Chapter 22: The Ming Endures, Incense Fires Never Extinguished

Today the civil and military officials of the Chongzhen court, the ennobled nobility, the inner eunuchs, plus Man Gui's troops defending the capital and every officer and soldier of the Capital Camps — and you can throw in the common folk of Beijing all the way to Desheng Gate — all got to witness a real exotic spectacle: the Emperor of the Great Ming, standing atop the gate tower, cursing the street with a fighting power that blasted past the heavens, fiercer than any shrew!

The Jianzhou barbarians, whom Chongzhen had just cursed out like dogs, launched a mad-dog assault under Hooge's command. After all, who could stomach having their own Great Khan cursed like a dog with no way to curse back?

So the siege battle turned white-hot the moment it began. The towering, majestic walls of Beijing transformed into a colossal meat grinder! The Jianzhou barbarians fought desperately to scale the walls, while the Ming troops atop the walls fought desperately to stop them.

Fortunately, thanks to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's effective intelligence and the ceaseless scouting reports of the night patrols, the Chongzhen Emperor had long since grasped the Jianzhou barbarians' marching situation.

He had even waited until just before the enemy reached the city to have the secretly stockpiled defense supplies hauled up onto the walls.

Yet no matter how thorough the preparations, with the Jianzhou barbarians madly feeding the Han Eight Banners and Khorchin foot soldiers into this blood-soaked mill of a capital, Ming casualties were unavoidable.

Squad after squad of wounded were quickly carried off for treatment; squad after squad of reserves moved up to fill the gaps.

Laborers ceaselessly hauled up log-ramparts and rolling stones, while some women boiled "golden juice" — the moment that stuff touched a wound, given the medical standards of the time, it basically meant waiting to die.

Man Gui, directing the city's defense, saw that the Chongzhen Emperor still stood atop the gate tower and said to him, "Your Majesty, perhaps it would be better to return to the palace first. This place is fraught with the danger of battle; it is no place to linger."

Although Chongzhen privately reckoned his martial skill was not weak, he also knew that individual valor counted for little on the battlefield. Moreover, the soul that had crossed over from later ages leaned a bit more toward fearing death.

So he readily agreed: "That would be best. I leave this place to you, Man, my beloved minister.

Only — do not commit the White Rod troops unless the situation turns critical, lest the Jianzhou barbarians detect them. Two days from now is when we teach the Jianzhou barbarians how to be human!"

The civil and military grandees standing nearby were collectively speechless, each secretly marveling that the Emperor still had the mood to boast at a moment like this.

After all, right now the Jianzhou barbarians are besieging the capital — you're not the one attacking Shenyang, boss! Staying here is too damn terrifying.

If by some chance we die here, how are we supposed to enjoy the good life afterward?

If not for fear that those hawks and hounds of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot would go berserk, who the hell would willingly accompany your little Emperor up onto the city wall to fool around!

Chongzhen paid no mind to what everyone was thinking. Once Man Gui bowed and acknowledged the order, Chongzhen led the assembled civil and military officials, preparing to return to the palace.

Just as they descended from Desheng Gate, they happened to see several wounded soldiers being carried past.

Something stirred in Chongzhen's heart, and he ordered the hundred civil and military officials to disperse first, taking only some Eastern Depot agents and Embroidered Uniform Guardsmen to follow at a distance behind.

Following the group of civilian laborers carrying the wounded forward, they entered a courtyard. The courtyard was quite large, and tidied up very neatly.

Numerous wounded soldiers lay placed within the courtyard, with only some civilian laborers performing simple bandaging. From time to time, wounded soldiers cried out from the pain they could not endure.

Whether civilian laborers or wounded soldiers, the moment they saw Chongzhen's attire and the inner and outer ministers attending him, they all knew the Emperor had arrived and hurriedly knelt to perform obeisance.

Some wounded soldiers, seeing the Emperor come in person, struggled to rise to salute him.

