Chapter 612: River of Blood (Part One)

In the warm main hall, Wang Dou sat steadily in the host seat. He looked at Zhu Zhifeng and Du Xun. A Provincial Governor of the Great Ming was generally a Vice Minister of War concurrently holding the title of Left or Right Assistant Censor-in-Chief, roughly of the second or third rank, so Zhu Zhifeng wore a bright red official robe with a golden pheasant rank badge.

He was in his fifties or so. Whether pleased or angered, he always kept a stern face, his lips tightly pressed, just like a stubborn old man.

He drank tea, constantly sizing Wang Dou up.

That Du Xun was in his forties, wearing a three-peaked hat. On his bright red robe was embroidered a winged flying dragon with a fish tail — the famous Flying Fish Robe. He had the same round, plump body as Wang Dehua, but his expression lacked Wang Dehua's geniality, faintly revealing a haughty air.

He had started as the seal-holding manager of the Directorate of Palace Delicacies, and being able to serve as the Garrison Eunuch of an entire garrison region showed the Chongzhen Emperor's high regard for him. Setting aside formal status, in terms of actual authority Du Xun faintly overshadowed Wang Dou — no wonder he was arrogant.

The power of the Great Ming's garrison eunuchs was immense. An imperial edict from the Xuande era spelled this out in detail: "...For all guard battalion and government office functionaries, banner troops, village elders, as well as local strongmen and great households, long-term military deserters, escaped convicts, absconded clerks, and clerks and runners who have served long terms in government employ — those who rely on power and force to coerce government offices, embezzle and defraud tax funds, monopolize government goods, exploit the common people, or harbor fugitives, kill and wound human life, or forcibly seize land, property, and persons, or defile people's wives, concubines, and children, or stir up and quash lawsuits to frame the good, or assemble lawless gangs to plunder the countryside and harm soldiers and civilians — you shall jointly investigate with the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review Hu Gai to verify the facts. Those who should be arrested, whether soldier, civilian, or official, shall be seized at once, and together with their families, escorted to the capital under guard by government troops. Those who resist shall have guard battalion troops dispatched from the local guard battalion to capture them, and a memorial shall still be submitted to report..."

In other words, the Garrison Eunuch possessed the authority to supervise civil and military officials, to dispatch guard battalion troops to suppress popular uprisings, to rein in local strongmen and great households, to arrest fugitives, to propose to the central government the addition or reduction of administrative and military installations as local security required, to coordinate the public duties of the province's civil and military officials as well as the departments, prefectures, and counties, and to summon and resettle displaced populations.

By the late Chongzhen period, eunuchs were dispatched en masse to oversee the various frontier garrisons and strategic points near the capital. These eunuchs further held military command tallies, wielding unprecedented powers to make all discretionary decisions on troop movements, to reward and punish officials and determine their merits and crimes entirely at their own convenience. One could see that the Chongzhen Emperor placed his greatest hopes in them. Yet when faced with the iron cavalry of Li Zicheng and the Manchu Qing, the garrison eunuchs surrendered one after another, leaving only the Brush-holding Eunuch Wang Chengen to die together with the Chongzhen Emperor.

As castrated men who were household slaves of the imperial clan, when great calamity struck, each fled on his own — there was no loyalty to speak of.

At this moment, Du Xun's mouth opened and closed, speaking in an endless torrent. His lips were very thin, giving one a sense of sharp-tongued harshness.

"Marquis Yongning, since your esteemed army is returning in triumph, you should simply let the officers and men return to their camps and reunite with their families. To erect field fortifications like this — what military regulation does that follow..."

"His Majesty has shown great favor by appointing the Marquis of Yongning as Regional Commander of Xuanfu Garrison. You should proceed swiftly to the garrison city, hand over military duties with the former Regional Commander, and attend to defense as quickly as possible. That is the proper course. How can there be such dilly-dallying?"

"And Yang Guozhu, where has he gone..."

"...The Marquis of Yongning has always prided himself on loyalty and righteousness. Yet from what my eyes behold, what is the meaning of this?"

"Marquis Yongning..."

"Marquis..."

