Southern Ming: A boy soldier at the beginning, supporting the world

Chapter 11 Apprenticeship
Jiao Lian defeated the Qing army outside Guilin, and Chen Bangbo also won a victory at Hou Lushan in Xunzhou, recovering Guixian, Yongchun and other cities.

The war situation in Guangxi was temporarily eased, and all the generals breathed a sigh of relief.

Emperor Yongli granted Jiao Lian the title of Xinxing Earl, and appointed him as the Prince's Junior Tutor, Left Commander-in-Chief, and Commander-in-Chief of Guangxi Army. He also granted Qu Shisi the title of Lingui Earl, but he refused. Cen Danchu was also rewarded and appointed as a guerrilla.

Chen Bangbo was from Shanyin, Shaoxing. He was eloquent, good at flattering, and fawning on key officials. He did everything he could, even at the expense of the etiquette between father and son.

In the first year of Longwu, Zhu Hengjia, the Prince of Jingjiang, rebelled in Guilin and proclaimed himself as regent. Jiao Lian and Chen Bangbo joined forces to capture Guilin and capture Zhu Hengjia.

In this campaign, Jiao Lian made the greatest contribution. However, Chen Bangbo climbed up to the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi as his backer, and was recorded as the chief meritorious official when the victory was reported. He was promoted to the Associate Governor-General, given the seal of "General of Suppressing the Barbarians", and was conferred the title of Earl of Fuchuan. Jiao Lian was not good at flattery, and no one in the court was interested in him, so he was only promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General of Huangsha, and was given the title of Deputy General.

When Yongli ascended the throne, Chen Bangbo actively supported him and was promoted to Marquis Si'en for his contribution.

Jiao Lian had an old relationship with Emperor Yongli, so he was promoted to General of Aid in Suppressing the Enemy and Associate Governor-General, a much lower position than Chen Bangbo.

Among them, the most regrettable is the post of "General Pingman". In the Ming Dynasty, there were many Tusi in the southwest, and the court set up the post of General Pingman, stationed in Guilin. General Pingman had the power to command Tusi soldiers, and Tusi also respected the seal of General Pingman very much.

Chen Bangbo was so despicable that the chieftains of Guangxi looked down on him and refused to recognize his seal of General Pingman. From then on, the chieftains of Guangxi were no longer controlled by General Pingman.

The court was unfair in rewarding and punishing, and the value of famous positions was devalued, which made many people feel unfair. However, Jiao Lian had no complaints and was very grateful to the court for his promotion to Xinxing Earl.

However, Chen Bangbo was not happy about this, as he thought that he deserved to be promoted to Duke for his great victory in Xunzhou.

Emperor Yongli was stationed in Quanzhou and had not made any move. Chen Bangbo sent his general Guan Weifan with 3,000 soldiers to spy on the court's intentions in the name of aiding Guangxi.

Soon, the court ordered Guan Weifan to station his troops in Guilin and not to go north. It turned out that Liu Chengyin, the Grand Secretary and Duke of Anguo, controlled the government and held the emperor hostage, and was unwilling to confer the title of Duke of the State on Chen Bangbo.

Liu Chengyin, nicknamed Liu Tiegun, was born a warrior, had a long career, and had many military achievements. He looked down on Chen Bangbo.

In the 17th year of Chongzhen, Liu Chengyin occupied Wugang, Hunan, dominated the southwest, had 30,000 soldiers and horses, and held the seal of General Pingman.

After Emperor Yongli settled in Quanzhou, Liu Chengyin led his army into Quanzhou in the name of welcoming the emperor, executed Wang Kun, the eunuch in charge of ceremonies, and disciplined the soldiers. Some court officials did not understand why, but seeing that he had a strong army and treated scholars with respect, they all followed him.

Chen Bangbo followed the path of Ma Jixiang, the commander of the Jinyiwei. Ma Jixiang was good at flattery and won the trust of Emperor Yongli to the point of obedience.

However, Liu Chengyin controlled the government and Ma Jixiang had no say, so Chen Bangbo's plan to become the Duke of Jin fell through.

It was a bright and sunny morning. Cen Danchu was ordered to come to the governor's mansion. Seeing Qu Shisi and Jiao Lian sitting in the courtyard, he bowed to them.

"Please sit down," Jiao Lian said with a heavy face, "I have an important task to entrust to you."

"You can say whatever you want, Sir."

Jiao Lian was given the title of Earl, and his subordinates also started to address him as Marquis Marshal.

Without asking for the reason, he gave a straightforward answer. Jiao Lian was very satisfied and smiled at Qu Shisi.

Qu Shisi stroked his beard and said, "I'll tell you the truth. Earlier, I wrote a petition to the emperor asking him to return to Guilin. The emperor refused and summoned me to Quanzhou. Guilin is the base of the restoration, so it is inconvenient for me to leave.

