The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 335 The Arrogant Eunuch
"The Jade Rooster and Golden Horse of Ancient Liangzhou, the Copper Pillars and Iron Bridge at the Horizon."

"If you ask me who deserves the most credit for pacifying Yunnan, I would only mention the Marquis of Yingchuan to everyone I meet."

A slightly unrestrained chanting voice rang out over the vast grassland of Usa Prefecture.

As the eunuch Gong Weihua rode a magnificent Yunnan horse, gazing upon the lush pastures and flocks of seagulls and egrets, he was inspired to compose a poem.

Not far away was the Yunnan border. After a moment's thought, he recited the poem "Dianhai Qu" with a swaying head.

At this time, the imperial envoy delegation had already left Chengdu Prefecture and was traveling along the shore of Caohai Lake in Wusa Prefecture (now Weining, Guizhou).

Beyond this lake and wetland lies Qujing Prefecture in Yunnan.

Although the group was travel-worn, Gong Weihua seemed to be in good spirits, enjoying a leisurely stroll.

He turned his head, with a hint of testing in his eyes, to look at He Hong, who was walking beside him:
"Doctor He, have you heard of this poem before?"

Stanley Ho, standing to the side, nodded slightly and responded with a smile:

"My father-in-law is very learned."

"Isn't this a line from a poem by the great scholar Yang Yongxiu?"

"Mr. Yuexi comes from a family with a long history of scholarship and is renowned throughout the world. He is indeed worthy of being taught by Mr. Yang Wenzhong."

"Eunuch, you can still recite poems with such talent. I imagine you must have been well-read and learned when you were in the Directorate of Ceremonial."

Hearing this perfectly timed flattery, Gong Weihua straightened his back and a smug look appeared on his face.

He stroked a non-existent beard, his high-pitched voice tinged with a hint of melancholy:

"That is!"

"Doctor He, you may not know this, but when I first entered the palace, I suffered a lot before I was fortunate enough to get a job in the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"There are many rules in the palace, especially in a confidential place like the Directorate of Ceremonial. It's not enough to just know how to serve people. You need to know a bit about writing, documents, classics, history, philosophy, and literature."

"Otherwise, how can one serve His Majesty well if one cannot even understand the documents passed down from above?"

"Back then, my family put in a lot of hard work, secretly learning a great deal from our ancestors in the palace and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy..."

Once he started talking, Gong Weihua began to reminisce about the hardships he had endured and how hard he had worked in the past.
How did he stand out among so many eunuchs with his "quick wit and eagerness to learn" and eventually enter the "glorious years" of being a wiretapping officer in the Directorate of Ceremonial?

In his words, he portrayed himself as a model of a diligent and studious eunuch.

Just as Gong Weihua was reveling in his self-praise, Hei Zi, who was slightly behind by half a horse's length, couldn't help but secretly spit out a curse:
"You son of a bitch, you castrated bastard!"

"You think you can pretend to be a scholar in front of me just because you know a few characters!"

"Once I break through the city, let's see if you still dare to act so arrogantly!"

His role on this trip was as the head of the guards, leading three hundred carefully selected elite soldiers, who mingled with the delegation and were responsible for escorting Gong Weihua and his party to Qujing.

Accompanying him was Yu Hongchang, who had been sent by Deng Qi earlier, making a total of 350 people.

They will act as inside agents, responsible for breaching Qujing from within.

To conquer Yunnan, we must first seize Qujing.

Qujing is located at the eastern gateway of Yunnan and has long been known as the "key to Yunnan and Guizhou and the throat of Yunnan".

When entering Yunnan from Sichuan or Guizhou, almost every route involves passing through Qujing.

This place is not only a transportation hub, but also a protective barrier to the east of Kunming.

In the early Ming Dynasty, when Marquis Fu Youde of Yingchuan led his army to pacify Yunnan, he first captured Qujing, defeated the main force of the Yuan Dynasty's Liang King, and then swept across the entire Yunnan.

Therefore, to pacify Yunnan, it is essential to first open the gates of Qujing.

