019 A Meeting Beneath the City Walls

This was something Wang Lanping had not expected—to have the enemy general so bluntly offer him a position of command right on the battlefield. It seemed he had truly dealt the man a painful blow. When he thought about it, it made sense: with nothing more than a small town and a ragged, ill-equipped force, he had managed to kill two thousand of the enemy. Even Wang Lanping felt he had done something rather impressive.

Wang Lanping even secretly mused to himself about what position the Hongguang Emperor might grant him once he reached Nanjing and met the monarch, seeing as even the enemy general recognized his talent. A Grand General? A top-ranking scholar-official? It shouldn't be any less than what Li Zicheng had offered. He quickly reined in his wild imagination; people were truly strange, unable to escape the shadow of pride. He had only won a minor skirmish, and already he was losing sight of his true standing. While the Southern Ming might be a small court, its major regional commanders and high-ranking officials were as numerous as hair on an ox, and all of them had more influence and seniority than he did. It was better to stay grounded.

As the saying goes, a snake cannot swallow an elephant; one must take things slowly and not be impatient.

Seeing Wang Lanping’s contemplative expression, Li Laixiang assumed that his offer of rank and status had struck a chord. He couldn't help but feel a glimmer of joy; it appeared this man’s stance was not as firm as his performance on the battlefield suggested. There was a chance.

Li Laixiang added, "Scholar Wang, I am sincere. A man lives but a single lifetime, like grass that withers in autumn. If one does not strive for greatness in these chaotic times, how can one display the true mettle of a hero? The Ming Dynasty is already terminally ill and beyond saving. As a man who has studied history, you must understand the cycle of dynasties and the principles of rise and fall. My Emperor, starting as a mere commoner, raised his arms in a call, and the world responded. When we left the Shangluo Mountains, my Emperor had only a meager three thousand men, yet in just four short years, he has amassed an army of a million. At the start of this year, he launched the campaign from Xi'an to topple the Ming, and within three months, he swept across the Yellow River. He wiped out the unpopular Ming Dynasty in one fell swoop. What power that is! The people of the world await the Shun army like parched fields awaiting rain. Now, looking across the world, who is an enemy to our Shun Dynasty? Those who understand the times are the true heroes. In this southern campaign, General Yuan Zongdi is leading an army of one hundred thousand, and wherever he passes, people surrender at the mere sight of him. As for the officials who surrender, regardless of how they treated our dynasty before, we let bygones be bygones and allow them to keep their posts. For a heaven-sent talent like you, General, we would hold you in even higher regard. I am willing to cede my position as vanguard general to you. In time, you would surely become the premier strategist of the Shun Dynasty. When that day comes, I would be willing to serve as a minor officer at your horse’s head. What do you think, General?"

Initially, Wang Lanping had appreciated Li Laixiang’s eloquence, but this over-the-top flattery made it seem less genuine. He chuckled inwardly: You, the grandson-generation of Li Zicheng, would serve as a minor officer in front of my horse? Do you even believe that yourself?

Suddenly, Wang Lanping seemed to understand. This fellow was neither attacking the city nor retreating. With a large number of his thousands of troops wounded or dead, not to mention the shortage of medicine, it looked like they hadn't even brought much grain. How could he have the face to return if he couldn't take Huaining? If he could recruit a Ming scholar-official like himself, it would be far more impressive than capturing a tiny town. The lad had his schemes, but since he was here to recruit, he clearly had no intention of attacking—perhaps he truly lacked the strength to do so. After losing nearly half his men in a single day, morale must have long since evaporated. Of course, conversely, Wang Lanping himself was also at the end of his rope.

After weighing his options, Wang Lanping smiled and said, "General Li, you think too highly of me. However, those on different paths cannot work together. As for your claim that the Ming has fallen, I cannot agree. The Hongguang Emperor has already ascended the throne in Nanjing. What the Ming has lost is merely a fraction of its people and land. Looking at the various administrations in the south, the Ming still has a million brave soldiers waiting in arms. With a single command from the court, a million troops will cross the river and reclaim the lost territory as easily as flipping a palm. I would like to offer a word of advice to your leader, Li Zicheng: do not be paralyzed by sudden hallucinations. Beware the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."

Li Laixiang asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Wang Lanping chuckled, pointed to the northern sky, and said, "The Han people’s domain must be ruled by the Han. Beyond Shanhai Pass, the Manchus have long eyed the Central Plains with tiger-like ambition. Does Li Zicheng have no defense against their wolfish hearts? Is he not afraid that while the Central Plains are in chaos, the Manchus will fish in troubled waters and seize the Han empire?"

