Chapter Seventeen: Weinan

  Chongzhen 16th year October 8th night, Weinan.

  Tongguan has fallen for several days, the whole army retreated again and again, less than 3,000 remaining troops are stationed here, soldiers lying horizontally and vertically on the ground, yesterday just had a heavy rain, until now still drizzling, so the ground in the city is full of mud, the soldiers are also careless, holding their iron guns and long spears, sleeping very sweetly.

  On the city wall, apart from the corner towers and the occasional patrol of soldiers passing by, it was all snoring sounds everywhere.

  One defeat after another, from Huguang to Henan, and now even Tongguan has fallen. The situation is hopeless, and the Commander-in-Chief can do nothing. Some generals have surrendered, others have fled. In Weinan City, only the Commander-in-Chief remains, along with Supervisor Qiao Yuanzhu and a few old officials from the headquarters. When we left the pass, our army was 100,000 strong; now, only this small remnant is left!

  What's the use of not sleeping? Today I'll collapse, and tomorrow be it life or death, I don't care. As a soldier eating rations, fighting to this point, I've already justified the salary given by the imperial court!

  In fact, if it weren't for Sun Chuanting's prestige having already entered people's hearts, and the Shaanxi-Qin army regarding him as a god, the morale of the troops would have collapsed long ago!

  On that day, the two commanders of Qinzhong, Hong Zicheng had surrendered to the enemy early on, and his reputation was completely ruined. Sun Chuanting, however, after being imprisoned in the heavenly prison for several years, had ground away the arrogance and impatience he had shown in those days, as well as his haughty air of looking down on others. After taking up command again, he became mature and statesmanlike, practical and decisive, truly the only strong enemy, formidable foe of the peasant army.

  It can be said that in this Xiangyang battle, although Li Zicheng had some tricks to lure the enemy deep, at the beginning of the contact war, the Shaanxi army was able to fight bravely forward, and repeatedly defeated the bandit army, which is already a very difficult thing.

  It is said that Zuo Liangyu, who claimed to have an army of 500,000 soldiers, would retreat at the sight of Li Zicheng's great banner. Other Ming dynasty armies did not even dare to challenge him, let alone win a battle against him.

  What Sun Chuanting commanded was merely the new army he had trained for years in the Apricot Garden!

  At this time, one defeat after another, only about 3,000 remaining troops were left, and the various generals either surrendered or fled. Sun Chuanting had no more high-ranking officials to use, Weinan City was small, and it was a newly stationed remnant army. The rebel army was just outside the city, and when the city was besieged, it would be the time of death for everyone.

  Death is just death, the people of Guanzhong, have not yet formed the habit of betraying their lord and surrendering or fleeing. Although Bai Guang'en and Gao Jie have left, these two were originally treacherous, it's not surprising that they can't be relied upon at critical moments!

  In the middle of the night, a fast horse came from the direction of Weinan North Gate. The horseshoes were ringing clearly and loudly, accompanied by the continuous sound of the horse bell, it was obvious that the courier had arrived.

  As expected, the fast horse galloped all the way to the gate tower under the north gate. Under the bright light of the lanterns on the city wall, it could be seen that the knight on the horse tightly restrained the speeding horse. The horse let out a loud neigh and suddenly stopped its hooves just a few feet away from the gate. The man let out an "ah" and fell off the horse onto the ground.

  A black gauze hat fell from his head, and he immediately lay on his back, seemingly without even the strength to cry out. Looking down from above, all that could be seen was a sallow face and a large red official robe with the embroidered uniform of a sixth-grade military officer.

  The people on the city wall, of course, did not recognize this fallen officer, but it didn't matter. From the capital city, there were often such urgent messengers rushing along the road, usually they were yamen runners or messengers holding a fire token from the Ministry of War, unlike the one in front of them now. Although judging from the package on his back, he must be an urgent messenger without a doubt, but wearing official uniform made people even more puzzled.

  No matter what, the people on the city wall still lowered a basket down, and two men came down to put that person in the basket, then they were lifted up together.

  They lifted him up and poured Zhuge's military dispersing powder into his mouth, then opened his chest and wiped it with medicinal wine.

  Just as someone wanted to untie the package behind him, this person woke up. Seeing a cold light in his eyes, he grabbed the other person's hand with a force so strong that it hurt and made the other person cry out in pain.

  "Let go, let go quickly, aren't you here to deliver a message? Is it an imperial decree, an official document from the ministry, or a private letter?"

  The north gate is not very important, the one in charge here is just a deputy general of the governor, seeing someone who has fainted and woken up being so vigilant, he can't help but secretly praise him.

  "Oh, I've already entered the city..." As soon as he said that, the person suddenly came to and in an instant, it was clear to everyone around that the newcomer's eyes were full of vigilance, and his entire being looked sharp and neat. At a glance, you could tell he wasn't an ordinary person.

  "Yes, this is the north gate of Weinan. What's the matter? Hurry up!" The deputy commander sneered and said: "Tomorrow, or at the latest the day after tomorrow, we will all be ghosts on the road to Huangquan. Brother, if you came to deliver a message, hand it over and hurry away."

  "It won't work, I have to see the supervisor."

  "Which department are you from? I have to go back with the supervisor."

  "I am... Ah, at this time, can I still be an assassin? Let's just say, I'm a messenger from the capital."

  The words are ambiguous and mysterious, but after some thought, it's indeed reasonable. At this time, the 200,000 elite troops of the rebel army have entered Tongguan, and the vanguard has already crossed the Yellow River with 70,000 men, so there is no need to send an assassin to do such a despicable thing in the defeated army.

