Chapter Forty-Three: Commander of the Imperial Guard

"Another identity?" Song Bangde was utterly confused, not understanding what Eunuch Guo was referring to. After a moment’s thought, he suddenly realized, "Lord Yang is the eldest son of our Xuanfu’s Marshal Yang. As for Lord Zhao..."

Everyone in the Xuanfu army knew that Yang Jun was the eldest son of Yang Hong, and as a banner officer, Song Bangde naturally knew as well. But as for what other identity Zhao Mei had, he was truly clueless.

Although the Commander was not as high-ranking as the Grand Eunuch in charge of the garrison, to a mere banner officer like Song Bangde, a commander was still a towering figure, someone whose personal affairs he could never hope to know. If even Song Bangde was in the dark, others could only be more so. One by one, they gazed hungrily at Eunuch Guo, eager for the answer, desperate to know what other identity this Commander Zhao possessed.

Eunuch Guo, an old fox, could sense everyone's anticipation and did not tease them further. Drawing out his words, he said, "You may not know, but I do. Yes, Yang Jun is the eldest son of your Marshal Yang of Xuanfu, but Zhao Mei is also, in a way, half a son to your Marshal Yang!"

"Half a son?"

Everyone was perplexed. What did that mean? Could it be that Commander Zhao was Marshal Yang’s son-in-law? But it was only ever said that Marshal Yang had three sons—no one had heard of him having a daughter.

Lu Qing, however, didn’t think of the son-in-law angle. He guessed that Zhao Mei must have been adopted as Yang Hong’s godson. A godson might not be as close as a son-in-law, but it still made him half a son, since he had acknowledged Yang Hong as his father.

Sure enough, Eunuch Guo explained to them all that Zhao Mei had, years ago, acknowledged Yang Hong as his godfather, and Yang Hong regarded him almost as a son, placing great trust in him. It was thanks to this relationship that Zhao Mei had risen from a mere personal guard to the rank of Commander of Kaiping.

Unlike Yang Jun, Yang Neng, and Yang Xin, however, Zhao Mei, as a godson, was not a blood relative. It was understandable that Yang Hong’s three true sons each held important posts in Xuanfu—commander, sub-commander, and deputy commander. After all, Yang Hong had guarded the borders for decades and merited such privileges for his sons. The success of the sons of generals was seen as a local legend.

But for a mere personal guard to become a high-ranking commander simply by virtue of being the godson of Yang Hong, outsiders could not help but mutter that Yang Hong was favoring his own.

Thus, more than a decade ago, when Zhao Mei was still a lower-ranking officer, Yang Hong had ordered him to keep silent about their relationship, forbidding him from ever mentioning it to anyone again. Those in Xuanfu who knew of this were also sworn to secrecy. As time passed, fewer and fewer people remembered, and it came to be believed that Zhao Mei had earned his promotion by merit alone.

After all these years, very few people still knew the truth, but Eunuch Guo was no ordinary man. Back when he extended his reach into the private border trade in Datong and vied for profits with the Yang family, he had already mapped out all the relationships in Xuanfu via connections with the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. Not only did he know about Zhao Mei, but also which stewards at the Yang residence had relatives in the military. His motive was to have ammunition ready for impeachment should Yang Hong ever challenge him for Datong’s private border interests. If such a case reached the emperor, he would surely have the upper hand.

After all, if the emperor saw one side accused of greed and the other of nepotism, which would he detest more?

Ironically, what he had intended as a trump card against Yang Hong was now being revealed to a group of common soldiers. Eunuch Guo felt somewhat regretful—had Yang Jun not forced his hand, and had he not needed these soldiers for protection, he would have taken this secret to the grave.

After all, nepotism was hardly rare in the Ming dynasty; nearly every high official practiced it in some measure. Even Eunuch Guo himself was not spotless—he still had a few godsons drawing pay in Datong without ever serving.

...

On hearing about the hidden relationship between Zhao Mei and Marshal Yang, Lin the junior banner officer and the others couldn’t help but sigh. To become a man of consequence, one truly needed powerful backing.