Wang Dou suddenly felt as if ten thousand flies were buzzing in his ears. He rose and began pacing, but unexpectedly Du Xun pursued him, continuing to nag at his side, his tone even carrying a note of anger at Wang Dou's failure to strive!

Wang Dou's nose caught a faint whiff of the smell of urine from Du Xun's body — a physiological problem no eunuch could avoid — and he could not help feeling somewhat nauseated.

Wang Dou pondered silently.

He then heard Du Xun say: "...When this overseer was in the garrison city, many soldiers and civilians came to lodge tearful complaints, saying that the Marquis of Yongning contends with the people for profit, defrauding merchants and commoners of their funds and goods. This overseer, having received His Majesty's weighty trust to inspect the welfare and ills of the soldiers and people of Xuan Garrison, to eliminate the vicious and evildoers in order to bring peace to the good and virtuous, wonders what defense the Marquis of Yongning might offer? This servant may then submit a memorial to His Majesty and plead your case somewhat."

Wang Dou looked at Du Xun. He saw his expression was stern, his manner righteous and awe-inspiring, the very image of Judge Bao reborn. Someone who did not know better would think this was some incorruptible official who had come running from somewhere.

Wang Dou could not help feeling somewhat amused. This eunuch was putting on such a sanctimonious act right in front of him.

What sort of creature Du Xun was, Wang Dou knew in his heart as clearly as he knew his own name. Setting aside his corruption and perversion of the law, historically when Li Zicheng took Xuanfu, Du Xun and Regional Commander Wang Chengyin went thirty li outside the city to welcome him, and even volunteered to serve as Li Zicheng's envoy, being lowered by rope into the city to meet the Chongzhen Emperor, where he lavishly praised Zicheng. Afterward he was lowered back out by rope and said laughingly to the various garrison eunuchs: "Our wealth and rank are secure."

Hmph, these eunuchs, every one of them psychologically twisted. From the time he had arrived in the Great Ming, among the eunuchs Wang Dou had encountered, few were decent sorts — Gao Qiqian, Liu Yuanbin, Du Xun... how many were good goods? Perhaps because they represented imperial authority, they had grown accustomed to throwing their weight around in the localities. No matter how displeased civil officials or military officers were, when facing them, none dared show disrespect.

Although Wang Dou held a powerful army, was famed throughout the realm, and possessed profound noble rank, that sense of superiority within Du Xun's heart still lingered and would not leave. Now he had even begun to berate Wang Dou.

Wang Dou looked coldly at Du Xun, watching his mouth open and close in an endless torrent. Suddenly he reached out and shoved him aside: "Cease your noise. Go cool off somewhere else."

Caught off guard, Du Xun stumbled and nearly fell sideways. He let out a loud cry, and several young eunuchs standing in attendance nearby hurried over to support him.

In the hall, Zhu Zhifeng and Du Xun's attendants were all dumbstruck. Some Jingbian Army guards and staff officers, though every one of them kept their eyes fixed straight ahead, could not help snickering to themselves.

Earlier, Du Xun had been so overbearing, scowling and glaring at the Grand General, and watching it had made their blood boil. Now, seeing Wang Dou's action, they found it immensely satisfying.

Zhu Zhifeng was also astonished. He then set down his teacup with a thud and said coldly: "Marquis Yongning, how can you treat the Garrison Overseer with such discourtesy? Have you any regard for official decorum and propriety?"

By now Du Xun had also recovered his senses. His face flushed red, he shook off those beside him and pointed at Wang Dou, shrieking: "...Fine, fine... fine! Fine, you Wang Dou! To treat this servant so — this servant shall impeach you before His Majesty!"

Wang Dou cast him a faint glance, too lazy to bother with this grand eunuch whose intelligence had not reached the age of three. He merely said to Zhu Zhifeng: "Lord Zhu has come to the Eastern Circuit. May I ask what guidance you have to offer?"

Zhu Zhifeng indeed shifted his attention.