Chongzhen rushed forward, pressing down the wounded soldier nearest to him, and shouted in a ringing voice: "All of you, lie still! No one is permitted to rise!

Otherwise it is defiance of an imperial decree!" So saying, he shoved aside the Eastern Depot agent who was trying to separate him from the wounded soldiers and roared: "You lot, withdraw!

Wherever Our Great Ming soldiers are, that is where We are most at ease! There is no need for precautions!

Get lost!" Then he turned his head to Wang Cheng'en and said: "Go at once to the Imperial Academy of Medicine and proclaim Our decree: order that, apart from the imperial physicians on duty rotation at the palace, all others are to come here to provide treatment!

Have the apprentices of the Imperial Academy of Medicine come as well, and teach the civilian laborers how to bandage wounds. Take men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot with you!

Let Us see who dares not come!"

After Wang Cheng'en took several Eastern Depot agents and Embroidered Uniform Guardsmen and headed for the Imperial Academy of Medicine,

Chongzhen's expression finally eased a little. Then, facing the wounded soldiers in the courtyard, he said: "Our soldiers! You have toiled hard!

We know — no one wants to fight a war! But the dog Jianzhou barbarians have come. Can we not fight?

Behind us stand our parents, our wives and children! For the sake of our own parents, wives, and children, we cannot retreat!

The official lords — no matter who becomes Emperor, they can still go on being official lords. But We, this Emperor, have only death awaiting Us. And you, penniless and powerless common soldiers — how are you to protect your own wives and children?

It is not that we want to fight, but that someone forces us to fight!

We do not know how to fight wars, so We must rely on you! But We will not let the soldiers who bleed for the nation and the people also shed tears! Today, We shall give you an accounting!"

So saying, he said to Wei Zhongxian: "Wei Zhongxian, draft the decree!" Then he proclaimed in a ringing voice: "

First: order the Ministry of Works and the relevant offices of the Ministry of Rites to select a site outside the Gate of Heavenly Succession and construct a Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred. All expenditures shall be drawn from the privy purse!

All who sacrifice themselves for the nation shall be enshrined and venerated in the Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred! It is decreed that each year at the Qingming Festival, the Crown Prince shall lead the hundred officials in worship!

If the Crown Prince is not yet established, the Chief Grand Secretary shall officiate in his stead! On the first day of the first month of each year, the Emperor shall personally lead the hundred officials in worship!

So long as the Ming endures one more day, the incense fires of the Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred shall never be extinguished!

Second: all who serve in the military, from the day of enlistment until three years after their return home, shall be exempted from all corvée labor and taxes!

Third: for those who die in battle for the nation, their aged parents shall be provided for by the privy purse of the Ming imperial house! Local government offices, at every New Year and festival, must pay visits of condolence in person!

Fourth: all sons in their households shall be sent to the county schools to study! Regardless of their academic performance, they shall not be permitted to withdraw from school!

The Ming state treasury shall cover all their living expenses until they reach the age of eighteen!" After loudly finishing the contents of the new edict, the Chongzhen Emperor said to Wei Zhongxian: "Companion Wei, draft the edict.

Let this edict, following the precedent of the Edict of Never Increasing Taxes, be proclaimed openly to all under heaven, and have it read aloud to the people!"

As Chongzhen's voice fell, a wounded soldier could be heard shouting there: "Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Then more wounded soldiers took up the shout. Even some gravely wounded men cried out heedlessly, so that their wounds burst open and they fainted from the pain, sending the imperial physicians who had hurried over into a frantic bustle.

Had they arrived a moment later, it is quite possible some would have died from blood loss as their wounds split open.

There were quite a few wounded soldiers here, and the shouts of "Long live!" were loud. Moreover, Chongzhen himself was only too eager for the news to spread as fast as possible, so in just a short while, the events in the courtyard had spread across more than half of Beijing.

And as more officers and soldiers learned of this news, a sentiment began to spread through the ranks — a resolve to fight for home and country, to rather die than retreat a single step.