Chapter 358: Conditions

From within the Suzhou Yingtian Patrol Office, the distant sound of the night watchman's clapper drifted into the study of the rear office.

"The Imperial Edict: regarding the avaricious and overbearing conduct of Qian Qianyi and others, the previous decree was exceedingly clear. How can it be claimed that nothing was seen or heard? To then cite a chief examiner as grounds for recusal is plainly favoritism and shielding. All named offenders listed in the individual charges are to be promptly and thoroughly investigated and adjudicated by the relevant inspector, with a swift report to the ministry for its awareness."

A middle-aged Advisor finished reading in a low voice and looked up at Zhang Guowei. "The edict is addressed to the Regional Inspector. This Drafting and Redacting must have come from Wen Tiren. In ordinary times, this would be a routine matter, but now is not the time."

Zhang Guowei looked haggard, his eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion. He had not slept for two nights since receiving Shi Kefa's first dispatch report. After returning to Suzhou from Anqing, a secret letter from the Ministry of Justice had arrived, demanding that Qian Qianyi and Qu Shiyun be arrested and sent to the Capital. This was a formal administrative document from the Ministry of Justice, so Zhang Guowei had no choice but to detain the two men and immediately dispatch them to the Capital. At the same time, he had submitted a memorial to the Emperor. The reply he now received was a follow-up edict, its tone quite severe.

The Advisor paused briefly before adding, "Previously, when Your Excellency tendered your resignation, the Emperor's reply forbade it. That Drafting and Redacting likely also came from Wen Tiren."

"Replies concerning matters like resignations have always been personally endorsed by the Emperor. But if it truly was Wen Tiren who drafted the Drafting and Redacting, then he is not merely aiming for my dismissal." Zhang Guowei finished speaking and let out a soft sigh.

The Ming dynasty's territory was vast, and the memorials submitted from every locality and office were countless. The Emperor alone could not possibly review them all. When routine and formal memorials were submitted, they were nominally all replied to by the Emperor, but in reality, the vast majority were drafted by the Cabinet (Drafting and Redacting) and endorsed in vermilion by the Directorate of Ceremonial. Only the important ones were reviewed by the Emperor. In other words, the imperial edict of reply could very well have been written by Wen Tiren.

The Advisor understood his meaning. Wen Tiren's feud with the Donglin faction had been long-standing. This time, having prepared for so long, he was certainly not just targeting Qian Qianyi and Qu Shisi alone. He intended to use Qian Qianyi as a breakthrough point to drag the rest of the Donglin members into the water one by one.

The secret order from the Ministry of Justice signified that Wen Tiren's attack on the Donglin faction had reached its peak. The Capital was a place of treacherous and unpredictable currents. Anyone caught up in this struggle faced an uncertain future and could fall into the abyss at any moment. How many people Wen Tiren would ultimately implicate, how far the Emperor would let this case expand, whether it was merely a warning to the Donglin faction or a complete uprooting of the Donglin members from the court—all of this was unknown. The first thing to watch was what charges would be laid against Qian Qianyi, from which one could then guess the Emperor's intent. This reply edict could also be used to make such inferences.

Qian Qianyi had been out of office for a long time. Although he belonged to the same faction as the Donglin members in the court, they were, after all, far apart. Zhang Guowei, as a high-ranking Donglin official in the provinces and closely connected to Qian Qianyi, was still the most likely to be implicated. He could not help but worry.

The Advisor was silent for a moment before speaking. "I also have an assessment here. Wen Tiren did not just begin targeting the Donglin faction this year. Last year, after the Battle of Chuzhou, when Gao Yingxiang was captured and the bandit threat in the Central Plains had somewhat subsided, Wen Tiren was already planning to make his move. But then the Tartars breached the passes, and the situation became so turbulent. Naturally, the Emperor did not wish for court instability. Now this year, the Roving Bandits have resurged. What the Emperor intends in his heart may not necessarily align with Wen Tiren's wishes."

