Chapter 776: Lu Xiangheng Arrives
In the Imperial Capital, within the hushed confines of the Imperial Study.
Emperor Zhu Youjian was once again engrossed in a stack of memorials. It seemed he was always depicted poring over state documents, with little other discernible activity, yet his diligence remained unwavering.
His shoulders, perpetually hunched, the deep lines carved into his face, and the shadows of anxiety in his eyes all bore silent witness to the profound dedication with which he strove to preserve his colossal empire.
He turned to a new memorial, dispatched by Lian Guoshi, the recently appointed Governor of Shaanxi.
His eyes sharpened as he read the report: roving bandits were wreaking havoc in Shangzhou, the Prefect had been slain by the marauders, and the commander of Wuguan Pass had fled. Fortunately, former Brigadier-General Luo Xi, leading a contingent of his personal guards and local militia volunteers, had managed to hold Wuguan Pass, thereby blocking the bandits' entry into Shaanxi.
A sound of surprise escaped Zhu Youjian, and he scrutinized the memorial more closely. Lian Guoshi meticulously recounted the battle: Luo Xi, with his two thousand militia, had fiercely defended Wuguan Pass, engaging the enemy with homemade Three-Eyed Arquebuses and desperately showering them with arrows from makeshift hunting bows.
As the bandits assaulted the pass, logs and boulders rained down from Wuguan, while militia soldiers thrust upward with bamboo spears. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, but Wuguan Pass, fortunately, was inherently difficult to breach. Despite their immense losses, the militia ultimately held their ground.
A wave of elation swept over Zhu Youjian.
He flicked the memorial in his hand, a slow, deliberate gesture. "Lian Guoshi truly lives up to his heritage as a scion of an illustrious eight-generation family," Zhu Youjian remarked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "Loyal to the throne and patriotic to the nation, only his memorials are proper and meticulous, without a hint of exaggeration."
"Who is this former Brigadier-General Luo Xi?" Zhu Youjian inquired. "Why is he referred to as 'former'?"
Cao Huachun's lips twitched in an awkward smile. "Your Majesty, this man was stripped of his rank by you last time for fabricating military reports."
Only then did Zhu Youjian recall. "Ah, that fellow who fudged the reports last time?" he mused. "It seems now that despite his past embellishments, he does possess some talent. Lian Guoshi states that without him, Wuguan Pass would have fallen."
"Your Majesty's intention is..." Cao Huachun prompted, carefully.
"Since this man has redeemed himself through service," Zhu Youjian declared, "he can still be utilized. It is fitting, then, to reinstate him and appoint him as the Commander of Shangzhou."
And so, General Luo Xi was partially restored to his former standing.
Turning to the next memorial, he saw it was submitted by Eunuch Chen Dajin, whom he had personally dispatched. Chen Dajin was one of Zhu Youjian's most trusted confidants, having grown up alongside him since childhood and earning his unwavering reliance.
Seeing it was Chen Dajin's memorial, Zhu Youjian eagerly opened it.
He scanned the contents. The memorial stated that Chen Dajin, overseeing Zuo Liangyu's army, had pursued the bandits to Yunyang. Under the city walls, they had been bombarded by cannons fired by Vice-Commissioner Xu Jinglin, an officer under Jiang Yunyi, the Prefect-Governor of Yunyang. Many soldiers and horses perished, and Chen Dajin himself was nearly struck by a cannonball, narrowly escaping death and the chance to ever see His Majesty again. He implored the Emperor to deliver justice on his behalf.
Zuo Liangyu's army, having sustained considerable damage from the bombardment, became embroiled in a bitter dispute with the Prefect-Governor of Yunyang, rendering them unable to pursue the bandits for the foreseeable future.
The bandits, seizing a moment to breathe, used secret mountain paths to reach Neixiang directly. From there, they passed through Dengzhou and Xishui, heading south into Huguang's Xiangyang region...
Once again shaking off the imperial forces.
Zhu Youjian roared with fury. "Outrageous! How dare this Jiang Yunyi indulge his subordinates in shelling my dispatched envoy, thereby undermining the grand strategy of bandit suppression!"
Cao Huachun dared not utter a word.
Zhu Youjian slammed his hand on the table and bellowed, "Strip both Jiang Yunyi and Xu Jinglin of their positions and throw them into prison! I will deal with these scoundrels properly!"
