Chapter 184: Borrowed by My Own Skill — Why Should I Return It?

In the spirit of resource sharing — what's mine is mine, and what's yours is also mine — the Chongzhen Emperor decided to delay his rest a little and first summon the Shunyi Prince Boshitu and Jorightu Khan for an audience.

After the two men had paid their respects to the sacred and great ruler of all under heaven?

When the great army entered the city, the Shunyi Prince Boshitu and Jorightu Khan had watched.

As they saw the Sülüding battle flags and the great woolen banners — which to the Mongols represented slaughter, blood and fire, and invincibility in battle — cast carelessly onto the ground by the Ming troops and trampled underfoot as the army marched over them, the Shunyi Prince Boshitu and Jorightu Khan could not quite describe what they felt in their hearts.

On the one hand, the two men certainly hoped the Great Ming Emperor would teach Ligdan Khan a harsh lesson — that bastard had bullied them far too much.

Yet on the other hand, the thought that when the fox dies the hare grieves, that all creatures mourn their own kind, was not unique to the Central Plains; the two men were, after all, of the same stock as Ligdan Khan.

Moreover, if the Emperor personally led a campaign and crippled Ligdan Khan in a single battle, would the two of them still be of much use in the future? And if this Emperor, with his immense appetite for killing, went on to pacify Liaodong, where would that leave the two of them?

As for the state of the army that had entered the city, the two men had seen it with their own eyes.

There was little to say about those tens of thousands of Ming cavalry — that look of "I'm the baddest bastard under heaven" was something the two men had never seen before, not on the Ming troops of old, not on the cavalry of any steppe tribe, and not even on the so-called Jianzhou barbarians, of whom it was said that when the Jurchen numbered less than ten thousand they were invincible.

Yet it was precisely on this cavalry force — which had numbered fifty thousand when it marched beyond the frontier and returned to the city with less than half remaining — that the two men saw that soaring, sky-piercing arrogance that comes when proud soldiers and fierce commanders are forged together.

The two men, secretly alarmed, heard the Chongzhen Emperor's question and hurriedly bowed. "O great Khan of Heaven! You commanded your valiant army and defeated the insufferably arrogant Ligdan Khan. Your slaves have already witnessed the heroic bearing of the returning army."

Mm, that boot-licking hit the mark. And the attitude behind this boot-licking was a hell of a lot more sincere than before. Sure enough, in this world, you still have to let your fists do the talking. Didn't they say in later ages: caliber is truth, range is justice.

Inwardly pleased, Chongzhen merely gave a faint "Mm," then continued, "We have summoned you two beloved ministers today because there is a matter We wish to discuss with you."

Boshitu and Jorightu had no idea what Chongzhen wanted to say to them, but they still replied with the utmost deference, "Whatever the Khan of Heaven commands, your slaves will obey without question."

Chongzhen nodded. "You two beloved ministers are exceedingly loyal; it warms Our heart deeply. It is nothing much, really — it is simply that We wish to continue borrowing these ten thousand cavalry for a while."

You dog of an emperor! The two men cursed inwardly. You're "borrowing" with no intention of returning them! If we'd known you were this greedy, we'd never have scraped together ten thousand cavalry for you to lead back then — five thousand would have been too many!

Boshitu considered his words carefully, then said with great caution, "O great Khan of Heaven, a lamb that has lost its shepherd's protection may be carried off by jackals at any moment! Without these cavalry, we still fear that Ligdan Khan will turn around and attack us again."

Jorightu also put on a troubled expression. "Reporting to the great Khan of Heaven, our Inner Khalkha tribes still wish to return to Liaodong to guard its gateway for you. If we lack these cavalry, I fear we will be unable to hold off those Jurchens and the Khorchin traitors."

Motherfucker! Just a moment ago it was "obey without question," and now you're making excuses to my face? You think I don't have a Dragon-Slaying Saber in my hand or what?

Displeased, the Chongzhen Emperor immediately let his face fall. Flatly, he said, "The Shunyi Prince may graze his herds north of Xuanfu to his heart's content — even if you lent Ligdan Khan a few extra guts, I doubt he would dare look south.

As for the Barin and Jarud, do not return to Liaodong for the time being. Graze here in Monan as well.

In any case, plenty of tribes were slaughtered clean this time; there is no shortage of pastureland. Graze as you please.

Should Ligdan Khan dare to come south, We will simply bring the great army again."

Seeing that the two men still wanted to say something, the Chongzhen Emperor added with a sardonic edge, "These ten thousand cavalry — We are borrowing them, and that is final. Once We march east and pacify Khorchin, the vast steppe will be yours to divide up slowly.

For now, the safety of your tribes shall be protected by Us."

Seeing that the Chongzhen Emperor had stooped to shamelessly threatening the safety of their tribes, and reflecting that these ten thousand cavalry had never even made it back to their tribes after returning, the two men could only resign themselves.

"Your slaves are willing to obey the Khan of Heaven's decree."

After seeing the two men off, Chongzhen muttered to himself, "We have to return things We borrow? I borrowed it by my own skill — why should I return it? Ridiculous!"

Mm, very good. Very assertive. Fang Zhenghua, who had been standing behind Chongzhen the whole time like a wooden post, was covered in black lines of dismay — he had never heard of such a shameless emperor!

But in the Chongzhen Emperor's view, all under heaven belonged to him, and Mongolia naturally ought to be his as well. Every place the sun and moon shone upon ought to be his.

Killing was killing for now; later on, wouldn't it all be "you're fine, I'm fine, everyone's fine," with Mongols and Han one big family? After three to five generations, what damn difference would there even be?

