Chapter 722: Generalissimo Who Subdues the Caitiffs

Chen Xinjia stood frozen for a long moment before he came back to his senses — words that pierce the heart, these were truly words that pierce the heart!

He bellowed, "Absurd! Absurd! Is knowing how to fight a crime? Are strong soldiers and sturdy horses a fault? Must one be a useless glutton like Zuo Liangyu before you, the Left Censor-in-Chief, are satisfied?"

He raged on: "This time Zuo Liangyu ran again, costing the Great Ming over a hundred thousand officers and men their lives — why have I not heard you denounce the man and his deeds? Wu Sangui was defeated too, and I heard not a word from you! He Renlong has run away how many times, yet you wholeheartedly appease him, while it is Wang Dou, who wins battles, whom you vigorously attack!"

He jabbed a finger straight at Li Banghua's nose and shouted viciously: "So in your heart, those who prey on the common people, who are utterly infamous, who lose battle after battle — they are the pillars of the state! While those loyal to the sovereign, who love the country, who win battle after battle — they are the scourge? Or is it that Zuo Liangyu and his ilk make trouble, while the Marquis of Yongning is respectful, and you think a gentleman can be bullied by his own integrity? Li Banghua, is that it?"

Li Banghua looked at him coldly: "Since ancient times, who among those who won the realm was a fool? Precisely because Zuo Liangyu, He Renlong, and Wu Sangui are all rats, incapable of great things, they are not to be feared! Only Wang Dou can handle both military and civil affairs — he possesses the talent of a king, and he is adept at winning hearts and minds…"

He raised the newspaper in his hand: "These pages speak only of Wang Dou — is there any mention of His Majesty's name within? Is there any mention of you lords within? You say Wang Dou is a loyal subject, but is this the conduct befitting a subject and son?"

He flung the newspaper to the floor and shouted sternly: "This is plotting sedition! A treacherous minister!"

Chen Xinjia panted heavily, so furious and flustered that he scarcely knew what to say anymore.

Li Banghua turned again toward the Chongzhen Emperor and said with a solemn countenance, "Your Majesty!"

"Enough!"

The Chongzhen Emperor roared, rising abruptly to his feet. His body swayed unsteadily as he pointed at Li Banghua and said, "You… you have said so much — Li Banghua, what good strategy do you have?"

Li Banghua stared wide-eyed and shouted: "Your servant is the eyes of the Thirteen Circuits of the Investigating Censorate! By ancestral institutions, the Chief Surveillance Bureau is specifically charged with surveilling and impeaching all officials, serving as the eyes, ears, and disciplinary authority of the Son of Heaven — how can it be an ordinary ministry office? What Your Majesty speaks of is not my duty — is Your Majesty seeking to destroy the institutions of the Exalted Emperor?"

The Chongzhen Emperor shouted: "Speak! What strategy do you have!"

Everyone in the cabinet hall looked at Li Banghua — Zhou Yanru and the others. They even unconsciously edged farther away from him.

Li Banghua lowered his head, then finally raised it slowly and declared in a loud voice: "Your servant petitions that Wang Dou be enfeoffed as a Duke of the State, ordered to enter the capital, and appointed to the post of Viceroy of the Capital Training Divisions!"

It was like a thunderclap. The men in the hall were shaken once more. They heard Li Banghua continue with head held high: "Your servant's heart bleeds only for the Great Ming! If Wang Dou is truly loyal to the nation, he will be willing to relinquish his military authority. The day Wang Dou arrives in the capital shall be the day I, Banghua, atone with my death!"

Having said this, he prostrated himself deeply upon the floor.

The Chongzhen Emperor was stunned. He looked at the kneeling, prostrate Li Banghua, a strange light flickering in his eyes, which finally settled into an expression of profound regret.

Chen Xinjia stared blankly at Li Banghua kneeling there. For a moment, he even felt some admiration for this man on the floor, this old man past sixty. Much as he detested the purist faction, he himself could not do what Li Banghua did — offer himself as bait, looking death calmly in the face.

Yet it was useless. If Li Banghua's plan succeeded, it would indeed settle the matter once and for all — but was the matter really so simple? If it were truly so simple, dealing with warlords across the dynasties would not have been such a headache.

