MLMD -Chapter 254 Entering Beijing

Yue Yang’s words made Wang Pu, standing beside him, light up. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “That’s the principle! The supplies and silver to be collected are theirs too, so why should only the men from Xuanda Town be sent to do such a thankless task? If anyone’s going to offend people, we’ll all offend them together—that’s only fair!”

As it happened, Wang Pu in this era was probably both an official’s son and a wealthy heir. With money never an issue, he had risen through the ranks by virtue of his father’s influence: in the third year of Chongzhen he became a deputy commander in the Beijing garrison, by the sixth year he had advanced to Right Du Du, and in the seventh year, under Cao Wenzhao at Datong, he became Left Du Du and commander-in-chief of Datong. His career path was enviably smooth. At times, Yue Yang couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. He had fought tooth and nail for years just to reach the rank of Brigadier, whereas Wang Pu had started as a deputy commander, then quickly rose to Right Du Du, then commander—if history hadn’t recorded his cowardice and flight at the Songjin battle, his prior achievements would have surely earned him a place in the official records.

When Yue Yang first met Wang Pu, he wasn’t fond of this runaway general. But after spending some time with him, Yue Yang realized that Wang Pu was a decent person—loyal and willing to look out for his friends. Their relationship was solid, and now that Wang Pu had even stepped forward to speak up for him, Yue Yang felt a certain camaraderie. Thinking this, he decided that after returning, he would allocate a larger share of the Datong salt market to Wang Pu and his men.

However, after Wang Pu finished speaking, Lu Xiangsheng shot him a glare and hissed in a low voice, “General Wang, watch your words! I don’t want to hear such rumors and gossip again, do you understand?”

“Yes, sir!”

Wang Pu, being thick-skinned, merely chuckled and stopped talking. Quietly, though, he made a funny face at Yue Yang.

Yue Yang smirked inwardly. Though Lu Xiangsheng scolded Wang Pu, everyone has private interests. As the governor of Xuanda, Lu Xiangsheng’s sympathies naturally leaned toward the officers of Xuanda. After considering for a moment, he gathered the generals together and said, “Everyone, you’ve seen what happened. Yesterday I petitioned the court for silver and grain, but the state is in a difficult situation. The court could only allocate 20,000 taels of silver and 1,000 dan of grain for us. Frankly, that’s barely enough for three days.

“If the food isn’t enough, what do we do? We have to gather more. The imperial edict also said that General Yue has been sent to collect supplies from wealthy households in the capital…”

Here, Lu Xiangsheng continued, “But as you all know, the wealthy households in the capital are not simple folk. General Yue will inevitably face many difficulties. He himself said that he cannot handle this alone and needs a helper. So tell me, who among you is willing to go with General Yue to collect the supplies?”

“Clatter…”

The generals exchanged glances and, with silent understanding, all went mute. The waters of the capital were too deep—they weren’t foolish enough to jump into a trap blindly.

As if he had anticipated this, Lu Xiangsheng said lightly, “Since no one is willing, the choice is left to General Yue himself. Yue, whom do you wish to take with you?”

Yue Yang smiled faintly, clasped his hands toward Lu Xiangsheng, and said, “Governor Lu, our camp currently gathers elite troops from Xuanda Town and Liaodong Town. Naturally, the task of collecting supplies should involve men from both regions. I am from Xuanda, so it makes sense to select an officer from Liaodong to accompany me.”

Upon hearing this, the Xuanda officers were fine with it, but the Liaodong officers’ faces changed, especially Wu Sangui, who cursed inwardly. He remembered the recent conflict he had with Yue Yang, and there was no doubt Yue Yang would drag him along into this thankless task.

Wu Sangui’s reaction was understandable. If he were in Yue Yang’s position, he too would drag someone he disliked along to share the blame.

Yue Yang’s sharp eyes scanned the Liaodong generals. Their expressions flickered slightly under his gaze. None of them were fools—they knew this was a dangerous, thankless mission, yet they couldn’t voice opposition. If they did, Yue Yang could easily retort, “Fine, then the silver and grain will be yours,” forcing them to back down. Wu Sangui unconsciously dug his fingernails into his palms.