Li Laixiang, thinking this was some major concern, only to find it was about mere barbarians who knew only how to fish and shrimp, couldn't help but laugh. "General, you are overthinking it. Mere barbarians—how dare they stand as enemies against our majestic heavenly army? There is no need for you to be an alarmist. Let’s talk about the present. General Yuan’s one hundred thousand troops will arrive in a few days. If you do not surrender now and become a prisoner, you will be in a passive position. I am genuinely admiring your talent and considering your best interests."

Wang Lanping knew this was true. He could barely handle these six thousand men with the tiny town of Huaining, let alone an army of one hundred thousand. However, as the saying goes, "Man proposes, Heaven disposes." Thinking of the date, Li Zicheng must have already snatched Chen Yuanyuan, forcing Wu Sangui to surrender to the Qing. Under the joint forces of Wu and the Qing, Li Zicheng was likely already retreating from Beijing in disarray, fleeing toward Xi'an. No matter how many soldiers Yuan Zongdi had, once Li Zicheng returned to Xi'an, the southern campaign would end without a fight as they returned to protect the Shun army’s base. They would have no time to worry about a tiny place like Huaining.

However, since he had caused such a stir in Huaining, history had certainly deviated from its original course. As for whether Yuan Zongdi would actually retreat to protect Xi'an as recorded in history, he couldn't be sure now.

Still, there was no turning back once the arrow had left the bow. He had no choice. What direction history took didn't matter now; in any case, this battle of Huaining would be enough to shake the world.

"Haha!" Wang Lanping waved his hand with a smile. "It seems General Li is not well-informed about the current situation. I can tell you that your puppet Shun Emperor, Li Zicheng, has already been driven out of Beijing by the Ningyuan commander, Wu Sangui."

This truly enraged Li Laixiang. Li Zicheng was the hero he respected most in his life, and who was Wu Sangui? He commanded no more than eighty thousand Guanning troops, while the Great Shun army outside Beijing numbered no less than four hundred thousand. He had just received his adoptive father’s decree of ascension last month. This had to be Wang Lanping spouting nonsense.

Li Laixiang’s face darkened, and his tone was no longer as peaceful as before. "Wang Lanping, I respect you as a man and genuinely want to ensure your prosperity. If you insist on being so ungrateful..."

Wang Lanping knew he would be angry; no one could accept such news. It was just like how he felt when he first heard of the Chongzhen Emperor’s death. He smiled and said, "Don't be angry; the truth of this matter will be clear in just a few days."

Li Laixiang turned his head away. "How could you possibly know this? The entire region along the Yellow River is under the control of our Shun army. Did this news fall from the sky?"

"As a general, one must not only master military tactics but also understand astronomy, geography, the yin and yang, and be able to divine fortune and misfortune. I cast a hexagram last night and saw this celestial omen," Wang Lanping said flippantly, intending to tease him.

Calculating from celestial omens was, of course, nonsense. To Li Laixiang, this sounded like an insult. The Emperor was chosen by Heaven; for this brat to claim that Heaven had signaled the Shun Emperor’s defeat and retreat from the capital was effectively calling Li Zicheng illegitimate.

"A pack of lies!" Li Laixiang’s face was livid.

Wang Lanping nodded and said, as if joking, "Believe it or not, it’s up to you. I also know that Li Zicheng has already retreated past Tong Pass, abandoned the natural defense of the Yellow River, and handed over Shandong and Hebei to Wu Sangui on a silver platter. Furthermore, Wu Sangui has surrendered to the Manchus. Isn't it laughable? Think about all of you who built such a vast empire for Li Zicheng, only for him to abandon it in the blink of an eye. How many people died in vain?"

Li Laixiang was trembling with rage. "You!..."

Before he could speak, Wang Lanping suddenly turned serious and raised his voice. "And there’s more. Li Zicheng retreated all the way to Xi'an, pillaging the people along the way. That slogan about 'welcoming the Chuang King and paying no grain tax'—that was just because the time hadn't come yet. Now his true colors are exposed. Do you want to see them clearly? Do you dare to? Look back at the soldiers you brought with you—which one of them doesn't have their clothes stuffed with stolen goods? Which one hasn't killed commoners? You keep talking about justice for the world and about the Ming having no virtue, but do you have any virtue yourselves?"

Li Laixiang was stumped. Over the past few years, as the Great Shun army grew, military discipline had deteriorated, and instances of looting and killing civilians were endless. In a large forest, there were all kinds of birds; it was an uncontrollable reality.

"This... our Great Shun kills those who harm the nation and the people, and we take from the greedy and inhumane. This is a righteous cause for the world; what is wrong with that?" Li Laixiang tried to defend the Shun.

