Chapter 642: The Final Wait

With Danning now re-establishing a large military presence, the four post stations along its eastern route to Kaiping were also included in the plan to rebuild military installations. Once these four eastern post stations were completed, travelers could head west from Kaiping through Huanzhou, Weilu, Ming’an, and Xining, reaching the fortresses along the Dushi River and then to Longmen Guard. Heading east from Kaiping, one could reach Danning via Liangting, Shen’a, Saifeng, and Huangya—four post stations in a straight line. The entire frontier region was once again connected, just as it had been during the Hongwu era.

Due to Danning’s long abandonment, Songting Pass and Xifengkou became key routes controlling traffic between the north and south, and they were also essential paths used by the Wulangha people for pilgrimages or raids. Songting Pass was located in a strategic stronghold, while Xifengkou was a flat plain. Although fortresses had been built there before, the military presence there still fell short of that at Songting Pass. No one expected that the emperor’s inspection of the borders would coincide with an attack by the Wulangha on Danning, let alone that the emperor would personally lead troops in pursuit in a fit of anger.

The night before, Zhu Di insisted on advancing northward immediately, and Yang Rong and Jin Youzi, who were in the rear, kept urging Xue Lu to hurry. But when they reached Xifengkou at midday, they received news from Songting Pass that the Tartars were causing trouble at the border. Worried about the emperor’s safety, Xue Lu left 300 infantry to protect Yang Rong, Jin Youzi, and the others, and rushed to Songting Pass with Xu Heng, the Marquis of Xing’an.

Although Yang Rong was still relatively young—nearly fifty at the time—and Jin Youzi was over sixty, they were both kept back by the garrison commander at Xifengkou. The commander said that Xue Lu had ordered that they wait until the situation at Songting Pass was resolved before allowing them to proceed. Thus, despite their urgency, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi had no choice but to stay at Xifengkou.

Among the various passes in Youji, there were both strategic strongholds like Songting Pass and Guubeikou, as well as plains and rivers like Xifengkou. The former served to defend against invasions by foreign invaders, while the latter facilitated their entry. The road to Xifengkou, rebuilt at the beginning of the year, was broad and sturdy, with ample space on both sides of the pass to station heavy troops. In previous years, when the Wulangha people were particularly obedient, hundreds of tribute-bearing groups often required thousands or even tens of thousands of escorts to reach the capital—making it a place of great prestige. Thanks to Songting Pass blocking the way ahead, this area remained quite safe.

Inside Xifengkou, all the barracks were built using large trees cut down from nearby mountains, even the commander’s office was no exception. At that moment, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were in the signing room of the office, one standing and the other sitting, both completely distracted. Now, Yang Rong, who had earlier persuaded Jin Youzi to stay behind, deeply regretted it. He knew that the main reason he hadn’t advised the emperor last night was that the Wulangha forces were already severely weakened and unlikely to cause any major trouble. But seeing the current situation, he couldn’t help but consider the worst possibility. After walking back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back for a while, seeing Jin Youzi sitting there with clenched teeth, he stepped forward.

Jin Youzi, in his early sixties, had been on the road for days, his health already strained. Last night, he had been filled with worry and rushed along the road. Now, he felt sharp pains in his chest. Suddenly, he raised his head and said, “Mianren, how about we send a message back to the capital?”

After thinking carefully, Yang Rong shook his head and said, “Regular documents are sent back to the capital every day. It’s not appropriate to send any message now, no matter what it says! We’re not like Shi Qi, who was originally an official of the Eastern Palace. The more critical this time is, the more we must avoid making mistakes, otherwise it will harm not only ourselves but also others. The Marquises of Anyuan and Ningyang are experienced generals, and those five thousand men are elite troops.”

Jin Youzi naturally understood these points. After all, he had participated in three northern expeditions and knew well that it was the troops in the capital and the Imperial Horse Guard that the emperor truly trusted most. But the more he understood this, the more uncertain he felt. Even though he had assisted the emperor in military affairs, he was not a commander who led troops into battle and had no real power. Now that the emperor was absent, he couldn’t even move a single soldier; he could only wait here, helpless.

The two anxious men waited until sunset before there was finally some movement outside. Jin Youzi, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up, rushed to the door in two steps, and flung it open. At that moment, a soldier was running up the stairs, almost colliding with Jin Youzi. Yang Rong, who was a step behind, didn’t have time to deal with the soldier’s repeated apologies and quickly asked, “What’s outside? Any news from the emperor?”

“Reporting to Scholar Yang and Scholar Jin, news has come from Songting Pass: Marquis Yangwu and Duke Xing’an have repelled the enemy. Additionally, people from Danning have sent military reports announcing a great victory. The emperor first defeated the three Wulangha guards and then the Tartar army, and has now safely arrived in Danning!”

