Chapter 583: They Are Courting Death!

Old White Ox: These past two days my stomach has been a bit upset, and I’ve felt groggy. After sleeping a few hours in the afternoon I’m much better — turns out sleep is a fine cure for illness.

……

According to intelligence reports, after Li Zicheng besieged Luoyang, because Chen Yongfu reinforced the city in time and together with the Luoyang garrison mounted a tight defense, Li Zicheng’s hundred-thousand-plus men attacked fiercely, and though the battle was intense, the city never fell.

Of course, during the battle for Luoyang, Chen Yongfu and the others also held on with great difficulty — after all, the roving bandits were far too numerous. Although Chen Yongfu had trained a new army battalion, it had not been drilling for long, and its fighting strength could not compare with the new armies of Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and the others; they only just barely managed to hold the city.

Yet failing to take the city after a prolonged assault still left Li Zicheng frantic with impatience. Later Niu Jinxing offered a stratagem: the Chuang army feigned an advance on Kaifeng. Chen Yongfu indeed fell for the ruse and hurriedly turned his horse back to the rescue, only for Li Zicheng to wheel around and strike back. Combined with some starving civilians acting as inside collaborators, Luoyang city fell.

Several days later, the Chuang army again surged mightily toward Kaifeng. Perhaps by this time, the siege of Kaifeng had already begun.

When Luoyang city fell, the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun, and his heir Zhu Yousong, shielded by a number of loyal commoners, fled the princely palace in panic. Because the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun, was so fat, he could not escape in time and was shot dead by Chuang army pursuers. The heir Zhu Yousong narrowly escaped and, protected by a dozen or so loyal commoners, fled north toward the Shen Prince’s estate in Lu’an Prefecture.

When news of Luoyang reached the capital, it poured a bucket of cold water over the capital region, which had been seething with excitement over the great victory at Jinzhou. The Loyal and Valiant Count had just routed the Chuang bandits in a major defeat; no one expected this bandit to rise again so swiftly. This second siege of Luoyang had even killed a princely king — something unheard of in the history of the Great Ming — and it could be said the entire realm was shaken.

Li Zicheng was swiftly regarded as a mortal threat, and the proposal to redeploy frontier troops to exterminate the bandits arose once more. When the Chongzhen Emperor received word that Luoyang had been breached and the Prince of Fu killed, he wept bitterly while summoning his ministers, crying: “I could not even protect an uncle.”

He wept so grievously that even his imperial sleeves were soaked through. That day, after court was dismissed, when the Chongzhen Emperor went to pay his respects to Consort Dowager Liu, his mind and spirit so utterly exhausted, he even dozed off while speaking. Seeing the Emperor so worn down by state affairs, the Consort Dowager could not help but weep.

Losing a city and bringing ruin to a princely fief is a crime of the utmost gravity. The Provincial Governor of Henan, Li Vanguard Commander, would immediately be stripped of office, dismissed, and arrested for transport to the capital. Even the Senior Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru could not save him, and moreover, at this moment Zhou Yanru was desperate to avoid any association. He also felt perfectly justified — he had given Li Vanguard Commander his chance.

Along with Li Vanguard Commander’s misfortune, a large number of Henan officials also fell. Regional Commander Chen Yongfu would likewise be ordered to atone for his crimes by meritorious service.

There was also the newly appointed Viceroy of the Three Frontiers, Fu Zonglong. He had only just arrived in Shaanxi not long ago; his duty, in his capacity as Right Vice Minister of War, was to command the Shaanxi troops specifically to exterminate the bandits. Unexpectedly, before his forces were even assembled, the bandits had already broken through Luoyang. What awaited him were also sternly worded edicts reprimanding him and urging him to advance his troops.

Reading this intelligence, Wang Dou sighed. The events of those years in Luoyang flashed before his eyes scene by scene…

Although many things had already changed, he still could not alter the fate of Luoyang city. Perhaps struggles involving politics and people’s livelihoods are far more complex than purely military ones. The roving bandits fell and rose again and again, like raging flames burning across the entire northern realm — not without reason.

He slowly extended his hand. The drifting snowflakes quietly melted in his palm. He thought again of the desolate livelihoods along the road, the refugees everywhere, and silently said to himself: “I will not give up. The road stretches long and far; I shall search high and low.”

That day, as they drew nearer to the capital, Wang Dou suddenly received another piece of intelligence — this one personally delivered by Liu Benshen, the Director of the Internal Affairs Section of the Shogunate.

