Chapter 22: Execution

At a certain official military camp in Shan County, Wu Shangwen and several trusted subordinates were drinking heavily inside the main tent. Bare-chested with muscles knotted, he raised a large bowl brimming with wine and gulped it down, liquor spilling down the corners of his mouth. He wiped his mouth, set down the wine bowl, grabbed a roasted leg of lamb, and tore into it with big bites.

Battalion Commander Liu Laogui, who bore a scar across his face, chewed on mutton as he mumbled indistinctly: "General, a few days ago we intercepted the imperial envoy and wounded soldiers of the Capital Camps. That was satisfying, to be sure, but don't let it truly anger the court. If His Majesty gets upset and has the Regional Commander and Governor deal with us, that would be no small crime!"

Beside him, Wu Shangwen's personal guard squad leader Liu Dagang scoffed, speaking nonchalantly: "I say, Liu Laogui, the older you get, the smaller your guts! Look at what times we live in now! The rebels only multiply the more they're suppressed. It's plain to see the whole realm is falling into chaos. Whoever holds troops now is the boss. The court still needs us official soldiers to deal with the roving bandits—how would they dare punish our general over such a trifle!"

The other several officers chimed in agreement.

Wu Shangwen nodded approvingly, swallowed the food in his mouth with effort, and spoke: "Dagang is right! The realm is in chaos now. The roving bandits within the Great Ming need no further mention—they're gradually growing in strength. The court's troops dwindle the more they fight, while the rebels only gain more men. Even many routed official soldiers who lost battles have joined the rebel ranks. That Governor-General of the Five Provinces, Hong Chengchou, does know how to lead troops in battle, but all told he has barely over twenty thousand men. How many rebels are there? That Dashing King Gao Yingxiang alone has over twenty thousand Fan and Han cavalry—and those are cavalry! What do we infantry fear most? Cavalry. To put it bluntly, my two thousand-odd infantry here—three hundred cavalry could send us running with our tails between our legs, let alone twenty thousand horsemen. And there are other rebels too—Chuang Tatian, Lao Huihui, Zhang Xianzhong and the rest—every one of them commands over a hundred thousand men! Then there are those Jurchen beyond the passes, always watching for a chance to take a bite out of the Great Ming. I've heard those Guanning army fellows say that the Great Ming's hundred and eighty thousand infantry and cavalry in Liaodong don't dare leave the cities for field battles—they can only hole up and defend. Those Jurchen are savages who don't fear death in battle. If the Jurchen ever break through the passes, the Great Ming is finished. As I see it, the Zhu family's throne won't hold much longer. Those soft eggs at court wouldn't dare do anything to us—they still need us to fight and die for them. Right now I just want to stockpile more silver so I can recruit troops and buy horses. Whether the rebels or the Jurchen end up ruling the realm, with troops in hand, everyone will look up to us. Then we'll get ourselves made dukes and marquises too, hahaha!" With that he raised his wine bowl and drained it in one gulp. The others toasted him with flattery and emptied their own bowls.

In a corner of the camp, Battalion Commander Wu Qun lay in the shade beneath the horse shed, a piece of dried grass between his teeth, one leg crossed over the other as he hummed a little tune. Around him sat several Company Commanders and sentry supervisors.

He was a local of Shan County. His family was poor, with little land and many brothers; from childhood he'd rarely eaten his fill. The village schoolteacher saw he was clever and quick-witted and wanted to take him as a student, but how could his family afford the tuition? The old gentleman could only give him a name and give up.

In his teens, so his parents and brothers could eat a bit more, he joined the army. In his twenties, step by step through military merit, he rose from common soldier to Battalion Commander. He was cheerful by nature, chivalrous, and skilled in the arts of war, so the officers and men under him all respected him. Of the merit rewards silver handed down from above, besides sending some home to support his family, he distributed the rest among those brothers whose families were destitute.

Company Commander Chen Dashuan spoke in a deep, rumbling voice: "Chief, those bastards are at it again, drinking and making merry, while our brothers suffer—can't even eat our fill! Last time they intercepted the imperial envoy, we didn't go. When those bastards came back, they were so smug their nostrils pointed at the sky! And they look down on us brothers with raised brows and sideways glances, speaking in that snide, sarcastic way, calling us the Zhu family's dogs. They say since they've even beaten our masters, they'll find a chance to deal with us dogs too!"

Another Company Commander, Sun Rengui, also spoke up: "They intercepted the envoy under the pretext that the court wasn't issuing military pay. Everyone knows that although the court gives us little pay, it does allocate some—and those mongrels have swallowed it all. We soldiers fight for military pay and provisions. Now we can't eat our fill and there's no pay either. Battalion Commander, tell us—what are we to do from here on?"

