“Jiaxing City, do you want reinforcements or not? If not, we’re heading back! We’ll tell our general you don’t need aid, and the main force won’t bother coming!”
“Open the gate! If you don’t, I’m leaving!”
“No gate, no stay!”
By the time Magistrate Zhao and his entourage reached the ramparts, the troops locked outside were in an uproar, their protests deafening.
“Quiet down, quiet down! The magistrate’s here—keep it up, and you won’t even have a place in your garrison!”
“The magistrate’s arrived, so shut it! One more word out of line, and I’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Keep shouting, and we’ll treat you all as pirate accomplices! The city jail’s got room for a thousand or two more!”
The wall’s soldiers, seeing Zhao and the officials, barked at the crowd below to restore order.
“Enough rudeness! These reinforcements outside are our saviors—*this* is how you treat them?!” Zhao, now atop the wall, publicly scolded the guards in front of the troops below.
“Right, we’re your saviors, not enemies! We came all this way to help, and you threaten us? No gratitude—just spite!”
“The magistrate’s words are gold—worthy of his title. We’ll follow him!”
“Well said, Magistrate! Fair and just!”
The chaotic troops below cheered Zhao’s speech, clapping wildly.
Zhao smiled, pressing his hands downward.
“My thanks to you all for coming from afar to aid Jiaxing. On behalf of the city’s two hundred thousand souls, I salute you.”
He cupped his hands toward the troops in gratitude.
“No need for thanks, sir!”
“With your words, we’d die without regrets—ready to serve you to the end!”
The troops, flustered and flattered, returned haphazard salutes, pledging their loyalty.
“No need for your thanks, Magistrate. Protecting Jiaxing is our garrison’s duty,” their lead general said, clasping his fists.
Zhao watched the troops’ respectful gestures, savoring it—especially the general’s claim of duty, which made him nod approvingly. The man looked decent and spoke well; Zhao gave him an extra glance.
That extra glance prompted a curious “Hm?” Zhao leaned over the wall, beckoning the general closer. “Come nearer, let me see you. What’s your name? You look unfamiliar. I visited your garrison last New Year—why don’t I recall you?”
The air below tensed, murmurs dying down instinctively.
The lead general was Xu Hai in disguise.
To his left stood the turncoat Zhao Dezhu; to his right, Ma Ye, posing as a Ming officer. Facing Zhao’s question, Xu Hai stepped forward, unflinching, his tone half-flattering, half-sycophantic.
“Your sharp eyes, Magistrate. I’m Wang Tieshan. I won’t hide it—when you graced our garrison last New Year, I was just a petty flag officer, unworthy of attending, so I never met you.”
Zhao’s brow furrowed deeper. He pressed, “A flag officer last New Year, and in less than a year, you’re leading alone? How?”
“Ahem, no hiding from you, sir. My sister married General Han of our garrison this February—his third concubine. I got lucky in June, earned a small merit, and with General Han’s backing, rose to chief flag officer. In October, I scored another merit suppressing bandits, becoming an acting hundred-man chief. When you requested aid, General Han recommended me as vanguard to lead this advance force to Jiaxing. Our main army’s right behind. He ordered me to obey your every command here and defend Jiaxing to the death.”
Xu Hai clasped his fists, coughing awkwardly as he explained.
Zhao chuckled softly. So that’s it—riding General Han’s coattails via a sister.
The officials atop the wall snickered too.
No wonder this guy shot up so fast—from a lowly flag officer last New Year to acting hundred-man chief in under a year, leading a vanguard. All thanks to offering his sister.
Ruthless move.
That Han “Blackie”—fat as a pig, unkempt, stinking of tofu, mandarin fish, and rancid curds—his stench preceded him. Yet this man handed over his sister as a third concubine? A flower on a dung heap!
Heh, Han pushing him as vanguard was just to gild him further—rack up merit, drop the “acting” from his title, and secure a full hundred-man post.
Wang Tieshan wasn’t bad-looking; his sister must be a stunner. How else could she sway a lazy slob like Han to keep boosting him?
Bet she’s a beauty—master of pillow talk.
Shame, though!
“So that’s it. Three promotions in a year—you’re a rare talent in your garrison,” Zhao said with a smile, tossing a compliment.
“Don’t deserve it, don’t deserve it,” Xu Hai replied, feigning a blush.
“General Wang, for the sake of our two hundred thousand citizens, we must verify your identity. Bear with us. The city’s prepared a feast—once confirmed, you’ll enter and enjoy.”
Zhao spoke gently.
“Of course! My brother-in-law—er, General Han—told me to fully comply with your checks and orders. Please verify us; we’ll cooperate completely.”
Xu Hai grinned obsequiously.
“Good. General Wang, you say you’re Yangcheng’s vanguard—how do you prove it?” Zhao asked.
“Sir, I’ve got a letter from my brother-in—er, General Han, penned by his aide.”
Xu Hai pulled a letter from his coat, placing it in a basket lowered from the wall. It was hauled up.
Then, stepping aside, he ushered Zhao Dezhu forward, holding a torch to light his face. “Also, General Zhao here can vouch for us. He’s the one who went to Yangcheng for aid. General Han named me vanguard in his presence.”
Under the torchlight, Zhao Dezhu saluted. “Greetings, Magistrate. I confirm General Wang was dispatched by General Han as vanguard after I sought aid at Yangcheng. No doubt about it.”
