Chapter 709 Promote These Individuals
In December of the fifth year of Chongzhen’s reign, the Gao Family Village forces withdrew to their garrison.
In the same month, Li Zicheng, along with his Eight Diamond Warriors and Guo Tianxing, launched a surprise attack. Bursting out of the Taihang Mountains, they successfully breached Liaozhou (modern Zuoquan County) on December 24th, just before dawn.
The Supreme Commander of Xuanfu and Datong, Zhang Zongheng, and Shanxi Provincial Commander You Shilù were completely taken by surprise.
You Shilù hastily submitted a memorial: “The bandits I've been pursuing are Zijing Liang and his ilk, while the Dashing General and his group are the bandits from Xihe. I do not know why they were allowed to move east unhindered, causing such devastation. Fearing that our entire operation would be utterly destroyed, I had no time to spare for the bandits I was currently pursuing, and immediately decided to march to Liaozhou for reinforcement, to preserve our territory.”
Subsequently, You Shilù led his troops to the outskirts of Liaozhou on December 28th. After two days of siege, Li Zicheng left behind over 1,300 corpses, suffered a defeat, and retreated back into the Taihang Mountains once more.
In January of the sixth year of Chongzhen’s reign, in the Imperial Study in the capital.
The Chongzhen Emperor perused the reports, his features scrunched up in annoyance.
“Six years! The bandit suppression campaign has dragged on for six long years, and the empire is still in utter disarray.”
The chief eunuch beside him, Cao Huachun, hastily interjected, “This is not Your Majesty’s fault. Your Majesty works diligently for the people’s welfare, striving for good governance, a wise ruler rarely seen through the ages. It is merely that your officials below are not performing their duties properly.”
He casually opened another memorial, submitted by Lao Nanfeng, the Puzhou garrison commander, which detailed the Battle of Houjia Village. Naturally, this report was the one Cheng Xu had embellished with exaggerated details. It spoke of enemy forces numbering a hundred thousand, of archers drawing bows and firing from all sides, of rebel leaders falling with every arrow shot...
The Chongzhen Emperor’s spirits soared as if he’d mounted a rocket.
“This battle was fought too brilliantly,” he mused. “Could it be another false report, merely to entertain Us?”
Harboring such suspicions, he then opened a memorial sent by Zhang Fengyi of the Sichuan White Pole Soldiers. Surprisingly, it stated, “What they’ve written is acceptable.” This indicated that Zhang Fengyi had not contradicted Lao Nanfeng’s report.
Once again, the Chongzhen Emperor’s mood surged as if he’d launched into the sky.
“Success in bandit suppression deserves rich rewards,” the Chongzhen Emperor exclaimed, overjoyed. “This Puzhou garrison commander should be promoted. Old Cao, what do you think would be a suitable promotion for him next?”
Cao Huachun pondered for a moment. “He is currently the Puzhou garrison commander, a fifth-rank official. Having achieved such great merit, a promotion of one rank would not be excessive. He could be promoted to a fourth-rank Mobile Division Commander and tasked with future bandit suppression. With the rank of Mobile Division Commander, his pursuit of scattered rebels across various regions would be more legitimate and effective.”
The Chongzhen Emperor declared, “Approved! Draft the imperial edict accordingly.”
After speaking, he then pointed to the names of Wang Xiaohua and Shi Jian. “These two centurions have also performed admirably. They too deserve a promotion.”
Cao Huachun replied, “Coincidentally, the Prefect of Pinelyang Prefecture has submitted a memorial stating that Pinelyang Prefecture lacks garrison troops. He requests that the court assign Wang Xiaohua to garrison Pinelyang.”
The Chongzhen Emperor nodded, “Very well. Promote Wang Xiaohua to Pinelyang garrison commander. What about Shi Jian?”
Cao Huachun suggested, “How about Hejin garrison commander?”
The Chongzhen Emperor nodded, “Approved.”
His attention then fell upon Xing Honglang. “Is this person a surrendered rebel? How did she come to hold the position of Military Preparations Commissioner? A Military Preparations Commissioner is clearly a civil official.”
Cao Huachun lowered his voice. “The Military Preparations Commissioner also oversees local military affairs. And in Hedong Circuit, which had just seen a major battle, what ordinary civil official would dare to go there? So the Shanxi Provincial Governor brought in a rebel to manage the salt administration. Though Xing Honglang is a rebel, she was formerly a salt smuggler. She has invested in many ventures and is exceptionally skilled at management. The Shanxi Governor likely valued her administrative abilities, which is why he put her in charge as Military Preparations Commissioner.”
