020 A Treaty Under the City Walls

Wang Lanping did not answer him, because he knew that no matter how much he argued, Li Laiheng would take Huaining before Yuan Zongdi arrived. This was a matter of face, regardless of whether they continued to fight or not. As for the city of Huaining, whether to hold it was no longer the issue; how to withdraw unscathed was what mattered most.

"We follow different paths and cannot work together. Farewell." Wang Lanping made a gesture as if to mount his horse and leave, waiting for Li Laiheng to lose his nerve further, which would allow him to secure more favorable terms.

Sure enough, seeing that Wang Lanping was about to leave, Li Laiheng hurriedly said, "Do you really want to see this city burned to ashes?"

Wang Lanping walked at an unhurried pace, still not looking back, though he was secretly delighted. While he was more anxious than Li Laiheng to resolve this—if he truly had to fight to the death in Huaining, he would be finished—if the main army of the Great Shun actually arrived, he would find himself in a precarious position, unable to advance or retreat.

Li Laiheng was no fool. Observing Wang Lanping's intentionally slow pace, he guessed that this man might not be genuinely committed to defending Huaining, likely just putting on a show to secure a good position in Nanjing. But if the man really fought to the death here, even with his superior numbers, how many of his six thousand men would remain? He would still be unable to establish a foothold in the army.

Seeing that soft tactics were failing, Li Laiheng resorted to threats. "Scholar Wang, if I attack the city tonight, can you hold it?"

Wang Lanping stopped and looked back at him, showing no surprise at such blatant intimidation. He smiled calmly. "General Li, if I launch a night raid on your camp before you attack, will you still be able to attack the city?"

Both were bluffing. Neither side had the means to carry out such threats; the more grandiose their words, the less likely they were to happen.

"Haha! Refreshing!" The two locked eyes and burst into laughter in tacit understanding.

"Let's be direct, Scholar Wang. What do you want?" Li Laiheng rode his horse up beside Wang Lanping. Their relationship now looked nothing like that of enemies, but rather like two businessmen casually negotiating a deal.

This was exactly what Wang Lanping wanted. "Fine, three conditions."

"What are they?"

"First, I want five hundred warhorses. Second, you must not kill or plunder a single person in Huaining. Third, I will make a friend in you."

Li Laiheng widened his eyes. Why hadn't he said this sooner? So many soldiers had died for nothing. He spread his hands and laughed heartily. "Just that?"

"Just that." Wang Lanping was serious this time. He had intended to ask for more, but the words died on his lips; his conscience pricked him. He had spent all this time raising flags and firing cannons, only to sell out the entire city at the end—a rather underhanded move. But he had no choice. A scholar from the Chongzhen era whose title was barely warm before the dynasty changed, he knew that in the Hongguang court, a man with no troops and no background was worth nothing.

Li Laiheng was overjoyed. "Good! I will give you six hundred horses. The people of Huaining are also the people of the Great Shun; I have no need to kill them. As for becoming friends, that is settled."

"Good. Before dawn tomorrow, I will withdraw from Huaining."

"A gentleman’s word is his bond."

"A team of four horses cannot catch up to a promise."

"Scholar Wang, after we part ways, I hope we do not meet on the battlefield again."

"I hope so too. General Li, I have one more request."

"Speak freely."

"Please give my soldiers and the Magistrate of Huaining a proper burial. They were all heroes."

"In life, we served different masters, but in death, we should set aside all grievances. Even if you hadn't asked, I would have done so. Rest assured."

"Good, it is settled. Many thanks."

"Don't mention it. Before nightfall, I will send men to deliver the horses beneath the city walls."

The two cooperated with seamless understanding, each able to discern the other's hidden motives. Persisting when something is clearly impossible is unwise. This outcome was the most favorable for everyone: Li Laiheng gained Huaining and preserved his dignity as a commander, while Wang Lanping achieved fame in a single battle, withdrew safely, and spared the city from the ravages of war.

In the county office's flower hall, Wang Lanping, Song Dali, and Zheng Sen sat on either side. A dozen surviving squad leaders and platoon commanders from the Feng Battalion stood in the hall, their expressions mixed—some relieved, some dejected, others sighing. The atmosphere was awkward.

Song Dali coughed and stood up to mediate. "We are all brothers who have lived and died together. Don't be anxious; listen to what the General has to say."

Zheng Sen’s face darkened. "I am not a member of the Feng Battalion, nor do I draw a salary from the imperial court. General Wang, forgive me, but I cannot stay. Farewell." With that, he rose to leave.

"Wait, Master Zheng. Do you really want to keep fighting?" Wang Lanping spoke up. After returning from outside the city, he had called the veteran soldiers of the Feng Battalion to the office to tell them that Huaining had been surrendered and they could all withdraw safely. He hadn't expected this news to stir up a hornet's nest.

Zheng Sen stopped, his back to Wang Lanping. "I came to Huaining to kill bandits, not to help people escape. Since there is no place for me here, I will find another. I do not believe there is no one in the Great Ming who dares to fight. I suppose I misjudged you."

