Chapter 150: Since You Are Already Here

"The Chief Censor is truly wise and prescient. That Han Zuo invited my father to a banquet at Huijiang Tower tomorrow; it must be the moment for them to lay their cards on the table."

Xue Rui nodded in confirmation.

Chen Yi's expression suddenly turned stern as he said:

"I have already sent men to investigate the basic operations of that grain merchants' guild, especially the major grain merchants. I've stationed watchers around them all.

However, since this matter involves officials in the imperial court, I must report it to His Majesty before making further plans. We may also need to enlist the Embroidered Uniform Guard to make the arrests smoothly."

"There won't be any danger, will there? My father doesn't know any martial arts," Xue Rui said with concern.

"Rest assured. I am going into the palace now to see His Majesty and request the intervention of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If possible, we will make arrangements right inside Huijiang Tower beforehand, ideally catching them red-handed so they will have no room for sophistry."

"Then I must thank the Chief Censor for all your trouble!"

Emerging from the Censorate, Xue Rui felt much lighter. Once Han Zuo was apprehended, with the methods of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they would surely make him confess obediently. Perhaps they could even unearth a nest of corrupt officials and parasites who colluded with the grain merchants, which could be considered killing two birds with one stone.

The next day, the imperial envoy delegation, escorted by a troop of soldiers, headed to Earthen City to pay homage to the Retired Emperor Zhu Qizhen, presenting gifts of sheep and wine.

As early as yesterday, upon receiving a favorable reply, Esen had ordered his men to pitch camp at Earthen City and make preparations in advance. Early this morning, he escorted Zhu Qizhen to Earthen City.

Upon receiving a report from his subordinates that the Ming envoy delegation had arrived outside Earthen City, Esen hurriedly had Zhu Qizhen properly attired and seated inside the tent. He himself, along with his younger brother Bolot Temür, stood fully armed with weapons in hand on either side of Zhu Qizhen. The remaining Oirat leaders stood around them, equipped with waist sabers.

In addition, Xi Ning was summoned by Esen and placed in a corner, though his purpose was unclear.

Outside the camp tent, two rows of tall and robust Oirat soldiers stood in formation, the tips of their spears gleaming with a cold light, casting a heavily martial and grim atmosphere over the scene.

"Bring the Ming envoys to an audience!"

Esen gave the order toward the entrance, and an Oirat military commander led Zhao Rong, Wang Fu, and several delegation members carrying tribute into the camp.

Inside the main camp, Oirat soldiers stared malevolently at Zhao Rong and his party. They had already received word that these envoys might be high-ranking officials of the Ming court. If they eliminated them, the Ming capital would be easily conquered, and the treasures and women within the city would be theirs to enjoy at will.

At this thought, many tightened their grips on their weapons.

Facing these hostile gazes, Zhao Rong and Wang Fu remained unperturbed, straightening their backs as they walked to the front of the central camp tent.

The guiding Oirat commander made a gesture of invitation and said in broken Chinese, "The Grand Tutor commands you to enter and see the Great Emperor."

The two of them straightened their robes and were about to step into the camp when, unexpectedly, twenty soldiers outside the tent crossed their long spears in unison, blocking their path.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Zhao Rong halted his steps, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the guiding commander.

The Oirat commander replied with a forced smile, "This is the highest Oirat ritual for welcoming friends. The two envoys need not be alarmed, please enter."

"Hmph, I have never heard of the Oirats having such a ritual. Put those away immediately, or we shall leave right now!"

Wang Fu was somewhat knowledgeable. The Oirat soldiers clearly intended to make them crawl underneath the crossed spears, a deeply humiliating gesture.

The atmosphere at the scene instantly grew tense. The attendants behind the two men were terrified, their legs trembling. If they weren't afraid of ruining the grand affair and implicating their families, they would have collapsed on the spot.

Seeing the Oirat commander's face darken, Zhao Rong said coldly, "Lord Wang, since the Grand Tutor has no mind to see us, let us return."