He said in a low voice, "Grand Secretary Li, this will not work."

Li Banghua abruptly raised his head to look at him and said loudly: "Does Wang Dou not claim to be a loyal subject? Why then does he not come to the capital? If he understands the great principle, he should not make things difficult for his sovereign and father! If he does not come, he is disloyal, and all under Heaven will see his true face — a scoundrel who brings calamity to the state and the people! Conversely, if he comes, he is a loyal subject and righteous man! A talent capable of ordering the state, securing the realm, and assisting the sovereign — and I, Li Banghua, will willingly atone for my offense with death before his face!"

Chen Xinjia was speechless. He flung his sleeve and said bitterly, "A petty scholar is not worth consulting!"

Beside him, Wei Zaode laughed coldly and drawled: "Truly absurd. Li Banghua, you seek a reputation for forthrightness, yet you would force the court into a showdown with the Marquis of Yongning? What are your intentions? Do you know what the consequences would be? If both sides tear off all pretense, can you bear the responsibility?"

Chen Yan also added from the side in a sinister tone: "Alienating a grand minister, chilling the hearts of our officers and men of the three armies — this is a traitor to the state! Your Majesty, Li Banghua seeks to throw the Great Ming's realm into chaos and plunge the myriad people into fire and water — your servant petitions that he be executed!"

The two men's words were light and airy, yet carried tremendous force — they were earning their keep from those who had paid them. Moreover, Li Banghua belonged to the Donglin faction within the Grand Secretariat and was on good terms with Zhou Yanru; striking at Li Banghua was an indirect strike at Zhou Yanru, the common enemy of both Wei Zaode and Chen Yan!

Senior Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru sighed from the side. Seeing the Emperor's cold gaze already turned his way, he knew he had to make a decision.

Li Banghua's plan was clearly unworkable. Who knew what might happen in the process of summoning Wang Dou to the capital as a Duke of the State? What if Wang Dou refused to come? Or what of other complications?

If anything went wrong, the one who would ultimately suffer would be himself, the Senior Grand Secretary. By contrast, Chen Xinjia's strategy was sound — send Wang Dou far away, satisfying all parties. Even if trouble arose with Wang Dou later, that was a matter for later; for now, they could get through.

Moreover, the debate over rewards and titles had gone on for days — a decision had to be made. Otherwise, he, the Senior Grand Secretary, would leave an impression of incompetence in the Emperor's mind.

He had also been beset by a heap of troubles lately. Recently, Zhou Yanru, confident that he had won the trust and support of the Emperor and various factions, had petitioned to curtail the investigatory powers of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Although this move won widespread acclaim, it earned him the enmity of the Depot and the Guard, who now deliberately spied out his private affairs, while various factions rose up together to attack him. Zhou Yanru was utterly overwhelmed and truly stretched too thin.

Better to steady things with calm. The court could not take this risk; it was better to direct Wang Dou's attention toward the northern frontier.

Thinking thus, Zhou Yanru said, "Your servant believes Chen Xinjia's strategy is feasible."

Minister of Personnel Zheng Sanjun and Minister of Revenue Ni Yuanlu sighed and also said, "Your servant concurs."

Minister of Justice Liu Zeshen and Minister of Works Yuan Jingwen said, "Your servant likewise concurs!"

Minister of Rites Fu Shuxun said, "Oh… your servant shall heed His Majesty."

Li Banghua felt a surge of indignation fill his body, as if his very organs would burn to cinders. He nearly coughed up blood violently but forcibly held it back. He prostrated himself deeply and said in a loud voice, "Your servant, with a single heart only for the Great Ming, implores His Majesty to exercise his sacred judgment alone!"

Zhou Yanru and the others also knelt together and all said, "We beseech His Majesty to exercise his sacred judgment alone!"

The Chongzhen Emperor paced back and forth. His steps grew faster and faster, until finally he stopped abruptly and declared in a loud voice: "Draft the edict!"

