Chapter 28: The Confident Li Shanchang

"Ha, my fellow townsmen, you have worked hard. Come, let us continue our drinking!"

At the Ministry of Works, Li Shanchang—the greatest contributor to the founding of the Great Ming, the first among the six founding dukes, and the leader of the Huai-Xi nobility—personally hosted a banquet. He was entertaining the fellow townsmen from Fengyang who had come to the capital to attend the New Year’s court assembly and offer their seasonal greetings to the Emperor.

He inquired in great detail about their journey, their lodgings, and their provisions since arriving in the capital. He further questioned them minutely about their audience with the Emperor: what the Emperor had asked them, and how they had replied. Having confirmed that no blunders had been made and that they had been treated even better than in previous years, Li Shanchang finally set his mind at ease and began to toast his guests with even greater enthusiasm.

The comfort of these townsmen might have seemed like a trivial matter, but in reality, it was of the utmost importance. Through these details, one could clearly discern the Emperor’s attitude toward their hometown of Fengyang and those of them who hailed from the Huai-Xi region. Although fast riders had been dispatched immediately after the New Year’s assembly to report on the situation—specifically regarding the meeting with the Emperor—Li felt he needed to hear it from them personally to be truly satisfied.

Li Shanchang stood up and raised his cup to the guests. "We are all from the same roots. Once the construction of the Central Capital is complete and His Majesty moves the capital here, this place will become the imperial seat. We shall all rise with the tide. Not only ourselves, but our descendants will also share in this glory. If any of you face difficulties in the future, do not hesitate to come to me. We are fellow countrymen; I shall certainly help wherever I can!"

Hearing this, the men responded with cheers, declaring that as long as the Duke of Korea was with them, their lives had improved. The Duke of Korea, they said, was their patron and protector.

As the drinking grew spirited, the flower-drum troupe that had performed at the Fengtian Palace square appeared once more to perform for the Duke and the nobility from Fengyang. After a lively opening, the celebratory drum lyrics were sung:

"Speaking of Fengyang, telling of Fengyang, beating the flower-drum, dong-dong-dong.
Fengyang is truly a wonderful place, where the Red Dragon ascends to heaven and the Golden Phoenix soars.
Count the stars in the sky, and count the generals of Fengyang!
Speaking of Fengyang, telling of Fengyang, beating the flower-drum, dong-dong-dong.
Fengyang is truly a wonderful place, where imperial grace flows through the four seasons.
No forced labor, no grain taxes to pay, both sides of the Huai River are filled with joy!"

"Hahaha, good! Good! Well sung!" Li Shanchang’s face was flushed with delight as he cheered, seemingly unable to get enough of the performance. The others—including Li’s brother Li Cunyi, his son Li Qi, his nephew Li You, his cousin Ding Bin, the Minister of Works Xue Xiang, and the other nobles—also cheered loudly, feeling that these lyrics spoke directly to their hearts.

Inside the Ministry of Works, the air was thick with the fragrance of wine and meat; glasses were clinked, and the atmosphere was one of joyous celebration. But in the vast expanse of the Central Capital, this was the only place of warmth.

As night fell, the city, filled with stacked bricks, timber, and piles of sand and stone, did not rest. Numerous torches and braziers were lit. The exhausted laborers, having each gnawed on two black buns so hard they could kill a dog and swallowed a bowl of watery porridge, were given no time to catch their breath. Driven by the curses and lashes of men wielding whips and swords, they were forced to work night and day, like a colony of industrious ants.

Some, exhausted, hungry, and ill, found themselves unable to rise and begged for a sick day, pleading to rest for a few hours before resuming work in the morning.

Ding Bin, having finished his meal and drinks at the lively Ministry of Works, was patrolling the site when he overheard this. He flew into a rage. He raised his whip and lashed out, striking the man repeatedly. Afterward, he grabbed a bucket of icy water and dumped it over the shivering, emaciated laborer.

"Sick, are you? Then I shall cure you myself! Still sick? Still want to rest?"

"No... no more, master... I... I will go to work now..." the laborer stammered, scrambling to his feet and stumbling forward.

"You are all spineless wretches! If I don't beat you, you slack off!" Ding Bin cursed, a look of triumph on his face at having exposed a cunning malingerer. "I have many ways to cure your illnesses here! Not just whips and cold water, but blades and fire as well! Whoever is sick or cannot work, let me treat you! I guarantee the cure will be effective!" He shouted to those around him.

