Chapter 257: Section 14: Rupture

It was indeed as the saying goes: a man must first humiliate himself before others can humiliate him.

Huang Shi clenched his teeth, barely managing to keep the fury in his chest from erupting; slowly, his intense emotions finally subsided somewhat. Huang Shi first reflected on his own performance today — he had probably acted too obsequiously, which made others look down on him. As he sighed with emotion, he pondered his next move.

"This matter does you no harm, Huang Shi. A mere lift of the finger could help a colleague resolve a difficult issue — why wouldn't you be glad to do it?" Seeing that Huang Shi did not react immediately, Yuan Chonghuan resumed his earnest persuasion.

If he nodded and agreed, this matter would indeed cause Huang Shi no immediate harm, because he was a military officer and not a scholar-official, so the charge of "disorderly household" could not be pinned on him. Of course, there would still be the issue of handling the aftermath; for this type of loss of chastity, the Ming dynasty's rule was to encourage reconciliation rather than separation.

According to the Great Ming Code, a woman's involuntary loss of chastity could not be used as grounds for divorce. For example, after the mid-Ming period, there were cases of wives being abducted and sold by human traffickers, but after the crime was discovered, the trafficker and the brothel madam were convicted of forcing a respectable woman into prostitution, while the husband and wife were still ordered to reunite.

Since Zhao Yin had just now said he would allow Huang Shi to withdraw the betrothal, it seemed there should be no major problem. Huang Shi thought that as long as Zhao Yin could preserve his scholarly rank, he would not wish to create further complications and start another dispute with him.

"My lord Yuan speaks rightly," Huang Shi replied absently, without thinking.

However, having no immediate harm did not mean there was no harm at all. If word got out that his betrothed wife had been abducted, it would do considerable damage to his reputation. Moreover, if Huang Shi later withdrew the betrothal, although most people would understand, there would certainly be many who thought him heartless and unrighteous toward his betrothed.

Seeing Huang Shi still hesitating to agree, Yuan Chonghuan could not help growing somewhat impatient. He then added with a heavier tone: "No one will spread rumors recklessly; Huang Shi, you may set your mind at ease..."

Listening to Yuan Chonghuan's words, Huang Shi surmised that their wishful plan was probably to use this to fob off the investigating censor. If the second daughter of the Zhao family was already dead, then naturally that would be perfect — Huang Shi would cooperate for a few months and then could withdraw the betrothal. If the second daughter of the Zhao family was discovered to still be alive, then Zhao Yin would still have a plausible argument and would not be stripped of his scholarly rank for this.

Huang Shi recalled the cautionary precedent from the first year of the Chongzhen reign in the original history: when Chen Jisheng was locked in fierce battle with the Jianzhou slaves at Kuandian and Mount Zhangbai, Yuan Chonghuan, because Mao Wenlong refused to violate state law and privately hand over military authority to him, cut off the Dongjiang Army's provisions and pay from behind. He also ordered Liaodong, Tianjin, and the Shandong Laideng regions to impose a sea ban, forbidding any merchant from setting sail and forbidding the sale of a single grain of rice or a single bean to the Dongjiang Army.

Although it is said that a Buddha fights for a stick of incense and a man fights for his pride, someone always has to attend to the greater good of Liaodong, or else disaster will befall the nation. So Huang Shi resolved to take one more step back. After all, he had been obsequiously humoring Yuan Chonghuan for a long time today. Huang Shi did not want all his previous efforts to go to waste, and even less did he wish to be stabbed in the back one day.

— Had I not resolved to be a great man like Prince Yue or Junior Guardian Qi? Had I not long ago decided to please all sides and seek a life of peace? Wei Zhongxian, Kong Youde, Geng Zhongming, the Shandong civil officials, and the Liaoxi military clique — from the Eunuch Party to the Donglin Party, even the future traitors and scum of humanity — have I not gotten along pleasantly with all of them? Right now I must still put the greater picture first and cannot act on impulse.