In addition to the two military officers, Hei Zi and Yu Hongchang, Jiang Han also dispatched He Hong, the temporary Chief of the Guest House.

His task was to accompany Gong Weihua in his poetry and leisurely travels, thereby deceiving the other party and the officials of Qujing, and to cover up Hei Zi and others' smooth entry into Qujing Prefecture. His responsibility was extremely important.

The group of people walked and stopped along the post road at the edge of the Grass Sea, and soon came to see a winding river - the Kedu River.

This river was an important passage connecting Yunnan and Sichuan during the Ming Dynasty. Although the river is not very wide, the current is rapid and the terrain is very dangerous.

Not far from the riverbank, a pass built against the mountain and beside the water stands majestically on the post road; that is the renowned Kedu Pass.

In the early Ming Dynasty, after defeating the Wuman forces, Marquis Fu Youde of Yingchuan built a city and pass at this strategic location to consolidate his rule.

It is said that this place was once the garrison camp of Zhuge Liang during his southern expedition.

Kedu Pass is divided into two cities, old and new. The old city is on the north bank, and over the years it has been transformed into a beacon tower.
The south bank is the new city, with defensive fortifications such as gun emplacements and arrow towers built on the city walls. Although it is not large in scale, the terrain is steep and easy to defend.

The current commander of Kedu Pass is Ma Tao, the deputy commander of the rear guard of Wusa Guard.

He had already received reports from scouts that a force of several hundred men had arrived from the direction of Sichuan, with a mix of flags, including both imperial guards and unidentified bodyguards.

He was on high alert and led his troops to the city wall early on, ready for battle.

Seeing that the gates of the pass were tightly closed, Gong Weihua was not flustered at all. He immediately sent his godson, a young eunuch, on horseback to shout for help to close the gates.

The young eunuch swaggered up to the gate, and in a shrill voice:
"Listen up, garrison troops inside!"

"We are under the command of Eunuch Gong, the Imperial Envoy of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Open the gate immediately and let us pass!"

Ma Tao, who was on the city wall, was quite competent and did not easily believe the shout.

Now that Sichuan and Guizhou have fallen into the hands of bandits, he dares not easily let people into the pass.

Ma Tao then leaned out and shouted back:
"Guarding the pass is the duty of this commander."

"To pass through, you need to check the official documents and seals. Only after confirming that everything is correct can you be allowed to pass!"

"Please forgive me, angels!"

The eunuch pleaded with him, even invoking the imperial court's authority, but Ma Tao remained unmoved.

Helpless, the young eunuch had no choice but to turn his horse back and report to Gong Weihua in a huff.

Upon hearing the report, Gong Weihua was furious, feeling that he had lost face in front of He Hong.

Especially at this crucial moment when they were about to enter Yunnan and return to their own territory, how dare a mere commander of a thousand households obstruct the imperial entourage?

His face darkened, and he spurred his horse, urging it forward recklessly towards the pass!

Seeing this, He Hong was startled and quickly called out:
"Father-in-law! Father-in-law, wait! Weapons and swords are dangerous!"

But Gong Weihua was furious and wouldn't listen to anything. He just kept rushing towards the checkpoint.

He Hong and the others behind him, including Hei Zi and Yu Hongchang, were shocked and feared that something had happened to Gong Weihua, so they immediately chased after him.

If the eunuch were shot dead on the spot, their plans would be ruined.

Seeing the group of men riding towards the pass, the Ming soldiers on the city wall stirred up a commotion. They raised their swords and spears, drew their bows and arrows, and aimed them at the entrance to the post road.

Just wait for Ma Tao's order, and these audacious fools will be riddled with arrows!

But at this critical moment, Ma Tao hesitated.

He observed the demeanor of the leader below, his enigmatic expression, and his arrogant attitude that disregarded the garrison...

The soldiers below might be unsophisticated, but Ma Tao had received eunuchs sent by the imperial court when he was in Qujing, and he knew very well the character of these imperial servants.

The more I look at this person from beyond the Great Wall, the more he seems to resemble him!
"Wait! Don't act rashly!"

