Chapter 253: Troubles

Fang Yizao felt quite displeased at Shen Shiyu's string of questions. But he knew that although the other man was still a commoner without rank, he was speaking on behalf of his master as Hong Chengchou's trusted confidant—if he were to rebuke him, that would be slapping Hong Chengchou in the face.

So he suppressed his displeasure and said coolly: "The cavalry units previously transferred by the court to the interior were mostly composed of the household retainers and trusted men of the leading generals. These men were treated generously by their masters in peacetime, their armor and weapons were of the finest quality, and their military pay and provisions were extremely abundant—so naturally they fought desperately in battle, and their combat power was considerable. Moreover, the roving bandits within the passes were all of common outlaw origins; though numerous, they rarely drilled in formation, and their weapons and armor could hardly match those of the government troops. It was only in comparison that the government troops appeared formidable. But to this official's knowledge, an equal number of government cavalry is far from a match for the Jianzhou barbarians. Since the Battle of Sarhu, the border troops beyond the passes have rarely won against them! The tens of thousands of cavalry that Yuan Yuansu originally created have long been scattered among dozens of commanders, making it difficult to assemble them into a large mounted force for battle—hence the advice that the Junior Preceptor must not fight recklessly! As for fighting spirit, heh heh, perhaps there is some, perhaps there is none!"

"I am somewhat weary, so let us end today's discussion here. Tomorrow I shall go with Ziyuan to inspect the various forts and villages around Jinzhou, and afterward I shall report what I have seen and heard to His Majesty, for His Majesty's decision!"

Having said this, Hong Chengchou rose from his seat, withdrew behind the screen, and retired to his chamber to rest.

Fang Yizao stood up and straightened his robes and cap. Paying no attention to Shen Shiyu and Zhang Dou, he clasped his hands behind his back and walked out of the second hall, passed through the main hall, rejoined his personal guards waiting outside the yamen, mounted his horse, and returned to Jinzhou.

Zhang Dou rose and watched the two Grand Secretaries depart. He was about to turn and leave when Shen Shiyu called out to him: "Army supervisor, please wait a moment—Lord Hong invites you to the rear courtyard to discuss matters!"

In the study of Zu Dashou's residence in Jinzhou city, Wu Sangui kowtowed in greeting to his maternal uncle, then immediately rose to his feet.

"Changbo, sit down. Have you seen your mother? How has Lianghuan been lately? What business brings you beyond the passes this time? I have heard that the court intends to promote you to Regional Commander of Ningyuan. If that truly comes to pass, our family will have produced another great commander—truly a cause for celebration!"

Dressed in a loose casual robe, Zu Dashou sat in a folding chair, beaming as he looked at Wu Sangui standing before him, his eyes filled with unconcealed admiration. He had long since received word that Wu Sangui was leading troops out of the passes, but he had not given it much thought.

Though he had many sons of his own, none of them could compare with this nephew in either civil or military accomplishments. He and Wu Xiang, along with his two cousins, were all men nearing fifty—the time had come to consider successors. Looking around, among the younger generation only Wu Sangui was truly promising material. The prosperity and honor of both the Zu and Wu families for the next several decades were all invested in him.

"In answer to my uncle's question, your nephew has already gone to see his mother. My father has been in poor health of late and often speaks of Mother from his sickbed. The post of Regional Commander of Ningyuan was spoken of personally by Supreme Commander Hong, who said the court wishes to honor your nephew's merits in suppressing the bandits. The appointment documents are already on their way from the capital to beyond the passes. Whatever prominence your nephew enjoys today is all thanks to my uncle's care and protection. My uncle's kindness to the Wu family is a debt your nephew can never repay!"

After bowing, Wu Sangui sat in a side chair, and a maidservant served tea before turning and leaving.

