Chapter 314: Section Sixty: Opening the Pass (Part Three) (I)

The sixth day of the eleventh month, first year of the Chongzhen reign, Jingcheng.

The day after Ma Shilong was released from prison, he hurried to pay a visit to Sun Chengzong. When he entered the gate and saw Sun Chengzong come out in person to greet him, he immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed: "Grand Secretary, this guilty general pays his respects to you."

"Please rise, Shilong, please rise." Sun Chengzong pulled Ma Shilong up from the ground with one hand, stared at him with a beaming smile for a moment, and said: "No more words, Shilong, hurry inside with this old man."

Sun Chengzong took Ma Shilong by the hand and led him straight into the house. Ma Shilong was rather embarrassed, and as he followed behind Sun Chengzong he murmured: "Grand Secretary, this guilty general has offended you many times in the past, and begs the Grand Secretary's forgiveness."

"A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. Shilong, just remember the lesson. In the future, keep yourself out of court politics. As a military officer, winning battles and speaking with your own ability — that is the proper path."

"The Grand Secretary's teaching, this guilty general will engrave upon his heart." Ma Shilong had suffered greatly this time, having sat in prison for over a year and nearly been beheaded; he had grown haggard as well.

After Sun Chengzong brought Ma Shilong inside, he briefly explained the current situation, then said frankly: "Shilong, in your opinion, how should we best proceed?"

When Ma Shilong was released yesterday, he had already heard that it was Sun Chengzong who had vouched for him, and he also knew roughly what Sun Chengzong wanted him for, so Ma Shilong had made some preparations before coming. However, many confidential military intelligence matters were still unknown to Ma Shilong beforehand. Now, after Sun Chengzong told him, Ma Shilong pondered for another moment before replying: "Grand Secretary, in this humble general's opinion, concentrating our forces to tightly defend Jizhou and Sanhe should be the first priority; Tongzhou, on the contrary, is of secondary importance."

"Mm, explain."

"Grand Secretary, dividing the troops to guard Tongzhou, Sanhe, and Jizhou is indeed appropriate, but the relief armies have not yet arrived in great numbers, and our official forces are still few. The most important thing is to block the main Jianzhou army east of Ji, and then guard the various crossing points around Sanhe, to prevent small bands of Jianzhou raiders from slipping through." Ma Shilong discovered that the forces currently available to mobilize were far fewer than he had imagined, and could not help growing somewhat agitated. He could not resist asking: "Grand Secretary, to defend Liao one must defend Ji — this is the established doctrine set by Marshal Qi. How has Ji Garrison been weakened to such an extent?"

To use a house as an analogy, Shanhai Pass is the front door, the Liaoxi Corridor is the long hall before the front door, and Ningyuan and Jinzhou are the gates along the Liaoxi Corridor. Ji Garrison, then, is the walls of this house. If Ji Garrison collapses, then Shanhai Pass is nothing more than a broken door, and the Liaoxi Corridor becomes an isolated army stranded beyond the border.

Now the forces beyond the Pass already number one hundred fifteen thousand horse and foot, while Ji Garrison has barely forty thousand, all old and weak, its elite troops having been entirely transferred to Liaozhen. Ma Shilong sighed: "If Ji Garrison is lost, then what use is holding the land beyond the Pass? Weakening Ji Garrison to strengthen Liaozhen is attending to the branches at the expense of the root."

Sun Chengzong also had his own views on this. He himself was a major proponent of the doctrine that to defend Liao one must defend Ji. If Ji Garrison were broken, then the very function of Shanhai Pass would be severely compromised, let alone the forward positions like Ningyuan. However, this involved many factors, among which were no longer purely military issues; back when the abandonment of Jinzhou was debated, the court had argued endlessly. Behind the civil officials, the influence of military pay allocation also loomed faintly.

Now the military pay for Liaozhen had risen to five million taels of silver per year. Sun Chengzong naturally knew that the waters here ran deep, and that a single small measure would affect the interests of countless people. Therefore, Sun Chengzong was unwilling to speak plainly with Ma Shilong; this was the sort of thing Ma Shilong could figure out on his own if he went back and thought it over carefully. "Shilong believes that Jimen should be the first priority?"

