Chapter 222: Value

The early morning sunlight slanted through the branches and leaves, scattering dappled patterns across the small path. Crisp birdcalls of every kind answered one another, and all around the path a hundred flowers were in full bloom, filling the air with refreshing fragrance. A line of people walked slowly amid the flowers and plants.

This was the Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City in Jingshi. The young Son of Heaven of the Great Ming, the Chongzhen Emperor, was taking a leisurely stroll. Around him stood some imperial guards on alert, and behind him followed a number of palace maids dressed in palace attire of thin silk. All were lovely young women. Their palace attire was of an elegantly simple style with narrow sleeves, all in a pale blue-green hue. The first time Chongzhen saw Consort Yuan wearing this pale blue-green attire, he deemed the color "exceptionally refined and lovely," taking the meaning from "night rain dyes it into the azure of heaven's waters," and named it Heavenly-Water Azure. From then on, every palace maid emulated it, and it became the fashionable color and style of the inner palace.

The early morning air filled Chongzhen with vigor. Such a mood was rare for him. In the four years since his ascension, there had been few things that went as he wished, but many vexations.

The Jianzhou Bandits in Liaodong were ever the sharp sword hanging over his head. The southwest and southeast were somewhat pacified, but the Shanshan region remained far from peaceful. Yang He had requested one hundred thousand taels of silver for amnesty and resettlement, but who knew that the roving bandits would take the silver, use it up, and then turn hostile again. By the fifth month, facing the once more surging tide of roving bandits, Yang He was utterly helpless. While Chongzhen was disappointed in Yang He, his patience with the roving bandits had also finally run out.

The primary reason for his lightened mood today was that the Wendeng Battalion had once again dealt a heavy blow to the Jianzhou Bandits on Pi Island. Combined with the battle achievements of the various officers of Dongjiang Town, the tally of beheaded and captured true barbarians was around one thousand, and they had captured alive Kakduli, the Gushan Ejen of the Plain White Banner. This was a great victory the likes of which had not been seen since the beginning of the eastern campaigns. In Chongzhen's view, the roving bandits were merely a nuisance; the Later Jin was the true danger. As long as the Jianzhou Bandits could be suppressed, mere roving bandits were not worth his concern.

Lu Zhi's victory dispatch had arrived a step ahead. The heads and captives were on the road to the capital. Given the Wendeng Battalion's consistent practice, these heads would not be fraudulent, so Chongzhen already believed the battle report. Yet he still ordered the Ministry of War and the Censorate to dispatch personnel to inspect the severed heads. If verified, they were to be transported from Dengzhou overland to the capital, displaying the spoils of war to the populace along the way.

Chongzhen arrived at a pavilion beside a lotus pond and sat down. He beckoned to Cao Huachun, who was following behind with head bowed and body bent, and casually asked him, "Cao Banban, have the palace maids serve some tea and refreshments. We shall rest here a moment."

Cao Huachun hastily summoned several palace maids. From the food boxes they carried, he took out some pastries and personally arranged them on the stone table. He then set out teacups, took out some twisted-strip tea leaves, and poured water over them. A delicate fragrance assailed the nostrils. As he brewed the tea, he said to Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, this is the Monkey-Picked Da Hong Pao just offered this year from Fujian. It is said there are only a few such trees even in Mount Wuyi."

Chongzhen had no particular fondness for luxuries, but this cup of tea was truly wonderfully fragrant. He lifted it and glanced at it. The tea leaves bore a slight oily sheen, the aroma rich, lingering, clear, and serene. The liquor was clear with a golden hue. He took a light sip; it was mellow and fragrant with a sweet aftertaste, truly a supreme tea. With a calm expression, he set the cup down, savored it a moment, and then said, "The tea is fine tea, but We would rather Xiong Wencan spend less thought on tribute items and pacify those sea bandits sooner. That would be the real thing. As long as Fujian is at peace, it is better than the finest tea."

