[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-213":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Stealing Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1220830,1614,"Chapter 213: Section Thirty: Adversity","stealing-ming-chapter-213",213,"\u003Cp>On the twenty-first day of the ninth month of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, in the capital, within the Great Inner Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today the Emperor had toiled all day and at last, just before the sun set, completed the imperial garden fountain he had designed himself. Of course, the concept of a fountain did not yet exist in this era, so this fountain in the Forbidden City was also China’s first man-made fountain. Tianqi was very pleased with his own genius idea, and all the way back the young Emperor hummed a tune he had heard from Empress Zhang, feeling happier than he had in a very long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m starving — bring the meal at once.” After his bath, the Emperor threw on a cloth and called out as he returned to the inner hall, his whole body steaming with heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually at such a moment the young eunuchs would rush out and set the table, and very soon steaming dishes would be brought before the Emperor’s imperial table. But today, after the Emperor called out, he noticed something amiss. The Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Superintendent of the Eastern Depot were standing together silently before the steps of the inner hall — these two generally never came without a reason. Tianqi froze for a moment, then stopped the young eunuchs who were busily setting the table: “Wait. All of you, leave first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the Emperor swept a glance at Wei Zhongxian, whose head was nearly hanging down to his feet; the latter looked as terrified as a schoolboy who had not done his homework. Tianqi sighed, sat down on his imperial throne, propped his forehead on his hand, and after the young eunuchs had helped him into his dragon robe, the young man spoke: “Speak. What bad news has come this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guanning Regional Commander Ma Shilong has submitted a memorial admitting his guilt.” As Wei Zhongxian made this low report, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, his hands trembling, presented a memorial, then stood waiting fearfully beside the Emperor, cold sweat rolling drop by drop from his fleshy chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianqi frowned and glanced at him. In a tone of disgust he asked: “What are you waiting for? A reward?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This old servant would not dare.” As if granted a great pardon, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial did not even dare wipe his sweat and hastily withdrew to stand properly beside Wei Zhongxian, then immediately hung his head low again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s fingers rubbed over the memorial; he paused, then at last swiftly flipped it open. Tianqi read very slowly, his lips trembling slightly as if he were sounding out the memorial character by character. Wei Zhongxian, his head bowed to look at the floor, could hear from time to time the Emperor emitting soft snorts of laughter; the laughter grew more frequent toward the end, and louder as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha. I thought it was some great matter, seeing how frightened you all were.” Tianqi closed the memorial with a smile and even patted it lightly: “Is it not just one Vice General and one Assistant Regional Commander dead, and over ten thousand soldiers lost? What is so remarkable about that, hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Emperor’s expression was kindly, the Superintendent of the Eastern Depot and the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial instead hung their heads even lower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ma Shilong mistakenly believed what fugitives told him and thought he could go bully some old, weak people, women, and children… haha, of course. To send out one brigade of twenty thousand government troops to fight a few hundred women and old men — if they still could not win, would they even be human?” Tianqi again gleefully opened the memorial and reread it, occasionally picking out sentences he thought were particularly well written.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianqi picked through it from beginning to end, then still not satisfied, clicked his tongue in praise: “Truly well said. If Ma Shilong had not told me, I would never have known. The hundred thousand and more government troops that cost me three million taels of silver a year to maintain — so they only dare fight a few hundred women and old men. If they meet the men of the Jianzhou slaves, then of course they should lose. They lose without fault, and lose with righteous conviction!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhongxian and the eunuchs filling the hall immediately knelt in unison and cried out: “Your Majesty, quell your anger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get up, all of you get up.” Tianqi’s face was full of smiles as he greeted them with warm enthusiasm: “Who said I am angry? I am quite happy. Do you not see how cheerfully I am smiling?