007 A Tremendous Upheaval

Wang Lanping never imagined that history would play such a cruel joke on him. He had calculated that the capital would hold for at least another month, yet it had fallen with chilling, inexplicable speed. Just one month after he left Beijing, and barely having entered the borders of the Southern Zhili region, Li Zicheng’s massive army had breached the city walls. Zhu Youjian, the emperor who had strived so hard to revitalize the Ming Dynasty, found himself at a dead end and took his own life by hanging. The Ming Dynasty, which had reigned for over two hundred and seventy years, collapsed in an instant.

Due to the incessant warfare along the postal routes, news of the catastrophe in the capital did not reach the Jiangnan region until more than a month later. Suddenly, the entire route was filled with wailing, and the people donned white mourning clothes. Yet, in the city of Huaining, there was not a whisper of the news.

As night fell, Du the Gentleman proved worthy of his reputation as a wealthy man in Huaining. Within a few hours, he had indeed gathered eighty thousand taels of silver. He arrived at the back hall in high spirits, where Wang Lanping was still waiting. Du Ningning, perhaps overwhelmed by a sudden surge of shyness and excitement, had retreated to her chambers to hide her joy.

"My apologies for the long wait, Top Scholar!" Du Ming said as he walked in, carrying a wooden box.

Seeing his demeanor, Wang Lanping knew the matter was settled. He stood up, his mind entirely focused on the task of recruiting soldiers and purchasing horses. He got straight to the point, cupping his hands in a salute: "I have troubled you, Gentleman Du. Is it done?"

Du Ming wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, chuckled, and patted the wooden box. "When the Top Scholar makes a request, how could I dare to delay? Especially since this concerns my daughter's marriage. These are eighty thousand taels in premier silver notes, redeemable at any bank across the two capitals and thirteen provinces upon presentation."

Wang Lanping was overjoyed. With the money, half the battle was won. He reached out for the box. "Many thanks."

Unexpectedly, Du Ming pulled his hand back, leaving Wang Lanping grasping at air. "What is the meaning of this, Gentleman Du? Do you intend to go back on your word?"

Du Ming, a merchant by trade, could not simply hand over such a massive sum. "My dear Top Scholar, once Ningning enters your family, we shall be as one. This money would have been yours sooner or later. But for now... well, eighty thousand taels is no small amount. Might we..."

Wang Lanping understood. He was being distrusted, but he could sympathize. "Very well. Bring pen and ink; I shall write you a promissory note."

Du Ming feigned embarrassment. "That is too formal, too formal. But it is for the best, to prevent others from making accusations that my Du family used wealth to climb the social ladder, and to guard against petty men slandering your reputation for integrity. Yes, that would be excellent. Come, bring the pen and ink!"

Wang Lanping only wanted to secure the funds quickly. If the Ming Dynasty was truly gone, what use was a reputation for integrity? The title of the Ming Dynasty’s top martial scholar would be worth nothing.

In a few moments, with a flurry of ink, Wang Lanping wrote out the handover document and handed it to Du Ming. He understood Du Ming’s calculations well; had he not been a Top Scholar, Du would never have been so generous. It was merely a case of mutual convenience.

Du Ming read it and was very satisfied. With this in hand, he no longer had to fear the Top Scholar backing out.

Having secured the silver notes, Wang Lanping had no time for further pleasantries. He left the Du residence and hurried toward the county office. The sky had grown dark. Upon arriving at the entrance, he saw an official sedan chair parked there; by its design, it belonged to the Prefect of Anqing. Wang Lanping was puzzled. Hadn't Prefect Zhou returned to Anqing? Why was he here?

The situation was urgent, and Wang Lanping strode into the office, having been announced by a guard.

In the back garden hall, the three local civil and military leaders met. After a brief discussion, Wang Lanping learned that Prefect Zhou had returned because, halfway to Anqing, he had encountered a massive wave of refugees and scattered, defeated soldiers flowing from the north. These people were starving and frequently looted for food. Fearing trouble, the Prefect had retreated to Huaining, hoping Magistrate Kong would provide soldiers for protection.

Wang Lanping was not surprised. Having come from the north, he had seen many such displaced people. War forced commoners to flee for their lives, seeking refuge wherever they deemed safe. However, it was rare to see so many deserters mixed in, especially since he hadn't heard of the war reaching the Jianghuai region. Where did these soldiers come from?

Wang Lanping asked the Prefect, "Prefect, where are the refugees now, and where did those defeated soldiers retreat from?"

The Prefect was clearly shaken. Those people were so hungry they would rob anyone, not even respecting the officials, as if the law no longer held any sway over them.

