Chapter 37: Three Alarms in a Single Day

Ma Xun found himself once again embarking on a campaign, setting off for the battlefield in a state of confusion. His journey, however, was peculiar: having traveled from Yingtian Prefecture to Xuanhua and nearly reaching Kaiping, he suddenly turned around and headed toward Qingyang in Gansu.

"I had already reached the borders of Inner Mongolia, only to turn west!"

He was essentially responsible for nothing more than the march itself, constantly on the road toward the front lines. Ping An led one garrison to hold Kaiping, while Ma Xun continued to lead the Imperial Guard, the Flying Bear Guard, and Chang Yuchun’s army of thirty thousand—a total of forty thousand men—toward Qingyang. Meanwhile, Li Wenzhong took twenty thousand men to reinforce Datong and strike a heavy blow against the Yuan army. Chang Yuchun remained temporarily in Xuanhua to recuperate; he might catch up with the main force if his health improved, or he might return to the capital for further recovery upon receiving the Emperor’s decree.

"Brother-in-law to the Emperor," Lan Yu said, riding alongside him, "you’ve never been to the Guanzhong region, have you?"

"My uncle walked all the way from Fujian to Suzhou, and he did it with only Wangcai!" Mu Ying reminded him. "General Lan, how many men in this army have traveled as far as my uncle?"

Lan Yu quickly replied, "Naturally, the Emperor's brother-in-law is formidable. If I hadn't followed my sister when I was a child, I wouldn't have survived, let alone roamed the land alone at the age of ten like he did!"

Ma Xun suddenly felt that Lan Yu was better off when he wasn't talking. To put it kindly, he was straightforward and simple-minded; to put it bluntly, he lacked social awareness. But one could hardly expect tact from a fierce general who, while drunk, once dared to attack his own city and drive away or beat the supervising censors. Fortunately, the Lan Yu of today had not yet become the arrogant and reckless man of history; while he had military achievements, he was not yet the most prominent figure in the Ming army.

Ma Xun continued his march to Qingyang with peace of mind, having nothing to worry about. Despite the flags fluttering with the titles "Supreme General of the Nation" and "Ma," Ma Xun simply spread his hands and left the management to others. Mu Ying and Lan Yu were busy and somewhat apprehensive, as they had never commanded so many troops before, but fortunately, the Guanzhong region was already pacified, and the army was filled with many seasoned, fierce generals.

While Ma Xun and his men were on the move, a horse galloped into Yingtian Prefecture, forcing the townspeople to scatter. Inside the Wuying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang was busy reviewing memorials, his daily workload never-ending.

"Your Majesty, a 600-mile urgent dispatch!"

Zhu Yuanzhang’s heart skipped a beat. A message of such urgency meant something of monumental importance had occurred. The rider was helped into the hall by guards, clutching a secret letter: "Great General Chang has fallen from his horse!"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned pale with shock. He rushed forward, snatched the letter, and tore it open without even checking the wax seal.

"The Deputy General of the Expeditionary Force departed Kaiping for the south on the seventh day of the seventh month. Upon reaching Liuhechuan, he suddenly fell from his horse. The Emperor's brother-in-law provided aid, but the Deputy General has not yet regained consciousness."

Zhu Yuanzhang, who had weathered countless storms, was momentarily rattled. It was not that he had never lost a beloved general, but this was all too sudden.

Bo Ren—he was supposed to lead the army to Qingyang!

"Order Bao'er to take command of the army immediately!" Zhu Yuanzhang shouted after a brief moment of disorientation. "Issue the decree! Tell Bao'er to take charge and march to Qingyang to link up with Xu Da!"

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "Summon the imperial physicians at once! Hurry!"

The guards and eunuchs trembled, rushing to carry out the decrees and provide service. A flustered Zhu Yuanzhang paced the Wuying Hall, contemplating the next steps, for the battle at Qingyang was critical. If they won, Wang Baobao would be unable to hold Gansu or Ningxia and would certainly be driven out. If they lost, the Yuan court could use it as a springboard to threaten the Guanzhong region. They could not afford to lose; the Ming could not afford it now. If they failed, the gains of the Northern Expedition would vanish, and the northern borders would remain a grave threat, preventing the people from finding peace.

The atmosphere in the Wuying Hall was stifling. Ma Xiuying arrived with her maids, sensing immediately that something was wrong. "Chongba, what has happened?"

