Chapter 58: Longing Hearts Shorten Heroes’ Breath
Chapter 58: Longing Hearts Shorten Heroes’ Breath
Tongzhou.
“Old Xiong is too vicious.”
Yang Xin reined in his horse by the bank of the Grand Canal, watching the elite troops crossing the pontoon bridge with a sense of schadenfreude.
Elite troops running in disarray.
After leaving the capital, Xiong Tingbi had immediately ordered a full-speed advance. The entire army had to reach Jizhou before nightfall. Although this order was strongly protested by Deputy General Jiang Yingzhao, who led the Capital Garrison troops, his objections ultimately held no weight. Thus, these elite soldiers of the Capital Garrison, having just left their homes, faced a major life test: they had to cover one hundred and eighty li in a single day of desperate running…
And this was the result.
“He just doesn’t want to take these men!”
Chen Yujie said bluntly, “The current Capital Garrison is utterly unfit for battle. Taking these men to Liaodong would not only be useless but would also consume money and provisions to feed them. Since that’s the case, why bring them? Wouldn’t it be better to save the provisions for these three thousand men and use them to support those who can actually fight? But he also dared not openly send them back. These Capital Garrison officers and soldiers all had connections—who knows which relative held a high court position? If you traced it, even Fang Congzhe was registered with the Imperial Guard! And these men wanted to follow to Liaodong to make a profit. In the capital, they merely received their military pay, but going to Liaodong meant travel rations and the chance to loot. Grabbing some merit could also lead to promotions. It can be said they all went eagerly, hoping for wealth and rank. If he dared send them back without cause, they would certainly return and complain to their friends and relatives. Thus, he had to find a good excuse. If he couldn’t find one, he had to create one.”
Chen Yujie spoke.
As he spoke, his gaze turned to the Grand Canal, where a small boat slowly approached.
He gave a look to signal Yang Xin.
Yang Xin, who was watching the Capital Garrison elites cross the river, turned his head and saw Fang Tinglan standing at the bow of the boat. She wore an emerald green cloak, held an umbrella, and was silently watching him.
Soon, the small boat reached the shore.
Yang Xin quickly dismounted and walked over.
The two stood amidst the green grass and wild flowers on the bank, their eyes meeting…
“I had business in Tongzhou and happened to be passing by to see you off!”
Fang Tinglan said, her face slightly flushed.
Yang Xin smiled.
Her face reddened further.
“For you!”
Yang Xin took out a Rubik’s Cube from his robe and handed it to her.
“What is this?”
Fang Tinglan asked curiously.
Yang Xin quickly scrambled the colors on each side of the ivory cube, then restored it in the blink of an eye, presenting it to her again. Fang Tinglan accepted it with a hint of surprise, but then raised her head, her eyes glistening slightly with tears as she looked at Yang Xin. She bit her lip, trying hard to control herself.
“You… take care!” she said in a choked voice.
Yang Xin raised his hand, wanting to give her a hug, but ultimately changed it to a pat on her shoulder. He then turned and walked away, mounted his horse, and headed straight for the main road ahead. Chen Yujie clasped his hands in farewell to Fang Tinglan, urged his horse, and chased after Yang Xin.
Fang Tinglan stood silently in the continuous drizzle, tears flowing, holding the Rubik’s Cube and her umbrella…
“Longing hearts shorten heroes’ breath. I must say, you are truly too heartless. At the very least, you could have said a few sweet words to comfort her. Your total words were barely a handful. Does that do justice to her braving the rain and risking gossip, traveling dozens of li specifically to see you off?”
Chen Yujie glanced back at her and sighed with emotion.
“What should I have said?”
Yang Xin said, “Promise to come back and marry her?”
“That might not be impossible. After all, her father is just a Government Student. Look at me, I’m also a Government Student. The Fang family’s next generation lacks any promising figures. Fang Shihong once served in the Directorate of Imperial Seals but has now lost his post. Fang Congzhe is also old and won’t last much longer. Once he steps down, the Fang family won’t maintain their current status. In contrast, you have a bright future. Especially since you have a good relationship with the Imperial Eldest Grandson. When the Imperial Eldest Grandson ascends the throne, you won’t lack fortune. It’s not impossible for the Fang family to take a slight risk and use Fang Tinglan to win you over first. She clearly has feelings for you. If you achieve merit this time and return, His Majesty will be pleased and will surely reward you with an official post. Then you will no longer be a commoner.”
Chen Yujie said.
“What about Huang Ying?”
Yang Xin said.
“Make her a concubine, that’s all. In our Great Ming, one can only have one principal wife, but concubines are freely taken. Fang Tinglan indeed cannot be a concubine, but Huang Ying, the daughter of a merchant-class commoner, can. Look, I have one wife and two concubines, though they’re all back in my hometown. Speaking of which, I should find another!”
Chen Yujie said.
“I, Yang Xin, am a man of principle. How can I be grouped with lechers like you!”
Yang Xin declared righteously.
Chen Yujie instantly switched to a look of disdain. Just then, Cao Wenzhao came riding towards them. He followed Xiong Tingbi and was surely returning to convey an order.
“Brother Yang, Young Master Chen, the Military Commissioner orders that we need not reach Jizhou before nightfall. However, all troops must reach Shanhai Pass within six days. Those who violate will be dealt with by military law!”
He said.
After speaking, he galloped past, heading towards the rear of the Capital Garrison column.