Jin Youzi wasn’t moved by the news of the victory. Instead, he gasped and tried hard to calm himself down before managing to stabilize. Seeing that Yang Rong also had a pale face, he asked in a strained voice, “Where are Marquis Yangwu and Duke Xing’an now?”

“When Marquis of Yangwu and Duke of Xing’an heard of the great victory, he ordered his army to station at Songting Pass first, sent envoys to Danning to report the military situation, and also sent people to Xifengkou to pick up Scholar Yang and Scholar Jin. The messengers also said that the Duke of Yingguo in Danning had sent a message saying the emperor could not be away from the two scholars for long, asking them to head north to Danning as soon as possible.”

After the soldier finished speaking, neither of the two scholars present replied, which left him greatly puzzled. Only when he looked up did he realize that both Yang Rong and Jin Youzi had furrowed their brows. Having never served civil officials before, he felt somewhat anxious. Just as he was about to explain something, he saw Yang Rong on his left nod at him: “You may go. Scholar Jin and I will come right away!”

With that, Yang Rong sent the soldier away and closed the door. Seeing that Jin Youzi still looked worried, he tried to reassure him, “Brother Youzi, don’t worry too much. The emperor is exceptionally brave; he has gone on three expeditions beyond the border without failure. Since he has safely arrived in Danning, we should hurry there as well. Marquis of Yangwu and Duke of Xing’an are both military officials—let’s not delay things by hesitating!”

Seeing Yang Rong’s serious expression, Jin Youzi clenched his fist and pressed his middle finger into his palm before nodding. Having worked together for many years, he naturally understood why Yang Rong didn’t dare to bring up the matter directly. Xue Lu and Xu Heng were truly reckless—believing whatever news came their way. At this critical moment, there was no need to worry about Songting Pass; they should head straight for Danning! After all, the emperor’s five thousand elite troops must have suffered heavy losses in the two battles, yet Danning already had twenty thousand soldiers stationed there!

However, since Duke of Yingguo Zhang Fu had sent such a message, there probably wasn’t any major problem…

Though exhausted from their journey, there was nothing left to prepare at such a crucial moment; they had only wanted to calm their minds a bit. Before leaving, Yang Rong suddenly grabbed Jin Youzi’s sleeve. When Jin Youzi turned around, he whispered, “Let’s go meet the local commander first. Ask him to send news of this great victory to the capital right away, without delay. The crown prince is intelligent, and with Yang Dongli around, everything that needs to be prepared will be taken care of.”

Jin Youzi naturally understood this suggestion. After leaving, the two immediately found the commander at Xifengkou. As expected, this request caused no stir. The soldiers there were overjoyed at the emperor’s victorious campaign and immediately sent people to report to the capital. Meanwhile, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi, ignoring the darkness, rushed on with hundreds of followers through the night. Despite constant urging, they finally arrived at Songting Pass in the middle of the night.

Songting Pass is 120 li north of Xifengkou and was once the first line of defense for Danning. During the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di led his troops to rescue Zunhua, and Prince Ning Zhu Quan urgently ordered his generals to retreat to Songting Pass. Concerned about the pass’s strategic importance, Zhu Di deliberately led his troops around this heavily fortified pass to attack Danning directly, forcing Zhu Quan and the Doyan Three Guards to retreat south. He then incorporated the troops stationed at Songting Pass, securing a crucial advantage in his struggle for power. Although Danning had already been destroyed, there were still 6,000 troops stationed there, and now that number had increased to 10,000.

After the emperor led his troops across the border the previous night, a large force invaded at dawn. Though the commander of Songting Pass was extremely worried, he dared not open the pass and retreat against the enemy rashly. Fortunately, Xue Lu arrived with his troops, and the two forces joined forces. Xu Heng, the Marquis of Xing’an, led the Divine Machine Camp, while Xue Lu, the Marquis of Yangwu, led the cavalry and infantry. In the end, they managed to repel the enemy in one fell swoop.

Having traveled at a slow pace on horseback throughout the night, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi rushed to see Xue Lu and Xu Heng as soon as they arrived at Songting Pass, proposing to lead their troops to Danning overnight. Xue Lu, though experienced in warfare, lacked knowledge of politics, while Xu Heng was extremely cautious. The reason they paused after receiving news from the emperor’s side was precisely fear of advancing rashly and falling into a Tatar ambush.