"If not for your disclosure, we would never have known that Commander Zhao had such close ties to the Marshal," Song Bangde, as a senior banner officer, was especially moved. Zhao Mei had only been taken in as a godson by the Marshal, and in a decade or so had risen to the rank of a high official. Yet Song Bangde himself had remained a banner officer for ten years without the slightest promotion—the coveted rank of centurion always eluded him, and each time he returned from seeking news, he was left disappointed, tormented by hope and frustration.

"Heh, there’s much more you don’t know. If I were to tell all, your ears would be ringing," Eunuch Guo chuckled, his eyes gleaming as he changed the subject. "One’s a true son, one’s a godson—now both are charged with defending the border, and yet the fortress has fallen and they’ve fled. Tell me, how does the law deal with the crime of abandoning one’s post?"

"According to the Ming law: execution!" Song Bangde answered crisply, without hesitation.

"Correct. Execution! Not to the extent of exterminating the whole clan, but the offenders themselves must pay with their heads!"

After saying this, perhaps thinking of himself, Eunuch Guo paused, then forced a laugh and asked Song Bangde, "Suppose your two sons were sentenced to death by the court; as their father, what would you do?"

"That...," Song Bangde stammered, unable to answer, but in his heart he cursed Eunuch Guo’s ancestors—‘May your sons be sentenced to death by the court...’

"To be frank," said Eunuch Guo, "in my early years, if any of my trusted followers’ sons got into trouble, I’d do everything to cover up for them—‘a big matter made small, a small matter made nothing.’ Everyone was happy: I was happy, the lads were happy, while those who suffered losses just had to bear it."

Eunuch Guo spoke indifferently, but Song Bangde and the others felt a chill run down their spines.

Lin, the junior banner officer, nervously asked, "Do you mean, Marshal Yang will cover up his sons’ crime of abandoning the fortress to save them?"

Eunuch Guo shot him an impatient look and snorted, "What do you think?"

"I..." Lin became even more nervous, for a terrible thought had occurred to him—one that Song Bangde, Ji the junior banner officer, and others had also realized, their faces changing. Only Lu Qing seemed unfazed, wondering just what Eunuch Guo’s purpose was in frightening them so.

...

The more anxious Song Bangde and the others became, the more delighted Eunuch Guo was, for this was precisely the effect he wanted. Determined to press his advantage and ensure they would willingly serve as his guards, he raised his voice, "Don’t guess blindly. I can tell you with certainty: the fall of Dushi Fort will almost certainly be suppressed by your Marshal Yang. Even if it isn’t, and the memorial reaches the Emperor, that’s another matter entirely. At the very least, it will never be reported that Yang Jun and Zhao Mei fled. But all of you will undoubtedly be killed."

These words were frightening enough to turn Lin pale. He stammered, "But, Eunuch... if Marshal Yang covers up the fall of Dushi... shouldn’t we be even safer? Why do you say we’ll still die?"

Seeing that Lin still hadn’t understood, Eunuch Guo grew exasperated, glaring at the now-green-faced Lin. "Fool! Don’t you get it? Your Marshal Yang will conceal his sons’ crime of abandoning their post. But you, the survivors from Dushi Fort, know full well what happened. What do you think your Marshal will do with you?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Song Bangde ground out, "Silence!"

"Silence?" Lin leapt up nervously. "Impossible! We’re imperial soldiers, with official records. There are hundreds of us, not just one or two. I don’t believe Marshal Yang would dare, just to save his sons, to kill hundreds of Ming soldiers!"

The others agreed. Hundreds of men couldn’t just be slaughtered in secret—such a commotion would draw attention, and Xuanfu wasn’t the Yang family’s private domain. Surely someone would intervene. The idea of mass slaughter seemed far-fetched.

As they wavered between disbelief and suspicion, Eunuch Guo’s next words made them suddenly realize this outcome was all too possible.

"Why kill with one’s own hands? If it were me, I’d simply find an excuse to bar you from entering the city, or send you to fight the Tartars again. Either way, you wouldn’t survive, but no one could accuse me. Such a neat solution—heh, I’d dream of doing it myself."