Sentry supervisor Liu Shiquan said darkly: "These times are chaotic. That Wu Shangwen sees clearly that the court doesn't dare do anything to him, which is why he's so bold. Battalion Commander, you're skilled in battle and chivalrous—the brothers all admire you. But without silver and grain, this can't go on forever. Why don't we just butcher those mongrels, seize the military pay they've embezzled, and lead the brothers to occupy a mountain stronghold? We won't harm the common folk—we'll just rob the rich to aid the poor, drink wine from big bowls and eat meat in big chunks. Wouldn't that be grand!"

Wu Qun suddenly sat up and kicked Liu Shiquan head over heels, cursing: "Have you been reading too many storybooks, damn you? Drink wine from big bowls and eat meat in big chunks, rob the rich to aid the poor—that's rebellion! You know that? All my life, from my parents to the teacher who named me, I've been taught loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness! When the world is unsettled, that's exactly when a good man should build his career and win glory! You want me to rebel, to become a disloyal, unrighteous rebel? Say such things again and I'll skin you alive, damn you!"

Liu Shiquan sat up, grinning sheepishly: "Battalion Commander, I just thought it a shame to waste your talents! The court doesn't recognize real ability. A talentless mongrel like Wu Shangwen squats over our brothers' heads and pisses on us, and docks our military pay. I was just standing up for you!"

Wu Qun said gravely: "No matter what, I, Wu, will never be a rebel! This realm is vast, and the court doesn't know everything. But His Majesty is a wise sovereign. Wu Shangwen and his lot will surely come to no good end. We just need to do our duty faithfully. At worst I'll sell this life to the court and leave behind a good name, so outsiders won't point fingers at us and our families!"

Just as he was speaking, the sound of hoofbeats came from afar, growing nearer as they entered the camp. Before long, one of Wu Qun's soldiers came running over in haste, panting as he reported that the Governor had arrived in Shan County and sent orders for Wu Shangwen to come to the county seat for an audience.

Wu Qun and the several officers were taken aback for a moment and exchanged glances. Wu Qun spoke: "It must be about the imperial envoy! The court moved with unusual speed this time. I sense that Wu the bandit is in serious trouble!"

In Wu Shangwen's main tent, slightly drunk, he eyed the Governor's messenger guard with a sidelong glance and spoke: "Why has Lord Zhu come to this little place of Shan County, and why does he summon me to an audience?"

The messenger guard clasped his hands and replied: "The Governor has brought an imperial edict from the court, along with military pay allocated by the Ministry of Revenue. As for why he summons the General, this lowly one does not know!"

Wu Shangwen belched and said: "This general understands. You may return!"

The messenger said: "I beg the General to set out quickly! When the Governor came from the provincial capital, he already notified Assistant Regional Commander General Mou, who is also on his way and should reach the county seat shortly!"

Hearing that Assistant Regional Commander Mou Wenshou was also coming—the very patron who had promoted him—Wu Shangwen's drunkenness faded considerably. He said gravely: "This general will set out immediately. Return and report to the Governor!"

The messenger saluted and left the tent to head back.

Liu Laogui spoke: "General, why has the court issued its decree so quickly this time, and why has the Governor suddenly come to Shan County? Something feels wrong to me!"

Wu Shangwen laughed: "The court's decree is nothing more than a stern reprimand. The Governor coming to Shan County shows they take the matter seriously, or else the court would lose face. If something were truly wrong, why would the Ministry of Revenue allocate pay? That's certainly a slap followed by a sweet date—publicly they scold me, but privately they still have to coax us with real gold and silver. Stop overthinking. What can the court do to me? Would they execute a general over such a trifle? Aren't they afraid of mutiny among the troops? Besides, the Assistant Regional Commander is coming too—so there's definitely no problem!"

Liu Laogui said: "What the General says makes sense, but I still feel something is off. To be safe, the General should bring more men!"

Personal guard squad leader Liu Dagang also urged: "General, it's only twenty-some li to the county seat. Bring a few more men—just treat it as leaving camp for drill!"

"Very well then. Liu Dagang, muster a hundred of my personal cavalry. Let's show the Governor our elite troops and bring honor to Lord Mou!" Wu Shangwen ordered.

After donning his armor, Wu Shangwen led his only hundred cavalry out of camp toward the county seat. Wu Qun and the others watched their swaggering display, burning with resentment inwardly.

Wu Shangwen skimmed the officers' and men's military pay not only to enrich himself but to maintain this elite personal cavalry. Though he had never fought the roving bandits, this cavalry made small bands of bandits flee at the sight of them. To have capital for protecting his home, Wu Shangwen had spared no expense—from warhorses to armor and weapons, he selected only the finest. Wu Qun reflected that although his own thousand-odd soldiers were loyal and reliable, they would still struggle greatly against these hundred horsemen. He truly wished Heaven would open its eyes and take this dog of a bandit away.