He set aside his reproach of Wang Dou and said with a solemn expression: "Having received His Majesty's generous favor, this humble official has been appointed Provincial Governor of Xuan Garrison. I also heard that the Marquis of Yongning has returned in great triumph and has been appointed Regional Commander of Xuan Garrison. Henceforth, this old man shall serve in the same garrison as the Marquis of Yongning, shepherding the people on Heaven's behalf and protecting the common folk. I therefore came to pay a visit, in the hope that the Garrison Overseer, the Provincial Governor, and the Regional Commander may be united as one and jointly serve the imperial court."

As he spoke, he carried a thick metropolitan accent — he was a man of Daxing in the capital's outskirts.

This stubborn old man was already old enough to be Wang Dou's father. The dust of travel still clung to him, showing he had clearly hurried the whole way. At his advanced age, traveling in such weather was no small feat.

Wang Dou said: "Lord Zhu has been most considerate, enduring such a wearying journey."

Du Xun, at the side, saw that he was being cold-shouldered by Wang Dou, and at the same time Wang Dou's earlier action had caused him to lose all face. Yet after thinking it over, he suddenly realized that apart from impeachment, he had no way at all to do anything about Wang Dou. He could not help grinding his teeth, letting out a loud snort, and sitting down huffily to the side, fixing Wang Dou with nothing but furious glares.

However, from their exchange, Zhu Zhifeng was quite satisfied with Wang Dou's bearing and manner. He stroked his long beard, and his hard, iron-like face rarely showed a smile: "I have long heard of the Marquis of Yongning's great name. Meeting you today, indeed the reality surpasses the reputation. With the Marquis of Yongning here, the dynasty is most fortunate, and His Sacred Majesty is blessed."

Wang Dou smiled faintly: "Lord Zhu overpraises me. Dou is unworthy of such honor."

After the pleasantries, Zhu Zhifeng sat even more uprightly. Looking at Wang Dou, he said with a serious expression: "Some time ago, when treacherous merchants brought harm to the Eastern Circuit, this governor was filled with righteous indignation. Such lawless scoundrels — this old man shall certainly deal with them severely and give the Marquis of Yongning a proper accounting."

Wang Dou inclined his body slightly: "I am obliged to Lord Zhu for your concern, and even more obliged to Lord Zhu for providing timely assistance by transporting salt and tea. Dou is deeply grateful."

Zhu Zhifeng waved his hand: "This is merely this governor's bounden duty."

He looked at Wang Dou: "Now that the Marquis of Yongning has returned with his army, may I ask what your next step will be?"

Wang Dou looked around at those present. In a moment, the staff officers and Jingbian Army personnel all took their leave and withdrew from the hall. Seeing this, Zhu Zhifeng's and Du Xun's attendants also retreated outside.

Du Xun snorted again: "Mysterious posturing."

Wang Dou's sharp gaze swept over. Du Xun jumped up again, retreating from his seat, and shrieked: "You... what are you going to do now?"

Wang Dou shook his head, then spoke a few sentences.

"What?"

"Impossible."

"Impossible!"

Du Xun bounced back to his seat, shrieking: "Outrageous! Utterly outrageous! Wang Dou, you are truly arrogant and domineering to the extreme! This servant shall impeach you before His Majesty!"

Wang Dou looked at Du Xun for a long while. Just when Du Xun's hair was beginning to stand on end, Wang Dou suddenly said: "After the matter is done, this marquis will give Garrison Overseer Du a benefit of fifty thousand taels of silver."

Du Xun's eyes widened, his expression furious: "Marquis Yongning, are you insulting me?"

Wang Dou's expression did not change. He said flatly: "One hundred thousand taels."

Du Xun's expression shifted slightly, but he remained angry.

He declared with impassioned fervor: "This servant, having received His Majesty's generous favor, left the dazzling world of the capital for this godforsaken, impoverished place — for what? One word: loyalty! I, Du Xun, with a heart of pure devotion, serve the country and the people. How could I stoop to such collusion with filth, such petty scheming? Marquis Yongning, do you wish me to betray my principles as a man?"

Wang Dou said: "Two hundred thousand taels. Forget it if you don't want it."

Du Xun's mouth gaped wide open. Stammering, he said: "Wha... what? Truly? Are you serious?"