"Lianghuan is nothing like a commander of troops! All day long he is sickly and weak like a woman! Look at me and your two other uncles—we ride horses and practice martial arts all day, drink fine wine and enjoy beautiful women—when have we ever fallen ill? Later, have your cousin take you to the storehouse to pick out a few century-old ginseng roots and send them to your father at the Ji Garrison—I guarantee they'll cure any ailment! Your mother and I have been close since childhood, and I would never bear to see her go far away!"

Zu Dashou said dismissively.

Though Wu Sangui had not directly said he wished to move his family within the passes, only that his father missed his mother, Zu Dashou immediately understood the implication behind the words. Recalling that the court had promoted Wu Sangui yet another rank above the Vice Regional Commander post he had earned through bandit suppression, Zu Dashou instantly sensed that something was amiss, so he calmly deflected Wu Sangui's probing.

Seeing Zu Dashou's attitude, Wu Sangui could only hold back and refrain from raising the matter of relocating his family, so as not to displease his uncle.

"Changbo, when you went within the passes to suppress the bandits, you served under Hong Hengjiu for some time and should know a fair amount about his character and conduct. How does this man compare with Grand Secretary Sun and Governor-General Yuan? This man has long enjoyed a great reputation at court—his coming to Ningyuan and Jinzhou bodes ill for our two families, I fear! Do you know whether he has any Depot or Guard agents by his side?"

Zu Dashou had long heard of Hong Chengchou's fame, but the two had never dealt with each other. Upon learning that Hong Chengchou had arrived at Songshan, Zu Dashou, fearing that Hong Chengchou might have Depot or Guard agents hidden among his entourage and that going to meet him rashly might result in his own arrest, did not go to Songshan to welcome him.

Ever since the Jisi Incident of the second year of Chongzhen, when Yuan Chonghuan was seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Zu Dashou, fearing he would be implicated, led his troops back beyond the passes, he had never dared to venture far from Jinzhou city. During that period, Chongzhen had issued three imperial edicts summoning him to the capital for an audience, but Zu Dashou had tossed them all aside.

He knew what a great calamity he had brought upon himself. If he obeyed the order and returned to the capital, the result would certainly be execution—and in the worst case, he might well suffer death by a thousand cuts like Yuan Chonghuan.

"Uncle, please rest easy. Supreme Commander Hong has only a few hundred personal guards and a handful of staff officers at his side—no one of suspicious appearance! As for ability, Supreme Commander Hong has long been seasoned on the battlefield with deep and subtle strategies—Grand Secretary Sun and Governor-General Yuan likely cannot compare with him! But when it comes to treating subordinates with leniency, Grand Secretary Sun and Governor-General Yuan were far better. Supreme Commander Hong is not harsh in commanding his men, but once a matter touches on official duty, he shows not the slightest regard for personal feelings!"

After sitting down, Wu Sangui picked up the tea from the low table beside him and took a sip. Hearing Zu Dashou's question, he laughed inwardly: his uncle feared no one in ordinary times, yet was terrified of the Depot and Guard as if they were tigers. Whenever a new face appeared in Jinzhou city, his uncle would surely send someone to investigate thoroughly, always afraid the person might be a Depot or Guard spy.

"Alas, in the eyes of His Majesty and the court officials, I am nothing but a disloyal and disrespectful minister. Hoarding troops to make myself powerful, nurturing bandits to enrich myself, refusing to obey the court's commands. Little do they know that I hold troops and keep to Jinzhou only because I feared the majesty of the imperial house after Governor-General Yuan was arrested. Our Zu family has received imperial grace for generations, serving the Great Ming through life and death for several generations, and has rendered no small merit. If I were truly to be put to death unjustly by the court, it would be a terrible injustice! Hong Hengjiu has come with ill intent this time. The men of Ningyuan and Jinzhou may have schemed somewhat excessively for private gain in peacetime, but they would never put private interest above public duty! I fear the court has misjudged the situation at Ningyuan and Jinzhou and has specially sent Hong Hengjiu to pressure us with authority, making the situation here impossible to control! I have thought it over—even if I were to lay down my military command right now and go to the capital to live as a powerless, office-less retiree, that would likely be impossible as well. His Majesty has tolerated me for many years—how could he possibly forgive us here in western Liaodong?"

