Chapter Fifty-One: Wei Zhi-Jun

  When the Western Gun Team crossed the river to the south, Chen Yu immediately sent someone to cross the river and send intelligence to Chizhou, hoping that Wei Zhi-Jun would assist in suppressing the rebels. After receiving the letter, Wei Zhi-Jun had just gathered his troops when he heard from the city guards that there were people preparing to attack the west gate of the city.

  Wei Zhi-jun heard the news and couldn't help but laugh and cry, thinking to himself: "I haven't even gone to find you yet, and you're already coming to provoke me with your 3,000 or so men." With a single order, the Taiping Army charged out and surrounded the foreign rifle squad.

  At this point, Li Mingfeng was so stupid that he understood that he had fallen into his own trap.

  To fight or surrender, that is the question.

  Many of the Xiang Army and Foreign Arms soldiers under his command had already shown signs of fear, Li Mingfeng was secretly calculating the consequences of going to war, comparing the strengths of both sides.

  At this time, a man stood on the city tower of Chizhou, followed by dozens of generals. It seemed that he was Wei Zhi-jun, the main general of the Right Army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

  "The Qingyao under the city wall, who is the leader, come up and see me!" Wei Zhijun shouted loudly.

  Li Mingfeng's head was sweating profusely, and his heart was filled with hesitation.

  "I have 50,000 elite troops in Chizhou, don't you want to resist to the end? Moreover, from here to Ganxi, there is a thousand-mile journey, all of which are my heavenly kingdom's territory, with countless heavenly soldiers. You, with only a few thousand people, still think you can escape?" Wei Zhi-Jun said.

  After hearing this, Li Mingfeng completely gave up resisting. Since he was going to die either way, he might as well go up to the city tower and try his luck. Looking at Wei Zhi's actions and tone, it seemed that he didn't want to annihilate himself; otherwise, why bother with these words? With a single military order, the foreign gun squad would be wiped out in an instant.

  Li Mingfeng rode out of the formation, and Chen Xinghan and Cai Yiqun beside him wanted to stop him. Li Mingfeng shook his head and said: "It doesn't matter, I see that the Longhairs' actions are not intended to annihilate us, so I'll go up to the city to meet with them."

  Having said that, Li Mingfeng clamped his legs on the horse's belly and rushed forward. When he arrived at the city gate, he dismounted and climbed up to the city wall. Along the way, there were many long-haired men standing guard, holding fire guns and long spears, looking like they were all elite soldiers of the Taiping Army.

  On the city wall, under the flickering torches, a Taiping Army commander in his thirties stood before Li Mingfeng, scrutinizing him carefully.

  "Haha, indeed a hero emerges in his youth. General Chen Yu Cheng, just barely out of his teenage years, was able to surround and kill the first fierce general of the Xiang Army, Li Xu Bin. I thought he was already one of the top figures of today's world. Unexpectedly, this brother is also so young."

  Hearing this, Li Mingfeng secretly rejoiced in his heart. The person opposite him was so high-minded and had no intention of killing him, it seemed that he would be able to escape with his life again.

  "I dare not, I dare not. General Chen is a pillar of the heavenly kingdom, while Mingfeng is just a small leader of a foreign gun squad. In terms of military merit and reputation, the gap between them is as vast as heaven and earth." Li Mingfeng said.

  Wei Zhi-jun made a beckoning gesture and said, "Come on, let's talk inside." With that, Wei Zhi-jun walked straight into the room where the city guards usually rested.

  Li Mingfeng followed behind a dozen Taiping Army leaders and also entered the room. As soon as he entered, the door was closed by someone. Wei Zhiyun gestured for everyone to sit down. This room didn't have many chairs, just seven or eight beds that were used for soldiers on guard duty to take turns resting. Everyone sat down at the edge of the bed.

  Wei Zhi-jun gazed at Li Ming-feng for a moment before opening his mouth to ask: "You dare to attack my city, you must not know who I am, otherwise you wouldn't have done so."

  Li Mingfeng's face turned red, and he awkwardly said: "Uh... I was chased by Chen Yucheng, when I saw the city wall, I thought of taking it down first to get some grain and fodder."

  Wei Zhi-jun and his subordinates burst out laughing, and it wasn't until half a moment later that they regained their composure to say: "Don't mind us, General. We're just laughing because you're being too rash, nothing else."

  Li Mingfeng gestured for him not to worry, and Wei Zhijun then said seriously: "I am Wei Zhijun, the main general of the Right Army of the Heavenly Kingdom."

  "Oh, I'm Li Mingfeng, the captain of the Foreign Gun Squad." Li Mingfeng didn't notice the arrogance in Wei Zhi-Jun's words. Old Li didn't know what kind of official the Right Army Commander was, and seeing Wei Zhi-Jun introduce himself, Li Mingfeng also introduced himself.

  The Taiping Army generals will see Li Mingfeng, who heard Wei Zhijun's name and was still so calm, changed his mind from the contempt he had for him earlier, thinking to himself: "This man single-handedly entered the enemy camp, his bravery is indeed extraordinary."

  Wei Zhijun was stunned for a while before he came back to his senses, and he also felt somewhat embarrassed. He shook his head and said: "I was being presumptuous, please don't mind me, Lord Li."

  Li Mingfeng only then realized that others were showing off their identity, and he didn't cooperate properly, which made the other person a bit embarrassed.

  "I didn't know what to do, so I listened as Wei Zhi-jun continued: 'Since my brother was executed, I've been walking on thin ice. Although I've had many military victories, the Heavenly King has become suspicious of me. If I didn't have control over three-tenths of the Heavenly Kingdom's army, I'm afraid I would have been killed long ago. The imperial court has offered amnesty several times, and although I've long wanted to surrender to the imperial court, I've been bound by circumstances. Now that Chen Yu-cheng and Li Shi-xian are in Jiangbei, it is a good opportunity for me to surrender."

  Li Mingfeng heard this and was like being struck by a petrifying spell, remaining completely still for about five or six minutes before reacting, stuttering: "You're saying you want to... uh... surrender to the imperial court?"

  Wei Zhi-jun asked in puzzlement: "What? The imperial court has offered me amnesty several times, and General Zeng has written to me many times urging me to surrender. This matter is already known by all the Taiping generals, could it be that Lord Li does not know?"

  "I've heard of this matter, but I didn't think General Wei would really surrender. This is beyond my expectation." Li Mingfeng covered up.

  "If we don't surrender soon, who knows when that old scoundrel Hong Xiuquan will get us killed?" said one of Wei Zhi-jun's generals.

  Li Mingfeng was afraid of being exposed, so he carefully considered his words for half a day before asking: "Mingfeng is an old roughneck who only knows how to lead troops and doesn't usually pay much attention to things in the world. He's heard them but then forgotten. I wonder if you gentlemen can tell Mingfeng everything that's happened?"

  Everyone sighed, and you spoke one by one, recounting the events with resentment. After hearing these words, Li Mingfeng only knew that this time he had really walked into a stroke of bad luck, and unexpectedly picked up a huge bargain.