As he passed, the elite Capital Garrison troops who heard this bad news wailed in despair. Some even cursed angrily. From the Capital City to Shanhai Pass, the distance was nearly seven hundred li. Six days meant covering over one hundred li per day—clearly an outrageous demand.
Yang Xin and Chen Yujie watched them with schadenfreude.
Then these two unscrupulous fellows quickly rode forward to catch up with Huang Zhen and the others.
They didn’t care; six days was plenty. They all had spare horses, after all.
In fact, his volunteer force of six men had brought twenty horses in total. At that time, a horse cost only a dozen or so taels, so twenty horses were just over three hundred taels. Huang Zhen and the other comrades all knew how to ride. Hejian was originally the location of the court’s main horse pastures; knowing how to ride was common among the people. Otherwise, even someone like Nine Thousand Years Old could ride a horse and draw a bow. Only Chen Yujie’s physique was a bit weaker, but this guy himself had brought four horses. Covering a bit over one hundred li per day wasn’t unbearable for him.
And so, these guys began their frantic dash towards Shanhai Pass with gleeful schadenfreude.
As for those Capital Garrison elites…
They scattered like sheep even before reaching Sanhe. These men, who had never fought a battle and rarely had proper training even in peacetime, how could they compare to the valor of their ancestors who once stormed Buyur Nor? In truth, the Capital Garrison of the late Ming period might not be comparable to the Eight Banners warriors of the late Qing, but their actual capability was only slightly better. It was just that one group could still wield weapons while the other could only hold opium pipes.
To expect them to reach Shanhai Pass in six days?
Even Li Zicheng took eight days!
Yang Xin’s group had no interest in managing these guys. Even while accommodating Chen Yujie, they still reached Shanhai Pass on the evening of the sixth day.
“He’s playing for real!”
Yang Xin watched with great interest as Cao Wenzhao, at the city gate, had soldiers setting up a table. Clearly, Xiong Tingbi meant business. At that moment, he sat on the city wall in an official’s armchair. To his left sat an elderly man sipping tea. Both wore the same official robes. Clearly, this was Wang Wang’s grandfather, Governor-General of Ji-Liao, Wang Keshou. To Xiong Tingbi’s right was a red-robed military officer with a leopard on his rank badge, indicating a third-rank military official. This should be the Regional Military Commander of Shanhai Pass.
“Chai Guozhu, Assistant Military Commissioner. He temporarily guarded Shanhai Pass after Du Song left. After Du Song died in battle, he succeeded him. However, a new Regional Military Commander has already been appointed: the former Regional Military Commander of Gansu, Li Huaixin, is the new Regional Military Commander of Shanhai Pass.”
Chen Yujie said.
“He looks quite old too!”
Yang Xin remarked, looking at Chai Guozhu on the city wall.
“All the generals at the frontier are old men. Chai Guozhu should be in his early fifties this year. Li Huaixin is probably in his fifties too. The late Liu Ting was over sixty. This batch of generals were promoted either during the suppression of Yang Yinglong, the war against the Japanese, or the campaign in Burma. Even the Bozhou campaign was twenty years ago. After pacifying Bozhou, the court had no major wars, at most some scattered clashes with the Mongols. By now, all who could fight had aged. Our Majesty is also getting old and prefers using these familiar veterans. But these old men are no longer the eager fighters of their youth. And they suppress the younger generation, who never get to rise. Even the most capable can only be front-line fighters. This time, it’s up to our Military Commissioner Xiong.
However, he might not be able to keep these men in check.
Yang Gao indeed had no ability, but his seniority was sufficient. He was a Jinshi in the eighth year of Wanli, with forty years of official experience. During the war against the Japanese, he already held the same rank Xiong Tingbi holds now! Moreover, he had close ties with the Li Family. Anything done in Liaodong circles around the Li Family. He could make the Li Family obey.
But Xiong Tingbi was just a seventh-rank Censor before. Whether he can suppress these men remains to be seen!”
Chen Yujie said.
“Then he shouldn’t have driven away these Capital Garrison troops. Whether they can fight isn’t important; what matters is they can intimidate people.”
Yang Xin said.
“But first, he must convince Xiong Tingbi!”
Chen Yujie said, looking at Xiong Tingbi on the city tower.
Xiong Tingbi sat there, his face as still as water.
He had a burly build, wearing a red official robe and a gauze cap. In the red glow of the setting sun, he resembled a merlon on the city wall, motionless, watching the official road outside the city. The empty road showed not a single soldier. None of the three thousand elite Capital Garrison cavalry could make it from the Capital City to Shanhai Pass in six days.
All the Capital Garrison soldiers had failed the test.
Six days for over six hundred li was not an impossible task. Li Zicheng’s eight days were for group movement, including not just cavalry but also infantry and supplies. Even the vanguard cavalry had to control their pace to avoid arriving completely exhausted, otherwise they’d collapse under a surprise attack by Wu Sangui. But these Capital Garrison troops were merely on a sustained march of pure light cavalry, traveling on the official post road, comparable to a highway of that era, with well-established supply along the way. For such a route and provisions, failing to cover one hundred and twenty li per day was simply pathetic.
The horses were not the problem.
A Mongolian Horse carrying a light cavalryman could normally cover sixty kilometers per day.
The reason they failed was purely human. Being jolted on horseback for ten hours a day, continuously for six days, placed high demands on human endurance. But for professional cavalry to fail was somewhat shameful. After all, these were supposed to be descendants of the elite troops that followed the Yongle Emperor in campaigns north and south. Even an amateur like Chen Yujie could manage it.