Huangming

Chapter 432 Mutiny and Chaos Arise, Unexpected Changes Occur
Zhenguo Mansion.

It was originally the residence of Prince Zhu Hui, the Prince of Gu, in the early Ming Dynasty, and was later expanded by Jiang Bin during the Zhengde period.

Although more than a century has passed, many places remain unrepaired and dilapidated.

However, the secluded courtyards, layered and staggered, and the pleasant gardens make it a good place to live.

now.

Zhang Heming sat in the flower hall of the east courtyard, having just rinsed his mouth with warm water.

The servants had already served breakfast:
A plate of steaming pork and cabbage buns, a bowl of millet porridge, and two plates of refreshing pickles.

He picked up a steamed bun, took a bite, and found the dough soft and the meat filling savory. His nerves, which had been tense for days due to the situation in Xuanfu, finally relaxed for a moment.

He slept soundly last night. The bed in the Zhenguo Mansion was incredibly luxurious, much more comfortable than the hard bed in the post station. He didn't even have a dream.

"Sir, the porridge is still warm, please eat slowly."

The servant gently reminded him and added another spoonful of porridge to his bowl.

Zhang Heming nodded and was about to eat another steamed bun when a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, making the blue bricks creak.

He looked up and saw Li Zhong, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, covered in sweat, clutching a series of sealed letters with wax in his hands. His face was deathly pale, and even the wings of his official hat were askew, clearly indicating that he had run all the way here.

"My lord! Something terrible has happened!"

Li Zhong rushed into the flower hall, his voice urgent.

Zhang Heming paused, his hand holding the steamed bun stiffening, and his brows furrowed instantly.

"Why are you so panicked?"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard is usually very composed, so Li Zhong's outburst must mean something terrible has happened.

"It's...it's a matter from the General's Office!"

Li Zhong stepped forward and handed the secret letter to Zhang Heming, his voice trembling as he spoke.

"At dawn this morning, our brothers who were lying in ambush outside the General's Mansion intercepted a secret letter destined for Datong Town. It was sent out through a side gate of the General's Mansion and was delivered by Wang Guoliang's personal guard!"

You'll understand once you read the letter!

Zhang Heming's heart sank. He put down the steamed bun in his hand, wiped his fingers on his knee, and took the secret letter.

The sealed letter was stamped with a small, dark red mark, which was the private seal of the Xuanfu General's Office.

He had seen this mark yesterday when he checked the documents at the General's Office; there was no mistake.

He broke the wax seal, pulled out the letter inside, unfolded it, and his pupils suddenly contracted, his face instantly turning from calm to ashen.

The handwriting on the letter was messy, but it was Wang Guoliang's handwriting.

The petition that Wang Guoliang handed over the other day was written in this handwriting.

The letter read:

"The Liao troops under Chen Ce and Qi Jin have already left Liaodong and will arrive at Jizhou in a few days. Their intentions are self-evident."

Do you know the fate of the former troops of Jizhou and the surrendered generals of Liaodong?

All because they did not plan ahead, they ended up being beheaded.

Xuanfu and Datong are interdependent. If I, your brother, do not take any action, I fear I will be killed by the sword tomorrow!

I have secretly ordered my generals to prepare the troops. If you, brother, are willing to join me in resisting the Liao army, and wait for the response from the various garrisons along the nine borders, Your Majesty will not dare to act rashly.

If you hesitate, brother, it may be too late to regret it!

At the end of the letter, the seal of the Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu was prominently displayed, the ink still bright red and not yet completely dry.

This seal was issued by the imperial court and is by no means a forgery!
"Wang Guoliang... does he really intend to rebel?"

Zhang Heming was furious.

Yesterday, Ma Shilong said that Wang Guoliang had already shown signs of backing down. How could he have dared to secretly communicate with the General of Datong and incite a rebellion overnight?
He recalled Wang Guoliang's hesitant expression the day before, and the three military officers who had voluntarily confessed their crimes, and felt a chill creep up from the soles of his feet to his heart.

