"Well, no matter what, General Wang died for his country. Remember to prepare a good coffin for him. If you can't find General Wang's body after the war, make a cenotaph for him. Also remember to remind me so that I can write an elegiac couplet and epitaph for General Wang, so that we can work together."
Prefect Shang sighed and instructed the officials behind him to build a cenotaph for General Wang. He would send a elegiac couplet and an epitaph.
"As you command, Your Excellency." The official behind him nodded vigorously and kept the matter in mind.
"Look, isn't that General Wang in the front?"
Just as Prefect Shang was still mourning for General Wang, he was suddenly interrupted by a surprised cry.
"Who? General Wang?"
Upon hearing this, Prefect Shang was extremely surprised. He looked outside the city and saw that the leading general looked very much like General Wang. The armor he wore was exactly the same as General Wang's ancestral armor. His eyes widened in disbelief.
General Wang is still alive?! Am I seeing right?!
Prefect Shang rubbed his eyes and looked again carefully. It was still the familiar figure and the familiar armor.
So, he turned his head to look at the deputy general beside him and asked uncertainly, "Is this person you see General Wang?"
"Your Excellency, you are not mistaken. The leader is undoubtedly General Wang. I can confirm it." The deputy general said with certainty. He has followed General Wang for more than ten years. Although he was far away, he recognized General Wang at a glance.
If General Wang turned into ashes, he would not be able to recognize him, but as long as General Wang did not turn into ashes, he would not make a mistake.
He has the confidence.
"You have good eyesight, so take a look to see if there are any Japanese pirates chasing after General Wang and his men?" Magistrate Shang asked again.
The deputy general looked carefully for a moment and shook his head vigorously, "Sir, there are no Japanese pirates pursuing General Wang and his men."
"Is this General Wang returning to the city after his victory? But that's not right. General Wang only brought a thousand soldiers out of the city, and now there are 1,600 to 1,700 soldiers back. How come there are 600 to 700 more soldiers for no apparent reason?"
Prefect Shang looked outside the city with a complicated expression. He felt that the most unacceptable and worst situation had occurred.
General Wang fell into the trap set by the Japanese pirates and led his troops out of the city, where he was ambushed and captured by the pirates.
In order to save his life, General Wang defected and surrendered to the Japanese pirates. He will lead the Japanese pirates to attack or deceive the city.
Otherwise, how could there be six or seven hundred more people? They must be Japanese pirates.
"Sir, what should we do now?" The deputy general had obviously thought of the worst case scenario and asked Prefect Shang for instructions.
"Now is an extraordinary period. We don't know who is the enemy or not. What else can we do? Of course we should prepare to defend the city. General Wang and his men are coming. Please ask them to stop outside the range of an arrow and be patient. We can make further plans after identification. In an extraordinary period, General Wang can go out of the city to pursue the Japanese pirates regardless of his own safety for the sake of Suzhou City. I believe General Wang will understand." Prefect Shang glared at the deputy general and gave the order.
"As ordered by the Lord, be prepared to defend the city. Everyone, be ready, have the thunderstones and rolling logs in place, have the bows and crossbows strung, and have the firearms loaded in advance, but do not shoot without permission. Wait for the Lord and this general's orders for everything."
The deputy general clasped his fists and accepted the order, then ran back and forth on the city wall, conveying the order from Prefect Shang, ordering all officers and soldiers to prepare to defend the city.
Soon, not long after they had made preparations to defend the city on the city wall, General Wang and his men were about a mile outside the city gate.
"Don't be nervous and don't look at me. Don't look at me at any time to avoid arousing suspicion. Just follow what I taught you before and shout to open the city gates normally. You are General Wang who has returned victorious. Of course, don't even think about turning back. You can't turn back. Not to mention that you have all swallowed Japan's unique poison. If you don't have an antidote in three days, you will die of stomach ulcers. Now, as long as I give the order, you will be shot by hidden arrows, swords and axes and die immediately."
Xu Hai was also in the team, riding a horse beside General Wang, with his helmet pulled down low. Looking at the Suzhou City that was just around the corner, he pulled the corner of his mouth with complacency and ordered General Wang in a threatening and commanding tone.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty. He who knows the times is a hero. I understand that I will never have any second thoughts. I have already memorized the responses to the several situations that Your Majesty has instructed me to do." General Wang nodded vigorously.
"There may be unexpected situations, but just remember that you are General Wang who has returned victorious, so just be brave! If you can trick the city gate into opening, it will be a great achievement for you, and you will be rewarded with ten thousand gold coins, and the fourth seat in the Juyi Hall will belong to you!"
Xu Hai opened his hand and promised generously.
Wanjin...
After hearing Xu Hai's promise, General Wang's eyes widened and he patted his chest, promising to open the city gate.
He was not interested in the fourth position in the Juyi Hall of the Japanese pirates, but he was very interested in gold. With so much gold, it was worth betraying the court. He could hide his identity and wait until the storm was over. He could change his identity and use the gold to make a comeback, and it was not impossible for him to make further progress.
Looking at General Wang who looked like he was injected with chicken blood, Xu Hai nodded with satisfaction, then turned to the more than 100 surrendered officers and soldiers and said, "You are all the same. You have also done a great deed by faking the city gate. Each of you will be rewarded with 300 taels of silver. I promise you in the name of the ancestors of the Xu family that after we capture Suzhou City, as long as your family members and relatives hang the peach charms I give you on their doors, I promise not to harm them after we enter the city, and their personal and property safety will be guaranteed."
Before setting off, Xu Hai gave General Wang ten peach charms engraved with cherry blossoms, and five peach charms to each surrendered soldier. Each peach charm could protect a family from being attacked by the Japanese pirates, which was basically enough to protect their own family and their relatives and friends.
After receiving rewards and safety guarantees, the more than 100 surrendered officers and soldiers were very excited. They expressed their loyalty to Xu Hai and cooperated fully in seizing the city gate.
Xu Hai nodded with satisfaction.
Soon, Suzhou City was within sight.
"General Wang, this is an extraordinary period, please forgive me. Please stand outside the range of an arrow and do not come any closer. Otherwise, please forgive me for my rudeness. Swords have no eyes, and I do not want to hurt General Wang and his brothers by mistake."
When the deputy general saw General Wang riding his horse towards them, he shouted loudly, ordering General Wang and his men to stop within an arrow's reach.
"Zhang Heizi, you are a rebellious person. Since you recognized me, you still dared to stop me outside the city gate and made me stand within an arrow's range. Are you tired of living?! Good boy, you are really a traitor. You locked me outside the city so that you can usurp the throne, right?!" General Wang immediately waved his whip and pointed at the deputy general on the city gate and started cursing.
The deputy general's forehead was sweaty. "General Wang, you are too harsh. You have wronged me. This is an extraordinary period. Please forgive me."
"Excuse me, open the city gate immediately and let me lead my brothers into the city to have a hot meal and drink hot soup. You are all cowards who dare not leave the city. These brothers followed me out of the city to chase the Japanese pirates in the severe cold and risked their lives. We won a great victory. We must not let them down."
General Wang waved his whip, jumped high and cursed angrily.
This was what Xu Hai told him. The more arrogant and domineering the better. This was the demeanor that a victorious general should have.