Chapter 7

These men looked at Zhou Shixiang with such admiration because they had all suffered great losses at the hands of Yun Long.

Last year, Li Dingguo of the Southern Ming launched an attack on Guangdong from Liuzhou, Guangxi. At that time, Guo Zhixi, the Grand Secretary of the Yongli court, and Lian Chengbi, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, actively contacted the scattered anti-Qing forces and Southern Ming armies in Guangdong to support Li's campaign. To gather more manpower and boost morale, they even tried to persuade the local bandits to join the cause.

Indeed, many of these men had once served in the Ming army. However, after six or seven years of the Ming-Qing struggle for Guangdong, their forces were either defeated and destroyed by the Qing army, forced to retreat to remote coastal areas of Guangdong, or fled to the rear with the Yongli Emperor. Some even surrendered to the Qing and became part of the Green Standard Army. In short, after the officials fled, these men mostly became scattered soldiers and bandits, as they were unwilling to shave their heads and become loyal subjects of the Qing. Apart from wielding knives and killing, they knew nothing else.

After becoming bandits, these men did not hesitate to bully the common people. However, when they learned that the Ming army from Guangxi was about to attack Guangdong and saw the recruitment announcement by the Southern Ming Grand Secretary and the Governor, they, driven by the idea that Han men should fight the Tartars to the end, gradually came out of the mountains to join the righteous army. The army they joined was organized by Zhang Xiaqi, the Governor of Gao, Lian, Lei, and Qiong Prefectures.

Later, as Li Dingguo's army advanced victoriously into Guangdong, the Qing army in Guangdong was forced to retreat to the vicinity of Guangzhou. Zhang Xiaqi led his troops to Xinhui to participate in the siege. However, on the second day after their arrival, Yun Long, the Qing commander in Xinhui, launched a surprise attack with four hundred elite cavalry, directly targeting Zhang Xiaqi's forces. Almost instantly, Zhang Xiaqi's hastily assembled troops were routed, with countless deaths and no one to record the casualties.

......

These men standing before Zhou Shixiang were the survivors of that battle. They had all witnessed how tens of thousands of troops were crushed by a few hundred Qing soldiers and saw how Yun Long fought bravely, leading the charge. The memory of that day still filled them with fear. Therefore, when they learned that Yun Long had been killed by this Zhou scholar, they could not help but be amazed and admire him.

"Brother Zhou, you are truly a hero who slays the Tartars! Please rise quickly!"

The leader of the men was already overwhelmed with emotion, personally helping Zhou Shixiang to his feet. As Zhou Shixiang stood up, he noticed that the man's left arm was missing half of it.

After Zhou Shixiang stood up, the man took a few steps back and, along with the other men, bowed deeply to Zhou Shixiang, saying in unison, "Please accept our bow, Brother Zhou!"

"No, no, you can't do this!" Zhou Shixiang instinctively waved his hands.

Mr. Song, standing nearby, smiled and said, "Why not! Brother Zhou, do you know that they almost died at the hands of Yun Long last year? If it weren't for you killing that villain, they might never have avenged their grudge. Therefore, it is only right for you to accept their bow, and there's no need to refuse."

As Mr. Song spoke, the men insisted on bowing, and Zhou Shixiang had no choice but to accept their gesture.

After the bow, the atmosphere changed. The men looked at Zhou Shixiang with the same intensity as they would a beautiful bride, and the bearded man immediately returned the long-life lock to Zhou Shixiang.

Zhou Shixiang was still confused, not knowing who these men were. He wanted to get closer to them and gather some information, but he didn't know how to start. He could only awkwardly look at Mr. Song and say, "I haven't had the pleasure of knowing your name, sir."

Mr. Song was taken aback, then slapped his head and laughed, saying, "Look at me, I was so busy introducing you to the brothers that I forgot to introduce myself." He then introduced himself, "My name is Song Xianggong. Because I know a bit of medicine and can read and write, they call me Mr. Song. If you don't mind, you can call me Mr. Song like they do."