He lowered his head, his expression flickering between dark and light, and muttered to himself: "Two hundred thousand taels... let this servant calculate..."

Zhu Zhifeng, standing nearby, was already so furious his nose had gone crooked from listening to the exchange between Wang Dou and Du Xun.

His whole body trembling, he suddenly slammed the desk beside him, making the teacups clatter noisily.

He stood up, pointed at Wang Dou and Du Xun, and shouted sternly: "One a Garrison Supervisor Eunuch, the other a Garrison Regional Commander — look at you two, have you any decency left? One openly offers bribes, the other openly accepts them. In your eyes, is there no law or legal discipline? Is the sacred vessel of the state to be toyed with by you like this? I would rather cast aside this official's hat than not memorialize the court to impeach you both!"

Du Xun was still bent over his calculations with his head down. Wang Dou looked at the old man, inwardly impressed.

He said, "Lord Zhu, calm your anger for a moment. Look at these first."

He handed over the intelligence he had once shown Yang Guozhu to the two of them. They exchanged a glance, then both looked at it with puzzled expressions.

The more Du Xun read, the more astonished he became, and finally he relaxed completely, as if he had made a decision. He slapped the desk loudly and declared with righteous solemnity: "Shocking, truly shocking... Outrageous, utterly outrageous. These treacherous merchants, these villains — if they are not killed, the people's wrath cannot be appeased; if they are not eliminated, the legal order cannot be set right!"

He looked toward Wang Dou, his expression already changed to one of gentle warmth, and sighed: "Earlier, I misunderstood the Marquis of Yongning. Where I was improper, I beg the Marquis of Yongning's generous forgiveness."

Wang Dou smiled faintly: "Supervisor Du speaks too gravely. The Supervisor is of lofty virtue and high prestige. Hereafter in the garrison city, I shall still need the Supervisor's much guidance and support."

As the two exchanged mutual flattery, faintly forming an alliance, Zhu Zhifeng on the other side was still boiling with fury, and at the same time his heart ached. He had long known that Xuan-Da was rotten, but he had never imagined it was so outrageous. He had been rectifying government affairs and military matters in the garrison city, but now it seemed all of it was only superficial, mostly futile effort. With the state of the nation like this, how could his heart not ache?

Watching Zhu Zhifeng's hands tremble, his expression one of grief and indignation on the verge of despair, Wang Dou sighed as well.

Shanxi and the three garrisons of Xuan-Da were essentially the core territory of the eunuch-faction officials and generals. Zhu Zhifeng, as a man of no faction, had never been able to gain much support in a place like Xuan-Da. His determined drive for reform inevitably touched the local interest groups, and it was unavoidable that he offended a great many people.

The more upright he was, the more people he offended. A man like him, in the late Ming where foul currents ran everywhere, could hardly survive. Historically, when Li Zicheng advanced on Xuanfu, Du Xun surrendered, Regional Commander Wang Chengyin surrendered, and the whole city surrendered. Zhu Zhifeng personally lit the cannon, only to be pulled away by those around him. In the end, Zhu Zhifeng hanged himself, and his body was thrown into the moat by the Chuang troops.

"Grand Coordinator Ji of Xuan-Da has already approved this marquis's action. Supervisor Du, Military Commander Zhu — these borers have already destroyed the foundation of the Great Ming. They have read the sages' books to the full, yet instead of thinking how to repay the state, they are everywhere digging at the nation's walls. They watch with their own eyes as the common people lose all means of livelihood, and are not moved in the slightest. They are the woodworms of the state. If they are not removed, how can the nation's affairs ever improve?"

"Of course."

Wang Dou said, "Military Commander Ji's order — this marquis has already countersigned it. This matter is of no small consequence. If you two do not approve of countersigning, this marquis will fully understand and will not hold it against either of you."

Zhu Zhifeng's face, already ashen, had now turned black. Finally he heaved a deep sigh: "The Marquis of Yongning speaks rightly. The dynasty has reached this point, riddled with layer upon layer of disease. From top to bottom it is already rotten. Without applying thunder and lightning, how can we restore a clear and bright sky to the Great Ming?"