As envoys, they represented the dignity of the imperial court. If they crawled underneath, it would signify bowing to the Oirats and forfeiting the court's prestige. Even if they returned alive, they would be condemned by thousands and infamous for eternity. Rather than suffer such a fate, it was better to stand firm; even in death, they would leave behind a sterling reputation.

Just as Zhao and Wang turned to leave, someone inside the tent suddenly shouted a string of syllables in a foreign tongue. Immediately afterward, the soldiers outside the camp uniformly withdrew their long spears.

The guiding commander said expressionlessly, "The Grand Tutor invites you in to speak!"

The two exchanged glances and stepped into the tent.

Inside, Zhu Qizhen sat in the seat of honor, staring nervously at the entrance. When Zhao Rong and Wang Fu entered, Zhu Qizhen's expression suddenly stiffened, and he froze in place.

"Your ministers pay homage to Your Majesty. Is Your Majesty's sacred health well?"

The two stepped forward and formally performed the kowtow to Zhu Qizhen.

"I... I am well..."

Zhu Qizhen finally snapped out of it, replying with a rather unsightly complexion.

He did not recognize either of these two men, and Yu Qian and the others whom he had specifically requested the court to send were nowhere to be seen.

Zhu Qizhen's heart began to flutter with fear, wondering if his younger brother, who had become the emperor, did not wish for him to return and had deliberately dispatched two unknown officials instead.

Stealing a glance at Esen and seeing him scrutinizing the two Ming envoys, Zhu Qizhen could not help but swallow hard. If Esen discovered these visitors were mere junior officials, would he drag them out and execute them on the spot?

What if Esen's remaining anger was not spent and he vented it upon him? What should he do then?

Esen did not notice his expression. Once the two men stood up, he asked, "The emperor sent you here. Did he write a state letter?"

"His Majesty has issued two imperial edicts, which this humble official is commanded to present to Your Majesty and the Grand Tutor."

Strictly speaking, Oirat could not be considered a proper state, and its relationship with the Great Empire of Ming was that of vassal to suzerain. Naturally, the Ming court would not treat them with the rituals due to a foreign nation. Zhao Rong caught the trap in Esen's words and did not fall for it.

"Hmph!"

Esen walked over with a dark expression and personally accepted the two edicts. One was written in the Oirat script, and the other in Chinese characters. He read the Oirat version first before handing the other to Zhu Qizhen.

In the edict, Zhu Qizhen severely rebuked the Oirats for violating Ming territory and ordered them to withdraw their troops immediately and return to Oirat lands. Otherwise, once the loyalist reinforcements from across the Ming provinces arrived, the Oirat army would find no way to escape.

Esen was not angered by the contents penned by the Ming emperor; this was well within his expectations. What baffled him was that the edict made no mention of escorting Zhu Qizhen back, as if the court cared nothing about him at all.

Seeing Zhu Qizhen's grim look, Esen realized there was something amiss with this delegation. He turned his gaze to the two Ming envoys and asked, "What official posts do you hold in the Ming court?"

"Junior Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."

"Right Vice Administrator of the Office of Transmission!"

The two replied neither servilely nor overbearingly.

Esen was not entirely familiar with Ming official ranks and turned his head to look toward the corner of the tent.

Seeing this, Xi Ning realized his moment to shine had arrived. He trotted forward and whispered in Esen's ear:

"Grand Tutor, both of these men hold fourth-rank posts with no actual power. They are worlds apart from officials like Yu Qian. Doubtless, the Ming emperor sent them here deliberately to humiliate the Grand Tutor. You must pay them no heed!"

Upon hearing this, Esen's expression changed drastically. Earlier, seeing the unyielding demeanor of the Ming envoys and combining it with the reputation of Yu Qian and others he had learned of from Xi Ning, he had assumed one of them might be Yu Qian. But hearing Xi Ning's words, these two were neither of the ones he had demanded, and their official ranks were so low they lacked any real authority. The Ming emperor was clearly fobbing him off!

