Chapter 33: The Eight Beauties of Qinhuai

  Let's talk about Wang Pu again.

  Left Suzhou and traveled by water for three days and nights, finally arrived in Nanjing.

  Nanjing, also known as Jinling, is a city with a rich history and culture, located in the southeastern part of China.

  Dong Wu, Eastern Jin, and the Southern Dynasties of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen had all established their capitals here, which is where the "six dynasties" in "Six Dynasties' Golden Dust" came from. If we also include the later Southern Tang, Southern Song, Ming, and Republic of China, then it would be a true ten-dynasty ancient capital, with a history that can be called long-standing.

  Whenever Nanjing is mentioned, Qinhuai River cannot be left out. Whenever Qinhuai River is mentioned, the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai cannot be omitted.

  The so-called Qinhuai Eight Beauties refers to the eight famous women of Nanqu, namely Liu Ruxi, Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan, Li Shiniang, Chen Yuanyuan, Gu Mei, Kou Baimen and Bian Yujing, who lived during the transition period from Ming to Qing dynasties.

  At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the prostitutes in Jiangnan were divided into two categories: one was a prostitute who specialized in prostitution, also known as a northern tune, and the other was an artistic prostitute who sold art but not her body, called a southern tune or old tune. They were roughly equivalent to today's female stars in the entertainment industry, but absolutely more talented and artistic than today's female stars.

  Liu Ruyu and other eight courtesans were such geishas. They could compose poems, paint, sing and dance, and were known for their exceptional beauty and artistic talents.

  In the Ming Dynasty, Jiangnan scholars had always considered keeping courtesans as a elegant thing. When friends gathered together, they would often invite several famous Nanqu singers to accompany them. The famous Nanqu singers were also happy to make friends with the scholars because the scholars could use their poems, paintings, articles and their own reputation to advertise for the famous Nanqu singers.

  This is actually a transaction, where the Nanqu celebrities use their smiles and talents to entertain the literati, in exchange for their praise. Unfortunately, many of these celebrities are unaware of this fact, often investing too much genuine emotion in their interactions with the literati, only to find that the outcome is not always as desired.

  At the end of the Ming Dynasty, most scholars were empty talkers who misled the country and dared not to take responsibility. They liked to engage in verbal sparring and mutual recrimination. This was not an individual phenomenon, but a universal phenomenon of that era. Under the dual stimulation of distorted Zhu Xi's Confucianism and the corrupt imperial examination system, the values and outlook on life of those late Ming Confucians had also been completely distorted.

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  Nanjing.

  The officials of the Six Ministries, the Imperial Censorate, the National Academy, and the Metropolitan Prefecture of Nanjing, as well as the nobles and relatives of the imperial family in Nanjing, have all gathered outside the Chaoyang Gate to welcome Wang Pu's triumphant return. The Chongzhen Emperor has issued an edict to give a grand welcome to Wang Pu with the ceremony of a special envoy, so the officials of Nanjing naturally dare not be remiss.

  What is an imperial envoy?

  Even if it's just a small groom, as long as he wears the title of " Imperial Envoy" on his head, he immediately becomes the representative of the Emperor, equivalent to the Emperor's personal visit, who dares not to come and greet him?

  Upon hearing the news, the officials and common people of Nanjing also flocked to the outside of Chaoyang Gate, wanting to catch a glimpse of the majestic Wang Pu, Commander-in-Chief of Datong. Of course, they were even more eager to see if the slave leader Huang Taiji was truly as described in rumors - three zhang tall, with eyes as large as bells, and capable of giving birth to tigers and leopards.

  In folklore, storytellers often describe Nurhaci and Hong Taiji as father and son.

  Around noon, a large team of people finally appeared on the distant official road. The tens of thousands of Nanjing citizens who were crowded outside Chaoyang Gate waiting suddenly erupted in cheers and shook the mountains and fields.

  Wang Pu rode his horse at the forefront of the troops, and when he saw the grand scene of people gathering outside Nanjing City, he couldn't help but be surprised. Was it just about capturing Huang Taiji? Why was it made such a big deal?

  Actually, Wang Pu didn't know that since the Battle of Sarhu, the Ming army had been repeatedly defeated, and the military and civilians of the Great Ming Empire had reached a point where they would lose their courage at the mention of Nurhaci's name. This time, Wang Pu's capture of Shengjing and capture of Hong Taiji was like removing the huge stone that had been pressing on the chest of the Ming army and civilians, and the kind of joy that burst out after long-term suppression could only be described as crazy.

  This is also the reason why Wang Pu was so warmly welcomed on his way from Songshan Prefecture to Nanjing, and even Zhang San, a pirate who dominated Taihu Lake, sincerely regarded Wang Pu as a great hero!

  Chang Yanling and Li Zushu intentionally fell back a few steps, yielding the conspicuous position to Wang Pu and others. Riding horses behind Wang Pu, Zhen Youcai, Knife Scarface, and Little Seven were so excited that their whole bodies trembled. Knife Scarface's eyes even turned red as he choked with sobs and said to Wang Pu: "General, if Big Beard and the others were all here too, how great would that be?"

  Wang Pu nodded and said in a low voice, "We will always remember Big Beard and all the brothers who did not return to the Great Ming alive. Today's honor belongs to them, it was exchanged with their lives!"