That old fox was just pretending to be a coward!
On the surface, he seemed to be wary of the Liao army's southward advance, but in reality, he was contacting external aid, hoping to use the power of the nine border garrisons to resist the imperial court!
"Minister, look at this seal..."

Li Zhong added from the side, his tone full of solemnity.

"There is absolutely no possibility of forgery; this is the official seal of the Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu!"

Zhang Heming took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, folded the letter again, and clenched it in his hand.

The air in the flower hall seemed to freeze.

The steamed buns on the table were still hot, but Zhang Heming had long lost his appetite.

"Issue my imperial orders!"

Zhang Heming suddenly stood up, his tone filled with anger.

"Immediately order Ma Shilong to reorganize his troops and guard the four gates of Xuanhua Prefecture, strictly prohibiting the general's office personnel from entering or leaving at will."

Li Zhong, you take the Embroidered Uniform Guard and keep a close watch on the General's Mansion. If anyone or anything leaves the city, capture them immediately!

Furthermore, send a messenger at full speed to report this matter to His Majesty, explaining the sudden change in the situation in Xuanfu and requesting His Majesty's instructions!

"The general will obey the order!"

Li Zhong bowed in response and turned to leave.

It didn't take long.

Ma Shilong then arrived at the Zhenguo Mansion.

He had practically ridden his horse all the way here and into the Zhenguo Mansion, and was now covered in sweat.

"Minister! You suddenly ordered the sealing of the four gates of Xuanhua Prefecture. What happened?"

Upon hearing Ma Shilong's voice, Zhang Heming abruptly looked up, slammed the secret letter onto the table, and said:
"Look for yourself! Wang Guoliang is plotting a rebellion!"

Ma Shilong quickly stepped forward, picked up the secret letter with both hands, and scanned its contents with his eyes.

His face instantly went from astonishment to ashen, and his hands trembled slightly.

But a moment later, his brows furrowed again, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes:

"Minister, something's not right."

"Something's wrong?"

Zhang Heming said coldly:
"The seal is here, and the handwriting is no different from what Wang Guoliang usually writes. What else could be wrong?"

"The timing was wrong."

Ma Shilong put down the secret letter, his tone somewhat doubtful.

"When I went to see him yesterday, he was still hesitating about whether to confess his crimes. Even when Hei Yunlong advised him to disobey orders, he didn't budge. How could he dare to contact Datong to rebel overnight?"

"Perhaps someone forged a secret letter to force Wang Guoliang to actually rebel, or to frame him and muddy the waters."

"Forgery?"

Zhang Heming's anger subsided slightly, and a sense of unease began to rise in his heart.

Although he had just arrived in Xuanfu, he knew that Wang Guoliang was a cunning old fox who sought to avoid danger and seek profit. Just the other day he was afraid of Xiong Tingbi's army, so how could he suddenly have the guts to rebel?

"It would be better to summon him to the Zhenguo Mansion for a confrontation."

“If he has a clear conscience, he will come when summoned.”

If he truly harbored rebellious intentions, he would surely make excuses and even dare not show his face.

We currently lack concrete evidence. If we unjustly accuse a general and drive the situation in Xuanfu to a dead end, neither of us can bear the responsibility.

Zhang Heming stared at the secret letter for a long time, finally taking a deep breath to suppress his anxiety:

"Alright, do as you say. Send someone to the General's Mansion immediately to summon him, saying I have important matters to discuss and that he should come immediately."

Before the messenger could leave, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the main hall, and a Jinyiwei commander, his face deathly pale, burst in:

"Minister! A mutiny has broken out at the Western Camp outside the city!"

The soldiers gathered at the camp gate, shouting "We demand rations and pay! We oppose the purge!" and even smashed the supply depot!

"Mutiny?!"

Zhang Heming suddenly stood up.

His lingering doubts vanished instantly in the face of this sudden mutiny.

The secret letter had just arrived when the military camp mutinied. Wasn't this all premeditated by Wang Guoliang?
"Deputy General Ma, how many capable men do we have... how many fighting men do we have?"

