Chapter 424: One Body

"A pack of dog slaves, all of you kneel before me!"

Lin Dengwan, huddled among a dozen or so companions, crouched in terror inside the Charcoal God Hall. He had heard from the eunuchs who left the palace that within the Twenty-Four Yamen, some were not to be trifled with, and the Imperial Stables Directorate was one of them. Most of those who could enter the palace had acquaintances inside and were all too familiar with these yamen. Hearing it was men from the Imperial Stables Directorate, no one dared to brace the door, and it was quickly forced open from outside, all the Fuel Office men captured.

A surrounding group of eunuch officials from the Imperial Stables Directorate, clubs in hand, rained down blows without pause. Their leader wore a cotton-padded armor, a Tang Dynasty hat on his head, a cyan inner robe visible at the collar, and an ivory tablet hung at his waist, its red tassel swinging back and forth with his furious shouts. His face was flushed crimson, clearly enraged by these new laborers of the Fuel Office.

"Speak, who was it that came to steal just now?" The lead eunuch official waited a moment, and seeing no one in the hall speak, shrieked loudly again, "Won't talk, is it? Drag one out and beat him to death for me! Drag out that one who dared brace the door just now."

Lin Dengwan felt a tug at the back of his collar, cried out a few panicked shouts, and was already dragged outside. Several eunuch officials from the Imperial Stables Directorate came up and tore off his pants, then pressed him face-down onto the floor. In his terror, Lin Dengwan burst into wailing sobs.

He only heard the leader's voice say, "Take his ebony tablet and give it to me."

Something at his waist was yanked. When Lin Dengwan looked up, his ebony tablet was already being handed to the lead eunuch official.

This ebony tablet was round, about two inches in diameter, branded with the four characters "Passage Control" in fire-marked script, with the holder's serial number on either side. For a eunuch newly entered into the palace, if this tablet was taken away, not only would every step become impossible, but he would most likely be expelled from the palace as well.

"Let's see if you'll talk now. Beat this one for me first — if he dies, it's on me!"

Two clubs beside him each struck the ground once, and Lin Dengwan felt the stone slab beneath him tremble.

Then the club heads left the ground. Lin Dengwan knew they had been raised. He let out a terrified shriek, his whole body shaking.

"I'll talk! I'll talk! It was Li Wu who went to steal! I've only been purified a few months — they did all the stealing. I never went to steal anything, wuwu..."

The lead eunuch official stepped over, planted a foot on Lin Dengwan's face, crouched down, and looked at him. "Who is Li Wu?"

From the crouching crowd came an angry curse from Li Wu. "Lin, you shameless bastard — every time you ate your fill! If I hadn't gone out to get food, you'd have all starved to death long ago! When trouble comes, you dump it all on me..."

The lead eunuch official barked, "Drag him over and beat him to death."

The Imperial Stables Directorate men over there dragged Li Wu out. Clubs rained down together inside the hall, and Li Wu's agonized screams tore at heart and lung.

The dozen-plus Fuel Office laborers crouching on the ground were terrified beyond measure. Lin Dengwan sobbed on the floor, but not a single person went to shield Li Wu.

The lead eunuch official still had his foot on Lin Dengwan's head, until a subordinate beside him whispered, "Archivist, this man has pissed himself. Be careful not to soil your shoes."

The Archivist looked down and saw a puddle of wetness already spreading beneath Lin Dengwan. Only then did he stand up, grinding his foot down hard on Lin Dengwan's head once more. "A gutless, faithless wretch — disgusting!"

Lin Dengwan dared not resist, nor dared he rise. He just lay there in his own puddle of urine, an icy chill between his legs, sobbing amidst Li Wu's screams. He did not know how much time passed before Li Wu's voice fell silent and the Imperial Stables Directorate men left.

The dozen-plus men still crouched inside the hall. Lin Dengwan carefully crawled up, leaving behind that puddle of urine nearly frozen to ice, scrambled and crawled his way to press against the wall, barely managed to pull his pants up, then shrank into a ball against the wall, burying his head between his knees.

Gasping for breath and wiping away tears, he stole glances at the others in the hall. Li Wu lay on the ground, no longer moving. The others were also stealing glances at him, their eyes strange and alien.

At that moment, the main door suddenly creaked open. When everyone turned to look, they saw Wang Laogong, who had led them that day, enter through the door. As if seeing a savior, they all scrambled to their feet.

