Chapter 43: Commissioner Xie Bestows a Courtesy Name

The viceregal headquarters of Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng was located within the watchtower inside the city of Changping.

This watchtower stood as the highest structure in Changping. Rising three stories high, it commanded a sweeping view of the surrounding terrain. From this vantage point, one could look out into the distance and see the encampments of the loyalist troops from the three garrisons of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi pitched just outside the city walls, all spread out clearly before the eye.

The main hall of the viceregal headquarters occupied the first floor of the watchtower. A large desk sat prominently in the center of the upper end of the hall. The command arrows and similar items that usually rested upon it had been removed, replaced instead by cups, plates, bowls, and chopsticks.

Along the lower left and right sides, smaller individual desks were also arranged, each similarly set with interlacing cups and dishes, already prepared and put in proper order.

Lu Xiangsheng stood by the window, gazing outside as if deep in thought.

Yang Guozhu, Zhang Yan, and the others dared not disturb him. They merely stood quietly not far behind the supreme commander, while Zhang Cheng stood with his hands folded respectfully behind Zhang Yan, quietly observing everything within the viceregal headquarters.

"Zhang Cheng, come here," Lu Xiangsheng called out suddenly.

Zhang Cheng hurried forward a few steps, walked up to the window, and stopped behind Lu Xiangsheng. "Supreme Commander," he said, "you labor endlessly for affairs of state and have not rested for days. Please take good care of your health."

Without turning back, Lu Xiangsheng continued to gaze steadily out the window. "The Eastern slaves have invaded our borders, and state affairs are in dire straits. People like us must exert our utmost strength, yet we still fear it is not enough. How can we speak of rest?"

Moved by Lu Xiangsheng's words, Zhang Cheng said softly, "Supreme Commander, as a pillar of the nation, you must cherish your health. Only thus can you resolve the perils of the country and share the burdens weighing upon His Majesty's heart."

Lu Xiangsheng let out a sigh. Thinking of the attitudes and demeanor displayed by Grand Secretary Yang Sichang and Grand Supervisor Gao Qiqian, his heart grew heavy, and an inexplicable sense of sorrow washed over him. At present, he could only place his hopes in the reigning emperor, praying that the sacred heart would remain steadfast.

He turned his head and asked Zhang Cheng, "Have you ever studied books?"

"In my youth, this humble subordinate once prepared for the examinations," Zhang Cheng replied, keeping his head lowered and his eyes cast down. "However, being of dull intellect, I managed to attain only the status of a licentiate."

A bright light flashed in Lu Xiangsheng's eyes, filled with genuine surprise. That Zhang Cheng was actually a licentiate was a rare occurrence indeed in the Great Ming Dynasty. At that time, many military officers and generals were essentially semi-literate, and some could not even read at all.

Filled with expectation, he said to Zhang Cheng, "I truly never imagined that you would be a licentiate. To be of such a tender age, yet so thorough in your deliberation and fierce in pressing forward, you are truly a moldable talent. The hopes of our imperial dynasty may well rest upon the likes of you."

Zhang Cheng hastened to reply, "Your praise is too generous, Supreme Commander. Zhang Cheng truly dares not accept such an honor."

Disregarding his modesty, Lu Xiangsheng asked directly, "Zhang Cheng, do you have a courtesy name?"

Startled for a moment, Zhang Cheng hurriedly answered, "I have not yet been granted one."

Staring intently at Zhang Cheng, Lu Xiangsheng said, "I shall bestow a courtesy name upon you."

The surprise came so suddenly that it left him somewhat at a loss. Even Yang Guozhu and Zhang Yan standing behind him were startled; the supreme commander was in such high spirits today that he was actually willing to grant a courtesy name to Zhang Cheng, a mere chiliarch. Such an honor was exceedingly rare.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Zhang Cheng collected himself, dropped quickly to his knees, and bowed in gratitude. "What virtue or ability does Zhang Cheng possess to merit a courtesy name bestowed by the Supreme Commander?"

Lu Xiangsheng looked at Zhang Cheng, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let your courtesy name be Zhongchen—a loyal heart to serve the country, and a fervent passion to protect the people."

Zhang Cheng bowed deeply once more. "Zhang Cheng thanks the Supreme Commander for bestowing this courtesy name. I shall forever remain loyal to the country and fervent in protecting the people, and I will never fail the expectations of the Supreme Commander."

Beside him, Yang Guozhu looked on with unconcealed envy, while Zhang Yan felt a quiet surge of happiness for Zhang Cheng.

***

At that moment, Chen An, Lu Xiangsheng's personal commander, came forward to report that the appointed hour had arrived, and the generals of the three garrisons were waiting outside the headquarters.

***

When the military commanders of the Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi garrisons learned that the supreme commander was hosting a banquet to celebrate their victory, they lingered a short while longer in Zhang Yan's camp before dispersing to their respective encampments to prepare for the supreme commander's banquet at the hour of the sheep.

