Chapter 107: I, the Emperor, Am About to Start Cheating

On Long Live Mountain.

Tian Ergeng followed behind a junior eunuch, step by careful step, walking along a narrow path.

The stone steps beneath his feet were solid and cold; each step seemed to fall upon the beat of his own heart.

His Majesty had finally summoned him to an audience.

—And this came right after Wang Tiqian had been permitted to enter the palace daily to assist in reviewing memorials.

Yet was this summons a blessing or a curse?

Tian Ergeng dared not guess, yet he could not help guessing, and the more he guessed, the less sure of himself he became.

After all, ever since the new sovereign ascended the throne, the civil officials and the palace eunuchs had all been bustling with furious energy; only toward his Embroidered Uniform Guard had the Emperor seemed to look straight through them as if they were invisible, not having inquired about them for days now.

Could a man without value possibly meet a good end?

The maple leaves on the mountain had already begun to turn red, scattered like flecks of blood-soaked dye among the mountain's expanse of gold and deep green, strikingly vivid to the eye.

Wind passed through the treetops, bringing a rustling murmur.

From deep within the woods came the occasional cry of deer, and the crisp warbling of birds never ceased—a scene of perfect, unhurried ease.

Yet Tian Ergeng had no heart to admire such fine scenery; he merely climbed the stone steps in silence.

At last, the moment he emerged from the wooded path and his view suddenly opened wide—

He saw, within the Double Ninth Pavilion, a tall, straight figure standing by the railing, holding a brass monocular telescope in one hand and gazing into the distance.

That man wore a bright yellow informal robe, his posture upright as a pine: it was none other than the reigning Son of Heaven, Zhu Youjian.

Tian Ergeng dared not disturb the imperial presence. He walked noiselessly to just outside the pavilion, bowed, and stood waiting in attendance.

After a moment, Zhu Youjian slowly lowered the telescope in his hand and turned around.

Only then did Tian Ergeng dare perform the full ceremony of prostration, his forehead touching the ground, his voice trembling slightly from tension.

"Your subject, Tian Ergeng, prostrates himself before Your Majesty. Long live His Majesty, for ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."

"Rise," Zhu Youjian said, nodding lightly.

"I thank Your Majesty."

Tian Ergeng rose to his feet, still keeping his head lowered, not daring to look directly upon the imperial countenance.

Zhu Youjian said nothing more; he simply picked up a sheet of paper from the stone table beside him and handed it over.

"First, take a look at this."

Tian Ergeng hastily bowed and received it with both hands.

On the paper were drawn ten strange symbols, each one annotated beside it with a Heavenly Stem—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.

Just as he was inwardly perplexed, Zhu Youjian handed him a booklet.

"Now look at this."

Tian Ergeng took the booklet and opened it, finding it filled with densely packed tables.

The tables grouped the Heavenly Stems in sets of four, each set corresponding to a Chinese character. For example, "Jia Jia Jia Jia" for "Heaven," "Jia Jia Jia Yi" for "Earth"... and so on, seemingly without end.

The more he read, the more alarmed he grew. He raised his head and ventured, "Your Majesty, this thing... it seems akin to military flag signals, but somehow... far more intricate."

"You have a discerning eye," Zhu Youjian nodded. He thrust the telescope into Tian Ergeng's hands. "Look south. Find Yongding Gate."

Tian Ergeng dared not be remiss. He hastily followed the Emperor's example and raised the telescope to his eye.

The cold touch of metal jolted his senses. He adjusted it clumsily, searching through the field of view.

After a moment, he said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, is it... that atop the city gate there is a group of men, supporting a strange apparatus, and one among them also seems to be holding a telescope?"

"Correct," Zhu Youjian said, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "Companion Gao, send the signal. Tian Ergeng, watch the other side's movements carefully and record the signals they send."

Gao Shiming, who stood to one side, acknowledged the order. He walked to the edge of the pavilion, picked up a signal flag, and began waving it toward Yongding Gate in a specific rhythm.

Tian Ergeng's heart seized. He realized that an "examination"—one he could not comprehend at all—had begun.