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that the crowd of eunuchs were still whimpering and unwilling to rise, Tianqi suddenly slammed the table, the sound ringing out like a thunderclap from the sky, and at the same time he shouted harshly: “All of you, rise — now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuchs, their faces drained of color, scrambled to their feet and stood. Tianqi’s arm, braced against the table, trembled uncontrollably; his throat made rasping sounds for a long while before he forced out a sentence in a broken voice: “Wei Zhongxian, where is the draft rescript from the Grand Secretariat?” Tianqi’s whole body began to shake. He hurled the memorial straight into Wei Zhongxian’s face and let out a roar that no longer sounded human: “Why do I not see the Grand Secretariat’s draft rescript? Answer me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That memorial had struck Wei Zhongxian squarely on the bridge of the nose. Blood immediately gushed from his nostrils, streaming down his face and dripping onto the memorial before his feet. Wei Zhongxian still maintained the posture of his hands pressed tightly against his thighs: “In reply to Your Majesty, the Grand Secretariat did not dare draft a rescript.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianqi laughed in extreme fury: “Ha, did not dare draft a rescript? I can accept that the government troops I maintain dare not fight men, but my Grand Secretariat dares not even draft a rescript — then what do I maintain the Grand Secretariat for? Haha, truly amusing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s dark and sinister laughter echoed through the inner hall. All the eunuchs paled in terror; the few young eunuchs who attended the Emperor had rarely seen the usually amiable Tianqi turn into this, and their thighs began to tremble. Only Wei Zhongxian, blood still streaming from his nose, remained expressionless and continued in a calm tone: “In reply to Your Majesty, Ma Shilong failed in his entrusted duty and betrayed his sovereign’s grace, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here Wei Zhongxian paused. Having successfully drawn the Emperor’s attention, he stepped forward, knelt bolt upright, raised his head, and met Tianqi’s eyes: “Your Majesty is wise. Ma Shilong was personally promoted by Mr. Sun. This year Mr. Sun even personally requested an Imperial Sword for Ma Shilong. Though this old servant is dull-witted, I venture to ask Your Majesty: if the Grand Secretariat were to draft a rescript punishing Ma Shilong, where would that leave Mr. Sun?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Tianqi had fallen silent, Wei Zhongxian spoke with added emphasis: “This old servant believes that Ma Shilong has misled his sovereign and is incompetent, but since he was promoted by Mr. Sun, we must certainly give Mr. Sun face. This old servant’s sincerity can be witnessed by the sun and moon — may Your Majesty see it clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But, but…” Tianqi tilted his head and gazed at the ceiling for a moment, then suddenly said: “If I remember correctly, this so-called Manggūltai, and whatever Plain Blue Banner of the Jianzhou slaves, have already been beaten twice this year by General Huang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty is wise,” Wei Zhongxian immediately took up the thread in a loud voice: “The first battle was at Nanguan. That wretch Manggūltai led three banners against General Huang’s one battalion, and General Huang seized his great banner and his golden helmet, taking nearly nine hundred heads. That wretch was also trapped by General Huang’s single battalion at Nanguan for over a month.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianqi paced back and forth twice in the room. Wei Zhongxian, his eyes fixed straight ahead, continued: “The second battle was the recovery of Fuzhou. That wretch Manggūltai, his thieving heart unrepentant, led the elite troops of six Jianzhou slave banners against General Huang’s two battalions. That wretch used feigned defeats, bait, ambushes — every trick imaginable, stopping just short of fire and flood. But General Huang possesses a valor that ten thousand men cannot match, and under such adverse circumstances he relied on two battalions to thoroughly rout the elite of six Jianzhou slave banners. In the end, General Huang even submitted a memorial admitting fault for having fallen into a trap, taking no credit at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Tianqi let out another long sigh that sounded somewhere between weeping and laughter. Wei Zhongxian relentlessly continued: “In this battle, Ma Shilong himself admits that the opposing Jianzhou slaves consisted only of Manggūltai’s single banner, and they were the remnant, defeated troops whom General Huang had twice routed… Your Majesty, this old servant believes that if General Huang had been in command of this battle, Manggūltai would likely not even have had the nerve to accept battle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If only I had listened to Wu Mu back then and transferred Huang Shi to serve as the Provincial Military Commander and Regional Commander in charge of Liaoxi military affairs.” No sooner had Tianqi spoken than he recalled what Wei Zhongxian had said — that Sun Chengzong had disagreed at the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhongxian, reading the Emperor’s expression, struck while the iron was hot: “This old servant believes that for the time being, it is best not to send General Huang to Liaoxi or back to Changsheng Island. Otherwise, I fear Mr. Sun may lose face. Would it not be better to wait until this storm has passed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tianqi was speechless for a moment and began to pace slowly within the hall again: “The valor of Xin Bu — heh, compared to someone like Ma Shilong, of course General Huang is valiant. How could he not be?” Only after a long while did the young man halt his steps: “This matter — the censors all know of it by now, I take it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In reply to Your Majesty, the censors have already submitted memorials of impeachment one after another. This old servant has already discussed it with the Grand Secretariat. All those impeaching Mr. Sun have been uniformly rejected.” Wei Zhongxian still knelt ramrod straight, his chest now completely soaked with blood from his nose: “As for those impeaching Ma Shilong, this old servant believes it would be best to forward them to the Liaodong Supreme Command.