Soon, under the astonished gazes of the Songjiang prefectural city garrison, the Zhejiang Army led a long string of Japanese pirate captives to the city gates.
In the bitter cold of the ninth month of winter, the Japanese pirates who had once strutted arrogantly beneath the walls were stripped of their outer coats. Clad only in thin inner garments, barefoot, with snot streaming from their noses and shivering uncontrollably, they looked like a herd of lambs awaiting slaughter, roped together in a line by the Zhejiang Army.
“Bloody hell, I counted from afar. Guess how many Japanese pirate captives the Zhejiang Army took. At least six hundred…”
“More than six hundred captives, ah. Add that to the five hundred odd captured by the Zhejiang Army at the south gate battle. That’s over a thousand Japanese pirate captives in total. Tut tut tut, no wonder it’s the Zhejiang Army. I’ve heard they’ve never lost against the Japanese pirates!”
“Those damned Japanese pirates were ferocious as anything in front of us, but in front of the Zhejiang Army they’re as docile as lambs!”
“Heh heh, capturing so many prisoners. If that’s not a great victory, what is? Just now, who was it saying the Zhejiang Army’s pursuit of the pirates would fail, that they’d get ambushed and wiped out instead? So what are these then, ghosts? Thinking back, we truly measured Lord Zhu’s commanding talent with our own worthless minds. Lord Zhu is the top examination scholar, the provincial governor, a ministerial lord. If he chose to pursue the pirates, how could he not have been certain of success!”
“Though I lost money on the bet, I have to say, the Zhejiang Army is brilliant, Lord Zhu is brilliant. Truly brilliant!”
On the city walls, after their initial shock, the garrison troops could not help but admire the Zhejiang Army escorting the captives back, giving them thumbs up in genuine respect.
When facing the Japanese pirates themselves, even with the advantage of the walls, they had still been breached at the gates. In close combat, a single exchange had seen over a hundred of their men hacked to death by the pirates, scaring them so much they lost all courage to fight.
Look at the Zhejiang Army. They had come from another province to aid, actively left the city to pursue the pirates, and captured so many. This was the difference!
They had no choice but to accept it. The Zhejiang Army and Lord Zhu were simply outstanding! Throughout history, people have judged heroes by victory or defeat. The victor is naturally the hero!
“General, the Zhejiang Army has arrived. Shall we open the gates and let…”
The Zhejiang Army had come. Should they open the city gates? Someone thought of this, turned to ask the general for instructions, only to find the general gone.
“The general has already gone down.” Someone reminded him. The man looked down and indeed saw their own general already at the gate tunnel.
“Quickly open the city gates. Welcome the Zhejiang Army into the city. Close the gates again only after all the Zhejiang Army brothers have entered.”
This time, the general did not even wait for the Zhejiang Army to call for the gates. He immediately ordered them opened, welcoming the Zhejiang Army inside.
The Zhejiang Army had won victory and captured so many Japanese pirate prisoners. To keep the Zhejiang Army shut outside the walls now would be asking for trouble.
Soon, the gates opened. The Zhejiang Army soldiers pulled string after string of Japanese pirate captives into the city. The garrison inside looked on with envy, while the common people lined the streets to welcome them, offering food and drink to the Zhejiang Army soldiers, and hurling rotten vegetables and stinking eggs at the Japanese pirate captives.
Just earlier, when the Japanese pirates passed through Songjiang prefectural city, in less than an hour they had harmed tens of thousands of common people.
Now the Zhejiang Army had avenged them, so of course the people offered food and drink in gratitude to the Zhejiang Army, while taking the chance to pelt the pirates with rotten vegetables and stinking eggs in revenge.
“How on earth did the Zhejiang Army win? How are they so formidable?” The garrison troops on the walls were extremely curious.