Finally, Yue Yang spoke one name: “Governor, I think Lord He Kegang is suitable. He shall accompany me into the city to collect the supplies.”

“Phew…”

With that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Wu Sangui relaxed his hands and exhaled deeply—so long as it wasn’t him, he didn’t care about the rest.

He Kegang, hearing his name, was first shocked and then furious. He glared at Yue Yang and demanded, “General Yue, what have I done to offend you? Why are you framing me like this?”

Yue Yang sneered, “Lord He, you misspeak. By that logic, who have I offended that I was sent on this task?”

“You…”

He Kegang, loyal and brave though he was, wasn’t good with words. Yue Yang’s counter-question left him speechless, and with so many colleagues watching, he could only sigh and accept his fate.

Having secured the Liaodong Left Du Du to join his team, Yue Yang was in high spirits. He bowed to Lu Xiangsheng and the others and said, “Governor, gentlemen, I shall take my leave first. Rest assured, Lord He and I will return within two days. Lord He, time is pressing—let us depart.”

With that, Yue Yang stepped out of the tent, and He Kegang had no choice but to follow silently. Watching their backs disappear, Lu Xiangsheng suddenly felt that sending Yue Yang to the wealthy households in the capital might have been a mistake—who knew what trouble this man might cause…

Outside the tent, Yue Yang cheerfully asked He Kegang, “Lord He, how many men shall we take with us to the capital?”

He Kegang, feeling trapped, snapped, “The imperial edict gives you authority—decide as you see fit.”

Yue Yang, still smiling, said, “Very well. Let’s take a thousand troops. More might draw unnecessary attention. Lord He, let’s enter the city.”

…

That day, after court, Emperor Chongzhen did not return to the Warm Fragrance Pavilion to review memorials but went instead to the Cining Palace. Though the trees were green, the peaches in bloom, the water and sky in competing shades of blue, and swallows and orioles chirping in unison, the emperor had no mind to appreciate the scenery. With the Manchu army approaching the city gates, it was only natural that he would not feel cheerful.

Upon receiving the news, Empress Zhou hurried to the palace gates with the palace maids and eunuchs to greet him. Chongzhen stepped down from his sedan chair and softly said to her kneeling in front, “Zitong, what are you doing? Stand up— you know I don’t care for such empty rituals.”

Empress Zhou, in a light yellow palace dress, insisted, “Your Majesty, rites must not be neglected.” Then she stood and, along with the maids, escorted him into the hall.

Inside, Empress Zhou helped him remove his cloak and handed it to a maid, washed his hands, and wiped them dry with a clean white towel. Then she asked gently, “Your Majesty, why have you come so early today? Don’t you usually review memorials in the Warm Fragrance Pavilion?”

Chongzhen sat on a chair, resting his head against the back, taking a sip of ginseng tea from the maid. Closing his eyes, he felt warmth flow from throat to stomach and exhaled deeply. “I discussed state matters with the ministers all day and feel exhausted. I came here to rest a bit before returning to review the memorials.”

Seeing her husband’s pale and weary face, only twenty-five but already marked with deep crow’s feet and dark eye sockets, Empress Zhou felt a pang of heartache, her eyes misty. She choked up: “Your Majesty, state affairs are endless. Even though you are the Son of Heaven, you must take care of your body.”

Hearing the sincerity in her voice, Chongzhen opened his eyes and smiled at her. “Zitong, why worry? I am just tired. Since our ancestors entrusted me with this realm, I must govern it well. Soon, the Eastern barbarians will reach the capital. Lu Xiangsheng commands the army outside, but they lack silver and grain. How could I not be anxious?”

Empress Zhou, knowing his temper, reached behind and massaged his temples. A wave of comfort spread, and Chongzhen groaned softly, “Zitong, you are so thoughtful. No one in the palace massages like you—truly, the intimacy of a spouse is unmatched.”

Blushing slightly, Empress Zhou lightly tapped his shoulder.

“Ha… see, I haven’t said anything bad about you, why so shy?” Chongzhen chuckled, knowing her well. She was the epitome of virtue and gentility, reserved normally but easily flustered by teasing.

