Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 471 The Three Giants Gather at Hongwu Gate

As soon as Liu Ye spoke, Xu Yifan immediately ordered all infantrymen of the Second Regiment to enter combat readiness. The order was relayed to each company and platoon, and the soldiers began loading their weapons. The synchronized movements of thousands of men produced a cacophony of metallic clanging. The Nanjing garrison, upon hearing this sound, couldn't help but tense up—the Beijing garrison also had a Shenji Battalion, and they all knew the immense power of the musket.

Seeing that the other side not only did not retreat but was also prepared for a real battle, Xu Hongji's face darkened. He rode his horse between the two ranks and personally addressed them: "I am Xu Hongji, the garrison commander of Nanjing. You are the general of Qiongzhou, right? Since you have the great merit of defeating the rebel Li Zicheng, why do you still want to do such a rebellious thing and ruin your future? You should know that once the arrow is released, there is no turning back. If you choose to take action in front of Hongwu Gate and outside the Forbidden City, it will be no different from treason!"

The uncle sneered, "So the Duke of Wei also knows that we have made great contributions? Is this how the court treats its meritorious officials? We warriors shed blood and sweat, risking our lives to earn our achievements. Why can just some Tom, Dick, or Harry humiliate us?"

Xu Hongji was a meritorious official, and the Wei State Duke's lineage was one of the top military families in the Ming Dynasty. The first Wei State Duke was the famous Xu Da, the first meritorious general of the founding of the dynasty, who had made outstanding military achievements throughout his life. Therefore, he had a natural affinity for military generals than for scholars. Hearing the other party repeatedly refer to "us military men," he felt a pang of sympathy and couldn't bear to refute him for a moment.

Liu Ye continued, "Why are military officers inherently inferior? I won such a battle and I am still treated like this, let alone others. Tell me, even if I were a military commissioner of Jiangning, would I be humiliated by the garrison upon entering the city? Would they dare to mock a fifth-rank military commissioner? But a lowly commander dares to brazenly mock and humiliate a first-rank general!"

This statement is somewhat off-topic, touching on the sensitive topic of the hierarchy between civil and military officials, and has little to do with the current situation. However, Xu Hongji deeply understands these sentiments. After the Tumu Crisis, the status of military officers plummeted. Although he held the title of Duke and appeared powerful, his actual position was awkward: in terms of real power and prestige in Nanjing's officialdom, he was inferior to the Ministers of Revenue and War; in terms of the Emperor's favor, he was less favored than Chang Kun, the eunuch who came from the palace to guard the city. He only relied on the title of Duke to maintain his prestige. Other noble families in the city, without the aura of "Nanjing Garrison Commander," were not much different from ordinary wealthy families, with their sons spending their days leisurely strolling with their birds, eating and waiting for death.

Xu Hongji sighed inwardly. This general was quite capable. Regardless of right or wrong, the humiliation suffered at the city gates was a microcosm of the low status of military officers in the late Ming Dynasty, clearly demonstrating their extremely low social standing. Although leading troops into the city recklessly was definitely a mistake, a victorious general shouldn't be treated this way. Initially, he thought it was some hothead from somewhere who had come to Nanjing to cause trouble, but after understanding the situation, from a military perspective, he could understand the other party's actions. If it were him, having made a great contribution but being neglected and humiliated, he probably would have drawn his sword too.

He paused for a moment, then said, "In any case, this is Hongwu Gate, and ahead lies the Forbidden City. Taking a step forward will lead to utter ruin, while taking a step back will open up a whole new world. I've said my piece, so you should carefully consider your options." He then spurred his horse back into the formation and said to Wang Lin, "Lord Wang, this fellow won't listen to reason. I've said everything I need to say; the rest is up to you."

Wang Lin felt like a million curses were stampeding through his mind. He had been sent here as a garrison commander to share the risks, but he had just abandoned the task with a single sentence! How could he make such a major political decision on his own?

However, Xu Hongji was a Duke, and if he wanted to stay out of it, no one could force him. Even if things went wrong, his punishment afterward would only be a deduction of his salary. Emperor Chongzhen had always been very lenient towards members of the imperial family and nobles; as long as they didn't vie for political power, they wouldn't be punished too severely for whatever they did.

However, as the Minister of War, if an armed conflict broke out in the heart of Nanjing, he would be held responsible. The best outcome would be demotion, dropping from a high-ranking official of the second rank to a lowly position, which was something Wang Lin was unwilling to see.

He struggled internally for a while: should he take a hard line and force him to back down, or should he try a gentler approach to overcome his strength? Clearly, judging from General Liu's unruly demeanor, forcibly forcing him to back down would probably not be effective, and even the Duke of Wei's intervention would be of no use. It would be better to change his approach.

He glanced at Xu Hongji, who was riding on horseback with an air of indifference, and snorted inwardly: Since you, Duke of Wei, are unwilling to get involved, I will not take the blame on myself. Let's put away our weapons first. As long as we don't fight, it doesn't matter what happens. Anyway, I won't be the only one to blame.

Having made up his mind, Wang Lin said loudly to Liu Ye, "General Liu, you have rendered great service to the court and are a meritorious official of the Ming Dynasty. As the Minister of War in Nanjing, I do not wish to see you and the court clash on the battlefield. As long as you are willing to order a withdrawal, everything can be discussed. How about we all put away our weapons, retreat a hundred paces, and then we will withdraw the Beijing garrison and the guard garrisons. You will stop advancing, and I will order the Chihe Camp to vacate the Jiangbei camp for you to temporarily set up camp. We will also find doctors to treat your wounded soldiers, and we can discuss other matters later. What do you think?"

Xu Hongji stared wide-eyed at Wang Lin. He hadn't expected this seemingly pedantic Minister of War to possess such adaptability and courage—giving up the pursuit of the other side's guilt for leading troops into the city was a serious matter, and it would be difficult to explain to the court if they blamed him, but it was still better than a major fight at Hongwu Gate. Both sides had nearly ten thousand troops; if a fight broke out, no one could control the course of events. If it escalated into a city-wide riot, it wouldn't be as simple as dismissal; beheading and the extermination of the entire clan wouldn't be excessive.

This suggestion also surprised Liu Ye. Everyone had laid bare their weapons and were ready to fight at any moment, but unexpectedly, the other side backed down first. One doesn't hit a smiling face; the Minister of War had yielded and even offered generous terms. If he were to continue urging for war, it would be unreasonable. It seemed that a war wouldn't break out, and thinking of this, he felt a little disappointed.

However, since the army had just finished fighting, it was naturally a good thing to have a suitable place to rest and for the wounded to receive treatment; this was also the purpose of my entry into the city. Liu Ye took a deep breath and replied, "Lord Wang's suggestion is excellent; let's do it that way."

Wang Lin and Xu Hongji both breathed a sigh of relief. At their signal, the Chihe Camp, Zhenwu Camp, and Jichuan Guard retreated a hundred paces. The Qionghai Army also retreated a hundred paces in total.

The tense atmosphere gradually dissipated. Just as Wang Lin was about to order the Chihe Camp and Zhenwu Camp to withdraw, a rumbling sound of footsteps came from the east. A large group of soldiers in bright armor, holding muskets, arrived at the square. A sharp voice came from afar: "Soldiers of the Shenji Camp, listen up: Seize the madmen who dare to trespass into the Forbidden City. If they dare to resist, they will be treated as treasoners and killed without mercy!"