Chapter 189: The Prestige of the Eastern Depot

Nearly every faction was using the two days of Ma Shiying's banquet for Zhou Jingwu and Li Youcheng to discuss countermeasures, yet the Shenwu Army, which had arrived in Nanjing less than three days ago, played a surprisingly unexpected card.

Zhou Jingwu, as an outside commander, did not seek approval from either Liu Fu, the eunuch garrisoning Nanjing, or Xu Wenjue, the meritorious noble serving as Garrison Commander, before decisively ordering the Shenwu Army to begin large-scale movements, aiming its spearhead directly at those so-called Fushe scholars who claimed to serve the state.

At the same time, inside the Fushe academy, they clearly had not anticipated this turn of events.

Zhang Cai had just been dismissed from the Qian residence and returned to the study, still brooding over Qian Qianyi's refusal. He had been quite certain that once Qian Qianyi heard of the matter, he would agree without hesitation — after all, the ones most eager to change emperors were the Donglin heavyweights at court.

Zhang Cai first sat down in his seat, angrily took a sip of tea, and only then said: "I never expected — truly, I never expected — that Old Qian would prove so timid and fearful! It seems we need to change our approach. It's not evening yet; there's still time!"

Zhang Cai embellished his conversation with Qian Qianyi in the residence as he recounted it, and the scholars waiting in the study for good news immediately panicked.

"What are we to do now? Even Old Qian put on an air of 'none of my business, let it float high above.' Can we really succeed if we go make trouble ourselves?" A scholar from a Zhexi literary society stood up, paced back and forth, and after speaking, turned to leave.

Seeing this man's manner, the other scholars also grew anxious at heart.

"Exactly! If we fail, not only will the new sovereign not be established, we'll be dragged down with it!"

"I say, we'd best just head back for now!"

Zhang Cai quietly watched these people before him. Though each of these scholars put on a righteous and indignant air, inwardly they were all cowards who feared death above all — this truth, he understood well in his heart.

After a moment, Zhang Cai calmly stroked his beard and laughed: "Look at yourselves, trembling with fear — where is the bearing of my Fushe members?"

Hearing Zhang Cai's rebuke, many of the scholars who had been like ants on a hot pan quieted down, each lowering their head in shame. But carrying on like this was no solution after all. Just as the scholars were about to break into fresh dispute over staying or fleeing, Zhang Cai suddenly turned his head and asked:

"What of Zhou Zhong? He hasn't run off too, has he?"

Before the scholar thus questioned could answer, a burst of footsteps sounded from outside the door. Zhou Zhong walked into the academy with an uncountable number of scholars behind him, and said with a smile:

"Master Nanguo truly thinks little of me. Since I have already answered the call of you gentlemen, how could I flee before the battle?"

Wu Weiye, seeing the students from various academies behind Zhou Zhong, also smiled and said: "Master Nanguo, Jiesheng works quickly indeed. Your student had barely made a move, and he has already gathered this many people."

Seeing the indignant scholars filling the courtyard, the Fushe scholars in the study all breathed sighs of relief. Zhang Cai was even more reassured and praised: "Jiesheng is, after all, a man of considerable renown who once served as an official at court — how could he be a name without substance?"

"If Jiesheng couldn't even gather this many people, that would be the strangest thing under heaven."

Looking at the packed crowd of students behind him, and hearing Master Nanguo — a man of some weight in the Donglin — praise him so, Zhou Zhong was also feeling quite proud and elated. He laughed heartily: "Master Nanguo flatters me. Those behind me here are but a small portion of the scholars across the realm who worry for the state."

"Had I been given a few more days, there would be far more than just this many."

Zhang Cai nodded and said: "Mm, since our numbers are complete and Old Qian can't be relied upon, we have no choice but to try whatever we can, even if it's treating a dead horse as if it were alive. Jiesheng, immediately disperse the students you've gathered — best if within a single night, the whole city of Nanjing knows of this!"

"The more people who know of this matter, the more advantageous it is for us!"

"Also, for the long term, we need to keep a card in reserve. Jiesheng should return to the Hanlin to serve as an official, and bring this thing along. Spend however much silver it takes to have it presented to that benighted sovereign — if a thousand taels won't do, then two thousand; if two thousand won't do, then ten thousand! Whether we can turn things around depends on this little Divine Dragon Pill."

Zhou Zhong took the small box and looked at it, immediately startled. Trembling, he said: "Presenting this to the emperor — that is a crime worthy of the ten abominations and the extermination of nine generations of one's family. This... is it really worth it...?"