The next day, the Chongzhen Emperor rose early as well and led the great army toward the capital. This time he also brought along Qin Liangyu and her White Rod troops.

Since he had decided to go to Liaodong to smash some heads personally, bringing them was far more useful than not, for the White Rod troops had, after all, thrashed the Jianzhou barbarians before.

After hurrying along for several days, Chongzhen finally led the army to the Anding Gate on the capital's northern wall.

The Chongzhen Emperor felt that in this world there were originally no set scripts; it was only because so many people used them that they became scripts. Still, as the saying goes, since ancient times deep feeling cannot hold a man, but a set script always wins the heart.

Since the army's entry ceremony in Xuanfu had been so morale-boosting, there was no reason it wouldn't work just as well in the capital.

And so the civil and military officials of the Great Ming were put through the wringer — all capital officials except those on duty were required to go outside the city gate to welcome the Emperor's triumphant return.

As for the common folk of the city, the residents of the Four-Nine City, who always loved a good spectacle, figured that if all those officials were flocking outside Anding Gate, it was very likely the Emperor returning from his personal campaign.

And hadn't they heard it was a great victory with a hundred thousand enemy heads taken? Then they damn well ought to go see it too.

The officers and men of the Five Wards Military Command were getting a massive headache. Now they had to maintain order again, damn it — who knew why the commoners of the capital loved watching a spectacle so much?

They'd watch executions at the the Caishikou execution ground execution ground; they'd watch the Emperor come back from a war. Was there anything they wouldn't watch?!

With so many people in the capital, not only was the area outside Anding Gate packed for over ten li, but even the teahouses and wineshops inside the city near Anding Gate were crammed full.

For a time, the men of the Five Wards Military Command stopped bothering with street patrols and the like — they tossed that job to Shuntian Prefecture to worry about. If order wasn't maintained and a stampede broke out, their own hides would be forfeit.

Fifteen li from Anding Gate, the hundred officials led by Wen Tiren and Shi Fenglai were being baked by the sun until grease practically oozed from their skin, wiping the sweat from their faces again and again. Shi Fenglai, seeing that Wen Tiren was already swaying, spoke up.

"Sir Wen, why not rest a while and come back when the army arrives?"

Wen Tiren gave a bitter smile. "Let us just wait patiently. They should be here soon."

Shi Fenglai was about to urge him again when a rapid clatter of hoofbeats rang out. A eunuch of the inner court came racing up on horseback, and when he reached Wen Tiren and the others, he suddenly reined in his horse.

As the warhorse reared up with a ringing neigh and came to a stand, the eunuch raised his voice.

"His Majesty returns in triumph from his personal campaign.

Distance: ten li."

With that, he wheeled his horse around and galloped off. After another short while — less than half a shichen — another inner court eunuch relayed the message. "His Majesty returns in triumph from his personal campaign. Distance: five li."

Wen Tiren pulled himself together and said to Shi Fenglai and Meng Shaoyu, the Minister of Rites, "Prepare yourselves. They are almost here." Meng Shaoyu acknowledged this, nodded, and stepped aside to issue the orders.

At this moment, the great Ming-character banner, held high, finally came into view in the distance — the Chongzhen Emperor's returning army had arrived.

Meng Shaoyu saw the Ming-character banner and ordered, "Strike up the triumphant music!"

The Chongzhen Emperor, who was never much for following set scripts, heard the triumphant music begin and, paying no mind to any script, suddenly dug his heels into his horse's flanks and came racing toward Anding Gate.

Ignoring the civil and military officials and commoners who knelt in waves with a great rustling sound, the Chongzhen Emperor rode straight up to Wen Tiren and the other officials of the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries. He bade them all rise, then asked, "Where is the Minister of Rites?"

Although Meng Shaoyu had no idea why the Chongzhen Emperor was looking for him first at a time like this, he still bowed. "Your servant is here."

Chongzhen said crisply, "Have them stop this triumphant music.

Play 'The War Chariots Roll Forth.'" From a certain book he had read in his past life, Chongzhen vividly remembered the passage about singing "The War Chariots Roll Forth" to welcome the soldiers — especially the lines "Before I saw my lord, my heart was sick with worry.

Now I have seen my lord, my heart is at peace." Since so many officers and men had fallen in this campaign, he would play "The War Chariots Roll Forth" and welcome the spirits of the martyred heroes!

Before Meng Shaoyu could speak, Wen Tiren first attempted to object.

"Your Majesty, to play 'The War Chariots Roll Forth' at this moment — would that not be contrary to ritual?

Moreover, with the officers and men returning in triumph from a great battle, is this not precisely the time for triumphant music?"

Chongzhen replied, "The triumphant music can wait until the bestowal of rewards. At this moment, we first welcome the fallen officers and men and escort them to the Shrine of the Loyal!"

How much of a pain in the ass were the civil officials of the Great Ming at this moment? Their balls were probably shattered all over the ground.

The Emperor had set out on campaign without first performing the Heaven-worshipping rites or issuing a proclamation to the realm — that in itself was contrary to ritual.

Now, returning in great victory, the proper procedure should have been to first hold a suburban welcome, then present captives at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and finally issue a proclamation to the realm.

Who knew this lord would be so willful — refusing to follow the script when he set out, and refusing to follow the script when he returned!

Meng Shaoyu bowed. "Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant believes we should first present captives at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and then escort the fallen officers and men to the Shrine of the Loyal."

Chongzhen waved a hand dismissively and said with perfect calm, "Present captives? There are none. In this campaign, We did not keep a single prisoner — We piled them all into victory mounds!"

(End of Chapter)