Chapter Ten: Entering the City

Wang Pu stared intently at Zhen Youcai, caught in a fierce inner struggle. What should he do? Should he trust him or not? If he did, he’d be gambling his own life, and the lives of over a thousand retainers, on this man. But was Zhen Youcai truly trustworthy? If he didn’t trust him, was there any better way out? If they failed to take Shengjing, retreating to Ming territory would be a dead end.

“Zhen Youcai!” Wang Pu suddenly asked in a chilling tone, “Who, exactly, are you?”

Zhen Youcai replied in a lowered voice, “I am but a humble clerk.”

“Nonsense!” Wang Pu slapped the table and shouted, “You were taken to Liaodong three years ago, but Nurhaci conquered Liaodong decades ago. How do you know he used trickery to open the city gates and seize the entire region? How could a mere clerk know the core secrets of the Manchu? You even know about their night patrols. How could a simple clerk lead grain convoys in and out of the imperial city? And Manchu nobles and Suda La trust you so easily?”

“This... this...” Zhen Youcai’s eyes darted about wildly, but he could not answer.

“Speak!” Wang Pu slammed the table again, his voice sharp. “Who are you really?”

Terrified, Zhen Youcai fell to his knees and trembled as he knocked his head to the ground. “I’ll tell, I’ll tell everything. My surname is Zhen, and my name is Youcai, that much is true. But I was not taken to Liaodong three years ago. Actually... actually, my family has lived in Liaodong for generations, trading ginseng for a living. When the Manchu overran the region, I had no choice... no choice but to join their banners.”

“Well, you even joined their banners,” Xiao Qi strode forward, grabbed Zhen Youcai’s pigtail, and said to Wang Pu, “General, this fellow abandoned his ancestors. Why keep him alive? Let’s drag him outside and let the Han people beat him to death.”

“No... Please don’t!” Zhen Youcai pleaded. “Though I joined their banners, my heart remains loyal to Ming. Besides, being a Manchu bannerman is nothing compared to returning to the Central Plains and living as a Ming subject. Otherwise, I wouldn’t risk my life today to warn you, General. You must believe me, my heart is as clear as the sun and moon!”

“General,” Xiao Qi urged, “you must not trust him.”

Wang Pu gazed straight at Zhen Youcai, his eyes deep and cold as ancient ice. After a long silence, he suddenly clenched his teeth and spoke gravely, “Very well, I’ll trust you. We’ll do as you say.”

Zhen Youcai let out a long sigh, collapsing to the ground, wiping the cold sweat from his brow with his sleeve.

***

Early the next morning, Wang Pu and Scarface, accompanied by fifty capable retainers disguised as ahas, escorted forty carts of grain and ten carts of vegetables and mountain goods, all prepared before dawn. Guided by Zhen Youcai, they swaggered toward Shengjing. This mission was crucial for the surprise attack’s success, and Wang Pu dared not be careless—he trusted no one else and so had to go himself.

Xiao Qi, Big Beard, and the main force of retainers were left behind at Changyong Fort.

Only after nightfall would Big Beard lead the main force quietly toward Shengjing, taking advantage of the darkness. Changyong Fort was near Shengjing, surrounded by Manchu estates, with constant traffic on the main road. Marching by day would attract too much attention, so only under cover of night could they approach undetected.

From Changyong Fort to Shengjing was thirty li, less than two hours’ journey. The grain convoy soon arrived outside Shengjing.

The city gates of Shengjing stood wide open. Two teams of Manchu guards lounged outside, listless, while traffic flowed freely in and out. They didn’t even bother to question anyone. Clearly, Zhen Youcai had not lied—the daytime defenses in Shengjing were indeed lax. It was hard to blame the guards’ negligence; since Nurhaci took Liaodong, the Ming army had never mounted a serious counterattack, much less reached Shengjing. Who would expect the Ming to launch a surprise raid here?

The gate guards were quite familiar with Zhen Youcai, calling out to him from afar.

Zhen Youcai glanced at Wang Pu, who gave a barely perceptible nod. Then Zhen Youcai trotted over, while Wang Pu halted the grain carts and pretended to rest against them, his hands already inside a grain sack, gripping the long handle of a three-barreled musket. The retainers behind Wang Pu also stopped their carts, “resting” against them.

