Chapter 41: Everything Is Arranged

Ma Xun felt that his life was being meticulously arranged for him. He was no longer a mere mascot; time and again, he was being pushed onto a stage he was unprepared for.

Yet there was nothing he could do. Who made him the imperial brother-in-law? That single identity carried enough weight to grant him immense influence.

As long as he did not commit any catastrophic mistakes, a life of supreme wealth and honor was guaranteed. For now, he was a Captain Before the Tent and a Senior General Defending the Nation, and who knew when he might be granted the concurrent title of Grand Commander.

If one day he were to become Chancellor, there would be no need for surprise. The case of Hu Weiyong was still far off in the future, and the chancellor system was still very much in continuation.

When Zhu Yuanzhang was proclaimed the Prince of Wu, Xu Da had been appointed Left Chancellor of the Secretariat, and following the founding of the Ming Dynasty, he was made Right Chancellor of the Secretariat. Chang Yuchun also held the title of Administrator of Military and State Affairs of the Secretariat, a post equivalent to that of a chancellor.

Deng Yu held the title of Censor-in-Chief, making him Liu Bowen’s superior. Tang He concurrently served as Imperial Tutor, instructing the crown prince in his studies.

The military clique in the early founding years of the dynasty possessed terrifying strength, with the Huaixi勋贵 (Huaixi nobility) serving as its core. This was the fundamental force with which Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty and unified the north and the south.

Whether it was Xu Da or Chang Yuchun, the official titles they held were the most direct proof of Zhu Yuanzhang’s efforts to suppress the Eastern Zhejiang civil official faction.

Therefore, anything was possible. It was entirely normal if Ma Xun, the imperial brother-in-law, was placed at the forefront and made to do things that seemed somewhat beyond his station.

Preparations began for entering the theater of war—this was the true battlefield.

However, before fighting a war, recognizing the people involved was of utmost importance.

Tang He strode into the central military tent with a boorish gait and asked loudly, "Tianzhi, where is our younger brother?"

Do not look down on Tang He just because his military achievements currently fell short of Xu Da's; his status was unique. He was Zhu Yuanzhang’s fellow townsman and childhood friend, and even two years older than Zhu Yuanzhang. He was the elder brother figure to Xu Da and the others.

Ma Xun hurriedly stood up and cupped his fists, "Ma Xun pays his respects to Elder Brother Tang."

Tang He looked Ma Xun up and down and said cheerfully, "A nephew resembles his maternal uncle; when the Crown Prince sees his imperial uncle, he will surely feel a sense of closeness."

Xu Da could not even be bothered to speak. It was not once or twice that Tang He spoke without filtering his thoughts. There was a reason for his nickname "Big-Mouthed Tang." He would lose his senses out of pride after drinking, and once joked while garrisoned in Changzhou that he could simply go and surrender to Zhang Shicheng.

It was only because Zhu Yuanzhang trusted him deeply that no issue was made of it; otherwise, such remarks would inevitably have invited suspicion.

Seeing that Tang He had arrived, Xu Da asked, "Is Zhang Liangchen still refraining from attempting a breakout through the eastern and southern gates?"

Tang He could not help but complain, "Isn't it because of a flaw in your arrangements that allowed Feng Zongyi and Gu Shi to claim the credit? Tianzhi, if I fail to be ennobled as a duke, I'm going to blame you!"

Xu Da chuckled and replied, "That's not something you can pin on me; blame yourself instead. Don't say I didn't warn you—this region borders Sichuan and Shu, and Ming Sheng has yet to surrender. Furthermore, Yunnan and Guizhou are not yet pacified, and Ü-Tsang is still making eyes at the Yuan court."

Tang He thought about it and realized there was some truth to it. In all likelihood, he would not be among the first wave of officials ennobled as dukes. Yet, the chance wasn't entirely gone; if he continued to accumulate achievements, he still had the opportunity to become a state duke.

Xu Da then stated, "The fall of Qingyang is a matter of hours. I intend to send Lan Yu and Mu Ying to the eastern gate. What are your thoughts on that?"

Tang He immediately looked displeased, "Tianzhi, can't you let me have a try?"

Xu Da slightly raised his chin toward Ma Xun.

Tang He instantly felt deflated. "Well, I suppose that settles it. It's just that when the slaughter begins later, if my men suffer too many casualties while others sweep up the merits, it will be hard to convince the masses."

Xu Da said with quiet confidence, "There is no need to worry about that. Someone inside the city will coordinate with us."

It was not just Tang He who was stunned; even Ma Xun was dumbfounded.

Xu Da explained, "You know well enough what the situation inside Qingyang is. Zhang Liangchen’s subordinates all realize they have no way out. Now, Yao Hui, Assistant Administrator Xiong, and Court Official Hu are willing to open the city gates."

What more was there to say? Everything had been arranged in orderly fashion, and Ma Xun only needed to go and harvest the merits.

Tang He then said, "In that case, I'll take our younger brother back and wait for them to open the gates and surrender. I'll go make arrangements so that Lan Yu and his men can charge into the city first."

Xu Da smiled and refused, "His Majesty explicitly stated that the imperial brother-in-law must stay right here in my central tent and remain by my side."

