Chapter 12: Kicking Down the Door

Zhou Yuji felt a knot of unease in his chest, unsure what good thing Li Fengxiang was referring to, but his face remained calm as he said:

"Allow me to play the host and offer you a welcome banquet, Eunuch. Please, enter the city!"

Li Fengxiang looked up at the Ming banner fluttering in the wind atop the city wall, and immediately recalled the eager, expectant gaze of the Chongzhen Emperor when he had seen him off from the palace. He turned and smiled:

"Regional Commander Zhou, what words are these? Those who aren't family don't enter the same house. Better that we walk in together."

These words took the personal guards behind Zhou Yuji by surprise. By all rights, these household slaves of the Son of Heaven from the capital should all have their noses turned up to the sky — the last one who came to deliver the imperial edict, though low in rank, had been exactly that way.

Yet here was one who held the exalted post of brush-holder in the Directorate of Ceremonial, personally dispatched by the Emperor himself, speaking such approachable words — it was truly hard to believe.

Zhou Yuji and Li Fengxiang exchanged a few more pleasantries, and Li Fengxiang's attitude remained exactly as it had been from the start, showing not the slightest sign of making unreasonable trouble.

Zhou Yuji couldn't figure out what was going on in this eunuch's mind, but his attitude had clearly softened compared to the beginning, so the two rode side by side into the city.

They talked as they rode, and before long arrived at the center of the crossroads, where they saw the Bianjing Tower built atop the inner city wall.

Hanging from the tower were three horizontal plaques reading "Generalship Passed Through Generations," "Loyalty and Righteousness in One Hall," and "Fine Generals of Three Jin." It was a typical Ming-dynasty pavilion-style structure, magnificent in the extreme.

Li Fengxiang clicked his tongue in admiration and said:

"Were it not for the pressing military situation, I would truly like to climb up and take a look."

"Daizhou borders Yuanping to the west, Wutai to the south, Shanyin to the north, Ying County to the northeast, and Shuozhou to the northwest — a fine place that is easy to defend and hard to attack! Were it not for the shortage of military pay, I would truly wish to settle this once and for all with Li Zicheng right here."

Zhou Yuji had spoken with full confidence at first, but the latter half gradually revealed his inadequacy. Li Fengxiang was shrewd beyond measure and immediately caught the meaning behind the words. He deliberately quickened his pace, putting a few steps of distance between himself and the column of officers behind, and said in a low voice:

"Grand Marshal Zhou need not worry overmuch. His Majesty knows of your difficulties and thinks of you day and night. My coming here is precisely to resolve the problem of military pay."

"Eunuch, please don't make sport of me. You've come alone — surely you can't conjure up several hundred thousand or a million taels of silver like some magic trick?"

Zhou Yuji knew that opportunities to speak like this were rare, so he didn't dawdle and went straight to the point of what was on his mind. But Li Fengxiang chuckled with confidence and said:

"So long as the Grand Marshal is willing to cooperate, a million taels is hardly a difficult matter."

The two hadn't exchanged many words — the streets were crowded with people everywhere, and there was really no chance for a heart-to-heart talk. It was the same at the banquet inside the city: too many eyes and ears, walls have ears.

Both men were shrewd. Li Fengxiang was unwilling to say more, and Zhou Yuji naturally wouldn't press the matter.

This welcome banquet could no longer be described by the word "meager" compared to what one might see in the Zhili region. Zhou Yuji didn't have much in the way of military pay and provisions to begin with — this was really just going through the motions to maintain the dignity of the Emperor's personally dispatched envoy.

After nightfall, Daizhou City had implemented a curfew due to the approaching peasant army, so basically only patrolling officers and soldiers remained on the streets.

On the west side of the Loupai West Street in the city, a large compound blazed with lantern light. Four merchants dressed in splendid silk robes sat together in a circle, a table before them laden with meat and fish, servants weaving back and forth at their sides, while a theatrical troupe performed song and dance on a stage.

At this critical moment of life and death for the court, the lives of the Shanxi merchants remained so delightful — one might think they were living in an age of great peace.