The Chongzhen Emperor scoffed, “Nonsense! No matter the circumstances, you cannot let a rebel and a salt smuggler manage the salt administration. Isn’t that like appointing a rat to guard the rice granary?”
Cao Huachun stammered, “Well...”
The Chongzhen Emperor considered this. “This person cannot be promoted further; she has already risen too much. It would be better to order her to garrison Hedong Circuit. And indeed, a rat guarding the granary will not do. Regarding the salt administration, We must select another individual to manage it.”
Cao Huachun whispered, “Your Majesty, Shanxi is in such chaos right now, civil officials are unwilling to go.”
The Chongzhen Emperor replied, “We would not be at ease even if a civil official went. It is imperative that We send one of Our own. Select a loyal eunuch who has served Us since childhood, and send him to Hedong Circuit to oversee the salt administration for Us.”
Cao Huachun secretly rejoiced. He liked this order! Now he could arrange for one of his trusted junior eunuchs to manage the salt in Hedong Circuit. The salt administration was a lucrative post. Anyone sitting in that position was sure to amass considerable wealth.
The Chongzhen Emperor, believing he had solved a major problem and that he was truly a wise and sagacious emperor, continued to peruse the next memorial.
What he read next, however, truly stunned him.
Yan Zhenghu occupied Jiaocheng and pressed towards Taiyuan. Unable to take Taiyuan, he turned and captured Xizhou. Shang Tianlong took Wucheng and advanced on Fenzhou. Also unable to capture Fenzhou, he instead seized Yangcheng County.
Most outrageous of all was that Li Zicheng had successfully breached Liaozhou, only to be defeated by Shanxi Provincial Commander You Shilù and driven back into the Taihang Mountains.
But unexpectedly, Li Zicheng had simply crossed directly over the Taihang Mountains and entered the Capital Region, appearing within the prefectures of Shunde (modern Xingtai) and Zhending (modern Zhengding).
The Chongzhen Emperor held the memorial submitted by Censor Meng Guozuo in his hand: “The southern Capital Region is a critical strategic choke point. Shunde is a vast plain, spanning a thousand li directly to the capital, with no natural rivers or mountains to shield it.”
The Chongzhen Emperor’s mood plummeted as if he were on a drop tower ride.
“Are you kidding me? The rebels are almost at the gates of the capital?”
The Chongzhen Emperor was so furious he nearly sprang to his feet. “Is Xu Dingchen merely drawing a salary? A dignified Shanxi Provincial Governor, commanding the entire army of Shanxi, has repeatedly allowed rebels to escape unscathed, and now they’ve reached the Capital Region! Unbelievable! This is utterly preposterous!”
Cao Huachun urged, “Your Majesty, calm your anger.”
“I cannot!” The Chongzhen Emperor was so incensed he wanted to smash something. “Dismiss him! Immediately dismiss Xu Dingchen from his post! We never want to see this man again; let him never return to Our presence.”
Cao Huachun hesitated, “Uh... Xu Dingchen has only been in office for a little over a year. If he is dismissed now...”
The Chongzhen Emperor cut him off, “We do not care. He must be dismissed.”
Cao Huachun murmured, “But... the officials... they are all unwilling...”
The officials’ unwillingness was no minor matter. Forming factions, mutually deflecting responsibility, they could stall and bicker in court for years. However, the position of Provincial Governor could not remain vacant for years; a replacement had to be found quickly.
The Chongzhen Emperor mused, “Let Us think... Ah, yes, Dai Jun’en! Send Dai Jun’en to be the Shanxi Provincial Governor.”
Who was Dai Jun’en?
A renowned poet and writer, also known by his sobriquet, the ‘Madman of Lanjiang’.
In his desperation, the Chongzhen Emperor was grasping at straws. He had plucked a poet and a writer to be the Shanxi Provincial Governor. As for whether it would be effective, he no longer cared.
His immediate concern was the rebels who were now dangerously close to the capital.
The Chongzhen Emperor quickly dispatched two thousand troops from Tongzhou and two thousand from Changping. These were to join eight thousand men from the Baoding General Liang Fu’s command. They would cooperate with Military Preparations Commissioner Lu Xiangheng of Daming and the Shanxi government forces to encircle and suppress the rebels.
Thus, another fierce Ming general of the late Ming period, Lu Xiangheng, leading his Tianxiong Army, stepped onto the stage of history.
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