He declared resolutely: "Confucius said, 'Achieve benevolence'; Mencius said, 'Choose righteousness.' Though I face a thousand, ten thousand men, I shall go forward. The order to arrest the treacherous merchants of Xuanzhen — this governor will also countersign it!"

Watching the old man's determined expression, Wang Dou nodded. Knowing full well that once this action was taken, impeachment attacks would come like clouds, open spears and hidden arrows emerging endlessly, yet Zhu Zhifeng still went forward without looking back — one could not help but admire him. Though the Great Ming was now shrouded in layer upon layer of dark haze, there were still points of light within it, precisely because there were men like Zhu Zhifeng.

Not only Zhu Zhifeng, but also Cai Maode, Wei Jingyuan, and many, many others. Among these men were those of no faction, those of the Donglin faction, and those of the eunuch faction. Wei Jingyuan was of the eunuch faction, Cai Maode was of the Donglin faction, Lu Xiangsheng and Sun Chengzong were also of the Donglin faction. It was because these loyal and heroic martyrs existed that the Great Ming is remembered with longing in history.

Of course, among them all there were scum — such as the Donglin grandee Qian Qianyi, whose loyalty was as tepid as water, and the eunuch-faction backbone Sun Zhixie, who was the first to advocate shaving the head and the first to change into barbarian dress.

Yet those who could overcome the conflict between family and state — these orthodox Confucian sons — commanded respect. After the Ming fell, the various Ming officials and generals who died in battle, died by suicide, and so on, those whose posthumous names are verifiable number over eight thousand. Compare this to the lament of the remnant loyalists when the Manchu Qing fell: "...The state nurtured scholars for two hundred years, and this is the recompense? With such an outcome, what more is there to say?"

The Great Song and the Great Ming — in nurturing scholars, the state still succeeded.

Wang Dou's principle was this: whether Donglin faction, eunuch faction, or no faction — no matter which faction — those who were loyal and righteous for the country, he admired; conversely, those who were not, he despised.

Hearing Zhu Zhifeng's words, Wang Dou said happily: "Good. I shall advance and retreat together with Lord Zhu. In Xuanzhen, with united hearts and combined strength, we shall make it a land of peace and refuge for the Great Ming."

Du Xun, however, was somewhat hesitant, unsure whether he should countersign his own name. He wanted to take those two hundred thousand taels of silver, yet he also worried about all manner of consequences.

But Zhu Zhifeng's subsequent words made Wang Dou's face turn black.

He saw Zhu Zhifeng say to Wang Dou with a stern expression: "After the treacherous merchants are investigated and banned, all silver, valuables, and goods obtained should be handed over in full to the state treasury. As ministers of the realm, how can we privately hide or encroach upon them, taking even a single cent or a hair, and commit such disloyal and unrighteous acts?"

"The Marquis of Yongning, as Regional Commander of Xuanzhen, is perfectly justified in arresting the treacherous merchants of Xuanzhen. However, if he crosses the border and the river to go to Datong and Shanxi garrisons, even with Military Commander Ji's document, it is still not quite proper. In this governor's opinion, we should request an imperial decree for judgment, and a joint deliberation by the three judicial offices would be best..."

On the twenty-fourth day, at the hour of the rabbit.

The twelfth month was already near, and the weather was bitterly cold. The north wind of the previous night had frozen the remnants of snow into solid ice. Now the wind swept the scattered clouds, and banners and pennants fluttered in the wind. "Woo... woo... woo..." The long, drawn-out horn calls sounded, and one dense mass of troops after another assembled, stretching continuously into the distance.

Seeing the great army's awe-inspiring might, Du Xun could not help but change color. He could clearly hear the heavy, panting breaths of himself and his attendants.

The previous day had been so hurried that he had not paid much attention to the Jingbian Army's troops. Now, observing them carefully, such fierce and formidable troops made one's heart tremble with fear just to look upon them. He was secretly alarmed — the day before, he had actually roared at Wang Dou. It was fortunate that Wang Dou had restrained himself, otherwise...

