Chapter 244: Meaning

On the eleventh day of the twelfth month of the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign, ten li south of Ruanjiadian, an army was marching listlessly — it was the Shandong Provincial Governor's Personal Battalion, under orders to pursue the Deng-Lai troops. Both sides of the official road were packed with refugees making way; they had just fled from areas ravaged by the mutinous soldiers and were preparing to head south to Jinan to escape the chaos. From time to time, soldiers from the Personal Battalion would dash out of the column and rob some wealthy-looking person by the roadside clean.

As the strongest battalion troops in all of Shandong, they were actually only a little better than the guard-battalion soldiers. It was said that Shandong had always produced strong armies and even military geniuses like Qi Jiguang, but by the late Ming, Shandong had long been neglected, because there were no major military threats around it. Without silver from the imperial court, no matter how good the raw recruits were, they could not be trained into a strong army.

During Xu Hongru's uprising, some talents emerged. The one who rose fastest was Yang Guodong, who reached the post of Deng-Lai Regional Commander by killing cultists and had now gone to Tongzhou as Regional Commander. During the Four-City Battle, Shandong Regional Commander Yang Zhaoji led Liu Zeqing and his gang to defend Santunying; they did not go soft against Amin, which somewhat restored the name of the Shandong troops. But that unit soon followed Yang Zhaoji's son to Zhili, leaving no reliable battalions within Shandong itself.

Now within Shandong, only the Personal Battalion could barely fight, so Yu Dacheng dispatched them to strike Kong Youde and Li Jiucheng. Beneath the twelve-foot-long banner of an Assistant Regional Commander, however, was a large eight-bearer sedan chair, swaying and jolting along. The eight bearers puffed white breath, adjusting their pace to the rhythm of the chair's bobbing to save energy; behind them were another eight bearers.

A corner of the sedan chair's curtain was rolled up, revealing a face with delicate, fair skin. A fine beard on his chin made him look exactly like a civil official, but he was in fact a military officer — Shen Tingyu, the Assistant Regional Commander of the Shandong Personal Battalion's Central Battalion, who was leading this grand army.

Shen Tingyu stuck his head out and looked around, asking lazily, "Where are we now?"

A retainer leader came over and said respectfully, "My lord, we are almost at Ruanjiadian."

Shen Tingyu had no idea what sort of place Ruanjiadian was. He yawned and said, "Tell the front not to march so fast. Damn it, the Deng-Lai troops are Dengzhou Garrison's business; what the hell does it have to do with my Shandong Personal Battalion?"

"My lord is right. And as for those Liaodong refugees, they can't beat the Jianzhou Bandits so they come to our Shandong. Every year our Shandong Provincial Administration Commission supplies the Deng-Lai and Dongjiang with their tax-in-kind grain — it's an enormous effort. You'd think they'd be content, but no, they have to stir up trouble, making us march all this way in the dead of winter." The retainer leader lowered his voice: "My lord, the slaughter over at Xincheng was brutal. Most of Wang Xiangchun's family died. These Deng-Lai troops are ruthless; we really should march slower."

Shen Tingyu pursed his lips. He deeply agreed with the retainer leader's words. If not for Kong Youde and his lot causing trouble, he would be in a warm room right now, comfortably hugging a few concubines and smoking Wendeng incense, not stuck in this icy, snowy scene.

"Alright, alright, we'll just follow them and see them out of Qingzhou Prefecture; then it's Deng-Lai territory." Shen Tingyu suppressed his displeasure, turned his head and saw the retainer still beside him. He reached out of the sedan chair and smacked him hard on the head, cursing, "You dog, I told you to pass the order to slow down. Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated or what?"

The retainer leader scurried aside, urging the other retainers with kicks and punches. A few retainers hurriedly mounted their horses and rode off shouting to notify the men ahead. Shen Tingyu yanked the thick curtain shut and muttered a couple of curses. His sedan chair was not large, but the contents were quite complete; on the small table before him were laid out wine and meat.

