Chapter 633: The Emperor Guards the Borders, the Monarch Dies for the State

Since the Taizu Emperor began granting fiefdoms to princes, although they were not allowed to disobey orders or leave their territories without permission, they could still visit the capital once every three to five years. However, over time, the frequency of their visits decreased. After Zhu Di made Beijing the capital, only the Prince of Zhou would come to the capital—yet even he did so not out of imperial decree but because of betrayal.

It was well known that the Prince of Han had fallen out of favor. For years, he had not been granted permission to visit the capital and could only stay in his fief. This time, he finally managed to persuade the Crown Prince to send his third son, the Prince of Jiyang, Zhu Zhanli, to the capital to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. The day before Zhu Zhanli arrived in the capital, the Wanshi Festival came, and others left for a mission to the Oirats. In contrast to the desolation there, a rather grand welcoming procession awaited them at the Tongzhou dock. The young Zhu Zhanli, unlike his father and his elder brother confined in the western palace, was quite shy and reserved.

Since the emperor was still recovering from illness and it was the Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi who had pleaded for his admission, the Ministry of Rites decided that Zhu Zhanli would enter the palace through Dong’an Gate, first pay his respects in the Qianqing Palace, and then visit the Eastern Palace. The large procession entered the city through Chongwen Gate. With no princes having visited the capital in years and Zhu Zhanli being the eldest of the Prince of Han’s seven sons, the Jinyiwei immediately sealed off the entire Chongwen Gate area, lifting the restrictions only after the group entered the palace.

The late Crown Prince Yizhuang had kept a low profile; the previous Prince of Shouguang was a fool, while this Prince of Jiyang was only thirteen years old. His timid demeanor hardly resembled that of a noble of high rank—truly, each of the nine sons of the dragon is unique!

When he returned home at noon, recalling the noble young man he had just met, Yuan Fang couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. He then thought about the message sent by Zhang Yue. He had indeed been keeping an eye on Le’an, but since it was the location of the Prince of Han’s palace, everyone there was thoroughly screened by the palace guards, leaving few spies from the Jinyiwei. As a result, even though he had accumulated a pile of reports, he did not act rashly.

The emperor was already completely disappointed in the King of Han. Having endured patiently before, submitting a report now would only provoke the emperor’s fury and serve no real purpose. Moreover, with the emperor ill, his suspicions toward the crown prince grew even stronger. If his report were misinterpreted as implying some improper relationship with the crown prince, it would be disastrous for him. Rather than wasting effort, it was better to plan the right moment to act, using the evidence at hand as the final straw to bring down the King of Han. Additionally, if the news brought by Zhang Yue proved true, he could find an opportunity to send a message to the leader of the White Lotus Sect. Once chaos erupted in Le’an, there would naturally be an opportunity to take advantage!

“A Qi!”

Hu Qi had been pretending to be a servant in Yuan Fang’s household and following him, aware that this commander of the Jinyiwei was preparing to leave a backdoor. Hearing the call, he stepped forward. Compared to when he was with Zhang Yue, he now had a thick beard, giving him a robust and imposing appearance. “What orders do you have, sir?”

“I have something to discuss with you—about the letter you brought back yesterday.” Seeing that Hu Qi’s expression remained unchanged, Yuan Fang realized Zhang Yue hadn’t mentioned anything important to him. He sighed and said, “Zhang Yue wrote that if I’m not in charge, even if you four can control the Jinyiwei’s underground spies, you might not be able to hold on for long. Now that he’s been tasked with reorganizing the espionage department in the Ministry of War, this is a perfect opportunity. If you’re willing, take charge of this matter. Then he can legitimately submit a request to the emperor on your behalf, securing your status—much better than the current uncertain situation.”

Although he had been nurtured by Yuan Fang as a potential backbone for the Jinyiwei in the past, since it became difficult to join the Jinyiwei casually and with the Eastern Depot keeping an eye on things, Hu Qi had given up on that idea. Hearing Yuan Fang’s words, he was initially incredulous. It took him a while to think of another possibility before he could suppress his excitement.

“Sir, with such kindness from the young master, I certainly agree. But if we all leave, what about you…?”

“It’s not that all of you four have to leave at once. There will be a sequence. Besides, I still have people I can use. I called you back originally just to familiarize you with those affairs and give you more people under your command. Now that Zhang Yue has come up with such a good idea, it’s the perfect time to settle you all. Besides… you’ve all worked hard over the years.”

