“Before I leave, Ping’an has one more matter to report to the Governor-General. Please dismiss those around us.”
After breakfast, just before bidding farewell to Zhang Jing, Zhu Ping’an spoke with a serious expression, requesting Zhang Jing to clear the room.
Zhang Jing realised Zhu Ping’an had something important to say and promptly dismissed everyone, ensuring no one lingered near the study.
“Zihou, you may speak now,” Zhang Jing said after clearing the room.
“Governor-General, Jiaxing’s prefect, Zhao Chong, may have surrendered to the Japanese pirates. I have several leads…” Zhu Ping’an whispered to Zhang Jing, cautious of eavesdroppers.
He then detailed his suspicions about Zhao Chong and the evidence gathered from monitoring him, sharing everything candidly with Zhang Jing.
“Good! Very good! Excellent!” Zhang Jing couldn’t contain his excitement, clapping his hands.
For a moment, Zhu Ping’an was puzzled. Why was Zhang Jing so thrilled to hear that Zhao Chong had defected to the pirates?!
“Now, luring the pirates to Jiaxing is all but certain!” Zhang Jing’s words clarified Zhu Ping’an’s confusion.
So that’s it!
Zhu Ping’an suddenly understood.
“Zihou, you haven’t alerted him, have you?” Zhang Jing asked with concern. Zhao Chong was a critical piece in drawing the pirates to Jiaxing.
“No. After all, he’s the prefect. I need absolute certainty and evidence before I can apprehend him. Until then, I won’t tip him off. I’ve instructed those monitoring him to keep their distance, even if it means missing something, to avoid alerting Zhao Chong or the pirates,” Zhu Ping’an said confidently.
“Very well. I trust Zihou to handle things,” Zhang Jing nodded in satisfaction, then added, “Zihou, from today, you can withdraw all the men you’ve sent to monitor Zhao Chong. Leave him to me.”
“As you command,” Zhu Ping’an agreed readily.
After bidding farewell to Zhang Jing, Zhu Ping’an led his group toward Shaoxing, taking a deliberate detour north to visit Wangjiangjing.
Wangjiangjing was the main battlefield where Zhang Jing would orchestrate an eighteen-army coalition to crush the pirates. The Wangjiangjing Victory was named after this place.
Heaven’s timing, earth’s advantage, and human unity aren’t just words. To gain the advantage of terrain, one must understand the geography of rivers and mountains!
When Zhu Ping’an arrived at Wangjiangjing, he initially thought it was merely a river flowing south.
“Jing” referred to water flowing from north to south, from high to low.
Wangjiangjing—surely just a river by Wang Family Village, flowing south.
But upon reaching Wangjiangjing, Zhu Ping’an discovered it wasn’t just a river. There was also a town, Wangjiangjing Town, by the river.
Wangjiangjing Town was astonishingly prosperous. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal ran through it, and the town was vast, spanning dozens of li.
It was a renowned silk town, producing tens of thousands of silk bolts daily. Shops and workshops lined the streets, which were clean and bustling. Locals proudly claimed Wangjiangjing “clothed the world.”
Zhu Ping’an rode around Wangjiangjing’s twenty-plus li perimeter, understanding why it would become a battlefield.
Located at the border of Zhejiang and Nanzhili, it was connected to Jiaxing in the south, serving as Jiaxing’s bridgehead, and to Suzhou Prefecture in Nanzhili in the north.
With the Grand Canal, numerous rivers, a dense water network, and rolling hills, it was a natural battlefield.
This terrain suited the pirates, who excelled in individual bravery and small-group tactics, making their choice of this site logical.
However, while it favoured the pirates’ individual strengths, if their initial assault could be withstood and their retreat cut off, it would allow for a strategy of “closing the gate and beating the dog.” Zhang Jing’s choice of this as the main battlefield made perfect sense.
The pirates chose it for a breakthrough; Zhang Jing chose it to trap and destroy them. It was inevitable it would become the main battlefield.
Zhu Ping’an carefully rode around Wangjiangjing, imprinting every tree, blade of grass, river, and stream into his memory. He couldn’t sit out this campaign—he had to find a way to participate.
According to historical records, the Wangjiangjing Victory was hailed as the greatest triumph against the southeastern pirate scourge, yet it only eliminated 1,980 pirates—far less than the results of Zhu Ping’an’s Suzhou defence.
Xu Hai’s pirate band had amassed thirty to forty thousand men. If the Wangjiangjing Victory only yielded 1,980 kills, that was merely a tenth of their forces—a blow not nearly heavy enough.
Thus, Zhu Ping’an wanted to join the fight, doing his utmost to strike a crushing blow against Xu Hai’s pirates.
Ideally, he’d wipe them out entirely.
Though Zhu Ping’an knew it was difficult, nothing in the world was easy. The harder it was, the more he had to strive.
The dense river network and hilly terrain suited the pirates’ individual prowess, but it was even better for firearms.
By seizing a few key strongholds, he could fully leverage the advantage of firearms, ensuring the pirates would suffer dearly!
As the saying goes, no matter how skilled in martial arts, one fears a kitchen knife—let alone bullets.
Zhu Ping’an meticulously studied the terrain, selecting several points ideal for the Zhejiang Army to unleash its firepower, committing them to memory.
If the Zhejiang Army joined the Battle of Wangjiangjing and held these points, the pirates would be caught in a deadly trap, suffering heavy losses.
“Let’s go, back to Shaoxing, quickly!”
After memorising Wangjiangjing’s terrain, Zhu Ping’an tugged the reins, spurred his horse, and led the charge south.
The Zhejiang Army followed, galloping swiftly, and the group headed toward Shaoxing.
The return journey was uneventful, with no encounters with marauding pirates. Travelling hard and eating on the move, they reached Shaoxing before dusk.
Zhu Ping’an returned home, quickly bathed and changed, washing off the chill before visiting Li Shu and their two little ones, careful not to pass on any cold. Li Shu was still in her confinement period, and the children were young with weak immunity.
“Giggle, Brother Zhu, hold them. See if they’ve gotten heavier. They’re like two little pigs, especially your daughter—she eats so much, two wet nurses’ milk is barely enough for her alone,” Li Shu said, radiating maternal love as she proudly handed the chubby, bewildered little girl to Zhu Ping’an.
“Let me hold my darling girl,” Zhu Ping’an carefully took his chubby daughter in both hands. Indeed, after just two days, she had grown noticeably plumper.
The little girl adored Zhu Ping’an. As soon as he held her, she flashed a big smile, her tiny voice like a kitten’s mew.
Zhu Ping’an couldn’t resist kissing her cheek.
To be fair, he set down his daughter and bent to pick up his chubby son. As soon as he lifted him, he felt a warm wetness—the little guy had unleashed a massive pee, soaking the thin blanket and Zhu Ping’an’s clothes.
The boy looked at Zhu Ping’an with an innocent, goofy expression.
“Your son really loves you, saving it just for you,” Li Shu said, laughing uncontrollably.