After a while, she asked quietly, “Your Majesty, is the situation in the capital really urgent?”

“Yes!” Chongzhen nodded. “Lu Xiangsheng has sixty to seventy thousand troops outside. Normally, with war imminent, the court would reward the army with silver and grain to boost morale. But the treasury is empty. Hou Xun, Minister of Revenue, reported only thirty thousand taels of silver and less than two thousand dan of grain—scarcely enough. If the soldiers aren’t rewarded, they may rebel or fight half-heartedly, which would be disastrous!”

“What… is this true? Then what can we do?” Empress Zhou exclaimed, her rosy face turning pale, clutching her husband’s arm.

Chongzhen gently patted her hand. “Don’t worry. Chen Xinjia suggested that while the treasury is empty, the capital’s wealthy households could contribute a few thousand taels or a few hundred dan of grain each. Collectively, twenty thousand taels of silver and a thousand dan of grain can be raised easily. He recommended General Yue Yang of Shanxi’s Northern Route to undertake this task, and I approved.”

“Does Chen Xinjia hold a grudge against Yue Yang? Why assign such a dangerous task to him? Isn’t that endangering him?” Empress Zhou frowned, knowing well the treacherous waters of the capital. The wealthy households were not to be trifled with, and this mission was clearly risky.

Chongzhen smiled coldly. “Chen Xinjia may have ill intentions, but Yue Yang is no ordinary man. These past years in Northern Shanxi, he’s managed things admirably—gathering refugees, cultivating wasteland, and generating revenue. He’s even delivered grain and silver to the court. He’s competent, and he’s proven himself in battle, having killed thousands of Eastern barbarians. This man is capable.”

“That’s excellent!” Empress Zhou said. “Such a person—both financially savvy and militarily competent—is exactly what the Ming needs!”

“Yet he is also reckless,” Chongzhen replied. “According to the Jinyiwei, this single brigadier commands over ten thousand troops, comparable to a full town’s commander. When Chen Xinjia and some censors questioned him, he openly demanded to expand his forces by another ten thousand. Assigning him to collect supplies from wealthy households—risking offense and resistance—is precisely appropriate. Those rich merchants in the capital need a lesson. With war imminent, while I cannot confront the generals with their armies, I can confront these merchants.” His eyes glimmered dangerously.

Though hot-tempered and stubborn, Chongzhen was shrewd, and after nine years of reign, he knew the capital well. While the treasury was empty, the capital’s elites’ storerooms were full. They could easily provide silver and grain, but coercion would provoke backlash. Yet with Yue Yang handling it, any resulting problems could be blamed on him—a scapegoat.

Chongzhen smiled, proud of his cleverness, though he underestimated Yue Yang’s audacity. Yue Yang was the sort of man who could turn a feather into a command—literally.

With the Manchu army closing in, Beijing’s gates had been closed for days. Yue Yang, He Kegang, and a thousand cavalrymen used the imperial edict and waist badges to open Yongding and Xuanwu gates. A thousand armored cavalrymen then rode in splendor through the city streets.

By noon, the inner city was bustling, with beggars everywhere. Tens of thousands of refugees had poured in from Changping and the eastern suburbs. The officials could not accommodate them, leaving many sleeping under eaves. At night, the elderly, women, and children groaned and cried. Mothers held their children, who wailed from cold and hunger, piercing the hearts of passersby. Yet when soldiers patrolled, they dared not cry. Since the martial law, hundreds had died daily, sometimes two to three hundred. Despite government porridge kitchens, mortality—especially among the old and young—was rising.

Seeing Yue Yang, He Kegang, and the thousand shining cavalrymen, pedestrians made way. Even the refugees hushed in fear, wary of the soldiers.

Yue Yang’s heart trembled. Pointing to the refugees, he said to the silent He Kegang, “Lord He, don’t blame me for dragging you into this. Look—before the Manchus even reach the city, there are already so many refugees. If we lose the battle, how many more will die? What have these people done to deserve this?”

“Hmph…” He Kegang snorted but said nothing. He too had been shocked along the way, his mood growing heavier with each passing sight.