Chapter 52: Section 17

Although the fire at the East Gate had not diminished, it was clearly under control. Gao Bangzuo had somehow retrieved his official hat, and his Great Ming official robes had been tidied up. Over a thousand soldiers and civilians were forming a human chain to pass water buckets. Censor Fang Zhenru was also here, talking with Gao Bangzuo about something.

Seeing Huang Shi return, Gao Bangzuo hurriedly asked, "Did Regional Military Commissioner Huang see the Provincial Governor? His Excellency Fang is also urgently looking for the Provincial Governor and has come all the way here."

Huang Shi smiled and said to Fang Zhenru and Gao Bangzuo, "Reporting to my lords, the Provincial Governor has ordered that the firefighting and city repairs be left entirely to His Excellency Gao. Your humble subordinate and the rest of the Guangning Army are also at your disposal."

"Thank you for your trouble, Regional Military Commissioner Huang." Gao Bangzuo felt greatly reassured and quickly turned to instruct the officials beside him: "Pass down the order: slaughter pigs and prepare meals at once, and add an extra meal after nightfall. Let the soldiers and civilians eat their fill. At the same time, gather more manpower, bricks, and stone. Once the fire is out, immediately begin emergency repairs on the gate tower. Tonight, work by torchlight to repair the city — there must be no delay."

After giving some urgent instructions, Gao Bangzuo smiled again at Huang Shi: "Regional Military Commissioner Huang has returned with his troops to quell the rebellion. This great merit will naturally not escape notice. In this matter, this prefect has no say and can only offer congratulations. However, aiding the common people is within this prefect's purview. For the great merit of rallying the disorderly troops, this prefect will certainly submit a separate memorial to request recognition for Regional Military Commissioner Huang."

"This is all within your humble subordinate's duty. His Excellency Gao overpraises me." Seeing that the situation at the East Gate had stabilized, Huang Shi began thinking of an excuse to leave and go find Wang Huazhen again: "Your humble subordinate must still report back to His Excellency Wang. I take my leave."

Fang Zhenru also smiled and said, "This official will go with Regional Military Commissioner Huang. As the Supervising Censor of Liaodong, in times of crisis I must all the more remain by the Provincial Governor's side."

Even if Fang Zhenru had not suggested it, Huang Shi would have dragged him away. If Wang Huazhen had fled, he would need to discuss a solution with the censor. Unfortunately, man proposes but heaven disposes. Fei Liguo, heedless of his injured calf, came galloping over with four or five personal guards. Before even dismounting, he shouted at Huang Shi, "His Excellency Wang has left the city! His Excellency Wang has left the city!"

This shout not only immediately stunned Fang Zhenru and Gao Bangzuo but also instantly caused an uproar among the crowd.

After Fei Liguo jumped off his horse, he hurriedly gave a perfunctory salute to Gao Bangzuo and Fang Zhenru: "His Excellency Gao, His Excellency Fang."

Then, ignoring the grim-faced Gao Bangzuo entirely, he pulled Huang Shi far off to one side and shouted frantically, "Assistant Regional Commander Jiang has escorted Wang Hua... escorted the Provincial Governor out of the city. It's absolutely true. My subordinates have already begun to fall into chaos. Some are already thinking of fleeing. I've barely managed to control them and have now assembled them outside the North Gate. Huang Shi, we must leave quickly, or the soldiers will scatter."

"Keep your voice down," Huang Shi silenced Fei Liguo and asked him softly, "Where do you plan to go? Liaoxi? To wait to be toyed to death by that Jianzhou spy, whoever he is?"

"We can't worry about all that now. Once we reach Liaoxi, we'll immediately file a complaint against Zu Dashou. I've thought it over. If the two of us come forward together, maybe it could work."

"We don't even know for sure if it's Zu Dashou. Besides, he's a famous general of Liaoxi and the Vice Regional Commander of Guanning. Just the two of us think we can accuse him?" Huang Shi sneered in reply. "And how would we present our speculation? Wouldn't we first have to submit the evidence of our own collusion with the enemy?"

"Right now we can only take it one step at a time. We can discuss the specifics on the road." Seeing Huang Shi still hesitating, Fei Liguo stamped his feet in agitation: "Go, go quickly. We'll discuss how to accuse Zu Dashou on the way."

Huang Shi pondered in silence without answering. He turned to look back at Gao Bangzuo's side. The subordinates of the Guangning prefectural office had all stopped their work and were gathering in groups, whispering to each other. The soldiers and civilians at the city gate were also looking over in this direction one after another. From the crowd rose ceaseless shouts of "Provincial Governor Wang has already fled, the Jianzhou slaves are probably about to attack."

