021 Planning Together

Zheng Sen had spent a considerable amount of time in Nanjing and studied under the renowned Confucian scholar Qian Qianyi. Naturally, he was well-versed in the sentiments of the city’s populace and the inner workings of its bureaucracy. Most of those officials were good for nothing but reciting classics to criticize the current state of affairs. They boasted endlessly, pointing fingers at the state of the nation as if they were experts, but the moment they were asked for a practical, viable strategy to govern, they all fell silent. When these people gathered, they went by a very prominent name: the Donglin Faction.

For instance, a few months earlier, when an imperial decree from the Chongzhen Emperor arrived from Beijing ordering the various forces in Jiangnan to march north and defend the throne, the officials in Nanjing wept as if they were mourning their own parents. After three days of wailing, they finally realized that tears alone wouldn't suffice—they needed to send troops. Yet, ten days passed, and there was still no word on how to mobilize. It was only then that the Six Ministries of Nanjing, along with the eunuchs overseeing the city, realized that when it came to deploying troops, their word carried no weight at all.

It wasn't just the idle officials in the Nanjing government who were useless; even the high-ranking ministers in Beijing lacked the authority to mobilize soldiers. Times had changed. With the Ming Dynasty in such chaos and constant warfare, military commanders had grown emboldened. If you wanted them to move, you had to pay. Troops needed provisions before they could march; without money, there was no fighting.

The Nanjing Ministry of Revenue was nothing more than an empty shell; its treasury contained nothing but rat droppings. The esteemed Donglin scholars, once the power brokers of the Ming Dynasty, put their heads together and turned their eyes toward Shi Kefa, the Minister of War in Nanjing, because he was the only one with four thousand soldiers—most of whom were elderly, weak, or crippled.

Shi Kefa actually wanted to march north, but he knew all too well that if he took those men, he would likely be the only one left by the time he reached Beijing. Moreover, Li Zicheng had a million-strong army rampaging in the north; would four thousand men really lift the siege of the capital?

Although Shi Kefa was the Minister of War in Nanjing and theoretically commanded the regional commanders of Southern Zhili, he couldn't actually order any of them. Take Ma Shiying, the Governor of Fengyang, and the four major commanders under him—each of them held tens of thousands of troops. Shi Kefa had issued multiple orders to them, but they all responded in unison: "Insufficient supplies and lack of provisions; we dare not move lightly."

It was a blatant demand for silver, but Nanjing was a city that lacked everything except officials. Just as everyone was at their wit's end, someone had a "bright idea": follow the precedent of the two Song Dynasties and welcome the imperial court to move south, using the royal aura of Nanjing to protect the Ming empire.

The man who suggested this was nearly beaten to death by his peers. Everyone knew the truth: if the Emperor came, Li Zicheng would be right behind him.

Another half-month passed. There was still no sign of any relief force, and the officials in Nanjing could only gather to sigh and shake their heads. Some even went to the Xiaoling Mausoleum of the founding Emperor to burn incense and paper, weeping and wailing, as if they were on the verge of dashing their brains out against the tombstone.

Zheng Sen, who was studying in Nanjing, was naturally outraged. He wrote several letters to his father in Fujian, urging him to lead troops north. Not only did his father refuse, but he scolded Zheng Sen severely, telling him not to meddle in affairs of state.

Zheng Sen couldn't understand why his actions were considered meddlesome. He then went to see his fourth uncle, Zheng Hongkui, the commander stationed near Nanjing in Zhenjiang. His uncle was a military graduate who had once served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Jinyiwei. Despite having the smallest force among the commanders in Southern Zhili—only 15,000 men—it was one of the two most formidable fighting forces in the Ming Dynasty: the Ming Navy, which had never lost a battle since the founding of the dynasty. The other was the Guanning Cavalry stationed at Shanhai Pass.

Zheng Sen tried to persuade his uncle to march north along the Grand Canal, but Zheng Hongkui and his older brother, Zheng Zhilong, had already reached a tacit agreement: they would not head north.

Furious, Zheng Sen abandoned his studies to join the army. As fate would have it, he eventually found himself stranded in the city of Huaining.

So, when Zheng Sen heard that General Wang planned to go to Nanjing, he was instantly deflated. Those high-ranking officials in Nanjing only knew how to indulge in wine and women, and when trouble arose, they only knew how to cry and wail. Going there would solve nothing and only invite more trouble.

Zheng Sen cupped his hands and said earnestly, "General Wang, if you hold Huaining, I will bleed to the last drop with you. If you abandon the city, I have nothing to say; we can just find another stronghold and regroup. But if you insist on going to Nanjing, then you and I must part ways here."

"Oh? Why is that?" Wang Lanping asked.

Zheng Sen replied, "Forgive my bluntness. During my time in Nanjing, I studied under Qian Qianyi, the former Vice Minister of Rites, so I am well aware of the state of the Nanjing bureaucracy. To speak plainly, this group of officials led by the Donglin Faction only understands poetry and romance, not the shifting tides of the world. They constantly recite the classics while engaging in character assassination and sycophancy to appear virtuous. If you, General, wish to rely on them to revitalize the Ming, would that not be a disgrace to your title as the top martial laureate of the empire?"

