Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 108 I'm about to start cheating!
On Mount Wansui.

Tian Ergeng followed closely behind a young eunuch as they walked along the path.

The stone steps beneath my feet were solid and cold; each step felt like stepping on my own heartbeat.

His Majesty finally summoned him for an audience.

—This was after Wang Tiqian was allowed to enter the palace daily to participate in reviewing memorials.

But was this audience a blessing or a curse?
Tian Ergeng dared not guess, yet he couldn't help but guess, but the more he guessed, the more uncertain he became.

After all, since the new emperor ascended the throne, the civil officials and palace officials have all been busy, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard has been completely ignored, and no one has paid any attention to them for several days.

Can a person who has no value possibly have a good ending?
The maple leaves on the mountain have begun to turn red, scattered like blood, standing out starkly against the backdrop of golden yellow and lush greenery.

The wind rustled through the treetops.

Deep in the forest, the occasional call of deer and the clear chirping of birds fill the air, creating a scene of tranquility and contentment.

However, Tian Ergeng had no interest in appreciating the beautiful scenery and simply climbed the steps in silence.

Finally, as he stepped out of the forest path, his view suddenly opened up.

Then, in the Chongyang Pavilion, a tall figure stood by the railing, holding a brass monocular telescope and gazing into the distance.

The man was dressed in bright yellow casual clothes, his posture upright like a pine tree; he was none other than the current emperor, Zhu Youjian.

Not daring to disturb the emperor, Tian Ergeng quietly walked to the outside of the pavilion and stood respectfully.

After a moment, Zhu Youjian slowly put down the telescope in his hand and turned around.

Only then did Tian Ergeng dare to perform a full-fledged worship ceremony, his forehead touching the ground, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness.

"Your subject, Tian Ergeng, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"

"Rise," Zhu Youjian nodded calmly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Tian Ergeng stood up, still keeping his head down, not daring to look directly at the emperor's face.

Zhu Youjian didn't say much, but simply picked up a piece of paper from the stone table beside him and handed it over.

"You take a look at this first."

Tian Ergeng quickly bowed and accepted it with both hands.

There were ten strange figures drawn on the paper, each labeled with a Heavenly Stem: Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui.

Just as he was feeling confused, Zhu Youjian handed him another booklet.

"Look at this one too."

Tian Ergeng took the booklet, opened it, and saw that it was filled with densely packed tables.

The table uses four Heavenly Stems as a group, each corresponding to a Chinese character. For example, "甲甲甲甲=天" (Jia Jia Jia Jia = Heaven), "甲甲甲乙=地" (Jia Jia Jia Yi = Earth), and so on, seemingly endlessly.

The more he looked at it, the more alarmed he became. He raised his head and tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, this thing... seems to be military flag signaling, but it seems... to be much more complex."

"You have a good eye." Zhu Youjian nodded and handed him the telescope. "Look south and find Yongding Gate."

Tian Ergeng dared not be negligent and quickly imitated the emperor, bringing the telescope close to his eyes.

The cold metallic touch jolted him awake, and he awkwardly adjusted himself, searching his field of vision.

After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Your Majesty, is it... that there is a group of people on the city gate, holding a strange device, and one of them seems to be holding a telescope?"

"Not bad." Zhu Youjian's lips curled up slightly. "Gao Banban, give the signal. Tian Ergeng, watch the other side's movements carefully and remember the signals they give."

Gao Shiming, who was standing to the side, responded, walked to the pavilion, picked up a command flag, and waved it in a specific rhythm towards Yongding Gate.

Tian Ergeng felt a chill run down his spine. He realized that an "exam" he couldn't understand at all had begun.

He quickly turned his gaze back to the telescope.

His right eye was fixed on the peculiar device on the distant city tower, while his left eye quickly scanned the paper with the diagrams in his hand, trying to firmly engrave the ten diagrams and the Heavenly Stems into his mind.

Soon, the device on the Yongdingmen gate tower began to move.

Several wooden planks were flipped and turned in different combinations under human control.

“It’s…A.” Tian Ergeng murmured as he recognized the first signal.

He dared not be distracted in the slightest, staring intently into the distance.

"First……"

"First……"

"First……"

"Man……"

Time passed slowly, and fine beads of sweat began to appear on Tian Ergeng's forehead.

This thing looks simple, but to be able to distinguish the combination of wooden boards in an instant and match them with the corresponding "Heavenly Stems" really tests one's eyesight and memory.

After nearly fifteen minutes, the signal on the city wall finally stopped.

Tian Ergeng breathed a sigh of relief, but his heart immediately jumped into his throat.

He hesitated before speaking, "Your Majesty, it seems... it's over."

“Hmm,” Zhu Youjian handed over the codebook, “Try to translate it by referring to the codebook.”