Sun Degong was already dead. Fei Liguo had completely lost his head. Apart from a Later Jin spy whose identity was unknown, there were no other insiders on the Ming court's side. Huang Shi gave Fei Liguo a push: "I'll go with you. We'll head to Liaoxi first and then decide."

Fei Liguo acknowledged and turned to mount his horse. Unexpectedly, Huang Shi drew his blade and stabbed it into his back. Then Huang Shi gave the handle a vicious twist, and the blade churned violently. Fei Liguo's mouth instantly sprayed blood and fragments of internal organs. Without a word, he collapsed to the ground.

Huang Shi planted his foot on the corpse and kicked it away forcefully. He drew out the blood-dripping saber and raised it high above his head, shouting to the crowd: "Fei Liguo spread rumors to deceive the masses and has been executed. No one needs to panic. Continue fighting the fire."

By this time, Jin Qiude's men had already seized Fei Liguo's several personal guards. At a gesture from Huang Shi, several more heads fell to the ground. Huang Shi called Jin Qiude over and pointed to a few of his own personal guards: "Immediately take them and your subordinates to outside the North Gate to take over Fei Liguo's troops. Jin Qiude, if the old Company Commander refuses to obey, kill him and replace him with these men. If anyone else refuses to submit, kill them too."

After Jin Qiude left to carry out the order, Huang Shi hurried over to Gao Bangzuo in three quick strides. He saw that Gao Bangzuo's face was already as pale as a dead man's. Huang Shi forced a smile: "Your humble subordinate will go now to check on the Provincial Governor. I beg Your Excellency to continue organizing the manpower. The East Gate depends entirely on His Excellency Gao."

Gao Bangzuo silently shook his head. When he spoke, his voice seemed to have aged ten years: "Regional Military Commissioner Huang need not keep up the act. At this point, must you still deceive this old man?"

Huang Shi said in a low voice, "His Excellency Gao, your humble subordinate will certainly pursue and bring back the Provincial Governor. I beg Your Excellency not to lose heart."

Upon hearing this, Gao Bangzuo still shook his head. Fang Zhenru's face was even more ashen. Some of the officials from the Guangning prefectural office had already dispersed. The human chain had stopped passing water. Many people were clamoring and beginning to flee.

"Regional Military Commissioner Huang's lofty sense of duty truly shames this old man." Fang Zhenru looked at the anxious expression on Huang Shi's face, and his own face showed a look of shame: "If everyone were like Regional Military Commissioner Huang, the Liaodong affairs would never have come to such a pass."

"My two lords."

"Regional Military Commissioner Huang need not say more. Just look around you." Gao Bangzuo pointed at the crowd outside the East Gate. Four out of every ten Guangning officials had already dispersed. Half the troops of the prefectural office were gone. The able-bodied laborers they had painstakingly organized had long since fled.

Cries of "The East Gate has collapsed, the Provincial Governor has fled, the Jianzhou slaves are coming" resounded through half of Guangning city.

Seeing this scene, Huang Shi said urgently, "His Excellency Gao, if we cannot hold Guangning, what face do we have to return inside the Pass?"

"My lord," just then, one of Jin Qiude's personal guards hurried over. After saluting, he reported urgently: "Fei Liguo's subordinates are causing trouble. Company Commander Jin is struggling to suppress them, but half have still scattered. He has barely managed to control the situation now, but it is still very chaotic. Company Commander Jin requests that you, my lord, quickly send reinforcements."

"My lord," Zhao Manxiong also arrived in a flustered panic: "The routed Guangning troops are seizing the gates to flee, and large numbers of rioters are setting fires and looting. Our own unit is also beginning to fall into chaos. Your subordinate dared not split the troops to suppress them and has now gathered them together. I request that you, my lord, come immediately to steady the army's morale."

"Immediately take them outside the North Gate, rendezvous with Jin Qiude, and wait for me there." After issuing the order, Huang Shi apologized to Fang and Gao: "Your humble subordinate has failed to maintain strict military discipline. I beg my two lords for forgiveness."

Fang Zhenru coughed once and cleared his throat: "Regional Military Commissioner Huang remains calm in the face of danger, which this official greatly admires. However, with the Grand Coordinator and Provincial Governor absent, this censor shall temporarily assume command of the Guangning Army. Regional Military Commissioner Huang, reorganize the troops at once and escort this official and His Excellency Gao out of the city."