Cao Huachun took another food box, retrieved eating chopsticks from it, and replied with an air of nonchalance, "His Excellency Xiong is quite talented in frontier affairs. I fear a victory dispatch will arrive any day now. The last time this slave left the palace, I heard a few Fujian natives chatting idly. They said that Zheng Yiguan is a fierce general, with subordinates known as the Eighteen Zhi. Even the Red-Haired Barbarians are no match for him. I fear it won't be long before those sea bandits are annihilated."

Chongzhen did not have a very good impression of this amnestied pirate and said flatly, "Li Kuiqi wrought havoc overseas for years and was only suppressed because of their internal strife. That Zheng Yiguan, I fear, does not live up to the rumors."

"Your Majesty speaks truly. This slave also feels that Li Kuiqi was perhaps the more formidable one. Fortunately, that man is dead after all. The remaining sea bandit is said to be no match for Zheng Yiguan. Fujian will surely be pacified soon."

The Emperor was in a good mood today. Hearing Cao Huachun's words, a slight smile appeared on his face. But Cao Huachun, with a hesitant look, added, "Only, this slave has heard that..."

Chongzhen smiled and nodded slightly. "Cao Banban, speak freely. There is no harm."

"This slave only heard it from others and does not know if it is true or false. Zheng Yiguan once said, 'Exterminate the petty gangs, dominate the Four Seas alone.' This slave always feels that those sea bandits are all untamable. Li Kuiqi, Zhong Bin, Yang Liu, and Yang Qi all accepted amnesty before. I only fear that His Excellency Xiong's warships have all been given to Zheng Yiguan. When the sea bandits are all wiped out, if Zheng Yiguan then harbors treacherous intentions, who could restrain him?"

Chongzhen's brow furrowed slightly. He indeed deeply detested these sea bandits who accepted amnesty only to rebel again. He had always harbored wariness in his heart. But the Great Ming's navy had long since lost the might it possessed when it swept away the Japanese pirates at Lulianghai. Silver was insufficient even to supply the Nine Border Garrisons; where was the surplus to rebuild a navy? Using sea bandits to fight sea bandits seemed the only choice.

Cao Huachun slightly raised his eyes to observe Chongzhen's expression, then continued, "Your Majesty, please do not be troubled. This slave is merely repeating hearsay. Zheng Yiguan has been sincerely suppressing bandits these past few years. Perhaps he is truly loyal. At present, the navy is also of great use. The great victory at Shenmi Island this time was achieved with the navy's merit. Your Majesty's approval back then for the Wendeng Battalion to establish a naval battalion was truly far-sighted. If Zheng Yiguan is both capable and loyal, he could also be relied upon in the Liao Sea in the future."

Chongzhen looked at Cao Huachun, his face showing suspicion, but seeing that Cao Huachun's expression was perfectly normal, he sighed lightly and said, "Zheng Yiguan was originally a great sea bandit. His heart is hard to fathom. If transferred to the Liao Sea, he would be close to our vitals, which instead gives cause for concern."

Cao Huachun hurriedly knelt and said, "Yes, this slave was thoughtless. A moment's loose tongue nearly placed Your Majesty in peril."

Chongzhen waved his hand for him to rise. Cao Huachun stood up and said, "This slave was just now thinking of the victory at Shenmi Island. The navy is truly useful. The Jianzhou Bandits are only skilled in land warfare and know nothing of naval combat. Once at sea, they are like a tiger leaving its mountain forest, no match for our Great Ming. Lu Zhi said this time that the Jianzhou Bandits also want to build a navy. It happens that Zheng Yiguan is only adept at sea battles; once on land, he is like a dragon losing its great sea. It just fit the circumstance, hence this slave's rash suggestion."

After speaking, he hurried off to get the other food boxes. Chongzhen seemed to have grasped something and softly repeated, "A dragon losing its great sea..."

Cao Huachun turned around and set out a plate of "Silk Nest Tiger-Eye Sugar" and a plate of "Buddha Jackfruit," then asked the Emperor, "Your Majesty, what did you just say?"

Chongzhen did not answer him but continued on his own, "Cao Banban just mentioned the great victory at Shenmi Island. Lu Zhi has rendered great merit this time. It was also due to your effective recommendation back then. Had he not been quite competent when serving as Provincial Military Commander of the Nine Gates, how would We have dispatched him to Denglai."

