Chapter 26: Eunuch Wang, Let's Go to Your House and Move Some Silver (Recommendation Tickets)

Zhu Cilang took the imperial edict written in the Chongzhen Emperor's own hand and pulled Wang Zhixin out of Qianqing Palace. His Eastern Palace guards were waiting just outside the palace gate, along with the three Eastern Palace lecturers Chen Rui, Li Shichun, and Lin Zengzhi, and the two companion eunuchs Qiu Zhizhong and Huang Dabao.

Because they all understood how serious the situation was, every one of them stood there uneasy and silent, just staring at the gates of Qianqing Palace. Now, seeing Zhu Cilang come out all smiles, carrying the edict and a Sword of State, with a miserable-looking Wang Zhixin trailing behind him, they all finally breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Whatever had happened, Thousand Years had not been put under house arrest, and it looked as though he had even gained some advantage.

"Thousand Years, what decree did His Majesty give you?" Huang Dabao was Zhu Cilang's closest confidant, so he was the first to step forward, bow, and ask.

"Time is short — I'll tell you on the way!" Zhu Cilang then turned his head to Wang Zhixin and said, "Companion Wang, lead the way."

"Lead the way?" Wang Zhixin was taken aback. "To where?"

"To your house, of course!" Zhu Cilang said with a smile.

"What is Your Highness going to this old slave's house for?" Wang Zhixin's voice was trembling.

"To move silver, naturally!" Zhu Cilang said, still smiling. "Companion Wang, who doesn't know you're the richest man among the palace eunuchs?"

At these words, Wang Zhixin's legs went weak and he dropped to his knees before Zhu Cilang. "This old slave has no money. This old slave already donated ten thousand taels — I'm already ruined, utterly ruined..."

"Really?" As he spoke, Zhu Cilang handed the edict to Huang Dabao, then took the Sword of State in his hand.

"Thousand Years, spare me... spare me!" Wang Zhixin kowtowed in terror like a pestle pounding garlic, but he still would not part with his money. "This old slave truly has no money! This old slave is utterly ruined..."

Watching the man cling to his money even at the risk of his life, Zhu Cilang burst out laughing. "Wang Zhixin, don't be afraid. This Sword of State can only kill ten people — you don't even qualify!"

Thank goodness I don't qualify... Wang Zhixin relaxed a little, but he still did not dare stand up.

Zhu Cilang went on leisurely, "The truth is... the gold and silver in your house isn't yours anymore anyway! That stuff is heavy! When We escort Imperial Father in breaking through the siege, where would We get enough carts for you to haul your silver? Leave it at home, and it just goes to the roving bandits for free. Isn't that right?"

"This old slave really has no money..."

"Truly no money?" Zhu Cilang smiled. "Then run an errand for Us. Go find Cao Huachun and have him come to the Inner Parade Ground. Tell him We have a benefit for him — he can leave the city for Tongzhou and Tianjin to deliver Our decrees... and We'll even give him one shichen to pack up the gold, silver, and valuables in his house. He only needs to leave behind whatever he can't take, to serve as Our military funds.

Companion Wang, this opportunity was originally yours! Now it's going to Cao Huachun! Think it over carefully — do you really not want to take your gold and silver and leave the city? Then you truly will be utterly ruined!"

To be able to legally leave Beijing, this dangerous place, carrying the gold and silver he had so painstakingly embezzled — what could possibly be more attractive to Wang Zhixin than that?

As for the fine prospect of surrendering to Li Zicheng to preserve his family fortune... Wang Zhixin had once dared to entertain the thought, but now that Zhu Cilang had him by the throat, he could forget it! When the time came, he would have to break through with the rest, and if he couldn't get away, he'd just have to stand firm and die! But if he left the city now, he could preserve part of his family fortune and save his own life as well. What a fine thing that would be!

"Well? Do you have money now?" Zhu Cilang said in a voice full of temptation. "You're not like the other palace eunuchs. Your younger brother is a Regional Commander in Suzhou and Songjiang — he has troops under him... Once We reach Jiangnan, We and Imperial Father will both have to rely on you! Even if some of your silver is of dubious origin, We won't hold it against you. And We guarantee We won't tell Imperial Father how much silver We moved out of your house... You, sir, are still a good eunuch of our Great Ming!"

"I have money, I have money, I have money now..." Wang Zhixin said through gritted teeth. "This old slave has remembered — this old slave does have money!"

"How much can you give Us?" Zhu Cilang asked.

"T-two hundred thousand taels of silver!"

"Good, good, good. You are indeed a good eunuch!" Zhu Cilang nodded repeatedly. "Then hurry home and get carts ready to load the money... The decree will be sent to your residence shortly by Mister Chen. There are two copies in all — one for Governor Song Quan of Shuntian, and one for Governor Feng Yuanyang of Tianjin."

"This old slave receives the decree. This old slave will go home at once to prepare. This old slave thanks Thousand Years."

Before today, Wang Zhixin probably could never have dreamed that he would thank, from the bottom of his heart, a man who had just taken two hundred thousand taels of silver from him.

But this inconceivable thing had truly happened!

