Chapter Fourteen: Prosperity Achieved

Li Guo was the nephew of Li Zicheng, a rising star within the Great Shun Army. With his uncle crowned emperor and intent on capturing the capital, the dynastic change was imminent, and Li Guo exerted himself with extraordinary zeal.

He first led a fierce assault on Fuchengmen, braving arrows and stones, charging at the very forefront. At that moment, someone had stealthily opened the Xibian Gate, and Li Guo, leading his men, surged into the outer city, joining the already infiltrated Great Shun forces to attack Xuanwumen.

Caught off guard, the defending troops were no match. Li Guo broke through Xuanwumen into the inner city, cutting down all in his path with unstoppable force. Nicknamed "The Tiger," he was indeed like a fierce beast descending the mountain, single-mindedly intent on storming the Forbidden City to capture Emperor Chongzhen and claim the glory of toppling the Ming dynasty.

But as Li Guo pressed forward, suddenly a convoy appeared before him—some twenty to thirty horse-drawn carts, heavily guarded by Ming soldiers. Without hesitation, Li Guo spurred his horse and charged. The Great Shun soldiers, like young tigers, howled and followed suit.

The Ming troops were taken aback but quickly formed ranks to resist fiercely. The clash was brutal and close-quartered; men fell constantly, and blood stained the streets.

Li Guo's strength was extraordinary. With his heavy blade, he felled two soldiers and reached the front of one cart. Using the tip of his blade, he lifted the covering, revealing the contents inside.

"Firearms!" Li Guo exclaimed in astonishment. The cart was neatly stacked with dozens of blackened matchlock guns. Having fought the Ming army for years, Li Guo knew well the power of firearms—and yet, the Great Shun army was sorely lacking in such weaponry.

This windfall was a treasure beyond measure. Overjoyed, Li Guo roared, "Brothers, kill the Ming soldiers and seize the weapons!"

Leading the charge, he hacked relentlessly. More Ming soldiers fell beneath his blade, their bodies piling up. Blood covered Li Guo from head to toe, making him look like a demon risen from the depths of hell. The Ming troops, terrified, retreated en masse. Li Guo bellowed wildly, "Come if you're not afraid to die! Uncle Li will send you to meet Yama!"

In the midst of Li Guo’s frenzy, the sudden clatter of horse hooves echoed from a nearby alley. A large dark horse galloped like lightning, bearing a rider who thrust a spear directly at Li Guo’s chest.

The spear came swiftly and fiercely, like a monstrous serpent striking in an instant. Experienced in battle, Li Guo sensed danger immediately and tried to parry with his blade. But when his sword met the spear, he felt an overwhelming force. He could not hold it back; the spearpoint pressed on relentlessly.

"Not good!" Li Guo’s mind went blank. He was a renowned warrior within the camp, yet this opponent exerted far greater strength. Was this even a human?

With no time to hesitate, Li Guo desperately spun away, avoiding the fatal blow. In a flash, the sharp spear grazed his upper left chest, slicing through to his shoulder. A gash over half a foot long appeared, blood spraying as flesh tore open. The pain nearly threw Li Guo from his horse.

The attacker was Gu Zhenhua. Upon hearing about the firearms, his heart was set aflame. Firearms were the ace against the Manchu Eight Banners, but large-scale production required craftsmen, materials, and a secure base—resources he clearly lacked for the moment. Capturing these arms in the capital was an opportunity not to be missed. Thus, Gu Zhenhua resolved to act decisively and seize the carts for himself.

He knew his own strengths—skilled in hand-to-hand combat and possessing excellent physical prowess, he was fearless on foot. But on horseback, he was like a novice, far from matching the bloodthirsty generals wielding blades in close quarters.

Therefore, Gu Zhenhua aimed to end the fight quickly, hoping a sudden thrust would kill his opponent outright. But Li Guo was no pushover. He used his blade to deflect the spear, causing it to lose aim, then spun desperately to evade the fatal strike. Despite the maneuver, the wound left his left arm powerless; he was left wielding his heavy blade with one hand.

Gu Zhenhua pressed his advantage without mercy, driving the spear toward Li Guo repeatedly. Li Guo dared not block but only dodged, bleeding heavily; his whole left side was stained crimson.