"The Grand Secretary's insight is clear. Jimen commands the critical passage from the northeast into the capital, and controls the strategic barrier between the Central Plains and the highlands. This is ground that military strategists must contest. Without this place, the Jianzhou rebels cannot peer south; without it, we cannot advance north. Whether for the present defense or for when the relief armies arrive in force in the future, we cannot lose Jimen." Ma Shilong knew that the forces around the capital were stretched to the limit, so he wanted to concentrate troops between Ji Garrison and Sanhe, to firmly block the Later Jin army east of Ji.

"Shilong's words coincide with this old man's intent. But what if the Jianzhou rebels bypass Jimen and advance westward — what then?"

"Grand Secretary, the natural barrier of Jimen has always been called 'A Sliver of Sky.' As long as the official troops move their camp outside the city, they can firmly block the Jianzhou rebels' path westward. Even if a few of their raiders manage to force a crossing, where will their fodder and provisions come from? How could they plunder and return east? This humble general's proposal to establish a supply depot at Sanhe and strictly guard the crossing points is precisely to guard against Jianzhou raiders slipping through."

East of Jizhou lies a great lake, and it is also the convergence point of Mount Pan, Mount Jiulong, and Mount Baxian. Here the Yanshan mountain range seems to twist into a knot, leaving only a narrow passage gateway at Jizhou. Hence this place is also called Jimen, and is known as the Lock and Key East of the Capital. This passage winds through the ridges of the Yanshan range; at its narrowest point, it can only accommodate two horses side by side. When traveling along this road, one is flanked on both sides by the towering, majestic Yanshan, and can only faintly glimpse a sliver of blue sky overhead. Thus this place is also called "A Sliver of Sky" — the final natural barrier gateway leading to the capital plain.

"Would Shilong be willing to accompany this old man to an imperial audience, and repeat these words before His Majesty?"

Ma Shilong inclined his body and clasped his fists, saying gratefully: "The Grand Secretary's grace in promoting me — this humble general will never forget it, even when his teeth are gone."

"Heh heh, that being so, very well."

Sun Chengzong then entered the palace with Ma Shilong for an audience with the Emperor. Chongzhen had already expressly ordered Sun Chengzong to take charge of the capital region's defense. He once again affirmed Sun Chengzong's plan and issued orders for the Ming forces in the capital region to devote full effort to fortifying Jimen, while also making the defense of the Sanhe line a priority.

On the seventh day, the Chongzhen Emperor's favored minister Yuan Chonghuan had already reached Xianghe. The Son of Heaven was overjoyed at the report and immediately relieved Sun Chengzong of his command authority, issuing an imperial edict for Yuan Chonghuan to take unified command of the relief armies. Yuan Chonghuan was already the Ji-Liao Regional Commander; with this new appointment, all troops in the entire capital region came under his sole command.

After receiving the edict and expressing his gratitude, Yuan Chonghuan led his army toward Jimen, while also offering an explanation for the tragedy of Zhao Lujiao.

At the very beginning, Yuan Chonghuan flatly denied ever having given Zhao Lujiao any orders. He insisted that Zhao Lujiao had gone to Zunhua "pursuant to an imperial edict for relief." But this edict had no second person to corroborate it, nor could it explain why Zhao Lujiao did not go to Beijing for relief duty but instead went to Zunhua for relief duty.

Aside from Yuan Chonghuan himself, all witness records indicated that it was Yuan Chonghuan who gave Zhao Lujiao the order. It was precisely on Yuan Chonghuan's command that Zhao Lujiao set out. Even Yuan Chonghuan's own trusted subordinate officer Zhou Wenyu acknowledged that it was Yuan Chonghuan who issued the order to Shanhai Pass: "First ordered Regional Commander Zhao Lujiao to lead his troops to relieve Zunhua; sent flying dispatch to Regional Commander Zu Dashou to select elite Liao troops and enter for relief." Moreover, Zhou Wenyu also testified that when Yuan Chonghuan gave the order to Zhao Lujiao, he was not at Ningyuan. As early as the twenty-fourth, before the Later Jin army launched its attack on Xifengkou on the twenty-seventh, Yuan Chonghuan had left the Ningyuan main camp ahead of time and moved toward Shanhai Pass, which was why he was able to issue the order from Qiantun to Zhao Lujiao at Shanhai Pass at the very first moment.