He hurriedly fixed his gaze back upon the telescope.

His right eye was locked intently on that peculiar apparatus atop the distant gate tower, while his left eye darted rapidly over the paper in his hand with its drawn symbols, trying desperately to sear those ten symbols and their Heavenly Stems into his brain.

Very soon, the apparatus on the Yongding Gate tower began to move.

Several wooden panels, manipulated by men, flipped and turned in different combinations.

"It is... Jia." Tian Ergeng made out the first signal and murmured to himself.

He dared not let his attention waver in the slightest; he focused every ounce of his concentration on the distance.

"Jia..."

"Jia..."

"Jia..."

"Ding..."

As time slipped by minute by minute, fine beads of sweat began to seep from Tian Ergeng's forehead.

The thing looked simple, but to distinguish the combination of wooden panels in a single instant and match it to the corresponding Heavenly Stem truly tested one's eyesight and memory.

After nearly a full quarter-hour in total, the signals from the gate tower finally ceased.

Tian Ergeng let out a long breath, only to instantly feel his heart leap into his throat.

He hesitated, then spoke: "Your Majesty, it seems... it has ended."

"Mm," Zhu Youjian handed over the cipher booklet. "Try using the booklet to translate it."

"Yes."

Tian Ergeng took the booklet and began to look it up. The first was "Jia Jia Jia Jia," and he quickly found the corresponding character—"Heaven."

But when he tried to recall the second combination, his mind was a complete blank.

He had been far too nervous just now; he had focused solely on recording each individual signal—how could he still remember their sequence?

He pieced it together as best he could, but all he got was a nonsensical phrase.

In an instant, cold sweat soaked through his official robes. He knew — he had botched it.

He stood there clutching the codebook, hands and feet ice-cold, yet dared not open his mouth to plead.

Zhu Youjian looked at his ashen face, seemed to find it somewhat amusing, and spoke: "What was the result?"

Tian Ergeng's lips quivered. He forced a smile uglier than a grimace onto his face. "Re… replying to Your Majesty, it was… Heaven Vast Flat Even."

"Ha ha ha ha!" Zhu Youjian laughed aloud. "Heaven Vast Flat Even? Well… it's not entirely wide of the mark."

He waved a hand. "Try once more. Companion Gao, help him take it down."

Gao Shiming bowed in assent and fetched paper and brush.

Another quarter-hour of torment.

This time, with Gao Shiming beside him recording, Tian Ergeng needed only to focus on identifying the signals.

When the final signal was sent, his whole body let out a long breath of relief.

Gao Shiming handed over the record. Tian Ergeng took it and checked it against the cipher book, one by one.

This time, he finally exhaled a long, deep breath, closed the book, and presented it respectfully to Zhu Youjian.

"Your Majesty, this time it is… All Under Heaven at Peace."

"Mm." Zhu Youjian nodded, already clear in his mind.

A literate man of normal intelligence, never exposed to this system before, could basically master it after two tries.

It seemed this optical telegraph system truly had soil in which to take root and sprout in the Great Ming.

(Tian Ergeng had entered the Embroidered Uniform Guard through hereditary privilege, not the jinshi examination route — plainly not top-tier brilliance, but by no means stupid either.)

"Have the men at Yongding Gate return," Zhu Youjian instructed. Then he took the lead, sat down on a stone stool in the pavilion, and pointed to the seat opposite. "Tian Ergeng, you sit as well."

"This subject dare not."

"When We tell you to sit, you sit."

Tian Ergeng dared not refuse again. Gingerly, he perched half a buttock on the stone stool.

Zhu Youjian waved a hand, signaling all the surrounding eunuchs to withdraw. The entire Chongyang Pavilion was left with only himself, Tian Ergeng, and Gao Shiming, standing in attendance with hands at his sides.

The atmosphere, in that moment, grew abruptly heavy.

Zhu Youjian lifted his teacup and gently blew at the floating froth, but did not drink. He pondered for a moment, let his gaze settle on Tian Ergeng, and slowly spoke a single sentence.

"Tian Ergeng, We are… somewhat disappointed in you."