At this distance, if Zhen Youcai dared betray them, Wang Pu was confident he could gun him down before he reached the city. Of course, if it came to that, Wang Pu’s own life would end here as well. With only fifty retainers, even if the Manchu inside the city were old, sick, and weak, they’d still tear them to pieces.

Zhen Youcai exchanged a few words in Manchu with the gate guards, then glanced back and shivered at the sight of Wang Pu and his fifty retainers. Truth be told, Zhen Youcai had never intended to betray them—he dutifully told the Manchu, “Gentlemen, under Lord Suda La’s orders, I’m bringing these carts of grain, vegetables, and game to the palace.”

He slipped two silver ingots into the lead Manchu officer’s hand. The officer grinned from ear to ear, waved broadly, and said, “Go on in, don’t miss your timing.”

“No worries, no worries,” Zhen Youcai replied obsequiously, then turned to beckon Wang Pu and his men. “You heard him—get those carts moving into the city!”

Wang Pu responded and led the convoy inside.

Entering the city, Wang Pu kept his wits about him. By his estimation, Shengjing was not large, its circumference no more than ten li. There were two gates to the south; the other directions were unclear. The walls were about twelve meters high, six meters thick, and within the gate was a small walled enclosure. Both sides of this enclosure had dugouts for hidden troops, with ramps for horses to ascend the walls.

At present, with no enemy threat, the hidden troop chambers were empty.

Wang Pu calculated that seizing the city gate would be easy enough; the real issue was the garrison inside. Though the elite Eight Banners were at Songshan, leaving only the old, sick, and weak in Shengjing, caution was paramount. If they could quietly deal with the garrison, all the better.

***

Zhen Youcai quietly approached Wang Pu and whispered, “General, are you searching for the garrison barracks?”

Wang Pu gave him a cold glance, which sufficed as an answer.

Zhen Youcai continued, “No need to look further, General. There are two barracks in the city, both beside the Great Qing Gate—the palace’s main entrance. We’ll pass by there soon; you can observe the terrain then. For now, don’t glance about, or you’ll arouse suspicion.”

Wang Pu grunted in response.

Zhen Youcai added, “General, you should trust me now. If I’d wanted to betray you, the city gate was the perfect chance. You must know my fate is now tied to yours. I’m hoping to return to Ming and gain rank and fortune with you, heh heh.”

“All right,” Wang Pu murmured, “if you serve the court faithfully, I’ll recommend you to His Majesty.”

Zhen Youcai grinned ingratiatingly. “Thank you, General.”

Shengjing was not large, and in their conversation they soon arrived at the Great Qing Gate. Wang Pu saw the two barracks, neither large, together able to house about two thousand troops. In the drill yard, the air was filled with shouts—a squad of young Manchu boys was training, full of murderous energy.

In fact, Wang Pu did not know that the Eight Banners were forbidden to garrison inside Shengjing. Only two thousand Imperial Yellow Banner guards, directly under Hong Taiji, were permitted to camp before the Great Qing Gate. This time, Hong Taiji had personally led his army to war, so the Imperial guards had followed him, leaving the defense to the youth of the Imperial and Border Yellow Banners.

Though these youths were only half-grown, Wang Pu did not underestimate them. He would rather treat these two thousand Manchu boys as his most dangerous foes. Now, deep in enemy territory, surrounded only by foes, Wang Pu and his thousand retainers had only themselves to rely on.

In such harsh circumstances, caution was essential—never let down one’s guard.

The convoy halted at the side gate of the palace; they could go no further, for beyond lay the inner royal quarters, and Han ahas who had not undergone purification could not enter. Though Zhen Youcai had joined the banners, he too could not enter. Soon, eunuchs emerged to take charge of the carts, and Wang Pu’s task was done. Next, they would find a place to stay outside the city, then return tomorrow to retrieve the empty carts.

Zhen Youcai led Wang Pu’s group to a secluded corner and whispered, “General, I know a bannerman whose home is in the southern city. It has two courtyards, is quite secluded, and no one will disturb us. It’s a safe place to hide.”

“Lead the way,” said Wang Pu.