Chapter Sixteen

“Outrageous! Guards!” Li Guangdi leapt up as if he’d sat on burning coals, his face flushed with anger to the point of turning ashen. His hand trembled as he pointed at the envoy’s nose, stammering in fury, “You scoundrel… such audacity… truly beyond all reason…”

Lin Feng watched Li Guangdi in surprise. At this moment, he didn’t much care about the envoy from Wu Sangui’s attitude—he’d seen so much political blackmail in his later life that, aside from being a touch abrupt, the envoy’s maneuver was hardly remarkable. What struck him as odd was Li Guangdi’s reaction. After so long interacting with him, Lin Feng had come to understand the man’s temperament—a person of deep calculation, rarely betraying his emotions—so why this sudden outburst?

He glanced around and noticed that after Li Guangdi’s outcry, although Chen Menglei, Zhou Peigong, and the others showed anger on their faces, they remained motionless in their seats. Suddenly, Lin Feng realized: Li Guangdi was posturing. As head of the civil officials under Lin Feng, it was his place to take the lead; otherwise, the others would truly not dare to overstep. The courtly rituals of this ancient bureaucracy were indeed fascinating. The thought made Lin Feng burst out laughing. When he looked up, he saw that after Li Guangdi gave the order, several sturdy guards had already surged forward, standing face to face with the envoy.

“Enough, enough,” Lin Feng said cheerily, waving a hand and turning to Li Guangdi, “Jin Qing, don’t get so worked up. Old Wu is, what, seventy or eighty this year? He’s an elder, after all. Didn’t the sages say we must respect all elders as our own? We should show a little deference.” He looked around and continued with a laugh, “This old man, perhaps his mind isn’t quite clear—maybe a touch of senility. As juniors, shouldn’t we be a little more considerate?”

“Commander, your wisdom is clear—my previous conduct was inappropriate. Please forgive my breach of decorum!” Li Guangdi bowed respectfully to Lin Feng, resigning himself to the reprimand.

Lin Feng almost didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Would Zhou Peigong and the others really dare, in front of the envoy, to contradict and claim their commander was not clever and wise?

“What a glib tongue!” Chen Menglei snorted, his gaze sharp as he stared at Wang Shirong. “If that’s so, why did you dare issue orders to our lord? Such arrogance and overbearing conduct—what is your intention?”

“You, sir, speak with a Fujian accent. If I’m not mistaken, you must be Chen Zezhen from Fujian?” Wang Shirong glanced at him and spoke casually, “It’s said in the world that Chen Menglei is a man of both resource and favor, trusted deeply by the Commander, his words always heeded and his plans always adopted; he serves as the chief of intelligence among the Han army, overseeing all matters of investigation—so, Zezhen, do you know why I’ve come?”

Chen Menglei froze, unable to reply. Though the Han army’s intelligence network had grown rapidly, it was not yet capable of prying into Wu Sangui’s highest orders.

Wang Shirong nodded slightly and said softly, “Forgive my offense in speech!” He then spun like a whirlwind and bowed deeply to Lin Feng, raising his voice, “To be frank with you, Commander, I am here today to propose a marriage alliance! All that transpired before was but a jest between our Emperor and the Commander!”

“Hmph… Mr. Wang, you make it sound easy!” Tang Bin, seeing Chen Menglei flustered, seized the moment to retort, “Our great Han dominates north of the Yellow River, while your Great Zhou court is confined to the south. The balance of power is equal—though your master claims the imperial title, does he truly think himself above ours? How could a mere cornered ruler presume to toy with our lord?” Seeing Lin Feng nod and smile, Tang Bin grew bold, pointing at Wang Shirong’s nose, “Wang, you have repeatedly insulted our Han court—do you truly believe we are without men?”

Wang Shirong, still kneeling, listened quietly to Tang Bin’s accusations, his face unperturbed. “I see that you, sir, are weathered by wind and frost and your wrists show traces of chilblains. Could you, perhaps, be the famed Tang Bin, who oversaw the relief of a million refugees and pled their case before the authorities?” Taking the opportunity to rise, he bowed deeply with a grave expression, “You are devoted to the people, saving countless lives. The common folk are eternally grateful—on behalf of all, I thank you!”