Ma Tao's heart tightened, and he quickly gave instructions to those beside him.
"Hold your bowstrings tight! No one is allowed to let go without my order!"

In that brief moment of hesitation, Gong Weihua had already made his way unimpeded to the city walls of Keduguan.

He reined in his horse, looked up at the city wall, and began to curse:
"Are you all blind?! You dare to stop our car?!"

"My family are eunuchs serving in the Directorate of Ceremonial, carrying out a secret imperial decree!"

"You bunch of scoundrels, are you all tired of living and want to lose your heads?!"

"Quickly open the gate for us! If you delay His Majesty's important business, even sacrificing your heads won't be enough!"

Gong Weihua went all out, spewing out a string of vulgarities and insults, cursing Ma Tao and his ancestors.

The soldiers on the city wall were so angry that their faces turned ashen, but they dared not make any rash moves.

Watching Gong Weihua spitting and cursing under the gate, He Hong, Hei Zi, and Yu Hongchang behind him exchanged bewildered glances.

what is this?
Is it subservient to foreign powers but aggressive at home?
That damned eunuch is really bold. Isn't he afraid that the general guarding the pass will be enraged and shoot him on the spot?

However, they underestimated the power of a trusted eunuch of the emperor to suppress local officials and generals.

When he was in Sichuan, Gong Weihua was extremely respectful and dared not act recklessly in the slightest, after all, it was a "den of thieves".

But now, standing on Yunnan soil and facing the Ming Dynasty's soldiers, what does he have to fear?

Ma Tao, who was inside the pass, was scolded so badly that he gritted his teeth in anger, his right hand gripping the wall so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Even though he hated the person shouting curses below the city, his remaining rationality told him that the person was probably real!

He dared not order the imperial envoy to be shot.

After a long while, Gong Weihua got tired of cursing and, panting, let out one last shout.

"Why aren't you opening the gates and letting us in?!"

Ma Tao's fist clenched and unclenched repeatedly, but in the end he could only wave his hand helplessly.
"Turn...on the switch!"

The two centurions standing nearby were utterly shocked upon hearing this:
"Commander Ma, this...this is already open?"
"just in case……"

Ma Tao suddenly turned his head, his eyes widened, and he roared:
"Just open it, what's with all the talk?!"

"Are they all deaf?!"

Under his command, the two heavy iron-clad wooden gates of Kedu Pass were immediately opened, allowing passage without any trouble.

However, despite the gate being wide open, Gong Weihua remained seated on his horse, showing no intention of going in.

Instead, he started picking a fight, yelling in a shrill voice:

"What do you mean?"

"We were told to go in ourselves, and no one even came out to greet us?!"

"Fine, I see you don't take the Emperor seriously. I'll go back to the palace and report this to him. Let's see how many heads you have to chop off."

As he spoke, he made a gesture as if to turn his horse around and leave.

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Tao, along with his personal guards, practically tumbled and crawled out of the gate.

He took three steps in two, blocked the horse's path, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, saying:

"This humble general, Ma Tao, may I ask which eunuch has graced us with his presence?"

"I am so sorry for not greeting you properly, sir!"

Upon hearing this, Gong Weihua snorted coldly. He first nudged Ma Tao with his riding whip, then tore off the two plaques from his waist and casually threw them over.

"Open your dog eyes and take a good look!"

"My servant is a court official in the Directorate of Ceremonial, a favorite of the Emperor!"

"You mere commander, do you have some kind of death wish, daring to block our path?!"

Before Ma Tao could reply, he simply caught the two plaques and carefully examined them in his hands.

One of the plaques is called an ivory plaque, which is made of ivory. It is about four inches long and one and a half inches wide, with a warm and smooth texture and cloud patterns carved on the edges.

The front clearly bears the inscription "Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs," while the back contains a serial number and brief information about Gong Weihua himself.

The other one is a waist tag for an envoy, which is slightly smaller and made of copper, with the words "envoy, official seal" engraved on it.

These two plaques serve as proof of the eunuch's status and that he was traveling by imperial decree.