“The emperor has already advanced westward into Danning and achieved a great victory, so he is surely safe. Once we leave Songting Pass, things become unsafe. Marching at night is highly risky, and moreover, we know nothing about the situation with the Tatars in the north. Moving out recklessly could easily lead us into an ambush. Both of you have accompanied the emperor on several northern campaigns and should understand the severity of the situation. With the Duke of Yingguo in Danning, along with the emperor’s troops, there are well over 20,000 soldiers. With the momentum from their previous victory, they can hold out for several days without issue.”

Although Xu Heng’s words made sense, even though Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were skilled in military strategy, they still couldn’t feel at ease and dared not express their concerns. They both knew that these nobles were veterans who had followed the emperor in his conquests and looked down on them, civil officials who had surrendered when Nanjing fell. They truly regarded the emperor as a deity as immortal as heaven and earth. Yet, no matter how anxious they were, neither of them could refute Xu Heng’s words.

The emperor had traveled at night within the borders of the Ming Dynasty and left Songting Pass early in the morning. But the vast areas outside Songting Pass had once been hauntings of the Tatars and Wulangha people. Who knew whom they might encounter while marching at night?

Despite the careful arrangements made by the commander of Songting Pass, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi still couldn’t close their eyes throughout the second half of the night. By morning, several eunuchs who remained behind also set off with dark circles under their eyes. With their own tasks to carry out, everyone was anxious and wished they could ride fast. However, since the army consisted of both cavalry and infantry, with more infantry than cavalry, and they had to march in formation, their speed was naturally limited. By the time they finally arrived in Danning, it was already noon the next day. Fortunately, there were only scattered herders along the way, and they encountered no enemies.

Whether it was Xue Lu, Xu Heng, Yang Rong, Jin Youzi, or those eunuchs who usually served at the emperor’s side, none of them could afford to rest due to fatigue. As soon as they entered the city, they hurried to the Ningwang Mansion to meet the emperor. Yet upon entering the mansion, they felt a sense of solemnity and gloom, which made them all uneasy.

“The emperor has summoned the eunuchs Ma Yun, Qi Zheng, Lu Sheng, Wang Hai…”

Although everyone knew Zhu Di’s trusted eunuchs, the two most trusted cabinet scholars and two nobles were outside, yet only the eunuchs were summoned. This left the four men stunned. While Xue Lu and Xu Heng were utterly confused, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi felt a chill run down their spines. Soon, soldiers came to take them to rooms nearby to rest, but they were separated into two rooms far apart.

“Something has probably changed,” Yang Rong said in a low voice to Jin Youzi, no longer able to maintain a calm expression. “At this moment, we need to quickly come up with a plan.”

“When the emperor asked us to handle military affairs, he bestowed special seals for us to use, and many officers have seen them. If anything goes wrong, if we can deliver a handwritten message, it might work,” Jin Youzi said, gritting his teeth and gripping the armrest tightly. “I just thought—those eunuchs were summoned because they are suspected. Although they come from the Bureau of Ceremonies or the Bureau of Imperial Treasures, there isn’t a single trustworthy person in the palace… And with Xu Heng and Xue Lu elsewhere, it’s possible they’re trying to isolate us from them.”

What Jin Youzi could think of, Yang Rong surely could too, but those special seals would be useless now. It was the first time he had encountered such a helpless situation. After pondering for a while, just as he was about to speak, there was suddenly a knock at the door. At that moment, he glanced at Jin Youzi and then calmly went to open the door. To his surprise, it was Zhang Yue standing outside.

Noticing Jin Youzi’s wary expression, Yang Rong also looked at him calmly for a moment. Zhang Yue, of course, knew what was going on and promptly bowed to the two of them as if nothing had happened, saying, “Scholar Yang, Scholar Jin, please follow me.” Although his words were unclear, both Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were astute enough to understand. Seeing Zhang Yue turn and walk away, they didn’t hesitate and quickly followed. After passing through a small gate, they came to a long corridor flanked by soldiers in bright armor, each holding their sword handles, presenting a formidable presence. Accustomed to such grandeur, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi remained unfazed, but their hearts grew heavier. Soon, they saw another courtyard gate ahead. Beyond it was an empty courtyard. Zhang Yue led the way to the door in the center and lifted the thick cotton curtain. Seeing Yang Rong and Jin Youzi hesitate, he softly said, “The Emperor and the Duke of Yingguo are inside.” This was undoubtedly the greatest assurance. No matter how fearful they were, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi immediately quickened their pace. Upon entering the room to the east from the main hall, they immediately saw the bed covered with a blue curtain and Duke Zhang Fu beside it. In an instant, the two experienced ministers stepped forward to pay their respects. It was unclear how much time passed before a deep voice came from the bed. “I’ve finally seen you one last time… You’ve come just in time—prepare the imperial edict!”