Chapter 19: Sun Chuanting

In the study of a residence in Daizhou city, Shanxi, Sun Chuanting sat behind his desk reading the Capital Gazette.

He had earned his jinshi in the forty-seventh year of Wanli, and was first appointed County Magistrate of the small county of Yongcheng. Because of his outstanding achievements during his tenure, after his three-year term the Ministry of Personnel gave him an exceptional evaluation and transferred him to the large county of Shangqiu as County Magistrate. In the third year of Tianqi he was promoted to Bureau Director of the Merit Evaluation Bureau in the Ministry of Personnel. Unable to stomach the arrogance and tyranny of Wei Zhongxian's faction, he resigned on the grounds that his mother was aged and needed his care, and returned to his hometown in Shanxi. More than a decade had passed in the blink of an eye.

Sun Chuanting came from a family of officials. His grandfather had served as Prefect of Shanzhou, and his father, after earning the juren degree, never took office due to poor health, but was skilled at management. Relying on his connections in officialdom, he ran the family business with remarkable success.

Unfortunately, his father died of illness when Sun Chuanting was in his early twenties. A few years later, Sun Chuanting earned his jinshi and was assigned by the Ministry of Personnel to serve as an official elsewhere. At home remained only his mother and his younger brother Sun Chuanyao, who was in his teens. The family business was managed by Sun Chengwen, the steward who had served his father for many years. He was a household-born servant of the Sun family—loyal, reliable, and shrewd—so Sun Chuanting felt completely at ease about family matters.

In the more than ten years since he had resigned and returned home, aside from reading and visiting friends, he had always paid close attention to the great affairs of the court. Seeing the roving bandits growing ever more powerful, and the more they were suppressed the more numerous they became, Sun Chuanting was deeply worried. He could only regret that he was not in a position of authority, with no opportunity to display the ambitions in his breast, and spent his days sighing in frustration.

The Capital Gazette Sun Chuanting was reading had been sent by his fellow graduate, Xue Yi'e, the Prefect of Daizhou. Xue Yi'e knew that this fellow graduate of his possessed extraordinary ability and had long cherished great ambitions, and he firmly believed that Sun Chuanting's talent would not be buried forever. Their examination patron and fellow graduates of that year—whoever among them held influence at court—would tirelessly recommend Sun Chuanting. Over time, his reputation among the court ministers had become extraordinary.

Before long, he finished reading the Gazette, and his heart was heavy—worried about the rampaging bandits on one hand, and furious at the incompetence of the court officials on the other.

The current His Majesty could be called diligent and frugal, but his choices in selecting and appointing men were debatable. Take Minister of War Zhang Fengyi, for example—Sun Chuanting held grave doubts about his abilities.

As Minister of War, one should possess the strategic vision to command the overall situation and see far ahead. Zhang Fengyi, however, always deployed troops reactively. Wherever the bandits appeared, there he would send troops—rather than anticipating the enemy's moves, dispatching both pursuers and interceptors.

By the time the government troops arrived, the bandits had long since looted everything clean and fled elsewhere. Thus they were forever chasing after the bandits' dust, exhausting themselves without results, growing weary and worn out. As time went on, morale sank lower and lower.

As for Wen Tiren, Wang Yingxiong, and that crowd of Grand Secretaries, Sun Chuanting held them in utter contempt. A pack of useless incompetents occupying high positions while drawing salaries without doing anything. At this moment of national crisis, they only cared about fighting for power and profit, contributing nothing to the state. They ought all to be dismissed and sent home to retire.

Just as he was lost in thought, hurried footsteps sounded in the courtyard, followed by someone knocking at the door.

Sun Chuanting had long since instructed that when he was reading in his study, no one was to disturb him. Hearing the knock, he was displeased. Setting down the Gazette, he frowned and said, "Enter!"

The door pushed open, and the steward Sun Chengwen came in. Before Sun Chuanting could lose his temper, he said urgently, "Young Master, several men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard have arrived at the gate, saying they carry an imperial edict. I couldn't tell whether it was genuine, so I came to report!"

Although Sun Chuanting was already forty years old, Sun Chengwen still habitually addressed him as Young Master.