  He nodded in agreement and said, "Have someone carry you along and follow us, wait for us outside!"

  "Hurry up!"

  "I know... at this hour, the supervisor is probably still awake."

  ……

  ……

  Sun Zhanting indeed did not sleep, he is fifty-one years old this year, as a politician, it is still the golden age. However, for him, whether it is his career or life, the end time is probably around these one or two days.

  He came out of Tongguan again, and was defeated once more. In fact, he had mentally prepared for this. The hastily formed army had not been established for a year, his main force could not be set up, relying on Gao Jie and Bai Guang'en and others, in favorable circumstances, they could still fight, but as soon as they encountered adversity, they would inevitably suffer a disastrous defeat.

  However, although he had this understanding, he was also helpless. The Minister of War, Feng Yuanbao, wrote a private letter to advise him not to use Bai Guangen and Gao Jie, saying that these people came from the rebel army and were untrustworthy... Sun Chuanting also deeply agreed with this view, but if they didn't use these two men, where would the soldiers be? Where would the generals be?

  It's all just empty talk!

  Looking back to the past, although Yang Sichang was at odds with him and had him imprisoned for several years, in terms of talent, Yang was still somewhat capable. His Four Corners and Eight Directions method was also implemented very effectively by Sun Chuanting. In the 11th year of Chongzhen's reign, he and Hong Chengchou led the Qin army to a great victory over Li Zicheng at Tongguan, forcing Zhang Xianzhong to surrender. He rode his horse, holding his sword, and fought bravely, charging forward time and again, earning the praise of the people of Guanzhong. Even his mentor Hong Chengchou looked up to him with admiration. Thinking back to those days, how glorious it was... Just as they were about to achieve victory, the Eastern Barbarians suddenly besieged Jinzhou... As a result, before they could succeed, the army marched north, and he, because of his opposition to deploying troops from Shaanxi outside the pass, spoke out strongly against Li Zicheng, which offended Yang Sichang and enraged the Emperor. As a result, due to his worry about national affairs, he turned white-haired overnight, and his ears also became deaf. The Emperor thought he was faking illness and, in great anger, threw him into prison.

  In the 15th year of Chongzhen's reign, when the emperor had no one else to use, he was finally released.

  This time he came out and said to the people: "A great man cannot be a prisoner again, if he fights and does not win, there is only death!"

  At this time, in the city of Weinan, he had already completely lost heart and hope. After finding a place to stay in a scholar's family in the city, he settled down. Because Sun Chuanting had decided not to escape again, because even if he escaped to Xi'an City, the rebels would follow suit, and Xi'an had no soldiers or generals, it was impossible to defend, rather than escaping like a homeless dog, being ridiculed by Li Zicheng and other rebel leaders, it's better to die early.

  As for fleeing to Shanxi, on the one hand, he knew that Li Zicheng had already sent Liu Fangliang to Shanxi, preparing to advance straight to Hebei and True North, cutting off the Emperor's road back south... This was a very obvious strategy, if it were him, he would do the same. So he didn't think Shanxi was safe, nor did he think that after repeated defeats, the Emperor would pardon him!

  The emperor's anger is intense and urgent, Sun Chuanting has already had a premonition, last time he narrowly escaped with his life due to the intercession of his mentor, coupled with being a great meritorious minister, this time, if an imperial envoy were to arrive, it would be an imperial edict ordering his execution on the spot.

  What's wrong with taking one's own life?

  At this time, there was only one lamp in the house, like a bean. Sun Chuanting drove all his personal soldiers away and didn't want any servants to serve him. He sat in front of his desk, just pondering over his poem draft.

  He had made up his mind that when the city fell, he would take his own life in this courtyard, and although a scholar, he would die with heroic courage like a man.

  If I can still compose a poem before I die and it is passed down for thousands of years, then I will not have lived in vain.

  Just then, the Northern Gate General rushed over, without waiting for the report, and burst in. He entered the room, bowed to Sun Chuanting who was stunned, and said: "Director Sun, a messenger has arrived from outside the city, from Beijing, with an urgent letter of 600 miles, covering a distance of 2,640 miles in four days... He wants to hand it over to you in person, please instruct whether to see him or not?"

  "Is it the Ministry of War?"

  "He didn't say anything."

  "Nonsense!" Sun Chuanting waved his hand and said, "Let the supervisor take a look. Regardless of whether it's an imperial edict or a departmental document, just follow the procedures."

  At this point, he didn't expect Chongzhen to have any good solutions either. No soldiers, no pay, even gods can't help. Especially in the past few days, an imperial edict came down, and unexpectedly appointed Bai Guang'en, that fleeing general, as the commander-in-chief of the relief army, ordering him to bring 30,000 frontier troops for reinforcement... This is simply a joke. With such an edict, the Emperor must be desperately trying anything.

  What's the point of seeing each other then?

  "This...," the general hesitated for a moment, then continued: "Looking at this person's appearance, he is not an ordinary person... Ah, yes, he is also wearing the uniform of a sixth-grade military officer, and is a military officer from the capital."

  "Could it be so?" Sun Chuanting's eyes also showed a skeptical light, and after a pause, he finally nodded: "Since that's the case, call him in to ask." Watching the general turn around and leave, he let out a long sigh again, thinking to himself: "How foolish, such an unnecessary move... Alas, I still have thoughts of escaping with my life. No, no, absolutely not! My master's lifelong work will be ruined by two words - fear of death. I absolutely cannot do that!"