The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 73 Glory
"So the soldiers under Lieutenant General Liu are so powerful and majestic. No wonder they were able to defend Kaiyuan City and kill so many Tartars!"

It was still a bit chilly in the early morning of May under the Little Glacier. The thin Lu Shou coughed from time to time and grinned.

Liu Zhaosun felt that there was something flattering and sad in his smile.

Liu Zhaosun had no prejudice against the eunuch group in the Ming Dynasty. In fact, during the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs made outstanding contributions in foreign warfare, intelligence gathering, economic activities, diplomatic tribute and other fields.

For example, the famous eunuch Ma Yun (Note 1) held military power and assisted Zhu Di in the Northern Expedition.

Zhu Di died on his way back from his last northern expedition. Eunuch Ma Yun and Grand Secretaries Yang Rong and Jin Youzi decided not to announce his death and led the army back safely, thus stabilizing the political situation and successfully allowing Zhu Gaochi to succeed to the throne.

During the Zhengtong period, eunuchs Wu Cheng and Cao Jixiang were even appointed by Emperor Yingzong as generals to go to Sichuan to quell the rebellion.

In the early years of the Yongle reign, the eunuch Li Da led an envoy on a risky journey westward, arriving in present-day Afghanistan and conveying the Ming Dynasty's peaceful desire for trade to the Central Asian countries.

As for the achievements made by eunuchs in other fields during the Ming Dynasty, they are too numerous to mention.

Of course, all of the above great achievements have been ignored by official history without exception, or simply described as "eunuchs abusing their power."

Why did the eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty leave behind the image of being cold-blooded, greedy and perverted? We have to ask the civil servants who wrote history.

Liu Zhaosun looked at Lu Shou who was standing in front of him. In the original history, after Wei Zhongxian came to power, this eunuch in charge of the seal had a miserable end.

In history, this Eunuch Lu was a harmless and mediocre person, yet he met an unhappy end. Sometimes, being poor may be the original sin.

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, neither of which made any sense. Lu Shou coughed twice, then stood up and left, saying that he would go back and report to the emperor and prepare to present the prisoners at the Meridian Gate today.

Liu Zhaosun watched Lu Shou's thin figure walking away, and suddenly felt that this man was somewhat similar to the old farmer he met in the rice field that day.

He felt pity and followed him from behind. The two young eunuchs beside Lu Shou were shocked, not knowing what this warrior was going to do.

"Father, I happened to find a Korean ginseng when I was in Kaiyuan. It was picked from Changbai Mountain. Although it is not expensive, it is very nutritious. Seeing that you are weak, perhaps it can be used..."

Lu Shou stared at Liu Zhaosun blankly, silent.

At this time, Jin Yuji had brought a small wooden box and handed it to Liu Zhaosun with confusion. Brigadier Liu didn't care whether the other party accepted it or not and forced it into Lu Shou's hands.

The young eunuchs nearby turned their heads away as if they didn't see anything.

Since he was promoted to the eunuch in charge of the seal in the 46th year of Wanli, Lu Shou became the target of attack by civil officials. He was sandwiched between the emperor and the officials and existed as a complete shield.

Especially after Yang Hao was dismissed from office recently, there were rumors in the palace that Lu Shou would be finished soon, so now the eunuchs of the Twenty-Four Prisons refused to obey his control, and even the Jinyiwei of the Zhenfu Division often went against him.

Although Lu Shou was very low-key, he could not escape the attacks of the censors and imperial court officials. The censors attacked him for corruption and bribery, and then accused him of keeping beautiful concubines.

Under such circumstances, even the lowest-ranking officials in Beijing stayed away from him, fearing that they would have any connection with this unlucky guy.

So yesterday, Lu Shou consciously did not walk with Fang Congzhe and the others, but mingled with a group of young eunuchs and low-ranking Beijing officials.

"What does Lieutenant General Liu mean?"

Lu Shou looked at Liu Zhaosun with a puzzled look. He knew that the Korean ginseng in the box might not be expensive and could probably be bought in the capital.

But why was this Lieutenant General Liu, whom he had never met before, so concerned about him? He must know that he could be exiled to Nanjing at any time, and even his life might be in danger. "Don't think too much, eunuch. I just remembered an old friend who is also in Kaiyuan. I just want to ask for your health. There is no other intention. Please go back, eunuch. The emperor is waiting."

Lu Shou said nothing more, but just bowed and walked a few steps. Suddenly he turned around and said:

"I've long heard that Brigadier General Liu was a heroic young man. Seeing him today, I'm sure he's truly an extraordinary man. I also know about your relationship with Wei Zhongxian. It's a shame that I, in my old age, couldn't witness the general's achievements in person! Now prepare to go to the Meridian Gate; the Emperor should be arriving soon!"