Then his heart relaxed. With Wang Dou commanding such a powerful army, it seemed his cooperation with the Marquis of Yongning was a wise choice. Even if the remonstrance officials and censors attacked him afterward, he might perhaps be able to weather it calmly and enjoy the money with a clear conscience.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver! After arriving at Xuanzhen, he had desperately tried to squeeze out money, and how much had he gotten in the end? It was completely worth taking the gamble.

Unlike other parts of the Great Ming, all the land in the Eastern Circuit that could be reclaimed had already been reclaimed. Everywhere were fields of winter wheat, which naturally could not be trampled by warhorses. Therefore, the great army's formations all avoided the farmlands and were arrayed on some wild ground and hills.

At this moment, on a hilltop several li from Yulin Fort, banners and flags were planted everywhere. Wang Dou's central-army commander's banner, even more so, unfurled and rolled high in the wind. Here, Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, and the others all stood beside Wang Dou. And beside Wang Dou and the others, Zhu Zhifeng's iron-black face had relaxed somewhat.

The day before, after he had spoken those words, he had again quarreled fiercely with Wang Dou. He demanded that after the treacherous merchants were investigated and banned, all silver, valuables, and goods obtained be handed over in full to the state treasury. How could Wang Dou possibly agree? Even if he retreated ten thousand steps, after this money was handed over, aside from being embezzled by others, how many taels of silver could actually be used for proper purposes? So it was absolutely out of the question.

Furthermore, Zhu Zhifeng also believed that the army should not be deployed, but rather that government office runners, archers, and the like should carry out the arrests — and so on and so forth, nagging endlessly. In the end, Wang Dou could not be bothered to pay him any more attention.

This also made Zhu Zhifeng's face turn black again, and he gave Wang Dou no good looks. Yet upon seeing the military formations before him, while his heart soared and his spirit was refreshed, he still stroked his beard with satisfaction and praised: "The Marquis of Yongning has trained his troops well. With such a powerful army in the Great Ming, why worry that restoration is not in sight?"

Wang Dou smiled faintly: "Lord Zhu overpraises me."

Zhu Zhifeng suddenly lowered his beard-stroking hand: "The General has fought for the state, his labors arduous and his achievements great. This governor should go before them and address the troops with words of comfort..."

In the bitter cold, all the mobilized Jingbian Army soldiers sat astride their horses in strict formation, awaiting orders. Though they had just returned from the campaign in Liaodong and had not been able to return to the military camp or see their families, they bore no resentment. The treacherous merchants had brought disaster upon their homeland — how could they be lightly forgiven? They would use the force of a thunderbolt to let them taste what it meant to be enemies of the Eastern Circuit.

Not only that, but crowds of soldiers and civilians from the Eastern Circuit had also come pressing in, excitedly looking on and discussing. The Grand General was indeed going to show those treacherous merchants something formidable. This action truly gratified the hearts of the people.

Those with well-informed sources even knew that the treacherous merchants Fan Sanba and the others had all been arrested — which was even more gratifying.

Not only that, but even among Yang Guozhu's subordinates, many wanted to join the Jingbian Army and the others in this operation. However, Yang Guozhu had strictly forbidden it, and no one dared to move without authorization. Like Wang Dou, Yang Guozhu had always commanded high prestige within the main-battalion troops and the several new-army battalions.

"Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories! Ten thousand victories!"

A heaven-covering, earth-filling cheer rose. Wang Dou rode his horse through the midst of the ten thousand troops, seeing banners and pennants like a sea, and an unparalleled heroic spirit could not help but surge in his heart.

This was his army, and also his capital for breaking through these layer upon layer of dark haze and clouded days. With this powerful army before him, he could fully unfold the learning in his heart. First of all, he would start by taking the knife to those treacherous merchants.

He raised his horsewhip and shouted: "Move out!"

"Move out!"

"Move out!"

"Arrest all those treacherous merchants, leave not a single one!"

Hoofbeats rumbled like thunder. Countless sturdy riders surged forward, merging into a rolling, mighty torrent. (To be continued. Welcome to Qidian to cast recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)