Immediately, a duty eunuch stepped forward. The Chongzhen Emperor said coldly: "Wang Dou, Marquis of Yongning, has campaigned beyond the frontier and rendered great service to the state. He may be enfeoffed as Generalissimo Who Subdues the Caitiffs, appointed as Grand Protector of the Anbei Protectorate, and additionally granted the title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent. He shall retain his title as Marquis of Yongning. … It is heard that Wang Dou, Marquis of Yongning, has a concubine of the Ji clan, virtuous and of good character. She may be made a First-Rank Lady, and her son granted the post of Assistant Guard Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. … In response to the Generalissimo Who Subdues the Caitiffs' request: Han Chao, Vice General of the Loyal and Valiant Battalion's Rear Battalion of the Pacifying Frontier Army, has rendered merit in the northern campaign. He may be made General Who Guards the North, appointed as Regional Commander of Xuanfu Garrison!"

"…It is heard that Li Banghua, Left Censor-in-Chief of the Chief Surveillance Bureau, is seasoned and experienced, and handles affairs with a sincere heart. He may be made Imperial Commissioner, to depart the capital this very day to deliver the edict, and concurrently appointed as Vice Grand Protector of the Anbei Protectorate, performing the duties of Army Supervisor!"

A dead silence fell within the hall. The Emperor's series of thunderous decisions stunned everyone. Wang Dou had finally been enfeoffed as a "Grand General," placing him alongside Xu Da, Li Wenzhong, Chang Yuchun, and their like. Since the mid-Ming, only Ma Gui had been enfeoffed as Grand General for Coastal Defense, and Qiu Luan as Grand General Who Pacifies the Caitiffs — this honor could not be surpassed.

Even Li Banghua, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Chief Surveillance Bureau, was to be sent to Wang Dou — whether to placate his anger or for some other reason. Presumably, even if Wang Dou learned of what had transpired in the cabinet hall, he would harbor no particular grievance.

The string of thunderbolts was truly shocking. Even when they heard the Emperor bestow honors on Wang Dou's concubine — a move contrary to ritual propriety — everyone forgot to object. Moreover, the bone-chilling coldness in the Emperor's voice deterred anyone from speaking much.

They also looked at Li Banghua, kneeling on the floor, dumbstruck as a wooden chicken, lonely and desolate, muttering something unintelligible under his breath — it seemed to be "Your servant obeys the decree…" Without prior agreement, the assembled ministers all felt a sense of shared sorrow at a comrade's misfortune — a dignified Grand Secretary of the Cabinet…

The Chongzhen Emperor's decrees continued without pause. Many in the Pacifying Frontier Army and the three garrisons of Xuanfu and Datong received rewards, yet Wang Pu seemed to have been forgotten, receiving only a few perfunctory words of praise and a reward of one hundred taels of silver — nothing more.

Li Banghua departed, holding the imperial edict. The Chongzhen Emperor watched him with an icy gaze the entire time. Only after Li Banghua's figure had vanished from sight did the Emperor's eyes flicker, a trace of desolation rising within them.

…

Afterward, the hall fell quiet. Sovereign and ministers resolved the accumulated miscellaneous affairs of recent days at top speed. Decrees were issued reprimanding Wu Sangui and Zuo Liangyu for their defeats; each was demoted several grades and ordered to redeem themselves through meritorious service, though they remained in their original posts.

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were likewise rebuked, but funds from the imperial privy purse and some Ministry of Revenue silver were issued to console the families of fallen officers and men. Initially, when news of the two men's great defeat arrived, public opinion was in an uproar, and there was no shortage of voices within and outside the court calling for their titles to be stripped. However, soon after, the Xuanfu Times gave extensive coverage to the New Army's story, and court and public opinion generally turned sympathetic.

The Chongzhen Emperor was equally shaken. Although he deeply detested the newspaper's overreach, the Xuanfu Times was one of the few channels through which he could learn the truth of the outside world, and he still read every issue. The stirring accounts recorded therein of the New Army's annihilation — deeds worthy of song and tears — made him sigh and set down the paper again and again, thinking to himself: if all in the Great Ming were such loyal and valiant officers and men, why should state affairs not be settled?

Thereafter, all memorials attacking Cao and Wang were retained at court without response. As for their petitions requesting to return to their original garrisons, the Chongzhen Emperor decreed that the two men temporarily relocate to Kaifeng. If Kaifeng was secure, the two could return to the Yutian and other garrisons to continue training the New Army.

