The charcoal fire licked at the teapot. Snow water boiled inside the kettle. Tea leaves danced up and down in the brew like swimming fish. The fragrance of tea wafted through the study.
Zhao Wenhua sat in a reclining chair. On the small table beside him were fruits, pastries, and steaming clear tea.
Behind him, a pretty maidservant massaged his shoulders and neck. Her movements were graceful and skilled.
Zhao Wenhua took a sip of tea, leaned back in satisfaction. The maidservant behind him sensibly increased the pressure slightly. Zhao Wenhua grew even more pleased.
The orders had been issued. He was simply awaiting victory reports from the front.
Planning strategies within a tent, deciding victory a thousand li away. Zhao Wenhua felt this phrase suited his current scene perfectly.
“Report! Sir, a battle report from the front. After Zhejiang Governor Zhu Ping’an received your orders, he did not withdraw. He sent back a letter to you.”
The steward came running with a letter, reporting as he approached.
“What?! After receiving my orders, Zhu Ping’an actually refused to obey and withdraw?!” Zhao Wenhua sat up abruptly from the reclining chair upon hearing this. The strategic composure on his face turned to displeasure and anger.
What was Zhu Ping’an trying to do?!
Was he playing at “when the general is afar, some orders need not be heeded”?!
In anger, Zhao Wenhua snatched Zhu Ping’an’s reply from the steward’s hand, unfolded it, and read what Zhu Ping’an had written.
After a glance, the anger on Zhao Wenhua’s face eased by about thirty percent. As he read further, the anger diminished more and more. His expression gradually became calm.
The gist of Zhu Ping’an’s reply was that he had received Zhao Wenhua’s order and would obey by withdrawing. However, at present the Zhejiang Army was pursuing a large group of fleeing pirate soldiers. If they withdrew without troops arriving to take over, the pirates would escape. Once troops came to relieve them, the Zhejiang Army would withdraw from Songjiang prefecture and return to Zhejiang.
Zhao Wenhua closed Zhu Ping’an’s reply.
There was some reason in Zhu Ping’an’s letter. At this moment, the troops led by Hu Zongxian had not yet arrived. If Zhu Ping’an’s Zhejiang Army withdrew now, the pirates would indeed escape.
If the pirates escaped, Hu Zongxian might not be able to catch them. If he failed to pursue, would his own orders not become a laughingstock?!
However, Zhu Ping’an’s reply could not be fully trusted. In the end, it depended on the outcome. If Hu Zongxian arrived and Zhu Ping’an withdrew, then Zhu Ping’an had not deceived him. But if Hu Zongxian arrived and Zhu Ping’an delayed withdrawal with some excuse, then Zhu Ping’an would be playing with fire! He would face his wrath!
“Where has Hu Zongxian reached now?” Zhao Wenhua asked the steward.
“Replying to sir, an hour ago they reached Songjiang prefectural city. They should soon link up with the Zhejiang Army.”
The steward replied.
“Very good.” Zhao Wenhua nodded upon hearing this, lay back in the reclining chair again, and waved his hand. “Go down. Report any news to me at once.”
“As you command.”
The steward sensibly withdrew backwards.
Thus, after about another hour, the steward once more came running to report to Zhao Wenhua.
“Report, sir. News from the front. After Suzhou-Songjiang Governor Hu Zongxian arrived with troops, Zhejiang Governor Zhu Ping’an has already complied with your orders. He has led the Zhejiang Army soldiers to withdraw from Songjiang prefecture and is now returning to Jiaxing.”
“Good.” The steward’s report made Zhao Wenhua nod in satisfaction. Not bad, not bad. It seemed Zhu Ping’an’s initial refusal to withdraw was indeed concern that the pirates would escape if he did. Now that Hu Zongxian had arrived with troops, Zhu Ping’an had led the Zhejiang Army away.
Originally, Zhao Wenhua had worried that Zhu Ping’an might resist with some “general afar” pretext. Now it appeared Zhu Ping’an was quite sensible.
He could be won over.
Zhao Wenhua mentally attached this label to Zhu Ping’an.
With Zhu Ping’an leading the Zhejiang Army away and Hu Zongxian arriving with troops, all that remained was to await Hu Zongxian’s victory report.
Zhao Wenhua waved his hand. The steward sensibly left again. The maidservant’s soft hands continued massaging Zhao Wenhua.
Waiting, waiting. Zhao Wenhua waited until he grew drowsy. Seeing this, the maidservant gradually slowed her movements and pressure. Slowly, Zhao Wenhua drifted into sleep.
The maidservant stopped her hands, fetched a blanket, and gently covered Zhao Wenhua with it.
Who knew how much time passed before hurried footsteps sounded outside the study. The steward, holding a sheet of paper, came rushing in from outside, calling, “Sir, sir, battle report from the front.”
Zhao Wenhua awoke at once. Hearing the steward’s shouts, he sat up excitedly from the reclining chair, saying expectantly, “Has Hu Zongxian’s victory report arrived?”
Hu Zongxian’s victory report?!
Upon hearing Zhao Wenhua’s expectant question, the steward hesitated, unsure how to respond. His expression showed something hard to voice.
“What is it?” Seeing the steward’s odd expression, Zhao Wenhua felt a surge of foreboding. “Speak quickly.”
“Report, report to sir. Hu Zongxian suffered a great defeat. Over a thousand dead, countless wounded…” The steward stammered in reply.
“What did you say?! Hu Zongxian greatly defeated, over a thousand dead?! And countless wounded?!”
Zhao Wenhua could not believe it. In his agitation, he knocked over the nearby table. With a crash, the table fell to the floor. The fruit platter and teapot on it all tumbled down, smashing with clatters and cracks all over the ground.
“Ah…” The maidservant let out a startled cry.
“Get out!” Already irritated, Zhao Wenhua glared darkly at the crying maidservant and scolded her harshly.
“This maidservant takes her leave.” The maidservant lowered her head and withdrew.
“What happened? How could Hu Zongxian be defeated?! Did I not give him ten thousand troops?! How could he lose?! How exactly did he lose?!” Zhao Wenhua could not accept the defeat news, asking in disbelief.
“Replying to sir, Lord Hu led the army in pursuit of the pirates all the way, cornering them at Yueshan Guard. The pirates held Yueshan Guard firmly, refusing to surrender. Lord Hu then ordered the army to encircle Yueshan Guard layer by layer…” The steward reported.
“That sounds fine. How then did he lose?” Zhao Wenhua puzzled.
Clearly the advantage was ours. How could we lose?!
“Lord Hu ordered trees felled to build siege ladders. He launched fierce assaults on the pirate-held Yueshan Guard. As the government troops climbed the siege ladders in fierce attack, the gates of Yueshan Guard suddenly opened. The pirates charged out. Lord Hu and his men were caught off guard. The siege ladders were toppled by the pirates. They suffered a great defeat at pirate hands, with over a thousand dead and countless wounded…” The steward truthfully relayed the battle report contents to Zhao Wenhua.
“And that was the defeat?!”
After hearing it, Zhao Wenhua still could not believe it. The pirates simply opened the gates and charged out during Hu Zongxian’s assault, and Hu Zongxian was defeated?!
Though the pirates suddenly opening the gates and rushing out was unexpected, Hu Zongxian had ten thousand troops.
Just like that, so easily defeated?!
Why had Zhu Ping’an casually won with only three thousand Zhejiang troops, yet Hu Zongxian with ten thousand lost?!
