On the third day of the sixth month, the Yan army crossed the river from Gua Zhou. The defending general of Zhenjiang surrendered the city, and Prince Yan led his forces directly toward Jinling, issuing an edict declaring his “desire to govern the world together with all.” The officials of the Six Ministries received this news in silence. On the thirteenth day, the Yan forces reached the Jinchuan Gate of Jinling. Li Jinglong and Prince Gu, who were guarding Jinchuan Gate, opened the gates to welcome Prince Yan’s surrender. Prince Yan entered the capital, with civil and military officials kneeling along the roadside to welcome him. Supported by his ministers, he ascended to the imperial throne, becoming Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, with the reign title Yongle. When the Yan forces entered the capital, a fire broke out in the palace. It was said that Emperor Jianwen’s whereabouts were unknown in the great fire, but officially, it could only be declared that Emperor Jianwen had perished in the flames.

Such an ending for Emperor Jianwen inevitably made Meng Jianqing harbor various suspicions about Ningheng.

Emperor Yongle, worried that the former ministers of Jianwen harbored ulterior motives, re-established the Imperial Guard for surveillance and suppression, appointing Ji Gang, a former retainer of Prince Yan’s mansion, as Commander. Former Imperial Guard Thousand-Household Gao Ping and Meng Jianqing were appointed as Assistant Commanders.

Gao Ping had already pledged loyalty to Prince Yan at the very beginning of the Jingnan Campaign and had made outstanding contributions. His appointment met with no objections from Prince Yan’s former retainers. However, Meng Jianqing had watched the outcome from the sidelines before reaping the benefits, which inevitably caused extreme dissatisfaction among both Prince Yan’s former retainers and the remaining supporters of Jianwen.

The official seals were personally handed to the three of them by Emperor Yongle. After Ji Gang and Gao Ping withdrew, Meng Jianqing was kept behind alone.

Emperor Yongle studied Meng Jianqing, who stood before him with hands at his sides in respectful attention: “What matters did Shen Guangli originally assign you to handle?”

Meng Jianqing replied: “The cases this humble official originally handled were mainly related to remnants of demon sects from various regions and local rebels. Later, Master Shen also entrusted me with matters concerning Jiangwu Hall and the immortal mountains at sea. Apart from these three matters, I had no other specific responsibilities. Subsequently, when the Imperial Guard office was disbanded, this humble official had nowhere to transfer these duties, so the related archives are still stored in the warehouse I managed in previous years, temporarily sealed.”

When he had transferred the warehouse, he had sealed those archives, and Hundred-Household Gu, who took over the warehouse, still hadn’t dared to touch those documents.

Emperor Yongle pondered, and after a moment said: “Continue managing these three matters.”

Shen Guangli’s arrangements must have had their reasons, and it would be best not to change them lightly. Moreover, in his view, Meng Jianqing was not the type to confuse public and private interests.

The matter of tracking down Emperor Jianwen’s true whereabouts was not assigned to him. Meng Jianqing couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved.

Emperor Yongle continued: “There’s another matter I’m also assigning to you.”

He beckoned, and two young eunuchs who had been standing with lowered heads in the shadows quickly approached.

Emperor Yongle said, “These two young eunuchs are quite clever. I’m entrusting them to you for training.”

Meng Jianqing glanced at the two eunuchs and roughly guessed that these were likely the two eunuchs who had originally escaped from Emperor Jianwen’s side to Beiping, informing Prince Yan of the true situation within Yingtian city.

Emperor Hongwu, having learned from the disasters of eunuch interference in previous dynasties, had erected an iron plaque in the palace forbidding eunuchs from learning to read or participating in politics. Emperor Jianwen, following his grandfather’s teachings, had also been extremely harsh toward the palace eunuchs. However, these two young eunuchs, who had never studied or learned to read and appeared physically weak, had dared to escape to Beiping and used intelligence about Yingtian city’s defenses as their stepping stone to curry favor with Prince Yan. This truly surprised Meng Jianqing secretly. Indeed, people could not be judged by appearances – even in such a despised and shadowy corner of the world, such formidable spirits could emerge.

Since Emperor Yongle’s ascension, he had rewarded achievements, and even these two courageous young eunuchs had not been overlooked.

But Meng Jianqing’s heart suddenly jolted.

It was natural for Emperor Yongle to reward these two young eunuchs, but why had he chosen precisely this method? He should know that the path Meng Jianqing walked was not a smooth road – it often involved mortal danger.

He turned his head slightly to look at Emperor Yongle, who was smiling, showing no particular expression.

However, that smile was directed at the two young eunuchs.

For Emperor Yongle, compared to the Imperial Guard who bore too many traces of the Hongwu era and could not freely enter and exit the forbidden palace, these loyal, intelligent, and capable young eunuchs were more familiar, closer, and more trustworthy and worthy of important positions.