"Yes."

Tian Ergeng took the booklet and began searching. The first one was "甲甲甲甲", and he quickly found the corresponding character – "天".

But when he tried to recall the second combination, his mind was in complete chaos.

I was too nervous just now and only focused on remembering the individual signals. I couldn't remember their order at all.

He tried his best to piece it together, but all he got was a nonsensical word.

In an instant, cold sweat soaked through his official robes; he knew he had messed up.

He stood there holding the booklet, his hands and feet icy cold, yet he dared not utter a word to plead for mercy.

Zhu Youjian looked at his deathly pale face and seemed to find it somewhat amusing, asking, "What was the result?"

Tian Ergeng's lips trembled slightly, and he forced a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Your Majesty, it is... the world is at peace."

"Hahahaha!" Zhu Youjian laughed loudly, "The sky is completely flat? That's... not too far off the mark."

He waved his hand: "Let's try again. Gao Banban, can you write it down for him?"

Gao Shiming bowed and agreed, then fetched paper and pen.

Another fifteen minutes of agonizing waiting.

This time, with Gao Shiming taking notes, Tian Ergeng only needed to focus on identifying the signals.

He breathed a long sigh of relief when the last signal was given.

Gao Shiming handed over the records, which Tian Ergeng took and compared with the codebook one by one.

This time, he finally breathed a long sigh of relief, closed the booklet, and respectfully presented it to Zhu Youjian.

"Your Majesty, this time... the world is at peace."

"Hmm." Zhu Youjian nodded, already understanding the situation.

A literate person who has never been exposed to this system can basically master it after two sessions.

It seems that this optical telegraph system did indeed have fertile ground to take root and flourish in the Ming Dynasty.

(Tian Ergeng became a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard through patronage, but was unable to advance through the imperial examination system. He was clearly not exceptionally intelligent, but he was certainly not stupid either.)
"Let the people from Yongding Gate come back," Zhu Youjian ordered, then sat down first on the stone bench in the pavilion, pointing to the opposite side, "Tian Ergeng, you sit too."

"I don't dare."

"If I tell you to sit, then sit."

Tian Ergeng dared not refuse any longer and carefully sat down on the stone bench, placing half of his buttocks on it.

Zhu Youjian waved his hand, signaling the surrounding eunuchs to leave. In the entire Chongyang Pavilion, only he, Tian Ergeng, and Gao Shiming, who stood with their hands at their sides, remained.

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

Zhu Youjian picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, but didn't drink. He pondered for a moment, his gaze falling on Tian Ergeng, and slowly uttered a sentence.

"Tian Ergeng, I am actually somewhat disappointed in you."

It's over! In the end, I couldn't escape it after all?!
Tian Ergeng felt his mind go blank. The heart that had just been at ease was instantly lifted to the sky. Without thinking, he immediately slid down to his knees.

"Your Majesty deserves to die!"

"Don't kneel yet." Zhu Youjian waved his hand to stop him. "Let me finish speaking."

Tian Ergeng stood there, unsure whether to kneel or sit, feeling as if the blood in his body was about to freeze.

Zhu Youjian's voice was neither hurried nor slow.

"I have been watching your recent selection of Imperial Guards to reorganize internal affairs, and I think it has been quite effective."

“However,” he changed the subject, “the matter of espionage has truly disappointed me to the extreme.”

“I originally intended to put you in charge of foreign intelligence, so that you and Wang Tiqian could work together as my eyes and ears, one inside and one outside. However, the plan you submitted was empty and outdated, so I had to abandon my idea.”

Tian Ergeng lowered his head even further, wishing there was a crack in the ground he could disappear into.

"After much thought, I think it's not entirely your fault. The root of the problem is that I made the wrong choice in hiring you. Perhaps... it's time to change my approach."

Zhu Youjian sighed softly and continued, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard—how prestigious those three words were during the reign of Emperor Taizu! The emperor's personal guard, clad in dragon robes, patrolling and arresting, wielding immense power over the court."

"However, after all these years, what kind of reputation does the Embroidered Uniform Guard actually have among the common people?"

Tian Ergeng's lips were dry as he spoke with difficulty: "Your Majesty...we have long been...infamous, the people turn pale at the mere mention of our names, and regard us as...vicious dogs of the nation, avoiding us at all costs."

"Yes," Zhu Youjian nodded. "That's exactly right. But if the Embroidered Uniform Guard's reputation is ruined, will my reputation improve?"

He stood up, walked to the pavilion, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked down at the Forbidden City.

"Everyone in the world regards the Imperial Guard as the emperor's henchmen; wherever the Imperial Guards go, even chickens and dogs are thrown into turmoil."

