Chapter 99: Borrowing Troops to Dispel Disaster

Hearing this, Wang Dayu and the others immediately thought of something and began discussing it among themselves.

In the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, Yang Sichang left the capital as a Grand Secretary to serve as Supreme Commander against the bandits. Later, after the fall of Xiangyang and Luoyang, he was stricken with fear for days, refusing food and water, and ultimately met a fate of utter ruin and disgrace.

Yang Sichang's death was a stark display of the fickleness of the world.

It was said that when the news reached the capital, only the Chongzhen Emperor grieved deeply for Yang Sichang. The entire court of ministers gloated over his misfortune, and the Donglin Faction was especially pleased, wearing triumphant expressions. The saying "forgetting the state for private grudges, rejoicing in defeat and calamity" described exactly this scene.

"When the court ministers heard of the Xiangyang disaster, they submitted memorial after memorial, heaping abuse upon him, and even after Sichang was dead, they continued their attacks without cease, with the Donglin partisans being the most vicious among them."

Yang Sichang was already dead—the last capable Supreme Commander had failed. This was the Great Ming's misfortune, yet the entire court of officials acted as if they had won a victory, discussing it endlessly day after day, still immersed in their crude, shallow views and their triumph in factional strife.

The court ministers seized upon Yang Sichang's past deeds and would not let go. The historical Chongzhen Emperor, in a rare moment of decisiveness, settled the matter with a single pronouncement, saying that even if Yang Sichang had no merit, he had his toil, and there was no need to pursue further blame.

By all rights, once the Chongzhen Emperor had spoken, the entire court should have echoed in agreement. But unexpectedly, those who talked glibly without concern still would not relent, submitting memorial after memorial in endless rounds, their words growing ever more fierce, threatening to leave Yang Sichang like Lu Xiangsheng—unable to be buried for eighty days.

It was said to be karma. Back when Lu Xiangsheng died in battle and could not be buried in time, the court ministers attacked him, and Yang Sichang's obstruction was certainly not blameless. In the fourteenth year of Chongzhen, when Yang Sichang died while serving as Supreme Commander, the censors once again launched a fierce assault against him.

Faced with this situation, Sun Chuanting, who was still in prison at the time, could no longer bear to watch. He carved twelve characters into the wall as a summary: "If a governor has even a modicum of strategy, the court ministers are certain to envy him."

Many enlightened people of the time were utterly disillusioned with the court. The historical Chongzhen Emperor lamented alone, "Since Sichang's death, there is no one left who can serve as Supreme Commander and pacify the bandits."

And indeed it was so. Afterward, those who went out as Grand Secretaries to serve as Supreme Commanders possessed neither prestige nor any real ability, and were utterly incapable of controlling the generals.

These men's attitudes before and after leaving the capital were diametrically opposed. All of them feared battle and refused to advance—either deliberately avoiding the war zones, or lingering in one place, demanding troops and supplies from the court.

Wang Dayu suddenly thought of something and reminded them with a tense expression:

"Guard Commander Ren, by your meaning, are you suggesting we use the roving bandits' hands to bring that brute Gao to justice on charges of losing the city?"

Ren Gang chuckled and nodded, saying:

"Master Wang has it about right. But the roving bandits are too far away to quench a nearby fire. I've heard that all of you have considerable dealings beyond the passes. Gao Jie previously received an imperial edict to aid the south and advance north, scattering his troops in all directions—Xuanfu's garrison city has long been left without soldiers to defend it. If a force of Qing troops were to march straight to the city walls at this moment, what then?"

Hearing this, Wang Dayu's expression changed and he barked sharply:

"Bullshit! I've got nothing to do with the Jianzhou barbarians—don't drag me into this!"

With that, Wang Dayu turned to leave. Huang Yunfa and the others' expressions shifted between dark and bright—these dealings were all done in secret, and if they were exposed, it would be a crime worthy of exterminating nine generations of their families.

Was this Guard Commander out of his mind? Who just says such things out in the open?

Fan Yongdou hadn't moved at all. He tapped his fingers on the table and said in a sinister tone:

"Old Wang, you're perfectly clean—never done business with the Jianzhou barbarians in your whole life. But what I can't figure out is, what about all those horses in your household these past years? Those don't look like anything that could come from within the borders!"

As he spoke, Fan Yongdou saw Wang Dayu's footsteps halt, and with a cold smile on his face, continued:

"If you just walk away like this, do you think that when that fatuous ruler finishes off the rest of us, he'll leave your horse business alone, Old Wang?"

