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

Chapter 18: Troublemaking
The sky was gloomy and the rain was drizzling.

Mountains and waters alternate, rain and fog linger. If we ignore the difficult times, Guilin's landscapes are the best in the world, and there is a hazy beauty between heaven and earth.

Jiao Lian brought Cen Danchu back to Guilin and explained to Qu Shisi the plans for expanding the army and relocating the camp. On the way, they met the angel Qu Shawei and traveled with him.

Qu Shawei, a Jesuit priest from Remani (today translated as Austria), entered China during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen. He could speak Chinese, wore Chinese clothes, and had his hair tied up like a Ming Dynasty man. He was in charge of the Imperial Observatory during the reign of Emperor Yongli.

Qu Shawei was very close to Emperor Yongli and often went to the palace to preach. In order to win the support of the Roman Catholic Church, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, the concubines, the Crown Prince, etc. were all baptized as Catholics. For a time, the trend of religious belief was prevalent in the palace.

This was the first time Cen Danchu had seen the barbarians since he traveled through time, and he realized that what the history books said was true. The Ming Dynasty was in the Age of Exploration, and it was not uncommon for barbarians to come to China. Officials like Qu Shawei in the court had been common since the Tianqi period.

Missionaries also actively participated in activities such as calendaring, cannon casting, and military training, hoping to increase their influence.

Jiao Lian and Qu Shawei rode side by side, with Cen Danchu following closely behind.

Jiao Lian was very curious and asked, "May I ask Angel, what is the important matter that brings you to Guilin this time?"

Qu Sha smiled slightly and said, "Two good things and one bad thing. Which one do you want to hear first, Marshal?"

"Of course I'll listen to the good news first."

"First, there are 300 Portuguese soldiers who are about to go to Guilin. The captain is called Ferreira, who is good at using artillery, and the priest accompanying the army is Franciscan Bi. Last year, I was ordered by the emperor to go to Macau..."

Last year, Qu Shawei was ordered to go to Macau to seek help from the Portuguese governor. The governor did not dare to offend the Qing invaders and only gave him 80 matchlock guns.

Qu Shiwei also gained something else in Macau and received a positive response from missionary Bi Fangji.

Bi Fangji, also known as Jinliang, was an Italian who came to China during the Wanli reign and was quite active. During the Tianqi reign, Bi Fangji presided over the revision of the calendar. During the Chongzhen reign, he returned to Macau to make cannons.

He had a good relationship with Emperor Longwu. When Emperor Longwu lived in the palace, he summoned Bi Fangji to the palace to discuss Western learning. In the ninth year of Chongzhen, Emperor Longwu was imprisoned in the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum, bullied by the eunuchs guarding the mausoleum, and was helpless. Bi Fangji ran around and lobbied Lu Zhenfei to save him.

After the death of Emperor Longwu, Bi Fangji fled to Macau. Qu Shiwei arrived in Macau and they hit it off. Later, Qu Shiwei returned and reunited. Bi Fangji recruited 300 foreign soldiers in Macau and was about to arrive in Guilin.

Cen Danchu couldn't help but ask, "May I ask the angel, do these 300 Portuguese soldiers carry red cannons?"

Qu Shawei looked back at Cen Danchu and smiled at him politely. He was a typical German, tall, with a high nose bridge, blond hair and blue eyes. Because he was immersed in Confucianism, Qu Shawei was polite and had the demeanor of a Confucian scholar.

Jiao Lian took the opportunity to introduce Cen Danchu.

Qu Shawei was very surprised and said, "It is said that the young general is so brave that he captured the flag and killed the general in the midst of thousands of troops. I didn't expect it to be you!"

The Ming army was repeatedly defeated, losing cities and territories, and the court needed a victory. The scale of the Guilin battle was not large, but when the news reached the Quanzhou Palace, it excited the court officials.

Cen Danchu clasped his fists in the direction of Quanzhou and said, "Thanks to the Emperor's blessing and the Marshal's support, I have made some small contributions."

Although Qu Shawei was a barbarian, he was familiar with Chinese culture and had been immersed in the court for a long time. He was very satisfied with Cen Danchu's humble attitude and said, "Young general is a true Confucian general."

Back to the issue of the red cannon, Qu Shawei said: "The Portuguese soldiers traveled thousands of miles without carrying any cannons. However, they did have cannons, which is the second thing I want to say. "Last year, I went to Macau with the eunuch Pang Tianshou and returned with ten craftsmen. In the first month of the year, the emperor visited Quanzhou, and Tianshou was ordered to supervise the production of red cannons in Quanzhou. Ten cannons have been cast so far.