Gathered outside the viceregal headquarters were sturdy generals clad in heavy armor. Their armor plates clanked rhythmically as they conversed in boisterous voices. Li Jianwei and Wen Hui, regional vice-commanders of the Xuanfu garrison, were surrounded by the others, who eagerly pressed them for every detail of Zhang Cheng's battle at Mafang.

While everyone was discussing the event animatedly, Chen An, regional vice-commander and personal guard to Lu Xiangsheng, emerged to announce that Supreme Commander Lu had summoned the generals to enter the headquarters.

The commanders of the three garrisons then filed into the viceregal headquarters in an orderly fashion. They saw that small desks had already been set up along the left and right sides, laden with wine and food.

In the center of the upper end of the headquarters, a large desk had similarly been placed. Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng sat right in the middle, conversing with Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, who occupied the seat at the head of the left row.

Zhang Yan sat in the seat just above Yang Guozhu's rear. This was entirely fitting; after all, as a regional vice-commander of the Xuanfu garrison, apart from Regional Commander Yang Guozhu, Zhang Yan held the highest rank among all the Xuanfu generals who had marched to protect the capital.

What astonished everyone, however, was that Zhang Cheng was seated directly below Zhang Yan. How could a mere chiliarch dare to take the second seat in the rear row behind the regional commander? Where did that leave the other three regional vice-commanders of the Xuanfu garrison?

Seeing the generals of the three garrisons enter, Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng smiled and greeted them, inviting everyone to take their seats. It was plain to see that he was in an exceptionally fine mood today.

Hu Dawei, the regional commander of the Shanxi garrison, stepped forward and took the seat directly below Yang Guozhu's. It was now quite evident that, following this military achievement, the Xuanfu garrison had risen to the most crucial position in Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng's eyes among the three garrisons, which was why Yang Guozhu's seat was arranged at the very top of the left side within the headquarters.

Wang Piao, the regional commander of the Datong garrison, walked over to take the seat at the head of the right side of the headquarters. Like Hu Dawei of Shanxi, he looked eagerly toward the young chiliarch Zhang Cheng, who sat behind Yang Guozhu and below Zhang Yan. Seeing Zhang Cheng seated there with calm composure, without the slightest trace of arrogance or conceit on his face, Wang Piao could not help but feel a rising sense of favorable impression toward him.

Not only the two regional commanders felt this way; the various regional vice-commanders and assistant regional commanders of each garrison who followed them all cast repeated glances at Zhang Cheng. As this young chiliarch engaged in respectful exchanges with Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng from time to time, the expressions in the eyes of the onlookers varied—some looked with admiration, some with envy, and others with jealousy, their demeanors shifting unpredictably.

Below the regional commanders of the three garrisons, the various assistant regional commanders and regional vice-commanders settled into their respective seats behind their respective commanders' desks. Only Li Jianwei and Wen Hui, the Xuanfu regional vice-commanders, wore expressions of extreme resentment upon seeing Zhang Cheng seated in the second position behind Yang Guozhu.

Guo Yingxian, Yang Guozhu's personal commander of the central army, remained unconcerned and carefree. He walked straight to the seat below Zhang Cheng and sat right there, striking up a conversation with him.

Although Li Jianwei and Wen Hui felt deeply aggrieved, they had no alternative. Who told their own units fail to capture over a hundred Tartar heads?

They could hardly blame the supreme commander and General Yang for holding Zhang Cheng in such extraordinary regard. To achieve such battle merits at such a tender age—and as the foremost achievement at that—it was estimated that once this report of military exploits was submitted upward, a promotion to regional vice-commander would still leave plenty of room to spare.

Hesitating and reluctant, they found that the three prime seats in the first row behind Yang Guozhu were already fully occupied, leaving them no choice but to sit with suppressed fury in the second row of seats behind Yang Guozhu.

Since it was now the hour of the sheep, the commanders had been waiting for the supreme commander's banquet and consequently had mostly not eaten lunch yet. Seeing the wine and meat placed upon the desks before them, they were overjoyed. However, when many of them stealthily picked up the wine flasks and sniffed them, they were deeply disappointed to find that there was not the slightest trace of wine aroma; the flasks were filled entirely with tea water.

Looking over at the large desk in front of Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng, they saw the exact same flask of tea water. His desk did not even possess meat; it held only a large bowl of coarse brown rice and a few small dishes of vegetables.

Observing the mourning period for his late father, Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng not only wore plain hemp garments on ordinary days, but he also strictly adhered to ritual propriety by neither drinking wine nor eating meat.

Seeing that all the generals had taken their seats, Supreme Commander Lu smiled as he poured a cup of tea. He stood up and said in a clear, resonant voice:

"Today, word of our victory has arrived: the imperial forces of our Xuanfu garrison have captured more than one hundred and forty enemy heads of the Jiannu! This has reinforced the military morale of the three garrisons of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi, raised the national prestige of our Great Ming, and broken the arrogance of the Jiannu. This supreme commander has already dispatched a fast messenger with the report of victory to the capital; I expect that expressions of imperial favor and encouragement will soon arrive!"

