Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2407: Drastic Change (VIII) Generals

The biting cold wind was like a roaring beast, rampaging through the streets of the capital, blowing off layers of snow from time to time, throwing them wantonly into the air and leaving a mess everywhere when they landed.

Outside the Wuzi Library, Zu Chengxun rode on his warhorse, his posture upright but somewhat tense. He gripped the hilt tightly, his fingers turning white from exerting force, and sweat continued to seep out of the gaps in his armor, which quickly condensed into ice in this extremely cold weather, like a layer of icy armor, clinging tightly to his body.

His eyes were fixed on the dark Wuziku Gate Tower not far away. The tall gate tower looked like a dormant beast in the night, revealing endless mystery and danger. The night guard lanterns of the city defense army under the Wucheng Bingmasi swayed in the wind and snow. The flickering flames were very similar to the beacon fires that were set off when the Jianzhou Jurchens attacked at night when they were developing Kuandian Fort. Every flicker seemed to hit his heart hard, making his heart beat faster involuntarily.

Logically speaking, he had just received some weapons from the Tengxiang Four Guards, and his troops' combat power could easily crush the Wucheng Bingmasi City Defense Force, which had no actual combat experience for many years. However, he did not feel relaxed at all, but became more tense, as if he had some kind of premonition: there was danger ahead - just like the palpitations he suddenly felt an hour before his defeat in Korea.

"Father, the fourth watch gong has sounded." A young general in his twenties came up to Zu Chengxun, his voice low and filled with anxiety that was difficult to conceal. This man was called Zu Dashou. Although he was only twenty-four years old (in lunar years), he had been in the army with his father for more than ten years, had experienced many battles, and was very brave.

At this moment, time seemed to have turned into a sharp knife, ruthlessly cutting their plans. "If we don't take action now, daybreak will be here." Zu Dashou's words were like a gust of cold wind, pouring straight into Zu Chengxun's ears, causing a sense of urgency to surge in his heart.

Zu Chengxun took a deep breath, and the cold air with snow slag pierced his lungs with his breath, bringing a piercing pain. His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the scene about an hour ago when Li Rumei read the old commander's secret letter and ordered him to immediately go to Tengxiang Four Guards to obtain weapons and then seize Wuzi Library.

At that time, the strange calmness in the young commander's eyes left a deep impression on him. That look was just like the look in the eyes of Liao commander Li Chengliang when he watched the Mongolian cavalry charging like a tide outside Shenyang 27 years ago. The calmness revealed an elusive depth, as if endless waves were hidden under the calm surface of a lake.

On that occasion, Chaohua, the leader of the five Inner Khalkha tribes, gathered more than 20,000 cavalrymen from the Tatar tribes of Heishitan, Huang Taiji, Buyan Taizhou, Yierdeng, Nuantu, Gongtu, and Dulaer, and marched southward from Pinglu Fort to invade. As a result, Cao Fu, the deputy general of Liaodong, had been prepared and took the initiative to attack, forcing the Tatar coalition to turn to plunder Shenyang, but was defeated by Li Chengliang who was waiting for an opportunity at Gaodun northwest of Shenyang City, killing more than a thousand people in battle and chasing them for hundreds of miles.

At that time, I was in my prime, and I regarded blood and killing as sacrifices to dye my court robes red. I was not afraid of war, and even hoped to fight more battles so that I could stand out from the Li family servants who were full of generals and eventually go to govern a place. But now, I am undoubtedly one of the important generals of the court, and my ancestral family has become a general family in Liaodong, second only to the Li family and the Cao family.

However, as I grow older and my body weakens, my desire to kill seems to fade, and my worries increase... Perhaps, after this major event is settled, I should also submit a petition to beg for my remains and hand over this family business to Dashou?

"Boom!" Just when Zu Chengxun was distracted, a sudden explosion broke the silence of the night. The sound was deafening, and the war horses neighed in shock.

This is a cannon blast!