Zhang Guowei pondered for a moment before speaking. "Once the arrow is loosed, how can it turn back? Between Wen Tiren and the Donglin faction, only one can survive. The present moment is of the utmost urgency. Anqing... is there still no further report on the battle at Fengjiadu?"

The Advisor shook his head. After receiving Shi Kefa's dispatch report the day before yesterday, an urgent report from Anqing Prefecture had soon followed, stating that fugitive soldiers had reached Huaining. They reported that the Reinforcement and Suppression Troops had been besieged by tens of thousands of Roving Bandits. On the twenty-third, Cao Cao's camp had also arrived. Cheng Long's attempts to break out had failed, and the army's provisions were short of two days' supply.

Judging by the time it took for reports to travel from Anqing to Suzhou, the battle was already over. Both the Advisor and Zhang Guowei knew in their hearts that Cheng Long was likely doomed. Among the Roving Bandit camp heads mentioned in the reports alone were the Eight Great Kings, Sweeping King, Chuang Tatian, and Cao Cao. Their total numbers must have exceeded one hundred thousand. All were notoriously ferocious among the Roving Bandits. At Chuzhou, they had relied on elite troops from several provinces plus the Border Army. Now, Anqing had no external reinforcements at all, only the Yingtian Troops. Even if Cheng Long had held his camp, he only had two days of provisions.

Zhang Guowei's gaze slowly shifted to the dancing flame on the candlestick. He stared blankly for a long time before speaking. "For several years, I have carefully selected son of a good family from the Jiangnan Military Camp to forge this single army."

The Advisor understood Zhang Guowei's anxiety. At this critical juncture of the life-or-death struggle between the Chief Grand Secretary and the Donglin faction, Zhang Guowei, already entangled in it, was in an extremely precarious position. To encounter a major defeat at such a critical moment, the pressure was imaginable.

After thinking for a moment, the Advisor offered some consolation. "In his dispatch report, Circuit Intendant Shi mentioned that he had ordered the Anqing Garrison Battalion to garrison Shipai. Perhaps they have already rescued Vice General Cheng."

Zhang Guowei glanced at the map. Fengxiang Courier Station and Erlang Town were marked, but Fengjiadian was not. Zuo Liangyu had defeated the Roving Bandits there last month, so Zhang Guowei knew its approximate location. The battle in Anqing was already over. He was now merely waiting for the outcome. Even though Zhang Guowei had handpicked the elite of Jiangnan, they were still no match for these numerous hardened bandits who lived year-round by the edge of a blade. Although the Anqing Garrison Battalion was the strongest Military Camp in the Yingtian Jurisdiction, it was, after all, far away in Shipai. From receiving orders to mobilizing, by the common standards of military towns at this time, it was absolutely impossible to reach Fengjiadu in two days. Nor could they necessarily handle one hundred thousand Roving Bandits. The outcome seemed already decided.

An even worse outcome would be if Pang Yu's relief force was also routed by the massed bandits during their march. In that case, Anqing would have no more troops available. The Reinforcement and Suppression Troops under Cheng Long's command were already the elite of the Jiangnan region. The forces Zhang Guowei had left were only the 1,400 garrisoned at Jiangpu and the 2,000 garrisoned at Liuhe. If Cheng Long were defeated, the situation in Jiangbei would inevitably collapse. The Roving Bandits, massed in the Anqing region, could follow the Great River downstream. Jiangpu and Liuhe would be difficult to hold, and the situation in Nanjing would become extremely critical.

For two days, Zhang Guowei had been anxiously awaiting the dispatch report, yet also dreaded that it would bring bad news. He was caught in a state of helpless indecision.

The Advisor said in a low voice, "Your Excellency sees clearly. Anqing is a single locality, not only a thousand li from Suzhou but also several hundred li from Puliu. The Yingtian troops are insufficient to defend two separate places. Your Excellency's previous proposal to carve out Anqing and establish a separate Grand Coordinator should be acted upon urgently."

