Chapter 57: Respective Rewards and Sun Chengzong's Arrival in the Capital

"Your Majesty, today is the eighth day of the eleventh month in the seventh year of Tianqi. By the twentieth at the latest, I will have completely restructured and purged them."

"I shall as well, Your Majesty!"

Following Li Ruolian's words, Fang Zhenghua immediately chimed in.

"Very well. Once the restructuring is complete, I have a major case to entrust to both of you."

Hearing the phrase "major case," a sudden chill ran through both men. Never before had they seen such an intense, murderous intent in the Emperor's eyes—not even when Wei Zhongxian was being executed.

After the two men departed, the Chongzhen Emperor cast his gaze toward Wang Chengen standing beside him.

"My trusted confidant, I originally intended to bestow upon you the position of Director of the Directorate of Ceremonies, but I have no one else I can trust quite as much by my side. Therefore, you shall serve as the Superintendent Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies."

"This lowly servant kowtows in profound gratitude to Your Majesty!"

Wang Chengen was overjoyed. Although the Superintendent Eunuch did not possess the authority of vermilion brush endorsement, he held command over all court rituals, judicial matters, service assignments, and various operational duties within the imperial city.

In other words, the Superintendent Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies was the supreme leader of all eunuchs.

Do not be deceived by the nominal power of vermilion brush endorsement and cabinet deliberation held by the Director and Ceremonial Attendants of the Directorate; those powers existed only when the Emperor chose to be hands-off.

If the Emperor was diligent in state affairs, then the Directorate of Ceremonies would be reduced to serving tea, pouring water, and transmitting official documents. And the Emperor before him was precisely a monarch of utmost diligence.

Thus, by any measure, the position of Superintendent Eunuch was far more comfortable and influential than those of the Director or Ceremonial Attendants.

The Chongzhen Emperor was quite satisfied with Wang Chengen's attitude. After a brief moment of contemplation, he picked up a list from the dragon desk and handed it to Wang Chengen.

"Summon these individuals to my presence!"

Wang Chengen opened the list and glanced over it, discovering that these men were all well-known figures among the eunuchs. He immediately set off to make the arrangements.

Barely a quarter of an hour later, all four men had arrived.

"Your lowly servants Gao Shiming, Li Fengxiang, Chu Xianzhang, and Zhang Guoyuan pay their respects to Your Majesty."

"Rise and speak!"

Gazing at the four men before him, the Emperor's heart was filled with deep emotion. These were the very same eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonies recorded in history as having fought to the death alongside Fang Zhenghua, their loyalty beyond question.

"From this day forth, you shall serve as the Ceremonial Attendant Eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonies."

At this point, the Chongzhen Emperor paused slightly. "The position of Director shall be rotated among the four of you every three months, with Gao Shiming taking the first turn."

"You must swiftly familiarize yourselves with the duties of the Directorate of Ceremonies, and then select capable individuals from the Inner Scholar Hall or the Twenty-Four Offices to serve as attending secretaries and scribes."

"Remember, the same hand that elevates you can just as easily cast you down. Do you understand?"

"Very well, you may leave. By tonight at the latest, I expect the Directorate of Ceremonies to be fully operational!"

The Chongzhen Emperor gave the four men no opportunity to respond further.

Was the Directorate of Ceremonies important? It was of paramount importance.

However, among the current cabinet ministers, Yuan Keli was away in Shaanxi providing disaster relief, Li Guopu was dealing with the remnants of the eunuch faction, and Sun Chengzong was due to arrive in the capital at any moment.

If matters were too difficult for these veterans to handle, the officials of the Directorate of Ceremonies would be even less equipped; they could do little more than append a routine approval.

Thinking of Sun Chengzong, the Chongzhen Emperor turned to Wang Chengen. "My trusted companion, reckoning by the time elapsed, Sun Chengzong should have entered the capital by now, shouldn't he?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Gaoyang is merely a little over three hundred li from Beijing. Fang Yong was sent to convey the imperial edict the day before yesterday, so logically, he should arrive by this morning."

"Good. Once he enters the city, have him come see me at once."

With that, he seated himself behind the dragon desk and plunged into deep thought, plunging the Eastern Warm Pavilion into silence.

At the same time, at a post station several dozen miles outside Beijing, seven or eight men clad in tight martial attire stood at the entrance, gulping down cold tea, while an exhausted old man periodically massaged his aching thighs.

"Grand Secretary Sun, we are only thirty li away from Beijing. Let us finish our tea and depart immediately; His Majesty's summons is extremely urgent!"

"Fang Yong, what on earth does His Majesty want with this old man?"

"Grand Secretary, this servant truly does not know. Once we reach the capital and you see His Majesty, you will understand."

"Very well, then let us—"

The old man stood up and was just about to mount his carriage when the rapid sound of hooves suddenly echoed from afar, faintly accompanied by the clinking of metal.

Before anyone could react, a postal courier at the station swiftly led a horse out from the adjacent stable, hung a water flask across its saddle, and waited by the roadside.

Scarcely had these preparations been completed when the source of the distant thundering hooves materialized in their field of vision and rapidly approached.

Upon reaching them, the rider immediately dismounted from his exhausted steed, vaulted onto the fresh station horse, and sped away without a moment's pause.

The onlookers clearly discerned the rider's attire: a bell and a golden medallion hung from his waist, a small bright-yellow parcel was slung diagonally across his chest, and a small red flag was thrust into his back.

"That is a four-hundred-li urgent express dispatch."

Sun Chengzong's expression shifted drastically, and he demanded anxiously, "What has happened in the capital to warrant a four-hundred-li urgent express?"

"Fang Yong, quickly get me another horse! We are riding for the capital at full speed."

"Grand Secretary, your physical condition..."

"I won't die! Hurry up!"

Sun Chengzong roared in anger, leapt onto a horse, swung his riding crop, and dashed forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Fang Yong and the others hurriedly followed, kicking up clouds of billowing dust.

An hour later, the group arrived at the Anding Gate of Beijing. Fang Yong stepped forward, produced a token, and after exchanging a few words with the city guards, the drawbridge slowly lowered.

The sight made Sun Chengzong's heart sink heavily into his chest.

Exercising his patience to enter the city, the scene before him left him utterly bewildered.

He had briefly suspected that a rebellion had broken out or that the Emperor had passed away, yet the city was filled with a deafening roar of commotion, thronged with people who were all excitedly discussing something.

These were the ordinary citizens of Beijing who had been subjected to a two-day curfew. Over the past two days, they had heard nothing but the thunderous neighing of military mounts and cries of panic, completely unaware of what had transpired.

Now that the curfew had been lifted, they had naturally flooded the streets to gather news.

As the crowd buzzed with discussion, a group of children around eleven or twelve years old rushed out from several alleyways. Without exception, every child had a pouch slung over their shoulder and held a stack of paper in their hands, shouting as they ran.

"Extra! Extra! His Majesty's speech reviewing the White-Pole Regiment yesterday, only three wen a copy!"

"Want to know how His Majesty's very first poem turned out? I have it right here, come take a look!"

"Three wen a copy, you can't lose and you won't be cheated! The latest news from the imperial court, the absolute latest news!"

This spectacle filled the city residents with intense curiosity, while the patrolling bailiffs acted as though they saw nothing at all.

This was precisely the "Great Ming Daily" that the Chongzhen Emperor had instructed Li Ruolian to prepare. The Emperor had merely provided a rough concept, which Li Ruolian had refined through his own experimentation. After over a month of preparation, it was finally put to use.