Zu Chengxun, who had spent most of his life in the army, knew what was going on as soon as he heard the sound, but... why was there an explosive cannon buried in the Wuzi warehouse? What would happen if the gunpowder in the arsenal exploded?

[Note: In the Ming Dynasty, land mines were called "explosive cannons". Gao Youshi changed it to "land mines" many years ago, but some old soldiers are used to calling it that.]

Zu Chengxun looked up suddenly and saw flames rising from the east wall of the Wuzi Library. The blazing flames were particularly dazzling in the snowy night. The city defense troops who were supposed to defend this place retreated quickly like a tide, and the scene was in chaos.

He stared blankly at the soldiers who threw away their weapons in panic. Some even took off their armor in panic and threw it into the snow, as if these things had become a burden for them to escape. They were only wearing their mandarin duck battle jackets and fled in all directions.

“General! They… they actually dared to plant explosive cannons in the Wuzi warehouse. After they were lit, there was chaos, but now they are all retreating!” A scout rushed over, his voice full of shock and fear. “The explosive cannons caused an open fire, which may burn into the warehouse at any time. The people from the Five Cities Military Command have all fled!”

Zu Chengxun felt a chill on the back of his neck, and a chill ran up his spine to the top of his head. This sudden change was more frightening than the most brutal fight he had expected. He had originally thought that he would encounter a fierce battle, but the scene before him was completely beyond his expectations... It was more frightening than a fierce battle!

What kind of order did the Wucheng Bingmasi get to dare to light a cannon fire in the Wuzi Warehouse? This is the largest arsenal of the Ming Dynasty court. The weapons in stock are worth at least several million taels of silver. Who the hell can afford to burn it like this? Even Gao Youshi probably wouldn't dare to make such a decision, right?

The eldest son Zu Dashou beside him suddenly widened his eyes and stammered nervously, "Father, could it be... could it be that someone wants to frame... frame us?"

It's broken! Frame-up?

"Hurry, hurry and put out the fire!" Zu Chengxun suddenly came to his senses, drew out his sword, and shouted loudly.

In this strange atmosphere, Zu Chengxun was like a demon possessed, with a hideous face, kicking his horse's belly, rushing to the door of the storehouse, and resolutely swinging his knife, splitting the copper lock of the storehouse door in one go. The blade flashed coldly in the moonlight, reflecting his face distorted by shock and confusion.

The Wuzi warehouse was on fire, and the people from the Wucheng Bingmasi ran away without firing a shot. What else could this be but an attempt to frame me? Good, good, good, that's cruel enough! Gao Youshi, you're really cruel enough!

The door slowly opened with a harsh friction sound. The sound seemed particularly abrupt in the silent night, as if it was some kind of ominous omen. Zu Chengxun raised his knife high, as if his enemy was inside, but his hand suddenly froze in mid-air, and the whole person seemed to be cast under a spell, unable to move.

The scene before him stunned him. According to his intelligence and memory, this place should be filled with wooden shelves and boxes, storing a huge amount of weapons, classified into different categories. However, the warehouse was empty at this moment. Only a few yellow papers posted on the pillars were fluttering lonely in the draft, making a rustling sound, as if mocking their arrival.

"This is impossible!" Zu Dashou's face was full of disbelief. He rushed in with a roar and kicked an empty wooden rack beside him hard. The wooden rack fell to the ground with a clang, which echoed in the empty warehouse.

The young general gasped, his voice filled with anger and unwillingness, "Last month when I went into the city on leave, I saw with my own eyes 30,000 new Wanli Type 3 muskets being put into the warehouse! How is it possible that there is nothing now?" Zu Dashou's eyes widened, as if he wanted to see through the empty warehouse, trying to find any trace of the disappeared weapons.

Zu Chengxun had already gotten over the panic of "the arsenal is about to explode". With a gloomy face, he slowly bent down to pick up the paper that floated to his feet. In the light of the fire, the seal of Jinghua Trading Company was particularly glaring, as if a huge eye was staring at them coldly.