Zhang Guowei shook his head wearily. "What you say is reasonable. But to raise this matter in the midst of a major defeat would appear to the Emperor as shirking responsibility. The urgent task at hand is to request the court to swiftly dispatch reinforcements. The troops under Liu Liangzuo, previously ordered by imperial decree to be transferred, should be sent to Anqing to stabilize the situation along the Great River, lest Jiangbei become utterly unmanageable. This memorial is difficult to write, but we must still prepare it in advance. Once it is confirmed that the Anqing army has been defeated, it must be sent immediately to the Capital to request aid. That is the priority."

The Advisor took another sheet of half-written petition paper, hesitated for a moment with his brush raised, and then continued writing. "The said circuit recalled all camps to Fengjiadian. No arrangement of mutual support was heard of, which was already cause for suspicion and fear (original text). Furthermore, according to the Anqing Prefecture report, based on the dispatch officer Li Xinghong..."

Zhang Guowei's eyes fell on the petition paper. Under the candlelight, it was very clear. The Advisor was writing the memorial in Zhang Guowei's name. This passage carried the implication of shifting blame onto Shi Kefa. But Zhang Guowei said nothing more. Shi Kefa was the military and political authority in Anqing. This major defeat had occurred in Anqing, so bearing responsibility was only logical. He sighed, stood up, and began to pace slowly around the room.

Just as he reached the center of the study, the Steward's voice came from outside the door. "Master, the Provincial Courier Official from the Central Military Office has delivered a dispatch report. He says it is urgent."

"Bring it quickly."

Without waiting for the Advisor to open the door, Zhang Guowei hurriedly pulled it open himself, snatched the dispatch report from the Steward's hands, and strode back into the room.

He stopped before the candlestick, clutching the dispatch report tightly in his hands. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, then held it at an angle to the firelight.

"On the twenty-second day of the fourth month, I received an order token from Circuit Intendant Shi. Vice General Cheng's and other units were besieged at Fengjiadu, and I was ordered to dispatch troops to their relief. I led the Garrison Battalion and set out that same day, taking the route via Susong. On the twenty-third day, en route, I encountered the bandit forces of the Eight Great Kings, Old Huihui, Sweeping King, and others, totaling thirteen ying, approximately one hundred thousand strong..."

Reading up to this point, Zhang Guowei's hands trembled uncontrollably, causing the petition paper to emit a faint rustling sound.

"The Garrison Battalion attacked a portion of the Eight Bandits' force at Erlang Town, beheading and capturing a great many. This lowly general then, on one hand, blocked the follow-up mass of bandits, and on the other, personally led troops on the twenty-fourth day via Moyanpu and Chemache River to relieve Fengjiadu. At Chemache River, we routed the main force of the massed bandits..."

"Ha, ha." Zhang Guowei's face relaxed, seeming almost to glow all over. The Advisor also leaned in to look, but afraid of bumping into Zhang Guowei, he had to tilt his head, his face equally full of excitement.

"A total of approximately five thousand bandit heads were taken. Captured bandits total over forty thousand. The remaining bandits are still being pursued and suppressed. Additionally, at the mountain pass north of Erlang Town, there remain several tens of thousands of bandits under Old Huihui and others. I am set to press the attack and strike vigorously tomorrow, riding on the momentum of victory."

"What a fine young squad... General Pang!" Zhang Guowei paced back and forth a few steps in excitement. "I knew the Garrison Battalion would surely be able to break the siege."

"Truly unexpected. Congratulations, Your Excellency, on gaining another fierce general." The Advisor excitedly followed Zhang Guowei, then paused before adding, "But the dispatch report does not seem to mention whether Vice General Cheng was relieved."

"That is of no consequence. Killing the bandits is the first priority. Once the bandit spawn are routed, the siege lifts itself." Zhang Guowei strode back to his desk, comparing Pang Yu's dispatch report with the map as he read. "As expected of the commander I had my eye on. This Pang Yu did not pass through Taihu, but instead went via Erlang Town in Susong. In doing so, he cut off the bandits' line of retreat. One could say he seized the enemy commander's head from amidst a host of ten thousand. Remarkable."