The surrounding laborers remained deathly silent, heads bowed, working with all their might, squeezing the last reserves of strength from their bodies, terrified of drawing the attention of Ding Bin, the living Yama.

Seeing this, Ding Bin left with his two dozen armed guards to continue his rounds. Along the way, he resolved a few more instances of "slacking," whipping three men and decapitating one on the spot. Only then did he return to the banquet.

"You have worked hard; you couldn't even enjoy your meal in peace, having to go out and patrol," Li Shanchang said to his nephew with sincerity, ignoring the blood splattered on the whip at his waist and his clothes—or perhaps, it was a sight he had long since grown accustomed to.

"It is all for the sake of the Great Ming, for His Majesty, and for our Huai-Xi people. How could your nephew not give his all? It is not hard work, merely fulfilling my duty," Ding Bin replied with a smile.

Li Shanchang was very pleased with his nephew’s response. He felt that assigning Ding Bin to oversee the construction progress of the Central Capital was a brilliant decision that made the best use of his talents.

"Your leadership is tireless, dedicated to His Majesty and the Great Ming. It is truly admirable. I toast you, Commander!" said the pot-bellied Prefect of Fengyang, Zhu Gui, as he stood to toast Ding Bin. He was a distant relative of Zhu Yuanzhang, and possessing some talent, he had become the Prefect of Fengyang.

...

"Uncle, what day is it?" a laborer, his clothes filthy and tattered, his hands and face cracked from the cold and the relentless manual labor, asked in a low voice. Under the dim, yellow light, he appeared to be at least thirty, yet his voice betrayed that he was likely only fifteen or sixteen.

"It's the fourth day of the month, almost the fifth," replied a man holding a hammer and chisel, chipping away at a stone.

"Has the New Year passed just like that? The government hasn't shown any sign of recognition? Never mind dumplings, they could have at least let us rest for half a day!"

"Er'gou, are you dreaming? They didn't increase our workload during the New Year, and you're already asking for more? Since coming to the Central Capital, all holidays have nothing to do with us..." The man had been there longer and knew how things worked.

"This..." Li Er'gou wanted to say something, but the words failed him. After a moment of silence, he said, his voice choking with tears, "I... I miss my mother. She used to make me radish dumplings for the New Year... Uncle, do you think we'll ever make it back alive?"

The stonecutter's numb expression flickered. He swallowed the words that came to his lips when he saw the boy's eyes, filled with both anxiety and hope, glistening with tears.

"Yes, we will! As long as we work hard and don't give the overseers a reason to punish us, once the Central Capital is finished, we will all be able to go home!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

...

A wall divided the Central Capital into two worlds. Inside, the Ministry of Works was a scene of joy and celebration, looking forward to a bright future. Outside, hundreds of thousands of ragged laborers toiled through the freezing wind, night and day, even during the holidays. When someone collapsed, never to rise again, those nearby remained unmoved, continuing their mechanical, numb labor. Misery had long since stripped them of their humanity.

The banquet continued until the sickle-like crescent moon climbed high into the sky. Meanwhile, the laborers remained under the gaze of vicious overseers, continuing to build the magnificent Central Capital.

"It is truly beautiful! Once His Majesty sees the Central Capital, he will surely be transfixed!" Li Shanchang, wrapped in fox fur and smelling of wine, looked at the nearly completed palace and the towering city walls, his eyes filled with a drunken fascination.

"His Majesty will surely be pleased. That the Central Capital could be built so well and so quickly is entirely due to your great contribution, Minister! His Majesty will never forget your service!" chimed in the Minister of Works, Xue Xiang.

Li Shanchang smiled, then slowly shook his head. "Whether it is a contribution or not is secondary; the main thing is to do our part for His Majesty and for our Huai-Xi."

"Your integrity is beyond compare, Minister!" After praising him, Xue Xiang looked at Li Shanchang and tentatively asked, "Today is a good day. Perhaps... should we let the laborers finish an hour early?"

Li Shanchang shook his head. "The Central Capital is not yet finished; we cannot become complacent just because we have achieved a small success. That is not the way to long-term stability. Let them continue. These people are used to hardship; they do not fear exhaustion! And they will not die from it. Even if a few do, it is of no consequence. To die for the construction of the Central Capital is their honor!"

...

Outside the city, in the shadows, several pairs of eyes had been watching the Central Capital for quite some time. Suddenly, one of them smiled. In the cold moonlight, his white teeth appeared sinister and eerie.