“Zihou, Zihou, you’ve given me a difficult problem,” sighed the governor of Suzhou, Shang Weichi, as he stood atop the city wall, tears streaming down his face. Below him, more than twenty thousand commoners wept and wailed, begging for the city gates to be opened. Their cries of sorrow echoed to the heavens, heartbreaking to hear and bringing tears to the eyes of all who listened.
The governor’s heart ached. Both the people inside and outside the city were his responsibility. But to protect the hundreds of thousands within the city walls, he had no choice but to sacrifice the tens of thousands outside. “I have failed the people outside the city,” he lamented, his voice choked with emotion.
“It’s not your fault, Governor,” an official behind him quickly reassured. “The blame lies entirely with the Japanese pirates.”
Just then, the sound of galloping horses reached their ears. A troop of cavalry was approaching the city gates from the distance. The commoners outside the walls panicked, fearing it was the Japanese pirates. Their wails grew louder, and they desperately pounded on the gates.
The soldiers on the walls also grew tense, especially those guarding the gates. They hurriedly lifted several heavy beams to reinforce the gates, fearing the pirates would try to break through.
“Good people, do not fear! We are the Zhejiang Army, your own people! We are not the Japanese pirates!” the approaching cavalry shouted loudly, trying to calm the crowd and ease their fears.
“The Zhejiang Army! It’s the Zhejiang Army! I’ve heard of them. Just a few days ago, they brought back the heads of Japanese pirates they had slain!” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
“It’s our army! We don’t need to run anymore!”
“Father, Mother, stop crying! It’s our own army, not the pirates. They’re here to fight the pirates!”
The people, reassured by the cavalry’s shouts, took a closer look and saw that the soldiers were indeed clad in the uniform armor of the Ming army. Each soldier was fully equipped, from helmet to boots, and their faces were kind and composed. There was no sign of the disheveled, mixed attire of the Japanese pirates. The crowd began to calm down.
“Why has the Zhejiang Army come to the city gates instead of holding their position at Fengqiao Camp? Are they seeking refuge in the city? If they enter, there will be no one left to stop the pirates outside. The balance between the city and the outside will be broken. If the pirates attack, they’ll be at our gates in no time,” one official on the wall muttered, frowning with worry.
“We can’t let them in! If they enter, the commoners outside will surely rush in as well. Tens of thousands of people can’t enter quickly, and the pirates are right behind them!”
“No, absolutely not! Letting them in would be aiding the enemy! It would be destroying our own defenses! We cannot allow it!” other officials chimed in, shaking their heads firmly.
“Are you fools? The Zhejiang Army is strong, much stronger than the usual garrison troops. Just recently, they took the heads of a hundred pirates during the sea sacrifice. Letting them in would strengthen our defenses. Every extra soldier is an extra layer of protection,” another official argued, disagreeing with the others.
“You’re the fool! If we let the Zhejiang Army in, the commoners outside won’t just stand by and watch. They’ll rush in too! There are at least twenty thousand people out there. The gates will be chaos, and the pirates could attack at any moment. Suzhou will fall, and our families inside will be doomed!” someone retorted sharply.
“Then let only the Zhejiang Army in and keep the commoners out!” the first official shot back.
“Ha! Do you think the commoners are just going to stand there and watch? They’ll try to force their way in!” the opposing official countered.
“The gate guards aren’t just for show. They can keep the commoners out while letting the Zhejiang Army in. Once the soldiers are inside, close the gates immediately!” the first official replied calmly.
“Hmm, that might work,” the opposing official conceded, nodding slightly.
Governor Shang Weichi listened to the debate among his officials, his expression growing more conflicted. Why had the Zhejiang Army come to the city gates instead of holding their position at Fengqiao Camp? Should he let them in? They had just raised the alarm and performed a great service. Would it be right to shut them out now? Would it demoralize the soldiers?
On the other hand, the Japanese pirates numbered over forty thousand, while the Zhejiang Army had only two thousand men. The disparity was too great. If the Zhejiang Army sought refuge in the city to avoid the pirates’ onslaught, it was understandable. But what about the commoners outside? Could he really shut them out while letting the soldiers in? And what if the pirates attacked suddenly? The city held hundreds of thousands of lives.
“Zihou, Zihou, what should I do? You’ve given me a difficult problem,” Governor Shang muttered, taking a deep breath. His mind was a battlefield of conflicting thoughts, and he couldn’t decide which course of action was right.
Just then, he noticed the cavalry below parting to make way. A young commander in military attire, accompanied by a dozen elite cavalrymen, rode forward to address the crowd gathered before the gates. It was Zhu Ping’an! Even from a distance of nearly a hundred meters, Governor Shang recognized him by his stature and the slightly more ornate armor he wore, with its longer spear and bright red tassel.
The distinctive armor was meant to make the commander easily recognizable to his troops, ensuring they could follow his orders swiftly in battle.
Zhu Ping’an dismounted and, surrounded by his men, bowed respectfully to the crowd. “Good people, I am Zhu Ping’an, commander of the Zhejiang Army. Please make way so I may approach the city gates and speak with those above.”
The tens of thousands of commoners had crowded the area before the gates, leaving no space for movement. The distance of a hundred meters was too great for effective communication in an era where voices carried only so far. Zhu Ping’an was no Zhang Fei, whose legendary roar could shake the heavens. To speak with those on the walls, he needed to get closer.