The Advisor chimed in to please him. "It is still the Military Commander's discerning eye that recognized the talent. Otherwise, General Pang would still be nothing more than a squad head in the Tongcheng County Yamen today."

Zhang Guowei smiled with satisfaction. Casually, he picked up the half-written petition paper from the desk, crumpled it into a ball, and held it over the flame to ignite it.

The Advisor also knew that the memorial needed to be rewritten. Now that they had a great victory in hand, it would be much easier to write.

"Your Excellency, how should this victory report be written? I await your guidance."

Zhang Guowei stood still for a moment to compose himself. For him, at this moment, reporting the great victory even a moment earlier meant escaping his perilous situation a moment earlier. But for now, he had only received Pang Yu's dispatch report, which was still a single, uncorroborated account. The battle results verified by the local authorities had not yet been reported. At this time, what Zhang Guowei most wanted to believe was the great victory. The formalities were indeed incomplete. Although he could not submit a formal memorial yet, he also could not afford to delay.

"First, have the Provincial Courier Official send a dispatch report to the Ministry of War and the Southern Ministry of War. Once Shi Kefa's detailed report arrives, we will report the victory to the Emperor. Send fast riders to Anqing to urge them on. The detailed report must be exhaustive. If the battle results are verified, I will petition the Emperor for recognition of General Pang's merits."

"Reporting to the Circuit Intendant: on both banks of the Chemache River, a total of 4,300 heads were taken. At Erlang Town, the head count is 2,100. Within Moyanpu, 74 heads were taken. From Chemache River to Fengjiadu, the head count is 459. Scattered gains from other locations amount to roughly another two hundred heads."

In the rear hall of the Susong County Yamen, County Magistrate Gou Tianqi was making his report in a low voice. Shi Kefa waved his hand, cutting him off. "Add the head count from Moyanpu to Erlang Town's total. The Chemache River and Erlang Town are undoubtedly the Garrison Battalion's military merits. When verifying the merits, there must be no confusion."

Gou Tianlin immediately recorded this. Pang Yu stood to the side without speaking. Shi Kefa had only rushed back from White Cliff Stockade to Old County on the twenty-seventh. His first priority was to verify the battle merits. The implication of his words just now was that all heads east of the Chemache River would be counted toward the Reinforcement and Suppression Troops. In reality, most of them had been killed by the Second Division.

But Pang Yu had no intention of fighting over these few heads. At the imperial court level, the heads of ordinary Roving Bandits were not important. What mattered were the bandit chieftains. The Reinforcement and Suppression Troops had lost so many officers and men; if they were not given a share of the heads, Zhang Guowei would lose face.

He now had Sweeping King alive. The man had already been verified by Pi Yingju and Mr. Ma, and had been escorted to Anqing over the past two days to be re-examined by the Yingtian Regional Inspector, Zhang Xuan. There was no need to worry about this most important major merit being divided up.

The entire Susong Campaign had yielded over seven thousand head-hunting merits. Killing so many people with cold steel was very difficult. In reality, no more than three or four thousand had been killed by blades and spears. The vast majority had died from trampling or drowning. Over a thousand bodies had been fished out of the Chemache River alone.

Pang Yu was already utterly exhausted and wanted to lead his troops back to the camp ground to rest and reorganize. The Reinforcement and Suppression Troops had been nearly annihilated. Shi Kefa required the Garrison Battalion to leave troops to defend the three counties. Pang Yu could only transfer the Third Division, which had suffered the heaviest losses, back to Shipai. The remaining units were temporarily stationed separately at Erlang Town, Old County, and Taihu County Town. Fortunately, there was some captured provisions available, but the Roving Bandits had been short on grain to begin with. Pang Yu had captured forty thousand people and had nowhere to settle so many, yet he still had to feed them. For Pang Yu right now, settling the captives was more urgent than dividing up the head-hunting merits.