Wu Shangwen led his cavalry in a single-file line along the main road, the warhorses trotting in small steps. Wu Shangwen rode in the very center of the formation, with Liu Dagang, Liu Laogui, and other trusted men surrounding him.

Because Shandong had never suffered the roving bandits, and small bands of bandits had long since fled far away, the journey was perfectly safe—they didn't even send scouts a few li ahead. Travelers on the road, seeing the cavalry from afar, early on detoured along side paths to avoid them. The group ambled along lazily, chatting and laughing.

Unknowingly they covered more than half the distance. Ahead, once they rounded an earthen slope, they would soon reach the county seat. Suddenly, from the vanguard that had rounded the slope came cries of alarm and commotion. Wu Shangwen cursed and spurred forward with Liu Dagang and the others.

Just as they rounded the slope, they saw several hundred paces ahead a troop of cavalry in gleaming armor blocking the main road. At their head was a general—tall and stalwart, with a bushy beard, a lion-like nose, and round eyes. He held an iron spear pointed downward, coldly watching them.

The remnants of Wu Shangwen's drunkenness instantly turned to cold sweat. With a warrior's instinct, he knew something was wrong—these were court troops, and of the most elite kind! At least five hundred horsemen. If he tried to wheel around and flee, his rear ranks were still behind him; before his horses could build speed, the enemy would charge and he wouldn't even have strength to fight back. His only option was to charge head-on and find a chance to escape. With that thought, he drew his saber and roared hoarsely: "Fight them to the death—charge!"

Huang Degong watched this panicked, disordered cavalry before him, sneering inwardly. Creatures of mud and chickens, dogs in earthen walls—how dare they defy the court! They wouldn't even know how they died!

He squeezed his legs against the horse's flanks, one hand gripping the reins, the other holding his long spear. His mount burst forward, and the cavalry behind him formed a wedge with him as the arrowhead. Huang Degong's horse first trotted several dozen paces, gradually accelerating. When he was about fifty paces from the enemy, the warhorse charged at full speed.

Wu Shangwen's cavalry was still in chaos. Though well-equipped, they usually only exterminated small bands of bandits—and those bandits had no cavalry at all. Charging infantry with cavalry was a one-sided slaughter, exhilarating and free-flowing. They had never seen a large formation of cavalry charging head-on. The momentum of a mass cavalry charge made their hands and legs tremble; some could barely hold their weapons, some wanted to advance, some wanted to flee, some screamed in terror.

In an instant, the Yongwei Camp's cavalry cut into the enemy's disordered formation like a hot knife through butter. Huang Degong charged at the very front, his long spear thrusting out like lightning with the horse's momentum, piercing the throat of a personal guard coming straight at him. The man was knocked backward off his horse by the tremendous impact, tumbling to the ground. Then Huang Degong swept his spear horizontally, striking another guard's helmet—the man's neck snapped sideways at an odd angle, and he fell from his horse askew.

Huang Degong thrust, stabbed, swept, and smashed with his spear, killing five men in the blink of an eye. Within dozens of breaths, he led the Yongwei Camp in piercing straight through Wu Shangwen's cavalry. After breaking through the formation, Huang Degong rode on a bit further, gradually slowing his horse to leave enough distance for the rear ranks—after all, they were on a main road, not an open plain where one could wheel and turn freely.

After the Yongwei Camp's rear ranks had all broken through, Huang Degong wheeled his horse and led the troop back to the battlefield. Not a single enemy soldier remained standing on the main road. Corpses lay everywhere, with only a few masterless warhorses occasionally neighing. The Yongwei Camp had only a dozen-odd soldiers wounded.

Huang Degong waved his hand, and the Yongwei Camp cavalry behind him dismounted, drawing the ring-pommel sabers at their waists to sever heads one by one. Wounded enemies who weren't yet dead begged for mercy; the Yongwei Camp soldiers expressionlessly delivered finishing blows before taking their heads. Some soldiers stripped armor from the corpses and searched them, some gathered bows, arrows, and weapons, and some rounded up the warhorses.

Before long, Huang Degong's personal guard squad leader Li Sihai came forward carrying a severed head whose face was frozen in utter terror, eyes wide open, and reported: "Reporting to the General—judging from the armor, this should be Wu the bandit!"

After the soldiers had finished searching everything, Huang Degong ordered: "Leave fifty men to bury the corpses somewhere! Load the armor and weapons onto the captured horses, bring the heads, and we return to the county seat! Send word to Old Zhou that things are done here—have him wait near Wu the bandit's camp. The Governor and I will arrive shortly."

It turned out that to guard against mishaps, Zhou Yuji had lain in ambush with two hundred cavalry near Wu Shangwen's camp, in case Wu Shangwen fled back to it. Huang Degong had brought three hundred cavalry to intercept and kill Wu Shangwen. Since no fish had escaped the net here, naturally he had to notify Zhou Yuji to stay in place and await Huang Degong's rendezvous with Zhu Dadian before proceeding together to the camp.