Sun Chuanting abruptly stood up, and an inexplicable feeling of joy welled up within him. Having been idle at home for so long, the Embroidered Uniform Guard coming to his door could not mean he had committed some offense. Since they said it was an imperial edict, it should mean that his examination patron and fellow graduates' efforts to spread his fame had borne fruit—His Majesty was about to employ him.

He hurried out, giving instructions as he walked: "Uncle Sun, go to the inner quarters and tell the old madam there's no need for alarm—this should be good news!" Sun Chengwen acknowledged and went to the inner quarters.

Sun Chuanting arrived at the front gate and saw several men of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in surcoats, dusty from travel, standing by their horses below the steps. Seeing Sun Chuanting come out, one Squad Leader handed his horse to another, stepped forward before Sun Chuanting, and said, "Are you Magistrate Sun Chuanting? I am Wang Dexi, a Squad Leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, sent to convey His Majesty's oral instruction. Magistrate Sun, receive the edict!"

With that, he produced a waist token for Sun Chuanting to verify.

After confirming the token was genuine, Sun Chuanting hurriedly invited Wang Dexi and the others into the courtyard. Servants led the horses away to be fed and groomed, and the guardsmen were shown to the guest hall for tea. Sun Chuanting was about to order servants to set up the incense table when Wang Dexi waved his hand to stop him and said, "When we set out, the Guard Commander instructed us that His Majesty had decreed the oral instruction need not be received with an incense table!"

Sun Chuanting knelt to listen, and Wang Dexi spoke: "Conveying His Majesty's question: 'Minister Sun, do you still have the heart for battle? If so, I shall entrust you with a great responsibility. Do you have the courage?'"

Sun Chuanting's heart surged with emotion, his blood boiling, his eyes growing hot. When he answered, his voice was already hoarse: "Your servant replies to His Majesty: should His Majesty send me anywhere, though I be ground to dust and bones, I shall press forward without hesitation!"

"Magistrate Sun, please rise. In that case, please make your preparations and hasten to the capital for an audience!"

"Sun Chuanting kowtows in gratitude for His Majesty's grace!" With that, he knocked his head to the ground three times before rising.

After rising, Sun Chuanting instructed the steward to prepare food to entertain the guardsmen who had delivered the edict. Having traveled day and night for several days, they were exhausted, and besides, the horses needed rest—there was no need to rush back after delivering the edict. They followed Sun Chengwen to the dining hall, and after their meal went to the guest rooms to rest.

Sun Chuanting went to the rear courtyard, where his mother, Sun née Li, was chatting in her room with Sun Chuanting's wife, Liu.

Liu was the daughter of an old friend of Sun Chuanting's father—virtuous, kind, and a proper lady of a distinguished family. After marrying Sun Chuanting, she bore him a son and a daughter. The eldest son, Sun Kedi, was already sixteen, intelligent and fond of study. Last year, at fifteen, he had passed the examination to become a government student and was now studying in Taiyuan. The daughter, Yan'er, had a quiet disposition and stayed in her boudoir all day, rarely going out.

After entering the room, Sun Chuanting paid his respects to his mother. Liu rose hastily and asked, "Husband, the emperor has sent an imperial edict—is he restoring you to office?"

Sun née Li also looked at him with questioning eyes. Sun Chuanting sat down, nodded, and said, "His Majesty sent men to ask whether I have the heart and the courage. I, Sun, may lack other things, but I have a heart to serve the nation and the courage to take on responsibility!"

Liu looked at her husband with concern. She understood him, knew that these more than ten years of idleness had not worn away her husband's lofty ambitions—rather, the worsening situation had only further ignited his fighting spirit. On ordinary days, when drinking and composing essays with close friends at home, flushed with wine, he would speak passionately of military affairs with soaring heroism.

This time the emperor was restoring him to office—it should mean being sent to some perilous place. Liu was deeply worried for her husband's safety. She wanted to urge him to decline, but when she thought of how her husband, with his great talent, would likely wither away in depression if he spent his days idling beneath the trees, although she feared for his safety, she understood even better her husband's desire to display his ambitions, and his abilities.

