Chapter 39: Lu Xiangsheng Appointed, Li Banghua Arrives in the Capital

Daming Prefecture is not particularly famous, yet it produced a remarkably famous prefect: Lu Xiangsheng.

"Lu Xiangsheng, the Prefect of Daming!" The Chongzhen Emperor mused to himself. Indeed, it was this formidable man.

Lu Xiangsheng was not initially well-known; he truly came to prominence in the tenth month of the second year of the Chongzhen era. When Hong Taiji led his forces to bypass the Jinning defensive line, passing through Mongolia and breaking into the heart of the realm via the Xifeng Pass of the Great Wall, Beijing was in imminent peril. Lu Xiangsheng recruited ten thousand troops to march to the capital to protect the throne.

In the third year of the Chongzhen era, he reorganized the military defenses of Daming, Guangping, and Shun-de prefectures, merging them with the ten thousand troops he had previously recruited to form the Tianxiong Army. Because these soldiers were all fellow countrymen, friends, brothers, and family, the death of a single man would often ignite the fury of all the others. Consequently, their fighting spirit was incredibly tenacious; once they encountered an enemy, they would latch on and fight to the bitter end. Lu Xiangsheng himself was always the first to charge, sharing both comforts and hardships with his men. Once, when the army lacked provisions and the soldiers had gone three days without food, Lu Xiangsheng went three days without food as well, refusing even to drink water.

The Tianxiong Army participated in suppressing the peasant uprisings led by Gao Yingxiang and Li Zicheng, at one point driving the rebel forces into a chaotic retreat, and repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle against the Manchu invaders in Xuan-Da. It was a tragedy that such a daring and skilled general was eventually destroyed by the eunuch Gao Qiqian. The Tianxiong Army of Lu Xiangsheng, the Yiding Iron Cavalry of Sun Chengzong, and the Qin troops of Sun Chanting were known as the three great armies of the late Ming period, which serves as a testament to the might of the Tianxiong force.

Chongzhen hesitated. Should he appoint Lu Xiangsheng now? The Tianxiong Army owed its existence to Lu; if he transferred him away, would the Tianxiong Army ever come to be?

As Chongzhen wavered, Fang Zhenghua continued, "Your Majesty, I have three reasons for recommending this man. First, Lu Xiangsheng has been well-versed in military classics since childhood and is a scholar; such a man is essential for the planning and strategy required to form the four Tengxiang guards. Second, he is capable of sharing the hardships of the Daming populace, so he will certainly share the hardships of the soldiers of the four Tengxiang guards. This is most rare, and the troops he trains will be all the more loyal. Third, he possesses exceptional personal martial prowess and is both bold and meticulous—the fundamental prerequisites for a soldier."

After a long silence, Chongzhen finally made up his mind. "Summon Lu Xiangsheng to see me immediately. I wish to meet him in person before deciding."

Since he was already bringing Lu Xiangsheng into service ahead of time, he decided to do the same for the others. He immediately added, "I will give you a few more names whom I believe are capable of great things. You are to issue imperial decrees for them to come and see me as well."

"Huang Degong, a native of Kaiyuan Guard; he should currently be a thousand-household officer there."
"Zhou Yuji, a native of Jinzhou Guard."
"Cao Wenzhao, a native of Datong, Shanxi; he is currently serving as a guerrilla general in the Liaodong army. His nephew, Cao Bianjiao, is also a ferocious warrior."
"Sun Chanting, a native of Zhenwu Guard in Daizhou. He is a Jinshi degree holder and has served as a director in the Bureau of Evaluations and a vice-director in the Bureau of Honors in the Ministry of Personnel; he should be living in retirement at home now."

As Fang Zhenghua took notes, he secretly wondered how this young emperor had come to know of so many people. When he heard the name Sun Chanting, he was visibly shaken and blurted out, "Sun Chanting?"

Seeing this reaction, Chongzhen asked curiously, "What is it? Do you know this man?"

