Chapter 56: The Capital

"Once the business in the capital is finished, you'll come here with me to recruit fifty men. If I don't come, you'll take charge of the matter, with Qin Lufang assisting. Ideally, find the kind of men who have nowhere else to go. One tael of silver per month, and we'll discuss the farmland when we get to Weihai. Recruit them under the pretext of opening up wasteland for military farms." Chen Xin thought for a moment and arranged this matter first.

Zhu Guobin saw that Chen Xin was entrusting him with this task, which implied he would lead these fifty men. He had never wanted to be a sailor and had always longed to join the army and kill Tatars; becoming an officer was even better. His heart surged with excitement, and he hurriedly agreed.

Song Wenxian caught a hint of something else. Dai Zhenggang and Lu Chuanzong were both trackers, yet Chen Xin did not let them lead these men. Because they were trackers themselves, they had a natural affinity with such people. But some men would also come from Yanggu, fellow townsmen of Dai Zhenggang and the others. If everyone was close to them, it wouldn't necessarily benefit Chen Xin's leadership. That was why Chen Xin wanted Zhu Guobin to take charge of this matter. "Even a mere Company Commander has to play the balancing game," Song Wenxian muttered inwardly, though his regard for Chen Xin rose even higher. Balancing things now was always better than adjusting after an imbalance occurred.

Dai Zhenggang and Lu Lvzi were both oblivious. Both came from manual labor backgrounds and were completely insensitive to such matters. But Chen Xin was not guarding against them; it was purely an instinct born of power allocation.

The group took a boat across the river together. Reaching the west bank, they strolled around briefly. There were over a hundred cloth shops in the immediate vicinity alone, and goods were piled like mountains on the docks. After just a short walk, seven or eight brokers came up to inquire. Annoyed beyond endurance, they stopped their idle wandering and found an inn to lodge for the night.

The night passed, and the group rose early. They rented three donkey carts and headed for the capital. Along the way, the fields on both sides were still that grayish-yellow color, without a trace of green. The official road was in decent condition, though rather dusty, with a constant stream of carts, horses, and pedestrians coming and going. Hai Gouzi and Zhang Dahui sat in the last donkey cart, laughing and joking as the cart swayed.

They traveled until the afternoon. The houses and shops on both sides gradually grew denser. Especially wherever there was a bridge, a market had formed. In the fields, farmsteads and villages appeared at short intervals, and more farmers were sowing winter wheat. The clothes worn by passersby grew increasingly finer, in a variety of colors; even the bright yellow reserved for the emperor was spotted several times. The bustle of some market towns was no less than that of Tianjin. The prosperity surrounding the capital far exceeded Chen Xin's expectations. On the other hand, beggars were also more numerous than elsewhere, and people with straw markers in their hair selling themselves were a common sight along the roadside.

Chen Xin's backside was aching badly from the donkey cart's jolting. The carter pushed hard from behind. The cart he sat in was a single-shaft vehicle, limited to two passengers, and the two had to sit facing each other, or else it would tip sideways. Chen Xin carefully adjusted his posture and said to Song Wenxian across from him, "Mr. Song, if the area around the capital is already this bustling, what must the city itself be like?"

Song Wenxian was not surprised. "Since the outer city was built in the Jiajing era, the capital likely holds no fewer than a million souls. But there's nothing much to see inside the city; it's much the same as Tianjin."

Chen Xin thought that sounded about right. Like the big cities of later ages, they looked lively from the outside, but whether there was anything truly special or entertaining once inside was debatable. Besides, places like the current Forbidden City couldn't be entered even with money.

They traveled on like this past the hour of Wei. The buildings along the roadside had become an unbroken stretch. By the time the cart stopped, Chen Xin was dizzy and muddled from the jolting. The vehicles of this era were not so comfortable to ride in. He got down to stretch his limbs, and when he looked up, he saw the towering Guangqumen before him.

