Zhao Wenhua asked the steward repeatedly for confirmation. They had really lost. Just like that, lost. How had they lost? In the end, he had no choice but to accept the news that Hu Zongxian had been defeated by the wokou.
He had hoped for a triumphant start, but instead it was an utter disaster. He had wanted to build up to something big, yet ended up with a colossal mess.
“Quick, order Li Tao to lead troops to reinforce Meilin at once. No delays.” Zhao Wenhua gave the urgent command to the steward.
Li Tao was a recently defected command assistant, from a hereditary noble military family. His great-grandfather had followed Lan Yu into the desert, his father had followed Wang Yangming to suppress the Ning Prince rebellion and earned merits. As the eldest son, Li Tao had inherited his father’s rank of command assistant.
In noble circles, Li Tao had a reputation for both literary and martial talent. He could compose poetry with brush in hand, and hit targets with bow drawn.
When Li Tao pledged allegiance, besides sending Zhao Wenhua a cart of local specialities, he also presented a copy of his own work, Discussions on Ancient and Modern Military Strategies. When discussing warfare, he spoke with great insight, and Zhao Wenhua felt the man had real ability.
“As you command.” The steward took the order and left to relay it.
Soon, Li Tao led around three thousand relief troops and hurried toward Songjiang Prefecture to support Hu Zongxian.
Li Tao was a veteran of the battlefield, from a military lineage. With him reinforcing Hu Zongxian and assisting at his side, stabilising the situation should pose no problem.
After issuing the order, Zhao Wenhua felt slightly reassured. He called for someone to tidy the study and poured himself a cup of hot tea.
He imagined that once Li Tao arrived with his troops, he would help Hu Zongxian steady the front, then turn defeat into victory, with good news arriving one after another.
Zhao Wenhua waited expectantly.
He waited and waited. After some time, hurried footsteps sounded outside the study again. The steward came running once more and appeared at the door. “Master, frontline report.”
“Speak quickly. How is the situation?” Zhao Wenhua sat up abruptly, looking at the steward with eager anticipation.
Surely this time it would be good news.
“M-Master…” The steward saw the hopeful expression on Zhao Wenhua’s face and struggled for words.
My poor master, this news really does not match the look on your face.
“Speak, have you gone mute? What is happening on the front? Has Li Tao helped Hu Zongxian stabilise the situation?”
Zhao Wenhua pressed impatiently. Stabilising was the bare minimum, and he saw no reason it would fail.
“Ahem, Master, a major defeat…” The steward coughed and summed up the report in three words.
“A major defeat. Excellent, well done. Worthy of a battlefield veteran from a noble house. The experience passed down from ancestors is reliable after all. Tell me the details. How did Li Tao assist Hu Zongxian in routing the wokou?”
Hearing “major defeat”, Zhao Wenhua’s spirits soared. Worthy of me, dispatching troops in time, turning defeat into victory. Heh, not bad. I must submit a memorial soon and claim proper credit for myself.
With this, the governorship should fall to me.
At the thought, excitement showed plainly on Zhao Wenhua’s face. His hands rubbed together frantically like buzzing flies.
Good heavens, Master, when I said major defeat, how did you interpret it? I meant major defeat, not that we defeated the wokou badly, but that we suffered another major defeat, routed by the wokou once more.
Seeing Zhao Wenhua’s thrilled expression, the steward felt like a mute who had swallowed bitter herbs, unable to voice his suffering.
“Speak, have you truly gone mute? How did Li Tao assist Hu Zongxian in routing the wokou?”
Zhao Wenhua saw the steward open and close his mouth without sound, and scowled in irritation.
He desperately needed good news right now.
“Master, General Li did not assist Lord Hu in routing the wokou…” The steward replied with a strained expression.
“Not Li? Then Hu Zongxian did well, turning the tide on his own. He deserves reward.”
“See how the kitchen is coming along. Fetch a jar of that century-old brew sent by the Zhejiang judicial commissioner. We shall celebrate victory at Meilin.”
Zhao Wenhua spoke to himself, nodding approvingly. Well done, Hu Zongxian. When you return, I shall celebrate you properly.
“Master, it was not Lord Hu turning defeat into victory either…” By now the steward was close to tears.
My master, please stop guessing. I am frightened.
“Then speak plainly. Who routed the wokou? You are no child. Can you not even report properly?”
Zhao Wenhua glared at him in exasperation.
“Master, no one routed the wokou. We suffered another major defeat by the wokou. General Li led troops to join Lord Hu. They combined camps and set up fortifications. Before they could finish, the wokou attacked the camp. General Li and Lord Hu were caught off guard. The wokou set fire to the linked camps, routing us again with over three thousand casualties…”
The steward could no longer let Zhao Wenhua guess and poured out the full report at once.
Another major defeat.
Zhao Wenhua froze completely upon hearing it, as though acupoints had been struck, standing motionless.
The steward even considered checking his breathing, wondering if the master was still alive or had fainted from the shock.
Just as the steward raised a trembling hand, Zhao Wenhua came back to life. His face turned livid purple, almost dropping into his trousers. His temper exploded as he cursed the steward. “Useless fool. Cannot even relay a message properly. Major defeat, major defeat. If you had added the word ‘another’, another major defeat, would I have misunderstood?”
“Yes, yes, the master is right. It is all this servant’s fault for misleading you.” The steward nodded vigorously, bowing low, inwardly relieved. The master cursing was good. If he had not cursed, the servant would have suffered.
“Where are Hu Zongxian and Li Tao now?” Zhao Wenhua asked darkly, face black with suppressed rage.
If the two were before him, he would slap each across the face. I gave you my trust, and this is how you repay me.
“Master, after the wokou’s great victory, their morale soared. They turned back and counterattacked, assaulting Songjiang Prefecture city again. Lord Hu and General Li have withdrawn to defend the city walls…”
The steward reported.
“Heh, the two are truly capable…” Zhao Wenhua laughed coldly in extreme anger.
He had shamelessly used influence to recall Zhu Ping’an and the Zhejiang army to Zhejiang by force, handing this golden opportunity to Hu Zongxian. He had expected Hu Zongxian to mop up the remaining wokou, harvest battle merits, and save face for himself. Instead, not only did he fail to save face, he became a laughingstock, a massive one. The humiliation was enormous.
Incomprehensible.
How could the difference between men be so vast? Zhu Ping’an, with three thousand Zhejiang troops, chased and thrashed the wokou, making them wail for mercy, heads piled until blades dulled, captives taken until hands went limp. Hu Zongxian, with ten thousand elite troops plus Li Tao’s three thousand reinforcements, ended up chased and beaten by the wokou until legs gave out, turning a mop-up into a city defence battle.
The steward shrank his neck like a quail, trying to make himself invisible, fearing he would catch stray fire.
