Chapter 15: Wielding Military Power for Leverage

On May 17, in the fifteenth year of the Chongzhen reign of the Great Ming, five days before Zhu Cilang led his troops to face the rebel forces of Li Yan and Hong Niangzi at Dongming, the military council at Zhuxian Town was still underway. An eyewitness meticulously recorded these events, which later generations would ponder endlessly, viewing them as the prelude to a new era.

The voice of Zuo Liangyu fell like a massive boulder into a calm lake. No one had expected Zuo Liangyu to be so overbearing; he showed no respect for Ding Qirui, rejecting the proposal outright without even a veneer of courtesy. Following his refusal, ripples of unease surged through the silent council. With Zuo Liangyu leading the way, generals like Fang Guoan and Yang Dezheng spoke up in succession.

"Should we not first gather provisions and fortify our camps before engaging?"
"Grain and pay are the priorities. The rebel bandits have always favored plundering and hold little in reserve. If we hold our ground, they will naturally exhaust their supplies and retreat. Only then can we strike and lift the siege of Kaifeng!"
"Exactly, it would be best not to engage recklessly..."
"Yes, yes, let us hold off for now..."

"Enough! Silence!" Suddenly, as Fang Guoan and the other generals were in full swing, an angry roar erupted. The expressions of the crowd froze as they turned toward Ding Qirui at the head of the table. Gone was the calm demeanor of the scholar-official; Ding Qirui slammed his hand on the desk, his eyes wide and burning with a rage that seemed ready to devour anyone in his path. Fang Guoan and Yang Dezheng, stunned as if seeing this side of Ding Qirui for the first time, hastily retreated into their seats.

Seeing this, Ding Qirui’s expression softened slightly, though his smile remained strained as he stared at Zuo Liangyu. Zuo Liangyu, seemingly oblivious, maintained a shallow, composed smile, acting as if Ding Qirui did not exist.

"Kaifeng remains under siege, the waterways are cut off by the rebels, and the city is isolated. Grain supplies within are exhausted with no hope of replenishment. If we dally here, we not only doom the million souls in Kaifeng but also make the delivery of our own provisions nearly impossible. General Zuo, we must engage as soon as possible; we cannot delay any longer. In the Ming military, you are the foremost authority on suppressing rebels. This battle relies heavily upon you. The million soldiers and civilians in the city look to us with desperate hope for victory. They look to you, General, to lead a courageous assault. As the Governor, I earnestly plead for a great victory—I earnestly beg for your triumph. Therefore, I ask that you..." Ding Qirui stopped there, gazing at Zuo Liangyu with hopeful eyes.

Watching from the side, Yang Wenyue felt a pang of sorrow. This was a Governor-General of the Ming! No matter how incompetent one might consider Ding Qirui, he held the rank of Minister of War and served as the Governor-General of Henan, Huguang, Sichuan, and the Yangtze region! Yet, this official—one who had reached the pinnacle of the civil bureaucracy—was powerless before his own subordinates. Facing a commander like Zuo Liangyu, who controlled an army of one hundred thousand, Ding Qirui was forced to humble himself to the point of pleading.

How could this not make Yang Wenyue feel a sense of shared misfortune? Zuo Liangyu’s arrogance was partly due to Ding Qirui’s ineptitude, but it was also a symptom of the declining authority of the imperial court. The civil officials, once masters of the military, no longer possessed the power to command them.

Seeing the anticipation on Ding Qirui’s face, Zuo Liangyu finally wavered. Though his outward appearance remained one of feigned trepidation, he felt a surge of secret triumph. He remembered the years when civil officials treated generals like stray dogs; a mere seventh-rank county magistrate could force a high-ranking regional vice commander like himself to grovel. Now, a Governor-General who could once command dozens of generals like hunting hounds was forced to beg him. How could this not satisfy him?

However, satisfaction was one thing; complying with Ding Qirui’s wishes was another. Zuo Liangyu recalled an urgent letter he had received from the capital, written by Hou Xun himself. Hou Xun, recently restored to his post as Vice Minister of War after his imprisonment, was en route with emergency funds. The letter promised that upon his arrival, 150,000 taels of silver would be allocated to reward Zuo’s troops. Thinking of this, Zuo Liangyu chuckled softly, his resolve hardening as he met Ding Qirui’s gaze.

Just as Zuo Liangyu prepared to refuse again, Ding Qirui’s smile vanished, replaced by a cold, stern expression: "General Zuo Liangyu, hear my order!"

*Clink.*

Zuo Liangyu’s ears twitched. A glance to the side made his pupils contract. Behind the Governor-General’s entourage, a man slowly drew his sword—it was Wang Shihu, the deputy general of the elite guard. Immediately, the other generals in the room were struck with terror, for they now heard the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps approaching. It was clear that Ding Qirui had brought his personal guard into the building. Zuo Menggeng, Zuo Liangyu’s son, felt the shift in atmosphere and reached for his sword, but his father restrained him with a gesture.

Zuo Liangyu rose with a smile, then knelt down with the weight of a falling mountain, bowing humbly: "General Zuo Liangyu awaits the Governor’s command!"

Ding Qirui raised his hand, and the sound of footsteps ceased instantly. He stared at Zuo Liangyu with a faint, inscrutable smile. After Zuo Liangyu endured the suffocating silence, he shouted, "Governor! I request to lead the vanguard against the rebels!"

Yang Wenyue breathed an involuntary sigh of relief. He looked at the calm, cold-faced Ding Qirui, realizing for the first time that this bookish man possessed such formidable resolve.

"Good! It is granted. You shall lead the vanguard!" Ding Qirui chuckled, returning to his seat. He turned to a tall, lean young officer in the corner who carried a bow and sword. "Wang Shihu, you shall accompany General Zuo. I grant you full authority."

"I obey!" Wang Shihu knelt beside Zuo Liangyu and accepted a small command flag. Zuo Liangyu also rose, approached the Governor, and accepted the main banner, smiling, "I accept the order and shall fight to the death."

...

As the crowd dispersed, Yang Wenyue, looking weary, turned to Hu Dawei, who was about to leave. "Hu, come to my residence for a talk."

Hu Dawei stiffened.

"What? Are you afraid I might have an ambush waiting for you too?" Yang Wenyue patted his shoulder with a smile. "Think about how we might survive and escape this... Zuo Liangyu is not a man who submits willingly. I simply do not wish to be the next Wang Qiaonian."

Hu Dawei nodded heavily. "I will protect you, sir."

Yang Wenyue smiled faintly, though his heart was filled with bitterness. *It is good to have built some goodwill with Hu Dawei, but how sad and lamentable it is... In this world, who is left that can truly tame these warlords who hold such power?*