Lin suddenly shouted, "Impossible! The Tartars raid every year, but the court has never executed commanders for losing a fortress. I don’t believe it! If Yang Jun and the others aren’t executed, we shouldn’t be either!"

Eunuch Guo sighed, giving Lin a pitying look. "In previous years, the Tartar raids were minor, with a few dozen casualties at most, and they never breached the border wall. This time, not only was the wall broken, but nearly ten thousand defenders perished. With such a disastrous defeat, it would be truly chilling if the court didn’t execute Yang Jun and Zhao Mei."

He went on, "If Yang Hong doesn’t want his sons to die, he’ll have to find a way for you to die instead. The highest among you is just a petty banner officer. In such matters, what do you count for? To your Marshal Yang, you’re no more than ants—dead or alive, who would ever defend you? It’s only because I have a soft heart, having fled with you all this way, that I can’t bear to see you go to your deaths. That’s why I’m offering you a way out: if you don’t want to die, come with me."

He swept his gaze over the soldiers, but no one immediately cried out for a way to survive.

Eunuch Guo was slightly disappointed. He hadn’t been bluffing: Yang Jun and Zhao Mei would surely be executed for such a defeat, but Yang Hong would never sit by and watch his sons die. His only recourse would be to conceal the facts, and to do so, he would have to eliminate all survivors from Dushi Fort.

He was about to persuade them further when Song Bangde looked up and asked, "May I ask where you intend to take us, Eunuch?"

"We’re not going anywhere," Eunuch Guo replied, gazing southward. "We’ll go straight to the Emperor himself!"

"To the Emperor?!" The group was shocked.

Ji the junior banner officer hesitated. "Eunuch, it’s not that we’re unwilling to escort you, but as Xuanfu soldiers, we have no right to approach the imperial presence."

"Who said you’d be meeting him? I will. To be precise, you’ll be escorting me to the Emperor! With me, you’ll no longer be Xuanfu soldiers. Not only Yang Jun and Zhao Mei, but even Yang Hong won’t be able to command you!"

"If we’re not Xuanfu soldiers, what are we?" Ji was baffled. If not serving in Xuanfu, where could they go?

With a wave of his hand, Eunuch Guo proclaimed, "What are you? Ming soldiers—imperial soldiers! Does leaving Xuanfu make you any less soldiers of the empire? The world is vast; Xuanfu isn’t the only place you can serve."

"You mean we could be transferred to another garrison?" Ji’s eyes lit up—after all, as the Grand Eunuch of Datong, transferring men to that region would be easy for someone of Eunuch Guo’s stature.

The others saw this as well, and their minds began to stir. If Marshal Yang truly intended to silence them, as Eunuch Guo claimed, then they would be better off going with him. At worst, they could make a new life in Datong.

As the group weighed their options, Zhou Yunyi suddenly stepped forward and said to Eunuch Guo, "This is a grave matter. May we have a moment to discuss it?"

"Indeed, it’s too important. We need to discuss it," agreed Jiang Tong, whose shoulder had been pierced by an arrow the previous night and who now winced at every movement.

Seeing that it was Zhou Yunyi and the others who spoke, Eunuch Guo grew anxious, knowing they were aware of his secrets and might sabotage his plans. He gritted his teeth and said, "What’s there to discuss? Do you not trust me? ...Fine, let me give you my word: if you can keep me safe, I’ll plead with the Emperor and with Lord Wang Zhen to have you all enlisted in the imperial guard. After that..." He pointed at Lu Qing. "After that, you’ll be led by Centurion Lu here, and everyone present will be promoted by one rank. How’s that?"

What? The imperial guard? Centurion Lu?

Lu Qing’s jaw dropped. Eunuch Guo was promising far more than he could deliver—could a eunuch decide such appointments on his own? And to add so many at once? The posts in the Embroidered Uniform Guard were coveted in the capital, with even a single vacancy fiercely contested.

Zhou Yunyi, Song Bangde, and the others were also dumbfounded, staring at Eunuch Guo with mouths agape.