Lu Zhi was not an old retainer of the Prince Xin's household; he had been recommended by Cao Huachun back then and was considered part of Cao Huachun's faction. With Lu Zhi rendering great merit this time, the Emperor would naturally add to his own favorable impression. Yet Cao Huachun showed not the slightest hint of smugness. With an expression of being overwhelmed by favor, he said, "Relieving His Majesty's worries is inherently this slave's duty. How dare I claim merit? Everything this slave has is given by His Majesty. Even if outer court officials mock and sneer, as long as His Majesty is at ease, it is this slave's greatest blessing."

Chongzhen's eyes watched a nimble dragonfly flitting over a lotus leaf nearby. His gaze was slightly distant. Only after a moment did he shake his head and say, "Indeed, Xiong Kaiyuan submitted a memorial impeaching inner court officials serving as army supervisors. You need not pay heed to these supervising secretaries and censors. Who is sincerely doing the work, We still know. Xiong Kaiyuan stated that 'dispatching inner officials leads to divided authority.' Lu Zhi is likewise an inner official. Why then was he able to decisively defeat the Jianzhou Bandits in Denglai? As for that Provincial Governor Sun, since taking office he has already requested over eight hundred thousand taels in military funds. Disregarding Our repeated explicit instructions to make full use of the Wendeng Battalion, his allocation of funds and provisions has been improper, causing the Wendeng Battalion to suffer heavy losses. We only wished to see his self-defense. Whether one puts heart into the work is clear at a glance. Why distinguish between inner and outer officials?"

Cao Huachun dropped to his knees with a thud and actually began sobbing uncontrollably. "With these words from His Majesty, this slave is content... Those censors, this slave will just, just treat them as mad dogs barking at the sun."

Chongzhen laughed, a rare occurrence. "You must never speak of the circuit censors in such a way. Most of them are still loyal in their work."

"His Majesty forgive this slave's offense. This slave is merely indignant that some remonstrance officials hear the wind and think it rain. For those they dislike, they seize upon one fault and disregard all merit. For those they favor, they note one merit and overlook all faults. Even His Excellency the Minister of War is beneath their notice. For an inner official like this slave, even if faultless, the very fact of being an inner official is itself a fault. This slave has always been timid. Seeing their demeanor, this slave's heart is filled with terror."

The conversation happened to touch upon the matter of Minister of War Liang Tingdong. Chongzhen asked casually, "Cao Banban, regarding the repeated impeachments of the Minister of War recently, what do you truly think of His Excellency Liang?"

Recently, Liang Tingdong was besieged on all sides. Implicated in Shen Min and An Guodong's embezzlement of reward funds and other matters, some had impeached Liang Tingdong for accepting his bribes and repeatedly promoting An Guodong. Others said Liang Tingdong accepted bribes from Li Youlong and promoted him to Mobile Corps Commander. The position of Minister of War was in imminent danger.

Originally, Liang Tingdong had some worries about the post of Minister of War. Because the Jianzhou Bandits' combat power was formidable, every time the Ming army suffered defeat, the censors would leap forth with successive memorials of impeachment. The Minister of War and the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao were always the first to bear the brunt. Censors were no easier to deal with than the Jianzhou Bandits. Liang Tingdong had already experienced the censors' prowess before the Four Cities campaign. Fortunately, his luck was good; the Four Cities campaign ended in a great Ming victory, finally stabilizing his position as Minister of War. But these two threats always existed. So after Liang Tingdong toppled Wang Yongguang early in the year, the position of Minister of Personnel became vacant. This position was both a lucrative post and far more secure. Liang Tingdong rather wanted to switch, but Chongzhen did not agree. Now, as expected, he was once again being roasted over the fire by the censors.

