Chapter Thirty-Seven: Glorious Indeed! The Earl of Loyalty and Valor (Part Two)

"The people do not fear death, so why threaten them with it? Although I, this Earl, have never received a single day's salary from the Great Ming, I would not hesitate to die for my country. To live on in this world—with the bonds between sovereign and subject, father and son, husband and wife all severed, and the five constant virtues in ruins—is that even a human life?"

"Quickly! Stop him from speaking! Drag him away! Drag him away!" Wu Sangui roared like a wounded beast. His soldiers swarmed forward, ready to haul Gu Zhenhua away.

"No need to lay your hands on me! I can walk myself!"

Gu Zhenhua shook his shoulders, casting them off, and strode out of the central command tent without a moment's hesitation. No sooner had he stepped outside than a crash echoed from within, followed by the clatter and smash of objects being thrown.

Wu Sangui had clearly been provoked.

He had done all he could; whether Wu Sangui would make up his mind now was a matter of fate. Thinking this, Gu Zhenhua felt a sense of calm. Perhaps coming to this era was merely a dream, and perhaps, upon waking, it would all be over.

"Brother, do you have any wine?"

"Wine?" The executioner was stunned. What kind of person was this? The Commander had never been so furious, yet this man was thinking of wine while waiting for death!

The executioner kept a stern face and remained silent. Gu Zhenhua searched his robes—drat! He had no money. After a moment's thought, he reached into his boot and pulled out a dagger.

"Brother, this dagger is a true treasure; it can cut through iron like mud. I won't be needing it anymore; trade it for a jar of wine. You wouldn't be losing out on that deal, would you?"

Just as the executioner hesitated, a flurry of footsteps approached. A young officer arrived holding a jar of wine. It was Yue Polu.

"Earl Gu, to remain so composed in the face of death—I admire you. Consider this jar my tribute to you. My mother told me since I was small to be a loyal subject and a filial son, though I fear I shall never manage that in this life."

"Everyone fears death; it is just that there are things in this world more terrifying than death," Gu Zhenhua said with a bitter smile. "You were the one who brought me to this camp; it is a stroke of fate. Join me in a cup of parting wine."

"Alas!" Yue Polu hurriedly tore off the seal and prepared to pour it into a bowl, but Gu Zhenhua snatched the jar away, tilted his head back, and poured the contents straight into his mouth.

Accustomed to the strong spirits of the future, the wine of this era was nothing to him. Gu Zhenhua drank like a whale, downing two or three bowls' worth before handing the jar to Yue Polu.

"Earl Gu has a fine capacity for drink! Though military law forbids it, I shall risk my life to keep you company!" Yue Polu said, grabbing the jar and drinking deeply.

While Gu Zhenhua drank outside, the tent was in an uproar. In truth, the Guanning Army was deeply divided over whether to surrender to Li Zicheng, and in the eyes of these proud and fierce generals, Li Zicheng was held in contempt.

However, like Wu Sangui, many had their families in the capital, and Liaodong could not sustain the consumption of tens of thousands of troops, forcing Wu Sangui to choose surrender.

Yet, the appearance of Gu Zhenhua had shaken the Guanning Army, causing those loyal to the Ming to waver once more. Gu Zhenhua’s final words had struck at Wu Sangui’s greatest pain: his father, Wu Xiang, was being tortured, and his beloved Chen Yuanyuan had fallen into the hands of Liu Zongmin. A hero like Wu Sangui was now being forced to endure the humiliation of a cuckold—it was simply too much to bear!

Watching Wu Sangui smash the contents of the tent, Gao Di, the General of Shanhai Pass, finally spoke: "Changbo, do not be angry. I think this man surnamed Gu is merely fear-mongering. He even said he was just a minor soldier; what could he possibly know? Just kill such a madman and be done with it. Do not give him another thought."

"I disagree," Li Yutian interjected hurriedly. "Gu Zhenhua was able to bring the Crown Prince out of the capital; he is no ordinary man. Just now, his demeanor was composed, and he is clearly loyal to the Great Ming—such a man deserves to be called a man of honor. In my view, we should not kill him, but interrogate him thoroughly to see what has happened in the capital. To see if our families are safe!"

As he spoke, Li Yutian glanced at Wu Sangui, seeing the Earl of Pingxi’s face flushed red, still gasping for breath. As the Governor of Liaodong, Li Yutian knew well that Wu Sangui’s affection for Chen Yuanyuan was genuine; only recently had he spoken of bringing his beauty to Shanhai Pass. If what Gu Zhenhua said was true—that Liu Zongmin had snatched her away—then there was indeed trouble.

Gao Di waved his hand. "Governor Li, what 'Crown Prince'? I suspect it is all a fraud. In these chaotic times, there are all sorts of monsters. Holding a piece of rag and claiming it is an imperial edict—it is absolute nonsense..."

"The imperial edict is genuine!"

Wu Sangui suddenly spoke up. "I have already examined it. The edict is authentic, and the seal retrieved from Gu Zhenhua is also real!"

"Commander, if it is genuine, then this man must not be killed," Vice General Chen Kun urged. "With an edict, a seal, and the Crown Prince, if Li Zicheng is truly pushing us too far, we should assist the Crown Prince to ascend the throne and issue a decree to punish the rebels!"