Zu Dashou leaned back in his chair, smiled bitterly, and sighed.

Though eight years had passed, the scene of the Embroidered Uniform Guard bursting into the camp and arresting Yuan Chonghuan during the Jisi Incident remained vivid before his eyes. Yuan Chonghuan, who commanded heavy forces and awed all of Liaodong, dared not resist in the slightest before the fierce Embroidered Uniform Guard, meekly submitting to arrest. Zu Dashou and the generals under his command who were present trembled all over with fear. After Yuan Chonghuan was taken into custody, Zu Dashou, disregarding the fact that the Jianzhou barbarians had massed their forces to threaten the capital's safety, immediately moved his troops toward Shanhai Pass and ultimately broke through the pass and fled.

Hong Chengchou's arrival made Zu Dashou feel an inexplicable pressure. He knew that the Emperor sending Hong Chengchou beyond the passes was only the first step—there would certainly be further measures to follow, aimed at weakening or even destroying the military families of western Liaodong. With the destruction of the roving bandits, the court would surely free its hands to deal with Jianzhou. And the Ningyuan-Jinzhou clique led by him was a gate standing before Jianzhou—a hurdle the court could not possibly bypass.

Though Zu Dashou understood all this clearly, he had no good strategy to counter the series of measures the court might take next. A sense that doom was inescapable lingered constantly in his mind.

Though the military families of western Liaodong had long been exchanging flirtatious glances with Jianzhou, and many captured generals and soldiers had surrendered to Jianzhou after battles between the two armies, Zu Dashou had no intention of surrendering to the Qing. The current situation between the two sides was more like mutual exploitation.

Knowing his own situation best, Zu Dashou was aware that the government troops at Ningyuan and Jinzhou nominally claimed to number over a hundred thousand, but in reality only a few tens of thousands could actually fight, most of them concentrated around Jinzhou city. And the only ones who could match the Jianzhou barbarians were the household retainers of varying numbers under each general. The remaining soldiers spent their days primarily farming—neither drilled nor equipped with weapons and armor, they were no different from peasants.

He feared that Hong Chengchou, without understanding the true facts, might act willfully and recklessly, destroying the fragile balance that currently existed with Jianzhou.

"Your nephew feels that my uncle may be overthinking matters! During the bandit suppression campaigns within the passes, your nephew had dealings with many civil and military officials there and heard much information that had never reached beyond the passes before. After distilling the key points, your nephew reached a conclusion: since the eighth year of Chongzhen, His Majesty's temperament seems to have changed greatly! Gone is the former impatience and irritability, the habit of blaming people at the slightest provocation—he has become generous and benevolent! My uncle knows well that from the Jisi Incident when Governor-General Yuan was convicted, until the eighth year of Chongzhen, the court's Grand Secretaries and senior ministers, and the provincial Governors-General and Governors, were replaced with dizzying frequency—anyone who failed in bandit suppression or offended the imperial temper would lose his post at the lightest, or his head at the worst. But since the eighth year of Chongzhen, regardless of whether the war situation within the passes went smoothly, no senior court minister has been severely punished, let alone executed for it, and the Grand Secretary has not been replaced for several years. To name but one example, Wu Aheng, the former Governor-General of Ji and Liaodong, should be well known to my uncle—a man muddle-headed, corrupt, and utterly cowardly, who accomplished nothing whatsoever during his tenure. Under His Majesty's former manner of conduct, this man would long since have been tried and imprisoned, yet His Majesty merely had him dismissed from office and sent home, without arresting or imprisoning him. All manner of evidence shows that His Majesty's conduct and character are now completely different from before! Your nephew fully understands the matters my uncle worries about, but your nephew dares to assert now that if my uncle but demonstrates loyalty to the court, His Majesty will absolutely not settle old scores afterward!"