Upon seeing this, Ma Tao's last trace of doubt vanished, replaced by waves of lingering fear and relief.

As expected of someone from the palace; only someone from the palace would act so arrogantly.

Fortunately, he was cautious and did not order the arrows to be fired. If he had killed the imperial envoy, his life would have been over.

He immediately knelt on one knee and raised the sign above his head with both hands:

"Father-in-law, please forgive me!"

"This humble general was blind and offended the angel!"

"This humble general is only acting out of duty to guard against the bandits in Sichuan, so I have to be extra careful. I hope you will forgive me!" After saying this, he quickly waved his hand behind him, signaling his soldiers to put away their weapons.

He himself stepped forward and helped Gong Weihua dismount.

Seeing this, Gong Weihua snorted coldly and dismounted leisurely.

This scene left He Hong and the others behind him dumbfounded.

No, this garrison commander is at least a fifth-rank commander, guarding a strategic pass. Where is your courage?

Everyone present heard how awful that damned eunuch's words were. Are we just going to let it go like this?

Just as the group was staring in disbelief, Gong Weihua, who was in front, seemed to suddenly remember something.

He turned around and greeted everyone, his tone relaxed, as if nothing had happened:
"Why are you still standing there?"

"Please come in, Doctor He, and there are two more people."

The group then realized what was happening, dismounted, and followed Gong Weihua to enter the pass.

Upon seeing He Hong and his two elite guards, Ma Tao immediately became alert:

"Eunuch Gong, may I ask who these gentlemen are...?"

Gong Weihua glared at him impatiently:
"Shut up! Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask!"

"You, a mere commander of a thousand men, are not qualified to know about the important military and national affairs of the imperial court!"

One sentence left Ma Tao speechless, his face turning red, and he dared not say another word.

Ma Tao, having been rebuffed, turned his gaze to the long line behind them and the large box on the carriage that was completely covered up.

He hesitated for a moment, but still mustered the courage to ask:

"Then, sir, are these chests, carriages, and horses... still needed...?"

Gong Weihua lost all patience and shrieked:
"What?! Do you need to search me before I can come in?!"

"These are all our personal belongings, as well as local specialties we purchased along the way!"

"Do you expect me to open them one by one and let you inspect them?!"

"Do you still want to see the Emperor's secret edict?!"

These boxes were filled with the benefits he had received in Chengdu, including various kinds of gold, silver, and silk, which were of considerable value.

That is why Gong Weihua reacted so strongly, refusing to let anyone touch it.

What he didn't know was that beneath all that gold, silver, and silk lay a cache of armor, crossbows, muskets, and other military equipment for hundreds of men.

Ma Tao was startled by his rapid-fire questioning and dared not mention opening the box for inspection again.

Well, this guy is untouchable. Let him do whatever he wants.

Unless it's a large band of bandits, these three hundred men shouldn't be able to cause much trouble.

He quickly waved his hand to signal his men to let them pass, and personally led the way.

Thus, relying on Gong Weihua's titles as a eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and an imperial envoy, the group passed through Zhanyi Prefecture almost without hindrance and arrived at Qujing Prefecture.

Outside Qujing city, people were already waiting.

Song Wenbo, the prefect of Qujing, received the message from Keduguan a few days ago.

Having calculated the exact time of the delegation's arrival, he specially led a group of officials from the government office to wait for the angels outside the city.

Seeing the group of people slowly approaching, Song Wenbo straightened his clothes and then led his men to greet them:
"This must be Eunuch Gong, right?"

"I am Song Wenbo, the prefect of Qujing. Your Excellency has come from afar and must be tired from your journey."

Faced with the emperor, Gong Weihua finally put away his arrogant attitude.

He nimbly dismounted and returned the greeting with a cupped hand:
"Prefect Song, you are too kind. I am only acting on the Emperor's orders."

"To share the emperor's worries and toil for the country, I have no need to talk about hardship."

After exchanging pleasantries, Gong Weihua pulled He Hong, who was behind him, aside and introduced him to Song Wenbo:

"Prefect Song, let me introduce you. This is Doctor He Hong from Sichuan."