Yuan Fang eventually changed the latter part of his words. He knew well that working for the Jinyiwei was not easy to see through to the end, but since he had entered this field in the first place, he had already given up holding back. As long as the crown prince, after ascending the throne, recognized his prudence as a Jinyiwei commander, he could at least live a comfortable life as a countryman.

“Go back and inform your three brothers. Tidy up the matters at hand for now. By the way, release the messenger pigeons later and let Lin Sha take charge of the matter in Le’an. If Doctor Feng really falls into the hands of the Prince of Han, we need to find out what he plans to do. Also, keep a close eye on the Prince of Jiyang—never judge a person by their appearance; the children of imperial families are often full of scheming.”

Since the establishment of the dynasty, the north had always been a major threat to the Ming court. Therefore, tribal leaders who came over from the north were usually treated generously, just like Huo Zhen, a general under Zhu Di in the past. Almost all the tribes that submitted were scattered along the Great Wall. If other Mongol tribes attacked, they could hold off for a while, and if they couldn’t, reinforcements from the military garrisons would arrive. This was considered a great policy. Due to this strategic depth, it was difficult for the Mongols to establish a foothold in the grasslands from there. As a result, most of the spies in the north for the Ministry of War were Mongols, while scattered smugglers, fearing imperial punishment, rarely reported their findings to the authorities.

Using Mongols as spies had its advantages, but also disadvantages—many of the intelligence reports were contradictory, and their credibility often depended on luck. So, after getting Zhu Di’s approval, Zhang Yue selected a hundred honest yet sharp-minded men from the imperial guard and, after brief training, set his sights on the Jinyiwei.

In his view, no action was taken without a reason. At present, what the Mongols cared most about was trade. Although it was extremely risky for private merchants to cross the border, some tribes were still willing to provide shelter. Gathering intelligence through this channel was naturally the safest method. As for the costs, they could be covered by the goods smuggled, killing two birds with one stone. Moreover, remembering that Hu Qi and the others had never used official channels, he thought of entrusting this task to these experts in covert operations. However, although his memorial was submitted to the Tongzhengsi three days ago, there had been no response yet.

That afternoon, an imperial order suddenly arrived at the Ministry of War—ordering the border garrisons to enhance their defenses. It was also decreed that elite troops totaling 20,000 from Jizhou, Baoding Prefecture, Zhending Prefecture, and the three garrisons in Tianjin should be selected and sent to Beijing at the beginning of August to serve as the emperor’s escort. Since all matters related to conscription were under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Geography, although he was puzzled and uneasy, he could only work with his equally concerned colleagues to prepare the necessary documents and orders for troop deployment. Yet, barely had he drafted two documents when a servant’s voice was heard outside.

“Lord Zhang, Hai Gonggong from the Imperial Horse Stables has arrived. He says the emperor has summoned you to the Qianqing Palace for an audience.”

This announcement immediately caused quite a stir in the otherwise quiet office. Although everyone knew that Zhang Yue had once encountered the emperor in disguise while on night duty, that could still be considered a coincidence. But this summons could definitely not be accidental. Including Tang Yong, everyone realized that Zhang Yue had been working at the Ministry of War for the past two or three years. Once he finished preparing to leave, they exchanged glances in small groups.

Hai Shou, dressed in a bright red robe made of river ivory, smiled as he saw Zhang Yue approaching. Though he was there merely to deliver the imperial order, he first went to the main hall to meet Ministers Zhao Jin and Li Qing. After meeting Zhang Yue, who said he intended to report to the two ministers in the main hall, Hai Shou inwardly admired his diligence and nodded without hesitation. When Zhang Yue returned and they set off together on horseback, Hai Shou couldn’t help but recall what the emperor had said to Zhu Gaochi in the Qianqing Palace earlier.

“I forced him to stay at the fifth rank and temper his skills for three years—just so he could be useful to you in the future!”

Although money was his greatest desire, Hai Shou also understood that power meant wealth in those times. If he had been just a lowly eunuch, he would never have been sent to Korea several times, nor would the once-mighty monarch have given him so many gifts, nor could he have lived comfortably in the capital. Therefore, throughout his journey into the palace through the Meridian Gate, he made sure to get close to Zhang Yue and subtly hint at the emperor’s reason for summoning him. Finally, he gently reminded him,

“The emperor is in much better spirits today and in a very good mood. Lord Zhang, feel free to speak whatever you want. But one thing—make sure you don’t act like Xia Yuanji, who fails to read the emperor’s cues. Yesterday, the emperor sent someone to give him two sets of winter clothes, but the messenger must have reported something wrong, as the emperor’s mood remained gloomy all night!”