Wang Lanping laughed heartily, thinking to himself: *So that is Zheng Sen's concern. It's no wonder. You, Zheng Sen, come from a wealthy and powerful background. Your father controls the coastal trade, your uncle is a navy commander, and your teacher is a renowned scholar. Even while studying away from home, you could snap your fingers and raise a thousand men. Can I compare to you?*

In your eyes, achieving greatness is merely a matter of solving the puzzle of how to recruit soldiers and win battles. But I come from nothing—no money, no status, no backing, no connections. Even the Chongzhen Emperor, who once appreciated me, is gone. If I hadn't swallowed my pride to borrow tens of thousands of taels from the Du family, Huaining wouldn't have lasted an hour. You think talking about a man's mettle and glory will lead to victory? That's nonsense. Without money and troops, you are nothing. Nobody takes a "bare-handed" general seriously.

Wang Lanping said, "I understand what you're saying, but right now, apart from these hundred or so soldiers, I have nothing. Look at these Ming commanders—aren't they all warlords in all but name, holding tens of thousands of troops? Wherever I go, I'll be swallowed up by someone else. It would be better to go to Nanjing, where I can demand money, grain, and troops with legitimate authority."

Zheng Sen smiled disdainfully. "Do you really expect them to help you?"

Wang Lanping waved his hand and smiled. "I don't expect it, but it's better than having no hope at all."

Zheng Sen asked, "And what if you go and get nothing?"

Wang Lanping chuckled. "Even if I don't get money, grain, or troops, based on our defense of Huaining, it should be easy to at least secure an official title in Nanjing."

Zheng Sen was surprised. "You!"

"Don't be so impatient," Wang Lanping said, pressing his hand down. "The title I want isn't for the sake of indulgence. You must know, my title as Vice Commander of Anqing was granted by the Chongzhen Emperor; it holds no weight in this Hongguang court. Besides, in a few days, all of Anqing will fall to the rebel forces. Once Anqing is gone, I'll be left with nothing but an empty name. I have to move. Once I have political capital, won't it be easier to recruit men?"

Zheng Sen pondered this and found it made some sense. He nodded slowly.

"That's the spirit," Wang Lanping said, patting Zheng Sen on the arm. "Brother Zheng, although we have only known each other for a day, what I said today was from the bottom of my heart, without reservation. I treat you as a brother."

Although Wang Lanping saw Zheng Sen as a hot-blooded hero with a genuine concern for the country, his "heartfelt" words were entirely based on the reputation Zheng Sen would eventually earn as a national hero. It had little to do with genuine trust.

There are three ways for a man to handle a woman: deceive, coax, and spend money—all effective. The same three methods work on men. As long as you garnish your words with great ideals, ambitions, and mettle, there is no one you cannot win over.

Zheng Sen looked at Wang Lanping with sincere eyes, cupped his hands, and said, "I am ashamed. Thank you for your kindness, General. I am willing to follow you."

The pretense had to be maintained. Wang Lanping waved his hand. "I wouldn't dare. Your father is a high-ranking commander in Fujian; for you to lower yourself to serve under me... I don't have that kind of stature. How about this: you and the men you brought will be organized into the 'Wood' Battalion. Your pay will be the same as the 'Wind' Battalion, and you will serve as a thousand-man commander. This is temporary, of course. Once we reach Nanjing, I will personally petition the Emperor for rewards on your behalf."

While he claimed he lacked the stature, he had effectively absorbed all of them. In the blink of an eye, Wang Lanping’s strength had doubled without spending a single tael of silver.

"Yes, General!" Zheng Sen replied.

Since there was no more dissent, abandoning the city was just a matter of time. Before leaving, Wang Lanping had one more thing to do. He wanted to see Du Ningning, the daughter of the Du family. Although the Du family had broken off the engagement, Wang Lanping knew it had nothing to do with her.

Once he left with his army, Huaining would immediately become a city for the Shun rebels. In this changing landscape, what would become of the Du family? Was the agreement he reached with Li Laiheng truly reliable? In times of war, he couldn't even trust his own verbal guarantees. The Du family was famous for their wealth in Huaining; they were exactly the kind of people the rebel army hated most. Would Ningning be in danger if she stayed? Should he take her with him?

Wang Lanping left the county office. There were few people on the street; most of the residents remained hidden in their homes. Only a few soldiers from the Wind Battalion were knocking on shop doors, as the army needed to secure provisions and supplies before departing.

Wang Lanping walked slowly through the streets with a few soldiers. This place held everything he had in this era—his birth, his upbringing, his fame, his bloody battles. Now that he was leaving, when would he ever return? Would the people here blame him? Sigh.

Unknowingly, Wang Lanping arrived outside the Du residence. The mansion was as grand as ever, but the gates were tightly shut.

He dismounted and told his soldiers to wait on the street, then walked straight toward the main gate.

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A moment later, a cautious voice came from inside. "Who—who is it?" In these chaotic times, no one dared to open their doors easily.

"Uncle Du, it's me." Wang Lanping had worked as a guard at the Du residence; everyone inside knew him. He recognized the voice as that of the steward, Uncle Du.

The door opened a crack, and an eye appeared in the gap. "Master Laureate, you... why have you come?"

Uncle Du opened the door.

"Just passing by, thought I'd stop in," Wang Lanping said as he walked inside.

Uncle Du quickly closed the door and followed him. "The master is not at home."

Wang Lanping stopped. "And... is the young lady at home?"

Uncle Du lowered his head and sighed. "She is, but the master has locked her away."

"Locked her away? Could you take me to see her?"