Chapter 373: The Ming's Good Brother

"My Prince, just look at this matter."

"My Prince, this old servant has seen that Zuo Mengmei — she truly is a rare beauty!"

"My Prince, you're not young anymore. You're already thirteen this year."

"That's right — a wife five years older is a brick of gold!"

In the Chu Prince's mansion in Jiangling County, Jingzhou Prefecture, Hou Xun, who had come from afar, and Wang Cheng'en, who had followed Zhu Cizhao from Li Zicheng's side to Wuchang, were both by the pond in the mansion's rear garden, earnestly pleading with a boy of twelve or thirteen dressed in a yellow robe.

The boy somewhat resembled Zhu Cilang, but his features were far more delicate, making him look a little like a young girl. At the moment he seemed to be throwing a tantrum, and perhaps was even a bit unable to get past something, standing on a Taihu rock by the pond's edge as if about to jump in.

This child was Zhu Cilang's younger brother, the Prince of Chu, Zhu Cizhao!

Zhu Cilang was the Chongzhen Emperor's eldest son by his empress, and naturally carried himself as the eldest brother should, full of loving care for his three younger brothers.

Under his loving care, Zhu Cilang's third brother Zhu Cijiong had become the Third Prince of Mount Lüliang — and compared with his original tragic fate, the present Zhu Cijiong had truly made something of himself. Before long, this Third Prince of Mount Lüliang might well become a mortal worry for Dorgon.

And Zhu Cizhao's fate had changed as well. Now he was the grand Prince of Chu of the Great Ming, lord of Jingzhou, and at only thirteen he could set up his own household — with a beautiful wife, no less: Zuo Mengmei, eighteen this year, daughter of Zuo Liangyu, now the number one great warlord of the Ming (if Zhu Cilang did not count as a warlord).

But the Chu prince Zhu Cizhao, for whatever reason, was thoroughly dissatisfied with the arrangement made by his good elder brother Zhu Cilang!

He did not want to be Prince of Chu, did not want to go to Jingzhou City to draw hatred upon himself, and even less did he want to marry a woman five years his senior who had been married before — Zuo Mengmei. For that, blame Li Zicheng, who had blindly played matchmaker and gone and arranged for Zuo Mengmei a husband who was a battalion commander in the imperial guard.

In the end, Zuo Mengmei's husband was killed at the Battle of Shanhai Pass, leaving Zuo Mengmei a young widow — and leaving Zhu Cilang with his eye on her. And after Zuo Liangyu refused to marry his daughter to Zhu Cilang, Zhu Cilang had Hou Xun step forward as matchmaker and marry Zuo Mengmei to the little Prince of Chu, Zhu Cizhao.

And Zuo Liangyu's relationship with Hou Xun was no ordinary one. Once Hou Xun stepped forward — and with a marriage that looked highly advantageous to the Zuo family army — Zuo Liangyu naturally would not refuse.

So today was supposed to be little Zhu Cizhao's happy day, yet Zhu Cizhao was thoroughly dejected. All he wanted right now was to see his father Chongzhen; he had no wish at all to marry. What was more, he had heard about Zhu Cilang imprisoning his father and usurping power, and had developed some misunderstandings about his good elder brother!

"My Prince, the bridal sedan is almost at the mansion gates. You cannot keep throwing a childish fit!" Wang Cheng'en looked at this son of the Chongzhen Emperor, who understood nothing at all, so anxious that tears were nearly falling.

Zuo Mengmei had arrived in Jingzhou the day before, accompanied by Zuo Menggeng and Qiu Lei, and was staying in Regional Commander Qiu's residence. Today she would ride the bridal sedan through the gate. Because she was to be the princess consort, Zhu Cizhao, as the prince, had to go receive the bride, lift the sedan curtain, bow to heaven and earth — a whole pile of matters. There was no time for jumping into a pond to kill himself.

"Companion Wang," Zhu Cizhao turned his head, looking at Wang Cheng'en with grievance, tears glistening in his eyes, "tell me, is this really Imperial Father's decree? Wasn't it said that Imperial Father is being held hostage by Chun-ge? He couldn't possibly issue such a decree. This isn't Imperial Father's will, is it?"

"My Prince!" Wang Cheng'en glanced at Hou Xun, whose expression remained as calm as ever, and stamped his foot. "Even for the sake of His Majesty, you must marry Zuo Mengmei."

Zhu Cizhao thought for a moment, then asked again: "If I marry Zuo Mengmei, will Zuo Liangyu send troops to purge the court of evil ministers?"

How could he ask such a question? What if the Crown Prince found out?

Wang Cheng'en was so anxious cold sweat was breaking out on his forehead. He looked back at Hou Xun: You're not going to report the Prince of Chu to the Crown Prince, are you?

Hou Xun smiled. "The Prince is young."

"Right, right, right," Wang Cheng'en said. "Young and ignorant!"

Hou Xun said with a smile, "His Highness the Thousand Years is wise and will not hold it against the little prince."

So he was still going to report it!

Wang Cheng'en no longer knew what to say. Hou Xun was Zhu Cilang's lecturer and a trusted minister; of course he could not conceal things on behalf of the Prince of Chu.