Moreover, Huang Shi also knew that discord between civil and military officials was not only a great harm to the nation, but in the end the one to suffer misfortune would still be himself, the military officer. Since Yuan Chonghuan was about to be promoted to Provincial Governor, Huang Shi could not afford to offend him no matter what: "My lord Yuan, my lord Zhao, might you permit this lowly general a moment to consider? I shall give both my lords a reply in a couple of days — how would that be?"

A look of displeasure immediately appeared on Yuan Chonghuan's face. He pointed at Zhao Yin and then said to Huang Shi: "This official has laid bare his heart and soul, speaking with you for so many hours. I thought your agreement would not be too late. Who would have known you are so irresolute, full of deceit throughout. In the end, you hold no regard for this official in your eyes. Now the witness is also present — how can you be allowed to harbor deceit! You have twelve unforgivable faults — do you know them..."

Huang Shi was slightly stunned; during this interval, Yuan Chonghuan had already launched into a lengthy tirade. Huang Shi felt these words were somewhat familiar, as if he had seen them somewhere before. He only heard Zhao Yin cry out in unbearable shame: "My lord Yuan."

Zhao Yin rose to his feet and bowed to Yuan Chonghuan: "My lord Yuan, this humble official does not wish to force General Huang any further. I beg your lordship's clear judgment."

At this moment, Huang Shi was also somewhat puzzled. Although civil officials had always looked down on military officers and eunuchs, he was after all a general who had taken thousands of heads. This matter was of great importance to Zhao Yin, so why was Yuan Chonghuan more anxious than the emperor's eunuch, pressing so urgently to act as his lobbyist?

Since he could not figure out what exactly Yuan Chonghuan was pondering, Huang Shi grew increasingly uneasy. After hearing Zhao Yin speak, he also rose to his feet and addressed Yuan Chonghuan: "My lord Yuan, for your clear judgment — this lowly general is not refusing consent, but merely requests a two-day grace period. In this lowly general's army, there are still military laws..."

Huang Shi explained the military regulations on Changsheng Island regarding marriage, then explained that he needed to first discuss a solution with his subordinates — after all, the officers and men did not know what was really going on. Furthermore, for the sake of the Zhao family's reputation, Huang Shi could not openly tell the officers and men of Changsheng Island the truth. So he needed to find a proper way to handle it, lest the matter be leaked and Huang Shi violate his own military law, causing the officers and men to lose faith.

This reasoning seemed to be a good way out. Faced with such an unreasonable demand, Huang Shi's attitude remained as deferential as ever. Zhao Yin, standing to the side, immediately expressed a heap of gratitude upon hearing that Huang Shi was willing to consider the matter. Seeing that both men seemed able to accept it, Yuan Chonghuan no longer insisted that Huang Shi agree on the spot.

Huang Shi sat back down in his chair obediently. He had not yet fully weighed the pros and cons of this matter, and Huang Shi planned to return to Juehua and discuss it with Jin Qiude and Hong Antong to see how best to handle it. If the matter could be managed flawlessly, then Huang Shi felt it might not be impossible to do Yuan Chonghuan a favor, which would also make it easier to request provisions and pay from the Liaodong Regional Military Commission in the future.

Although Yuan Chonghuan's hand could not yet reach Liaodong, having an extra friend always meant an extra path. Huang Shi reflected again on his own attitude; he felt he should still cast aside his fear of Yuan Chonghuan. Huang Shi recalled his experiences dealing with Sun Chengzong, with Wei Zhongxian, and with the Shandong civil officials, and for a moment his confidence returned. He considered himself fairly adept at handling people; although he did not quite understand Yuan Chonghuan's inner thoughts, he supposed he would come to understand them after interacting for a while.

Once this matter was set aside, Yuan Chonghuan shifted the topic to the grand enterprise of pacifying Liao and the battle of Juehua. Huang Shi rallied his spirits and laid out the deployment of both armies and his own tactics without reservation. Of course, Huang Shi could not speak of his views on the combat effectiveness of the Guanning Army, nor did he have any reason to disparage them. His prior judgments had all been based on historical knowledge, and the Guanning Army's performance at Juehua this time had indeed been quite good — Huang Shi had relied on them fighting side by side to achieve victory...