Later, Yuan Chonghuan slightly amended his own testimony, arguing that he had told Zhao Lujiao not to underestimate the enemy, but that Zhao Lujiao did not heed his well-meant advice and thereby met his death. At the same time, Yuan Chonghuan also shifted the blame onto Regional Commander Zhu, who had already died in battle, saying that from several hundred li away he had heard that Regional Commander Zhu apparently had not let Zhao Lujiao enter the city.

Since both Regional Commanders Zhao and Zhu were dead and could no longer testify, the Emperor naturally could not pursue responsibility at this critical juncture.

When Yuan Chonghuan set out for Jimen, he was accompanied by twenty thousand Guan-Ning Iron Cavalry. On the ninth day, Yuan Chonghuan's grand army marched into Jizhou and took over command authority of Jimen from Liu Ce. These past days, the Later Jin army had been blocked by the Ming forces east of Ji and had been unable to advance a single step westward.

"Lord Liu, you are to lead your troops immediately to Miyun to garrison it."

This order stunned Liu Ce. It was a long while before he reacted: "Regional Commander, the Jian rebels are encamped just twenty li east of the city. Why do you want this subordinate to go to Miyun?"

"Lord Liu, you are the Ji-Liao Supreme Administrator, and the seat of the Ji-Liao Supreme Administrator is at Miyun. Therefore, this headquarters is ordering you to return to your post to take up defense."

Ever since Liu Ce had been appointed Ji-Liao Supreme Administrator seven months ago, Yuan Chonghuan had forbidden him from interfering in any military affairs of Ji Garrison. Thus, for these seven months, Liu Ce had been staying in Zhending Garrison and had never once set foot inside Ji Garrison. When the court saw that Liu Ce was too idle, they gave him the additional post of Baoding Viceroy, so Liu Ce simply stayed in Zhending Garrison to manage the military affairs there.

After the Later Jin invaded this time, the court rebuked Liu Ce for hiding in the rear the whole time. As a result, Liu Ce hastily mustered the troops of Zhending Garrison for relief duty, and only two days ago did he set foot within the borders of Ji Garrison for the first time.

When Liu Ce passed through the capital, Sun Chengzong told him that the Emperor was extremely displeased with him, feeling that he had been hiding in the safe rear and failing to assume his post. Liu Ce was greatly alarmed upon hearing this and hastily begged Sun Chengzong to put in a few good words for him. Sun Chengzong then told him to rush day and night to Jimen to hold it firmly, so as to atone for his faults through meritorious service.

Over these past few days, Liu Ce had led the Zhending Garrison troops in careful defensive deployment, blocking the Later Jin army east of Jimen. He began to feel somewhat self-satisfied, thinking that he had rendered no small merit this time, and that when the relief armies gathered in the future and drove the Later Jin army back beyond the Pass, his would be counted as a first-class achievement no matter what.

Therefore, upon hearing Yuan Chonghuan's order, Liu Ce could not help but argue: "Regional Commander, it was Grand Secretary Sun who instructed this subordinate to hold Jimen firmly. Grand Secretary Sun said that Jimen absolutely must not be lost."

"How could Jimen be lost? This headquarters has brought twenty thousand Guan-Ning troops this time, and can naturally defend Jimen as solidly as metal and stone. Lord Liu, set out at once. Proceed to Miyun."

"Regional Commander, Grand Secretary Sun said that defending Jimen and Sanhe should be the first priority." Liu Ce was still somewhat uneasy, so he added: "With the Regional Commander here, Jimen is naturally as secure as Mount Tai. This subordinate is willing to go to Sanhe to serve as the Regional Commander's rear support."