Meng Jianqing had already detected the subtle atmosphere of power transition.

He should have been worried about gains and losses, anxious and uneasy.

However, when he emerged from that mist-shrouded maple forest, something deep in his heart had slowly and irreversibly begun to peel away piece by piece, while something else had secretly and resolutely begun to grow.

Meng Jianqing bowed his head slightly: “This humble official accepts the command.”

Emperor Yongle watched him: “How would you train them?”

Meng Jianqing replied: “The most important thing, naturally, is learning to read and write.”

Emperor Yongle naturally understood the importance of this matter – it was something he had already decided upon in his heart. But seeing Meng Jianqing speak so naturally about something that violated Emperor Hongwu’s decree somewhat surprised him. If he wanted to punish Meng Jianqing, this would be the perfect reason.

However, if he punished Meng Jianqing for this reason, who else would dare to raise this important matter that was in his heart?

Emperor Yongle studied him for a long time, then suddenly smiled slightly: “Good. I’ll give you three years. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”

Meng Jianqing had been able to train the Fish Intestine Army in one year. Now, giving him three years should be more than sufficient.

Meng Jianqing bowed and replied: “This humble official will do his utmost to provide instruction.”

But did Emperor Yongle know that for people like them who walked on a knife’s edge, after three years, barely one in ten would survive; after ten years, barely one in a hundred?

Emperor Yongle looked at him, as if he could see the hidden hesitation in his heart, and smiled knowingly: “These two were personally selected by me. You may select another twenty eunuchs under fifteen years old from the palace. Within three years, all these people will be your subordinates.”

As he had expected, Meng Jianqing’s eyes brightened momentarily.

The faces of the two young eunuchs, however, grew faintly pale. Even within the deep palace, rumors of the brutal training methods of the Imperial Guard had long circulated.

But this was the path they had chosen for themselves.

Meng Jianqing’s assumption of training the eunuchs greatly displeased Ningheng, who had recently been promoted to Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and had been dealing with him frequently. Using the excuse of consulting archives, he arranged an “accidental” encounter with Meng Jianqing, who was supervising his subordinates in organizing old documents in the warehouse.

Ningheng observed the young eunuchs under Meng Jianqing’s command. The eunuchs were well aware of the disdain and contempt that officials of the Six Ministries held for people like them. Working under Meng Jianqing’s watchful eye, they dared not even breathe loudly, keeping their heads down, taking small, quick steps, moving silently between the towering bookshelves.

Ningheng leafed through an old document in his hands, speaking in a low voice: “You’re using this type of person?”

Meng Jianqing sat nearby, seemingly monitoring his reading of the documents, and replied equally quietly: “No one is a saint. As long as they follow rules and can get things done, that’s sufficient.”

While eunuchs had a reputation for being selfish, ignorant, greedy, and ruthless, even the immortal mountains at sea were not pure, flawless, desireless saints. It all depended on how one used these people.

Ningheng naturally understood this principle and gave a light “hmph”: “Will these people always follow rules? You’re nurturing a tiger that will become a threat!”

Meng Jianqing was unconcerned: “Since His Majesty has already made up his mind, if this fierce tiger must be raised, I should raise it rather than someone else.”

When Emperor Yongle issued the edict declaring his “desire to govern the world together with all,” subtly indicating his willingness to return the prime ministerial power that Emperor Hongwu had seized back to the officials of the Six Ministries, he must have already devised a strategy of using the inner court to check the outer court. Just as Shen Guangli had done before, and as Emperor Yongle would certainly continue to use both Meng Jianqing and Gao Ping as rivals to check each other.

Since the general trend had been established and could not be reversed, let him lead this trend.

Ningheng smiled coldly: “These eunuchs still hold you in great reverence now. I just wonder how long this unreliable reverence can last?”

Human hearts change easily, so Ningheng had never trusted human hearts, preferring instead those cold, rigid legal codes and regulations.

Meng Jianqing responded with a smile: “When the time truly comes for the Yangtze River’s rear waves to push forward the front waves, I will naturally know when to adapt to circumstances. Moreover, each generation produces its talents – after me, there may well be those capable of restraining them.”

Although even he could not be certain whether these words he spoke now were sincere or feigned, he thought he could understand Shen Guangli’s feelings when he had let go and departed.

Ningheng remained silent for a long time, then said with a half-smile: “Now I truly regret getting you involved with us. You’ve certainly become more difficult to deal with these past two years. I wonder if His Majesty feels more troubled when he sees you now, wanting to find a reason to drag you away for a thorough beating.”

He snapped the document shut with a “pa,” stood up, tossed out the words “take care of yourself,” and departed gracefully.

Meng Jianqing stood in the dim warehouse with his hands behind his back, smiling as he watched him leave.