Wang Laogong surveyed the hall, then cursed, "All of you, get up for me! The palace needs the heated floors fired and there aren't enough hands — and you lot are still hiding here loafing about. All of you, get to work for me!"

The crowd hurriedly followed him out. Lin Dengwan hastily trailed at the very back. As he stepped out the door, he glanced back once. Li Wu, lying on the ground, was ignored by everyone — even Wang Laogong paid him no mind.

Finally leaving this Charcoal God Temple behind, Lin Dengwan felt the air impossibly fresh as he stepped through the doorway. He heard one laborer, mustering his courage, ask, "Wang Laogong, have the Tartars withdrawn?"

"The Tartars have gone elsewhere. The Imperial City is no longer under martial law... Is that your business to mind? All of you, go to the Northern Depot and haul long firewood."

On the night of the fourth day of the eleventh month, outside Stability Gate at Cihui Temple, horns blared from all the camps stationed around, and the neighing of horses rose and fell without end. (Note 1)

Lu Xiangsheng, a white hemp mourning band tied around his head, walked slowly into the temple gate, his steps rather heavy. The Qing army had combined two routes into one camp. On the third, they had moved west from the northeast of the Capital, their movement very swift. The entire area due north of the Capital was now filled with Qing cavalry. The Xuan-Da army's scout cavalry could not break through the Qing cavalry's interception and were unable to determine the Qing army's camp location, knowing only that it was roughly in the Tucheng area.

The Supervisor Battalion had engaged the Qing army in forward skirmishes on both the third and the fourth. Each camp had achieved minor gains, but they could not impede the enemy's movement. On the fourth, the Tartars' column tail had already passed Xizhi Gate. The Qing cavalry gradually withdrew, and only today did the Supervisor Battalion relocate camp from Desheng Gate to Stability Gate.

At present, of the Supervisor Battalion's five camp heads, three had been confirmed as reassigned to Chen Xinjia. Chen Xinjia would remain stationed at Changping to protect the Imperial Mausoleum. Thus, tomorrow, when Lu Xiangsheng pursued the Qing army, he could only take the Central Battalion and the Left Battalion — his forces, instead, greatly reduced.

Lu Xiangsheng first went to the main hall to see the Abbot of Cihui Temple, assuring the eminent monk that the army would not damage the monastery and expressing thanks for the lodging. The Abbot, for his part, dared not truly show displeasure and even provided some of the temple's stored grain.

By the time he returned to the borrowed guest quarters, Lu Xiangsheng's face was full of exhaustion. His personal soldiers were still tidying the room. Beneath a withered tree outside stood two stone stools. Lu Xiangsheng sat down on one of the stone stools.

Evening prayers still continued in the main hall he had just visited. Amid the shouts of men and neighs of horses all around, the faint sound of gentle, measured chanting could still be heard drifting over. Lu Xiangsheng slowly leaned back against the tree trunk, closed his eyes as if about to fall into a peaceful sleep. He did not know how much time passed before he heard someone speaking in a low voice.

Lu Xiangsheng abruptly opened his eyes. The sky had now darkened. Lanterns had been hung all around. In the dim light, he saw his own Advisor, Xu Deshi, standing before him.

Xu Deshi held a sheet of petition paper in his hand. Seeing Lu Xiangsheng open his eyes, he immediately said, "My lord, a ministry dispatch from the Ministry of War has just arrived."

Lu Xiangsheng's gaze instantly sharpened. He stood up with a whoosh. A personal soldier nearby brought a lantern closer. Lu Xiangsheng hastily took the document, read it through, then looked up at Xu Deshi, astonished. "It orders the two Supervisors — one to lead troops in pursuit and interception, the other to guard Jingtong. What is the meaning of this?"

Xu Deshi frowned and shook his head. "After the ministry dispatch arrived, your subordinate, upon a hasty glance, knew at once it was improper. I asked the Ministry of War's mounted courier to wait and came immediately to report to you, my lord, and request your instructions."

"When the Minister of War last came, it was already decided: if the Eastern Invaders pressed south, the Supreme Commander would go south and the Grand Supervisor would remain north. Now the Tartars have already passed Xizhi Gate — they are undoubtedly pressing south. How, at this critical moment, has another complication arisen? In this ministry dispatch, who exactly is 'the one' and 'the other'? Who, in the end, goes south in pursuit, and who remains north? Did the mounted courier have any verbal order?"