"Ten miles to the east," the Prefect said. "I heard they came from Hebei and Shandong. Such rabble, causing such chaos—it is lawless! They deserve to be killed. Once I return to my prefecture, I will surely send troops to clear them out."

Wang Lanping glanced at Magistrate Kong. He thought to himself: Hebei is thousands of miles away. Why flee so far? Many prefectures he had passed through were not yet touched by war. Why would these refugees bypass closer areas? And why had no local officials settled them, or rounded up the deserters? A sense of unease rose in his heart. If all of Hebei and Shandong had fallen, then the capital must be in grave danger—an isolated city.

Magistrate Kong, looking equally uneasy, interjected: "Prefect, Top Scholar, there is something I have found suspicious for some time."

"What is it?" Wang Lanping asked.

Magistrate Kong paced back and forth. "Prefect, as you likely know, for over a month, our Huaining County has not received a single dispatch from the imperial court."

The Prefect was aware of this, but he had assumed the chaos caused by Li Zicheng in the Yellow River basin had simply severed the postal routes—a common occurrence in times of war. He hadn't given it much thought.

Wang Lanping, however, had traveled from the north and was well-versed in military strategy. He knew that Li Zicheng’s army had advanced from the northwest to take the strategic Tong Pass. It was unlikely they could have severed the routes between the capital and the Jianghuai region unless they had bypassed the pass or the pass had already fallen, with rebel forces looming over the capital region.

The more he thought, the more wrong it felt. "When was the last time we received a dispatch?"

"The eighth of the second lunar month," the Magistrate replied. "The imperial court ordered all garrisons in the empire to march to Beijing for the defense of the throne."

Wang Lanping knew of this, though, of course, no garrison commander had obeyed. He had left the capital a few days after that decree was issued—nearly two months ago now.

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall. The county vice-magistrate rushed in, ignoring all formalities, and shoved the door open.

"Gentlemen, it is terrible! A disaster has occurred!" The official was pale, soaked in sweat, and trembling uncontrollably.

"What is it?" Magistrate Kong demanded.

"The Emperor has perished! The Ming is gone!" The official fell to his knees and burst into loud, bitter wailing.

Wang Lanping felt his mind reel. He looked at the Prefect, whose eyes were wide, his face ashen. The Prefect collapsed into his chair, muttering, "H-how dare you! You... you dare to curse the Sacred One?"

Wang Lanping stepped forward, grabbed the official by his robes, and said in a low, stern voice, "How do you know this?"

The official gasped for breath. "Half an hour ago, several rogue soldiers from who knows where broke into the city to loot food. The commoners captured them as thieves and brought them to the county office. I interrogated them, and it turns out they are scouts from the north. They said Li Zicheng’s 'Great Shun' army breached Beijing, and the Emperor hanged himself on Coal Hill." The official bowed his head and wept as if his own mother had died.

Magistrate Kong collapsed to the floor, facing north and kowtowing repeatedly, tears streaming down his face. "The master suffers, the minister is humiliated; the master is humiliated, the minister dies. Now that the Sacred One has met such a calamity, what face do we have to stand beneath the heavens? Oh, Ming! Heaven has no eyes to let the two-hundred-and-seventy-year reign of our Ming collapse! Heaven is unjust!"

The Prefect’s lips trembled. He sat limp in his chair, completely drained of strength, staring blankly like a wooden puppet. He thought: *The Ming is gone. Whose official am I now? My status as a successful civil service examinee has become nothing but a scrap of paper. My future is lost.* No, he couldn't lose everything. Dynasties change, but the bureaucracy remains. If the Ming’s fate was sealed, who was the new master? Had Li Zicheng declared himself Emperor? He had to find a way to make contact with him.

Wang Lanping felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest. When he had left the capital, the Chongzhen Emperor, who had exhausted himself for the sake of the Ming, had been full of hope for Wang’s journey south. The Emperor had wanted to revitalize the dynasty, to be a restorer-emperor. Why had there been no planning for a southward migration? Why had not a single one of the "pure" scholars at court spoken up to save the state? The "pure" scholars had ruined the country.

"No!" Wang Lanping, amidst his grief, suddenly shook himself. "This is no small matter. We cannot blindly trust the words of these deserters. Prefect, Prefect!"

The Prefect, still calculating how to remain secure during this regime change, was startled by the nudge. "W-what?"

Wang Lanping helped Magistrate Kong up from the floor. "Prefect, you are the highest official here. Whether this is true or false, what is your plan?"