Shen Tingyu lit a stick of Wendeng incense, exhaled a puff of smoke, sighed comfortably, and leaned back against the table to rest. That wretched, backwater place called Dengzhou — the only thing that gave him a slightly good impression was the Wendeng incense.

They had just gone a short distance further when cries and wails came from outside, mixed with loud shouts and curses. Shen Tingyu lazily finished his smoke, but the crying outside continued. Impatiently, he pulled open the curtain again; a cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in, making Shen Tingyu shiver.

Furious, Shen Tingyu called over the retainer leader and cursed, "Is Shen Fayao courting death? Robbing a few things and making such a heaven-shaking racket — how am I supposed to rest? Send someone to tell him to stop his damn fooling around and do something useful."

The retainer leader bowed and scraped, "Just now, Master Shen sent someone over, but this lowly one feared he would disturb your lordship's rest and sent him back. He said he found a few virgin girls and wanted to send them over to honor your lordship."

Shen Tingyu's expression changed and he cursed, "You dog, why did you send him back? Hurry up and tell him to send them over."

The retainer leader ducked his head and scrambled away. Shen Tingyu kept looking expectantly in that direction. The wailing over there grew louder and louder, but the women still hadn't come. Shen Tingyu began to feel some dissatisfaction with their efficiency. Just then, a buzzing noise suddenly came from the front, which moments later turned into earth-shaking shouts.

Shen Tingyu was about to curse someone when that retainer leader came stumbling back. Without any explanation, he stopped the sedan chair and yanked Shen Tingyu out.

"You dog, what's the panic?"

"The Deng-Lai troops are here! My lord, run!"

Shen Tingyu turned to look north and saw swarms of Personal Battalion soldiers and refugees surging toward him; behind them, some cavalry were faintly visible.

"Run!" Shen Tingyu's movements became lightning-fast. He snatched a horse from one of his retainers, drew his waist saber, and hacked his way through the soldiers and civilians blocking the road, fleeing south in utter disarray...

On a distant hill, the valiant Li Jiucheng stood his horse atop the summit, watching the collapsing Personal Battalion soldiers trampling each other. He laughed heartily, "Like chopping melons and slicing vegetables."

Kong Youde's gaze toward him had also changed. Li Jiucheng was, after all, better than him at fighting battles. Li Jiucheng had long estimated that Jinan would send troops, so he had dispatched scouts disguised as refugees to reconnoiter the west and south. They had indeed discovered the Shandong army, and then he led his cavalry in a single raid, routing the Shandong Personal Battalion.

Li Jiucheng wore a look of utter disdain. "Brother Kong, the Shandong troops are merely this — far inferior to us Liaodong folk. Even that Wendeng Battalion, I think, is just a hollow reputation. Their few battle merits were probably all fake heads, the court just pulling the wool over people's eyes. This official would truly like to test his skills against Chen Xin."

Kong Youde quickly waved his hand. "That won't do. You're a veteran of many battles; you can tell at a glance whether troops are strong or not — what does the court have to do with it? You must not set your sights on that Wendeng Battalion. At least, I absolutely disagree."

Li Jiucheng snorted in dissatisfaction, drew his wolf-tooth club, and bellowed, "Follow me and slaughter all the Shandong troops! Kill!" With that, he spurred his horse and charged straight after the tail of the Shandong troops...

Outside Lingxian city, a Flying Tiger military banner passed among blackened broken walls and ruins. Before and behind it marched a large body of troops in silence. The roadside was full of local residents who had lost their homes, sitting on the ground in a daze with lifeless eyes. When they saw Ming troops approaching, they fled in panic into the remaining houses, leaving only the Wendeng Battalion on the official road.

Chen Xin, leading his personal guard, turned at the north gate and headed into the city. The city gate stood wide open; the civilians inside scattered in a flurry at the sight of the army. The houses in the city were densely packed, and the fire set when Kong's troops retreated had burned down more than half of them.

By the roadside lay some uncollected corpses, all people without friends or relatives. Zhu Guobin spurred his horse forward a few steps and said quietly to Chen Xin, "My lord, shall we have the soldiers bury the bodies?"