"Your subordinate asked the mounted courier. There was no verbal order."

Lu Xiangsheng's chest heaved. Suddenly he roared in fury, "Send that mounted courier to ask Yang Sichang! How does he perform his duty as Minister of War? How can matters of national military importance be so ambiguous? This is sheer farce!"

"My lord, you see clearly. That mounted courier likely has no voice at the Ministry of War. Returning to the Ministry, at most he would just deliver the order. It would be best if we could write a document for him to take back."

Lu Xiangsheng was enraged to the extreme, pacing back and forth beneath the tree. "In two days, the Tartars went from Shunyi to Tucheng. In one day, their column tail passed from Tucheng past Xizhi Gate. Where their Vanguard is now remains unknown. Today they marched another day. If they truly press south, their Vanguard must already be in the Zhuozhou area. Yesterday, Yang Sichang sent a dispatch demanding I must cut ahead, not pursue from behind. Now, at this moment, he sends such a ministry dispatch instead — how does he expect me to cut ahead?... Has there been any response regarding the rations and pay Yang Sichang promised?"

Xu Deshi shook his head. "Aside from the Imperial Privy Purse funds granted by the Emperor on the day we reached Changping, we have received no rations and pay whatsoever from the Capital. Even the commuted tax owed from this year has not been made up. The officers and men in camp are quite full of complaints."

Lu Xiangsheng stopped and turned to look at him, his eyes full of rage. Xu Deshi knew this rage was directed at Yang Sichang. He lowered his head again and said, "Yang Guozhu, Hu Dawei, and Wang Pu each sent men today to inquire. When they set out, they all only received two months' rations (Note 2). By now, very little remains. After arriving at the Capital, the daily drain has been excessive, and they all have only a little over ten days of marching rations left. Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei were still polite, saying they feared army morale would become unstable. Wang Pu, in particular — he said he only received a month and a half of marching rations and is nearly out of food. Yesterday, when his unit was ordered to scout Tucheng, Wang Pu simply did not respond. Even..."

He looked up at Lu Xiangsheng, then continued, "Even Li Chongzhen came in person, saying his marching rations are running low and there is already unrest in camp, asking whether the Capital could provide some supplement. They dare not come ask you directly now, my lord. They all seek me out to speak, hoping I will relay their words to you. But if this goes on a few more days and the army truly runs out of food, there is no telling what they might do."

Lu Xiangsheng said nothing. His pacing steps grew ever slower. Li Chongzhen was the Central Battalion Vice General of the Dudao Biao Central Camp. This man had formerly been a Liao Garrison General Officer, had followed Lu Xiangsheng to suppress bandits in the Central Plains, participated in the great battle of Chuzhou, and then followed him to Xuan-Da. He was arguably Lu Xiangsheng's most trusted general. If even he had come to ask, it meant the food shortage was indeed real.

After a moment, he said to Xu Deshi, "When you write the reply, include this matter as well. Tell Yang Sichang he must, by any means, make up a full month's army rations. Ask him to send advance dispatches to the south of the Capital, especially the local prefectures and counties of Baoding, Hejian, and Tianjin, to prepare full provisions for the Relief Troops."

Xu Deshi waved away the soldiers holding lanterns, telling them to move farther off, then said in a low voice to Lu Xiangsheng, "I obey your order. But my lord, do not place too much hope in this man Yang Sichang. That day in your tent, he may have said he would certainly secure full rations and pay for this strong army, but in the blink of an eye, he might have an entirely different story. I hear rumors in the Capital that he is bent on replacing you, my lord, with Chen Xinjia. We likely cannot count on him for rations and pay, nor can we necessarily count on the local prefectural and county yamen."

"All sorts of rumors circulate in the Capital." Lu Xiangsheng waved his hand. "At this moment, with a great battle imminent, do not let rumors cause discord among the high officials and ruin the great cause of rally to the king."