Song Xianggong?

Upon hearing this name, Zhou Shixiang's expression became somewhat strange. Mr. Song knew why and was not bothered, saying with a self-deprecating laugh, "It's a name my parents gave me. Even if it's not right, as a son, I have no choice. But the name Xianggong is good, it makes me seem righteous, hehe."

"Yes, yes, righteous is good, righteous is good." Zhou Shixiang couldn't say much about the name and could only nod and agree.

The leader of the men, however, laughed and said, "Brother Zhou, Mr. Song is not only righteous and knowledgeable in medicine and writing. Do you know that Mr. Song was once a county magistrate, a man of great ability."

"Oh?"

For the previous owner of the body with a scholar's degree, the dream was to pass the imperial exams and become a county magistrate. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the exams and becoming a county magistrate was just a dream. Hearing that this Song Xianggong had actually been a county magistrate, Zhou Shixiang couldn't help but respect him and look at him with new eyes.

However, the man's mention of being a county magistrate made Mr. Song's face turn red, and he stammered, "What county magistrate? Brother Zhou, don't listen to Hu Da's nonsense. I never was a county magistrate, never was..."

"But, that's not right, why not?" The leader of the men, upon hearing Song Xianggong's words, insisted, "You were clearly a county magistrate, why won't you admit it to Brother Zhou?"

"Hu Da, let's talk about this another day, another day. For now, let's go back to the camp."

Mr. Song's face was flushed red, and he tried to change the subject, but Hu Da, not realizing that Mr. Song truly didn't want to talk about it, ignored his frequent signals and began to tell Zhou Shixiang about Mr. Song's past as a county magistrate.

He didn't know it, but as he spoke, Zhou Shixiang was left speechless.

......

It turned out that Song Xianggong was originally from Nanyang, Henan, and was a scholar during the Chongzhen era. Due to his family's poverty and the frequent wars, he could not focus on his studies, which is why he only became a scholar. Otherwise, he would have been another young scholar who passed the imperial exams and might even have become a jinshi (high-ranking official). (His situation was quite similar to Zhou Shixiang's.)

That year, seeing no hope of passing the imperial exams and with the rebel forces growing stronger, Song Xianggong, for the sake of his future, took a risk and joined the rebels. It was the 15th year of Chongzhen, and Song Xianggong was 31 years old.

After joining the rebels, although Song Xianggong was just a poor scholar who had not passed the imperial exams and had no reputation, he was still a scholar who could read and write. Among the rough soldiers in the rebel camp, he stood out like a crane among chickens. The rebel general who took him in was very pleased with him and appointed him as a military secretary, treating him well.

A scholar will die for a true friend. The rebel general treated Song Xianggong well, and Song Xianggong was deeply grateful, dedicating himself to the cause. For over two years, he handled all matters with care, and all official documents were error-free, earning him the trust of the rebel general.

Song Xianggong believed that when the rebels captured the capital, the new dynasty would be established, and the rebels would treat scholars well. For example, the juren (scholar) Niu Jinxing was now a high-ranking official in the Daxun dynasty. Therefore, as long as he worked hard and served diligently, the new dynasty would surely make good use of him. Even if he couldn't achieve the same status as Niu Jinxing, he could at least become a county magistrate, and if he was lucky, even a prefectural magistrate. This would bring glory to his ancestors and repay his parents for raising him.

As the rebel army approached the capital, it seemed certain that the Daxun would replace the Ming. The rebel general, overjoyed, promised Song Xianggong that once the Yongchang Emperor formally ascended the throne in Beijing, he would recommend him for a county magistrate position.

Hearing this promise, Song Xianggong was overjoyed and even more grateful to the rebel general. However, just as his wish was about to be fulfilled, the Pingxi Marquis Wu Sangui led the Manchu army into the pass, and the rebels were defeated. The speed of their defeat left Song Xianggong speechless and completely unexpected.