The Qing caitiffs were at that moment rampaging through Korea, threatening to extinguish that kingdom entirely. Even if the Great Ming had the capacity to intervene — which it did not — sovereign and ministers alike were thoroughly weary of the Korean kingdom's fickleness; many even took malicious pleasure in its plight. Beyond permitting the Korean sovereign and ministers on Ganghwa Island to seek exile in the Great Ming, the court merely ordered Shandong Regional Commander Liu Zeqing and others to strengthen their defenses.

There was one more matter that had to be properly handled: Wang Dou's father-in-law, Ji Shiwei.

This campaign beyond the frontier was nominally a joint expedition by the Xuanfu and Datong garrisons. With a great victory won beyond the frontier, Ji Shiwei, as Viceroy of Xuan-Da, naturally had merit. Court deliberations held that Ji Shiwei could be summoned to the capital and given an important post there — for instance, Minister of Rites Fu Shuxun had long wished to resign, and Ji Shiwei could take his place.

Although the Ministry of Rites had two Vice Ministers, Wei Zaode and Chen Yan, the Great Ming generally had no custom of promoting a Vice Minister directly to Minister; selections were made from among the various provincial governors and viceroys — just as Chen Xinjia had once been Viceroy of Xuan-Da before being transferred to the capital to serve as Minister of War.

Yet this required consideration of Wang Dou's views. If the court made such a move, would Wang Dou see it as a scheme directed against him? Moreover, after Ji Shiwei departed, who would succeed him as Viceroy of Xuan-Da? Looking around, there was no ideal candidate.

After all, this post faced the Pacifying Frontier Army directly, faced Wang Dou directly — only a person of strength could hold it. If Wang Dou was dissatisfied and stirred up a little trouble, the one who suffered would be the successor.

In fact, Viceroy of Xuan-Da had already become an unpopular post. This could be seen from Senior Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru's perspective: few people lobbied for the position, and fewer still were willing to pay a high price for it. All things considered, Ji Shiwei continuing as Viceroy of Xuan-Da was actually the most ideal choice.

Regardless of what Ji Shiwei himself thought, the three garrison Provincial Governors — Zhu Zhifeng, Cai Maode, and Wei Jingyuan — were beyond doubt loyal to the sovereign and devoted to the country, and they effectively kept Ji Shiwei in check. The several parties had tacitly formed a balance; for an outsider to barge in would instead be undesirable.

Moreover, the present moment calls for calming things down. From the Emperor’s edict of reward and title, the recent policy of appeasement toward Wang Dou is utterly exposed. No one wants to stir up more trouble. Otherwise, Li Banghua’s fate will be the next one they share.

At the proposal of Senior Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru, Ji Shiwei was additionally granted the title of Junior Preceptor of the Heir Apparent, and the matter was thus set aside.

……

“Though the roving bandits have shifted their plundering elsewhere, I remain anxious about the Kaifeng affair. Throughout the Great Ming at present, are there still any troops available for relief?”

Having resolved a string of vexing matters, yet facing even more vexing affairs, the Chongzhen Emperor slumped wearily back onto the dragon throne and only murmured to himself.

The assembled ministers exchanged glances. The realm’s strongest force, the Border-Pacifying Army, dared not be moved — they treated it as invisible, as if it did not exist. Wang Pu, like Wang Dou, had been frozen out, and whether he could even be ordered to move was still a question. But apart from them, were there any mobile relief troops left?

Everyone turned the matter over in their minds. The Viceroy of the Three Frontiers, Wang Qiaonian, was one possibility. He was currently suppressing bandits in Henan Prefecture and was also the closest to Kaifeng Prefecture.

Only, word had come that after the great battle at Zhuxianzhen, tens of thousands of elite bandit cavalry had pressed toward Henan Prefecture. Wang Qiaonian’s subordinates were all men like He Renlong, Zheng Jiadong, and Niu Chenghu — birds of a feather with Zuo Liangyu. To this day there was still no word from Wang Qiaonian; his fate was likely grim.

