Chapter 40: Military Command

"Commander Wu, what rumors have you been listening to? You must not believe the instigations of villains. His Majesty has long said that as long as you are willing to submit to the Great Shun, both you and your father will be enfeoffed as marquises. What glory it is to have two marquises in one family! Take me, for example—I, Zhang Ruoqi, was already locked in the celestial prison, but when His Majesty entered the city, he not only released me but also granted me the position of Minister of the Ministry of War. His grace is as vast as a mountain. With your talent, Commander Wu, being a marquis now and perhaps even a king in the future is not impossible. To honor your ancestors..."

Zhang Ruoqi spoke with the eloquence of a rushing river, ready to continue, but Wu Sangui suddenly waved his hand, cutting him off abruptly.

"What is the use of promising more benefits? I ask you only one thing: is my father well?"

Ever since Wang Zhiyao had entered the tent, he had felt the atmosphere was wrong. Wu Sangui showed not a shred of warmth, and the surrounding generals were glaring at them with such rage that they looked as if they wanted to devour them.

Upon hearing Wu Sangui’s words, he suddenly realized that news from the capital must have arrived, which explained why Wu Sangui was so furious.

"Commander Wu, since you already know, we will not hide it from you. There was indeed a slight misunderstanding. General Liu Zongmin did arrest the old General Wu Xiang, but after the Chuang King received the news, he immediately ordered his release and even offered words of comfort. This time we came specifically with a personal letter from the old General Wu. Please, take a look!"

As he spoke, Wang Zhiyao took a letter from his bosom and presented it to Wu Sangui.

A letter from his elderly father!

Wu Sangui hurriedly took it and unfolded it. It was indeed written in Wu Xiang’s own hand, filled with claims that the Ming Dynasty had fallen, that the Great Shun had taken its place, and urging Wu Sangui to be sensible and surrender immediately...

After reading this letter, Wu Sangui was instantly bewildered. Tucked away in his own robes was another family letter, brought personally by Wu An. The contents of that letter were completely different; it stated that the Chuang bandits were ransacking the entire city, seizing wealth to fund their army, and that his father’s life hung by a thread, urging Wu Sangui to find a way to save him.

Two completely different letters within a single day—which was true? What was really going on?

When Wang Zhiyao handed the letter to Wu Sangui, Gu Zhenhua became extremely vigilant. With his life on the line, he could not afford not to be anxious.

Although he had history as a reference, Gu Zhenhua dared not gamble with his own life. Wu Sangui was inherently fickle and capricious; who knew if he might change his mind again? He had played the part of a loyal minister of the Ming to perfection, and if Wu Sangui were to backtrack, he would surely have his head chopped off first!

Thinking of this, Gu Zhenhua could not help but observe Wu Sangui secretly. He saw him furrowing his brows, revealing an expression of extreme pain and confusion. Gu Zhenhua’s mind raced, constantly analyzing Wu Sangui’s psychology and pondering how he should respond.

Suddenly, Wu Sangui raised his head, looked at Gu Zhenhua, and said with a smile, "Brother Gu, I am now completely bewildered. I wonder if you could clear up my confusion?"

"I cannot!" Gu Zhenhua replied bluntly. Everyone present was stunned, including Wu Sangui. They were all baffled; this man was far too direct!

"Brother Wu, I am involved in this matter myself and must avoid suspicion. Furthermore, this concerns the safety of your elderly father, as well as the survival of tens of thousands of Guan-Ning army brothers. As an outsider, nothing I say would be appropriate. I hope you will forgive me, Brother Wu!"

"Hahaha, brother, what I admire most about you is your truthfulness and sincerity. A great man is upright and open. These men who came to persuade me to surrender are desperately trying to make me believe the latter letter. By logic, you should be telling me to believe the news from Wu An, yet you have not done so, which shows that you are selfless. I would like to entrust you, brother, with using your current perspective to analyze the situation before me!"

"Brother Wu, empty words are of no use. I wonder if you could let me see the letter from your father? I believe your father would have revealed his true intentions within it."

"Very well, take it!" Wu Sangui said, signaling for someone to hand the letter to Gu Zhenhua.

After taking it, Gu Zhenhua immediately feigned a careful examination, while his mind calculated rapidly. Wu Sangui was cunning and fickle; such a person usually had a predetermined opinion, and asking for your view was merely to test whether you were of the same mind.

If he were to arrogantly offer advice now, it would only prove counterproductive, which was why Gu Zhenhua had demurred. However, perhaps all smart people had a bit of a perverse streak; the less you say, the more they force you to speak. In truth, as a former real estate developer, Gu Zhenhua had encountered a wide range of people and understood the temperaments of such powerful figures perfectly.