Wang Lanping walked over and patted Zheng Sen on the shoulder. "Master Zheng, sit for a moment. Listen to me before you leave."

"Yes, yes. General Wang surely has his reasons. Let’s hear him out before making any decisions. Come, everyone, sit." Song Dali chimed in, acting as the peacemaker.

The men looked at each other, nodded, and sat on the floor, watching Wang Lanping.

Wang Lanping paced before them. "I know some of you are confused and unwilling. We drove back the Shun army; why abandon the city? So many brothers have died, and you feel their sacrifice was in vain, right?"

No one answered, but no one contradicted him.

Wang Lanping continued. "Master Zheng, you laid down your pen to take up the sword, spending your own wealth to raise troops and traveling thousands of miles. Why?"

Zheng Sen turned his head. "The rise and fall of the nation is the concern of every man."

"Excellent!" Wang Lanping smiled with approval. "But have you considered this? Relying on individual strength and the courage of a brute—even if everyone here could fight ten men at once, what would it change? The sages said: cultivate yourself, regulate your family, govern the state, and then bring peace to the world. What does 'cultivate yourself' mean? A true man knows when to bend and when to stretch. One must not act against the tide. While we won a small victory, the hundred-thousand-strong Shun army is on its way. Huaining’s fall is only a matter of time. When that happens, you, me, and every citizen in this city will suffer."

Zheng Sen argued, "Death in battle is better than being a deserter."

Wang Lanping nodded. "True. For a soldier, dying in battle is the best end. But to die like this—is it worth it? Seeking death is easy, but dragging the whole city down with us is not what I want. They have promised that once they take Huaining, they will not kill a single person, and the surviving garrison can withdraw safely. This is the best possible outcome."

A school officer sitting on the floor interjected, "But hundreds of our brothers in the Feng Battalion have already died here. Were their deaths in vain?"

Wang Lanping turned to him. "No, certainly not. Without them, the city would have fallen long ago. Their sacrifice bought our concessions from the Shun army and forced them to accept our terms. It is easy to hold a city, but to hold the empire of the Great Ming, the loss of one city or one territory is insignificant. Besides, we have saved the people here."

Song Dali asked, "Then, where do we go after we abandon the city?"

"Good question!" Wang Lanping walked to Song Dali’s side and scanned the crowd. "Where? To Nanjing, to the imperial court. Abandoning this place does not mean we are afraid. It means we will not throw our lives away for nothing. When the Shun army marched south, we were the first to strike back and block them. We are heroes—heroes of the Great Ming. We can go to Nanjing in glory, find the Emperor and the high officials, demand money, grain, and soldiers, build our strength, and strike back to reclaim Huaining—not just Huaining, but the Central Plains and the entire Great Ming."

"The General is far-sighted. I, Song Dali, will follow you." In truth, Song Dali had guessed it long ago. The man was a top martial scholar, well-versed in military strategy and the history of siege warfare. How could he not know whether Huaining could be held? He was certainly not seeking death here; he was merely going with the flow to secure his own future.

Before Wang Lanping could speak again, Song Dali stood up. "Master Zheng, and all you veterans of the Feng Battalion, General Wang has spoken his heart and even considered our future. What is there left to misunderstand? Think about it: have you ever fought a battle as bloody as yesterday's? The enemy was many, we were few, but we won. Why? Because of General Wang. His strategy and courage led us to do the impossible. I believe this is just the beginning. There will be more 'impossibles' in the future. To follow such a general is our honor. Now, tell us, will you follow the General?"

The Feng Battalion had been a ragtag force assembled by Wang Lanping, with members from many different units, but they lacked a formal bond of subordination to him. They had united in wartime, but now, if anyone wanted to leave, it was hard to force them. After all, yesterday, to boost morale, Wang Lanping had loudly proclaimed they would fight to the death. To change his tune a day later was difficult. Making everyone understand that today's withdrawal was for tomorrow's stronger return was no small feat.

Being soldiers, they had their own thoughts on offense and defense. After whispering among themselves, a few stood up. "I... I will follow the General."

"I will follow, too."

"Me as well."

Wang Lanping smiled to himself: If I can't even handle you lot, I shouldn't be trying to conquer the world.

The atmosphere in the hall turned harmonious and unified. Only Zheng Sen remained silent, though the look of resolve on his face had softened.

"Master Zheng, what about you? Will you come with us?" Wang Lanping asked.

Zheng Sen was silent for a long time, then slowly stood up from his chair. "General, it is not that I don't understand the wisdom of avoiding a superior force. It is just... it is just..."

Seeing his hesitation, Wang Lanping did not press him. He turned to Officer Song and the others. "Everyone, go back and prepare. Until we withdraw, do not let your guard down against the Shun army. Captain Song, post a notice: all who wish to follow us will be taken. I will escort them safely across the river."

"Yes, General!"

The crowd retreated. Wang Lanping poured a cup of tea and walked over to Zheng Sen. "Say what is on your mind."