As Huang Shi narrated, Yuan Chonghuan from time to time verified details with Zhao Yin. After combining the views of both Zhao Yin and Huang Shi, Yuan Chonghuan nodded thoughtfully: "As expected, one must still rely on strong cities and use great cannons."

"My lord Yuan's insight is clear. Relying on strong cities and using great cannons is good indeed, but I fear it costs far too much." When he was a junior officer at Guangning, Huang Shi had also held this view, but now he was less inclined to waste precious resources on fortresses and instead hoped to quickly train a large field army.

Yuan Chonghuan's manner was very amiable; he smiled and said to Huang Shi: "Huang Shi, speak your mind."

This encouragement lifted Huang Shi's spirits once more. It seemed this Yuan Barbarian was not entirely unreasonable after all? So he brought out his set of ideas about using the sea as a highway. Huang Shi strongly advocated first seizing Niangniang Palace, Yaozhou, and Haizhou, then building fortresses with their backs to the sea, stockpiling supplies as offensive bases, and from there gazing covetously upon the central Liao plain.

"...Marshal Mao and General Chen will continuously strike out from Kuandian and Korea. If the Jianzhou slave main force shifts east, the imperial army can sweep through their lairs and point straight at Liaoyang. If the Jianzhou slaves keep their troops in place, Marshal Mao and General Chen can advance from east to west, first taking the Jianzhou Guard, then descending on Sarhu, cutting off the Jianzhou slaves' connection with the Wild Jurchens and the Khorchin Mongols. Finally, we can encircle and annihilate them all in central Liao."

At the end, Huang Shi clenched his right fist and swung it fiercely to emphasize his tone. His brimming confidence likewise inspired Zhao Yin at his side, who also cried out "Bravo!" at Huang Shi's concluding words.

Yuan Chonghuan had been smiling all along without interrupting Huang Shi, and only after he had finished speaking did he ask: "The first step of any endeavor is the hardest. Huang Shi, how do you plan to build the first city?"

"My lord Yuan's insight is profound; this lowly general is in admiration. In this lowly general's view..." This was a question he had pondered countless times before. Huang Shi had a well-thought-out plan and laid it out without the slightest hesitation. Genghis Khan in Liaobei and Chief Mao in Liaodong would certainly come out to roam from time to time, so the Later Jin main force would always have occasions to leave the central Liao plain. Now Huang Shi was also confident that with the troops of Liaonan he could resist fifty percent of the Later Jin forces, and if the Guanning Army helped, Huang Shi believed that taking Yaozhou by storm would not be too great a problem.

Once he could gain a firm foothold, Huang Shi would not be too fearful. Even if the entire Later Jin army came, he was confident he could hold out for a period of time. If the entire Later Jin army really did come, not to mention Chief Mao in Korea, even Genghis Khan in Liaobei would absolutely not stay idle at home. After gaining control of Yaozhou and Haizhou, the remaining work would be to build forts all the way and fight into the central Liao plain.

Huang Shi talked until his mouth was dry and his tongue parched; he picked up his tea bowl and drained it in one gulp. After he had swept the tea clean, Yuan Chonghuan asked again: "Then how long will all this take?"

"Hmm..." Huang Shi pondered for a moment. After entering the plain, supply lines would need to be built to secure the route of provisions; there were still many strong cities in central Liao; the Jianzhou slave army was also very tenacious; and the Ming civil officials would inevitably play a certain restraining role — so the course of the campaign could not be guaranteed to be smooth sailing: "About five years. Even if the Jianzhou slaves voluntarily withdraw to Jianzhou, completely rooting them out will not exceed ten years."

"Five years? Far too short — are you trying to amuse me, Huang Shi?" Yuan Chonghuan shook his head disapprovingly.

Huang Shi believed that the closer the troops were positioned to Shenyang, the more effectively they could intimidate the Later Jin regime, which was also why he chose Yaozhou as the breakthrough point. But Yuan Chonghuan clearly disagreed with this view; he believed the sea route was unreliable and that ultimately they would have to build fortresses all the way out along the Liaoxi Corridor.

