Chapter 50: Sudden Upheaval at Datong (Part Two)

After the household retainers walked out the door, Jiang Xiang frowned and said:

"Bai Guangen is no easy man to deal with—he still carries some prestige among the border garrisons. His sudden arrival in Datong—is he just passing through, or has something gone wrong with our plan to greet the Dashing King?"

"That shouldn't be." Jiang Rang shook his head and said: "Only our most trusted men know about greeting the Dashing King. How could Bai Guangen possibly know?"

"In your elder brother's view, Bai Guangen has likely been assigned by the court to a post elsewhere and is passing through our territory to rest. To avoid arousing suspicion, we should still go outside the city to welcome him."

Jiang Xiang found this reasonable and gave an "mm," saying:

"Then let us do as my brother says—there's no other choice."

Before long, Jiang Xiang and Jiang Rang arrived outside the East Gate to receive him. When they saw Li Fengxiang beside Bai Guangen and the capital's mounted riders, they exchanged a glance—neither had expected such a thing.

Bai Guangen coming on his own was one thing, but what did it mean that the capital's mounted riders and an imperial envoy were accompanying him? And looking at all the things being pulled behind—could they have come all this way just to distribute military pay?

This thought had barely appeared in Jiang Xiang's mind before he dismissed it. The court hadn't issued military pay in years. If you wanted Chongzhen to hand out silver—dream on.

The men exchanged pleasantries outside the gate for a while, then all rode into the city side by side.

Bai Guangen looked at the desolate state of Datong's garrison town and, as they rode, said with seeming casualness:

"Commander Jiang has held this post for years, yet Datong has only grown more dilapidated. I wonder what exactly has been done here. If this commander knows, he can at least avoid making the same mistakes."

Jiang Rang immediately moved to defend his younger brother, but at that moment Bai Guangen turned and swept a sharp glare over him, saying:

"This commander is asking Jiang Xiang, not you!"

Jiang Xiang felt that Bai Guangen's attitude was off. By all reason, even if Bai Guangen looked down on him, he shouldn't be so blatantly disrespectful—unless he had some backing.

Thinking this, he glanced at the scarlet-robed Embroidered Uniform Guard behind them and dared not show the slightest anger. He smiled:

"What does Commander Bai mean by these words?"

Bai Guangen laughed heartily and said:

"Jiang Xiang, do you know you have committed a great crime!?"

Jiang Xiang was greatly startled, sweat gradually beading on his forehead. Yet he made no move, forcing calm, and smiled again:

"Commander Bai speaks thus, but this humble one is truly wronged. Wang Pu guarded Datong for many years—when this Jiang arrived at his post, it was indeed already like this. For years, the court has not sent a single copper coin. Petty bandits are as numerous as ox hairs across the land, and now the Dashing bandits besiege Ningwu. This Jiang is powerless to turn the tide."

Bai Guangen shot him a look, thinking to himself that this was indeed a self-righteous fool. To avoid startling the snake, he said no more and chuckled:

"In that case, where is the drill ground now?"

Jiang Xiang wiped his sweat. He couldn't bother asking what Bai Guangen wanted at the drill ground for—he hurriedly turned aside and said:

"Commander Bai, please follow me."

As they talked, Bai Guangen, Jiang Xiang and their party crossed the moat's drawbridge and entered through the East Gate. Just as they reached a street corner, an unknown Hundred Commander under Jiang Xiang's command suddenly blocked the column. This man threw himself to the ground and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Commander Bai, the two Jiang traitors mean to murder you!"

"What?" Bai Guangen, a man who had seen more than a few great battles, reacted swiftly. With a "shing," he drew his saber and in a flash swept it across Jiang Xiang's neck.

Though blood sprayed all over him, Bai Guangen didn't even bother to wipe it off. He stepped forward and said with a sinister smile:

"You little Jiang whelps dare scheme against this commander? You clearly don't know how to write the character for 'death.' Come—seize Jiang Rang! Let the Jiang family learn what happens to those who betray the Great Ming!"

Bai Guangen spoke as though he himself were the loyal and righteous party, as if he had never once contemplated surrender—in sheer thickness of skin, he was absolutely no match for the Chongzhen Emperor's inferior.

The two men who had just been all smiles had suddenly turned on each other. What Jiang Xiang and Jiang Rang had believed to be a matter of utmost secrecy was now known even to some nameless Centurion who had popped out from the roadside.

Moreover, Bai Guangen did not play by the rules—even as he walked, one hand had already been quietly resting on his saber. The moment the Centurion's words fell, before Jiang Xiang could even react, Bai Guangen turned and delivered a single, utterly unhesitating stroke.