"Duke Anguo Liu Chengyin sent 3,000 soldiers to Guangxi, nominally to help with defense, but most likely just to expel Guan Weifan. Guan Weifan was a general under the command of Chen Bangbo, Marquis of Si'en. Chen Bangbo was good at flattery but had no way of controlling his generals. Most of his officers and soldiers were rogues from the market.

"Guan Weifan has been stationed outside Guilin for several days, causing unrest in the neighborhood. He is not good at doing anything, but is always causing trouble. Once Liu Chengyin's troops arrive, the two groups will inevitably fight. "I have discussed with Rui Ting, please go to Guan Weifan's camp, explain the situation to him, and ask him to return to defend Xunzhou. Rui Ting is not convenient to come forward for this matter. You have captured flags and killed generals, and you are meticulous, which is enough for this mission."

The above order was a perfectly normal thing. Qu Shisi was in charge of the army and money of the whole country, and Jiao Lian was the commander of the Guangxi Army. In theory, they could command Chen Bangbo, not to mention Chen Bangbo's subordinates.

But at this time, the imperial court had lost its prestige, its orders were not carried out, the generals were domineering and arbitrary, and the local areas were like separatist vassal states. If Qu Shisi wanted to transfer Guan Weifan away, he had to plan again and again and make careful arrangements.

"Yes!" Cen Danchu answered readily, without any excuses or bargaining.

Jiao Lian was very happy and said to Qu Shisi, "I told you, Danchu is a good kid and he will definitely not shirk his responsibility."

Qu Shisi was also very happy, with a childlike innocence in his smile. He asked, "Danchu, there is one thing I don't understand. Do you have a courtesy name?"

"No," Cen Danchu said obediently. He glanced at Jiao Lian and said, "Please give me a name, Mr. Lord, and Marshal."

Jiao Lian evaded the question by saying, "I am a rough man, how can I understand these things? Your Excellency is well-read, why not give Danchu a name?"

Qu Shisi also humbly said: "Rui Ting, you are the old commander of Danchu, and we are as close as father and son, so you should take it."

The two of them were polite and finally Qu Shisi chose the name. He thought for a moment and said, "The poem says, 'When I think of a gentleman, he is as warm as jade.' It also says, 'There is a gentleman who is like a knife, like a polisher, like a jade.'

"Although Danchu is a military officer, he has a profound inner world, as quiet as a virgin, and like a piece of warm and smooth jade. Jade cannot be made into a useful object without being polished. Danchu, how about giving your courtesy name 'Zhuoru'?"

Zhuoru, Zhuoru, it is indeed a good name. Danchu quickly thanked him and said, "Thank you, Lord, for giving me the name Zhuoru from now on!"

Jiao Lian also struck while the iron was hot and said, "Dan Chu is young, and it is the time for him to study and make progress. Unfortunately, he has wasted a lot of time in my army. Your Excellency is very knowledgeable, I dare to ask you to accept Dan Chu as a student, I wonder if it is okay?"

In ancient times, the etiquette between teachers and students was very important. Teachers relied on students to build up their power, and students also relied on teachers to provide convenience.

Qu Shisi was born into a prominent family in Changshu, Suzhou, with "four generations of successful scholars, a well-known family, and a tradition of loyalty and filial piety." Jiangnan was an important place for Donglin, and Qu Shisi's teacher was Qian Qianyi, the leader of Donglin in the late Ming Dynasty.

In addition, Qu Shisi was also a Catholic. He had close contacts with the Western priest Giulio Aleni. He was later baptized and given the Christian name Thomas.

Qu Shisi was upright and honest, and was very cautious about accepting students. His expression was stern, and he said, "Zhuoru, I can accept you as a student, but you must promise me one thing."

Being able to climb up the shovel was something Cen Danchu had been longing for, so he said, "Your Excellency, please feel free to say anything. I will certainly obey."

Qu Shisi said with great righteousness: "I don't want to be Hong Chengchou, and you must not be Wu Sangui!"

Wu Sangui was successful at a young age and was well-known in the capital. Hong Chengchou was a minister at the time and recruited Wu Sangui as his student. Both of them were pillars of the Ming Dynasty, but they both became traitors. One of them gave advice to the Qing Dynasty on how to govern the Central Plains, and the other simply became the vanguard of the Eight Banners to trample on the Central Plains.

Not to mention them, even Qu Shisi's teacher and fellow townsman Qian Qianyi became a traitor, which made him hate him deeply.

Cen Danchu said resolutely: "I would rather be a ghost with tied hair than a man with shaved hair! Danchu will never surrender to the Qing Dynasty!"

"Okay!" Qu Shisi finally smiled and said, "Then I will accept you as my student!"

Danchu was overjoyed and performed the ceremony of becoming Qu Shisi's disciple.

(End of this chapter)