Smiling, he glanced at Yang Guozhu and Zhang Yan, then continued: "This great victory is entirely due to Regional Commander Yang's steady and resolute command, and Chiliarch Zhang Cheng's fierce and bloody battle, which brought about these captures. Now that the enemy situation is urgent, drinking wine might lead to errors in duty. Therefore, this supreme commander shall use tea in place of wine.

"Generals, let us raise our cups in a toast to Regional Commander Yang and Chiliarch Zhang!"

Iron armor clanked as the commanders inside the headquarters all rose to their feet, raising their cups in unison and shouting: "A toast to the Supreme Commander! A toast to General Yang! A toast to Chiliarch Zhang!"

The sound of the toast rolled like thunder, and the commanders drained their cups in a single draft.

Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng was filled with boundless joy and laughed heartily. Once the generals had resumed their seats, he said in a ringing voice:

"From this great victory, we can see the true nature of the Jiannu: fierce of visage yet cowardly within. As long as all our officers and soldiers possess the resolve to sacrifice themselves for the country, we can certainly deal heavy blows to the Jiannu cavalry and ensure they never dare to look down upon the upper and lower ranks of our Great Ming!"

With that, he gazed steadily at everyone in the tent, his expression brimming with intense anticipation.

Wang Piao, the regional commander of the Datong garrison, was exceptionally adept at handling worldly affairs. He immediately stood up first and said in a loud voice: "We shall forever engrave the Supreme Commander's teachings in our hearts, remaining loyal, courageous, and fearless in slaying the slaves to serve the country."

With someone taking the lead, everyone else inside the headquarters quickly followed suit, rising to express their stances one after another. Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng nodded repeatedly, his expression filled with profound gratification.

Using his cup of tea in place of wine, Datong Regional Commander Wang Piao first toasted Yang Guozhu. Then, pouring another cup of tea and looking past Zhang Yan directly at Zhang Cheng, he smiled and said: "Only today have I learned of the might of Xuanfu's Chiliarch Zhang. Chiliarch Zhang, this military governor shall use tea in place of wine to offer you a toast."

Every eye in the headquarters focused on Zhang Cheng. He stood up and replied in a calm, steady, yet resonant voice: "This humble subordinate dares not presume; it is I who should be offering a toast to Governor Wang."

The two of them raised their cups across the distance and drained them in one draught.

Following this, Hu Dawei, the regional commander of Shanxi, likewise stood up, first toasted Yang Guozhu, and then said in a deep voice to Zhang Cheng: "Chiliarch Zhang, this military governor also offers you a toast. To capture over a hundred and forty enemy heads of the Jiannu—you are a true hero!"

Facing this veteran warrior of a hundred battlefields, Zhang Cheng did not dare show the slightest hint of negligence. He hurriedly stood up, faced Hu Dawei across the room, and emptied his cup with him.

With the regional commanders of both garrisons personally offering him toasts, many in the headquarters looked on with a mixture of envy and jealousy. Doubtless, from this day onward, Zhang Cheng's reputation would soar, spreading his renown at least throughout the three garrisons of Xuan-Da.

Zhang Yan, the regional vice-commander of Xuanfu, felt a surge of turbulent emotions within his own chest. While he naturally hoped that Zhang Cheng would win glory and establish merits, he somehow felt that all of this was unfolding a bit too rapidly.

Li Jianwei and Wen Hui, the Xuanfu regional vice-commanders, felt quite differently. Watching Zhang Cheng seated prominently in the front row, they felt intensely bitter inside. This young fellow, merely a chiliarch, was seated in the front row and had squeezed the two of them back into the rear.

Wen Hui smiled slyly as he leaned close to Li Jianwei and whispered softly: "Look at that. This Xuanfu garrison is practically turning into the private estate of the Zhang family."

Li Jianwei merely stared at Zhang Cheng ahead of him, his eyes filled with hatred.

Sitting at the head of the hall, Supreme Commander Lu Xiangsheng watched the gathering of the three garrisons' generals filling the headquarters, his gaze brimming with expectations.

Yang Guozhu nodded with a slight smile as well. He, too, was in exceptionally high spirits today. Zhang Cheng's victory in his maiden battle had brought immense prestige to the Xuanfu garrison, and as its commanding general, he naturally felt his face glowing with glory.

Supreme Commander Lu raised his chopsticks, and the headquarters instantly fell silent. The generals then began to eat ravenously.

As he ate, Supreme Commander Lu seemed lost in deep thought.

With Supreme Commander Lu seated at the head, the usual unbridled, unrestrained demeanor of the martial generals was somewhat reined in. Every man's manner of eating was far more refined than usual. Yet, their stomachs were truly empty, and each of them quickly swept clean the tea, rice, and meat set before their desks.