His eyes quickly scanned the contents on the paper: "... Starting from the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, the military equipment in the A, B, and C areas of the Wu Zi warehouse will be temporarily moved to the underground silver vault in Jianxinzhai..." When he saw the three words "Gao Youshi" and the private seal of "Rixin Tower Master" at the signature, and that the signature date was more than three days ago, Zu Chengxun's face turned pale instantly.

Such an important transfer order should definitely be properly archived, but it was left here. There is no doubt that this was intentional!

"We've fallen into a trap!" Zu Chengxun woke up from his dream, turned around abruptly, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quickly retreat--" However, before he finished speaking, countless torches suddenly lit up outside the warehouse. The light of the torches was like stars in the dark night, but it also carried endless murderous intent.

Then, Zhang Wanbang's elite troops from Jizhen rushed to the reservoir area like a surging black tide. The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, shattering the tranquility of the snow. Shouts came from all directions, indicating that the enemy had surrounded the entire Wuzi reservoir. The bright red tassels on the lances of the Jizhen vanguard cavalry danced in the wind in the snow. From a distance, they formed a bloody net, trapping Zu Chengxun and others in it.

"How are you, Commander Zu?" Zhang Wanbang's voice came from afar wrapped in the wind and snow, with a hint of teasing and mockery, "I wonder if the old man Yuanfu's empty city plan is pleasing to Commander Zu?"

Zhang Wanbang rode a tall horse and slowly walked out of the iron cavalry formation. His figure looked particularly tall in the light of the torches behind him, and his eyes were full of pride and coldness. Zu Chengxun leaned against the empty weapon rack, his heart full of regret and unwillingness. At this critical moment, he suddenly remembered the scene of Gao Yuanfu going to the Jingbei camp to entertain the troops before he fell ill on the winter solstice this year, and everyone had a happy feast together.

The young prime minister, who almost always had a smile on his face, was flattered and teased by the generals of the Imperial Guards, who asked him to talk about the highest excellence of military strategy. However, he just said calmly: "I have said it many times that the so-called predicting things is nothing more than predicting the enemy's mind."

Now that I think about it, I'm afraid Gao Youshi had expected that someone would covet the military equipment in Wuziku, so he made arrangements in advance, but he and his people foolishly fell into this trap that had been set. As for the bullshit Five City Military Command... What a joke, my Zu Chengxun didn't even take it seriously, so how could Gao Youshi, who was invincible in hundreds of battles, pin his hopes on them?

Zu Chengxun gritted his teeth and held the knife tighter in his hand. He knew that he had fallen into an unprecedented desperate situation, and every step forward would be extremely difficult.

"Put down the weapon!"

"Deputy Commander Li has given an order!"

The shouts echoed in the snowy night, like heavy hammers hitting Zu Chengxun's heart. In the howling wind and snow, Zu Chengxun's eyes were attracted by a figure - Li Rumei's black cloak slowly emerged from the snow. He stood tall, but revealed an indescribable complex emotion.

What made Zu Chengxun even more frightened was that what Li Rumei was holding in her hand was the sword that Li Rusong never left. Under the moonlight and snow, the sword emitted a cold light, as if carrying the majesty and will of its owner.

"Wulang?!" Zu Chengxun's eyes widened, his eyes were bloodshot, his voice was full of anger and confusion, "Why are you here?" A hint of foreboding flashed through his mind - could it be that Deshengmen was lost so quickly, and even Wulang was captured, and had to come here to persuade me to surrender?

Li Rumei pretended not to hear anything. She gently pushed aside the Jizhen soldiers in front of her, walked forward slowly, and stopped three steps in front of Zu Chengxun and his son. She said calmly: "I am here on the orders of the Prime Minister to report that Zu Chengxun and others were deceived and invaded the armory. Fortunately, they stopped before it was too late and did not cause serious damage. I will punish him with half a year's salary as a warning, and the rest of his crimes will not be punished."

Zu Chengxun's eyes widened, as if he had heard evil words, and then his eyes became more and more angry, his eyes were about to burst, and he gritted his teeth and whispered, "Wu Lang! Do you know how much the old commander has planned for you? He has worked so hard for the future of the Li family, but now you have done such a thing, are you worthy of the old commander?"

