Chapter Eight: Blurred Realities-The Last Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty(A few words, full of meaning.)

Li Yan and Hong Niangzi frowned in unison as they observed the scene. "Their aim is remarkably precise..."

Suddenly, Li Yan shouted, "Men! Pass the order: signal the fleet to retreat!"

One of Li Yan’s men loudly acknowledged the command. Shortly after, a brilliant crimson firework soared into the sky. Seeing this, the remaining rebel warships turned and withdrew toward the south.

Beside Zhu Cilang, Liu Zeqing called out, "My Lord Inspector, I request permission to pursue and engage them."

Zhu Cilang merely waved his hand and replied, "There is no need for pursuit. Our forces are not equipped with a professional navy, and these makeshift gunboats are far from stable; they cannot endure a prolonged artillery duel. Instead, let us focus on securing the wharf. This task shall fall to you, Commander Liu. Clearing out the few remaining bandits on shore should be an easy feat for your men."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zeqing’s expression darkened, and he muttered, "Understood. I shall obey."

Zhu Cilang nodded and remained silent. This dismissive attitude caused Liu Zeqing to curse inwardly. It felt as if the Shandong Garrison now truly belonged to this man named Qin!

After receiving his orders and departing, Liu Zeqing’s subordinates, Liu Kecheng and Ruan Yingzhao, looked troubled. "Commander... do we really have to risk our lives for this man surnamed Qin?"

Ruan Yingzhao sighed dejectedly, "What if we are attacked while halfway across the water? How many of our brothers will die? This Qin fellow looks like a man who kills without a second thought. If we don’t fight with everything we’ve got, I’m certain he would be capable of turning his cannons on us from the rear!"

Liu Zeqing did not answer immediately. He merely glanced at Liu Kui, the head of his personal guard. Catching the signal, Liu Kui and several of his men quietly pushed away the bystanders, then gave Liu Zeqing a look that confirmed the mission was complete.

Seeing this, Liu Zeqing looked toward the shore and said, "Brothers, rest assured... I, Liu Zeqing, have plenty of ways to deal with him! In this battle, we only need to land. A single charge will be enough to secure victory!"

Seeing Liu Zeqing’s newfound confidence, Liu Kecheng and Ruan Yingzhao exchanged puzzled glances. Though they were still skeptical, since their commander had spoken, they had no choice but to follow.

"Yes, Commander... we will do our best."

Following Liu Zeqing’s command, the Shandong Garrison fought with surprising ferocity. Five thousand men bypassed the use of smaller boats for a landing; they drove their ships directly onto the wharf. Like a boarding party, Liu Kui personally led two hundred elite guards in a fierce charge. The rebel troops remaining on the dock fired a volley of arrows before screaming and charging to meet them.

Amidst the clashing of blades, the thunderous roar of firearms erupted, revealing that the rebels were also equipped with muskets. Yet, Liu Kui remained incredibly brave and undeterred. Liu Kecheng and Ruan Yingzhao, fueled by desperation, joined the fray with their own guards. After a brief struggle, the rebel forces holding the wharf could no longer sustain their defense and broke into a rout.

On the ship, Liu Zeqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Zhu Cilang watched the scene and nodded. "Congratulations, Commander Liu, on securing this first victory."

Liu Zeqing laughed loudly, offering humble, rehearsed replies.

Once the imperial troops seized the wharf, a steady stream of soldiers began disembarking. Outside the harbor, the rebels, realizing the consequences of losing the landing site, launched several waves of counterattacks. However, the imperial troops, having firmly entrenched themselves at the Wusheng Town wharf, were not to be trifled with. A fierce counter-charge sent the rebels fleeing, abandoning their armor and weapons.

With this, Wusheng Town grew quiet. It seemed the rebels had realized their opponent was a formidable one and ceased their reckless assaults. But everyone knew this silence was merely the calm before the storm. Having discovered the imperial relief force heading for Kaifeng, Li Yan and Hong Niangzi would not allow them to reach the city without a fight. The current tranquility existed only because the rebels needed time to mobilize their forces for a major confrontation.

Zhu Cilang, for his part, made the most of this rare, long-overdue peace to receive the guests who had rushed to meet him.

Elsewhere, in the quarters of the Shandong Garrison Commander, Liu Zeqing stared intently at Liu Kui. "Are you certain? Is Qin Xia’s cavalry really incapacitated?"

"Yes, my lord. I have verified it. Many of the warhorses contracted equine plague after being loaded onto the ships. I heard Qin Xia threw a fit over it. Of those hundred-plus cavalrymen, at most forty still have horses capable of charging," Liu Kui whispered in reply.

Liu Zeqing chuckled softly. "Heaven truly favors me... I was dreading how to deal with those hundred cavalrymen. Who would have thought... Hmph. Wasn't that Qin Xia trying to guard against me? Otherwise, he would have split his forces and sent the cavalry by land. Now... ha-ha! They are useless! Truly, Heaven favors me!"

"Your wisdom is profound, my lord," Liu Kui flattered him quickly.

Liu Zeqing narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Good. And what of the strength of those three thousand troops? Did you find out the truth?"

Liu Kui’s expression soured. "My lord, I could not... everyone I asked turned pale. It took immense effort just to convince them I had no ill intent. As for entering their camp to investigate, it was impossible. Every camp is under extreme guard. I sent over a dozen scouts and offered thousands of taels of silver, but it was to no avail..."

Liu Kui finished, glancing nervously at Liu Zeqing, fearing his master's wrath for the failure.

However, Liu Zeqing did not fly into a rage. Instead, he laughed continuously. "Excellent, excellent! This only proves that Qin Xia is feeling insecure. If there were truly elite troops and fierce generals inside, why hide them so carefully? Hmph, let them refuse to show us. If they had let you find out so easily, it would likely have been a charade set up just for us!"

"Your servant was foolish... the Lord is wise," Liu Kui immediately flattered him again.

Liu Zeqing wore a look of self-satisfaction and laughed heartily.

After the imperial troops landed, there was a period of stillness, but it did not last long. Three days later, the sound of commotion arose outside Wusheng Town. No sooner had Liu Zeqing donned his armor and stepped out of his tent than he saw several riders galloping toward the camp to report the situation.

Soon, Zhu Cilang’s orders were issued. The war drums sounded, summoning the generals, and the entire army prepared for battle.

The rebels had arrived.

Judging by the scale, there were at least ten thousand formidable enemy soldiers ready to fight. Zhu Cilang quickly received a detailed report: the attacking force belonged to the units of Li Yan and Hong Niangzi. He was well aware of their backgrounds and tactical history.

When the officers gathered, Zhu Cilang showed no sign of fear; rather, he was visibly excited. "Good, good, good! If these rebel bandits had hidden in the deep mountains, I would have worried about how much effort it would take to flush them out. To think they would bring themselves to my doorstep today! Excellent! Officers, hear my command!"

"Present!"

...

Liu Sheng, Liu Zhen, Liu Quan, Liu Zeqing, Liu Kecheng, and Ruan Yingzhao all responded with solemn voices.