Chapter 64: Where Is Chongzhen? (Where Are the Recommendation Tickets?)

Preparations for flight had begun several days earlier, and by the evening of the twentieth, they had been underway for four or five days.

On the palace side, under Empress Zhou's arrangements, Empress Yi'an, Empress Zhou herself, Noble Consort Yuan, Prince Ding, Prince Yong, the Fifth Prince, Zhu Cilang's betrothed consort, the young Lady Ning, two princesses, and several of the Chongzhen Emperor's concubines had all packed their valuables and changed into commoners' clothing. The trusted palace maids and eunuchs attending them had also changed.

The carriages for the escape were ready as well. Huang Dabao and the two imperial merchants, Soy-Sauce Huang and Old Rice Su, had spent the past few days buying them from the common folk at high prices — sturdy and durable, yet not as conspicuous as imperial vehicles. These carriages and their drivers were now all gathered inside the Armory Outer Works beyond the North Peace Gate, guarded by the right battalion of the Hard-Overcoming Camp.

In the inner drill ground, hundreds of carriages, mule carts, and camels had also been assembled. The carts and camel backs were loaded with boxes great and small, all looking heavy, most of them no doubt filled with gold and silver.

In addition, at the barbicans of the Sun-Facing Gate and the East Straight Gate and their surroundings, large numbers of carts, horses, camels, and fully armed troops had each gathered.

Assembled at the Sun-Facing Gate barbican were the main force of the Hard-Overcoming Camp, the elite of the Capital Camps, and part of the Eastern Palace guard. The core sons of the capital's ennobled relatives and imperial kin who had contributed money had also mostly arrived at the Sun-Facing Gate, each with horses and household retainers prepared, carrying only a little baggage and dry rations. And all had changed into commoners' clothes as Zhu Cilang had instructed. Those who had armor to wear covered it with coarse cloth garments.

The situation around the East Straight Gate was somewhat chaotic. There were too many carts, horses, and people, and the organization was too poor — a great disorderly mass that not only overflowed the East Straight Gate barbican but packed the entire East Straight Gate Avenue. The nobles preparing to flee from the East Straight Gate had also changed into commoners' clothes, and the women had deliberately smeared mud and ash on their faces, every one of them grimy and dark — though whether that could fool the sharp eyes of the roving bandits, no one knew.

Cries and quarrels rose from time to time along East Straight Gate Avenue. Some nobles, desperate to flee and impatient with the wait, had begun arguing with the Pure Troops maintaining order on East Straight Gate Avenue and in the East Straight Gate barbican.

Commanding this Pure Troops force was Qiu Zhizhong, Zhu Cilang's former study companion eunuch and now the supervising eunuch of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses. Seeing the chaotic, clamorous scene, he too was sweating profusely with anxiety. There were roving bandit cavalry outside the city!

With this disorderly rabble and the barely three thousand Pure Troops he had just taken over, how could they possibly escape?

Just as he was burning with worry, a clamorous din suddenly rose from East Straight Gate Avenue.

One of Qiu Zhizhong's god-sons, also a eunuch, came flying up to Eunuch Qiu, who was fretting inside the barbican. The man was about to kneel when Eunuch Qiu barked, "What are you bowing for? Speak quickly if you have something to say!"

"Godfather, His Majesty and the Thousand Years have arrived!"

"What?" Qiu Zhizhong started. "Are you sure you saw right?"

"How could I mistake such a thing? Godfather, go and receive them at once!"

Qiu Zhizhong hastily straightened his python robe, then led several senior eunuchs of the Pure Troops to the inner gate of the barbican. He had just arrived there when he saw the imperial procession, the Eastern Palace procession, and the Empress's procession all coming together down East Straight Gate Avenue.

Marching at the head of these processions was a company of Great Han Generals in golden helmets and golden armor, all mounted on tall horses and carrying long-hafted great blades — a magnificent sight.

It really was the Emperor? Qiu Zhizhong dared not be remiss. He hurried forward, but after only a few steps he was stopped by one of the golden-armored generals.

"Eunuch Qiu, the Thousand Years is just behind. He bids you go and pay your respects yourself."

Qiu Zhizhong looked the man over — an extremely tall, large fellow with a neatly trimmed full beard and especially big eyes that glared like bronze bells.

"Isn't this Big-Eyes Lin? Have you gotten yourself an official post?"

Qiu Zhizhong knew the man. His name was Lin Yihu, a native of Tianjin Garrison, chosen as a Great Han General for his size — but an ordinary Great Han General, without any official rank. Yet today he looked like an officer in charge of something.

"Haha, Eunuch Qiu has sharp eyes," Big-Eyes Lin said with a laugh. "I've won the Thousand Years' favor and been made a Company Commander of the Guard Battalion."

The Eastern Palace guard had originally numbered few men and had not been organized into battalions, and many of the old guards had been transferred into the Hard-Overcoming Camp as officers. So before Zhu Cilang incorporated the Great Han Generals, there had been no guard battalion — only a squad of soldiers drawn from the Hard-Overcoming Camp, plus some of the original guards, all bearing the title of guard and commanded by Wang Qi.