"Aside from the heads taken, a great many captives were taken in this battle. How to deal with them, I await Your Excellency's instructions."

Shi Kefa sighed. He had never fought such a great victory, and naturally had no experience handling so many captives. Keeping them required food; releasing them risked them rejoining the bandits.

He turned to Pang Yu. "Then what does General Pang think should be done?"

"Although these people are Roving Bandits, the majority are common folk coerced by the Old Bandits. They are also the loyal subjects of our Emperor. This lowly official believes that killing them would offend the harmony of Heaven."

Shi Kefa immediately voiced his approval. Killing captives was the most convenient method. Zuo Liangyu could slaughter captives, but Shi Kefa, as a scholar who cared for the common people, would never do such a thing. The captives of the Roving Bandits had always been a headache. Shi Kefa had originally intended to delay and let Zhang Guowei make the decision, but he estimated that Zhang Guowei could not solve it either. Since Pang Yu had clearly raised the issue, they could only discuss it for now.

Pang Yu, wearing a thoughtful expression, continued. "If we let them leave on their own, whether they go to Huguang or into the mountains, nowhere can support so many people. The local officials will not accept them. If they encounter Government Troops, their heads will be taken to claim merit. If they encounter the Roving Thieves, they will join the bandits again. Therefore, this method is also unacceptable."

Upon hearing Pang Yu's words, Gou Tianqi immediately spoke up. "Then General Pang's meaning is that we can only support these people. This official states clearly in advance..."

Just from his opening, Pang Yu knew this man did not want to provide rations and pay, and very likely did not even want to settle them. He certainly could not let him finish speaking, and quickly interrupted. "I understand County Magistrate Gou's concerns. But the root of the unending Bandit Suppression lies in the hardship of the people's livelihood. Since we cannot kill them, we can let them support themselves. Susong has suffered greatly. Fields everywhere lie fallow. Previously, due to the difficulty of supplying provisions, we could not station troops here permanently. I have thought that we could screen these captives for the good and honest among them, gather them together, and have them cultivate the abandoned lands. In this way, a unit of troops could be stationed at Erlang Town, preventing the Roving Bandits from driving straight in unopposed."

Gou Tianlin hesitated. He had originally been about to oppose settling the captives, because the people of Susong County harbored immense hatred for the Roving Bandits. If the captives stayed, the mutual suspicion between locals and outsiders would be severe, creating many unnecessary problems. This time, with the Roving Bandits invading the territory, he had also been terrified. Repeated warnings had come before, and he had been forced to hide out on the lake. Even as County Magistrate, life had been very hard. From time to time, he had to go ashore to handle affairs, living in constant fear day and night. Yet he also wished to have troops stationed there.

If the Garrison Battalion could station troops, only then could Susong be considered stable. According to both court regulations and current practice, permanently stationed troops had to be supplied by the local authorities. Gou Tianqi was unwilling. But from Pang Yu's meaning, if he did not agree to the captives being gathered and settled, then no troops would be stationed.

"Today Circuit Intendant Shi is present. This official had a prior agreement with General Pang. These captives are indeed our Emperor's innocent children, but after all, they did once surrender to the bandits. I only fear that gathering them within this county will breed bandit chaos once more. If we are to resettle them, I must request General Pang to lead troops and garrison Susong to keep them in check."

Pang Yu hastily shook his head. "This official only said to station a portion of troops; I never said the Garrison Battalion could be stationed there. The Garrison Battalion is stationed at the Prefectural City and truly has no strength to detach troops to Susong. Since Magistrate Gou has no intention of resettling them, we might as well kill them all cleanly and be done with it, lest they join the bandits again. I request the Circuit Intendant to give the order."

Gou Tianqi looked utterly stunned. A moment ago it was Pang Yu who made the suggestion, the implication being that the Garrison Battalion could station troops there. Now he was flatly denying it. Gou Tianqi fell silent as well. Killing them would be Shi Kefa's responsibility anyway; it had little to do with him, a mere County Magistrate.