Two hundred thousand taels of silver — just like that, it was in hand!

Bi Jiucheng, Chen Rui, Li Shichun, Lin Zengzhi, Huang Dabao, and Qiu Zhizhong, who had witnessed this scene with their own eyes, were all dumbfounded.

The Chongzhen Emperor, trying to scrape together a little money, had thrown the whole city into turmoil, practically going down on his knees to beg those corrupt officials and damned eunuchs — and even so, he had managed to raise less than two hundred thousand taels.

Yet Zhu Cilang, with just a few words, had coaxed two hundred thousand out of Wang Zhixin... and Wang Zhixin was thanking him profusely into the bargain!

This skill at raising money was truly unmatched!

The several men all thought the same thing at once: If this Crown Prince could trade places with His Majesty, the roving bandits and the eastern barbarians would have been wiped out long ago, wouldn't they?

"What are you all standing there gaping for?" Zhu Cilang noticed that the people following him were all in a daze and urged them on repeatedly. "Quick, quick, quick — everyone get moving! Time is pressing!

Huang Dabao, Qiu Zhizhong, the two of you go get the decree book and Our seal, and take them to the Inner Parade Ground.

Mister Chen, Mister Lin, Mister Li, Secretary Bi — you go to the Inner Parade Ground first. As soon as the decree and seal arrive, immediately issue orders in Our name to Feng Yuanyang, Song Quan, Wang Yongji, Gao Di, and Wu Sangui. Tell them that We are now leaving the palace to take command of the army and assume the office of Governor-General of Zhili military affairs, and that they are all now under Our command.

Then order Wu Sangui to lead his troops toward the capital at once, and at the same time detach a force to garrison the Tianjin Guard.

Order Song Quan to recruit a force of sturdy volunteers no matter what and hold Tongzhou until We arrive with the imperial escort!

Order Feng Yuanyang to have sea-going ships and sailors ready...

The rest of you, follow Us — we're going to Cao Huachun's house!"

Zhu Cilang's chief Eastern Palace guard, Zhu Chunjie, was startled at this. "Thousand Years, hasn't Wang Zhixin already been sent out of the city to deliver the decree?"

Zhu Cilang gave a snort of laughter. "We have many decrees to deliver! Oh, and that Zhu Chunchen is your cousin, isn't he? He's rich too. Go ask him — does he want to take his money and leave the city?"

At this, everyone admired Zhu Cilang even more. This Crown Prince really knew how to do business! Even sending people out of the city to deliver decrees had become, in his hands, a money-making venture.

But these fellows, who saw nothing but money, had not seen through Zhu Cilang's true intent.

Money was certainly good! But the purpose of getting Cao Huachun and Zhu Chunchen out of the city was not just for the cash — it was to eliminate hidden dangers within the walls.

Because in his previous life, Zhu Cilang had also been a descendant of the Ming founder, he had paid particular attention to the historical records of the Ming's fall. He knew that both Cao Huachun and Zhu Chunchen were suspected of having opened the gates to welcome the enemy!

Of course, the records of this period of history were not entirely clear, and historical sources could not be wholly trusted. So Zhu Cilang did not want to execute them without distinguishing right from wrong — after all, Chongzhen had only given him a quota of ten people to behead, and he had to use it sparingly.

So Zhu Cilang simply sent these two unreliable characters from the history books out of the city and had done with it. In addition, Zhu Cilang also wanted to assign a task to Cao Huachun.

But some things still exceeded Zhu Cilang's expectations. Just as he was going in person to do business with Cao Huachun, Zhu Chunjie's cousin Zhu Chunchen was summoned to the palace by the Chongzhen Emperor.

It turned out that this Zhu Chunchen was the meritorious noble Chongzhen trusted most. Historically, before the Chongzhen Emperor took his own life, he had written an edict appointing Zhu Chunchen to command all the armies and assist the Crown Prince, Zhu Cilang.

But this time, the Chongzhen Emperor summoned Zhu Chunchen to the palace not to have him assist Zhu Cilang, but to discuss with him how to guard against Zhu Cilang...

At present, the garrison of Beijing numbered only a little over twelve thousand men in total. Of these, five thousand Capital Camps troops were already on the city walls and could not be redeployed. Of the remaining seven thousand or so, Zhu Cilang's Hard-Work Battalion and the Pure Army made up of eunuchs accounted for nearly six thousand, and the remaining thousand-odd were the Great Banner Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and other such showpiece units.

In other words, the military force in Zhu Cilang's hands had already left the Chongzhen Emperor with no recourse. Moreover, Zhu Cilang was Wu Xiang's son-in-law and Wu Sangui's brother-in-law. And the Chongzhen Emperor was still counting on Wu Sangui to come and save his life!

Under these circumstances, Chongzhen could only retreat in order to advance, letting Zhu Cilang take command of the capital's military affairs. But he was still uneasy about handing over the entire defense of Beijing to Zhu Cilang. So he summoned his most trusted Zhu Chunchen, intending to have him take charge of the imperial palace's defense, and also wanting him to raise an armed force as a precaution against Zhu Cilang.

(End of Chapter)