Chen Xin paused before saying, "You are the march commander. You decide."

Zhu Guobin glanced around, estimated the workload, and said, "Then I will have the combat troops camp outside the city to rest. The auxiliary troops will help bury them after setting up camp — only those near the north gate. The auxiliaries need rest too."

Chen Xin nodded encouragingly. "Then do as you think best."

Zhu Guobin acknowledged the order and turned to give instructions to the staff officers. Chen Xin was fairly satisfied with Zhu Guobin's arrangements. Most of his subordinates had previously been mere brutes, lacking any foundation in military command, and especially lacking decisiveness. So this time he let Zhu Guobin take full command. Even when he occasionally felt something was slightly amiss, he merely noted it down, planning to discuss it with Zhu Guobin after returning to Wendeng.

Zhu Guobin went off to arrange the camp and security. Chen Xin continued forward, grabbed a civilian to ask for directions, and, surrounded by his guard, arrived at Lingxian's original county government office. This place had also been set on fire, but the living quarters at the back had not burned down. He stepped over the collapsed main gate and entered the rear courtyard.

Chen Xin, with Hai Gouzi and others, walked around the residential compound. Every room was a complete mess, furniture and cabinets toppled everywhere. On the ground beneath the covered corridor, there were still blackened bloodstains, but in the garden, several fresh grave mounds had appeared.

The personal guards dragged out a servant-like man from a room in the eastern wing and brought him before Chen Xin. Chen Xin turned and asked him, "Where is the County Magistrate?"

That civilian, not knowing whether these soldiers were more mutineers, had already wet himself in terror. His teeth chattered, making a clacking sound.

Impatiently, Chen Xin called out, "Zhao Xuan, calm him down so he can speak properly."

Zhao Xuan, the Deputy Chief Training Officer this time, stepped forward as ordered. He pulled the civilian aside and explained in a gentle, low voice that their group were not mutineers but a civilized and mighty army, telling the man to just speak. Finally, he even temporarily took two taels of silver from the quartermaster and gave it to the civilian.

The man's mind settled, and he answered quietly, "The County Magistrate's entire family has been killed. A few household servants who escaped with their lives came back and carried his body out of the city. Everyone was afraid the mutineers would return and didn't want to stay long in the city, so the remaining bodies were hastily buried in the courtyard."

Chen Xin listened without speaking. All the way from Wuxian, every town they passed had been looted and then burned. Losing one's home in winter meant death for many. Kong Youde's mutinous troops had created a new wave of refugees, flowing mainly toward Dezhou Prefecture and Jinan. Rumors abounded along the way — some said nine out of ten houses in Lingxian and Changyi stood empty, others said the county magistrate had surrendered, and so on.

So Chen Xin had rushed to the county office as soon as he arrived outside the city, only to find that the magistrate really was dead. Li Jiucheng had been quite thorough; the very fact that he dared to kill a civil official showed he had no intention of leaving himself a way out.

Chen Xin walked around the courtyard, realized he could not learn anything more, and was about to return to the military camp to rest when Zhu Guobin rushed in urgently, shouting, "My lord, an imperial envoy has arrived to deliver an edict! He has already found his way here and will arrive any moment."

Chen Xin was stunned. This envoy was quite bold, daring to come to the front lines at a time like this. He hurriedly ordered his attendants to set up an incense table. Fortunately, the county office had all these things, and no one had bothered to loot them. A group of personal guards scrambled through the various rooms and quickly set up the incense table.

Just as they finished, a young eunuch wearing a black gauze hat appeared at the doorway. Seeing where everyone was standing, he came straight over and asked Chen Xin, "This must be General Chen."

Chen Xin sized up the eunuch; he looked only fifteen or sixteen. But since he represented the Emperor, Chen Xin said politely, "I am he. May I ask how the Heavenly Envoy is addressed?" As he finished asking, his eyes swept over the eunuch's retinue and he was surprised to find Zhang Dahui among them.

