Chapter Eleven: The Prince Consort and the Origin of the Well

Prince Consort Jing Yuan was the husband of Princess Jiaxing, the eldest daughter of Emperor Renzong. By rank, he was the emperor’s grand-uncle by marriage, and among the imperial family, he was a distinguished noble renowned for his military achievements. He was valiant and skilled in battle, and both Emperor Renzong and Emperor Xuanzong had repeatedly bestowed honors upon him.

The current emperor, upon ascending the throne, maintained a close relationship with his grand-uncle by marriage. Though Princess Jiaxing had passed away as early as the fourth year of the Zhengtong reign, the royal family continued to treat the prince consort with affection. Not only did the emperor frequently summon him, but even Empress Dowager Sun often invited Jing Yuan to the palace for casual conversation. During festivals and celebrations, he was generously rewarded, never missing a single gift.

Within the court, Prince Consort Jing Yuan’s influence was no less than that of Duke of England Zhang Fu or Duke of Cheng Zhu Yong, both prominent nobles from the campaign to restore the throne. Back when the “Three Yangs” were still in power, they treated this old prince consort with utmost respect. The current grand scholars in the cabinet do not match the prestige of the “Three Yangs,” and thus dare not offend him lightly. Whenever the imperial clan encountered disputes, it was often Jing Yuan who mediated. Consequently, whether in the inner palace or the outer court, he was universally praised and admired. Even Wang Zhen, who held sway over the court, would not dare act too recklessly before Jing Yuan. (Author’s note: The “Three Yangs” refers to Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu.)

Before aligning himself with Wang Zhen, Guo Jing served as a junior supervisor in the Imperial Household Department, whose duties involved procuring supplies for the royal family. The Princess Jiaxing’s residence operated several shops in the capital engaged in such business, leading to interactions with Prince Consort Jing Yuan, whom Guo Jing deeply respected.

Before being dispatched as the supervising eunuch of Datong, Guo Jing had specially visited the princess’s residence to seek advice from Jing Yuan, receiving many valuable insights. Therefore, upon hearing that the court had appointed Jing Yuan as commander to aid Datong, Guo Jing remarked to his associates, “With the prince consort coming, there’s little to worry about.” Yet, barely a day later, news arrived that the emperor himself would lead the expedition, a puzzling development that baffled all the officials in Datong, Guo Jing included.

Since Emperor Hongwu drove out the Mongols, restored the nation, and established the Ming dynasty, only Emperor Yongle and Emperor Xuande had personally led military campaigns—Yongle to eradicate the remnants of the Yuan and secure the northern frontier, and Xuande to confront Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu, a renowned warrior who had helped Yongle seize the throne. Both faced formidable foes. But whom was the current emperor leading his army against? Could this really be considered a worthy adversary?

Though the Oirat, led by Toghon and his son Esen, had spent two decades building their power, they could muster only thirty to forty thousand troops. Not only had they yet to unify Mongolia, but even these few tens of thousands hardly justified the emperor’s personal intervention. With tens of thousands of elite troops stationed at Xuanfu and Datong, what trouble could Esen truly cause? The current invasion sounded threatening—three armies advancing simultaneously—but aside from Esen’s central force, the left wing led by the nominal Mongol Khan Tutu Buha and the right wing led by Zhiyuan Ala were compelled to join only under Esen’s pressure. After deploying, they mostly watched and waited. Together, their forces numbered only twenty to thirty thousand. With such numbers, breaking through the defenses of Liaodong and Xuanfu was nothing short of wishful thinking.

As long as the Xuanfu-Datong defensive line was held firmly, Esen would not last long and would eventually have to retreat. Once he withdrew, Tutu Buha and Ala would naturally follow. Thus, the border, despite its urgent alarms, would remain secure. Yet, no one expected the emperor to decide on a personal campaign.

Wasn’t this making a mountain out of a molehill? Guo Jing was perplexed. What on earth could have prompted the emperor to personally lead the army? Why hadn’t Eunuch Wang stopped him, but rather wholeheartedly supported the decision?

Despite his confusion, as a servant of the royal family, Guo Jing would never utter a word against the emperor’s personal campaign. Moreover, news from the palace indicated that Wang Zhen had orchestrated the expedition, and as Wang’s trusted confidant, Guo Jing dared not show the slightest displeasure. He focused instead on preparing Datong to welcome the imperial entourage and Wang Zhen.

Upon learning that Esen was advancing toward Datong, Marquis Song Ying of Xining resolved to strike first, hoping to boost morale before the imperial expedition arrived. Guo Jing gladly agreed. Though he and Song Ying often clashed, they shared a resolute stance toward the Oirat: strike when necessary, kill when necessary. If they could win a battle, it would bring glory not only to Song Ying, but also to Guo Jing as the supervising eunuch, and even to Wang Zhen, who would shine before the emperor. With everyone standing to benefit, why would Guo Jing object?

But fate thwarted their plans. In the Battle of Yanghe Pass, four thousand elite border troops were utterly defeated by barely twenty thousand Oirat soldiers, and Marquis Song Ying was killed on the field. Had it not been for Lu Qing, Guo Jing would likely have ended up as a corpse floating in a pool of blood.

Recalling the sight of Song Ying trapped among the Oirat soldiers yesterday, Guo Jing shuddered and dared not dwell on the memory. Gazing into the distance, he murmured, “If I survive this calamity, I must beg Eunuch Wang to transfer me elsewhere. Nanjing would be perfect for retirement—a place of mountains and rivers, ideal for old age. Though many are eyeing that position, and it’ll cost a fair bit of silver…”

Lu Qing was surprised to hear Guo Jing speaking of retirement and replied casually, “Blessed men are protected by Heaven. Your loyalty and hard work will surely be seen by the emperor. Don’t worry, you might even receive a reward when you meet His Majesty.”

Guo Jing laughed at this, saying, “You youngsters like to cheer up this old man. If the emperor doesn’t punish me, that would be blessing enough—what reward could I expect? But speaking of Eunuch Wang, it does puzzle me. With his temperament, he shouldn’t have agreed to the emperor’s campaign…”

He fell silent, recalling how Wang Zhen, strict as a teacher, had often instructed the emperor in the palace. At last, a faint smile appeared on his face. “But if the army manages to drive back the Oirat, Eunuch Wang will become legendary, just like the Treasure Eunuch. Alas, I don’t have that kind of luck. After the disaster at Yanghe Pass, I’ll surely be held responsible. I can only hope the emperor will let this loyal old servant retire… Truly, I am too old for the frontier now…”

Whether Guo Jing would be punished or spared after meeting the emperor and Wang Zhen, Lu Qing had little concern. His mind was occupied with how to persuade Wang Zhen, through Guo Jing, to change the army’s route and prevent the tragedy at Tumubao. But how could he convince Wang Zhen to believe him? And how could he ensure Guo Jing would unwittingly serve as his messenger?