After Pang Yu's grand speech just now, Shi Kefa naturally could not shoulder the blame for massacring captives. He spoke to persuade them. "These Reinforcement and Suppression Troops have suffered heavy losses. I fear they are in no condition to fight again for a time. This Susong is still part of Anqing; it would always be more secure to station troops here to hold it."

"Your Excellency sees clearly. The Garrison Battalion has also suffered heavy losses. Training elite soldiers is not easy. If another bandit horde comes now, the Garrison Battalion cannot defeat them either." Pang Yu glanced at Gou Tianqi. "This battle was masterfully orchestrated by the Circuit Intendant, yet the victory was still won at extreme peril. This subordinate believes that although we won this battle, the Roving Bandits have not gone far. Through interrogation by my men, we have learned that in this battle, the Giant Bandits such as the Eight Bandits and Cao Cao escaped, and most of their veteran camps followed them. Yesterday we received scout dispatch reports stating that the bandit horde passed through Guangji and is gathering at Yingshan. Furthermore, Zhang Pangzi, Hun Shiwan, and several other camps are howling and gathering at Huoshan. Geli Yan and several other camps are entrenched at Huangmei. The area around Anqing is still ringed by bandit hordes. This subordinate believes the urgent task at hand is to train and organize troops as quickly as possible to restore combat strength, in preparation for the bandits' return. If we do not return to our station and steadily train new soldiers, the Garrison Battalion will cease to be a usable force."

When he reached this point, Gou Tianqi's expression soured again. The surrounding situation was so tense; if the Garrison Battalion withdrew, he would be reduced once more to the life of a floating household.

Pang Yu continued, "Reporting for Your Excellency's Awareness, this subordinate indeed faces difficulties. The Garrison Battalion has suffered grievous losses. Beyond the Prefectural City, we must also attend to Tongcheng, Qianshan, Shipai, and other places. In particular, Susong and Tongcheng lie one west, one east, two hundred li apart. The Garrison Battalion cannot attend to both ends. As the saying goes, dividing troops thins them. These few troops of the Garrison Battalion cannot defend the entirety of Anqing."

Shi Kefa furrowed his brow. It was clearly a great victory, yet he felt beset by difficulties on all sides. The losses in troop strength were simply too great. Aside from the Guest Troops, the local Bronze Standard Battalion, New Courage Battalion, and Army Courage Battalion had all been routed at Fengjiadu. The only forces currently usable were the Garrison Battalion and Xu Strengthening — and as for Xu Strengthening's level of combat readiness, Shi Kefa had already learned that lesson firsthand.

"Then once the Bronze Standard Battalion finishes training and organizing, the Garrison Battalion need no longer station troops there."

"Bronze Standard Battalion's Vice General Pan died for the nation. This general is overcome with grief. Yet with the bandit menace running rampant, the Bronze Standard Battalion has now lost all its troops, horses, arms, and equipment, and has no one to take charge. There is simply no telling when it can finish training and organizing."

"This…" Shi Kefa was momentarily speechless. The Bronze Standard Battalion, from Pan Keda on down, had been nearly annihilated to a man. Rebuilding and training a force from scratch was far easier said than done.

Gou Tianqi's eyes shifted. He said to Pang Yu, "Sir Pang, your Garrison Battalion has only been drilling for a little over a year, yet you have already forged elite troops and brave commanders. Why not detach a capable, fierce officer to temporarily take charge of the Bronze Standard Battalion? That way it can become an army sooner, and the Garrison Battalion will not be left to struggle alone."

Pang Yu replied with a troubled look, "In that case… if the training and organizing does not take too long, the Garrison Battalion can still strive to manage it."

Shi Kefa let out a breath. Seeing that this difficult problem now had hope of resolution, he immediately said eagerly, "Then let it be so. General Pang, quickly recommend an officer skilled at drilling troops. This official will immediately issue an Appointment for him to temporarily take charge of Bronze Standard Battalion affairs."