The Prefect had no heart for such things. The Emperor was dead; the tree had fallen and the monkeys were scattering. Officials would either become supporters of the new dynasty or martyrs for the old. He had heard of Li Zicheng breaking through Tong Pass, and with the postal routes cut, the capital was likely doomed. Now with the deserters’ testimony, it was surely true. As for what to do, he had to wait for the new emperor to ascend the throne. His most important task now was to register the money, grain, soldiers, and people of the entire prefecture so he could continue being a Prefect under the new regime.

The Prefect could not say this aloud, however. He could not let anyone else share the credit for "welcoming" the new ruler to Anqing. He spread his hands, feigning helplessness. "The Emperor has met with disaster; I am heartbroken, my mind is in chaos, and I have lost all direction. Oh, Emperor, Emperor, your subject is incompetent!"

Wang Lanping had no patience for his wailing. He turned to Magistrate Kong. "Magistrate, what do you suggest we do now?"

Magistrate Kong, who had spent his life studying the classics and knowing only loyalty to the throne, replied, "Top Scholar, I am truly at a loss. Do you have any wisdom to offer?"

Wang Lanping helped the Magistrate to his seat and turned to the official still on the floor. "Go and bring those deserters here. I want to question them myself."

The official retreated and soon returned with two terrified men, bound hand and foot. Wang Lanping questioned them, but they knew little, their account largely matching what the official had reported.

Seeing nothing more to gain, Magistrate Kong ordered the guards to take them away.

Wang Lanping said, "Prefect, Magistrate, the facts are not yet fully clear, but we must prepare for all contingencies."

"What is your advice, Top Scholar?" the Prefect asked.

Magistrate Kong added, "In this time of crisis, we will follow your lead."

"Very well. As I see it, the immediate priorities are: first, send scouts toward the capital to confirm the news; second, gather grain and organize the troops; third, settle the refugees; and fourth, stabilize public morale. If the Emperor has indeed passed, Prefect, I ask that you, as the head of the prefecture, come forward to reassure all officials. If the officials do not panic, the people will not panic. What do you say?"

The Prefect thought to himself: *This Top Scholar is no empty title.* His four points were precise and hit the mark. "Very well. I shall draft letters to all officials in the prefecture, telling them to maintain order and not to believe rumors."

"And what shall I do?" asked Magistrate Kong.

Wang Lanping thought for a moment. "Magistrate, it will not be long before a massive influx of refugees and deserters enters the city. You must do everything possible to settle the refugees and open the granaries for relief."

"Without an imperial decree, how dare I open the granaries?" the Magistrate asked.

Wang Lanping gave a cold hum. "The postal routes are cut; will you ever see an imperial decree? In extraordinary times, one must take extraordinary measures. Do not overthink it. Open the granaries and set up porridge stations. Also, keep the refugees and deserters separated so they do not disturb the people. You must also send men to stabilize the markets. When refugees enter the city, prices will surely skyrocket. You must firmly suppress those unscrupulous merchants who would profit from national disaster."

Magistrate Kong could not help but admire the Top Scholar’s decisiveness. His words were like a floating log to one drowning in water. He stood up and saluted. "Very well, I will see to it. But Huaining is a small city; the official granary only holds five thousand piculs. I fear it will not be enough."

Wang Lanping thought, then took a silver note from the wooden box and handed it to the Magistrate. "This is five thousand taels. Purchase grain, tents, and other necessities immediately. Hungry refugees quickly turn into rioters; I have seen enough of that on my journey."

Magistrate Kong took the note, recalling their arrangement from the previous day. With the Prefect present, he whispered, "Top Scholar, may I have a word in private?"

The two stepped outside. The Magistrate asked, "What about the purchase of warhorses?"

If the capital had truly fallen, there was no need to rush to Xi'an for a diversionary tactic. Wang Lanping said, "Wait until we have confirmed news. By the way, you mentioned yesterday there is a garrison stationed outside the city, is that right?"

"Yes," said the Magistrate. "But they are men under Regional Commander Liu Zeqing."

"Whose soldiers they are does not matter. Go and see to your tasks. I will pay a visit to the camp. With such turmoil, people are panicking; we cannot let chaos erupt. It is best to have soldiers guarding the city."

"Very well. But be careful, Top Scholar. These soldiers look down on everyone. They even threaten and curse me; I can do nothing with them."

"It does not matter. I am the newly appointed Vice-Regional Commander of Anqing Prefecture."

Wang Lanping returned to the hall and saw the Prefect busy drafting documents. He didn't disturb him and turned to carry out his duties with the Magistrate.

The Prefect was indeed busy. He was working hard in the county office. Contacting all officials to stabilize the people and the markets was crucial for him. If the Ming survived, he would be a capable official who had secured his territory; if the Ming fell, he could offer a stable, orderly prefecture to the new ruler. It was a win-win situation regardless of the outcome.