Upon hearing these words, Song Wenbo's heart tightened, his smile froze instantly, and he blurted out:

"Sichuan? That's not where bandits are..."

"Prefect Song, be careful what you say!"

Gong Weihua immediately interrupted him, stepped forward, and lowered his voice,
"The reason why Physician He came with us is because he has important business to attend to, which concerns the overall situation of the court in the southwest."

"Do not treat it lightly, and even more so, do not make any unwarranted comments!"

Song Wenbo was stunned for a moment after hearing this. Looking at Gong Weihua's serious expression, and then glancing at He Hong, who was calm and smiling, his eyes widened.

This imperial eunuch dared to swagger along with officials from the Sichuan puppet Han regime, and even traveled together to Yunnan.
It seems there might be some major development between the imperial court and Sichuan.

He quickly regained his composure and hurriedly bowed to Ho Hung to apologize:
"Ah, so it's Doctor He. My apologies for not recognizing you."

"It was my mistake, I hope Physician He will not take offense."

Stanley Ho returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said calmly:

"Prefect Song, you flatter me. I am just following orders, and I may need to rely on you a lot in the future."

With many people and eyes watching outside the city, Song Wenbo was unwilling to discuss the matter in detail, so he stepped aside to make way and gestured for Song to proceed.

"understand."

"Eunuch Gong, Physician He, you must be tired from your journey. Please come with me into the city."

"A small feast has been prepared at the manor to welcome you both and wash away the dust of your journey."

Gong Weihua nodded. Smart people are easy to deal with; there's no need to waste words.

He then called to Hei Zi and the others behind him, signaling the group to follow.

But the guard team of more than 300 people was too conspicuous, especially since each guard was burly and had a tough demeanor, and they were clearly not easy to deal with.

As a local official, Song Wenbo was responsible for protecting the territory and had to be cautious.

After a moment's thought, he changed his approach and said to Gong Weihua in a more tactful way:
"Eunuch Gong, you, Physician He, and your main entourage will naturally be staying at the guesthouse."

"However... you have a lot of guards under your command, and the inn is cramped. I'm afraid you won't be able to find a place to accommodate so many people in a short time."

"How about we send some of the men into the city with you first, while the rest of the soldiers camp outside the city for the time being?"

"You can rest assured about the safety; I will definitely send people to keep a close watch on it!"

Gong Weihua didn't think much of it and nodded immediately:

"Alright, we'll follow Magistrate Song's arrangement."

"Doctor He, and Warrior Fang, each of you must select one hundred men to come into the city with us."

"The rest of you shall remain outside the city and await further orders."

Hei Zi heard everything clearly and cursed Song for being so meddlesome, but he didn't dare to refuse on the surface and could only think of another way later.

He quickly selected one hundred brothers to escort some of the carriages and followed Gong Weihua and others into Qujing City.

The remaining two hundred-plus people were guided by officials from Qujing Prefecture to be stationed outside the city and "assisted" in guarding them by the local garrison, ostensibly to ensure their safety.

Upon entering the city, a welcoming banquet was naturally in order.

In the following days, under Song Wenbo's guidance, officials from all over Qujing, as well as some prominent local gentry, stepped forward.

They took turns hosting banquets to entertain the imperial envoy from the capital, as well as this special physician, He.

At the banquet, toasts were exchanged and songs and dances were performed.

As planned, Gong Weihua explained to Song Wenbo and the accompanying garrison commander and other officials that he was on the emperor's secret orders to inspect the southwest region, comfort the soldiers and civilians, and understand the border situation.

In his words, he repeatedly hinted that there might be major changes in the court's strategy in the southwest in the near future, and that relations with Sichuan might take a turn for the better.

He told everyone to remain calm and do their jobs, suggesting that in the future, there might be no more fighting between Yunnan and Sichuan, and they could share peace.

Upon hearing Gong Weihua's hint, the officials and gentry in Qujing were first taken aback, then overjoyed.