Liu Zhaosun watched Lu Shou go away, then turned back to look at Jin Yuji who was still bewildered, and said with a smile:
"Raise the flag and go see the Emperor!"

The twelve-foot-tall Lieutenant General's flag was raised high, and the Kaiyuan army stationed in the city wall immediately withdrew their camp. The blue flag was raised, and three hundred soldiers lined up.

Soldiers from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Five Cities Army were clearing the road ahead.

When the people heard that captives would be presented at the imperial palace today, many of them got up early and blocked the gate of the city wall, especially the ladies in the capital. In the late Ming Dynasty, the customs of the people were quite open. Not to mention the Jiangnan region, even in the capital, customs like widows remarrying, men dressing up as women, women dressing up as men, and running around naked were commonplace and the citizens were no longer surprised.

Some women along the street who did not have time to take a seat simply opened the windows and propped up the window frames with wooden sticks, just like Jinlian when she first saw Ximen, staring blankly at the entrance of the city gate.

Everyone wanted to see Liu Zhaosun's handsome face. After Liu Zhaosun appeared in Wengcheng yesterday, rumors about his handsomeness like Pan An and his elegant demeanor spread in the capital. Overnight, the people of the capital were surprised to find that there was such a handsome general in the Ming Dynasty. It was a pity to keep him in Liaodong.

At the beginning of the Si hour, Liu Zhaosun rode on a white warhorse and slowly walked out of the Zuoanmen city wall, followed by three hundred soldiers.

Although the Pacification Office and the Military Affairs Office had cleared the way, the roads were still crowded with onlookers, and the people of the capital shouted "Hero! Hero!"

Colored paper and flowers were constantly thrown out of the windows along the street, and some bold Mongolian women shouted in Mongolian, which Liu Zhaosun could not understand, and opened their arms towards him.

The Ming Dynasty inherited the Yuan system, and the capital was also established on the basis of Yuan Dadu. Unlike several Manchu chiefs, Zhu Yuanzhang did not adopt a planned slaughter policy against the Mongols during his Northern Expedition, so there were always Mongols gathering in the capital of the Ming Dynasty.

These Mongolian women have different personalities from Han women. Not only are they good at singing and dancing, but they also tend to be quite playful.

Liu Zhaosun felt dizzy.

He waved to the people around him and looked up at the sky. The sky was full of falling petals. Peach blossoms fluttered out from the windows and landed on everyone, making them feel like they were in a sea of flowers.

Jin Yuji felt that these Mongolian women were very hateful, especially the plump Tumed women who not only threw fruits at her but also flirted with Liu Zhaosun...
The Kaiyuan soldiers were marching in neat square formations, each wearing fine armor and holding a long sword with Jiannu heads pierced on the blade. Behind the soldiers, eight auxiliary soldiers pulled two carriages, which were piled with Jiannu heads. At the end of the team, one hundred Later Jin prisoners, their legs and feet linked with iron chains, were escorted by twenty soldiers and slowly followed behind the column.

The appearance of the Later Jin captives triggered a wave of anger among the people of the capital. People exchanged their peach blossom fruits for rotten vegetable leaves and clods of earth, throwing them at the spiritless Later Jin soldiers. The Zhenfu Division and the Bingmas Division tried their best to stop them, but they were unable to stop the angry crowd.

Because the Ming army was defeated at Sarhu, rumors spread throughout the capital, and unscrupulous merchants took the opportunity to raise prices.

For this city that relies heavily on the canal and trade, any disturbance in the surrounding area will eventually turn into a terrible surge in commodity prices, which will be paid for by the people of the capital.

In the spring of the 47th year of the Wanli reign, the prices of rice, coal and vegetables in the capital skyrocketed. The people complained bitterly and wished that Yang Hao and Nurhaci would be executed by slow slicing.

From this perspective, it is understandable that Yuan Chonghuan was executed by Emperor Chongzhen after the Ji Si Incident, because at that time, the difficulties faced by the people in the capital were no longer as simple as soaring prices.

A group of Kaiyuan soldiers, led by Liu Zhaosun, marched along Nancheng Street towards the Wumen Gate in the northwest.

A hundred steps away from the Ming army, the Ditan Temple, built in the 18th year of Yongle, stands quietly in the bright spring sunshine. The glazed tiles on the top sparkle in the sunlight, and the peculiarly shaped fighting beasts raise their heads to the sky, as if telling people about the former glory of the Ming Empire.

Note:
1. Xinmao, died at the age of sixty-five. Eunuch Ma Yun secretly conspired with Grand Secretaries Yang Rong and Jin Youzi to keep the death a secret, as the six armies were stationed outside. They melted tin to make a coffin for the body, and carried it on a dragon carriage. Wherever he went, he was served meals morning and night as usual. — "Ming History: Chronicle of Emperor Chengzu"

(End of this chapter)