Wang Lanping laughed aloud. "Which dynasty lacked corrupt officials? Which dynasty was without wealthy, powerful families? The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every man. You didn't think to revitalize the Ming but instead raised the banner of rebellion, plunging the Northwest into misery and causing millions of casualties. You call this a righteous cause? If Li Zicheng were truly a virtuous monarch, fine, but have you heard what the Shun army did in the capital? They dug holes and tunneled, looting wealth, and not only abducted the palace maids of the Ming but forced them into marriages with Shun soldiers. The unmarried women in the capital were terrified, scrambling to marry anyone—even monks became temporary grooms. Can such a bizarre event in the world be called a righteous cause?"

"You, shut up!"

"What? Did I hit a nerve? I haven't finished yet. Li Zicheng is short-sighted. The Ningyuan commander, Wu Sangui, guarding Shanhai Pass, was the shield of the Han empire. For his own selfish gain, Li Zicheng not only seized the Wu family’s wealth but even refused to spare his woman, forcing Wu Sangui into a dead end where he had to surrender to the Manchu Qing. Shanhai Pass was breached without a fight, and the Manchus have entered the pass in force. They are already at the gates of Tong Pass. Don't think it’s over. Your million-man Shun army looks impressive, but you’ve seen it yourself—you can’t even get into tiny Huaining. How long does Li Zicheng expect to hold Tong Pass?"

"You... you are a regional commander, yet you speak so recklessly, as if you saw it all with your own eyes. Ridiculous." Li Laixiang was certain it wasn't true; no one would believe it.

"It is the truth, the honest truth. Honest words are often unpleasant to hear. I see you as a man, which is why I’m advising you to leave Li Zicheng early. The Ming, no matter how bad, is the orthodox dynasty. Emperor Chongzhen, no matter how flawed, died to answer for the nation. No matter how corrupt the government is, it can be rectified step by step. You have studied, so you understand the principle that when the dynasty rises, the people suffer, and when it falls, the people suffer."

"Emperor Chongzhen said that the Ming court was full of officials who deserved to die, but I would add one thing: the Emperor alone must not be killed. Once the Emperor is dead, how many will claim to be kings and emperors? When will the chaotic times end? Is this for the people, or is it harming them just to serve one’s own ambition to be Emperor? Now that the Hongguang Emperor has succeeded to the Ming, the orthodoxy is preserved, putting an end to others' illicit dreams.

"Li Zicheng threw out an empty promise of 'no grain tax.' What will the Great Shun Dynasty rely on in the future? Relying on robbing the rich to help the poor every day? Do you believe that? And even if he succeeds and secures the empire, if he leaves the masses alone and lets them keep their wealth, do you know the consequences? I doubt you do. If the wealth of the world is not in the hands of the court but with the people, someone will surely develop an ambition for the throne. If the court is impoverished, who won't bully you? How much longer can your Great Shun Dynasty last?"

Li Laixiang sneered with disdain. "Fallacy! If the court returns the world’s wealth to the masses, everyone will live in peace and contentment. Where would the motive for rebellion come from?"

Wang Lanping said, "That is what we call a lack of vision. The land of China spans ten thousand miles, and natural disasters occur every year. If a disaster strikes a region, and the court doesn't save them, what will you use to help them?"

Li Laixiang scoffed, "If the people are wealthy, they can save themselves."

"If the people save themselves, what use is your court? When there is war at the borders, will the court send troops?"

"Of course."

"If the court collects no grain and no taxes, where will the military funding come from?"

"This... you are just quibbling!"

In truth, both knew that the "no grain tax" was a lie, a piece of propaganda used to fool the people. Once the throne was secured, promises would be forgotten; if you didn't collect silver, what was the point of being Emperor?

Wang Lanping curled his lips and sneered. "Li Zicheng is just a hypocrite who has deceived the people of the world. He has dug his own grave. Once the day comes when he breaks his promise, can you imagine the people’s disappointment? As long as one person stands up, will the Great Shun Dynasty still exist?"

Wang Lanping’s words were perhaps too harsh, but Li Laixiang, having weathered many storms, was not a man of small character. His words were not spoken lightly, and upon reflection, they were not entirely without merit. Fooling the people could work for a while, but eventually, the paper would tear. Even if the Li family had secured the empire by then, they would still bear the eternal infamy of betraying the world.

Although Li Laixiang understood this principle, he would not admit it. "I will not waste my breath arguing with you. I don't believe a word you say. You would do well to think clearly about my offer; the survival of Huaining rests on your single decision."

Wang Lanping carefully observed the changes on his face. The way Li Laixiang’s brow furrowed was enough to show that his elaborate, high-flown rhetoric had not been in vain.