"Goodness! The Ming emperor goes too far in his deception, daring to humiliate me thus! Does he think my blade is dull?"

The more Esen thought about it, the angrier he became. Losing his reason, he unsheathed his waist saber with a sharp ring and stepped forward to cut down Zhao Rong and Wang Fu.

Far from being afraid, Zhao Rong stepped forward, thrusting out his neck to accept the blow, and shouted loudly, "To die by the hand of the Grand Tutor will make my name, Zhao Rong, resound throughout the world! Strike quickly!"

Wang Fu likewise stepped forward and burst into laughter, "Indeed! To die in loyalty to my country will ensure my name, Wang Fu, shines in the annals of history, praised by generations to come. Hahahaha!"

"Brave souls!"

Esen gripped the hilt with both hands, preparing to bring the blade down upon them.

The next second, his waist was suddenly gripped tightly from behind, rendering him completely immobile.

Turning his head, he saw it was his younger brother, Bolot Temür, who was holding him back.

Esen flared with anger and shouted, "Let me go! Today I will hack these two to pieces, do not stop me!"

"Elder brother, in warfare between nations, the messenger is not executed. The Ming emperor sent them here precisely to provoke us, hoping you would kill them so the Ming court would not need to receive the emperor back. Moreover, it would shift the blame onto us, leaving us without a righteous cause!"

Bolot Temür had read many Ming books and understood that the moral legitimacy of a war was paramount. If they executed the Ming envoys, the Ming court would unite as one, putting forth their utmost effort to deal with the Oirats. Those officials who previously harbored thoughts of peace negotiations would likely alter their stance, which would be disadvantageous to the Oirats.

Persuaded thus, Esen quickly calmed down.

Bolot Temür was right. This time, they had come under the pretext of escorting Zhu Qizhen back to the capital. Along the way, ordinary citizens had willingly offered wine and meat upon hearing the news, proving many Ming subjects believed the claim.

Within the Ming court, voices advocating for peace talks were equally rampant. Many officials believed that offering the Oirats some concessions to make them withdraw voluntarily was far more cost-effective than fighting.

Because of this, the pro-war faction and the peace faction had quarreled repeatedly. Had it not been for the major Ming victory a few days prior, the peace faction might have gained the upper hand.

Judging by the battle two days ago, the Ming army was not as weak as he had imagined. Over the past two days, he had been pondering a question: if they could not take the capital and could not gather sufficient provisions, where should the Oirat army go?

Facing such a dilemma, Esen truly dared not push the Ming too far. If he executed the envoys, the foundation for peace talks would vanish, and the Ming court would achieve unprecedented internal unity, rendering the Oirats even more vulnerable.

After a moment of thought, Esen thrust his blade back into its scabbard, looked coldly at Zhao Rong and the other, and asked, "Aside from delivering the state letter, did the emperor say anything else when he sent you?"

Zhao Rong and Wang Fu did not know what was written in the edict, but during yesterday's court discussion, they had learned their primary mission was to escort the Retired Emperor Zhu Qizhen back to the capital.

Therefore, Zhao Rong replied, "We have come in response to the Grand Tutor's invitation, to respectfully escort the Retired Emperor's carriage back to the capital. We beg the Grand Tutor to grant permission!"

Esen sneered, "The Ming emperor sent only two junior officials to welcome him; it is a clear slight to our Oirats. Go back and tell the emperor: unless Yu Qian, Shi Heng, and the others come in person, all talk is off!"

Just as expected!

Zhao Rong and Wang Fu exchanged glances. When they set out, they had known Esen's motives were impure. Now it was clear he had no intention of returning the Retired Emperor, but was instead plotting against high ministers like Yu Qian.

Without further words, the two bid farewell to Zhu Qizhen and departed Earthen City with their retinue.