"If Wang Guoliang really rebels, can we hold out until the Liao army arrives?"

Seeing the panic in Zhang Heming's eyes, Ma Shilong quickly stepped forward and reassured him in a deep voice:

"Minister, do not panic!"
The three thousand soldiers from the Imperial Guard that I brought are all veterans of the battles fought in Liaodong under Commander Xiong. Each one of them is worth ten men, and they are now guarding the area around the Zhenguo Mansion and its four gates.

Even if Wang Guoliang were to rebel, his soldiers wouldn't be able to break through!

I guarantee your safety with my life!

Those soldiers from the Beijing garrison were survivors of the Liaodong battlefield; they had seen blood and fought to the death, far superior to the pampered border troops from Xuanfu who embezzled their pay.

Ma Shilong has this confidence.

Looking at Ma Shilong's calm expression, Zhang Heming's heart, which had been in his throat, finally slowly settled back down.

He leaned on the corner of the table, slowly sat down, and took a deep breath:

"Okay... I'm relieved to hear you say that."

"I hereby issue this imperial order: the garrison troops at the four gates of the capital are to be on high alert. Furthermore, send men to the western camp to investigate and find out who instigated the mutinous soldiers!"

And this moment.

Amidst the chaos at the West Camp, several men dressed in ordinary soldier's uniforms mingled in the crowd, shouting loudly:

"The general is about to be arrested by the imperial envoy!"
"The rations and pay we were previously withheld are now being settled, and we might even be beheaded!"

These people were Hei Yunlong's confidants. They sneaked into the camp under cover of darkness last night, and this morning, taking advantage of the rumors of a "secret letter plotting rebellion," they stirred up trouble and turned the soldiers' long-suppressed resentment into an out-of-control mutiny.

at the same time.

Inside the main hall of the Xuanfu General's Mansion, however, was a completely different scene.

Wang Guoliang, dressed in a slightly worn casual outfit, held a wolf-hair brush in his hand and began to write on a plain sheet of paper.

Most of the charges were "minor offenses" such as "embezzling fifty taels of silver from military pay" or "overreporting twenty vacancies." As for serious crimes such as seizing farmland from military households, driving soldiers' families to their deaths, or embezzling tens of thousands of taels of silver from horse prices, not a single word was mentioned.

He figured he could first admit to some minor mistakes, then make up for some of the embezzled money, and that way he could get away with it and keep his position as general.

"General! Disaster! Disaster!"

at this time.

Urgent shouts and chaotic footsteps burst in as Hei Yunlong practically slammed open the door to the main hall.

He wasn't even fully armored, only wearing a tunic, his hair disheveled and plastered to his forehead, his face covered in dust, his eyes filled with panic. He rushed to the desk as soon as he entered, his voice trembling:
"Liao soldiers... Liao soldiers have arrived at Jizhou!"
That old bastard Zhang Heming sent troops to block all four gates of Xuanhua. I had just passed through the north gate when I saw that the Beijing garrison had set up their muskets!

Some people also said that he received a secret decree from His Majesty.

His Majesty temporarily stabilized us because the situation in Liaodong was still uncertain.

Now that Liaodong is pacified, 100,000 Liaodong troops are marching south. His Majesty has no intention of letting us go; he intends to wipe us all out, just like he did with Jizhou and Liaodong!

"what?!"

Wang Guoliang suddenly stood up, his face drained of all color in an instant:

"This is impossible! His Majesty clearly stated that 'pacifying the borders is the priority,' how could he suddenly change his mind?"

He staggered to the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and looked outside.

The guards in front of the mansion paced back and forth nervously, and the figures of the Beijing garrison soldiers could be vaguely seen in the distant streets and alleys. His heart sank.

But then he shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of self-consolation:

"wrong……

Jizhou is two days away from Xuanfu. Even if the Liao soldiers arrive, Zhang Heming should wait until the Liao soldiers are at the border before making a move. Why would he choose now?

He only has three thousand soldiers from the Beijing garrison. Isn't he afraid we'll rebel?
Something's not right!