After a moment, Song Bangde took a deep breath, his face flushed as he asked, "Do you mean it, Eunuch?"

"Do you take me for a liar? Do you think I’d stoop to tricking you?" Eunuch Guo’s face darkened, clearly offended that anyone would doubt him.

"Let me ask you all one more time: Are you coming with me or not?"

Overcome by shock, excitement, and hope, Song Bangde dropped to his knees. "I am willing to follow your orders, Eunuch!"

"I am also willing to follow your orders!" Lin and Ji quickly knelt as well, soon followed by the rest of the soldiers.

Zhou Yunyi, Jiang Tong, Fan Ruo, and the others were torn. The temptation of imperial guard status and a promotion was great, but so was the risk. They didn’t know if Eunuch Guo would be punished for the defeat at Datong when he met the Emperor. If the old eunuch was imprisoned on arrival, they would have no hope, still carrying the stigma of deserters, in danger both from the Emperor and from Marshal Yang.

Should they trust him? Or expose his secrets and urge the others not to follow? But what if Eunuch Guo really could secure them imperial guard positions? That was a fortune won through generations of merit!

Zhou Yunyi wavered, unable to decide. Fan Ruo, however, said, "Fortune favors the bold," then knelt before Eunuch Guo, loudly declaring his loyalty.

With Fan Ruo’s example, Jiang Tong also knelt, as did the other two—one a rather handsome scout, the other a bearded man—after exchanging glances with the still-hesitant Zhou Yunyi.

With all his men taking the gamble, Zhou Yunyi could hesitate no longer. Seeing Eunuch Guo watching him, he steeled himself and knelt too.

Everyone had knelt except for Lu Qing, who, although unsure how much to believe, still knelt when Eunuch Guo signaled to him, recognizing their alliance.

Having persuaded these men to serve him, Eunuch Guo was delighted. Noting that dawn had broken, he said, "There’s no time to lose. Since you’re all willing to accompany me to see the Emperor, we’ll set out at once. There’s no need to go to Junzi Fort; we’ll head straight south to the imperial encampment."

"Yes, Eunuch!" the company answered in unison.

Lu Qing, however, asked, "Does anyone have food?"

Food?

Everyone shook their heads. The events of the previous night had come so suddenly that they’d fled with nothing; by now, their stomachs were growling.

"Let’s go to Junzi Fort first and find some provisions. We’ll need to eat before traveling further—after running all night, we can’t go on empty stomachs."

Eunuch Guo, hearing this suggestion, immediately agreed. He was hungry himself, and it would be best to restock at Junzi Fort, perhaps even find some horses.

Without further delay, everyone relayed the new plan to their men. When the soldiers heard that a Grand Eunuch from Datong was among them, promising to take them to see the Emperor and enlist them in the imperial guard, they were overjoyed, with no objections.

Thus, more than seven hundred men set out for Junzi Fort in high spirits.

...

On the road, Lu Qing and Eunuch Guo had the following exchange.

"Are you certain, Eunuch, that the Emperor will agree to have these men enlisted in the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard? That’s not so easy to get into! I might manage a few, but this many? No way, heh heh."

"But, Eunuch, you clearly said you’d enlist them in the imperial guard!"

"The imperial guard isn’t just the Embroidered Uniform Guard. All twenty-six upper garrisons serve as imperial guards—the Palace Guards, the Standard Bearers, the Flying Dragon Guards, all of them."

"Ah... Eunuch, you are indeed wise."

"Young man, this is for our own safety. The Tartars have broken the border; Xuanfu is truly unsafe now. With more men, our journey will be safer. If we encounter trouble again, at least we’ll have strength in numbers, and won’t be so easily captured."

"You’re right, Eunuch. But..."

"But what?"

"About that centurion position..."

"Don’t worry, young man. I may have tricked the others, but I wouldn’t deceive you. If we get out of this alive and reach the imperial presence, I’ll make sure to plead with Lord Wang and the Emperor to get you that centurion rank. If I fail, may I have a son with no anus!"

"..."