Huangming

Chapter 36 The Situation in Liaodong, Tingbi Resigns

Zhu Youxiao sat upright on his throne, looking at the two people in front of him, and asked, "What abilities do you two possess? Tell me about them."

Zhang Zhiji immediately cupped his hands and said, "I have a broad knowledge of swords, spears, halberds, archery, firearms, and formations. I read Sun Tzu's Art of War, Jixiao Xinshu, and Wubei Zhi every day. I am skilled with a long spear. My family's spear technique, the 'Eighteen Formations of Yanshan,' allows me to break through enemy shield formations with a twelve-foot iron spear by myself."

Zhu Youxiao looked surprised.

Who would have thought that someone who looks like a debauched playboy would have such skills?

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "Indeed, a talented individual from the Duke's mansion!"

Next, Zhu Youxiao turned his attention to Luo Yangxing.

"This humble officer is not as skilled as Commander Zhang. He knows the Embroidered Spring Knife Technique and the family's Three-Pistol Combo Technique. As for the rest, he is skilled in reconnaissance and interrogation, as well as various other skills."

If we were talking about Boss Zhipin right now, judging from their resumes, Zhang Zhiji's is undoubtedly more attractive, but looking at their overall demeanor, Luo Yangxing is far superior.

This is normal, though, as one was being groomed to become a Duke, and the other was being groomed to become a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhang Zhiji's starting point was the end point for many Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).
"You two are both very capable, which makes me very pleased."

Zhu Youxiao then changed the subject and asked, "Do you know the Five Animal Frolics and the Eight Pieces of Brocade?"

The purpose of summoning these two men was not only to cultivate them into trusted confidants, but also, more importantly, to teach them some martial arts skills.

Even if one cannot fight on the battlefield, one should at least be able to protect oneself and prolong one's life.

Zhu Youxiao felt that his current lifestyle was far too unhealthy.

I spend all my time either sitting or lying down.

It's alright now; I can abstain from sex.

Once the harem is full of concubines, will her small body be able to handle it?

Without proper training, they might not survive more than a few years, just like in the original history.

Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing were taken aback for a moment. Zhang Zhiji stepped forward and said, "I know a little about the Five Animal Frolics."

Luo Yangxing looked at Zhang Zhiji with some gratitude and said, "I have gained some knowledge of the Eight Pieces of Brocade."

Zhu Youxiao nodded and said, "Today we will start by learning the Five Animal Frolics. Commander Zhang, please demonstrate it once."

During the period of national mourning, the successor ruler must "wear plain clothes and stay at home, and cease practicing martial arts." He must not publicly practice weapons, archery, or participate in military exercises, in order to show his grief.

Martial arts training involves weapons (swords, bows and arrows) and the display of force, and is regarded as "murderous weapons" and "a murderous aura," which is contrary to the "solemn and mournful" atmosphere of funerals.

If the heir apparent were to openly practice martial arts, the censor might impeach him for "disrespect and disobedience to funeral rites."

However, health-preserving exercises such as Five Animal Frolics and Eight Pieces of Brocade do not require equipment and have gentle movements, which meet the requirement of "quietness in mourning".

Even if the censor knew, he couldn't impeach him.

"I humble my duty and obey my orders."

Zhang Zhiji assumed a fighting stance, standing with his feet apart and his hands in a tiger claw shape at his sides. He inhaled and tightened his anus; then suddenly lunged forward, his claws reaching out as if tearing something apart, exhaling with a "ha" sound.

After the rehearsal, Zhang Zhiji said to Zhu Youxiao, "Your Majesty, this is a tiger play."

Next, Zhang Zhiji took a left bow stance, his hands loosely clenched as if holding horns, his right arm bent at the elbow and pulled back; he turned his waist to the right, his arms touching like deer antlers, his eyes following his hand movements.

"This is a deer performance!"

After Zhang Zhiji finished practicing the Five Animal Frolics once, Zhu Youxiao discovered that although this guy looked like he had been drained by wine and women, he was actually quite skilled. His hands were covered in calluses, which showed that he had practiced martial arts a lot.

This set of techniques perfectly embodies the ferocity of a tiger, the tranquility of a deer, the composure of a bear, the agility of a monkey, and the swiftness of a bird. Zhang Zhiji has truly captured all of these qualities.

Zhu Youxiao now vaguely senses that Zhang Zhiji is a very talented person, but he lives too comfortably and has no goals, so he can only find fun to kill time every day.

With some polishing, it could very well become a beautiful jade.

After Zhang Zhiji demonstrated the basics of the Five Animal Frolics, Zhu Youxiao broke out in a sweat.

He took the towel Wang Tiqian handed him, wiped the sweat off his body, and drank a cup of hot tea. Needless to say, he felt incredibly refreshed.

"Your Majesty, the Cabinet has sent a memorial."

At this moment, Wei Chao, holding a memorial in his hand, slowly walked into Duanben Hall.

Zhu Youxiao tossed the handkerchief to Wang Tiqian and asked, "Where is this memorial submitted?"

"Your Majesty, it's from Liaodong."

Wei Chao glanced briefly at Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing.

Zhu Youxiao took the memorial, opened it, and found that it was Xiong Tingbi's resignation. His brows immediately furrowed.

Seeing that it was a matter of great importance to the nation, Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing quickly bowed to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and said, "Your Majesty, we take our leave."

Unexpectedly, Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said, "There's no rush to leave."

The two looked at each other, but had no choice but to stop and wait for the emperor's next decree.