"In short, everyone is cursing Wei Zhongxian and the cruelty of the eunuch faction. However, the people's hearts are as clear as a mirror; are they really only cursing Wei Zhongxian?"

"I'm afraid... the emperor doesn't dare to scold him, so he had to find someone else to do it!"

These words filled Tian Ergeng with even greater fear.

The saying goes, "A subject dies for his lord's humiliation." The key point is that the humiliation of the lord was brought about by his subject, which makes it even more terrifying.

"Your Majesty, I have disappointed you." However, despite having a thousand words in his heart, Tian Ergeng could only utter a weak and feeble apology.

"This impression is not formed overnight, but accumulated over decades. It cannot be changed overnight, but it cannot be left unchanged."

Zhu Youjian turned around and looked at him intently.

“Tian Ergeng, your grandfather was the late Minister of War, Tian Le, who swept away Qingyong and was a powerful figure in the Northwest. His name must be recorded in history.”

"Let me ask you, Tian Ergeng, are you able to leave a mark on history as honorably as your grandfather?"

"Can you erase the century-old stain on the name 'Jinyiwei' and restore the glory of Emperor Taizu?"

"Can you make the people of the world know that the imperial power has arrived as soon as they hear that the Embroidered Uniform Guard is there, and that all evil spirits will be swept away, instead of fleeing in terror as if they have seen a snake or scorpion?"

Zhu Youjian asked one question after another, his tone gradually rising, like a resounding bell, which stirred Tian Ergeng's heart and soul.

He paused, his tone softening slightly, yet becoming even more powerful.

"Can I trust you, Tian Ergeng, the grandson of the former Minister of War and the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

At this moment, Tian Ergeng could no longer control his emotions.

Fear, shame, excitement, and a great sense of honor at being placed on the throne by the emperor intertwined and overwhelmed all his psychological defenses.

He fell to his knees with a "plop".

"Your Majesty!" He raised his head, his eyes already glistening with tears. "Your Majesty inspired me with the example of my grandfather. I... I am no rotten wood, how could I remain unmoved!"

"Your subject, Tian Ergeng, hereby swears that I will dedicate my life to restoring the glory of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and bringing order to the world! If I cannot restore the brilliance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I am willing to offer my head in retribution!"

Zhu Youjian looked at him quietly for a long time before slowly nodding.

"Good. Remember what you said today. This matter will not be accomplished overnight, but I will always be watching you."

He beckoned, and Gao Shiming understood, handing over another booklet that had been prepared beforehand.

Tian Ergeng took it and quickly glanced at it, only to see that it described the events in Zhenyang County, Henan Province.

"Your Majesty, do you require me to... leave the capital to apprehend these corrupt officials and bring them to justice?"

“Not bad.” Zhu Youjian’s tone returned to calm. “Since I ascended the throne, you have also known my temperament.”

"The past need not be mentioned again. I will only see if you can do things, whether you can do good things."

"And this is the first good deed you need to do!"

He lightly tapped the booklet and said to Gao Shiming, "You and Tian Ergeng should arrange the imperial warrants properly, then select honest and upright officers and leave the capital as soon as possible. Make sure this matter is handled perfectly."

"Your subject obeys." Gao Shiming nodded and accepted the order.

Zhu Youjian descended the steps, personally helped Tian Ergeng up, patted him on the shoulder, and said, word by word, "I believe you can do this well. Don't disappoint me, okay?"

Tian Ergeng felt a surge of heat rush from his chest to the top of his head. He answered resolutely, "Your Majesty, I would gladly die for you!"

"Hahaha, good!" Zhu Youjian laughed loudly. "Then I'll wait and see. Come on, accompany me for a walk. It's a rare opportunity to come up here, so let's not miss this beautiful scenery."

……

Two quarters of an hour later, the team of eunuchs and craftsmen from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs responsible for sending telegrams at Yongding Gate finally arrived at the top of Wansui Mountain, panting heavily.

"This humble servant greets Your Majesty!"

“You’ve all done very well.” Zhu Youjian looked at them with a smile on his face and said to Gao Shiming, “Those in the Directorate of Ceremonial who helped compile the book will each be rewarded with ten taels of silver. Those who participated in this experiment will each be rewarded with two taels of silver.”

Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed and knelt down to express their gratitude, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

After everyone had left, Zhu Youjian turned to Tian Ergeng and said, "This is the second thing I want to entrust to you."

He pointed to the "optical telegraph" equipment on the stone table.

"Now, do you have any clues?"

At this moment, Tian Ergeng was in high spirits. Upon hearing this, he immediately bowed and said, "Although I am dull-witted, I have already had some thoughts after the practice just now."

"The Ming Dynasty was vast and communication was inconvenient."