"Lord Liu may set your mind at ease. This headquarters will also send men to defend Sanhe." Seeing that Liu Ce still wanted to argue, Yuan Chonghuan said angrily: "This headquarters is the Ji-Liao Regional Commander. How Ji Garrison is to be deployed is naturally decided by this headquarters alone. Furthermore, His Majesty has ordered this headquarters to take unified command of the relief troops. The Zhending Army that Lord Liu commands naturally also falls under this headquarters' authority. Lord Liu, do you obey this headquarters, or do you obey Grand Secretary Sun?"

Liu Ce reluctantly agreed, then asked: "May I ask when the Regional Commander wishes this subordinate to depart?"

"Depart immediately. Proceed at once to Miyun to set up defenses, and guard against the western barbarians seizing the opportunity to stir up trouble."

"As ordered." Liu Ce was powerless to oppose the Ji-Liao Regional Commander, so he immediately packed his baggage and led the Zhending Army and the original garrison troops of Jimen away.

Before departing, he cast one last glance toward the enemy lines. The Later Jin army coming from Zunhua was already distantly in sight; they were just twenty li east of the city, and their camp tents could be faintly made out.

"Is Regional Commander Yuan afraid I will share the credit? But this credit is clearly mine. It was I who toiled and hurried here from Baoding, and blocked the Jian rebels here." Liu Ce descended from the city wall heartbroken, and crestfallen, led the Zhending Army out through the west city gate, departing with his back to the Later Jin army. A hundred li away was Tongzhou; there Liu Ce would turn north, heading far away from the capital.

From Tongzhou it was another one hundred forty li to Miyun. The thought of traveling so far made Liu Ce feel deeply wronged. His heart ached, and he nearly shed tears of grievance: "I really can't accept this. This credit was clearly mine."

The unlucky Liu Ce did not yet know that what he was about to lose was far more than just credit. Very soon, the Later Jin army would march straight from Jimen into the capital plain and press directly upon the walls of the capital. When the Ming court later investigated and assigned blame, they determined that Liu Ce bore two crimes: as Ji-Liao Supreme Administrator, he had allowed the Later Jin to break through Ji Garrison; and he had disobeyed Sun Chengzong's orders by arbitrarily abandoning Jimen and Sanhe.

After Liu Ce was imprisoned, he argued vehemently, saying that he had not spent a single day in Ji Garrison beforehand, that from beginning to end he had been serving as Baoding Viceroy, and that after the Later Jin army broke through, Liu Ce was the first to lead a relief army to Ji Garrison. Therefore, Liu Ce felt he should not be guilty. However, the court did not accept this explanation from Liu Ce, because his failure to proceed to his post at Ji Garrison's Miyun out of fear of Yuan Chonghuan was in itself a dereliction of duty, and thus could not serve as grounds for exoneration.

Several months later, Liu Ce was sentenced to immediate execution by beheading. Upon hearing his sentence, Liu Ce wailed bitterly and told the presiding officials: "I have the Ji-Liao Regional Commander's written order. I have the written order. Leaving Jimen and Sanhe for Miyun was acting on orders. Is acting on orders also punishable by death?"

The same day, Tongzhou.

A messenger also arrived at the military camp of You Shiwei, Regional Commander of Chang Garrison.

The messenger handed a written directive to You Shiwei while speaking rapidly: "This subordinate is Cheng Zhiben. This is the Ji-Liao Regional Commander's written order. General You is to set out immediately and proceed to Changping."

After carefully inspecting the written order and confirming it was indeed the Ji-Liao Regional Commander's order, You Shiwei asked the messenger hesitantly: "The Jian rebels are to the east. Why does the Regional Commander want this humble general to go west?"

Cheng Zhiben answered without the slightest hesitation: "The General is the Regional Commander of Chang Garrison. Guarding the imperial tombs at Changping is naturally the General's duty."

After lowering his head and carefully examining the written order once more, You Shiwei again questioned: "Lord Cheng, this humble general is here guarding Tongzhou. The Jian rebels are in front; the capital and Changping are behind. This is also what Grand Secretary Sun instructed."

Cheng Zhiben grew impatient: "That, this subordinate does not know. But this is the Ji-Liao Regional Commander's order. Tongzhou is subordinate to Ji Garrison, and the Ji-Liao Regional Commander has his own arrangements. The General need not concern himself overly."