Seeing that he was still hesitating, Hei Yunlong stomped his feet in frustration, stepped forward, grabbed Wang Guoliang's arm, and spoke in a very low voice, but with a fierce tone.

"The commander-in-chief thought Zhang Heming was waiting for Liao soldiers."
He was afraid that things might get complicated if he waited too long!

Wang Guoliang's arm ached from being gripped so tightly, and his mind was in complete turmoil.

He had considered rebelling, but when he thought of Xiong Tingbi's elite troops in Liaodong and how His Majesty had even captured Huang Taiji alive, he felt that rebellion would lead to certain death.

How could his soldiers fight against the Beijing garrison?
Before he could gather his thoughts, the guard rushed in from outside, knelt on one knee, and said in a strained voice:
"General, the Imperial Envoy has sent someone to discuss important matters. He requests that you go to the Zhenguo Mansion immediately to explain the situation in person."

"They're here! Look! They're here!"

Hei Yunlong, as if grasping at a straw, pointed at his personal guards and shouted.

"This is hardly a 'discussion'!"
It's clearly a matter of capturing the leader first!

If you, General, were to go to the Zhenguo Mansion, the gates would be closed and the Beijing garrison would surround you, and you wouldn't even have a chance to draw your sword and fight back!

Not only will you die, but all the generals of Xuanfu will also be buried with you!

Wang Guoliang stood frozen in place.

He recalled Hei Yunlong's words about "Liao soldiers marching south" and "the four gates being blocked," and when he heard his personal guards say "go immediately," doubts welled up in his heart like a tide.

Could what Hei Yunlong said be true? Is His Majesty really going to take action against Xuanfu?
His palms slowly became sweaty, his steps faltered, and even his breathing became rapid.

Going to Zhenguo Mansion would be like a lamb entering a tiger's den.

But if they didn't go, it would be considered disobeying orders, further solidifying the charge of "treason."

On one side was a possible dead end, and on the other was an inevitable dead end. Wang Guoliang stood there, feeling for the first time that he was walking on the edge of a cliff.

Seeing his hesitation, Hei Yunlong's eyes flashed with a ruthless glint, but he softened his tone, making it somewhat seductive:

"Commander, now is not the time to hesitate!"
If you give the nod, I will immediately go and summon the generals of all the garrisons. We still have more than 30,000 soldiers at our disposal. Even if we can't defeat the Liao army, we can still force His Majesty to make concessions!

If we surrender without resistance, we'll lose our families and all our possessions!

Wang Guoliang opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbed twice, but no sound came out.

After a full half-cup of tea's time in silence, he spoke again:
"We're going to the Zhenguo Mansion, but not inside."

I waited outside the mansion gate with my personal guards and asked Zhang Heming to come out and talk.

"Let's clarify things. If it's a misunderstanding, let's clear it up. If Your Majesty truly intends to punish Xuanfu, I will confess my crimes on the spot. It's better than being branded as 'disobedient and rebellious.'"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured on the head of a dark cloud.

He stomped his foot and stepped forward to try to persuade him again, but Wang Guoliang stopped him by raising his hand.

"Don't worry."

Wang Guoliang looked at him with a complicated expression in his eyes.

"If I really go in and become a prisoner as you said, Xuanfu will be leaderless, and the soldiers will only become more chaotic. In that case, neither of us will have a good ending."

But if I don't go, with the four gates tightly closed and the Beijing garrison surrounding me, the rumors will only spread more and more fiercely, and in the end, we will still have to fight each other.

Talking outside the door was both a way of giving Zhang Heming face and also leaving myself a way out.

Seeing his resolute expression, Hei Yunlong's eyes reddened with anxiety, and his voice trembled:

"General! Why don't you understand?"

Zhang Heming wants your life!
"If you go there, you'll be handing him the knife!"

"I have made up my mind!"

Once Wang Guoliang makes a decision, he won't change it.

"Do you want your sister to remain a widow?"

In desperation, Hei Yunlong suddenly uttered these words, his voice abruptly lowered, carrying a hint of pleading.

