Chapter 48: Executing the Duke of Cheng

For some of the veteran soldiers, cleaning up the battlefield was like picking up money. Not to mention the large amount of valuables carried on the Qing soldiers' war horses, almost every dead Qing soldier had privately stashed silver and cash looted from elsewhere — this was a windfall for the Yongwei Camp's troops.

Quite a few Yongwei Camp veterans who had been born in the border troops fell back into their old habits, stripping everything they could off the Qing soldiers' bodies, then chopping off their heads in one stroke to count as military merit.

Huang Degong pointed at a Yongwei Camp veteran and said, "Are you fucking scared of being poor or what? Why are you stripping their armor? We're the Son of Heaven's personal troops now — we don't need this crappy junk!"

That veteran stretched out his bloody hand and scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "General, it's just a habit from when I was in the border troops!"

Huang Degong hastily stepped back two paces, afraid of getting blood splattered all over him, and waved his hand, saying, "Alright, everyone get a move on — dig a big pit and bury these idiots. Those horses wounded too badly, drag them back to improve our meals."

Soon, the several dozen Qing soldiers who had fled earlier had been mostly chased down and shot dead by the Yongwei Camp's cavalry. Every Yongwei Camp cavalryman carried a flintlock musket, firing while riding as if training on moving targets. In the end, only three captives were dragged back alive.

The three captives dragged back were immediately interrogated. All three were Manchus. At first they pretended not to understand Chinese, being very uncooperative, shouting a mouthful of gibberish and raising a ruckus like entitled old men trying to pick a fight.

Zhu Cilang summoned Li Tingbiao and brought along several Embroidered Uniform Guard officers. After the captives had savored a good beating from the Guard's whips, they were force-fed several bowls of leftover extra-spicy hotpot soup.

Just as they were about to be strapped onto the tiger bench for some proper "hospitality," the few Qing captives immediately softened and spilled everything they knew.

Li Tingbiao kicked over a Qing captive whose face was already red from the spice and whose tongue was hanging out, saying in disappointment, "That's all it takes? How boring!"

Zhu Cilang was speechless too. He had thought these Qing soldiers had some tough bones, and had been looking forward to observing the Embroidered Uniform Guard's various methods of torture — but these Qing soldiers turned out to be such cowards.

If they knew they couldn't withstand the torture, they should have confessed earlier. Why make such a scene and lose all face? What a bunch of masochists!

According to the confessions of the three captives, thirty li south there was a Bordered Yellow Banner jala, plus five niru of Eight Banner Mongol troops, totaling roughly three thousand men.

One jala was five niru, meaning the Qing's main camp behind their shields had ten niru, that is, three thousand men. One niru had been wiped out beneath the city walls, leaving 2,700.

This information was about the same as what Li Tingbiao had delivered, but Zhu Cilang didn't understand why the Yongwei Camp's Longxiang Night Scouts hadn't sent in their intelligence yet.

After getting a clear picture of the enemy's situation, Zhu Cilang decided to lead his troops out and devour this force of 2,700 Qing soldiers.

Zhu Cilang ordered the Capital Camps to dispatch one battalion's strength to coordinate with the Yongwei Camp in leaving the city to wrap up and eat this Qing force like dumplings. But when the Capital Camps' generals heard they were to leave the city to face the enemy, their faces went white with fear. They flatly refused to go out, saying that without orders from His Majesty and Zhu Chunchen, they dared not dispatch troops on their own.

Zhu Cilang really wanted to behead a few Capital Camps generals and take over that force. But he didn't dare make a big scene, and taking over that bunch of trash from the Capital Camps seemed useless anyway — from watching them shoot arrows and fire cannons from the city walls, one could tell exactly what kind of material those soldiers were.

Just at that moment, several riders arrived beneath the city walls, waving something and shouting up.

A Capital Camps officer on the wall saw them and immediately shouted loudly, "The Duke of Cheng has returned! Open the city gate quickly!"

Duke of Cheng Zhu Chunchen, flanked by several Capital Camps officers, entered through the Xizhi Gate. He had barely entered the city when Zhu Cilang blocked him at the gate with his men.