It's over! So in the end there's no escaping it?!

Tian Ergeng felt his mind go utterly blank. The heart he had just set down was instantly flung beyond the highest heavens. Without a second thought, he moved at once to slide to his knees.

"This subject's crimes deserve ten thousand deaths!"

"Do not kneel yet." Zhu Youjian raised a hand, stopping his motion. "Hear Us out."

Tian Ergeng froze there, neither kneeling nor sitting, feeling as though all the blood in his body was about to congeal.

Zhu Youjian's voice was unhurried and measured.

"Your recent selection of Embroidered Uniform Guard riders and your internal rectification efforts — We have observed them, and they have been passably effective."

"However," his tone turned, "on the matter of intelligence, you have truly disappointed Us to the utmost."

"We had originally intended for you to take charge of external intelligence, with Wang Tiqian handling internal affairs — the two of you together serving as Our eyes and ears. Yet that proposal you submitted was hollow and devoid of substance, stale and utterly useless. Our idea had to be abandoned."

Tian Ergeng's head drooped even lower. He wished the ground would open a crack he could burrow into.

"We have thought it over at length. Perhaps the fault is not yours. At root, We simply used the wrong man. Perhaps… it is time to change Our approach."

Zhu Youjian sighed faintly and continued.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard — those three words — how awe-inspiring they were in the reign of the Hongwu Emperor! The imperial sovereign's own troops, flying-fish robes and dragon tunics, patrolling, investigating, and arresting — power that overawed the entire court."

"And yet, after all these years, what sort of reputation does the Embroidered Uniform Guard actually hold among the common people?"

Tian Ergeng's lips were parched. With difficulty, he spoke: "Replying to Your Majesty… it has long since been… utterly infamous. The people turn pale at the mere mention of it. They regard us as… as the state's vicious hounds, shunning us as they would a plague."

"Exactly." Zhu Youjian nodded. "That is how it is. But if the Embroidered Uniform Guard's name is foul, can Our own name remain good?"

He rose, walked to the edge of the pavilion, and stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing down at the Forbidden City below the hill.

"All under heaven see the Depot and the Guard as the emperor's hawks and hounds. Wherever the Guard's riders go, not a chicken or dog is left in peace."

"On the surface, everyone curses Wei Zhongxian, curses the eunuch faction's brutality. Yet the hearts of the people are clear as polished mirrors — are they truly cursing only Wei Zhongxian?"

"More likely… they dare not curse the Emperor, and so they simply curse another man in his place!"

These words made Tian Ergeng even more terrified.

When the master is shamed, the servant dies — but the crux of it was… the master's shame had been brought about by his own servant. That was far more dreadful still.

"This subject… this subject has disappointed Your Majesty." Yet of the thousand words in Tian Ergeng's heart, what finally left his mouth was only a single pallid admission of guilt.

"This impression did not form in a single day. It has accumulated over decades. It cannot be changed overnight — yet change it we must."

Zhu Youjian turned around, his gaze burning as it fixed on him.

"Tian Ergeng, your grandfather was the late Minister of War, Tian Le. He swept clear Qing and Yong, his might shook the northwest. In the history books, his name shall surely stand."

"We now ask you: can you, Tian Ergeng, like your grandfather, leave a mark upon the annals of history — openly and with honor?"

"Can you make those three words — the Embroidered Uniform Guard — sweep away a century of infamy and restore the glory of the Hongwu Emperor's day?"

"Can you make it so that when the common people of the realm hear the Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrived, they know the imperial authority is present, that all evil is swept away — rather than clutching their heads and fleeing as from serpents and scorpions?"

Zhu Youjian's questions came one upon another, his tone gradually rising, like the tolling of a great bronze bell, shaking Tian Ergeng's heart and soul.

He paused, his tone softening slightly, yet carrying even greater weight.

"Can We trust you — grandson of the late Minister of War, Guard Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard — Tian Ergeng?"

In that moment, Tian Ergeng could no longer control his emotions.

Fear, shame, agitation, and an immense sense of honor at being entrusted with such weighty hopes by his sovereign — all intertwined, crashing through every last one of his psychological defenses.