"The court's imperial envoy arrived this morning — have you all heard?"

A merchant seated on the west side gave a passing maidservant's backside a hard pinch, then turned around with a grin:

"How could we not have heard? Zhou Yuji made such a big production of it. In my view, it's nothing more than chasing that impossible military pay. He should use his head — how could there possibly be any pay?"

"Hahaha." The other three found this highly amusing and burst into loud laughter. The middle-aged man in the purple silk robe seated on the north side was Zhai Tang. He rose, raising his cup, and said:

"Master Zhou speaks truly. But that aside — Li Zicheng will be upon us soon. Have you all finished putting your affairs in order? At the latest, we must move out of the city tomorrow to avoid the storm. Any later and we won't be able to leave at all."

The merchant seated on the east side showed no concern at all, and laughed:

"Long since packed. I hear that around Zhangjiakou, Master Fan's business is thriving more and more — he's been raking in a full harvest from beyond the pass~"

The Master Zhou seated on the west side said with a hint of fawning:

"Master Zhai knows Master Fan. Once we reach Zhangjiakou, you must give us all a proper introduction. Business beyond the pass is a venture that returns tenfold on every tael."

"Hahaha, easy enough, easy enough!"

Zhai Tang was one of the Eight Great Merchant Families who would later serve the Dzungar Qing. Fan Yongdou was far away in Zhangjiakou, so here in the Daizhou area, Zhai Tang counted as the minor leader of the Shanxi merchants. Though he had heard more than his share of flattery, it still pleased him greatly.

"Master! Master! A large troop of officers and soldiers is heading this way!"

Suddenly, a servant from outside the gate came scrambling back in a panic, his face twisted with terror as he began shouting at the top of his lungs.

Hearing this, Master Zhou waved his hand impatiently:

"Nonsense! Master Zhai, has this boy been scared witless by the roving bandits? The officers are all busy hosting the imperial envoy — when would they have time for us?"

"Indeed, when have the government troops ever come looking for trouble?"

Zhai Tang thought the same. He waved his hand to send the servant away before he spoiled the mood, and was even thinking that once Master Zhou and the others left, he'd have this servant pack his things and get out — what a disgrace he was to his master.

"Boom!"

Before the four men could even finish a round of drinks, the door was kicked down without warning. A troop of fully armored officers and soldiers surged in, murderous intent radiating from them, blades and spears in hand. At their head was none other than Zhou Yuji, Regional Commander of Shanxi.

After stepping through the door, Zhou Yuji glanced at the panicked servant and barked his orders:

"Surround this place! Not one of them gets away!"

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers formed a circle, and many more could be seen watching from outside the courtyard. By the numbers, there had to be at least five hundred men. This time, Zhou Yuji didn't look like he'd come to watch a play — he seemed ready to get down to business.

Zhai Tang's face changed on the spot, but he showed no sign of fear. He slammed the table hard and sneered:

"Oh ho~, if it isn't Grand Marshal Zhou. You should know, this time the crime you've committed is more than just trespassing into a private residence. If word of this reaches the capital, it will be a case of a local military commander abusing his power — a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of kin!"

As he spoke, Zhai Tang stepped forward a few paces, his gaze sharpening:

"If Grand Marshal Zhou would stop here, not only would you have no such worries, but I would also have someone deliver rewards to your troops to boost the morale of your brothers. Li Zicheng will be upon us soon — the Grand Marshal should focus on defending the city, and not disappoint the great expectations of the Sage Son of Heaven!"

Zhai Tang played this game of the hard hand and the soft hand with considerable cunning, but Zhou Yuji was not swayed in the slightest. He stood in place with a cold smile that refused to fade, then suddenly stepped aside to open a space beside him.

"Clap, clap, clap."

Li Fengxiang walked out clapping his hands, his face full of a mischievous smile, and said:

"Well spoken, Master Zhai. Those words were like a sudden awakening — truly the heart of a loyal and righteous man!"

"I wonder — this humble servant of the Son of Heaven, brush-holding eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial — can I make decisions on Grand Marshal Zhou's behalf?"