense of a father or elder brother. The bond between the two was extremely unusual — something quite rare within the imperial family.

As for the Emperor's frugality, Wang Dou sighed inwardly. The sovereign of a nation living such a life — though Wang Dou himself could live through both lean days and prosperous days, if he could enjoy comforts, he would never shortchange himself.

Seeing everyone's expressions, the Chongzhen Emperor merely waved his hand: "The finances are in deficit. If We do not take the lead in austerity, how can the state keep turning?"

He looked toward Wang Dou and smiled: "The Loyal and Brave Count is formidable in commanding troops and fighting battles, and We hear you also have a knack for generating wealth. Would you perhaps teach Us a thing or two?"

Everyone laughed. Wang Dou pondered for a long moment, then picked up a steamed bun and said, "Then your humble minister shall make a fool of himself."

Just as he had once taught his son, he pinched off a small piece, leaving the greater part in his hand, and said: "Of the Great Ming's financial resources, ninety percent is held by the great gentry, the great military bosses, the great officials, the great merchants, the imperial clan, the ennobled nobility, and the like. The dynasty has been generous to them, and the taxes they pay are this..."

He held up that small piece of steamed bun and showed it to everyone.

Seeing the varied expressions on their faces, he smiled faintly again and said, "The remaining poor households of the Great Ming — the number of people they account for is this."

He held up the large piece of steamed bun in his hand.

Then he said, "The wealth they account for is this."

He raised the small piece of steamed bun again, making everyone cough uncontrollably.

The Chongzhen Emperor sighed. He was an extremely intelligent man; had he been born in a time of peace and prosperity, perhaps even the Jiajing Emperor would have been no match for him. How could he not understand Wang Dou's meaning?

However, the Chongzhen Emperor was determined to be a sage and enlightened sovereign — and who upholds a sage and enlightened sovereign? The literati.

In whose hands does the state's finances rest? To a very large extent, the literati. Collect taxes from their hands? That would probably require Emperor Gao himself to be alive today. Even with the abilities of the late Emperor Xian back then, he ultimately had no choice but to abolish all the tax commissioners, and year after year people still bring it up to criticize him.

Indeed, how vast is the power of those who hold ninety percent of the wealth above? Even with Wang Dou's utter fearlessness, he still dares not impose unified grain levies and taxes on the gentry of the Eastern Circuit now.

To say nothing else — among all of you seated here, can any of you collect money from Chen Xinjia, Wang Pu, or Fu Yingchong?

In truth, Wang Dou felt there was one enormous place to save money: the useless Guan-Ning defense line. If it were abolished entirely and the forces pulled back to Shanhai Pass, who knows how much grain and money could be saved each year. In the first year of Chongzhen, the military expenditure for Ji-Liao was six million taels a year; in the second year of Chongzhen it was cut to four million eight hundred thousand taels — and that sum was still colossal beyond measure.

But abolishing the Guan-Ning defense line entirely is impossible. What a massive interest group surrounds Guan-Ning? From the localities to the central government, everyone shares in the benefits. If it were abolished entirely, Ningyuan and the forward areas would erupt in chaos, and the Guan-Ning army would very likely defect to the Qing state — an even greater disaster, just like when Kong Youde surrendered to the Jin back then.

In the end, the Chongzhen Emperor sighed and dropped the subject. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to come to (.) and cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)