After the Zhejiang soldiers laid out the red carpet, they stood in a disciplined formation, spaced about a meter apart on both sides, serving as an honor guard.
To avoid putting pressure on Wang Zhi and his men, the Zhejiang soldiers carried no weapons, standing at attention.
With the red carpet and honor guard in place, the grandeur of the welcoming ceremony instantly soared a hundredfold.
“Leader Wang, please. Honorable heroes, please.” Zhu Ping’an led Wang Zhi and the pirates through the camp gate, stepping onto the red carpet.
“Lord Zhu, please. Generals, please.” Wang Zhi returned the courtesy, stepping onto the red carpet and walking side by side with Zhu Ping’an.
Liu Dadao, Wang Xiao’er, and other Zhejiang army officers, along with the pirates, followed closely behind, clearly divided into two camps. They eyed each other warily, noses twitching, exchanging cold snorts incessantly.
As Wang Zhi walked alongside Zhu Ping’an on the red carpet, the Zhejiang honor guard on both sides saluted with clasped fists in sync with their steps.
The red carpet, the honor guard—
Wang Zhi couldn’t help but feel deeply valued. With each step, his favorable impression of Zhu Ping’an grew.
From the corner of his eye, Zhu Ping’an noticed the highly pleased expression on Wang Zhi’s face and subtly curled his lips.
Zhu Ping’an had studied Wang Zhi. The man loved face. According to unofficial records, when Hu Zongxian attempted to recruit Wang Zhi, Wang once responded to the offer by bringing several Japanese village lords and thousands of pirates by ship to Zhoushan to negotiate with Hu.
However, when Hu Zongxian saw Wang Zhi arrive with over a hundred ships armed with numerous muskets and cannons, he suspected ill intentions. He quickly mobilized a large army, declared a lockdown, and prepared for battle.
Wang Zhi had been boasting to the Japanese lords about the coastal scenery of the Ming Dynasty and his supposed close ties with Hu Zongxian, claiming Hu would personally welcome them with a grand feast.
But as Wang Zhi bragged, Hu Zongxian delivered a lockdown and a cold shoulder instead of a feast!
This caused Wang Zhi to lose face terribly. Furious, he declared, “I’m done talking!” and prepared to sail away.
Hu Zongxian hadn’t expected Wang Zhi was genuinely there to negotiate. It took significant effort and cost to restart the talks.
This showed Wang Zhi’s obsession with face!
Historical records and Zhu Ping’an’s investigations in this era all confirmed it—Wang Zhi craved face.
Since you love face, I’ll give you face! No big deal! Zhu Ping’an was no stranger to face-saving gestures from his modern experience.
To take, you must first give!
Face? I’ll give you more than you can imagine! You want a leaf? I’ll give you a forest. You want a cup of water? I’ll give you a river. My goal is to shower you with face!
But once I’ve given, it’s time to take…
“The weather is splendid today—clear skies, warm sun, a rare treat in this winter chill. I’ve arranged for the banquet to be held outdoors. What does Leader Wang think?” Zhu Ping’an asked with a smile as he led Wang Zhi into the camp.
“Haha, the guest follows the host’s lead. Lord Zhu, you’re the host, and we’ll follow your arrangements.”
Wang Zhi replied with a laugh.
“Very well, we’ll hold the banquet outdoors. Big Gun, set up the venue, add more tables and chairs, and prepare plenty of fine wine and dishes to properly entertain Leader Wang’s men.” Zhu Ping’an instructed Liu Daqiang and the others.
“Yes, sir.” Liu Daqiang and his group clasped their fists and left to carry out the orders.
The banquet was set up about fifty meters from the camp gate. Tables, chairs, and screens had been prepared in advance, and the venue was quickly arranged.
The main table, where Zhu Ping’an and Wang Zhi sat, was on a central elevated platform, surrounded by a circle of screens for relative privacy. Standing up, one could see the tables and chairs arranged around, occupied by pirates and Zhejiang soldiers.
Zhu Ping’an ordered the camp gate to remain wide open and withdrew the guards stationed there, demonstrating to Wang Zhi: I, Zhu Ping’an, have no intention of trapping you. Today, my camp’s gate is open, and you can leave at any time.
Seeing Zhu Ping’an keep the gate open, Wang Zhi and the pirates relaxed considerably.
The venue was only fifty meters from the gate, with no Zhejiang soldiers guarding the area. If anything went wrong, they could reach the gate in a few breaths, ensuring Wang Zhi could escape the camp immediately.
This greatly increased their sense of security, and the pirates naturally felt more at ease. Wang Zhi’s favorable impression of Zhu Ping’an surged another +10086.
“Leader Wang, please take a seat.” Zhu Ping’an led Wang Zhi to the main table, extending his right hand courteously to invite him to sit.
“Lord Zhu, please.” Wang Zhi mirrored the gesture.
After a brief exchange of courtesies, they both sat down with a smile. Their seating was tacitly understood: Zhu Ping’an took the host’s seat, representing the court and fulfilling his role as host, while Wang Zhi sat across from him as the guest.
Only Zhu Ping’an and Wang Zhi were seated at the table, with no one else accompanying them—no attendants pouring tea or wine, no guards.
“Haha, Lord Zhu, I’m not exaggerating. Though I’m fifty-one this year, I’ve lived a life of war. My martial skills are such that even thirty or fifty men are no match for me. Aren’t you afraid, sitting alone with me like this?” Wang Zhi said with a chuckle, looking at Zhu Ping’an in a teasing tone.
“Haha, Leader Wang, I learned the principle of ‘a gentleman doesn’t stand under a dangerous wall’ as a child. Since I dare to sit alone with you, I naturally have my assurances and complete confidence.” Zhu Ping’an replied, looking at Wang Zhi with equal confidence.
“Oh? Could it be that Lord Zhu is skilled in martial arts? I must be ill-informed then. I only knew Lord Zhu as an exceptional scholar, unmatched in academics. I didn’t expect you to be proficient in martial arts as well?” Wang Zhi said, full of skepticism.
He had never heard of Zhu Ping’an being skilled in martial arts. All the intelligence pointed to Zhu Ping’an being a mere scholar, exceptional in strategy, but there was no mention of martial prowess.
“You’re not ill-informed, Leader Wang. I truly know nothing of martial arts,” Zhu Ping’an admitted with a smile.
“Then what gives Lord Zhu such confidence?” Wang Zhi asked, smiling.
“My confidence? First, it comes from Leader Wang’s impeccable character—you’re not the type to take advantage of others’ vulnerability.” Zhu Ping’an smiled lightly.
“Hahaha, thank you for your high regard, Lord Zhu. But haven’t you heard that character doesn’t hold up under temptation? If the stakes are high enough, I wouldn’t mind setting aside so-called character or integrity. After all, I’m a pirate…” Wang Zhi laughed, looking at Zhu Ping’an.
“Of course. As for my second assurance, while I may not know martial arts, I’m well-versed in firearms. I carry a compact musket for self-defense. Beyond three meters, a musket outpaces fists, feet, or blades. But within three meters, Leader Wang, do you know what happens?” Zhu Ping’an said, smiling back.
Wang Zhi shook his head slightly, smiling to urge Zhu Ping’an to continue.
“Within three meters, a musket is both fast and accurate. And at the distance of a table? I could hit my mark with my eyes closed.” Zhu Ping’an said with a laugh.
Wang Zhi’s smile froze for a moment, then he burst into hearty laughter. “As expected of Lord Zhu!”