"I am your Advisor, my lord, so naturally I consider your interests first. These rumors may not be true, but that the Tartars are pressing south is certainly true. Ever since Yang Sichang took office, he has sent dispatches ordering every region to 'train, prepare, and stockpile,' but not one in ten localities has fully complied. Now the troops are massed at the Capital, and the prefectures of Ji'nan are completely undefended. How can they withstand the Tartars' blade? When the time comes to assign blame, it will all fall on the one who pursued south. Since the Ministry of War's ministry dispatch has not confirmed that you, my lord, are to pursue south, why not take the opportunity to propose that the Grand Supervisor pursue south instead? In any case, those Tartars came through Liao Garrison territory — he should bear this responsibility from the start. At the very least, the Supreme Commander and Grand Supervisor should go south together and share the responsibility for victory or defeat. The thirty thousand Tartars reported from the Liao Garrison must be merely a diversion. If we were to wait for that route, the two routes that have already entered the passes would not be heading south right now. Remaining north merely wastes troops and horses in vain."

Lu Xiangsheng did not rebuke him, nor did he respond. He merely took two more heavy steps. "Xuecheng, your intentions are good — I understand them fully. But with dozens of prefectures and counties in the Ji'nan region, millions upon millions of souls reside there. The situation being what it is, some things must be set aside. The Liao Garrison troops that came this time are mostly infantry and firearms soldiers, unsuited for a southern pursuit. In the reply, still request that the Minister of War decide quickly."

Xu Deshi was silent for a long while, then said in a low voice, "That day, I proposed that you, my lord, recommend a worthy man to take your place, letting Chen Xinjia be this damned Commander-in-Chief of Relief, so you could leave this nest of troubles. You, my lord, were also concerned for the people of the Capital. But in the end, it seems when the soldiers and officers come asking you for rations and pay, no one is concerned for you. Soldiers and officers who run out of food will not sit waiting to die. At best, they will heed orders but not commands, render half-hearted relief and suppression, and then plunder the local areas. This is Northern Zhili — not like suppressing bandits in Huguang or Henan. When the time comes, local impeachment memorials will all reach the imperial court directly. With troops currently deployed, they won't dare do anything to the General Officers. It will still be you, my lord, who shoulders it all alone."

Lu Xiangsheng gave a bitter smile. "Xuecheng, say no more of these words. Go early and write that reply to the Ministry of War."

Xu Deshi let out a long breath, saluted Lu Xiangsheng, and left.

Lu Xiangsheng turned and went back into the guest quarters. He washed his hands in the copper basin on the table, carefully dried the water stains, and only then began to untie the white hemp mourning band on his head. Just as he set the band down, a personal soldier came to the door. The soldier hesitated a moment, then said, "Reporting for my lord's awareness: the veterinarian says that Wumingji suddenly collapsed to the ground and has stopped breathing. My lord..."

Lu Xiangsheng's hands paused mid-motion. His mount was named Wumingji. It had followed him for a long time, robust of frame and surpassing in speed, rarely falling ill. Yet today, before leaving camp, it had suddenly sickened. Its life, it seemed, would end here on this journey to reinforce the throne.

"I will go see in a moment."

The personal soldier acknowledged the order and disappeared from the doorway. Lu Xiangsheng stared blankly at the hemp band on the table, lost in thought. After a long while, he slowly walked out the door and stood silently beneath the tree before the door, its branches now bare and withered.

By now the soldiers and horses camped all around had fallen quiet. From the direction of the main hall, a dim yellow halo of light seeped out, and the sound of evening prayers still drifted over. Snowflakes began to fall in the night sky; wherever the lantern light could reach, the snowflakes drifted gently down, accompanied by the slow, resonant chanting of sutras.

The faint snowflakes appeared before his eyes and then vanished. Lu Xiangsheng stared, lost in thought. After a long while, he said softly, "If so… perhaps it is for the best."

……

Note 1: On the evening of the fourth day of the eleventh month, the Xuan Da Governor's Standard Battalion encamped at Cihui Temple outside the Stability Gate. Lu Xiangsheng also took up his command post here.

Note 2: The forces under Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei each drew only two months' marching rations when they set out. They may have made the same empiricist error as Pang Yu, estimating the campaign's duration at two months.

Note 3: Lu Xiangsheng's mount, Wumingji, died on the journey to reinforce the throne. Xu Deshi recorded that it died suddenly near the Capital just as they were leaving camp, and thus did not take part in the final Battle of Jiazhuang. The Xu Deshi in this chapter is Lu Xiangsheng's Advisor; most of the records of Lu Xiangsheng's final period come from his Riju Riji.