He leaned forward and pleaded, "Brother-in-law, my sister has been married to you for twenty years, managing the household affairs and raising your two sons. What will happen to them if you are gone?"
"If Zhang Heming really decides to settle scores, our whole family will die with him!"

These words were like a needle pricking Wang Guoliang's heart.

His body stiffened abruptly as he stared at Hei Yunlong.

But after a moment, he still sighed.

"Yunlong, you can't see the general trend of the world clearly, nor can you understand people's hearts."

Do you think that by forcing me to rebel, you and I can survive?

Do you really think that I, as the commander-in-chief, can command them to unite and rebel?

Do you think that many of the people under my command are truly opposed to you?
"Yunlong, accept your fate! The outside is full of Ming troops."

Hei Yunlong was speechless for a moment when asked the question, and his face turned pale instantly.

His trusted confidants were only after money; when it came to fighting the Beijing garrison, they ran away faster than anyone else.

The same applies to the soldiers in the Western Camp; as long as Zhang Heming issues back pay and rations, the mutiny can be quelled in the blink of an eye.

but
It doesn't matter anymore.

The reason he forced Wang Guoliang to rebel was simply because the evidence against him was conclusive.

Forging secret letters, inciting mutiny, embezzling military funds, and driving soldiers to their deaths—any one of these acts is punishable by death by a thousand cuts. Only when Wang Guoliang rebelled did he have the opportunity to fish in troubled waters.

Seeing that Hei Yunlong remained silent, Wang Guoliang assumed he had persuaded him and immediately said:

“Now that things have come to this, if you are willing to come with me to see Zhang Heming and admit what you did, I can still plead for you and let you atone for your crimes by doing good deeds. At least you can save your life.”

Wang Guoliang's voice softened, carrying a hint of elder brotherly admonition.

"Your sister is still waiting in the mansion. Don't let her lose both her husband and her brother."

Looking at the clarity in Wang Guoliang's eyes, Hei Yunlong knew that no amount of persuasion would work.

He took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, as if trying to suppress the despair in his heart.

After a while.

He nodded slowly, his voice slightly hoarse: "Okay, brother-in-law and I will go see Zhang Heming."

But his lowered eyelids concealed the sinister look in his eyes.

He has no intention of pleading guilty.

In the brief silence, he had already devised a way to force Wang Guoliang to rebel.

anyway.

He can only go down this road to the end.

Wang Guoliang didn't see his subtle movements and assumed that he had finally come to his senses.

"Let's go."

He turned around, said something to Hei Yunlong, and took the lead in walking out.

Black Cloud Dragon followed silently behind him.

the other side.

Inside the Zhenguo Mansion.

“Your Excellency, Wang Guoliang sent someone to say that he will only meet with you outside the mansion and will not come in.”

"Refusing to come in?"

"Hmph, they're feeling guilty!"

Zhang Heming snorted coldly.

His brows furrowed into a tight knot, his eyes a mixture of confusion and anger.

Wang Guoliang avoided entering the Zhenguo Mansion; how could this be the behavior of an innocent person?

"Minister".

Ma Shilong stood aside, disappointed by Wang Guoliang's choice.

Without entering the Zhenguo Mansion, it won't be easy for him to clear his name.

but
Since they feel guilty.

There might really be an intention to rebel. If that's the case, Zhang Heming's safety becomes especially important.

“Since Wang Guoliang dares not come in, he must be feeling guilty.”

You are an imperial envoy; you cannot risk going out.

"I will take a few of my personal guards out and find out his purpose."

"No."

Zhang Heming raised his hand to interrupt him.

"As the Imperial Commissioner for Pacifying the Border, if I don't even have the courage to face the border generals, wouldn't it make me a laughing stock among the generals of the Nine Border Regions?"

Furthermore, if we don't make things clear today, the chaos in Xuanfu will only escalate.

This imperial envoy wants to see what Wang Guoliang is really up to!

After saying this, he gestured for the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to lead more than ten elite soldiers out of the main hall.

now.