Zhu Yuanzhang handed her the secret letter. "Bo Ren has fallen from his horse. I fear the worst."

Ma Xiuying was equally shocked; she understood the importance of Chang Yuchun as a pillar of the northern campaign. After reading the letter, she said, "Let Bao'er lead the army to Qingyang. No, send my younger brother."

Zhu Yuanzhang quickly objected, "Sister, I cannot send my brother-in-law. To send him is to put him in danger, and he has yet to produce an heir."

"If he has no such fortune, he can blame no one," Ma Xiuying said expressionlessly. "My brother is the brother-in-law of the Ming Emperor; he must shoulder his responsibilities. If the north is lost, the Ming will not be secure. Besides, he is only going to Qingyang, not necessarily to fight."

Zhu Yuanzhang continued to persuade her, "Sister, letting Bao'er go is enough."

Ma Xiuying countered, "If Bao'er goes to Qingyang, will you let the Yuan Tartars take Datong and Taiyuan? Guanzhong is already secure; what could happen if my brother leads the army there? Now that Bo Ren has fallen, my brother’s status is suitable for a military supervisor."

Just as the couple was debating whether to send Ma Xun to Qingyang, another rider was helped into the hall.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Emperor's brother-in-law!"

Ma Xiuying snatched the letter and opened it immediately.

"Great General Chang should be fine; he only requires rest."

"I request that Your Majesty send imperial physicians to treat him and appoint a great general to take command of the army."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying breathed a sigh of relief. A fall from a horse was usually a euphemism for a fatal injury, and such news usually meant a general was as good as dead. The previous report had been dire, and by all logic, the man should have been gone. But now that Chang Yuchun was safe, it was the best possible outcome, preventing any major disruption to the military arrangements.

Zhu Yuanzhang beamed. "It is fortunate that I sent my brother-in-law; only he could have saved Bo Ren."

Ma Xiuying said proudly, "Is my brother's capability ever in doubt?"

After her pride subsided, she added, "Do not tell Wan'er about this yet, so as not to worry her. In two days, have our second and third sons go to present the betrothal gifts on behalf of their uncle; they can marry when he returns."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. His brother-in-law would likely be fine, as he was only tasked with delivering the troops to Qingyang. Yet, if something truly went wrong, Liu Bowen's daughter would have to remain loyal to Ma Xun!

Zhu Yuanzhang’s mood improved significantly, though he suddenly remarked, "Sister, how can my brother's calligraphy be so ugly? We are a family of scholars—is this what it has come to?"

Ma Xiuying was annoyed. "He never had the opportunity to study when he was young; it is enough that he is literate."

Privately, however, she felt that when her brother returned, she would have to make him practice his writing; his script was not just ugly—it was eyesore. Those thirty-odd characters had taken up two sheets of paper, and not only were strokes missing, but there were over a dozen crossed-out characters.

If Ma Xun knew, he could only sigh in frustration; traditional characters were hard enough to recognize, let alone write, and brush calligraphy was even more difficult to master.

After expressing his disdain for Ma Xun's handwriting, Zhu Yuanzhang and Ma Xiuying returned to discussing the northern situation. They decided to have Li Wenzhong and Ma Xun lead separate forces: Li Wenzhong would engage the Yuan reinforcements to create the conditions for the battle at Qingyang, while Ma Xun would serve as a supervisor, escorted by Mu Ying and various officers to deliver the main army to Qingyang. They would also order Xu Da to continue the siege of Qingyang once the reinforcements arrived, with the stipulation that Ma Xun, as the Emperor's brother-in-law, must remain by Xu Da's side and not enter the fray. They would also send imperial physicians to Xuanhua to bring Chang Yuchun back to the capital.

Ma Xiuying added, "Summon the ministers shortly to discuss these matters; the Battle of Qingyang is truly vital. Although Biao'er is young, he is the Crown Prince; he must be allowed to observe."

Zhu Yuanzhang replied without hesitation, "You need not say it; for a matter of such magnitude, Biao'er must be informed. Sister, you stay and listen as well—just remain silent."

Ma Xiuying said with a hint of playfulness, "What, with me, the Empress, here, are you not afraid of interference from the inner court?"

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored the remark; arguing further would not favor him. "I am now waiting for more news; I still cannot set my heart at ease."

Ma Xiuying nodded silently, sharing his hope that more letters would arrive, keeping them informed of the events to come.