"Taking Liaodong as an example, it is nearly 600 li from Shanhaiguan to the capital, and 400 li from the pass to Jinzhou."

"At such a distance of 300 li, even with the fastest courier service, it would take three or four days to send the military intelligence back."

"In my opinion, if this method can be implemented by setting up high platforms along the route and transmitting messages day and night, perhaps... within a single day, we could know the military situation a thousand miles away!"

"Not bad." Zhu Youjian nodded approvingly. "The specific timeframe still needs to be tested. Do you currently have a draft plan for implementing this?"

"I already have a draft in mind, but I will make a fool of myself before Your Majesty," Tian Ergeng said, composed himself, and spoke clearly and logically.
"Firstly, regarding the priority of determining the route. I believe that the Liaodong border defense should be the first priority, followed by the nine border towns including Xuanfu, Datong, and Yansui, and then the route from the capital to Southern Zhili. The rest can be considered later."

"Secondly, in the selection of dedicated personnel, people with excellent eyesight, literacy, and quick thinking should be selected from the army or artisan households and given specialized training."

"Thirdly, high platforms should be built along the way. The platforms should have a wide view and be interconnected. The specific spacing needs to be determined through on-site surveys and tests."

Zhu Youjian's eyes flashed with surprise after hearing this.

"You...have you read Xue Guoguan's memorial regarding road construction in the capital?"

Tian Ergeng blushed and flattered, "After reading it, I realized how crude my intelligence plan was. Your Majesty's new method of official documents is clear, concise, and easy to understand. It can truly be called a method for governing the world."

Zhu Youjian was unmoved by this low-level flattery. He pondered for a moment and said, "Your thinking is generally correct. I will give you a few more directions, and you can take them into consideration."

Tian Ergeng's expression turned solemn, and he immediately bowed as if listening attentively.

"First, continuous improvement."

"The current method is only a preliminary one and is by no means the best."

"Whether it's the signal design, the upgrade of the telescope, or the transmission method, all can be improved."

"Scholars may have more sophisticated coding methods, craftsmen may have more sophisticated manufacturing techniques, and even arsenals may have ingenious ideas while working day and night."

"I have prepared one thousand taels of silver specifically for optimizing this method. Anyone, whether an official or a commoner, who offers suggestions for improvement will be richly rewarded once they are adopted."

He paused, then emphasized, "Don't do anything foolish that's difficult to achieve. Remember, laws change with time, and circumstances change with the world. Only by constantly improving can you remain invincible. Understand?"

"Your subject will humbly obey Your Majesty's instructions!"

"Secondly, there is secrecy," Zhu Youjian continued. "Although this method is fast, its secrecy depends entirely on that codebook."

"The Later Jin spies were rampant in our dynasty. In the past, when they exchanged messages, others did not know their purpose, so they did not often take action."

"If this method is used now, a few spies can be bribed to uncover all of our dynasty's secrets. You must find a way to prevent this."

"I understand."

"Actually, it doesn't matter if we can't prevent it." Zhu Youjian changed the subject. "After the experiment, you should write a clear plan and discuss it with the Cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. We should discuss what kind of information can be transmitted using this method and what kind of information must be delivered in the traditional way, and then handle it according to its level."

“More importantly…” Zhu Youjian smiled slightly, but there seemed to be a hint of bloodlust in that smile, “You need to go find Sun Chengzong and have a good discussion with him.”

Tian Ergeng was taken aback and looked up, somewhat puzzled.

Zhu Youjian's smile deepened.

"Warfare is based on deception. Beacon fires can serve as both a signal and a means of deception. If used skillfully, they can determine victory or defeat from a thousand miles away."

"If one day that slave chieftain comes to believe our 'beacon fire alerts' without question... do you think it's possible for us to use this to launch a major attack on him?"

Tian Ergeng suddenly realized what was going on, and a fawning smile appeared on his face.

"Your Majesty... possesses profound wisdom and foresight; your subject... is filled with boundless admiration!"

"Hahaha!" Zhu Youjian laughed, patting him on the shoulder again. "Do a good job, I'll be waiting for the day you're as famous as your grandfather!"

He turned around and waved his hand triumphantly.

"Let's go, let's go down the mountain!"

The group followed the emperor down the mountain.

When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, Zhu Youjian suddenly stopped.

Gao Shiming, puzzled, followed and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty?"

Zhu Youjian did not turn around, but silently looked at an old locust tree beside the path ahead.

The tree was rather peculiar, with a twisted trunk and branches that jutted out at an angle; its shape was not particularly attractive.

A moment later, he suddenly smiled, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"This tree is crooked and twisted, and not very attractive."

"Go back and call someone... to chop him up."
-
(A telegraph station that has been preserved in Europe to this day)
(End of this chapter)