Chapter Nineteen: The Imperial Guard in Brocade

“The imperial carriage has arrived...” Yang Jun opened his mouth to reply, only to realize that the question had come from a mere border soldier. He immediately fell silent, flicked his robe with a flourish, and snapped, “Insolent! The whereabouts of His Majesty are not for the likes of you to inquire about!”

He paid no further heed to Lu Qing, and instead turned his attention back to Eunuch Guo, offering a faint smile. “Eunuch Guo, as commander of Wanquan, I bear the responsibility of defending the land and safeguarding the people. The Yang family has long enjoyed imperial favor through generations. If you will not clarify these matters, then for the sake of my duties, I may have no choice but to detain you here in Wanquan for a few days. Once I have memorialized the emperor, His Majesty himself can decide your fate.”

“Yang Jun, do you truly dare to detain me?” Eunuch Guo’s voice was sharp with urgency and anger. If Yang Jun truly held him in Wanquan, he would be charged with abandoning his post—a grave crime. Everyone would believe Guo Jing had fled Datong to save his own life, deserting his station and refusing to fight the Oirat army. If matters reached that point, no amount of protest would clear his name.

Agitated and furious, Eunuch Guo felt a tightness in his chest and a throbbing in his head. He swayed, barely able to remain standing.

Seeing that Eunuch Guo was about to collapse, Shi Tai was all the more convinced of his suspicions. Word was that the Oirat Grand Preceptor Esen himself was advancing on Datong, and it seemed clear Guo Jing had sneaked away out of fear for his life. Otherwise, why would he flee in such disarray, terrified to the point of fainting at the mere threat of detention?

Heh, Guo Jing, who would have thought you’d see such a day? Once, I knelt and begged you for hours, and you kicked me away like a dog to the Prince of Yan’s household. Now, the tables have turned—thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—let’s see how you die this time, old wretch!

Yang Jun saw that Eunuch Guo’s face was devoid of color, as if he might faint at any moment. He was startled at first, but then a cold sneer crept into his heart. Truthfully, he bore no deep grudge against Eunuch Guo, and had no special connection with the Prince of Yan’s household, nor any relationship to speak of with Shi Tai. He only meant to vent his long-harbored resentment.

Ever since the founding emperor established the dynasty, the court, for military and border security, had strictly forbidden trade with the Mongols to avoid aiding the enemy. Later, the border ban was somewhat relaxed, but except for the annual market day, the border remained closed. Anyone caught smuggling goods to the Mongols faced execution.

Yet the border garrisons lived in poverty; the meager stipends from the court were not enough to feed their families. And so, despite the prohibition, the soldiers of Xuanfu and Datong secretly traded across the border. Officers and commanders alike turned a blind eye—after all, it was not easy for border troops, and earning a little extra for their families was understandable. Why make enemies of one’s own men for the sake of a rule?

Over decades, these illicit trades grew from petty dealings to a vast operation with staggering profits. Merchants from the interior joined in, and as the profits swelled, so did the rank of the officials who took part. In the end, everyone from the highest eunuchs and generals down to the lowliest private was involved in the smuggling.

When Guo Jing was appointed Imperial Commissioner of Datong by imperial decree, he too, like his predecessors, quickly dipped his hand into the trade. No one was surprised—a eunuch in charge wanting a share of the profits was to be expected. No one was so naïve as to believe a eunuch, even one with no heirs, would shun wealth. But to everyone’s astonishment, Guo Jing’s appetite was insatiable—he was not content with his share, but aimed to swallow half the profits of Datong’s entire black market.

Yang Jun’s father, Yang Hong, had spent his career along the border since the Yongle reign, and during the Xuande era, had served as Vice Commander in Datong. Later, he was stationed at Dushi and Chicheng beyond the passes, and now served as the Grand Marshal of Xuanfu. His influence in the region was immense and his connections ran deep.

Having defended the border for forty years, General Yang Hong was well aware of the smuggling. To avoid impeachment, he did not personally partake, but allowed his three sons and trusted subordinates to do so, thus securing a share of the immense profits. Over time, with the court’s trust and his standing among the Mongols, Yang’s family became the dominant force in the trade—everyone followed their lead.

Originally, everyone was content to quietly amass wealth while the Mongols kept their distance. But then Guo Jing, newly arrived, tried to upend the rules by seizing half the profits for himself—a move no one could accept.