"Heh heh." Zhang Cai gave a cold laugh and said: "What are you afraid of? This Divine Dragon Pill is different from the Spirit Dew Drink. This thing — nearly every common household has one, and wealthy landlords and gentry are positively enamored with it. It is a supreme treasure of the bedchamber for warming the kidneys and invigorating yang. It's no secret."

"This benighted sovereign is just over thirty, in the prime of his vigor. Once he's hooked, stopping won't be so easy. Then we quietly increase the dosage, so that in his final days, that benighted sovereign will beg for life but cannot live, and beg for death but cannot die."

As he spoke, a trace of venomous cruelty rose on Zhang Cai's sinister face.

"You need not ask too many questions. Just quietly present this thing. Even if my Fushe is exterminated this time, the Donglin will still survive, and within a month, that benighted sovereign will surely die a sudden death!"

Wu Weiye was somewhat worried and advised: "After that incident with Weng Bingshi of the Imperial Academy of Medicine last time, the academy's personnel were almost entirely replaced. A new imperial physician named Wu Youke now oversees it."

"Jiesheng is already a Donglin man; returning to court as an official is naturally not difficult — sending a message through someone will do. Bringing the Divine Dragon Pill to the capital is also not particularly hard. But presenting it under the heavy guard of that benighted sovereign's claws and fangs — that is difficult beyond measure. With the slightest misstep, even the extermination of ten generations is possible!"

As they were deliberating, a scholar rushed in frantically from outside the door, shouting as he entered:

"Bad news, Master Nanguo! A troop of soldiers just went and sealed off our academy. Even the local Eastern Depot and Embroidered Uniform Guard offices have sent people out — they say they're heading this way!"

"What did you say!" Wu Weiye cried out, his voice trembling: "What is going on? Was it the Capital Camps?"

That scholar shook his head repeatedly and said: "Judging by their armor, they're not from the Capital Camps. They look like that Shenwu Army that arrived in the city a few days ago."

Zhang Cai heard this and thought to himself that things were bad. He quickly pointed to the rear and said: "Jiesheng, leave quickly through the back door. Go straight back to the capital and find Vice Minister Liu Zongzhou of the Ministry of Works — he will surely help you."

"Then... Master Nanguo, take care. Your subordinate is off!" With things having come to this, Zhou Zhong could not bother with formalities. Without another word, he tucked away the Divine Dragon Pill in his hand and turned to dash for the back door.

Zhang Cai breathed a sigh of relief, then a surge of rage rose in his chest. He was about to lead the crowd of Donglin scholars out the door to see who exactly was so bold — but before he could even move, the door was suddenly kicked open with a "Bang!"

The great talents of the various academies in the study were about to flare up in anger, but upon seeing the attire of the one who entered, not a single person dared utter a word. Only Zhang Cai said calmly:

"Chiliarch Li, wasn't Minister Ma hosting a welcome banquet for you at the garrison residence? Why have you suddenly come to my academy?"

The one who entered was precisely Li Youcheng — who, fearing these scholars might stir up more trouble, had arrived ahead of time to take control of the situation — along with a dozen or so Eastern Depot agents. Each wore a pointed cap and white leather boots, with the twin sabers standard to the Eastern Depot hanging at their waists. They looked like formidable characters.

Li Youcheng, as the Chiliarch whom Wang Cheng'en had deployed to the Nanjing region with the intent of restoring the Eastern Depot's control over Jiangnan, showed not the slightest fear at the packed crowd of scholars around him. He cast a glance around, forcibly yanked Song Zhengyu from his seat, plopped himself down, and said with a grin:

"In broad daylight, a big crowd like you lot gathered together — what are you planning? Don't tell me you intend to rebel?"

At this point, Wu Weiye could no longer contain himself. He rose and said angrily: "Is there no law left under heaven? For us government students and scholars to gather and give lectures is a perfectly natural and proper matter. Are you saying we're not even allowed to speak, and must stop teaching altogether!"

Upon hearing this, Li Youcheng unhooked the twin sabers from his waist and slammed them "Bang!" onto the table. Seeing the scholars around him startled, he then rose, walked up to Wu Weiye, stared intently into his eyes, and said word by word:

"You there, surnamed Wu — you tell me: when His Majesty permitted you to lecture and teach, was it so you could stir up hearts and minds here, sowing chaos and wishing the world into turmoil, hm?"

Having said this, seeing that Wu Weiye dared not make a sound, Li Youcheng chuckled, sat back down with a swagger, and sneered: "You Donglin whelps — our Eastern Depot hasn't been around for a few years, so what, you've grown feathers and think you can fly?"