At this moment, Great Shun soldiers noticed the struggle and surged forward, brandishing swords and spears to block Gu Zhenhua. To him, these rabble were insignificant. Swinging his spear, he pierced one soldier’s chest, then, with a mighty heave, lifted and hurled him like a sack of sand, knocking down several others.

Xue Biao and his comrades arrived, charging wildly. Gu Zhenhua thundered through the Great Shun ranks, scattering them with brutal force. In moments, he stood amid a field of bodies.

After felling the last attacker, the blood and carnage fueled Gu Zhenhua’s adrenaline, filling him with boundless strength and a desperate need to vent. Yet when he searched around, the remaining Great Shun soldiers were shielding Li Guo’s retreat. Though he longed to pursue, Gu Zhenhua restrained himself; other, more urgent matters awaited.

The Great Shun forces defeated, the surviving Ming soldiers were grateful beyond words for this sudden rescue. Two of them hurried to Gu Zhenhua’s horse and bowed deeply.

“General, thank you for saving our lives. I am Xu Fang, Langzhong of the Ministry of War’s Armory Inspection Division. This is Gao Hongtu, Captain of the Capital Garrison. We were ordered to deliver the firearms to Xuanwumen, but the rebels stormed in.”

Hearing this, Gu Zhenhua quickly dismounted and smiled, “Langzhong Xu, I am no general. I serve at the Duke of Cheng’s residence, and these men are guards from the household.”

Xu Fang was taken aback. He was a proper official of the fifth rank and had just bowed to a mere retainer—it was somewhat humiliating. But Gao Hongtu was unfazed and hurriedly said, “No matter your rank, you are our savior. Please accept my deepest respect!”

As he knelt on one knee, Gu Zhenhua gently helped him up. “General,” he said with a smile, “let us forego these formalities. The rebel army could return at any moment. We must think quickly.”

“Think of what?” Xu Fang suddenly realized the gravity. He smiled bitterly, “The outer and inner cities are breached. Our commanders are lost. What can we do?”

Gu Zhenhua smiled faintly. “Langzhong Xu, are you ready to join King Li and enjoy wealth and glory?”

“Hmph! Impossible! I have studied the classics and know only loyalty to my sovereign and devotion to my country. Now that the Ming has fallen, I will die with honor and repay the emperor’s grace with my life.”

With that, Xu Fang reached for his sword, prepared to take his own life. Gu Zhenhua grabbed his hand swiftly. “Sir, I admire your loyalty. I have something here that may interest you.”

Producing a sealed imperial edict from his bosom, he showed it to Xu Fang, who immediately knelt, tears streaming down his face, sobbing, “I was unaware of such a sacred charge. Please forgive my ignorance.”

“Langzhong Xu,” Gu Zhenhua said, “I am tasked with escorting the Crown Prince out of the capital. I urgently need men and weapons. These firearms are now under my command.”

“No objection! I will obey your orders,” Xu Fang replied.

Together with Gao Hongtu, they organized the thirty carts, which carried twelve hundred matchlock guns, along with ample gunpowder and bullets. Originally, five hundred soldiers had been assigned, but over two hundred were killed and over a hundred scattered. Only a hundred remained—true loyalists of the Ming—a valuable reinforcement.

“Langzhong Xu, how is the quality of these guns? They must not be shoddy.”

“Rest assured, sir. These are fine matchlocks made during the Jiajing era for fighting the Japanese pirates. Only three thousand of these exist in the capital.”

“Three thousand?” Gu Zhenhua asked urgently. “If there are only twelve hundred here, where are the rest?”

“Stored in the armory at Wang Gong Factory. We were only ordered to transport twelve hundred.”

Gu Zhenhua’s eyes brightened. Given current production capacities, three thousand high-quality matchlocks could not be made overnight. Securing them all would be like a thunderclap in the flatlands—instant wealth. With three thousand musketeers plus supporting troops, they could muster an army of ten to twenty thousand men. Visions of vast armies and banners flashed before his eyes.

“Langzhong Xu, the situation is chaotic. We cannot wait for orders. Let’s move the firearms quickly to prevent enemy capture.”

Xu Fang nodded, but Gao Hongtu interjected urgently, “Sir, that is unwise. Moving the firearms will take time. If the rebels attack, where will we flee?”

Gao Hongtu’s words reminded Gu Zhenhua that danger lurked beyond opportunity. He frowned deeply, unwilling to let such a prize slip away, yet aware of the risks ahead.