"Exactly," several other generals stepped forward. "Li Zicheng has gathered many powerful generals; there will be no place for us if we go there, and sooner or later, we will be eliminated as a threat. It would be better to continue protecting the Ming. If the dynasty is restored, that would be an achievement for the ages, and we could earn hereditary titles."

Hearing the arguments of his subordinates, Wu Sangui felt increasingly restless and unable to make a decision.

*Slap!*

"All of you, shut your mouths! Let me have a moment of peace!"

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and a soldier ran in hurriedly: "Reporting to the Commander, the Shun King has sent an envoy to meet with you."

An envoy! Wu Sangui’s brow furrowed. After a long silence, he stood up abruptly and said to the others, "Quickly, follow me to welcome the envoy."

Seeing Wu Sangui’s attitude, the others understood: he had decided to submit to Li Zicheng after all. Not daring to say more, they followed him to the camp gates.

The atmosphere at the gates was strange. Gu Zhenhua had been brought out for execution, but Wu Sangui had delayed the order. Gu Zhenhua and Yue Polu had finished the jar of wine, and Gu Zhenhua, reeking of alcohol, was chatting and laughing with the guards.

"Brothers, I know you of the Guanning Army have defended the frontier, fighting the Tatars until the skies turned dark. I, too, have a heart to join the frontier troops and serve my country. In truth, what does it matter? Whether it is the Great Ming or the Great Shun, it is the land of the Han people. Whoever sits on the throne—aside from those in power—the people below remain the same. The farmers still pay taxes, and the soldiers still fight. If a man wants to build a legacy, he should slaughter the foreign invaders! Like Wei Qing or Huo Qubing, roaming the battlefields—you are all good men!"

"Earl Gu speaks well," Yue Polu said, his tongue thick with drink. "My mother named me 'Polu' [Destroyer of Barbarians] because my father died at the hands of the old tribal chieftain Nurhaci. She wanted me to avenge him!"

The two drunks shouted loudly, and the surrounding soldiers listened intently. For decades, since the Tianqi era, Liaodong had seen nothing but slaughter. The Guanning Army had been on the front lines; how many comrades had fallen, how many brothers had sacrificed their lives? Many had seen generations give their lives to the battlefield.

Regardless of who Gu Zhenhua was, he was at least a Loyal and Brave Earl. His words warmed the hearts of those present. The executioner’s eyes grew red, and he muttered, "Earl Gu, I have no power to let you go, but when the time comes, I swear I will not let you suffer."

At that moment, Li Zicheng’s envoys arrived and witnessed the scene. The two men were named Li Jia and Chen Yi—names that sounded like cannon fodder.

Li Jia sneered as he looked at Gu Zhenhua. "Boy, who are you? Why do they call you 'Earl'? Do you actually hold a title?"

"Hmph, I am the Loyal and Brave Earl of the Great Ming. Did Li Zicheng send two lowly rats like you to persuade Wu Sangui to surrender? It seems Li Zicheng is a fool who does not understand the importance of the Guanning Army. I fear the Great Shun’s reign will not last long."

"You brat, you dare curse the Shun King? I will kill you!"

"Envoy, I apologize for the delay in greeting you," Wu Sangui said as he approached with his men. Li Jia turned away in anger and forced a smile at Wu Sangui. "Commander Wu, His Majesty misses you dearly and hopes you will enter the capital soon. High office and great rewards await you!"

"I am entirely beholden to the grace of the Shun King," Wu Sangui replied.

Chen Yi suddenly interjected, "Commander Wu, since you are grateful for His Majesty's grace, there is a madman here who has spoken insolently. Should he not be beheaded as a warning to others?"

Chen Yi pointed his finger at Gu Zhenhua. Wu Sangui froze, then hurriedly said, "Did you hear the envoy's order? Why haven't you carried out the execution?"

Gu Zhenhua had hoped that by speaking out, Wu Sangui would break with Li Zicheng. But looking at him now, it was clear Wu Sangui did not believe him—perhaps information was not flowing, or perhaps Wu Sangui had not yet received the news. Regardless, his head was about to roll.

At the true moment of life and death, Gu Zhenhua became strangely calm. He would make one last gamble!

Gu Zhenhua suddenly threw his head back and laughed. "I never expected to die at the hands of two rats! Take my head to Liu Zongmin and Li Yan; perhaps you will receive a handsome reward."

"Boy, is your head really worth that much?"

"Hmph, I had fewer than three hundred men, yet I fought my way out of Beijing. I wounded Li Guo, nearly killed Gao Yigong, and shot off half of Liu Zongmin's ear with a single arrow. I set an ambush at Xiaowang Village and wiped out a thousand of Li Yan's cavalry; if not for his capable wife, he would have died by my hand. If I had three thousand elite troops, I would dare to stir the world. With ten thousand, I would sweep away the rebel thieves! A man born between heaven and earth—how can he bow his head in submission?"

Gu Zhenhua’s words were stirring and passionate. The generals present had not expected this 'Earl Gu' to have such brilliant military achievements; listening to him made their blood boil.

Magnificent!

What a true Loyal and Brave Earl of the Ming!

Yue Polu and the others stared with admiration. Of course, these words were meant for Wu Sangui, but he remained expressionless, saying nothing.

Li Jia suddenly laughed. "Boy, hearing you say that, I actually want to take you back to the capital and deal with you properly!"

Before he could finish, another horse came charging toward the camp gate like a mad beast. The rider shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Young Master! Disaster! The Master has been captured!"