Zu Chengxun's chest was heaving violently, and he was so excited that he could hardly control himself, as if all the blood in his body was boiling at this moment. Although the elite soldiers of Zhang Wanbang's Jizhen in the distance could not hear what the two were saying in the strong wind, they could see that Zu Chengxun's attitude was wrong. Fearing that he would endanger Li Rumei, they all raised their muskets and aimed at Zu's father and son.

Li Rumei's face was as calm as water, but as if he had eyes behind his head, he raised his hand to stop the musketeers under Zhang Wanbang. The musketeers who were originally in a shooting posture and ready to go slowly put down their weapons at his signal, but their eyes were still staring at Zu Chengxun and Zu Dashou like eagles.

Li Rumei looked at the saber in her hand, sighed, and threw it at Zu Chengxun's feet. The sparks from the scabbard hitting the ground flashed in the dark snowy night, but illuminated the Liaodong black silk wrapped around the handle. The black silk was the oath scarf that the Li family members had to wear when they came of age, stained with the blood of the enemy chieftain. It carried the glory and heritage of the Tieling Li family, and every fiber seemed to tell of the Li family's glorious military exploits and unyielding spirit on the battlefield.

"Three days ago, my brother gave this knife to Ma Gui in front of Shanhaiguan." Li Rumei's voice was icy cold, colder than the howling snow and wind. "He said, 'It is better to die wrapped in the hide of the horse than to rot in the court.'"

Li Rumei raised her head slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of determination and helplessness, and looked into the distance, as if she saw the resoluteness of her elder brother Li Rusong, whom she had respected since childhood, in front of Shanhaiguan.

Zu Chengxun was stunned when he heard this, and then he suddenly laughed, his laughter sounded particularly shrill in the snowstorm. As he laughed, he choked on his tears, which instantly froze on his cheeks.

His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the day of the bloody battle at Pyeongyang. It was an extremely brutal battle, filled with smoke and deafening shouts of killing. When Li Rusong led his personal guards to attack the Japanese musket formation without hesitation, he also threw his sword to him and said with a firm look in his eyes: "If I die in battle today... Uncle, take it back for me and give it to my son Xianzhong."

At that time, Li Rusong exuded fearless courage and firm belief. He gambled everything for the Ming Dynasty, for the emperor, for the Li family and for his own honor, regardless of the cost.

"Generals..." Zu Chengxun slowly bent down, trembling as he picked up his saber, and gently stroked the arrow marks on the scabbard left on the Korean battlefield. The arrow marks were a mark of time, witnessing the glory and vicissitudes of the Li family.

His voice was a little confused, as if he was asking Li Rumei, or as if he was asking himself: "What exactly is a general, and what should a general do?"

"Live well and die in battle at the frontier." Li Rumei did not look back, but turned quietly and walked into the snow. His figure gradually blurred in the snow, but his voice came through clearly, "For this, we must stand on the side of the winner."

These words, like a heavy hammer, struck Zu Chengxun's heart and Zu Dashou's heart as well.

When the first rays of morning light pierced through the clouds, the faint light sprinkled on the Deshengmen Tower. At this time, the flag of the First Town of the Imperial Guard was flying on the Deshengmen Tower, and the flag fluttered in the morning breeze.

Ma Gui stood on the tower, looking at the winding hoof prints on the snow, which recorded the thrilling battles of last night and the clashes between various forces. He was silent for a moment, and suddenly said to Zhang Wanbang beside him: "Sanxi, do you think Yuanfu's illness... should be cured?"

Ma Gui frowned slightly, his eyes revealing a hint of doubt and a hint of admiration.

Zhang Wanbang grinned, waved his hands repeatedly, and said: "Although I am concerned about the Prime Minister's affairs, I dare not worry about it blindly... Just obey your orders, just obey your orders!"
-

PS: This chapter should have been written last night, but I was not satisfied after reading it last night, so I scrapped yesterday's draft and rewrote it today...

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