Inside the Shan County yamen, Zhu Dadian was keeping company with Wang Bing and Zhang Guoji in idle conversation, while Shandong Assistant Regional Commander Mou Wenshou sat to one side in silence.

Zhu Dadian knew he had close ties with Wu Shangwen, so when he came to Shan County he had notified him to come along. Mou Wenshou also understood that coming to Shan County was about the imperial envoy affair. Though he thought little of it inwardly—knowing that by precedent this would at most be an imperial decree of reprimand—he still had to give face to the Governor, so he brought a troop of personal guards to Shan County. His main reason was that he'd heard from the Governor that His Majesty had allocated pay from the privy purse, and he had come to get a share of the spoils.

As the group chatted idly in the second hall, Zhu Dadian's personal guard came in to report that Huang Degong, Assistant Regional Commander of the Yongwei Camp, requested an audience.

Mou Wenshou was just considering how much pay he could wrangle this time when he suddenly heard "Assistant Regional Commander of the Yongwei Camp" and was startled. He'd heard of the Yongwei Camp—knew it was the elite force beside the Emperor. Why had they suddenly come to this little place of Shan County?

Zhu Dadian smiled faintly, swept a glance at Mou Wenshou, and ordered: "Invite Assistant Regional Commander Huang in!"

The guard saluted and turned to leave. Before long, with heavy footsteps, Huang Degong entered the second hall carrying a bloody human head.

Mou Wenshou recognized in an instant whose ferocious face that head belonged to. His face went white as paper, and his heart suddenly raced.

Wang Bing and Zhang Guoji were also deeply astonished.

Huang Degong knelt on one knee in salute, holding the head aloft with one hand, and reported in a loud voice: "Huang Degong, Assistant Regional Commander of the Yongwei Camp, by imperial command led troops to execute the rebel traitor. Fortunately I did not disgrace the mission—I have come to report!"

Zhu Dadian rose with a smile, helping Huang Degong up with both hands, and said: "General Huang is unmatched in valor! With loyal and brave men such as this, this official congratulates His Majesty, and congratulates the court!"

Then he turned and clasped his hands to Wang and Zhang: "I beg the two elder imperial relatives to forgive this official's crime of concealment! His Majesty gave this official a secret decree, ordering me to cooperate with General Huang in executing the traitorous general who defied the court. To prevent leaks, I did not inform the two of you—I beg your generous forgiveness!"

Wang and Zhang had already understood, and were overjoyed. The sense of humiliation that had been festering in their hearts these past days was swept clean away in an instant. The two burst into hearty laughter.

Only Mou Wenshou's face was a sickly pale, trembling with fear.

Zhu Dadian turned around, looking at him with a grin, and said: "Assistant Regional Commander Mou, I hear Wu Shangwen had a close relationship with you. Tell me—how does such conduct, defying His Majesty and the court, differ from that of the rebels?"

Mou Wenshou shot to his feet and said hoarsely: "This general's relationship with Wu Shangwen was purely that of superior and subordinate! We had no dealings in ordinary times. For this bandit to commit such evil deeds, this general wishes he could have killed him with his own hands! This is rebellion! This is treason! Well killed! Well killed!"

Zhu Dadian said with a smile: "Since Assistant Regional Commander Mou has clearly distanced himself from this bandit, this official will not pursue the matter further!"

Suddenly Zhu Dadian's voice turned stern and fierce as he declared loudly: "I only hope you take this as a warning! You eat the sovereign's grain, so you must serve the sovereign's cause—do not bring ruin upon yourself! Otherwise, what happened to that traitor Wu today will be your fate tomorrow!"

Mou Wenshou fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, professing his daring not to do so, and swearing to devote himself wholeheartedly to His Majesty and the court, never once defying the imperial will.

After Zhu Dadian bade him rise, he spoke: "In the past, you all treated the court's commands as if they were nothing. As His Majesty's imperial commissioner and Governor of Shandong, every order I issued was obeyed only in appearance but defied in substance. From this day forward, whenever an order comes down, if there is any disobedience again, execution shall be certain—no mercy!"

Mou Wenshou's legs trembled violently, and he could only stammer his assent.

Zhu Dadian clasped his hands to the two elders and said: "Honored elders, this official still must accompany General Huang to the traitor Wu's camp to reorganize military affairs and proclaim the imperial edict. You two may rest for a few days—once the offerings for the imperial ancestral rites are prepared, it will not be too late for you to proceed to Fengyang!"

After the two elders returned the salute and acknowledged his words, Zhu Dadian, along with Huang Degong and Mou Wenshou, left the county office and headed for Wu Shangwen's camp.