Zhu Cilang asked coldly, "Duke of Cheng, you were ordered by imperial decree to inspect the border passes — why are you here?"

Zhu Chunchen saw that the Eastern Palace's expression boded ill, and frowned, saying, "The border passes fell long ago. If I didn't come back, where else was I supposed to stay?"

Zhu Cilang continued asking, "When the slave bandits attacked Changping, where were you?"

Zhu Chunchen said in a deep voice, "I was naturally within Changping city!"

Zhu Cilang went on, "The Inspecting Censor Wang Zhaokun fought to the death — where were you?"

"I—I only withdrew after the Tartars breached the city. Crown Prince, what do you mean by this? Are you interrogating me?" Zhu Chunchen stammered, then raised his voice.

Zhu Cilang let out a cold laugh and said, "Your line of Duke of Cheng has been hereditary for generations, receiving imperial grace throughout. The dynasty has supported your family for twelve generations — and how do you, Zhu Chunchen, repay it? Abandoning the city and fleeing! Men, bind Zhu Chunchen!"

At Zhu Cilang's command, several Yongwei Camp soldiers immediately stepped forward and trussed up the struggling Zhu Chunchen tightly, bound hand and foot.

Zhang Zhiji, the Duke of Ying, was startled and immediately stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, you can't! Even His Majesty treats successive Dukes of Cheng with courtesy. If His Majesty learns of this, what will happen?"

Zhu Cilang stared at Zhang Zhiji with a cold face and said, "Duke of Ying, I advise you to say a few less words!"

Zhang Zhiji felt that although the Eastern Palace was young in years, his body radiated a bone-piercing chill. He opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing.

Zhu Chunchen shouted loudly, "Crown Prince, you've got some nerve, daring to bind me! You haven't even become emperor yet, and already you're this arrogant! I'll definitely file an impeachment against you in the future!"

Zhu Cilang sneered, "The future? I'm afraid you won't have a future. Men, behead Zhu Chunchen!"

Zhu Chunchen stared woodenly at Zhu Cilang. He didn't know who had given Zhu Cilang such great courage that he dared directly order his own execution.

Zhang Zhiji was also stunned. Had the Eastern Palace lost his mind? He wanted to execute Zhu Chunchen?

Zhu Chunchen laughed loudly, "Zhu Cilang, you dare kill me? I am a—"

"Bang!"

Before Zhu Chunchen could even finish his words, Zhu Cilang directly drew the revolving flintlock pistol he carried on his person and blew Zhu Chunchen's head apart with a single shot.

Instantly, Zhu Chunchen collapsed limply to the ground. Blood spurted out in jets from the bullet hole, and his wide-open pupils seemed to still hold an expression of disbelief.

The surrounding soldiers were all frozen in shock. Zhang Zhiji couldn't help but shudder, his face turning pale — he was thankful he hadn't said more nonsense.

At the same time, he was utterly terrified of the Eastern Palace's thunderous methods. A hereditary duke — killed just like that, and by the prince's own hand no less?

Even Li Tingbiao, Huang Degong, Sun Yingyuan, Xu Sheng, and the other trusted confidants of Zhu Cilang all felt a chill. This Crown Prince was someone who meant exactly what he said!

Zhu Cilang, with extreme disdain, ordered men to carry away Zhu Chunchen's corpse. Only then did he fix his gaze on the crowd and say in a deep voice, "I don't care whether you're a duke or a common soldier — anyone who shrinks back in fear of the enemy, this is what awaits them! The dynasty does not support trash!"

"Spread Zhu Chunchen's head throughout the Nine Gates so every camp can see clearly. At the same time, transmit orders to all camps in the capital to strengthen the defense of the Nine Gates. Any slackness — execution without mercy!"

"Yes!" All the Capital Camps officers and soldiers felt their scalps go numb as they answered respectfully.

Zhu Cilang had Li Tingbiao lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard to raid and confiscate the Duke of Cheng's mansion, and gave Li Tingbiao a subtle wink of suggestion.