"Then... who will govern Yunyang?" Cao Huachun cautiously asked.
Zhu Youjian pondered deeply, when a name suddenly came to mind. This man had achieved great merits suppressing bandits in Hebei and was a rare talent. "Perhaps sending him to Yunyang would prove immensely useful," he mused.
With that thought, Zhu Youjian declared, "Lu Xiangheng! Appoint Lu Xiangheng as the Prefect-Governor of Yunyang!"—
"Congratulations, General Luo."
"Our felicitations, General Luo!"
Luo Xi was beaming, sitting within the county yamen of Shangnan County, as he accepted congratulations from Zheng Gouzi and his subordinates.
Orders had just arrived from above, stating that Luo Xi, having atoned through meritorious service, was reinstated and appointed as the Commander of Shangzhou.
Although a Commander was merely a fifth-rank military official, unable to compare to his former third-rank Brigadier-General position, as long as he had an official post again, he could slowly accrue merits and rise through the ranks once more.
Now, Luo Xi could finally face his old father again with dignity, and even look his ancestors in the eye in the afterlife.
Luo Xi burst into hearty laughter. "Mr. Li, Brother Zheng, this time it was truly all thanks to you two! I, Luo Xi, did nothing at all; you fought off all the bandits, yet you've credited all the merit to me. This great kindness and virtue, I shall never forget it. From now on, if there's anything you need from me, just say the word! Through wind or rain, I'll be there; if I so much as frown, I'm no man!"
Zheng Gouzi chuckled. "Well then, for the revitalization of Shangnan County and its surrounding rural areas, both ravaged by bandits, we'll have to ask General Luo for his assistance."
Hearing this, Luo Xi's spirits perked up. He had already witnessed Gao Family Village's ingenious methods for pacifying surrendered bandits: with vast quantities of grain brought in to feed them, those ten thousand surrendered bandits had immediately and obediently built their own prison, confining themselves on Tianzhu Mountain.
Now, hearing Zheng Gouzi speak of revitalizing Shangnan County and its surrounding villages, Luo Xi instantly understood. "Mr. Li is once again going to spend a large sum of silver and grain to help the common people here, isn't he?" he exclaimed. "Ah, Mr. Li, you are truly the most benevolent person I have ever met!"
Li Daoxuan simply smiled, saying nothing.
Zheng Gouzi murmured softly, "He is a deity, not a mere man."
"What? What are you muttering, Brother Zheng?" Luo Xi asked, "I didn't quite catch that."
Zheng Gouzi raised his voice. "Nothing, I didn't say anything!"
Luo Xi rubbed his hands together. "Oh, I truly want to help with this matter. But... I am merely a military official. All the things Mr. Li wants to do fall under the purview of civil officials. If I meddle in civil affairs without authorization, won't the imperial court dismiss me again if they find out? I might just have to stand by, unable to interfere."
Zheng Gouzi laughed. "If you get dismissed, you get dismissed! At worst, you just earn another merit and get reinstated!"
Luo Xi's face fell. "How can that be?!"
As the two were chatting, a personal guard entered to announce, "General Luo, the newly appointed Prefect-Governor of Yunyang has taken up his post. He is about to arrive in Shangnan County for an inspection."
"Oh?" Luo Xi uttered. "Someone dares to take office in such a chaotic place? What audacity!"
The personal guard whispered, "The man's name is Lu Xiangheng. I hear he's a formidable figure who was exceptionally fierce when suppressing bandits in Hebei. He commands three thousand personal guards, calling themselves the 'Tianxiong Army,' and their combat effectiveness is exceptionally high."
"Wow?" Luo Xi exclaimed. "Three thousand personal guards? That's formidable! This fellow must be incredibly wealthy!"
Li Daoxuan, standing nearby, heard the name 'Lu Xiangheng' and his spirits instantly lifted. "Oh, is a valuable asset about to arrive?" he mused. "How interesting!"
He chuckled softly and stepped forward. "If I recall correctly," he began, "Lu Xiangheng's three thousand personal guards were raised in the second year of Chongzhen, when the Manchus invaded the passes, and Lu Xiangheng assembled them to defend the capital. General Luo, don't be afraid of him. With us backing you, you also have over two thousand personal guards; that's not much less than his, is it?"
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