To persuade someone, it is best to use indirection rather than pointing fingers directly. Gu Zhenhua had this same flaw, so he already had a grasp on Wu Sangui’s mindset. Now, all he had to do was figure out how to solidify his judgment!

As Gu Zhenhua’s brain whirred, Wang Zhiyao, Zhang Ruoqi, and the others noticed this young man and frowned.

"Commander Wu, may I ask who this gentleman is? We haven't heard of him before."

"Hahaha, this is the Earl of Loyalty and Bravery, Regional Commander of Jizhen, Gu Zhenhua, who has just arrived at my camp."

"Earl of Loyalty and Bravery? Who conferred that?" Zhang Ruoqi asked in surprise.

"The Ming Dynasty, of course."

"Commander Wu, are you still clinging to the Ming Dynasty?" Zhang Ruoqi said, heartbroken. "The young Chongzhen was wicked, famines have lasted for years, and he was stubborn and self-willed. How many ministers have been killed and how many capable generals wronged over these years? A court like that deserves to fall. Now, the Chuang King follows heaven and responds to the people; the hearts of the world are turning to him. Beizhili, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi—everything north of the Yellow River belongs to the Great Shun. Can you not see the situation clearly?"

Zhang Ruoqi pleaded earnestly, but Wu Sangui’s expression grew increasingly gloomy, his eyes narrowing. Those familiar with him knew that the Commander was already enraged.

Gu Zhenhua, standing to the side, sneered inwardly. Everything Zhang Ruoqi said was correct, but his attitude was entirely wrong. Being condescending and bossy would only provoke Wu Sangui’s rebellious nature!

"Brother Wu, I have read your father’s letter."

"Oh? What are your thoughts, brother?"

"It is not about my thoughts, but that your father has already written his meaning into the letter. Brother Wu, you might want to look at the first character and the last character of the letter."

"Give it to me quickly!" Wu Sangui had heard of hidden-head poems; could his father have hidden a message in the letter?

He hurriedly took the letter and looked carefully. In the first sentence, Wu Xiang wrote, "Wicked Chongzhen, lost the empire, Great Shun rises, as it should be," and in the last sentence, "Family reunion, hope son returns quickly!"

"Wicked, return quickly!"

Wu Sangui muttered these words twice, a flash of realization cutting through his eyes. He couldn't help but look up and roar, "No return, no return!"

After saying this, Wu Sangui stared fixedly at Wang Zhiyao and the others, sneering, "You bastards, you tortured my father and forced him to write a letter of surrender against his will, yet you dare to come and deceive me! Guards, seize them all!"

"Commander Wu, do not be misled by villains," Wang Zhiyao said hurriedly. "The old General is as stable as Mount Tai. There is absolutely no danger to his safety. I can stake my head on it."

"That’s right, I, Zhang, can too," Zhang Ruoqi added. "A mere two characters do not constitute a hidden-head letter. Commander Wu, this brat is just wagging his tongue; your family is safe and sound!"

"Safe and sound? Then let me ask you, where is Chen Yuanyuan?"

Zuo Maotai, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up: "Commander Wu, we do not know this person, but she must be a mere woman. As the saying goes, a great man need not worry about lacking a wife. With positions and titles, wealth and honor, surely that is worth more than a woman?"

"Shut up!"

Before Zuo Maotai could finish, Wu Sangui grabbed the inkstone from the table and smashed it toward him. Some things might be fine to say in private, but to say them in the heat of the moment was equivalent to telling Wu Sangui that wearing a cuckold’s hat was fine as long as he had an official post and money.

A commander of tens of thousands of troops, in his thirties and in the prime of his life, could not suffer such an insult. Wu Sangui struck in fury, with astonishing force. The inkstone hit Zuo Maotai squarely in the chest, followed by the sound of breaking bones. Zuo Maotai spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsed on the spot, and rolled his eyes back.

"What is the use of being a man if I cannot even protect my own wife? Li Zicheng, you and I are irreconcilable enemies!"

With a shout, Wu Sangui waved his hand, ordering the messengers to be dragged away. Seeing his rage, the others dared not speak and rushed forward, ready to hack the three of them to pieces.

"Brother Wu, these men cannot be killed. It is better to place them under house arrest and let them pass false intelligence to Li Zicheng to buy us time!"

Wu Sangui finally calmed down and nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, brother. I almost made a mistake. Drag them all away."

After they were gone, Wu Sangui looked at Gu Zhenhua and smiled: "Brother, your strategy, heart, and vision are all of the highest caliber, and you have just defeated a famous general of the Chuang camp. My uprising this time will rely on your help, brother. Two thousand elite cavalry is not a large number, but I hope you can slay their generals and earn merit."