Inside the tent, Zhu Qizhen sat despondently in his chair. He had originally thought the greatest obstacle to returning to the capital was Esen; now it appeared that even if Esen wished to send him back, the journey home would hardly be smooth sailing.

Meanwhile, Zhao Rong and Wang Fu returned to the capital to report on their mission. Upon learning that Esen refused to release the prisoner, the stone in Zhu Qizhen's heart finally fell.

However, Esen's demand that the Ming court send another delegation placed Zhu Qizhen in a difficult position, so he sent Cheng Jing to consult Yu Qian on the matter.

Esen repeatedly demanded Yu Qian as an envoy; even a fool could see he harbored ulterior motives.

Since Yu Qian had already publicly stated his stance earlier, there was no need to keep up appearances now. He replied:

"Right now, Yu Qian only knows how to wage war; I dare not participate in other matters."

When the court officials heard of this, they also strongly opposed Yu Qian serving as an envoy.

Yu Qian was a pillar of the nation, currently charged with the defense of the capital. Esen was brazenly plotting to harm him, and if the court even considered sending Yu Qian, it would be treating a meritorious official far too harshly.

The reaction of the officials greatly satisfied Zhu Qizhen, who smoothly went with the flow and decided not to dispatch any more envoys to the enemy camp.

...

During the period when the Ming envoys were heading to Earthen City, Xue Rui and Xue Yuanhao were invited to Huijiang Tower.

In a capital known for its developed commerce, Huijiang Tower was not exceptionally high-end, but its moderate prices attracted a large number of patrons of modest wealth.

Han Zuo was a Bureau Director in the Ministry of Revenue; his official rank was neither high nor low. Choosing to hold a banquet here suited his status. Although he had amassed considerable loot through corruption, he knew that keeping a low profile was the way to avoid capsizing his boat.

Arriving downstairs by carriage, a waiter waiting by the entrance stepped forward and respectfully addressed Xue Yuanhao, "You must be Lord Xue. Bureau Director Han is already waiting upstairs, please follow me."

With that, he gave the father and son a subtle wink.

Xue Yuanhao had already heard that Chen Yi would make prior arrangements at Huijiang Tower. Recognizing the hint, he instinctively started to confirm, "Are you..."

"Father, let's go up quickly, let's not keep Lord Han waiting."

Xue Rui hurriedly interrupted. The tavern entrance was crowded with comers and goers, along with several idlers lingering nearby. If his father accidentally slipped up and was overheard by Han Zuo's men, today's plan would be ruined.

"Ah, right, let's go inside."

Xue Yuanhao snapped to his senses, withdrew his gaze, and stepped into the tavern lobby.

It was the peak dining hour, and the hall was mostly full. Seeing Xue Rui and his father enter, many cast curious glances at them, making every person they saw look like one of Chen Yi's operatives.

Following the waiter all the way to the third floor, after turning a corner, they reached a private room with the words "Orchid Fragrance Pavilion" inscribed on the door.

Outside the room stood two sturdy, muscular men with scabbarded horn-handled daggers tucked into their belts—a pair that looked exceedingly formidable at a glance.

At this sight, Xue Yuanhao's heart skipped a beat, thinking that since Han Zuo had hired armed bodyguards, today's meeting was unlikely to be harmonious.

Calming himself, Xue Yuanhao turned to Xue Rui and said, "There's nothing for you here, go wait downstairs."

Xue Rui understood that his father feared danger. Rather than both of them placing themselves in peril, it was better for his father to go alone.

"Alright."

Realizing that adding another person would simply mean sending another lamb to slaughter, Xue Rui prepared to head downstairs to see if he could contact Chen Yi's people and gather intelligence on the private room.

Unexpectedly, just as he turned around, a fierce-looking man blocked his path.

As Xue Rui wondered how to reason with the fellow, a voice drifted out from the private room:

"Since you're here, come on in and sit!"