Unwilling to directly refute him, Huang Shi adopted a roundabout approach: "The land route is indeed secure, but it would require building countless additional fortresses along the way, and I fear the time and silver spent would be no small amount."

Yuan Chonghuan struck the table in approval: "Exactly! General Huang speaks well. This route, from Ningyuan all the way to Sanchahe, and then from Sanchahe to Liaoyang, I fear would take no less than ten years and cost tens of millions of taels of silver."

These words truly struck a chord in Huang Shi's heart, and were precisely the reason he had hoped to persuade Yuan Chonghuan. Huang Shi said in a low voice: "My lord Yuan's insight is profound. Therefore, this lowly general believes we should find a way to seize Yaozhou, and then drive straight into central Liao."

Unexpectedly, Yuan Chonghuan flatly rejected this: "The sea route is ultimately unreliable. Moreover, it would also take several years."

Zhao Yin, listening on the side, grew more and more confused and could not help interjecting: "Does my lord Yuan have a brilliant strategy?"

"The Liaodong military tax wastes three million taels a year; Ji Garrison over four hundred thousand;

even Dongjiang Garrison requires two hundred forty thousand taels. The national treasury has long been empty. The common people of the realm are suffering unbearably." Yuan Chonghuan put on an expression of profound compassion, sighing and lamenting for a while, then with a mysterious look asked Huang Shi and Zhao Yin: "Do you know what new measure Eunuch Wei has devised to procure warhorses for the Liao campaign?"

Due to the continuous droughts of the Little Ice Age, the horse production of the Ming northern pastures had been steadily declining. By the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, the northern border garrisons all had no more horses to transfer to the Liao garrison. After the court fell into the predicament of horse shortage, some ministers suggested following the Single Whip Law precedent and apportioning the shortfall of horses owed by Gansu and Shaanxi provinces among the peasants of each province, collecting more acreage tax to buy horses.

Yet at that time the northern provinces were also suffering from successive years of famine. Wei Zhongxian, being of peasant origin, deeply understood the peasants' hardship and dared not adopt this genius idea of raising taxes in famine years. But the horse shortfall still had to be solved, so Eunuch Wei decreed that a large number of ministers and eunuchs be granted the privilege of riding horses within the Forbidden City. According to the Great Ming Collected Statutes, whenever the imperial household granted anyone the special honor of riding a horse in the Forbidden City, that person was obligated to present fine horses as tribute to the imperial household.

After Wei Zhongxian mobilized the Eastern Depot's agents to conduct an investigation of everyone's property, he lavishly granted this "special honor" to wealthy officials and eunuchs while incessantly pressing them to present tribute horses. Once the honored person had fulfilled the horse tribute task, Wei Zhongxian would revoke the privilege, and then... then bestow it again.

Just as Liu Jin had once ordered the widows of the capital to remarry, Wei Zhongxian's policy also caused widespread complaints throughout the court. For the first time since the founding of the Great Ming, countless ministers and eunuchs submitted petitions one after another refusing the glory of riding horses in the imperial city. But refusal was met with further bestowal; Wei Zhongxian even granted the imperial city horse-riding privilege to infants and titled ladies. Those who received it, while grudgingly and unwillingly presenting tribute horses, cursed the nameless person who had given Wei Zhongxian this damaging idea.

The horses collected were naturally a mixed bag. Among the "fine horses" presented by this group, besides old horses and foals, there were reportedly also donkeys and mules, and even small camels. But Wei Zhongxian, without spending a single coin, collected a batch of horses for His Majesty to support Liaodong, and for this he received the Tianqi Emperor's praise: "The Depot Intendant is loyal and diligent, handling affairs with efficacy."

Zhao Yin naturally joined in with a round of sighs. Huang Shi muttered perfunctory agreement, but after hearing this, an ominous premonition rose in his heart.

After finishing, Yuan Chonghuan said solemnly to Huang Shi and Zhao Yin: "This official has a thought. If it is feasible, then the Liao campaign can be settled overnight, and the realm can soon be spared from additional taxes."