This former Embroidered Uniform Guard Company Commander, a man of few words whose eyes always gleamed with a dark, brooding light, was followed by a middle-aged man equally deep and inscrutable. The man kept his figure as concealed in the shadows as possible; if one did not pay attention, one might overlook his presence entirely.

There was also a smiling fat man, and a man in his forties, tall and lean with sharply jutting cheekbones, a pair of triangular eyes, and eyebrows that slanted upward — these were Li Shouqin and his former attendant Wu Dazong, along with Qiang Ye, a former Night Scout trooper.

They were now all members of the Intelligence Division, responsible for counter-espionage on the Eastern Route, strictly guarding against all manner of spies and the like. Birds of a feather flock together: the helpers Liu Benshen recruited were all men of dark, brooding minds and ruthless, merciless hands.

After Wang Dou established his Shogunate, the Intelligence Division was divided into multiple sections. Internally within the circuit, in coordination with the baojia system, they strictly monitored every hint of disturbance. Externally beyond the circuit, the Manchus, the Mongols, the roving bandits, hostile officials and generals throughout the Great Ming, north and south of the Great River — all fell within the Intelligence Division’s reconnaissance scope.

Wang Dou was even considering whether he could extend his reach overseas.

Living in chaotic times, Wang Dou granted them considerable authority. Not to mention the vigorous support in funds and provisions, the division even had multiple assassination squads and traitor-elimination teams, many of them elite swordsmen. Of course, when these traitor-elimination teams and the like were deployed, Wang Dou also set authorization limits for them.

Wen Daxing’s Night Scouts of the Vanguard Reconnaissance Battalion, though they coordinated closely with the Intelligence Division, in fact belonged to the Staff Division and were a military force.

For Liu Benshen to personally rush over from the Eastern Route, there must be some urgent matter. Indeed, when Wang Dou took the detailed report and read it, he flew into a towering rage. He abruptly stood up, flipped the desk before him over with one sweep, and roared fiercely: “They are courting death!”

The Grand General was thunderously furious. All the generals around him were terrified. Even Wen Fangliang, usually so irreverent and flippant, dared not utter a single word at this moment. It was Zhong Xiancai who stepped forward and said gently: “Grand General, what has happened?”

The report was passed around among the generals. Because of the emphasis on literacy in the Jingbian Army, Gao Shiyin, who in the past could not recognize a basketful of characters as big as a dou, had now read through ten volumes and could write a thousand words at a stroke.

After reading it, he was equally furious, the flesh

across his face twitching violently. He roared: “These treacherous merchants, these sour pedants! We fight tooth and nail at the front, and they stab us in the back at home! Grand General, no need to waste words with them — we return to the Eastern Route at once, march the troops into every city of Xuan-Da, kill, chop, kill, chop, kill… kill until heads roll like waves and blood flows enough to float a pestle!”

Shen Shiqi was also furious: “Exactly! Bathe Xuan-Da in blood, kill until the blood flows like a river! Let’s see which whoreson dares to lay a covetous finger on our family property ever again!”

Han Chao and Wen Fangliang read it, their expressions grave. The two exchanged a glance, and Han Chao said in a deep voice: “Grand General, this subordinate believes it is best to remain calm first. After all, unlike the Eastern Route affair back then, this matter involves far-reaching stakes and requires caution.”

Wen Fangliang also concurred: “At present, with the great victory at Jinzhou, troops from every garrison are converging on the capital, and the whole realm is watching. Moreover, this is the critical juncture when the Grand General is about to be enfeoffed as Marquis. Every move must be carefully considered.”

Zhong Xiancai only looked at Wang Dou: “Whatever the Grand General decides, this subordinate will obey.”

Everyone glanced at Zhong Xiancai, inwardly praising: “Little Zhong is getting better and better with words. That remark — watertight, leaving no gaps.”

Liu Benshen cast a meaningful glance at Zhong Xiancai, then lowered his gaze again as if nothing had happened.

Advisor Qin Yi had also read the intelligence. He pondered and said: “Indeed, as Generals Wen and Han have said, the enemy’s momentum this time is vast, and the implications are broad. We must think thrice before acting, lest a cacophony of public opinion ruin the Grand General’s reputation.”

Xie Yike curled his lip: “What cacophony or not? Like Old Gao and Old Shen said, our Jingbian Army’s style is clean and decisive — wherever the banners point, the masses of wretches are reduced to flying ash and vanishing smoke, that’s all.”