This sudden upheaval left Jiang Rang no room to react. Hearing Bai Guangen's order, his face went pale with shock, and only then did he draw his blade and shout:

"Brothers! The court has treated us with scant kindness—how long has our military pay been owed? Have you all forgotten?"

"Commander Jiang served the state with utmost loyalty, time and again paying from his own pocket for our welfare! He was denied high office and murdered unjustly! This villain surrendered to Li the Dashing yet still throws his weight around—avenge Commander Jiang, wipe out this blood debt!"

Jiang Xiang had been executed without a moment's hesitation. Bai Guangen alone would never have dared such a thing—and the imperial envoy and mounted riders standing by watching the show remained utterly unmoved.

The meaning could not be plainer: it was the Chongzhen Emperor who wished to destroy the Jiang clan.

Jiang Xiang had died suddenly. At first, the retainers likewise failed to react—shocked and at a loss. But hearing Jiang Rang's shout, they hurriedly drew their blades and spears and closed in. The other soldiers, though their eyes wavered with hesitation, nonetheless pressed forward step by step.

Just then, a squad of soldiers came running from afar,

"Hold! Let me see who dares make a move!"

Everyone turned to look—it was none other than Wei Jingyuan, the Governor of Datong, supported by several servants as he hurried over. From afar he prostrated himself on the ground and cried out:

"This humble official greets the imperial envoy! I failed to come out and receive you due to circumstances—I beg your forgiveness!"

Though Li Fengxiang was a eunuch, he would not shrink to the rear at a time like this. He stepped forward with two Embroidered Uniform Guard Centurions to help Wei Jingyuan up, and said with great warmth:

"Governor Wei, you speak too gravely. I hear your foot ailment keeps you from going out. Before His Majesty departed, he even said that were it not for the pressing affairs of the capital, he would have come to Datong in person to visit you. Seeing your body still so hale and sturdy today, His Majesty can surely rest easy."

Hearing Li Fengxiang's words, Wei Jingyuan was too moved to speak, choking up several times. The Emperor had not, after all, forgotten his ministers—and if so, then everything had been worth it.

With that, Li Fengxiang cleared his throat a few times and unfurled a golden-yellow scroll in mid-air.

By the time Li Fengxiang had solemnly finished reading the imperial edict, Wei Jingyuan's eyes were moist. The soldiers' bewildered expressions vanished—damn it all, if there was military pay, why would anyone rebel? Were they just bored?

Whether the Jiang family truly would have rebelled no longer mattered to them. What mattered was that this time, the court had issued pay—a full one million taels!

This was a rare show of generosity. One million taels might not cover the back pay owed to all of Datong's soldiers, but it could settle in one go the pay for the guard stations and garrison forts around the town. This was hope!

The first batch of pay had arrived—could the next batch be far behind?

Pondering this question, the soldiers exchanged glances and fell back one after another, fixing Jiang Rang with hostile stares, as if to say: You traitor, why don't you just surrender already.

Jiang Rang stumbled back several steps, his face full of terror. He could never have imagined such a thing happening.

First—counting Jiang Xiang and himself, barely anyone knew about surrendering the city. Those who knew were all trusted confidants of many years. Yet now the entire city knew!

Second—the Jiang family had operated in Datong for all these years, confident in the loyalty of their subordinate soldiers, especially those few hundred retainers who would even die fighting alongside them.

But the Chongzhen Emperor hadn't even left the capital—one imperial edict plus a million taels of military pay had settled everything completely.

Two Embroidered Uniform Guard officers in scarlet flying-fish robes stepped forward to seize Jiang Rang. They gave him no chance to speak, drew their embroidered spring sabers, and with a single motion—blade up, blade down.

Watching the practiced ease of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, every soldier drew in a sharp breath of cold air.

"The capital" had always been a distant yet resounding name in the eyes of all soldiers from the provinces. The Embroidered Uniform Guard before them performed the motions of beheading with great proficiency, and their regulation equipment was just as the legends described—splendid and imposing.

From these gorgeously attired Embroidered Uniform Guard officers, the soldiers of Datong seemed to see an incomparably mighty Great Ming capital standing behind them.

Moreover, the newly appointed garrison Regional Commander was Bai Guangen. Although he bore the stain of having once surrendered to Li Zicheng, his military achievements far surpassed Jiang Xiang's by an immeasurable margin. Among the surviving generals of the Nine Border Garrisons, those who could truly be called "bold and valiant" were few indeed—and Bai Guangen was one of them.

Under such circumstances, no one would risk the annihilation of their entire clan—the punishment for treason—to join the Jiang family in rebellion.

In truth, the very word "rebellion" remained taboo in the eyes of most people. As long as life was barely tolerable and soldiers could draw some pay to support their families, who would be so weary of living as to rise in revolt?