Fortunately, the Zuo family army was presently at odds with Nanjing, just short of marching east in force! So there was no fear that a single decree from Zhu Cilang would cost the little prince his life.

"Companion Wang, tell me — if I marry Zuo Mengmei, will Zuo Liangyu send troops to purge the court of evil ministers?"

Zhu Cizhao had probably picked up bad habits over on the Roving King's side; his spirit of rebellion was overflowing!

Wang Cheng'en could not concern himself with so much anymore. He absolutely could not let Zhu Cilang jump into the mansion pond! So he stamped his foot and said: "Right! As long as Your Highness marries Zuo Mengmei, Marshal Zuo will send troops to purge the court of evil ministers!"

Just then, the crackling of firecrackers could be faintly heard — it seemed the bridal procession had already arrived!

Zhu Cizhao would very soon be living happily ever after with his elder sister Zuo Mengmei.

And on the very same day that Zhu Cizhao and Zuo Mengmei were joined in wedded bliss, within the Wuchang marquis's residence, the Wuchang Marquis Zuo Liangyu — his face deathly pale, his spirit listless, coughing without cease — was meeting together with his dog-headed strategist Huang Shu and the Prince of Dai's envoy Chen Yongxi, who had come south from Datong, passing through Mount Lüliang, Chang'an City, Nanyang Prefecture, and Xiangjing Prefecture before reaching Wuchang.

"... My Lord Marquis, according to this humble official's investigations, the roving bandits have already enclosed several million mu of land in the two prefectures of Xiangyang and Yunyang to distribute to their officers and men. Their conduct is exactly the same as that of the Tartar caitiffs around Beijing. Clearly they have learned the Tartars' methods of harming the people, and no longer use the 'three years without levies' to beguile the masses. This move will cost the roving bandits their power to beguile, but it can also consolidate the loyalty of their men, turning roving bandits into entrenched bandits. Next, they will very likely use Xiangyang and Yunyang as their base and swallow up the various prefectures of Huguang. I hope My Lord Marquis will take every precaution!"

"Hmph, yet another bandit plundering the people's fields!" Huang Shu said bitterly. "The Tartar caitiffs do this, the roving bandits do this, and even the Crown Prince who holds His Majesty hostage does the same... one after another, like wolves and tigers, knowing only how to harm the people!"

What? Even the Crown Prince is doing this? Chen Yongxi was startled, and thought to himself: It seems this trip south was the right gamble. I must hurry to Nanjing and join his side!

"Chen Jishan (Jishan is a princely establishment office)," came Zuo Liangyu's hoarse, slow voice, "how is the situation with the Prince of Dai? Can he still hold on?"

"My Lord Marquis, rest assured," Chen Yongxi said. "The Prince of Dai long ago left Datong and moved to the territory of the Zhenxi Guard, establishing his princely residence deep in the Lüliang mountains. Now all the heroes of Lüliang obey the Prince's commands, and the Prince still has three thousand elite troops at his side — enough to protect himself."

"That is good," Zuo Liangyu said with a smile. "With the Prince of Dai and the Prince of Chu as checks, the Crown Prince should not dare carry out any usurpation."

Chen Yongxi said, "What can check the Crown Prince is probably also the Fifth Prince."

"The Fifth Prince? Isn't he in Li Zicheng's hands?" Huang Shu pressed.

Chen Yongxi said, "When this humble official met Li Zicheng, I heard him say that if Chang'an cannot be held, he will leave the Fifth Prince behind in the city..."

Zuo Liangyu was taken aback. "He means to leave him to the Tartars?"

Chen Yongxi nodded. "Because the last time the Tartars borrowed the Feihu Pass to strike Li Zicheng's rear, he now does not trust our Great Ming at all. That is why he makes this threat."

Zuo Liangyu said, "Can he hold Chang'an?"

"He cannot." Chen Yongxi shook his head. "Wu Sangui's tens of thousands of troops have crossed Guanzhong as if entering uninhabited land. That shows Li Zicheng has failed to put down roots in Guanzhong. Without a foundation, how can he long withstand the combined pressure of the Tartars and Wu Sangui? Defeat is only a matter of time. So My Lord Marquis must make preparations early!"

Zuo Liangyu's pallid face creased into a frown. To Wu Sangui and Jiang Xiang, Li Zicheng perhaps counted for little. But to Zuo Liangyu, Li Zicheng was an invincible, formidable foe.

Because his true strength had all been destroyed by Li Zicheng at the Battle of Zhuxian Town! Later he had raised more than ten armies again, and even claimed to have eight hundred thousand men. But Zuo Liangyu was old and ill, and had long lacked the energy to train his troops rigorously. So although his forces were numerous, their combat strength was very weak.

"In your judgment, how much longer can Li Zicheng hold out?" Zuo Liangyu asked, brow furrowed.

"One year!" Chen Yongxi said with certainty. "Tong Pass, after all, is one of the most formidable strategic points under heaven, very difficult to break through from the front. Li Zicheng's earlier decision to let Wu Sangui enter the pass was his greatest blunder. Once Wu Sangui has secured his footing in Ningxia and Gansu and marches east, that will be the day Li Zicheng loses Guanzhong!"

(End of Chapter)