"The emperor ordered Anguogong Liu Chengyin to send 3,000 troops to aid Guangxi, with Pang Tianshou accompanying him. The army has already moved camp. Pang Tianshou is escorting ten cannons with him, and will serve as the commander-in-chief after arriving in Guangxi..."

Eunuchs were a disaster for the country and were an important reason for the demise of the Ming Dynasty. The Yongli court also had many eunuchs, and the one with the worst character was Wang Kun, who had been expelled by Liu Chengyin.

Pang Tianshou was already sixty years old. He was the eunuch in charge of the imperial horses during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen, and served in both the reigns of Emperors Hongguang and Longwu. He was one of the earliest eunuchs to be baptized as a Catholic, and he took Qu Shawei as his teacher.

In terms of character, Pang Tianshou was slightly better than Wang Kun, but he was hardworking, courageous and willing to take on responsibilities, so he was deeply trusted by Emperor Yongli.

In fact, it was under Pang Tianshou's persuasion that the Empress Dowager, Empress, and Crown Prince of the Yongli Dynasty converted to Catholicism. Emperor Yongli was so excited that he even wanted to be baptized in order to obtain the protection of the church.

The ministers strongly opposed it: the emperor has the important task of spreading Confucianism. If he believes in Catholicism, how will the Confucian scholars in the world feel? Emperor Yongli gave up.

When they heard that Pang Tianshou was sent to Guilin as a military supervisor, Jiao Lian and Cen Danchu looked at each other and smiled bitterly. In the Ming Dynasty, the military supervisors were often appointed by the emperor, which often led to mistakes. Emperor Yongli did not learn his lesson and sent Pang Tianshou to Guilin. I really don't know what he was thinking.

Guilin is a small place, but it already has a "Guilin garrison commander", a "commander-in-chief of the Guangxi Army", and now there is another "commander-in-chief of all armies". Your Majesty, Your Majesty, which one do you want?
Jiao Lian had been in Guangxi for many years and had heard a lot about the inner workings of the court. He asked, "Our court has always valued eunuchs. I heard that when Eunuch Pang went to Macau, he was ostracized by Wang Kun. Now that Wang Kun has left, Eunuch Pang has learned from the past. I wonder if he has become more restrained?"

Qu Sha shrugged slightly and said, "Eunuch Pang is not as arrogant as Wang Kun. Just think about it, Marshal, he is older than me, but he worships me as his teacher. How can Wang Kun compare to him in terms of forbearance and concealment?"

The rain was getting heavy and everyone put on raincoats.

Cen Danchu had never had a good impression of eunuchs, and said coldly: “Forgive me for being blunt, but eunuchs are mentally handicapped, and they are favored by the emperor, so they can act arrogantly outside the court.

"Pang Tianshou is willing to take on the work, has some talent, and can be tolerant, which may not be a blessing for the country. Eunuchs supervising the army often make mistakes. Marshal, the Qing invaders will soon make a comeback. In the future, only you can preside over the battle in Guilin, and you must stick to your opinion."

Jiao Lian agreed with Cen Danchu's words in his heart, but criticized him in front of Qu Shawei: "Zhuoru, don't talk nonsense in front of the angel official!"

Qu Shawei did not take it as an offense and said, "It's okay. Although I am Eunuch Pang's teacher, I don't think highly of him. Apart from other things, Eunuch Pang is a Catholic and is not very pious. His actions are often contrary to the doctrine. I really don't know how to persuade him."

Jiao Lian did not consider him as his own, but Qu Shawei had heard of Jiao Lian's reputation for a long time and wanted to make friends with him, so she revealed a piece of important news:
"General, I told you something bad is going to happen. Liu Chengyin sent his brother Liu Chengyong to lead 3,000 soldiers to Guangxi. He has bad intentions and wants to hold you hostage. General, you should prepare for the worst and send elite soldiers to guard us.

"The emperor ignored the overall situation and ordered the governor to go to Quanzhou to help him. Liu Chengyin also wanted to hold the governor hostage and control the internal and external affairs. I am on a diplomatic mission to Guilin this time, and I have received an imperial edict to summon the governor back to the imperial court.

"Liu Shou is my fellow believer, and I don't want to harm him. If he follows the order to go to Quanzhou, it would be tantamount to walking into a trap. Therefore, I will secretly inform Liu Shou and ask him to hold on to Guilin. Liu Chengyong is coming with his troops, and only the Marshal can protect him!"

Damn it, what the hell is going on! With a powerful enemy at hand, Pang Tianshou and Liu Chengyin both came to sabotage us!

Is it possible that no one cares about the safety of Guilin? Is it possible that no one is sincerely serving the country?
Cen Danchu was filled with grief and indignation.

In the distance, Guilin city is getting closer and closer, and its outline is gradually becoming clearer.

(End of this chapter)