The Beijing garrison troops have already formed ranks outside the mansion:

The musketeers lined up in three rows, their guns pointed outside the mansion gate.

The long-sword-wielding men stood guard on both sides.

Even the walls were covered with archers, arrows nocked, waiting for the order to fire.

Not long after.

A series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.

Zhang Heming squinted and saw Wang Guoliang dressed in the robes of a general, followed by thousands of servants.

"stop!"

The commander of the Beijing garrison shouted, and the musketeers all took half a step forward, pointing their guns directly at the approaching men.

Wang Guoliang stopped and gestured for his servants to step back, but he himself took two steps forward.

Meanwhile, Black Cloud Dragon, hidden behind the guards, was quietly reaching for the crossbow at his waist, a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Wang Guoliang, you've led your servants to besiege the Zhenguo Mansion. Are you plotting a rebellion?"

"How dare this humble general plot rebellion!"

Wang Guoliang was so anxious that he stamped his feet and took two more steps forward.

"Your Excellency is wise and discerning!"
I have come here today to confess my crimes to you and to atone for them through meritorious service!

However, for some reason, rumors suddenly spread that I was plotting a rebellion. I was afraid that I would be framed after entering the mansion, so I dared to wait outside.

"May I ask, Your Excellency, has His Majesty issued an order to arrest this humble general?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Heming was stunned.

If Wang Guoliang really wanted to rebel, why would he take the initiative to mention "stating his crimes"?
Is it
Is this really a misunderstanding?
"It wasn't you who plotted a rebellion?"

Zhang Heming's tone softened slightly, but he remained wary.

"The intercepted secret letter and the mutiny at the Western Camp, are they unrelated to you?"

"It's all a misunderstanding! It's all a misunderstanding!"

Wang Guoliang took out a neatly folded piece of plain paper from his pocket; it was the accusation he had written that morning.

He took a deep breath, then suddenly knelt down, holding the plain paper high in the air:
"Minister, please take a look!"
This is my confession of my crimes. Although I only dare to admit to some minor mistakes, I have absolutely no intention of rebelling!
"Liaodong has just been pacified. How could I, a humble general, be so blind to the situation as to do something so foolish as to exterminate nine generations of one's family?"

The soldiers of the Beijing Garrison presented Zhang Heming with a plain letter.

He unfolded it and saw that it contained trivial matters such as "embezzling fifty taels of military pay" and "overreporting twenty vacancies." Although it downplayed the seriousness of the matter, it could be considered an admission of guilt.

Zhang Heming finally felt relieved, and a smile appeared on his lips.

It seems it was all a misunderstanding; I was just too nervous.

He stepped forward from behind the shield bearers and personally helped Wang Guoliang up:

"General Wang, please get up! I misunderstood you, but thankfully everything is alright..."

Zhang Heming hadn't finished speaking.

A sharp whistle of an arrow suddenly rang out.

"call out!"

Arrows shot out from the ranks of the guards behind Wang Guoliang, moving so fast that no one could react in time.

Zhang Heming's pupils suddenly contracted. Just as he was about to dodge, the arrow had already pierced his neck!
Blood gushed out instantly, staining the front of his official robe red.

His smile froze, his lips moved but no sound came out, and his body fell straight backward.

"Minister!"

Ma Shilong cried out and rushed forward, only to touch a patch of warm blood.

Wang Guoliang was also stunned. He stared blankly at Zhang Heming lying on the ground, then suddenly turned his head to look behind him.

Hei Yunlong, carrying a crossbow, shouted, "Brother-in-law, I have received the order to shoot and kill Zhang Heming!"

When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.

Wang Guoliang trembled all over, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

"It's over... it's over..."

He's in a situation he can't clear his name even if he jumps into the Yellow River.

PS:

I've been doing 20,000 words a day for a while now, and my body can't take it anymore. I'm staying up all night and still have to go to work during the day. I feel like I'm going to die suddenly.

An extra chapter will be added tomorrow.

I'll be updating a lot during the National Day holiday!

I hope my beloved subjects will be understanding.

(End of this chapter)