Zhao Yin said delightedly: "What brilliant strategy does my lord Yuan have? Might you instruct this humble official a little?"

Recalling what Yuan Chonghuan had done after the Battle of Ningyuan in history, the ominous premonition in Huang Shi's heart grew stronger and stronger, but he still flattered without a change of expression: "The Provincial Surveillance Commissioner is truly Zhuge reborn; it seems you must already have a well-thought-out plan."

Yuan Chonghuan stroked his long beard twice and said slowly: "During this siege of Ningyuan, the Jianzhou chieftain Nurhaci sent a letter to me, and this official also replied, reproaching him with great righteousness. The Jianzhou chieftain then sent another letter in reply. In my observation, the Jianzhou chieftain, having been reproached by my great righteousness, seems to show signs of remorse."

"Ah~~~" Zhao Yin let out a gasp of amazement.

Huang Shi felt his heart had tightened to his throat. His mouth moved but he said nothing. He had long known that Yuan Chonghuan always had an exceedingly high opinion of himself. In history, when Hong Taiji attacked Korea, the Tianqi Emperor and the Grand Secretariat urgently asked the then Liaodong Provincial Governor Yuan Chonghuan what countermeasure he had and how to rescue Korea. Yuan Chonghuan, fond of making startling statements, told the Son of Heaven: the court need not send troops to rescue them, and His Majesty need not trouble himself with countermeasures; he, Yuan Chonghuan, need only send an envoy bearing a letter in his own hand, and he could command Hong Taiji to withdraw his troops — "Dispatch Fang Jinna to deliver a letter of reproach to the slave chieftain, ordering him to urgently withdraw the troops invading Korea."

Quite pleased with himself, Yuan Chonghuan continued to nod and sway his head, as if immersed in pleasant memories: "This official, seeing the opportunity must not be missed, wrote yet another letter, in which hardness and softness were combined, grace and authority both employed..."

Yuan Chonghuan's speech left Zhao Yin scratching his ears and cheeks, beside himself with joy. Seeing that the atmosphere was gradually reaching a perfect pitch, Yuan Chonghuan paused, picked up his tea bowl, and took a sip. After he set down the tea bowl, a sharp gleam shot from Yuan Chonghuan's eyes as he swept his gaze majestically over Zhao Yin, then rested it on Huang Shi's face: "This official believes we can offer amnesty and enlistment. Thus the Liao campaign can be settled, the additional taxes can be lifted — the best of the best! Is General Huang willing to submit a memorial to the Son of Heaven together with this official?"

Huang Shi expended great effort to maintain the respectful expression on his face and asked humbly: "My lord Yuan, for your clear judgment. This lowly general ventures to ask: on what terms would we offer amnesty and enlistment to the Jianzhou slaves?"

"That... we would have to talk first to find out, wouldn't we?"

"If the Jian slaves demand an annual tribute — say, one hundred thousand taels of gold, one million taels of silver, and one million bolts of cloth — what then?" Huang Shi kept his voice perfectly level as he uttered the figure — this was the annual tribute demand that Hong Taiji had proposed during peace negotiations with Yuan Chonghuan in Huang Shi's previous life, and Yuan Chonghuan had told the imperial court that these terms were not beyond consideration and could be discussed further.

Yuan Chonghuan furrowed his brow, stroked his long beard, and studied the ceiling for a moment. "Hmm, isn't that rather excessive? It's not much less than the Liaodong military tax."

Huang Shi drew a deep breath, doing everything in his power to keep even the slightest tremor out of his voice. "This humble general dares to ask Lord Yuan further: if the Jian slaves' annual tribute were ten thousand taels of gold, one hundred thousand taels of silver, and one hundred thousand bolts of cloth — what would my lord think?"

Yuan Chonghuan's eyebrows shot up, his voice filled with astonishment. "That would certainly be acceptable."

Bang —

The heavy slap on the table crashed like thunder. Zhao Yin jumped, startled into a shudder, as a deafening roar of fury exploded right beside his ear:

"Treason!"