Tang He was both furious and deeply disappointed. He immediately turned to Ma Xun and asked, "Younger brother, have you ever visited my residence?"

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince brought me there previously, and when I moved into my new home, Tang Ding and his younger brothers also came over," Ma Xun replied. "Though Tang Nai was mischievous and got his bottom swatted a few times by Madam Chang."

Tang He was instantly exasperated. "That Tang Nai is truly outrageous. He's not that small anymore; when I get back, it's high time I discipline him."

Then Tang He said to Ma Xun, "Younger brother, over in Fujian, I put in genuine effort fighting Chen Youding. The fact that you were able to return safely might even be partly due to my contributions. Keep this in mind—don't just think only of the Chang family; your brother-in-law and I have been close since childhood."

Without military achievements, and possessing no particular ability for the time being other than the reputation of a "divine doctor," Ma Xun nonetheless represented one of their own in the eyes of the Huaixi faction—an intensely sought-after prize, simply because his elder sister was the Empress.

After Tang He left, Ma Xun asked, "Great General, once Qingyang is taken, should we not lead the army back to the capital?"

Xu Da replied, "The main army certainly cannot return just yet, but you and I will head back."

Ma Xun immediately pressed further, "Then under whose command will the main army be left? Bao'er is still in Mayi, and Elder Brother Chang has already returned to the capital. Could it be Governor Feng?"

Among the current Northern Expeditionary forces, Xu Da was the commander-in-chief, followed by Chang Yuchun, then Li Wenzhong, and further down the line were Feng Sheng, Tang He, and Yang Jing.

Xu Da asked, "Is there something inappropriate about that?"

"I have heard that Governor Feng is young, ambitious, and decisive, and he fights brilliantly," Ma Xun said cautiously. "It's just that I've also heard such figures tend to have large tempers and prefer doing things their own way."

Ma Xun phrased it tactfully, but Xu Da reassured him, "Rest assured, he harbors no disloyal intentions."

I know he harbors no disloyal intentions, but I worry he might act on his own accord and directly lead the main army back, risking the encirclement of Lanzhou and the doom of senior generals.

Ma Xun asked again, "Great General, if you return to the capital, Wang Baobao will surely attempt an invasion. How shall we deal with that when the time comes?"

Xu Da could not help but cast a few more approving glances at Ma Xun, saying with confidence, "Rest easy, younger brother. Those matters have also been accounted for. Once Qingyang is taken, I will dispatch troops to pursue and drive away his remaining forces, and all strategic passes will remain firmly under our army's control."

Xu Da's arrangements were sound; even if he were to depart, holding this position securely posed no problem at all.

Even if Wang Baobao attempted an attack, holding the line would naturally suffice. Once Xu Da took up the command banner again next year, Wang Baobao would not even be able to find a foothold in Ningsha.

As for why they did not press the pursuit while victorious, the primary reason was that the war had dragged on for far too long. The Qingyang Campaign had lasted three months, and the Northern Expedition had begun the year before last. Continuous bitter and brutal warfare meant the soldiers were in desperate need of rest and reorganization.

On the other hand, autumn had arrived, and the main army had to prepare for winter; the northern winters were notoriously unforgiving.

Ma Xun felt it best not to look too far ahead for now. They should capture Qingyang first and drive Zhang Liangchen and He Zongzhe far enough away.

Matters after the battle could be addressed after the battle.

Once Qingyang was taken and the battlefield cleared, they could then consider the series of tasks involved in returning the army to the capital.

After a brief rest, hostilities resumed, and the Ming army intensified its siege of Qingyang.

Tang He issued orders instructing Lan Yu and Mu Ying to ready five thousand cavalrymen, warning them that once an opportunity to charge into Qingyang arose, they must act decisively and capture Zhang Liangchen and his son alive at all costs.

Lan Yu and Mu Ying felt rather gloomy. How on earth was cavalry supposed to assault a city wall?

Yet amidst the thunderous battle cries and the roar of cannons, the eastern gate of Qingyang City slowly swung open.

Lan Yu instantly surged with vigor. "Charge with me!"

Mu Ying likewise raised his spear, pointing straight at the city gate. "Follow me to take the city!"

Ma Xun felt entirely numb. Although he knew certain matters had been orchestrated by Xu Da, wasn't this play-acting a bit too much?

The surrender of Zhang Liangchen’s subordinate generals instantly sapped the Qingyang defenders of their final ounce of stubborn resistance.

Lan Yu triumphantly escorted the captives forward. "Great General, Zhang Liangchen and his son tried to jump into a well to die as martyrs, but we hauled them out before they could draw their last breaths. Awaiting your judgment, Great General!"

Xu Da gazed coldly at the wretched, ghost-like figure of Zhang Liangchen and directly issued his order: "Such a repeated traitor—execute him and display his head to the public!"

The fiercely contested Qingyang Campaign was essentially concluded. With Qingyang captured, Xu Da immediately dispatched Fu Youde, Gu Shi, and others to pursue He Zongzhe.

With this, Shaanxi and Gansu were completely secured. Now, they needed to report their victories to the imperial court and arrange for subsequent garrison deployments.