Qin Yi smiled faintly and only said to Wang Dou: “The matter is of great importance. I beg the Grand General to think thrice before acting.”

After treatment by the medical officers, Wen Daxing’s injuries had improved considerably, and he could sit and speak inside the tent. He was the Commissioner of the Intelligence Division; Liu Benshen’s intelligence report should have first been submitted to him before being passed to Wang Dou, but Wen Daxing had waived that step.

Wen Daxing had lost his right arm and could no longer concurrently hold the post of Vanguard Reconnaissance Battalion Commander. Although he had tendered his resignation several times while in Liaodong and Wang Dou had always refused, the situation was now plain. Wen Daxing’s eventual resignation was inevitable; henceforth he would concentrate solely on managing the Intelligence Division.

In the past, because so much of his energy was devoted to the Vanguard Reconnaissance Battalion, Wen Daxing had inevitably delegated authority to his subordinates. Now that he was returning to the Intelligence Division, how to face this supremely authoritative superior was something Liu Benshen and the others would need to consider.

Wen Daxing held the report in his left hand, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes: “The facts are very clear. The great Jin merchant houses, out of fear and anxiety that after the Grand General stations himself in the garrison city, he will emulate the Eastern Route measures, have decided to give us a show of force. Unlike those small merchants on the Eastern Route, their backers are indeed deep and powerful…”

He enumerated carefully: “Aside from the Eastern Route, nearly all the officials and generals of Xuan-Da are their supporters. North and south of the Great River, they also have many close associates. Even within the Grand Secretariat, virtually all the Grand Secretaries speak on their behalf. Even Minister of War Chen himself receives no small amount of ‘gifts’ from them every year. Hmm, and so does Lord Ji.”

“Then there are the grand eunuchs of the inner palace — Wang Yumin, Wang Chengen, Wang Dehua, and the rest…”

Wang Dou sat impassively. He knew the power of the Jin merchants. Since the mid-Ming, they had begun laying out their networks, vigorously cultivating sons of their clans to become officials or military officers in various regions. Over many years, the number of their clansmen serving as officials and generals was beyond counting.

They also vigorously cultivated ties with the powerful and influential everywhere. Their methods could be described as “moistening things silently.” These merchants had considerable brains; before establishing connections, they did not engage in naked, head-on deals of power for money. There seemed to be an air of silent, selfless devotion about their approach.

If some official’s family wanted to buy land, without a second word they would quietly send over the title deeds. If the sons of some official or general’s family were struggling financially, they would secretly send money. If some eunuch fancied a certain shop, they would buy it and also secretly gift it — without even mentioning any request of their own.

Over many years and months, decades as consistent as a single day, even a person with a heart of stone would be moved. Such righteous merchants — who would not support them?

At critical moments, all that was needed was a few good words or a bit of convenience, and benefits would flow in endlessly. A favor that cost nothing — who would be unwilling?

They also generously funded impoverished scholars and lavishly supported education in various places. Aside from the losses they caused the state, they were the very embodiment of the perfect person. Who, when mentioning these righteous merchants, would not raise a thumb and praise: “Excellent!”

Given these benefits, even Chen Xinjia and Wang Dehua, who were close to him, might not necessarily lean to his side at a critical moment — to say nothing of the rest.

Moreover, those Jin merchants had many allies in the Jiangnan region as well. Although they had a competitive relationship with the financial groups under the Donglin faction in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang area, on the point of “contending with the people for profit,” their views were aligned.

And because much of the north’s grain, salt, iron, tea, and other goods needed to be imported from the south, those Jin merchants, while being mutual competitors with many financial groups in Jiangnan and Guangdong, also had cooperative relationships. They could be said to share the same breath and branches, supporting each other.

One careless move in this matter would mean opposing the interest groups of the entire realm — and they had already begun to act.

In many places in Taiyuan and Datong, the various merchant houses had already begun banning the import of Eastern Route commercial goods. The Li family of Department Magistrate Li Zhenkun, the Chu family of the Young Madam, and other merchant houses close to the Eastern Route had already come under large-scale siege and vilification.

Many shops under their names were smashed, and even their family members and clansmen were beaten on the streets. Even as they were beaten, they were saddled with the reputation of harming their fellow townsmen and village elders.

At the same time, a rumor was spreading everywhere throughout the capital region.