The young eunuch laughed heartily. "Indeed a heroic figure, no wonder the General does not even fear the Jianzhou Bandits. His Majesty often says General Chen understands how to be considerate of the imperial heart and knows gratitude. My name, like the General's, carries grace — I am called Wang Chengen."

"Young Eunuch Wang, to understand such principles at your age — that is innate loyal character. I, however, only understood in my twenties. If I may say so, those by His Majesty's side, having spent so long with the Emperor, have absorbed some of his spiritual energy; otherwise, how could you be so insightful?" Chen Xin quickly searched his memory; this should be the eunuch who hanged himself with Chongzhen. He just hadn't expected Wang Chengen to be so young (Note: born in the forty-fifth year of the Wanli reign).

Wang Chengen, seeing that Chen Xin was a good talker, said with a smile, "I should still deliver the edict first. There will be time to speak in detail with General Chen."

Once Wang Chengen stood before the incense table facing south, Chen Xin first kowtowed five times, then called for everyone to kneel and kowtow four times. After raising their heads, they remained kneeling to listen to the edict.

After they finished kowtowing, Wang Chengen unfurled an imperial edict made of woven silk brocade, about half a meter wide and over a meter long, with alternating bands of yellow, red, and blue. This type of multi-colored edict was generally used for appointments of rank five and above; lower ranks received single-colored edicts. On the three background colors were embroidered white auspicious clouds. In the center was the main text written in neat regular script, and on the left and right sides were the large characters "By Heaven's Mandate" written in seal script.

Wang Chengen held the edict and proclaimed loudly: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Jianzhou bandits have caused trouble for over ten years, and recently have grown even more rampant, recklessly attempting to attack Dongjiang Garrison and our tributary state. Thanks to Wendeng Battalion Assistant Regional Commander Chen Xin, who defeated them in one stroke at Yuncong Island, beheading seven hundred and capturing one Gushan Ejen, this is the greatest victory since the Eastern Campaign began. Now, having reviewed Chen Xin's long and arduous service, his utter devotion, and his repeated great achievements, We are deeply gratified. We promote Chen Xin to Vice Regional Commander of Dengzhou Garrison, acting as Assistant Regional Regional Commander of the Left Chief Military Commission, confer the honorific rank of Upper Protector of the Army, and raise his prestige rank to General of the Golden Guard. Having found Chen Xin's principal wife, Zhao Xiang, to be virtuous and worthy, We confer upon her the title of Lady of the Third Rank. One son is granted hereditary privilege as a Battalion Commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, while still managing Wendeng Battalion affairs. Additionally, ten thousand taels from the inner treasury are issued to reward the troops. Thus decreed." (Note 1)

Chen Xin thought it was acceptable upon hearing it. The benefits from the Shenmi Island battle had finally arrived, but there was little of substance — not even a mention of head bounty. Ten thousand taels from the inner treasury was barely enough to pick his teeth.

Chen Xin and the others loudly proclaimed according to ritual, "Long live, long live, long live the Emperor!" He led everyone in kowtowing eight more times before rising. Wang Chengen smiled and presented the edict with both hands; Chen Xin carefully put it away. He shot a glance at Zhao Xuan, who immediately sidled up to the quartermaster. The quartermaster promptly slipped aside and began furtively preparing silver.

Unwilling to stay long in Lingxian city, Wang Chengen said to Chen Xin with a smile, "Now that the edict has been delivered to the General, my errand is complete. I shall take my leave and return to the capital."

Chen Xin naturally could not let him leave just like that. He quickly said, "Young Eunuch, it is rare for you to leave the capital. You work hard every day attending to His Majesty. Although we military men have the heart to serve His Majesty, how can we compare to your meticulous care? I was thinking, if you serve His Majesty well, it is the greatest blessing for us subjects. Please stay for a few days, and along the way observe the people's condition, so that His Majesty may also learn of the situation among the common folk."

Wang Chengen was naturally willing to go out and look around, but he hesitated as he glanced at the surroundings. The devastated Lingxian really had nothing worth lingering for.