After the rebel leader's death, the rebel generals were leaderless and in a state of panic. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Song Xianggong had a change of heart. Hearing that the Pingxi Marquis Wu Sangui had borrowed the Manchu army to suppress the rebels and that the Ming Prince of Fu had ascended the throne in Nanjing, he was momentarily deluded, thinking that the world would ultimately belong to the Ming. Rather than being executed by the Ming army in the future, he decided to defect from the rebels and rejoin the Ming.

Song Xianggong thought that since he was just a secretary in the rebel camp and could not bring anyone with him, the Ming would not take him seriously. Therefore, he decided to steal the official seal of the rebel general who had treated him well and flee south, hoping to use the seal to seek his fortune in the Southern Capital.

However, before he could reach the Southern Capital, he was captured in the north of the Yangtze River by the troops of Li Chengzhu, a general under the newly appointed Xingping Marquis Gao Jie.

Li Chengzhu, nicknamed "Li Hezi," was originally a rebel but later defected to the Ming with Gao Jie. Due to the strength of the rebels, Gao Jie was defeated and fled south to Xuzhou, north of the Yangtze River.

After the sudden change in the Jia Shen era, Gao Jie's forces, once like a pack of stray dogs, turned their fortunes around. With the support of his troops, he helped the Prince of Fu ascend the throne and was granted the title of Xingping Marquis. He was then appointed as one of the four major military commanders in the north by the Hongguang court, led by the Grand Secretary Shi Kefa.

Gao Jie was granted the title of Xingping Marquis, and Li Chengzhu was appointed as the General of Xuzhou. When Li Chengzhu's troops captured Song Xianggong, they found the rebel general's official seal on him and mistakenly thought he was a high-ranking official in the rebel camp. They were overjoyed and brought him to the general's office to claim a reward.

Song Xianggong tried to plead his innocence and explain, but the soldiers, being soldiers, did not listen. However, Li Chengzhu was not foolish. Seeing that Song Xianggong was dressed as a scholar, he became suspicious and examined his hands, finding no calluses, indicating he had never held a weapon. He then questioned him in detail.

To save his life, Song Xianggong confessed everything, crying and begging for mercy. Li Chengzhu smiled and ordered his men to untie Song Xianggong, telling him that as a mere scholar who had joined the rebels, what could he do in the Southern Capital? There were countless people there who wanted to become officials. Without a degree, experience, wealth, or connections, how could he expect to get an official position with just a rebel general's seal? It was laughable. Instead, he should stay and serve in his army. If he performed well, he would recommend him to the court.

Song Xianggong was surprised that Li Chengzhu would recruit him and was overjoyed. He thought that if he could be captured and presented as a rebel general by Li Chengzhu's men today, he could just as easily be captured and presented by the officials in the Southern Capital tomorrow. Since he was going to join the Ming anyway, it didn't matter which side he joined. He immediately agreed and joined Li Chengzhu's army.

Although Li Chengzhu was a rough man, he appreciated talent. Song Xianggong, though not a genius, had served as a secretary in the rebel camp for over two years and was familiar with military regulations. He could be used immediately without further training, so Li Chengzhu kept him by his side to handle financial and administrative matters. They got along well.

Song Xianggong thought that since he had joined the Ming and the rebels were defeated, the Ming's revival was hopeful, and his future was secure. However, no one expected that the Qing would have the ambition to conquer the world, and the Hongguang court's Grand Secretary Shi Kefa was a mediocre person. He had no plans to restore the Central Plains, no strategy for a peaceful existence, and no ability to command his generals. The court was also divided by the factional struggles between Ma Shiyin and the Donglin and Fusha groups. As a result, a year later, the Manchu army invaded the south, and Shi Kefa had no plan to counter them. The four northern towns, except for Huang Degong, who fought to the death, all surrendered to the Qing. Shi Kefa and over 800,000 people in Yangzhou were killed by the Manchu army, and the Hongguang court was destroyed.