Yesterday morning, after Wang Qi led his men in incorporating the Great Han Generals, the number of guards had grown to over a thousand, enough to form a battalion. Thus the name Eastern Palace Guard Battalion came into being, with Wang Qi serving as Battalion Commander, the head of the battalion. The Company Commanders, Centurions, and Banner Commanders beneath him were all temporarily appointed. This Big-Eyes Lin, being forthright in character and no slouch in martial skill, had long commanded respect among the Great Han Generals, so he was given a Company Commander's post.

Qiu Zhizhong politely offered Lin his congratulations, then strode swiftly forward. After several dozen paces he caught sight of Zhu Cilang, dressed in the Crown Prince's everyday robes, riding abreast with Wang Cheng'en and Zu Zepu, apparently still giving instructions as they went.

Seeing Qiu Zhizhong running over drenched in sweat, Zhu Cilang quickly waved him over to speak.

"Regional Commander Zu, this is Qiu Zhizhong, the supervising eunuch of the Directorate of the Imperial Horses, formerly Our study companion." Zhu Cilang smiled as he introduced Zu Zepu and Qiu Zhizhong. "This is Zu Zepu, whom We have just appointed Regional Commander of Jizhou. For the column departing by the East Straight Gate, Regional Commander Zu shall be the commanding general. Companion Qiu, you are reassigned as the Garrison Eunuch of Jiliao."

He leaned down, drew close to Qiu Zhizhong, and said in a low voice, "Companion Qiu, remember this for Us: no matter what, you must reach the army of Governor-General Wang Yongji of Jiliao at Yongping."

With that, Zhu Cilang produced several copies of a Crown Prince's military decree and handed them to Qiu Zhizhong. The decree bore the Grand Secretariat's draft endorsement and the Crown Prince's own red approval, making it equivalent to a lawful imperial edict. Then he added in a low voice, "Read them on the road. Once you have read them, you will know what to do."

Qiu Zhizhong received the decree with both hands, then glanced at the carriage behind Zhu Cilang and asked, "Thousand Years, His Majesty..."

Zhu Cilang said, "Everything proceeds as arranged. We only need to keep up appearances."

Qiu Zhizhong nodded. "This old slave understands."

Zhu Cilang added, "Accompany Us up to the gate tower, and prepare a place for Us to change clothes."

Zhu Cilang had arrived wearing the Crown Prince's everyday robes, the purpose being to create the illusion that he and the Chongzhen Emperor were at the East Straight Gate. He therefore could not leave the way he had come, down East Straight Gate Avenue; he had to go by way of the city wall to the Sun-Facing Gate. Moreover, he and his escorts would change clothes together, into the mandarin-duck battle jackets of the Capital Camps soldiers, and slip away quietly.

Once up on the gate tower, Zhu Cilang called Wang Cheng'en and Qiu Zhizhong to his side. While letting them attend to his change of clothes, he instructed in a low voice, "This column has many people, motley and undisciplined. I doubt all of them will get away. But the three princes and Her Highness the Noble Consort must be absolutely safe! Do you both understand?"

"This old slave knows what to do." Qiu Zhizhong nodded. "But once we have escaped, where should we go?"

"To Wang Yongji's army at Yongping." Zhu Cilang said, "We have already instructed Zu Zepu as well... He will bring the Zu family's household retainers to escort you eastward.

If anything should go wrong, you and Zu Zepu must each join forces to protect one prince and break through to Yongping!"

His instructions finished, his change of clothes was about complete. Zhu Cilang did not linger, but at once set out with his guards for the Sun-Facing Gate.

Security at the Sun-Facing Gate was far stricter. Above and below the wall stood soldiers of the Hard-Overcoming Camp and the Capital Camps bearing weapons. Wu Sanfu and Zhu Chunjie were waiting on the wall, and when they saw Zhu Cilang approaching, they hurried forward to receive him.

"Is everyone here? How are the preparations?" Zhu Cilang asked upon seeing them.

"The people from the palace are all here. Only the old imperial relative has not yet arrived..." Zhu Chunjie replied. "Everyone who has arrived has changed into commoners' clothes. No one knows."

Wu Sanfu said, "The greater part of the Hard-Overcoming Camp, the greater part of the Eastern Palace Guard Battalion, the Tiger Guard Camp reorganized from the Capital Camps elite, and the Dragon Cavalry Camp reorganized from stalwarts such as the Great Han Generals have all arrived... In all, more than six thousand men, all crack troops. They have also been given a round of rewards, and morale is passable.

There are also more than a thousand sons and picked household retainers from the various ennobled families, all capable of fighting.

In addition, Eunuch Huang and the two imperial merchants have gathered two thousand sturdy fellows who can also fight. They are also in charge of more than six hundred carriages and mule carts and over two hundred camels."

"Good!" Zhu Cilang nodded. "We will go and return shortly... Send someone again to urge the old imperial relative. Tell him that if he has not arrived by midnight, we will not wait for him."

(End of Chapter)