Chen Xin called over Zhang Dahui and said to Wang Chengen, "This journey is fraught with the perils of war. The common people along the way are displaced, most heading toward Dezhou. Dahui, you accompany the young eunuch on a trip to Dezhou to comfort the disaster victims and, along the way, observe the local customs of Shandong."

Though Wang Cheng'en was young, he had spent no short time in the palace and had always followed Cao Huachun, so he understood all the ways of officialdom. Dezhou was only a few dozen li from Ling County, a very wealthy place in Shandong with high walls and thick ramparts, and it lay outside the direction of the mutinous troops' movement — it should be safe, and there would be amusements to seek out. He narrowed his eyes and agreed on the spot.

His standing within the palace was passable, but he had yet to gain the Emperor's regard, and ordinary ministers saw him only as Cao Huachun's attendant. He often served as Cao Huachun's liaison and was very familiar with Zhang Dahui and the others, so he had always been relatively close to the Wendeng Battalion. Seeing Chen Xin so courteous now, his impression of this military man improved greatly.

Accustomed to spotless cleanliness in the palace, he found the utter desolation of Ling County extremely distasteful and hastily took his leave. Zhang Dahui did not even have time to exchange more than a few words with Chen Xin and could only accompany Wang Cheng'en as he departed.

Chen Xin moved to see Wang Cheng'en off, but Wang Cheng'en waved his hand vigorously and said, "General Chen, please go attend to your own affairs. When I left the palace, His Majesty gave instructions that I was not to cause the General any trouble. Enough — having Brother Dahui accompany me is just the same. I accept the General's goodwill in spirit. Ah, I hear the Wang family of Xincheng was slaughtered to the last soul — tell me about these wretched soldiers. It still takes a battalion like your Wendeng Battalion, Lord Chen. All along my journey here, both commoners and officials have sung your praises. Such sentiments among the people are the truest thing. When I return to the palace, I shall certainly speak of this to His Majesty. General Chen, please stay your steps. I shall take my leave now."

Chen Xin did not insist further. He called Zhang Dahui over and said loudly, "Dahui, then you shall accompany Young Eunuch Wang on his trip to Dezhou on my behalf. Young Eunuch Wang toils hard in service to His Majesty — make sure he stays a few more days." Using Zhang Dahui to block Wang Cheng'en's line of sight, he held up one finger.

Zhang Dahui mouthed the word "thousand." Chen Xin gave a slight nod, indicating one thousand taels of silver. Zhang Dahui was somewhat surprised — this Wang Cheng'en could not yet be considered powerful, and one thousand taels was truly excessive. The reason Song Wenxian had sent him along this time was really to deliver a letter and show face to Cao Huachun, not because he genuinely valued this Wang Cheng'en. But since Chen Xin had spoken, Zhang Dahui could only comply. He hastily fished out a letter from Song Wenxian and handed it to Chen Xin, then followed the carriage and left. Chen Xin stood watching Wang Cheng'en depart until the carriage vanished around the corner of the ruined main street.

Hai Gouzi grinned behind him and said, "My lord has been promoted again. Once Li Jiucheng finishes his antics, my lord should be promoted to Regional Commander." He had been present for nearly everything Chen Xin had done and knew Chen Xin had long been prepared, so he did not take Li Jiucheng and the others to heart at all.

Chen Xin gripped the weighty imperial edict in his hand, turned his head, and gazed silently for a moment at the few grave mounds among the rubble. Abruptly he asked Hai Gouzi, "Gouzi, is there such a thing as noble and base among human lives?"

Hai Gouzi answered without a second thought, "There is. An official lord's life is noble. When I was a beggar before, my life wasn't worth a penny. Now it's worth a few dozen taels. Hmm, no — it ought to be worth a hundred taels."

Chen Xin smiled a strange smile and gently shook his head. "Then do you think what holds value is life itself, or the content of that life — or what one might call its meaning?"

Hai Gouzi cocked his head a few times. "Anyway, I've only got one life. Living is just living, and dead is dead, to hell with it. The rest I don't understand. I follow whatever my lord says."

Chen Xin lowered his head and looked at the imperial edict in his hand. "Truth be told, I don't understand either." (To be continued.)