Tang Bin was thrown into confusion, his heart pounding as he glanced nervously at Lin Feng. Seeing his master smiling calmly, Tang Bin steadied himself, though he felt a surge of frustration toward Wang Shirong. He gritted his teeth and replied, “The rescue of the masses was wholly orchestrated by my lord, who faced all dangers personally. I am but a lowly official, with no claim to credit. The people’s gratitude belongs not to me, but to the Commander!—Wang, your smooth words and sly flattery seek to divide lord and servant. Such intentions are despicable!”

“Oh? Is that so? Well, I was misled by rumors—my apologies, sir!” Wang Shirong apologized sincerely, then shifted the subject. “Just now you said our Emperor could not jest with the Commander, but I must disagree. In my opinion, our Emperor’s testing of the Commander is entirely reasonable!”

Seeing Wang Shirong determined to press Lin Feng, the Han military officers nearby looked furious, while the civil officials, having witnessed Wang’s clever rhetoric, grew cautious and dared not speak. Tang Bin had only uttered “cornered ruler,” and Wang had turned it back on him with such force that his soul nearly fled; at this point, none dared to easily contradict him.

“This is simple. The situation has changed—Qing forces are on the defensive, afraid to move. If our Great Zhou redirects the army facing Labu to attack Prince An of Jiangxi, Yue Le, General Zhou, what do you think Labu will do?”

Zhou Peigong took a deep breath. Now he fully understood why Wang Shirong had risked provoking the Qing troops on the front lines at Dezhou—it was all to lay the groundwork for this.

“Strategizing is nothing but deception and trickery. Sowing rumors, provoking discord—these are simple matters. Moreover, Shandong is currently undermanned. If Labu uses this opportunity to draw troops back for defense and seizes power from the Shandong governor to expand his territory, it would be entirely logical—wouldn’t you agree, General Zhou?”

Zhou Peigong replied with a slight smile, “No matter—Tu Hai once boasted grandly, yet was swiftly defeated, was he not? The Qing army has lost all legitimacy; their bravado is but a façade, and they cannot endure a long campaign. Our Han forces can implement psychological tactics, leaving them in disarray and causing them to fall apart from within!” These words were rather far-fetched, and even the Han officials present frowned as they listened.

“Heh, Commander, do not deceive yourself—the line between the bandits and the Qing army has shifted ever southward, yet most of these men hail from the north, accustomed to fighting in familiar terrain and climate. Once they leave their homeland, their strength will be halved. So tell me—who do you think they will turn to pillage?” Wang Shirong smiled. “I know you have plans in the dark, but alas, the tides of the time are weightier than Mount Tai. Even Yang Qilong himself cannot control them. How could a few empty promises bind such desperate men?”

“Ahem… now, now, I scarcely know Yang Qilong. Why would you say that, sir?”

“Heh, Commander, do you take me for a fool? Never mind where the bandits got their cannons—right now, famine is everywhere, war is unending, yet only the Commander, with a single brigade, can pacify and resettle millions, everything going smoothly, hundreds of miles migrated with no unrest or rebellion. If you say there’s no cause, that would be truly odd!” Wang Shirong said mockingly. “Do not underestimate the heroes of the world, Commander!”

Lin Feng was left speechless and embarrassed.

Seeing his master in a tight spot, Zhou Peigong hurried to the rescue, “Mere bandits, not worth mentioning. Could it be, sir, that you think our elite Han troops cannot handle this rabble?”

“Very well,” Wang Shirong nodded, still gently letting the matter pass. “Then in your opinion, how should the Mongol affair be settled?”

“Mongols?!” Lin Feng exclaimed in surprise, feeling nearly overwhelmed. What did the Mongols have to do with any of this?

“Indeed!” Wang Shirong smiled. “Commander, you pacified the Chahar Mongols, relocated their people, seized their troops, and forged a marriage alliance with their chief. That was skillfully done, and I admire it greatly! But do you realize that by doing so, the Han will become the object of Mongol suspicion?”

Lin Feng swallowed hard, unconsciously licking his lips.

Wang Shirong continued, “As I said earlier, Galdan, leader of the Dzungars, is ambitious and longs to emulate Genghis Khan. The Chahar are his direct descendants. Do you not think he will scheme? Moreover, having subdued Chahar, how will the neighboring Khalkha and Tüsheet react? Will they harbor doubts? If someone stirs up trouble, will the Mongol tribes not each send troops over the Great Wall to punish you for ‘encroachment’?”

Lin Feng suddenly felt hot and instinctively wiped a handful of sweat from his brow.