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Tianqi first responded with a sound of assent, then frowned in thought for a long while and hesitantly asked Wei Zhongxian: “Would that not put Mr. Sun in a difficult position?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty is wise. This old servant believes that if Mr. Sun deals with Ma Shilong, then the remonstrance officials will naturally have nothing more to say. Mr. Sun would then be like Zhuge Wuhou, who tearfully executed Ma Su — it would benefit Mr. Sun’s reputation without harm. If, on the other hand, Mr. Sun allows Ma Shilong to redeem himself through service, then Mr. Sun can also use these impeachment memorials to bind Ma Shilong to him, making him aware of his shame and then brave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhongxian’s words were clear and confident, and Tianqi nodded repeatedly as he listened: “Quite right. Mr. Sun has his own calculations. I will not go and add to his troubles. We shall do as you suggest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor turned back and saw Wei Zhongxian still kneeling bolt upright there, a pool of blood from his nose already spread on the ground. In his heart he was moved by Wei Zhongxian’s loyalty, and also regretted having misunderstood Wei Zhongxian’s intentions and his own rashness. Of course, the Son of Heaven would still never admit fault to a eunuch; he merely called out: “Go and help Minister Wei up, and take him to stop the bleeding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Zhongxian expressed his gratitude for the imperial grace and left. Long after he had gone, Tianqi still gazed at the palace door through which he had vanished and could not help but sigh in admiration to the young eunuchs beside him: “The Depot Superintendent is truly utterly loyal. Moreover, in all matters he acts out of public-mindedness, is thoroughly versed in the ways of the world, and never claims credit. He is truly a rare man!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Wei Zhongxian had already hurried to the Directorate of Ceremonial. First he burst into loud laughter, laughing until tears streamed down his face and he still could not stop: “Who would have thought it, who would have thought it.” Wei Zhongxian laughed until he was gasping for breath, coughing intermittently: “Who would have thought they would lose the very first battle, and lose so disastrously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he had laughed his fill, Wei Zhongxian’s expression darkened, and he gave a cold snort: “Which fools submitted memorials impeaching Mr. Sun? Did I not give instructions? Our people may only impeach Ma Shilong — they must not impeach Mr. Sun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial turned pale with fright and hastily kowtowed in defense: “In reply to the Depot Master, our people are indeed all impeaching Ma Shilong. Those impeaching Mr. Sun are all fellows who fancy themselves upright and outspoken — they are not our people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spread the word that His Majesty does not like anyone impeaching Mr. Sun. If there are still those who lack eyes…” A sharp gleam flashed in Wei Zhongxian’s eyes, and his teeth clenched: “Scrutinize their wording carefully. If any memorial contains a wrong character or an ungrammatical sentence, then apply the court flogging and charge them with the crime of disrespect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, at a wayside pavilion outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie, Mao Chengdou, and Huang Shi were boiling tea and listening to the qin. Huang Shi originally preferred to wear military attire, but Sun Zhijie did not much like drinking tea with someone in full armor, and even Mao Chengdou disliked Huang Shi swaggering about all day in his military uniform. Although Huang Shi did not think much of their attitude, he understood that it could not be helped. In the environment of the late Ming era, a soldier’s armor was no nobler than a beggar’s bowl… though, of course, it was far more conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi asked himself honestly and admitted that he too would not like to sit at the same table as a beggar, so he changed out of his military uniform. Sun Zhijie had originally suggested that Huang Shi wear the bright red official robe of a second-rank military officer; apart from the square-winged black gauze hat and the tiger emblem on the chest, it was no different from the second-rank robe of a civil official. Sun Zhijie felt this was very imposing and would well display his status. But Huang Shi had no interest in this whatsoever; like Sun Zhijie and Mao Chengdou, he wore the plain blue robe of a commoner and tied a headscarf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the tea was brewed, Sun Zhijie sniffed the fragrance and sighed with satisfaction: “That you two could come today fully demonstrates your profound friendship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, memorials impeaching Ma Shilong had filled the sky. Although the Son of Heaven had kept all of them withheld without response, everyone, considering the Donglin Party’s misfortunes this year, believed that old man Sun was also about to fall. Thus, one by one, they all kept far away from the Sun family. Before the Sun residence in the capital, one could now