With a thud, both his knees struck the ground.

"Your Majesty!" He raised his head, and tears had actually welled in his eyes. "Your Majesty uses my grandfather to spur me on — I… I am no block of rotten wood; how could my heart remain unmoved!"

"I, Tian Ergeng, swear here and now: in this life I shall reshape the Embroidered Uniform Guard for Your Majesty and cleanse the realm! If I cannot make the name of the Embroidered Uniform Guard shine bright once more, I offer my head in atonement!"

Zhu Youjian looked at him in silence for a long moment, then slowly nodded.

"Good. Remember the words you spoke today. This matter is not the work of a single morning or evening, but We — We shall be watching you all the while."

With a wave of his hand, Gao Shiming understood and handed over another booklet that had long been prepared.

Tian Ergeng took it and scanned it hastily. What he saw recorded there was precisely the affair of Zhenyang County in Henan.

"Your Majesty, do you wish this subject… to leave the capital, arrest these worms gnawing at the state, and execute them openly by law?"

"Precisely." Zhu Youjian's tone had returned to calm. "Since Our ascension, you have come to know Our temperament."

"Past affairs, former matters — from this day forward none need be mentioned again. We look only at whether you can do the work, and whether you can… do it well."

"And this — this shall be the first good deed you do!"

He tapped the booklet lightly, then said to Gao Shiming, "Together with Tian Ergeng, arrange the arrest warrants properly. Then select officers of clean record, leave the capital at speed, and be sure to handle this affair with flawless precision."

"This slave obeys the decree." Gao Shiming nodded and accepted the order.

Zhu Youjian descended the steps, personally helped Tian Ergeng to his feet, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, weighing each word, "We believe you can handle this matter well. Do not disappoint Us. Can you do that?"

Tian Ergeng felt a surge of heat rush from his chest straight to the crown of his head. He answered with absolute finality, "Your Majesty, this subject would die ten thousand deaths and never refuse!"

"Ha ha ha, good!" Zhu Youjian laughed brightly. "Then We shall wait and see. Come, walk with Us a while. It is rare to come up here — do not miss this splendid view."

Two quarters of an hour later, the squad of eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial and the artisan households assigned to send signals at Yongding Gate finally arrived at the summit of Longevity Hill, panting for breath.

"This slave / This commoner pays respects to Your Majesty!"

"You have all done very well." Zhu Youjian looked at them, a smile on his face, and said to Gao Shiming, "Every man of the Directorate of Ceremonial who assisted in compiling the booklet — reward each with ten taels of silver. Every man who took part in this trial — reward each with two taels of silver."

The crowd was overjoyed at these words; they knelt in profusion to give thanks, roaring "Long live His Majesty!"

After the crowd had withdrawn, Zhu Youjian turned to Tian Ergeng and said, "This, then, is the second matter We intend to entrust to you."

He pointed to the set of "optical telegraph" equipment on the stone table.

"Now, do you have some inkling in your mind?"

Tian Ergeng's spirits were running high at this moment. Hearing this, he immediately bowed and said, "Though this subject is dull-witted, after the demonstration just now, I have already formed some thoughts."

"The Great Ming is vast in territory, and communication is inconvenient."

"Take Liaodong as an example. From Shanhai Pass to the capital is near six hundred li; from the pass to Jinzhou is another four hundred li."

"Over such a distance of three hundred li and more, even using the express relay posts for three-hundred-li urgent delivery, it still takes three or four days for military intelligence to be transmitted back."

"This subject observes that this method, if relay towers can be erected along the route to transmit day and night, perhaps… within a single day, one could know military intelligence from a thousand li away!"

"Correct." Zhu Youjian nodded approvingly. "The exact speed still requires testing. Do you now have a draft plan for carrying this out?"

"This subject already has a rough outline in mind. I shall display my meager talents before Your Majesty." Tian Ergeng steadied himself and spoke with clear logic:

"First, determine the priority of routes. This subject believes Liaodong border defense should be first; the nine frontier garrisons of Xuanfu, Datong, Yansui, and the rest should be second; the capital to the Southern Metropolitan Area should be third; the remainder can be decided later."