The annual profits from smuggling out of Datong alone reached tens of thousands of taels of silver, implicating not only everyone in Datong, but also the Yang family of Xuanfu and countless merchants. Guo Jing’s actions left no room for others—he was snatching food from their mouths. No one would tolerate it, least of all Yang Hong.

The problem was, behind Guo Jing stood Wang Zhen, the emperor’s most trusted eunuch, whom the Son of Heaven obeyed and addressed as “Sir.” With such a patron, what could Yang Hong do? If the matter was exposed, Yang Hong’s own reputation would be tarnished for involvement in illegal trade.

In secret struggles, Guo Jing had Wang Zhen’s support, and the Marquis of Xining, Song Ying, who was stationed at Datong and did not get along with Guo Jing, took a neutral stance—seemingly hoping Guo and Yang would destroy each other. After several failed attempts to best Guo in secret, and with the Ministry of War creating trouble at Wang Zhen’s behest, Yang Hong realized he could not prevail. If he persisted, he might be reassigned to a quiet retirement, losing far more than a few thousand taels.

Weighing the pros and cons, Yang Hong reluctantly chose to yield, swallowing his anger and tacitly allowing Guo Jing free rein in Datong. But the resentment festered, especially among his three sons, who handled the money directly and hated Guo Jing with a passion, wishing they could carve him into pieces.

No one can calmly watch another reach into their pocket and snatch away their duck just as it’s about to be eaten.

In the past, there was never a chance to deal with Guo Jing. Now, unexpectedly, he had come to their own territory, and seemingly as a fugitive. Yang Jun, long nursing a grudge, was not about to let slip this opportunity.

At first, Yang Jun was cautious, unsure why Guo Jing had suddenly arrived at Yongjia, and so greeted him with feigned courtesy. But with Shi Tai’s outburst, he sensed something was amiss, and saw no need for pretense. Tearing off the mask, he resolved to make Guo Jing pay. He was determined to detain Guo Jing and let his father inform the emperor of the eunuch’s crime.

With His Majesty’s trust in his father and Guo Jing in the wrong, not even Wang Zhen could save him, Yang Jun thought with confidence. Besides, with the emperor now personally leading a campaign against the Oirat, Xuanfu relied more than ever on the Yang family. At such a critical juncture, Wang Zhen would not risk a schism with his father over Guo Jing.

The more Yang Jun thought, the bolder he grew. Seeing that the soldier who had dared ask about the imperial carriage was now supporting the nearly-fainting Guo Jing, he grew angry and waved his hand, ordering, “Men, carry Eunuch Guo inside and tend to him well!”

At once, a chorus of assent rang out and several of Yang Jun’s personal guards rushed out to carry Guo Jing inside. Over on the side, Zhou Yunyi watched in a daze. He wanted to report the defeat at Datong, but seeing Yang Jun so clearly convinced of Guo Jing’s guilt, he hesitated. Zhou was only a minor patrol leader, while Yang Jun was the grand marshal’s own son and commander of Wanquan. If he spoke up for Guo Jing, Yang would surely take it out on him.

After some thought, Zhou decided to stand aside—he was too small a figure to meddle in the affairs of these great men. If the commander wished to arrest Eunuch Guo, so be it. He would report the defeat at Datong later and then return to the fortress with the news. At the end of the day, Eunuch Guo’s fate was none of his concern.

Zhou did nothing, and Zhao Da and Zhao Er were even more terrified, exchanging anxious glances as if to ask: what should we do—stay or leave?

As the guards surged forward, Yang Jun turned to Shi Tai with a smile. “If not for your timely warning, I might have been deceived. Hmph! Now that the Oirat are invading, imperial eunuchs should be serving the court. Yet he abandons his post at Datong to sneak away—how is that any different from a faithless traitor?”

“That old wretch is used to throwing his weight around. If not for your presence, no one would dare lay a finger on him.” Shi Tai beamed, about to flatter Yang Jun further, when suddenly a stern voice rang out: “Commander Yang, Eunuch Guo is the emperor’s personal envoy and chief supervisor at Datong. Without imperial command, to detain him is tantamount to rebellion. Are you certain you wish to proceed? If so, I will return to the capital and report this at once. Then you can explain to His Majesty the crime of detaining his envoy!”

Yang Jun’s face darkened with fury as he spun around and pointed at Lu Qing. “Who are you?” But as his gaze fell, his expression changed. “Embroidered Uniform Guard?”