"Then would it not be more appropriate for this humble general to leave after the Ji-Liao Regional Commander sends troops to relieve the defense of Tongzhou?"

Cheng Zhiben sternly demanded: "General You! Although you are not a military officer of Ji Garrison, His Majesty has issued an edict that all relief armies are to be placed under the authority of the Ji-Liao Regional Commander. Are you aware of this?"

You Shiwei answered in a low voice: "This humble general is aware."

"Then go. I must return to Jizhou to report to the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao. If General You has no other matters, I shall take my leave now."

"My lord Cheng, please."

"Then I ask the General to set out as soon as possible." Cheng Zhiben hastily returned a perfunctory salute, flicked his sleeve, and strode out haughtily, leaving the military camp directly.

After Cheng Zhiben had gone far, You Shiwei asked the private secretary beside him: "Who is this man? A petty seventh-rank official, yet so insolent."

"Proprietor, mind your words. This man is the trusted confidant of the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao." The private secretary normally gathered intelligence on many important figures. This time, You Shiwei had come to Tongzhou under Sun Chengzong's orders, and Yuan Chonghuan had rushed back to take over command of the entire army. His private secretary naturally investigated the people around Yuan Chonghuan. This Cheng Zhiben was a favorite of Yuan Chonghuan, so the private secretary quickly urged You Shiwei to watch his words.

"This my lord Cheng did not even pass the Licentiate examination; he was originally nothing more than a common candidate. But after clinging to the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao's coattails, he was soon granted an official post. He is always offering counsel to the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao and styles himself as the Grand Coordinator's disciple." Cheng Zhiben had not entered office through the proper imperial examination path, so originally he could never have become an official. But he sought an audience with Yuan Chonghuan several times, and after being refused three times in a row, finally succeeded. From then on, he became a minor clerk in the Shandong Provincial Administration Commission.

Thereafter, Cheng Zhiben always styled himself as Yuan Chonghuan's student, invariably saying "my teacher" this and that in every conversation. He quickly rose to become one of Yuan Chonghuan's trusted confidants, normally receiving many monetary gifts from Yuan Chonghuan. When Yuan Chonghuan urgently dispatched troops from Liaoxi this time, he still did not forget to bring Cheng Zhiben along and had him assist in military planning.

"So he is a sycophant who rose through flattery," You Shiwei snorted. But regardless of whether Cheng Zhiben had passed the Licentiate examination or not, he was now a civil official, and moreover the trusted confidant of his direct superior: "Permission granted to strike camp and march. We return to Changping."

After You Shiwei announced this order, his camp erupted in an uproar:

"Return to Changping?"

The subordinate officers were all astonished. They pressed him with questions: "We just rushed here from Changping, why must we go back again?"

"This is the Grand Coordinator of Jiliao's order, and he strictly commands us to depart immediately without delay."

Hearing Regional Commander You Shiwei's words, the officers and soldiers of the Xuanzhen garrison were all struck speechless. They had all heard of Yuan Chonghuan's reputation for being utterly unreasonable — he had executed a first-rank imperial commissioner without hesitation, and afterward the Emperor had not pursued the matter.

On the tenth day, the Ming army garrisoning Tongzhou was ordered to abandon the Tongzhou defense line and march westward along the very route they had just come, back to the capital. Then they left the capital and marched toward Changping, northwest of the capital.

At the very moment the relief armies were all being transferred away from the main route of Jizhou, Tongzhou, and the capital, Yuan Chonghuan once again submitted a memorial to the Emperor, telling Chongzhen he need not worry at all about the situation in Jizhen: "...Entering Jizhou to briefly rest the troops and horses, carefully reconnoiter the terrain, strictly prepare sentry patrols. We will strive to intercept fiercely and absolutely will not allow the enemy to cross west of Ji!"

Seeing Yuan Chonghuan's guarantee that he absolutely would not allow the enemy to advance one step west of Ji, Chongzhen believed the overall situation had been thoroughly stabilized. He immediately replied to console Yuan Chonghuan: "With a minister such as you, what worries remain for me?"