catch sparrows at the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a frontier general, Huang Shi had never dared to pay visits to any high officials in the capital since his arrival, and those ministers, to avoid suspicion, also steered clear of Huang Shi. Thus the only people he could befriend were the family members of frontier generals, such as Mao Chengdou. When he met Sun Zhijie that day, Huang Shi guessed it might be a deliberate effort by Sun Chengzong to win him over, but he was happy to make the acquaintance. Huang Shi remembered that in the Battle of Gaoyang, Sun Chengzong’s entire clan died as martyrs, an even more tragic fate than Mao Wenlong’s — at least Mao Wenlong had one son whose “whereabouts became unknown.” Since this Sun Zhijie before him was Sun Chengzong’s direct grandson, he was certainly one of those fated to meet calamity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of this heartfelt respect, Huang Shi did not avoid Sun Zhijie even after hearing of the disastrous defeat at Yaozhou. Mao Chengdou had initially hesitated somewhat, but seeing Huang Shi act this way, he felt both respect and admiration in his heart and decided to throw caution to the wind as well. As a result, Huang Shi and Mao Chengdou at once became Sun Zhijie’s friends in adversity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder Grand Secretary Sun is a veteran of three reigns, is he not?” Mao Chengdou sniffed the tea in imitation of Sun Zhijie, while not forgetting to offer comfort: “I hear the Emperor has begun finding fault and has subjected some remonstrance officials who impeached Elder Grand Secretary Sun to court flogging. This shows that Elder Grand Secretary Sun’s imperial favor has not yet waned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie’s face first showed joy, then worry: “His Majesty’s profound grace naturally protects and cherishes my grandfather. But because of this, many officials at court now compare my grandfather to that traitorous villain Yan Song. Moreover, the remonstrance officials of our dynasty often take pride in receiving court floggings. His Majesty’s original intention was one of protection, yet now the memorials impeaching my grandfather have instead grown even more numerous. Alas… truly, whether thunderbolt or rain and dew, all is the sovereign’s grace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Huang Shi and Mao Chengdou were both friends in adversity, Sun Zhijie could not help but speak of another matter weighing on his mind, something Sun Chengzong had revealed in correspondence with the family: “His Majesty’s profound grace has kept all the memorials impeaching Ma Shilong withheld, and even had a copy sent to the Liaodong Supreme Command. His Majesty wants my grandfather to decide how to deal with Marshal Ma. Alas…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing yet another sigh from Sun Zhijie, Mao Chengdou asked with some puzzlement: “Does this not show the Emperor’s trust in Elder Grand Secretary Sun? Is that not a good thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi, sitting to one side, remained silent throughout. He often observed Mao Chengdou and Sun Zhijie with keen interest. This Mao Chengdou was fundamentally a frail, bookish youth; his fingernails were trimmed long, slender, and smooth — he was a scholar through and through, without a trace of the bearing needed to succeed as the next General Who Pacifies the Liao. Every time Huang Shi looked at this clean, neat young scholar, he found it very hard to imagine what such a person would look like in tattered clothes, letting his hair down and retreating into the mountains; he simply did not have the wild-man quality of Tarzan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie, sitting on Huang Shi’s other side, was even more a scholar among scholars, a literatus among literati. Whenever Huang Shi saw him, he could not help but feel a wave of sorrow — the army could not protect the nation, so it fell to the licentiates of old man Sun’s family to go and fight the enemy to the death… No matter how brave such refined scholars were, they would be utterly useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the exchange between Mao Chengdou and Sun Zhijie, Huang Shi sighed inwardly. These two scions of civil and military families — it was one thing that Mao Chengdou could not stabilize the state through martial skill, but this Sun Zhijie also had no experience whatsoever in the ways of officialdom. The education of the scions of the Great Ming was truly a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All of you, withdraw for now.” Huang Shi dismissed the singing girl who was plucking the qin and singing softly, then with a solemn expression said to Sun Zhijie: “There are likely villains at His Majesty’s side, are there not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie stared wide-eyed and asked in return: “Brother Huang, what do you mean by this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them looked at one another in silence for a moment. Seeing that Huang Shi only smiled without speaking, Sun Zhijie finally asked again: “Brother Huang says there are villains at His Majesty’s side — what do you mean by this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Sun Zhijie still did not grasp his meaning after all this time, Huang Shi suddenly recalled that he perhaps understood Sun Chengzong’s character better than Sun Chengzong’s own grandson. He reviewed Sun Chengzong’s life in his mind once more and asked with a smile: “Young Master Sun, I have met your esteemed grandfather more than once. Elder Grand Secretary Sun is upright and unyielding, and never shifts blame onto his subordinates. Am I right or wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is naturally so…” Sun Zhijie’s