Sun née Li spoke: "My son, your mother knows you have great talent, but it has never had a place to be displayed. Now the nation is at a time when it needs men, and this is also the opportunity for my son to display his abilities. No matter how perilous the place His Majesty sends you, my son must fulfill his duties loyally and serve the court. You must never shrink from danger or avoid hardship. Even if you die in the attempt, you must never disgrace the Sun family's generations of loyalty and integrity!"

Sun Chuanting rose and knelt to the ground with tears in his eyes, saying, "Rest assured, Mother. Your son goes with a heart already prepared for death! I shall exert every effort to wipe out the bandits, to repay His Majesty's grace of recognizing my worth! Only—after I leave, I will be unable to serve you in your old age. I beg Mother to take good care of your health and not worry about your son!"

After kowtowing several times, he rose and instructed Liu: "I do not yet know whether I shall return from this journey. You must care for Mother diligently at home, without the slightest disobedience! Keep urging Kedi in his studies, and make sure he does not grow lazy. When Yan'er grows up, find her a good family to marry into. Your husband can only feel ashamed before his worthy wife for the sake of the nation—I entrust this to you!" With that, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Liu.

Liu was already sobbing uncontrollably. Her husband's parting words, spoken like a final testament, broke her heart. They had been married for nearly twenty years, always treating each other with mutual respect and deep affection. She admired her husband's talent and loved his character. Once, thinking herself aging and faded, she had wanted to take a concubine for her husband, but he had firmly refused—and instead cherished her all the more.

Liu forced herself to stop crying and said softly, "Husband, go with an easy heart. Everything at home is in my hands—I will never hold you back! I do not wish for my husband to be enfeoffed as a marquis or appointed a minister; I only wish for my husband to return safely!"

Sun Chuanting nodded solemnly and said, "Rest assured, my lady. I am not a reckless man—what I said just now was only the worst-case scenario. Besides, these petty roving bandits are nothing in your husband's eyes. After I leave, have Uncle Sun gradually transfer the family business to others. The bandit troubles are severe in many places now, and the wealth accumulated over so many years is more than enough for the family to live on!"

Liu nodded in agreement. Sun Chuanting took his leave of his mother and turned to return to his study.

In the study, he instructed Sun Chengwen, who had followed him, to pack into wooden chests the maps and records of mountains and rivers from various regions that he had collected over the years, along with various military treatises. Then he sat at his desk and took up his brush to write a letter. The letter was addressed to Xue Yi'e. Its contents were, first, to inform this fellow graduate of his that His Majesty had summoned him for an audience—restoration to office was certain, but he estimated it would be to some perilous place; second, to thank Xue Yi'e for his care of the Sun family over the past few years, and to request that Magistrate Xue continue to look after the Sun family as before after he left, for which he would be eternally grateful, and so forth.

In truth, the friendship between the two men was quite good, but what ought to be expressed still had to be expressed—one could not be remiss in courtesy. After finishing the letter, he handed it to Sun Chengwen, instructing him to deliver it to the prefectural office only after he had departed. As for his examination patron and his fellow graduates in the capital, he could call on them and offer his thanks after arriving in the capital. In the years since he had returned home, he had never failed to send gifts at festivals, and letters had passed between them regularly—he could renew those friendships once he reached the capital.

Early the next morning, the guardsmen who had delivered the edict rose early, finished their breakfast, and led out the well-tended horses from the Sun family estate. When they came out the gate, Sun Chuanting sat on horseback smiling at them. Behind him were two stalwart Sun family guards and a mule carrying two large wooden chests. Wang Dexi asked in surprise, "Magistrate Sun, what is this?"

Sun Chuanting laughed: "Since I have been summoned by His Majesty, I should reach the capital as soon as possible. Might as well travel with you gentlemen—my horsemanship is still quite good."

Wang Dexi said hastily, "To travel with you, sir, is our great honor! And on this road back to the capital, there is no need to rush!"

"Very well, gentlemen—let us set out!" Sun Chuanting's voice was bold and heroic. With that, he spurred his horse and rode off first toward the capital.