Two successive Chuang Wangs had been executed.
Yet the man who earned the nickname "Chuang Wang Slayer", Sun Chuanting, did not receive the reward everyone expected. The moment he returned to the capital, Zhu Youjian simply set him aside and told him to rest, giving him no duties at all.
The people of the capital had noses as sharp as hunting dogs. Even the common folk could smell when something strange was happening, not to mention the officials.
Before long, everyone began keeping their distance from Sun Chuanting.
At teahouses and dinner tables, the topic always came up.
"Have you heard? Sun Chuanting killed two Chuang Wangs in a row, yet he received no reward. Instead he was pushed aside."
"I heard he offended Gao Qiqian."
"Ah, Gao Qiqian is not someone you can afford to offend. He is the emperor's favorite."
"The emperor has always believed Gao Qiqian is good at warfare."
"The emperor trusts eunuchs more than outside officials. He is always afraid someone will rebel."
"I heard Gao Qiqian has been smiling nonstop these past few days."
"More than that. He has become even more arrogant. When he visits military camps now, he demands that all officers below the rank of Inspector salute him with a military salute."
"Are you serious? That half-man eunuch dares demand military salutes from real officers? That is outrageous. Someone should impeach him."
A few days later, officials Liu Jingyao of Yongping Circuit and Yang Yuguo of Guannei Circuit submitted memorials to the throne, accusing Gao Qiqian of forcing officers to salute him.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Youjian did not punish Gao Qiqian.
Instead, he dismissed Liu Jingyao and Yang Yuguo from office.
Only then did everyone in the capital finally understand.
This was simply the kind of emperor Zhu Youjian was.
---
Meanwhile, far away in Liaodong, along the border between the Qing state and the Mongols.
The once flat borderland had been turned into a chaotic maze.
Trenches were dug everywhere.
Pits dotted the ground.
Half-height earthen walls and stone mounds were piled up.
Anything that could complicate the terrain had been used.
All of these crude defensive works protected a small frontier fortress.
Originally, this fortress had belonged to the Ming Dynasty. After Liaodong fell, it became a Qing border stronghold.
In the past it had little strategic value. The Mongols had been allies of the Qing, so there was no need to defend against them.
Now the situation had changed completely.
The fortress had become extremely important.
Five thousand Qing troops were stationed there.
The fortress itself was far too small to hold so many men, so a huge military camp had been built around it.
The commander of this garrison was named Abatai, a prince of the Plain Blue Banner.
He was nearly fifty years old, considered a very old general among the Manchus.
Hong Taiji had chosen him specifically because of his calm and steady temperament. His task was simple.
Guard the border.
And watch for the Mongols' Great Iron Vehicles.
At that moment, the veteran general Abatai stood atop the fortress wall, staring north toward the grasslands.
The weather was perfect today.
The sky stretched clear for thousands of miles.
Not a single cloud.
Not even the faintest breeze.
Visibility was excellent.
Abatai soon spotted something moving on the northern grasslands.
Several Great Iron Vehicles were approaching.
"Sound the alarm!"
Abatai shouted.
"All troops prepare for battle!"
The fortress immediately came alive.
Banner soldiers of the Plain Blue Banner rushed out of their camps, putting on armor while running to their positions.
If they were fighting ordinary enemies, they would form battle lines.
But against the Great Iron Vehicles, forming ranks would only mean death.
So the banner soldiers did not form ranks at all.
Instead they jumped into trenches, crouched behind low walls, or hid inside pits.
Within moments, the entire five thousand-man army had disappeared behind various defensive works.
Abatai glanced at their positions and surveyed the battlefield.
He felt quite satisfied.
With the defenses arranged like this, the Great Iron Vehicles could never charge in.
Even Mongol cavalry would break their horses' legs if they tried.
"Hmph."
Abatai snorted.
"The Ming think that by inventing strange iron vehicles they can defeat the Great Qing?"
"As long as we hold our ground and defend properly, the moment our own Great Iron Vehicles are completed will be the day the Great Qing launches its counterattack."
Sure enough, the enemy vehicles did not dare enter the pit-covered terrain.
They stopped far away and simply watched the fortress.
Abatai laughed.
"Ha! They have been intimidated."
But after laughing twice, he suddenly sensed something strange.
Behind the enemy vehicles, two transport trucks with trailers drove forward.
Han Chinese workers began unloading something from the trailers.
They placed it on the grassland and began fiddling with it.
The distance was too great to see clearly.
Abatai frowned.
"What are they doing?"
One officer with sharp eyesight squinted carefully.
"It looks like they are assembling a huge basket... with some soft cloth above it."
Soon the Qing soldiers watched in astonishment.
The Han Chinese inflated an enormous balloon.
The balloon slowly rose into the sky.
Many people on the ground held ropes to stabilize it.
Abatai stared blankly.
"What in the world is that?"
"It looks like a giant Kongming lantern."
"What is it used for?"
Abatai was confused.
The Qing soldiers were confused.
Everyone stared upward with bewildered expressions.
---
Meanwhile on the Han Chinese side.
Zao Ying shouted loudly.
"Brothers of the Armored Cavalry Battalion, keep your eyes sharp. This place is very close to the Jianzhou barbarians. They might charge at any moment."
"Protect our scientists well. They are treasures."
The soldiers laughed.
"Don't worry. We have several telescopes watching the enemy. They are all hiding behind their defenses and don't dare come out."
Zao Ying laughed and scolded them.
"Carelessness can lose a war."
Behind the armored cavalry's iron vehicles, several transport trucks had formed a circle.
At the center stood Mo Li, leading a group of graduate researchers and senior technicians.
They had just finished filling a massive flying balloon with hot air.
Holding it with ropes, they slowly let it rise.
Inside the balloon's basket sat a brave reconnaissance soldier.
Mo Li cupped his hands and shouted upward.
"Is there any wind up there?"
The scout shouted back.
"No wind at the moment."
"Good. Let it rise a little higher."
Mo Li ordered someone to release more rope.
Again he shouted upward.
"Is there any wind?"
"Still no wind."
They repeated this process again and again.
Each time they released more rope, the flying balloon climbed higher into the sky.
Eventually it reached a height where arrows and muskets could never reach.
Even then Mo Li still asked nervously.
"Is there wind up there?"
The scout burst into laughter.
"Teacher Mo Li, relax. There is no wind. You can release the rope completely."
Mo Li replied seriously.
"You must be careful. If the wind suddenly comes and blows you into the territory of the Jianzhou barbarians, you will die."
The scout grinned.
"Relax. The weather today is perfect. Not a single breeze. I am lucky and hard to kill. If I really die, then..."
"Bah! Don't say such unlucky things!"
Everyone on the ground shouted at the same time.
The scout only shrugged.
He did not care much.
"Alright."
Mo Li shouted.
"Release the rope!"
The people on the ground let go.
The scout quickly pulled the rope up and stored it inside the basket.
The flying balloon now floated quietly above the armored vehicles.
Suspended high in the sky.