"Your Majesty, when he obtained his Jinshi degree, Yuan Chonghuan, Liang Tingdong, Ma Shiying, and Jiang Yueguang were among his cohort. Although he is a scholar, his ninth-generation ancestor, Sun Cheng, was a centurion of the Zhenwu Guard during the Hongwu era, and his fifth-generation ancestor, great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all provincial graduates. He possesses a commanding presence, standing eight feet tall, is ambidextrous with a bow, and has unparalleled martial skills. As a man of martial arts myself, I naturally know of such a figure. I had intended to recommend him, but he offended Wei Zhongxian, and I feared that summoning him back would arouse the suspicion of Wei and his faction. I did not expect Your Majesty to know of him as well."

Chongzhen nodded. Sun Chanting was indeed a formidable man; he would later capture the "Chuang King" Gao Yingxiang, annihilate fifteen rebel factions, and stabilize the situation in Shaanxi.

"All of these men can be put to great use. Arrange for them to be summoned to see me at once."

After Fang Zhenghua departed, Chongzhen stared at the map of the Ming Empire, his heart filled with emotion. In the twilight of the Ming, among the civil officials were Sun Chengzong, Bi Ziyan, Han Huang, Fan Jingwen, and Li Banghua—among them were masters of governance, finance, and military administration. Among the generals were Lu Xiangsheng, Zhou Yuji, Huang Degong, Cao Wenzhao, Cao Bianjiao, Zhang Huangyan, Zhang Mingzhen, Man Gui, Zhao Ruijiao, and others. Any one of them, if plucked from the ranks, would be a famous and capable general. Yet, with such a lineup, the Ming was still played to its doom by Chongzhen. He could not tell if it was truly a lack of ability on his part or if the destiny of the Ming had truly run its course.

Since he knew of these men, he would provide them with a stage to display their talents and forge a bright and new era.

Days passed by. During every morning audience, Chongzhen ignored the memorials of other officials, focusing only on relentlessly questioning matters regarding Shaanxi. If any ministry failed to perform its duties, Chongzhen would not ask for excuses; he would simply fly into a rage, or worse, have the official dragged out and given ten strokes of the cane. The ministers were terrified by Chongzhen's violent methods. Within three or four days, the morning audiences became mere formalities. After the meetings, the officials were all scurrying about in a flurry; even the bitter factional fighting that usually occupied them had been tacitly suspended. The entire imperial court was operating with unprecedented efficiency, and Chongzhen was pleased to enjoy the peace.

One day, after Chongzhen had finished his afternoon meal in the East Warm Chamber, Fang Zhenghua entered. "Your Majesty, Minister Li has arrived."

Chongzhen, buried in his memorials, asked without looking up, "Which Minister Li?"

"Minister Li Banghua!"

Chongzhen's hand trembled, and he stood up instantly. "Summon him immediately!"

A moment later, Li Banghua, dressed in the uniform of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, walked in. "Commoner Li Banghua pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Minister Li, please rise." Chongzhen stepped forward to help him up. "Great Companion, bring a seat and tea."

"Minister Li, now that you have returned to the capital, I can finally sleep soundly."

Li Banghua, who had just sat down, was utterly bewildered. He looked at Chongzhen, at a loss, and muttered to himself, *If you can't sleep, you should see an imperial physician; I am not a doctor. What good could I do you?*

"Please, Your Majesty, grant your instructions!"

*Gurgle... gurgle...*

Just as Li Banghua finished speaking, a strange sound echoed in the East Warm Chamber. Everyone looked at each other, and finally, their gaze fell upon the seated Li Banghua. The dusty face of the official flushed red.

Fang Zhenghua stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, Minister Li has been traveling day and night, surviving on dry rations along the way. He has not eaten since he set out this morning."

Chongzhen understood immediately. He picked up a plate of pastries from the dragon desk. "Minister Li, satisfy your hunger first. We shall talk when you are finished."

"I thank Your Majesty!"

After kowtowing, Li Banghua, disregarding everyone else in the East Warm Chamber, grabbed a pastry and shoved it into his mouth, then gulped down a cup of tea. The sight left Wang Chengen and Fang Zhenghua, who were serving in the chamber, speechless. In such a setting, to be able to eat so calmly—they could not tell if he was incredibly broad-minded or simply oblivious.

"Minister Li, in the presence of His Majesty, pray do not lose your decorum!"