Having received such a warning, Zhang Yue felt deeply shaken. He had been to the Qianqing Palace many times, but each visit had been vastly different. As he entered, he paid close attention to the eunuchs around him and noticed that many of them were unfamiliar faces. In front of the large red brocade curtain embroidered with golden threads depicting clouds and ascending dragons at the East Warm Pavilion, Hai Shou stopped and personally lifted the curtain, making a gesture with his right hand. Seeing this, Zhang Yue bent down to step over the threshold, immediately smelling the scent of ambergris.

There was no sign of the emperor in the outer room of the East Warm Pavilion; only two eunuchs stood there with their hands at their sides. When they saw Zhang Yue enter, they remained completely silent. At that moment, a deep voice came from inside: “Zhang Yue, come in!”

Although there were three rooms in total in the East Warm Pavilion, Zhang Yue had only been in the spacious outer room before. Realizing it was Zhu Di’s voice calling from inside, he quickly steadied himself. A thick agarwood-colored partition separated the inner and outer rooms. As soon as he entered, he saw Zhu Di reclining on a soft couch facing the door, covered with a floral blanket, his eyes as sharp as ever.

“I’ve read your report. You always rush to seek profit, even in matters like this. What should I say about you?” Zhu Di angrily threw the document onto the plumwood table beside the couch. Seeing Zhang Yue merely smile awkwardly, he knew the boy hadn’t taken his words to heart. He propped himself up straighter and said, “Since I promised you this task, you’ll handle it. You said you could support yourself, so I won’t contribute a single penny. Let’s see how this ‘skilled housewife’ manages to cook without rice!”

This was exactly the pretext Zhang Yue wanted. He was overjoyed and quickly bowed, saying, “Your servant will do his utmost.”

“The grasslands produce horses, cattle, and sheep, but no tea or salt, and few iron tools. They’ve always relied on trade. Now, by sending people there using this method, it will indeed work. But one thing— you’re not a merchant. Do you understand?”

“I understand. This is merely for gathering intelligence, not entirely for profit. Moreover, to prevent the original smugglers from leaking military secrets, it’s necessary to crack down strictly on the black market—only then can we ensure security.” Seeing Zhu Di nod, Zhang Yue carefully explained in detail the points that were difficult to put into a memorial. Finally, he added, “Besides that, I think we should select some people from those who surrendered to the Mongol Yuan and send them back. After all, this can also confuse the enemy and occasionally yield important information. After all, gathering intelligence through caravans requires a step-by-step approach. Furthermore, to speed things up, in addition to fast horses, we can also use homing pigeons to transmit messages…”

“You handle these matters as you see fit. I will have the cabinet draft an edict today to officially appoint you as a Langzhong in the Ministry of Geography. But…”

After a pause, Zhu Di pressed his thumb and middle finger against his temples and said without looking up, “Now that autumn is here and the horses are in good condition, and since there are reports that Arutai may invade the borders, we must be vigilant. I am determined to lead an army on a border patrol, from Wanquan in the west to Danning in the east. This time, we won’t mobilize too many troops—just 10,000 from the capital garrisons, plus 20,000 from various counties in Northern Zhili, totaling 30,000. If we really encounter them, it will be perfect to deliver a decisive blow. Once we reach Danning, these 40,000 troops can also be used to rebuild the city walls. I know you have a few capable subordinates—take them with you as you accompany me on the patrol.”

Although Zhang Yue had already guessed something when he first heard the news at the Ministry of Geography, he was still shocked upon hearing about the border patrol. With his illness still unresolved, why did Zhu Di insist on leaving the capital? Even if he was truly worried about the Tatars or Oirats invading, he could simply adopt Yang Rong and Jin Youzi’s suggestion of reinforcing the borders as a precaution—there was no need for him to go in person.

“Since I have moved the capital to Beijing, it is to suppress the Mongol Yuan and keep them from moving. Even if this is not a northern expedition but merely a border patrol, it will still intimidate those with ulterior motives!” Suddenly, Zhu Di clenched his five fingers into a fist. “I want those barbarians to know that even though I am old, I am still a fierce tiger they cannot afford to underestimate!”

Seeing Zhu Di’s eyes wide with an indescribable determination and fervor, Zhang Yue immediately fell silent. In the eyes of those scholars who followed the ways of the sages, it was natural for the emperor to rule by decree. But governing the realm was far from easy, especially since Zhu Di was already a very stubborn emperor who never changed his mind once he made up his mind.

“The emperor guards the country’s gates; the monarch dies for the realm.” These words were not just empty phrases.