“I found out clearly. The reason the Zhejiang Army achieved such a great victory this time was all due to the excellent command of Zhejiang Governor Lord Zhu. Lord Zhu led the Zhejiang Army thirteen li north of Songjiang prefectural city gates. The Zhejiang vanguard bit onto the Japanese pirates’ rearguard. The pirates once again severed their tail to survive, leaving about a thousand of their rearguard to hold the line, while the vanguard and centre fled without looking back. The pirate rearguard occupied a gentry manor and stubbornly resisted.”
“The Japanese pirates were very cunning. While their rearguard held out in the gentry manor, over a thousand more pirates hid in a desolate village not far away. They planned to attack the Zhejiang Army from behind while it assaulted the manor.”
“But who is Lord Zhu? He is the top scholar, Zhejiang governor, a ministerial lord. How could their plots and schemes escape Lord Zhu’s notice? Lord Zhu had long anticipated possible ambush, dispatched scouts in disguise to infiltrate, and discovered the pirates hidden in the desolate village. Thus he turned the tables with the oriole behind the mantis stalking the cicada.”
“Lord Zhu directed the Zhejiang Army to attack the pirates in the gentry manor. In the heat of fierce battle, the pirates in the desolate village suddenly charged out. But they never expected the Zhejiang Army to be prepared. The rearguard formed ranks to meet them, and another Zhejiang force emerged from behind the ambushers. Front and rear pincered by the Zhejiang Army, the ambushing pirates were utterly defeated.”
“After the ambushing pirates were crushed, the pirates in the gentry manor lost all will to fight, scattering in all directions. Many became captives of the Zhejiang Army.”
A well-informed garrison soldier had inquired clearly about the course of the Zhejiang Army’s victory and came up to the walls to share it with everyone.
“Where is Lord Zhu? Why hasn’t Lord Zhu come?” someone asked.
“Lord Zhu said, ‘It is best to pursue the routed enemy with remaining valour.’ After breaking the gentry manor, he led the Zhejiang Army to continue pursuing the pirates. Because there were too many captives hindering operations, he dispatched some Zhejiang troops to escort the prisoners back.”
The well-informed soldier replied.
“No wonder he is the governor and ministerial lord. Compared to him, our prefect is far inferior.”
The garrison troops could not help sighing in admiration.
Not long after, the Zhejiang Army soldiers who had escorted the Japanese pirate captives back left the prisoners with the garrison Zhejiang troops. They purchased a batch of provisions, food, and drink in the city, enough for five days’ use by the Zhejiang Army, then left the city once more.
“What? The Zhejiang Army won again and captured over a thousand Japanese pirate prisoners?” When Songjiang prefect received the news, he was stunned.
How was this happening? How could the Zhejiang Army fight Japanese pirates so easily?
Why couldn’t we?
It must be that the prefectural city garrison commanders were incompetent!
Soon, news that Zhu Ping’an led the Zhejiang Army to greatly defeat the Japanese pirates once more reached Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian’s ears.
Zhao Wenhua narrowed his eyes, tapped the table with his finger, and slowly said, “I thought Zhu Ping’an’s sortie against the pirates would end in disaster. Unexpectedly, he won victory and captured over a thousand Japanese pirate prisoners.”
“Worthy indeed of Lord Zhu. This sortie against the pirates yielded gains no less than those of Zhang Jing.”
Hu Zongxian sighed deeply, his eyes showing some envy and some regret. If he had joined Zhu Ping’an in the sortie back then, he could have shared this glory.
With such merit and glory, his position as Suzhou-Songjiang governor would be secure. Who would still say he flattered the Yan faction, framed the loyal and good, and gained office through back doors!
Though he did flatter the Yan faction, frame the loyal and good, and gain office through back doors… he still had the ability and qualifications for the post!
Alas, there is no medicine for regret in this world.
“It seems the pirates in Tulin are finished. In Zhang Jing’s battle, the pirate elite were already depleted. Though the pirates have recovered numbers, they are now just a rabble, no match at all. That is why Zi Hou’s sortie this time achieved smooth victory.”
Zhao Wenhua stroked his chin in analysis, then looked at Hu Zongxian. “Meilin, I am giving you an opportunity.”