In the Ming dynasty, the capital was divided into the outer city, inner city, imperial city, and the Forbidden City. The inner city was built during Zhu Di's reign. Using the former Yuan Dadu as a base, it was shifted southward some distance, and the imperial palace was rebuilt. The inner city enclosed the imperial city, and the imperial city enclosed the Forbidden City—essentially a three-ring structure. Later, after the Tumu Crisis, it was discovered that the populace outside the city walls had no protection. During the Jiajing era, the outer city was expanded. The original plan was to add a fourth ring, like the later sprawling Beijing, but due to insufficient funds, the outer city was only built south of the capital, curving around to meet the eastern and western corner towers. It was twenty-eight li long with seven gates. Guangqumen was the eastern gate of the outer city...

Guangqumen also had a barbican. The gate archway faced north, so enemies entering the city would first have to circle around to the north side. Above the archway was a gate tower housing a thousand-jin portcullis. In the event of an enemy attack, the portcullis could be swiftly lowered to prevent the enemy from entering the city. On the outer wall of the barbican stood an archery tower with four rows of firing ports, allowing defenders to shoot at enemies who had crossed the moat. The barbican, archery tower, and portcullis tower made the city gate a formidable defensive point. Combined with the thirty-meter-wide moat outside the city, the capital represented the most robust and complete defensive system of the Great Ming in this era.

The officers and soldiers of the capital garrison near the gate tower were rather resplendent in their attire, and cannons were mounted on the city wall. But near the city gate, beggars and those selling themselves were even more numerous. Some stewards and wealthy gentry types were picking and choosing among them.

Chen Xin looked at the people selling themselves—men and women, young and old. Without exception, they were gaunt as sticks, their eyes lifeless as they awaited selection. Chen Xin shook his head and stretched. Behind him, Dai Zhenggang, Zhu Guobin, and the others got off the carts one after another. Lu Lvzi's face was pale from the ride; only Zhu Guobin still looked unruffled. Chen Xin clapped Zhang Dahui on the shoulder and asked him, "Still clamoring to ride in a cart?"

Zhang Dahui had already vomited twice and couldn't speak. At the question, he hastily waved his hands. Chen Xin chuckled. The horse carts of today had no shock absorption whatsoever. Zhang Dahui, unlike Zhu Guobin who was often on boats, was bound to vomit. Hai Gouzi was the same, though he still wore a silly grin on his face, so he probably didn't feel too awful.

Chen Xin went to settle the animal toll himself and sent the carters away. Lu Lvzi rested a moment, then came over to Chen Xin and said, "Brother Chen, that courtyard we bought is outside Chongwenmen. Going via Guangqumen is the shortest way."

Chen Xin nodded. He had sent Qin Lufang to wait here over a month ago. Once Zhang Dahui and the others had recovered a bit, the group crossed the stone bridge over the moat and entered the Guangqumen barbican. After exiting the barbican archway, the view suddenly opened up. The broad Guangqumen Street lay before them, and the bustling crowds revealed the prosperity of the capital.

Song Wenxian had clearly been to the capital before. He said to Chen Xin, "Brother Chen, in other places, the cross streets are straight and level. Only here in the outer city, at the feet of the Son of Heaven, are the streets mostly winding and crooked, because the streets came first and the city walls later."

Chen Xin teased him, "Mr. Song must have visited the capital many times. Do you plan to campaign once more in the capital's brothels this time?"

Song Wenxian chuckled and said in a low voice, "The capital's brothels are mostly along the West Riverbank area near Chongwenmen and Xuanwumen. If our business goes smoothly, I do intend to revisit those old haunts."

Chen Xin felt his heart itch at the words. Just then, Lu Lvzi caught up and whispered in Chen Xin's ear, "Brother Chen, our courtyard is on Chongwenmen Outer Street. Go west when you reach the inner moat. But there are only four rooms. With this many people, we might not all fit."

Chen Xin said, "No matter. You take Hai Gouzi and Zhang Dahui to stay there. The rest will stay at an inn."