words were only half out when his expression changed color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi was confident that he understood Sun Chengzong very well. In the historical Battle of Dalinghe, Sun Chengzong repeatedly ordered the Ming army to withdraw from there, but the provincial governor simply would not follow Sun Chengzong’s deployments. After the disastrous defeat, Sun Chengzong still believed his own responsibility was grave — because he had not properly coordinated all the relationships — and so he took all the blame upon himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've heard that most of the remonstrance officials at court are clamoring to have Marshal Ma publicly executed according to the law. But Marshal Ma's defeat this time seems to have also involved internal obstruction. The responsibility for the planning and coordination likely falls on Grand Secretary Sun, doesn't it?\" Huang Shi smiled faintly and shook his head. Facing Sun Zhijie, whose expression was growing increasingly grim, he said, \"I don't believe Grand Secretary Sun would push the capital crime onto Marshal Ma's head. Rather, I think Grand Secretary Sun is the kind of man who single-mindedly seeks to relieve military officers of their worries about what lies behind them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Chengzong was never one to shirk responsibility. Apart from his personal character, if Ma Shilong were truly executed, how could Sun Chengzong, who had personally promoted him, hold his own head up? Therefore, Huang Shi could predict with great clarity that Sun Chengzong's response this time would certainly be to shoulder all the responsibility himself — trading his own official position for the safety of all the military officers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These memorials are roasting my grandfather over a fire.\" Sun Zhijie ground his teeth as he cried out. He was now grasping the tone in Sun Chengzong's letter, which seemed to carry the same flavor. \"This must be another venomous scheme dreamed up by those eunuch scoundrels.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It probably is.\" Huang Shi lowered his head and began drinking his tea. He vaguely reflected that he himself relied on historical knowledge to judge Sun Chengzong's reaction, yet some people seemed perfectly capable of anticipating the outcome in advance. Truly worthy of being called prodigies of political struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he heard Sun Zhijie actually shout the words \"eunuch scoundrels,\" Mao Chengdou's face could not help but turn pale. After seeing that Huang Shi, without changing expression or quickening heartbeat, agreed with this phrasing, Mao Chengdou pretended to drink tea while his eyes involuntarily swept the surroundings. Only after confirming that no outsider had overheard did Mao Chengdou feel greatly reassured, set his teacup back on the table, and let out a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the three of them returned to the city, Huang Shi took his leave first, as was his custom. Watching his departing back, Sun Zhijie said thoughtfully, \"Young Master Mao, General Huang is truly a man of magnanimity and lofty character.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Sun Zhijie and Mao Chengdou had also parted ways, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he said softly to himself, \"Tomorrow I may need General Huang to help me with a matter... a very great matter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am the dividing line of time and space ——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second year of the Hongguang reign of the Great Ming. The outskirts of the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie and Mao Chengdou were drinking tea at the pavilion they often visited. Sun Zhijie drained his cup in one gulp and said in a clear voice, \"Worthy brother, there is no need to see me off any further. I shall take my leave now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Sun, are you truly not reconsidering?\" Mao Chengdou, agitated, grabbed Sun Zhijie's sleeve. \"The Prince...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Sun Zhijie's brows furrow, Mao Chengdou stammered and corrected himself, \"The Grand Commander holds you in very high regard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Zhijie withdrew his sleeve and, after weighing his words for a moment, said, \"The divine vessel originally has no master; only the virtuous and the powerful may occupy it. The Imperial Son-in-Law's might awes all under heaven — he cannot be called powerless. His praise resounds throughout the realm — he cannot be called virtueless...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting Mao Chengdou's gaze, Sun Zhijie declared with deep emotion, \"Only I fear it would go against my late grandfather's aspiration to restore the Great Ming.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Sun Zhijie rose to his feet. \"This realm is already in the Imperial Son-in-Law's grasp. One more of me makes no difference; one less of me makes no difference either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the dirt road leading from Beijing to Gaoyang County, the donkey Sun Zhijie led bore a book chest on each side of its back, so heavy they were clearly filled with his many years of collected works. Sun Zhijie himself, dressed in a plain blue robe and a Confucian scholar's cap, strode away singing as Mao Chengdou watched him go.\u003C\u002Fp>",4341,"2026-06-04T07:54:54.057Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","9ae29bddacda9e445706c5dc0b9dde0f6aa221a939b368ba657fd3deae420420","stealing-ming-chapter-214","stealing-ming-chapter-212",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]