After reading Xiong Tingbi's resignation letter, Zhu Youxiao asked the two men, "Who do you think Xiong Tingbi, the Liaodong Military Commissioner, is?"

Xiong Tingbi?
Zhang Zhiji immediately replied, "This humble official dares not speak presumptuously about high-ranking officials of the court."

This non-stick pan technology is indeed inherited from Zhang Weixian. Zhu Youxiao said, "I pardon you all; I just want to hear your opinions."

Zhang Zhiji lowered his head and remained silent, seemingly organizing his thoughts. Luo Yangxing, wanting to make a good impression on the new emperor, stepped forward and said, "Xiong Tingbi beheaded Liu Yujie and Wang Jie, who had fled from Qinghe, and displayed their heads at the border. The soldiers trembled with fear, and the enemy cavalry dared not approach the border for more than a month. My father once said: Xiong's character is as strong as iron, and he has found a worthy man in Liaodong."

This Luo Yangxing seems to be a pure martial artist; after only a few words, he betrayed his own father, Luo Sigong.

"What does the commander think?"

Sensing the emperor's gaze, Zhang Zhiji knew he could no longer play the coward, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "General Xiong is skilled in military administration and has the spirit of a scholar-general. However, the current situation in Liaodong is inseparable from him. I am not familiar with the situation in Liaodong and dare not make any judgments."

That little rascal.

"Could it be that the reports from the Embroidered Uniform Guard to Liaodong, and the impeachment memorials submitted by the border generals, are not true reports from Liaodong?"

How should I answer this question?

Zhang Zhiji quickly knelt down on the ground.

Every question His Majesty asked seemed to have a hidden trap.

Answering one question means falling into a pit.

Bitter!

“This humble servant is completely ignorant of national affairs, as well as these impeachment memorials, and even less aware of the specific situation in Liaodong.”

Zhang Zhiji simply pretended to be stupid.

However, pretending to be stupid in front of Zhu Youxiao was of no use.

"What if I insist that you give me a reason?"

Zhang Zhiji faced the marble floor, his eyes darting around, his thoughts racing.

"If Your Majesty wishes to understand the current situation in Liaodong, you might as well summon someone who once worked in Liaodong and ask them for clarification. The former Liaodong mining tax eunuch, Gao Huai, is currently at Zhenjue Temple. Your Majesty can summon him and ask him for clarification."

Since there's no way to escape it, the only option is to find someone to take the blame.

silence.

The hall was completely silent.

Zhang Zhiji's forehead was covered in a fine sweat. He now understood why his father often sighed after meeting the emperor, saying that the Ming Dynasty was saved on one hand, and that the Duke's mansion was doomed on the other, as if he had lost his mind.

Your Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition. Can the Duke of England's mansion handle such immense power and wealth?

"Get up."

Zhang Zhiji breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Zhu Youxiao's voice.

He crawled out of the ground, as if he had been soaked in water.

Zhu Youxiao walked with his hands behind his back to the carved railing in front of the palace, watching the bronze bells hanging from the eaves ring softly in the wind. Suddenly, he turned and looked directly at Zhang Zhiji, saying, "I am not as indecisive as the late emperor, nor am I blind or deaf!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Yangxing trembled slightly.

Zhang Zhiji's Adam's apple bobbed as he was about to speak, but Zhu Youxiao raised his hand to stop him.

"The British Duke's family has controlled the Beijing Garrison for generations, and Zhang Fu's 'Pingnan Strategy' from the Yongle era, written during his campaign against Annam, is still kept in the Wuying Hall."

The young emperor suddenly stepped closer.

"Do you know why I want you, the eldest son of a duke, to learn the Five Animal Frolics?"

Cold sweat trickled down Zhang Zhiji's forehead, and the sandalwood incense in the hall was suddenly blown away by the draft.

He recalled the emperor's focused and imitative posture during the tiger performance, a sharp gaze that only a veteran of the battlefield could possess.

That look.
Murderous!
"What I intend to change is not just Liaodong."

Zhu Youxiao suddenly pushed open the sill window, and the September autumn wind, carrying a musty smell, rushed in, making the memorials on the desk rustle.

In the distance, the faint sound of the clappers of the Five City Garrison on night patrol could be heard outside the palace walls.

"Sixty percent of the three major military camps are empty vacancies; the annual revenue of the Imperial Granary is less than half of what it was in the early Wanli period; and the reports of ghost soldiers in the nine border garrisons are piled up higher than the steps of the Qianqing Palace—if these festering sores aren't punctured, the Ming Dynasty will rot to its very core!"

"Your father secretly reported that half of the gun barrels in the Beijing garrison's firearms depot are rusted. I remember this." Zhu Youxiao's tone suddenly softened as he took a yellowed book from the sandalwood box held by Wang Tiqian.

"This is the original manuscript of Qi Shaobao's 'True Records of Military Training.' Since you are familiar with 'New Book of Military Efficiency,' you should understand what I want."

Zhang Zhiji crawled two steps on his knees and solemnly accepted the book. Upon touching it, he discovered that the draft of "Memorial on the Reform of the Beijing Garrison" was tucked between the pages, with annotations in red ink pendant penetrating the back of the paper.

He suddenly looked up and met the emperor's burning gaze.

"From this day forward, the title of Duke of England that I desire is not a plaque or inscription for a noble."

Zhu Youxiao leaned down and pressed down on Zhang Zhiji's shoulder, his voice as soft as falling snowflakes.

"He is the Yanshan general who can wield a twelve-foot iron spear and charge alongside me."

Do you understand?

(End of this chapter)