Before the Qing army invaded the south, Gao Jie was assassinated by Xu Dingguo, the Henan general who had secretly surrendered to the Qing. After Gao Jie's death, his troops were temporarily led by Li Benshen and Li Chengzhu. After the Qing army invaded the south and Shi Kefa was killed in Yangzhou, Li Chengzhu and Li Benshen, along with Gao Jie's wife Xing Shi and their son Gao Xingyuan, shaved their heads and surrendered to the Qing, changing their flags.

Song Xianggong, who had once joined the rebels, had long lost the integrity of a scholar. Since his benefactor Li Chengzhu had surrendered to the Qing, he naturally followed and shaved his head. At this point, even if he didn't shave his head, what could he do? The Hongguang court had already collapsed, and the Daxun army was in disarray. The world was clearly going to belong to the Qing. At this critical moment, if he didn't seek wealth in the new dynasty, would he become a loyal subject of the Ming?

The Ming army had become the Qing army, and Li Chengzhu and his subordinates adapted well. Later, the Qing Prince Regent issued an order for Li Chengzhu to lead his troops south to attack Suzhou and Songjiang. As a new Qing official, Li Chengzhu was eager to establish his merit and hastily selected 5,000 elite soldiers to cross the river and advance south.

Before leaving, Li Chengzhu asked Song Xianggong if he wanted to go south with him. Song Xianggong thought, "Although I have surrendered to the Qing with you, I am still a Han person. The Manchu army is too cruel, and the massacre in Yangzhou was a great sin. If you go south to Suzhou and Songjiang, how many Han people will you kill? I don't want to go with you and be burdened with the blood of the Han people, which would trouble my conscience."

Seeing Song Xianggong's hesitation, Li Chengzhu understood and did not press the issue. Instead, he sought a favor from the Prince Regent and recommended Song Xianggong to become the magistrate of Yancheng in Huai'an Prefecture.

Song Xianggong served as the magistrate for over four years, living a comfortable life. However, in the fifth year of Shunzhi, Li Chengzhu suddenly defected to the Ming in Guangdong. Upon hearing the news, Song Xianggong, fearing for his life, abandoned the wealth he had accumulated over the years and fled south to join Li Chengzhu.

He had no choice but to run. Song Xianggong knew that his position as a magistrate was recommended by Li Chengzhu, and everyone in Huai'an Prefecture knew this. Therefore, they did not make things difficult for him out of respect for Li Chengzhu. However, now that Li Chengzhu had defected to the Ming, his position as a magistrate was no longer secure. The officials in Huai'an Prefecture were likely already planning to capture him and present him as a "traitor" to claim a reward.

On his journey south, Song Xianggong faced many hardships but managed to reach his former benefactor, now the nobleman of the Southern Ming, Li Chengzhu.

Li Chengzhu was surprised to see Song Xianggong and, out of old friendship, wanted to give him an important role. However, at the time, Li Chengzhu was leading his troops to attack Ganzhou, Jiangxi, and the military situation was urgent, so he did not have time to deal with the matter immediately.

Song Xianggong could not wait and decided to seek a favor from his benefactor again. However, just as he was about to do so, Li Chengzhu was killed in battle. Subsequently, the Qing army invaded Guangdong, and Song Xianggong had no choice but to join the bandits led by Hu Da, who had once been Li Chengzhu's personal guard. Over the years, they went through many ups and downs, sometimes as bandits, sometimes as Ming soldiers, and sometimes as righteous armies, but in the end, they were still bandits in the mountains.

......

Author's Note: Nandu refers to Nanjing.

Jiangnan Province, originally the Southern Directly Ruled Region of the Ming Dynasty, was renamed Jiangning by the Qing after they entered the pass. In the second year of Shunzhi, the Qing followed the Ming system and established the Jiangnan Governorate, with the governor's office in Jiangning Prefecture. In the 18th year of Shunzhi, Jiangnan was divided into Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.