Cao Huachun stole a glance at Chongzhen. The Emperor's expression was very relaxed, and his usually somewhat pale face had gained some color. He said cautiously, "Your Majesty, this slave does not understand military affairs well. But attending upon Your Majesty, I have heard His Excellency Liang in many imperial audiences. I feel that His Excellency Liang is quite talented and strategic. His statements on military matters are often apt and to the point. He seems like one who understands military affairs. If His Excellency Liang has faults, he should of course be punished. But since His Excellency Liang assumed the post of Minister of War, besides the great victory at Zunhua and Yongping, there is now also the great victory at Shenmi Island. This slave thinks, when previous Excellencies held the post, every battle against the Jianzhou Bandits ended in defeat. Yet after His Excellency Liang became Minister of War, there have been three great victories in succession. Although most were fought by the Wendeng Battalion, the Minister of War's merit in planning cannot be overlooked. If minor faults obscure great merit, this slave feels those remonstrance officials have overstated their case. Moreover, the several charges impeached by Shui Jiayin lack solid evidence and are purely based on hearsay."

Chongzhen reflected. It was indeed as Cao Huachun said. The current impeachments all lacked evidence. Although those several crimes were probably true, as far as he himself was concerned, he also did not wish to see Liang Tingdong forced from office. He now had a fair idea of what Great Ming officials were like. Those who did not covet wealth were basically nonexistent. At least Liang Tingdong could still get things done.

Chongzhen turned and saw that Cao Huachun was still kneeling, a few teardrops hanging on his face. He quickly reached out to help him up. "Cao Banban, rise quickly. We said just now, We naturally understand in Our heart who sincerely works for Us. We have rested long enough. Let us first return to the Qianqing Palace. You go and invite the Minister of War and the Senior Grand Secretary to come to the West Warm Pavilion."

Cao Huachun hurriedly left to summon them. Only when he turned into a secluded spot did he say to the young eunuch behind him, "Go tell Chen Xin and Liang Tingdong's people that their matter has been handled by our household."

Inside Chongwen Gate in Jingshi, outside a large residential compound on Dongjiaomin Lane, a stream of people surged. A beardless man with a pale face, dressed in a straight robe, passed by the entrance twice. After checking that there was nothing unusual to the left or right, he walked into the adjacent alley and knocked a few times on the side door.

Zhang Dahui's face appeared behind the door. He hastily ushered the man inside. There was another person in the garden, none other than Song Wenxian. The pale-faced man did not enter the main hall but stopped right in the garden.

Song Wenxian came over and said to him respectfully, "Young Wang, please come inside and sit. Have a cup of tea."

The pale-faced man shook his head arrogantly and spoke in a sharp, high-pitched voice, "Enough. Our household won't sit. I just came to pass on a message from Eunuch Cao. Your matter has been handled. As for the rest, don't ask our household."

He turned to leave as soon as he finished speaking. Song Wenxian hurriedly chased after him and handed over a silver note. "The code phrase is the same as before. Please do not disdain it, Young Wang."

Young Wang glanced at the silver note. It was written for two hundred taels. His expression eased slightly, and he added a couple of sentences. "Regarding the matter of Zheng Yiguan, His Majesty's interest has been piqued. He has also gone to consult with the Minister of War and the Senior Grand Secretary. Several other Grand Secretaries will be present. Xiong Wencan is well-informed; word should reach Xiong Wencan and Zheng Yiguan."

Song Wenxian hurriedly expressed his thanks. Young Wang put away the silver note and muttered to himself, "Living in the palace is just inconvenient. Every time I come out, I have to find a deserted place to change clothes. Coming to your place is like being a thief."

Zhang Dahui said with a beaming smile, "Young Wang, rest assured. This humble one has already prepared a courtyard residence for you, not far from the palace city. If you have time, please come with this humble one to take a look first. Even the maidservants are already prepared."

Young Wang smiled with satisfaction. "Young Master Zhang is too kind. Then I shall accept with pleasure. In the future, let us associate more. But today I must hurry back to report, so I won't go. Next time. Our household, ah, just has this hard-labor fate."

Song Wenxian and the other could only escort him to the door. Once Young Wang had disappeared, Zhang Dahui gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath, "That damned eunuch, putting on airs for nothing. One of these days, I'll cut off your big head with one stroke."

A man walked out from the adjacent room. It was Zuo Changhao. He shook his head and laughed. "We spent three thousand taels of silver just to buy a few words from Eunuch Cao. Still, it was well worth it."