Wang Dayu clenched his fists, then suddenly turned around, suppressing his anger and saying:

"Fan Yongdou, you're right! I, Wang Dayu, do trade beyond the passes. But is your own ass clean, damn you? None of your asses are any cleaner than mine! Don't bring up this nonsense with me—if you have something to say, say it all at once!"

Huang Yunfa still felt it wasn't reliable. Doing business with the Jianzhou barbarians and the Mongols was one thing; colluding with them to attack Xuanfu's garrison city was another. He sat there thinking for a long while, and this time, before Fan Yongdou could speak again, he stood up and said:

"I don't think this will work—there's no need for it!"

"Which yamen in all of Xuanfu hasn't taken our tribute money? Which civil or military official has a clean record? Even if that brute Gao arrives, we'll just have the Garrison Commander and Battalion Commander shut the city gates tight. Would he dare defy the will of heaven and commit the ultimate outrage by ordering an attack on the city?"

Jin Liangyu agreed and also stood up to say:

"There's no need for such methods. We still have plenty of time. I think we should move our assets south. If we want to leave, who can stop us?"

Tian Shenglan, however, had his own approach and said:

"Money can make the devil turn the millstone! That brute Gao is nothing but a man of base birth. And that Li fellow who's now the Regional Military Commissioner of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—he was nothing more than a lowly clerk under the Southern Provost's office before. If all of you contribute some silver, how could they refuse to reach out and take it?"

Fan Yongdou waved his hand, however, and said:

"That may be so, but is there anything that brute Gao wouldn't do? He might very well dare to order an attack on the city. Aside from Guard Commander Ren's method being a permanent solution, does anyone have a better one?"

Outside, the opera troupe's performance and the gentry's banquet continued on. To outsiders, the Fan estate spent the entire day in pleasure and amusement. But these flashy displays were merely cover for the discussions of the Seven Locust Merchants within. Around evening that day, the seven finally reached a consensus, and a carrier pigeon flew out from the Fan estate's central courtyard, heading straight northeast.

As for Gao Jie—when he received the edict to replace Wang Chengyin as Regional Commander of Xuanfu, it was already a commission in the face of crisis. Trembling with excitement, he immediately set off without pause, leading his own troops to take up the post.

Gao Jie had long enjoyed considerable prestige among the various government forces—in fact, more persuasive than Bai Guangen. He mobilized the Xuanfu troops and split them into two routes. What Ren Gang had said was correct—he truly hadn't left any troops behind to defend the garrison city.

When Gao Jie received the edict to arrest Fan Yongdou and the other Seven Locust Merchants, he was still on the road to the capital to defend the throne. Upon hearing of the victory at military pay and provisions, he was already excited out of his mind. Now, receiving such an edict on top of that, it was as if he'd been injected with stimulant. He immediately wheeled his forces around and headed straight for Zhangjiakou.

As for the defense of Xuanfu's garrison city—that was simply not within the consideration of this reckless brute Gao Jie. The imperial edict was to go to Zhangjiakou and arrest seven wealthy merchants—this was a good thing.

Although the court had made up most of the military pay arrears, who would ever complain about having too much silver?

These families were all well-known local gentry. If he could take them down this time, he wouldn't have to worry about military pay for the next ten years.

Just as Gao Jie was brimming with confidence and preparing to head to Zhangjiakou to show his prowess, the remaining Seven Locust Merchants had reached their consensus, and the Jianzhou barbarian cavalry, which had been lying low, was quietly drawing near.

The victory at military pay and provisions had a considerable impact on Dorgon. He was also feeling uncertain, not knowing how many Ming troops and Dashun troops remained in the capital. While he was deliberating with the princes and Beiles of the Eight Banners on whether to advance or retreat, he suddenly received a joint letter requesting troops, signed by Fan Yongdou and the other six.

This was an opportunity dropped from heaven. Dorgon immediately decided to send troops to Xuanfu to stir up some trouble.

However, the fellow didn't obediently follow the agreement with the Seven Locust Merchants to besiege the garrison city. After Abatai, who was seeking to atone for his crimes through merit, led his men out of the Jianzhou camp, he actually made straight for Gao Jie's few thousand troops.

Judging by the situation, Dorgon clearly intended to finish off Gao Jie at Zhangjiakou.