If Wang Qiaonian were defeated and the government troops routed, no one knew whether it would drag the situation in Shaanxi into chaos as well. The ministers all dared not imagine it.

Tang Tong had originally been slowly advancing south, but upon hearing of the Ming army’s great defeat at Zhuxianzhen, he turned and ran back to his garrison.

The forces of Liu Zeqing and others in Shandong had long received orders to relieve Kaifeng, yet they simply dreaded battle and refused to advance, finding every kind of pretext not to take a single step forward. Now with the government troops’ great defeat, it went without saying.

Then there was Wu Sangui in Liaodong, so utterly deranged over the Liaodong military tax. He likely would not take another step out of Liaodong, and even if he were willing to send troops, the exorbitant price he demanded was probably more than the imperial court could bear.

The Regional Commander of Shanxi Garrison, Zhou Yuji, could be used, but he had only one main-force battalion, his troops numbering a mere three thousand-odd men, with cavalry only a thousand-odd. What use would that be? Moreover, he and the Vice Regional Commander of Shanxi Garrison, Li Yunshu, still had to guard against the bandits in Henan Prefecture across the Yellow River.

Zuo Liangyu — the Chongzhen Emperor no longer wished to hear that man’s name. After thinking it over, only Yang Guozhu’s fifteen thousand men from Ji Garrison could be moved. The Chongzhen Emperor ground his teeth: “Warlords everywhere, none of them usable. Only the new army can be relied upon!”

The assembled ministers all looked at him. If the Emperor’s words got out, the various garrisons and generals would grow even more estranged and disloyal. Yet whether they were estranged and disloyal or not made no difference — they were unusable either way.

Chen Xinjia said cautiously, “Then shall we transfer the Marquis of Jibei south to exterminate the roving bandits?”

The Chongzhen Emperor barked, “The Marquis of Jibei must not be moved!”

The assembled ministers all fell silent. They of course knew the reason Yang Guozhu could not be moved. Only, looking across the Great Ming, there was not a single soldier that could be transferred to relieve Kaifeng. The state’s affairs were so perilously dire; a heavy feeling welled up in everyone’s hearts.

Fortunately, the bandits’ second assault on Kaifeng had both times failed to take it. The ministers clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that even if the Kaifeng government troops could not go out and fight in the field, holding the city should be without worry. Yet even if Kaifeng could hold, the Central Plains would only grow more ravaged.

Chen Xinjia drew a deep breath, stepped forward and knelt, and loudly reported: “The Count of Nan’an, Hong Chengchou, once submitted a memorial strenuously requesting the reappointment of Sun Chuanting as Viceroy of the Three Frontiers of Shaanxi, and requesting the reappointment of Sun Chengzong as Viceroy of Ji-Liao. I believe this is feasible!”

He continued, “Furthermore, the Count of Nan’an has been idle in the capital all this time. Though he has an old ailment and should not undertake distant journeys, your humble minister believes that ordering him to reorganize the Capital Training Divisions and to recruit and train a new army for the capital would hold great promise. The present predicament is entirely the result of the central government’s impotence. If the Capital Divisions had been as strong as in the days of the Exalted Emperor or the Chengzu Emperor, who among the Nine Frontier Garrisons would dare treat them with indifference?”

He raised his voice: “Your humble minister has another stratagem. Sending frontier troops on distant expeditions is, in the end, more harmful than beneficial. The defeats of Cao and Wang are proof of this! Just as men of Liao defend Liao soil, let new armies defend their own soil. We can order the Provincial Governor of Shanxi Garrison, Cai Maode; the Provincial Governor of Huguang, Song Yihe; the Viceroy of Fengyang, Ma Shiying; and, in due time, Sun Chuanting, to vigorously train new armies in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Huguang, and the Southern Metropolitan Region, so as to prevent the situation from spreading and the roving bandits from wreaking havoc. It would also be like the strategy of Viceroy Yang in those years — the Four Fronts, Six Corners, and the Ten-Faced Net — to encircle and trap the roving bandits!”

The Chongzhen Emperor rose to his feet and murmured, “Sun Chuanting… Sun Chengzong… Hong Chengchou… the new army?” (To be continued…)