Zhou Peigong’s voice was a bit hoarse, but he persisted in retorting, “Ahem… Mr. Wang, you exaggerate—the Mongol tribes have been divided for ages, harboring deep grudges. I doubt any alliance is possible. Besides, we have strong garrisons in Datong and Xuanhua. If the Mongols come, they’ll regret it!”

“As you wish,” Wang Shirong nodded with a wry smile. “I hear there’s much strife in Liaodong lately. What does the Commander think?”

Lin Feng hesitated for a long time but finally stayed silent.

“All other threats aside, even if our Emperor wishes it, nothing can be achieved without men—except for Liaodong! That is different,” Wang Shirong said quietly, his tone calm yet chilling. “Liaodong was once our Emperor’s hidden abode; his favor and prestige there are immense. Now that Liaodong has risen in arms, many of its leaders are his former followers. Even those who are not have received the favor of the Zhou royal house—this is a force to be reckoned with!”

Zhou Peigong was silent for a long while, sighing inwardly before replying, “Mr. Wang, you mustn’t be too confident—battle is unpredictable, and such things cannot be presumed upon.”

“No need to say more, Peigong!” Lin Feng, having regained his composure, smiled at Wang Shirong, walked down the steps, and grasped his hand. “Sir, don’t take offense. His Majesty the Emperor of Great Zhou once swept across the land; wherever his armies went, all foes fled. As someone of the younger generation, I have long admired him. To be able to form a marriage alliance with His Majesty today is a great honor—our earlier exchanges were but playful banter between us.”

“Commander, you have vanquished many strong enemies and are the foremost general of the north—a true hero of your age. For my Emperor to become your relative by marriage is a great joy!” Wang Shirong replied with a smile, gently withdrawing his hand from Lin Feng’s, and saluted with composed dignity. “I am of little merit or virtue, but to be so honored by the Commander is my good fortune.”

Lin Feng, all smiles, once more grabbed Wang Shirong’s hand with genuine warmth. “Tsk, tsk… Everyone, look—haha, Mr. Wang is excellent in every way, except he’s a bit too polite!” He turned to his civil and military officials, joking.

Wang Shirong subtly shifted his stance, withdrawing his hand from Lin Feng’s grasp once again with a gentle bow. “You flatter me, Commander. To form a marriage alliance with my Emperor—my mission is accomplished.”

Lin Feng, thick-skinned as ever, was unfazed. He clapped Wang Shirong on the shoulder. “Sir, don’t be so formal. If nothing else, I pride myself on my hospitality. You’ve come from afar; it is only right that our Han court plays host. If you do not mind, would you join me this evening for a small banquet at my residence?”

“Commander, your kindness overwhelms me!” Wang Shirong smiled faintly. “I am but a scholar, and have always believed that only by swimming against the current can a carp leap over the Dragon Gate. Daily study is not to be neglected. Please forgive my discourtesy, but tonight I must read until the third watch; I must decline your kind invitation.”

Lin Feng’s smile froze and turned rather awkward.

“If there is nothing more, I shall take my leave,” Wang Shirong said, kneeling to salute. Without waiting for Lin Feng’s response, he stood and departed with quiet dignity.

Witnessing Wang Shirong’s aloofness, Lin Feng was filled with suppressed anger, his face darkening.

But Zhou Peigong, by contrast, wore a look of satisfaction. He approached quietly and whispered, “Congratulations, my lord, congratulations…”

“Congratulate, my foot!” Lin Feng exploded, glaring at Zhou Peigong. “Tell me, what the hell is there to celebrate today? Outrageous nonsense!”

Zhou Peigong smiled faintly and explained, “Commander, you may not have caught Mr. Wang’s hidden meaning—his farewell words were full of import. You should reflect on them carefully.”

“Oh? What do you mean?” Lin Feng asked in surprise.

“Hehe, Commander, observe: Mr. Wang’s refusal to dine was most unusual—what envoy turns down a banquet for the sake of reading? ‘Swimming against the current, the carp leaps the Dragon Gate’—this is a subtle reference to ‘the white dragon donning a fish’s guise, moving in secret…’”

Lin Feng’s eyes lit up with understanding. “Then, ‘reading until the third watch’ means he wants to meet at the third watch? Of course! I suspected from the start that his deputy was problematic—Wang Shirong must have something to say he can’t reveal in public! Ha… this Wang Shirong… truly remarkable!”

Zhou Peigong appeared not to hear, his expression suddenly solemn as he gazed into the distance at Wang Shirong’s retreating figure. He drew a deep breath and sighed, “Rivers and mountains are like a painting; how many heroes emerge in an age…”