  At this time, Nanjing's Minister of Rites He Xiongxiang [During the Ming dynasty, the six ministries were headed by the Ministry of Rites, followed by the Ministry of Personnel, and the Ministry of War was at the end] and Nanjing Commander-in-Chief and Xin Chengbo Zhao Zhi Long had already brought along with them large and small officials, and relatives to welcome him. Wang Pu hastily dismounted his horse and exchanged rituals with the main officials.

  To say that Wang Pu is just a small general, he is not qualified to be ranked with these high officials of the six ministries and the Imperial Censorate, nor is he qualified to have them wait outside Chaoyang Gate to greet him. However, three days ago, an imperial edict from Emperor Chongzhen came down, giving Wang Pu the title of "Imperial Envoy", which is a completely different identity.

  Under the support of two small officials, Nanjing Minister of Rites He Xiongxiang held a jug of wine and walked to Wang Pu's front with trembling steps, saying: "General Wang used his troops like a god, directly attacking Huang Long and capturing the slave leader, greatly boosting the morale of our Ming dynasty officers and soldiers. I, as a humble official, represent hundreds of millions of citizens in the capital to offer General Wang a toast."

  A junior official had already taken over the wine cup and waited for He Xiongxiang to fill it up and send it to Wang Pu's face.

  Wang Pu took the wine cup, turned around to face northeast, gazing afar in the direction of Liaodong, and solemnly said: "I, a humble general, would like to use this cup of wine from Mr. He to toast all the Ming dynasty generals who died in battle at the Songshan front line. If it weren't for these countless Ming generals who fought to the death, shedding blood on the battlefield, drawing the enemy's main force to the Songshan front line, I, Wang Pu, would not have been able to break through Shengjing, nor capture the Tàizǐ of the Huán slave, Huang Taiji!"

  Having said that, Wang Pu overturned his wine cup and solemnly spilled the wine onto the ground.

  He Xiongxiang refilled Wang Pu's cup, and Wang raised his cup solemnly: "This second cup of wine is to toast the hundreds of millions of people in the Ming Dynasty, including the several million citizens of Luoyang. If it weren't for your frugality, pinching pennies from your mouths, and saving from between your teeth, our border soldiers would not have had enough food and supplies today!"

  "Good, well said!" He Xiongxiang was so excited that his old face trembled slightly as he panted, "General Wang has achieved great things without being arrogant, and has been in a high position without being proud. This is truly admirable! I have been an official for 50 years, although I haven't accomplished much, but I've never done anything shameful. This clear conscience still represents the hundreds of millions of people in Luodu, this cup of wine, I'll drink it on behalf of the people of Luodu, on behalf of all living beings!"

  Having said that, He Xiongxiang took over the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

  The Ming Dynasty was the most ruthless dynasty for ministers to suffer from imperial persecution, but because the Ming Dynasty was a Han Chinese-dominated dynasty, it was also the dynasty where ministers dared to speak out and remonstrate the most. At the same time, it was also the dynasty where treacherous officials and loyal officials emerged in large numbers. In short, the Ming Dynasty can be said to be the most complex and incomprehensible dynasty in China's thousands of years of feudal history!

  Wang Pu first paid respects to the martyred frontier soldiers, then to the common people of the world, but deliberately did not pay respects to Emperor Chongzhen in Beijing. This was very much in line with the temperament of officials like He Xiongxiang in Nanjing who had always advocated for "the people being heavy and the monarch being light". Naturally, he won their favor.

  "Good, Governor He's integrity is as clean as a breeze on both sleeves, and he can represent all people under heaven."

  Wang Pu led the applause, and the others followed suit. Wang Pu turned his head and waved his hand again, and the two rows of servants behind him suddenly parted to make way for the four teams of brocade-clad guards, who proudly escorted the four prison carts forward. The prisoners in the carts were naturally Huang Taiji, Daisan, Hailanzhu, and Bumbutai.

  The Nanjing citizens who were crowded outside Chaoyangmen burst into cheers like a boiling pot.

  In a thunderous applause, He Xiongxiang said to Wang Pu: "General Wang, please!"

  Wang Pu hastily bowed his hands and returned the courtesy: "Lord He, please, and all of you gentlemen, please."

  He Xiongxiang and Zhao Zhilong, one on the left and one on the right, accompanied Wang Pu, while the rest of the officials, big and small, followed behind, walking in order from the red carpet, immediately followed by four prisoner carts.

  The Nanjing people crowded on both sides of the official road were like madmen, frantically throwing things at the prisoner's cart, eggs, tomatoes, whatever they could grab in their hands. If it weren't for the two teams of brocade-clad guards standing by the side of the road and desperately blocking them, these out-of-control civilians might have even rushed up and bitten the four members of the imperial family to death.

  That afternoon, He Xiongxiang and other officials of various ranks set up a banquet at the Ministry of Rites to welcome Wang Pu.

  Then came three consecutive days of touring the streets, Wang Pu wore the "Grand General's Attire" bestowed by Emperor Chongzhen, accompanied by his servants and guards, parading Huang Taiji and Dai Shan through the city, amidst the cheers of the Ming Dynasty citizens who had rushed to Nanjing from all directions.