"Second, select dedicated personnel. We should choose from the army or the artisan households men of keen eyesight, literate, and quick of mind, and give them specialized training."

"Third, construct relay towers along the routes. Between towers the line of sight must be open, each supporting the next. The exact spacing will require field survey and testing before it can be settled."

Zhu Youjian finished listening, and a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.

"You… have read Xue Guoguan's memorial on road-building in the capital?"

Tian Ergeng's weathered face reddened. He said in flattery, "After this subject read it, I realized how crude my own intelligence proposal was. The new official document method Your Majesty created — clear in structure, grasped at a single glance — can truly be called a statecraft for the ages."

Zhu Youjian showed no reaction whatsoever to this low-grade flattery. He pondered a moment, then said, "Your line of thought is broadly correct. We shall give you a few more directions; incorporate them into your considerations as well."

Tian Ergeng's expression turned solemn, and he immediately bowed in a listening posture.

"First: continuous improvement."

"The present method is merely a rough beginning — by no means the best."

"Whether the design of the signals, the upgrading of the telescopes, or the techniques of transmission — all can be improved."

"A scholar may devise a more ingenious encoding method; an artisan may possess finer manufacturing techniques; even the relay soldiers, in their day-and-night operations, may have strokes of inspired thought."

"We have prepared one thousand taels of silver specifically for optimizing this method. Any person, official or commoner, who proposes an improvement — once adopted, all shall receive a heavy reward."

He paused, and his tone grew heavier: "Do not do the foolish thing of treating all things as immutable. Remember: law shifts with the times, affairs change with the age. Only through ceaseless improvement can one stand undefeated. Do you understand?"

"This subject reverently obeys the sage instruction!"

"Second: secrecy." Zhu Youjian continued. "This method is fast, but its secrecy rests entirely upon that code booklet."

"The Later Jin have spies running rampant in our dynasty. In the past, when military dispatches traveled back and forth, outsiders could not tell which dispatch mattered, and so they did not often strike."

"Now, if we use this method, one need only bribe a few relay soldiers to peer into all our dynasty's secrets. You must devise ways to guard against this."

"This subject understands."

"In truth, it is no great matter if it cannot be fully guarded against." Zhu Youjian shifted tack. "After testing, write up a clear proposal and discuss it together with the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial — what sort of intelligence may be transmitted by this method, and what sort must still be sent by traditional means. Handle it by classification, and that will suffice."

"More importantly…" Zhu Youjian smiled faintly — yet that smile seemed to carry a trace of the smell of blood. "You must go find Sun Chengzong and discuss this thoroughly."

Tian Ergeng was taken aback and raised his head with some puzzlement.

Zhu Youjian's smile deepened.

"Warfare is the way of deception. Beacon fires may serve as true signals — or as feints. Used well, victory and defeat can be decided from a thousand li away."

"If one day, that barbarian chieftain comes to trust utterly in our 'beacon-fire telegraph'… tell me, might we be able to use that to deal him one great blow?"

Tian Ergeng suddenly saw the light, and an obsequious smile spread across his face.

"Your Majesty… far-sighted and profound in strategy — this subject… is overcome with admiration beyond all measure!"

"Ha ha ha!" Zhu Youjian laughed aloud and clapped him on the shoulder once more. "Work hard. We await the day your name stands equal with your grandfather's!"

He turned, and with soaring spirit, swept his hand forward.

"Let us go — down the mountain!"

The whole party surged after the Emperor and headed down the mountain.

Halfway up the hillside, Zhu Youjian suddenly stopped.

Gao Shiming, puzzled, stepped closer and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty?"

Zhu Youjian did not turn around. He only gazed silently at an old locust tree beside the path ahead.

The tree had a rather peculiar shape — its trunk was twisted, its branches thrust out at odd angles, and its overall form was not particularly pleasing.

After a moment, he suddenly smiled, as if he were merely remarking on some trivial trifle.

"This tree — crooked and gnarled, not much to look at."

"Have someone… cut it down later."

(The telegraph stations preserved in Europe to this day)