They certainly understood the subtext: the imperial court wanted to negotiate peace with Sichuan.

This is absolutely fantastic news!

Thankfully, we no longer have to live in constant fear that the enemy troops will march south and attack Qujing.

If the war could be stopped, even if only temporarily, it would be a welcome thing for these local officials.

The atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively, with officials toasting Gong Weihua and He Hong one after another, as if peace had already arrived.

Several days of feasting and major positive news caused the people of Qujing Prefecture to gradually relax and become less vigilant than before.

The news that "the imperial court intends to negotiate peace with Sichuan" spread like wildfire through various channels, quietly circulating among officials, scholars, and even ordinary people in Qujing.

Even the Ming troops stationed on the border eventually learned of this news and breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that this news spread so quickly and so widely is undoubtedly thanks to Hei Zi and his men.

They haven't been idle during this time.

He Hong openly attended banquets to lull the officials of Qujing into a false sense of security, while they secretly made moves around.

Hei Zi divided his soldiers into several groups, disguised them as merchants, laborers, and hard laborers, and mingled in crowded places such as teahouses, taverns, casinos, and docks in the city.

While pretending to casually spread news of the peace talks, they took the opportunity of wandering the streets and alleys to thoroughly investigate the main streets, government offices, warehouses, barracks, granaries, water gates, and defensive facilities of various sections of the city wall in Qujing.

Some of the bolder ones even managed to get close to lower-ranking officers and soldiers, offering them drinks and food in exchange for intelligence.
About half a month later, based on feedback from various channels, the haters finally felt that the time was ripe.

That night, he secretly summoned his deputy, Feng Lao Er, and Deng Qi's deputy general, Yu Hongchang, to a secluded residence in the city.

The three sat around the table. Hei Zi lowered his voice and asked directly:

"How are you preparing?"

Feng Lao Er's eyes gleamed, and he was the first to reply:
"Boss, that's about it!"

"The brothers have thoroughly investigated the prefectural government office, the garrison headquarters, several main warehouses, and the two city gate towers, both inside and out."

"We have also found out the residences, servants, and guards of several key officials in the city, including Song Wenbo and that Commander Liu."

"Just give the order, and I guarantee I'll wipe out his entire family before dawn the next day!"

As he spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture.

After listening to Feng Lao Er finish speaking, Yu Hongchang added:
"Master Fang, we have managed to smuggle the armor, weapons and other supplies that we had hidden outside the city into the city in batches from our garrison and disperse them to several strongholds."

"Of the brothers outside the city, only seventy or eighty remained in the camp. The remaining two hundred or so have already infiltrated the city and have been settled in different locations."

Hei Zi looked at Yu Hongchang with a serious expression and confirmed:
"They got in so quickly? Hope nothing went wrong?"

"If the Ming army outside the city discovers that there are fewer people in our camp, it will probably alert them and make them wary."

Yu Hongchang patted his chest and confidently assured him:
"Don't worry, everything is arranged!"

“I used a trick to switch the beams and pillars. During the day, I had the brothers take turns going out under various pretexts such as purchasing, cutting firewood, and fetching water, and some of them would go back at night.”

"Then there were the laborers and workers recruited from the city, who were made to wear our uniforms and walk around the camp."

"As long as the numbers roughly match, that's fine. The Ming soldiers outside are busy eating the wine and meat we sent, and they don't have the mind to look closely."

Upon hearing this, Kuroko nodded in satisfaction.

"Hmm, not bad, you're very thoughtful."

"It seems you've learned quite a bit from following me and Old Deng in the Ming army for so long."

After confirming that everything was arranged properly, he slowly glanced at the two of them, his tone grave:
"Everything is ready now, except for the final push!"

"Each of you lead a team, familiarize yourselves with your targets and missions, check your weapons and equipment, and wait for the right opportunity."

"Once our main force launches a surprise attack, the news will surely cause chaos in Qujing. We will then act immediately!"

"At that time, we will use fire as a signal, coordinate from within and without, and take Qujing in one fell swoop!"

(End of this chapter)