Lu Lvzi was taken aback. "Then what did we buy a house for?"

Chen Xin smiled. "For escaping with our lives. Though we may not need it. We'll see when the time comes. Don't tell anyone else the address."

"I haven't. As you instructed, I've told no one."

"Well done. After we settle into the inn, go find Qin Lufang first and have him come see me."

"Mm, understood." Lu Lvzi answered quietly and withdrew.

Song Wenxian, seeing the two acting secretively, said with dissatisfaction, "Brother Chen, have you found some fine pleasure spot you plan to enjoy all by yourself?"

Chen Xin shook his head. "I've never been to the capital before; how would I know any fine spots? I brought them to the capital intending to leave one or two men here to establish a shop. Naturally, that needs some arranging. In the future, Brother Song, if you have urgent business, you can send word for them to handle. And if you come yourself, you'll have their place to stay."

Song Wenxian asked curiously, "That would indeed be much more convenient. Brother Chen, your dress line in Tianjin was quite impressive. I wonder what business you plan to start with a shop in the capital."

Chen Xin gave a sly grin. "Haven't thought of one yet."

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After the group booked rooms at an inn, Chen Xin left Song Wenxian and the others behind and took Lu Chuanzong, Hai Gouzi, and Zhang Dahui to the courtyard Qin Lufang had purchased. "Brother Chen, as you instructed, the courtyard is in Zhengdong Ward. It has alleyways on two sides, and those alleys branch into several small lanes, all leading to the main street," Qin Lufang reported in a low voice in Chen Xin's inn room. "Once you leave Zhengdong Ward, you're on Chongwenmen Outer Street. The foot traffic there is heavy, and there are many restaurants and teahouses, making it easy to gather news."

Chen Xin said approvingly, "You found a good location. Brother Qin, you may have to stay in the capital for some time. If the rank-purchasing goes smoothly, find a shopfront, and I'll send someone to relieve you."

"Then, Brother Chen, what should I do now?"

"Where is Cui Chengxiu's residence?"

Qin Lufang said, "In Mingyu Ward in the western part of the city. His office is at the Ministry of War, over on Qipan Street inside Zhengyangmen. That other person you asked about last time, Wen Tiren—there's no such official in the capital."

Chen Xin frowned. Could it be that Wen Tiren was still at the grassroots level? Wasn't it said that Mao Wenlong bribed him? If he wasn't an official in the capital, what was the point of the bribe? "Then forget about him for now."

Lu Lvzi, standing to the side, asked, "Brother Chen, are we going to kill Cui Chengxiu?" Hai Gouzi listened blankly, as if killing someone was no big deal, while Zhang Dahui wore an expression of excitement.

Chen Xin was silent for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "No. He's the dignified Minister of War. Not to mention we can't even get to him, even if we could, why would we kill him? That would just be doing the new emperor a favor. But that emperor would absolutely have us beheaded to give an account to the Nine Thousand Years."

"Nine Thousand Years..." Qin Lufang's forehead began to sweat a little. He had never imagined that what he was doing could be connected to the dignified Nine Thousand Years. From Chen Xin's tone, it seemed even the emperor might come to know of his actions.

The four people here were all those who followed Chen Xin's orders without question. Although Zhu Guobin and Dai Zhenggang had the best martial skills, they were not yet at the point of absolute obedience to Chen Xin. Song Wenxian was merely a cooperative partner. Chen Xin had not called any of them to participate in this matter.

"Lufang, have any censors impeached Cui Chengxiu or Wei Zhongxian these past few days?"

Qin Lufang frowned in thought for a moment and replied, "I haven't heard any such news."

"Gouzi, tomorrow you and Dahui will both go out to gather news. Find out who is impeaching them, and locate his residence."

Lu Lvzi licked his lips. "Brother Chen, are we going to kill that censor?"

Chen Xin rolled his eyes. "Who said finding his residence means we're going to kill him?"

"Then, what are we...?"

"Pretending to kill him!"