Chapter 54: Alarming Words and Sensational Warnings

“How could the Emperor’s retreat be cut off? Impossible!” Eunuch Guo exclaimed in disbelief, refusing to accept Lu Qing’s words as truth.

Song Bangde, Zhou Yunyi, and the others were equally stunned, taken aback by Lu Qing’s assertion.

Lu Qing paid no mind to their shock. He firmly dragged his finger down from the lower right of the character for “few,” circling it, and pronounced three words: “Huailai Garrison!” He slammed his fist onto the circled spot, his tone resolute. “If Ara breaks into Huailai, the imperial entourage’s path back to the capital via Juyong Pass will be severed. One misstep could lead to a disaster!”

“Impossible!”

Eunuch Guo, recovering from his astonishment, flatly rejected Lu Qing’s seemingly outrageous deduction. His face flushed with indignation. “The imperial army numbers nearly two hundred thousand. How many men does Ara have? At most, twenty or thirty thousand. How could they possibly cut off our army’s retreat?”

Lu Qing reminded him, “Have you forgotten about Yesen?”

Eunuch Guo was momentarily taken aback, but insisted, “The Emperor is heading for Datong. Yesen would never be able to stop two hundred thousand troops!”

“At Yanghekou, you witnessed Yesen’s ferocity firsthand.”

“That was different. The imperial army is composed of the elite from the Three Camps, not the border troops. Yesen’s forces number only a few tens of thousands. No matter how fierce they are, how could they withstand a blow from two hundred thousand elite soldiers?”

Eunuch Guo simply could not believe Yesen could defeat the Emperor's personally led army. He was convinced the imperial force would arrive, and Yesen would flee at the first sign.

The defeat at Yanghekou was certainly due to the ferocity of the Tartars, but there were also command errors among the border troops—including a share of responsibility borne by Eunuch Guo himself. Of course, the fewer people knew about his mistakes in that calamity, the better. Had the command been effective, they might not have lost to Yesen, or at worst, wouldn’t have suffered such a rout.

Now, the Emperor was leading the elite of the Three Camps—far superior to the border troops—and with two hundred thousand soldiers advancing in unison, how could Yesen’s forces hope to withstand them? How could two hundred thousand soldiers be defeated by Yesen?

Impossible. Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

Song Bangde and the others also believed that neither Datong’s Yesen nor Xuanfu’s Ara, with their mere twenty or thirty thousand cavalry, could ever defeat the Emperor’s massive force. Thus, without exception, they all sided with Eunuch Guo. Though they did not argue with Lu Qing as vociferously, their expressions made it clear: Lu Qing was being alarmist!

Lu Qing did not wish to quarrel with Eunuch Guo. He analyzed the situation rationally: the possibility of the imperial army suffering a disastrous defeat was minuscule. Yet, it had happened—much to his anguish. Still, he could not possibly reveal the details of the “Tumubao Incident” he knew, nor could he say that Wang Zhen was killed by a hammer, the Emperor was taken prisoner by the Oirat and spent a year drinking the cold winds of the Mongolian Plateau, or that the captive Emperor would return eight years later to reclaim the throne in the Forbidden City.

“If Yesen cannot stop the imperial army, how could Ara cut off our retreat? If he truly occupies Huailai to block our path, would that not be courting death?”

The more Eunuch Guo thought about it, the more convinced he was. He grew increasingly dissatisfied with Lu Qing’s outlandish statements. Had this youngster not saved his life several times, he would likely have rebuked him already.

Unable to refute, yet unwilling to concede, Lu Qing shared a fact he knew. “What if the army runs out of provisions and is forced to retreat?”

Eunuch Guo immediately retorted, “There are seven great granaries in Xuanfu. How could the army possibly run out of food?”

Lu Qing smiled bitterly. “That is precisely why Ara is sending a detachment south. If this Oirat force cuts off the supply routes from the seven granaries to the main army, how could the army not face starvation?”

Lu Qing spoke without much confidence, as if uncertain of his own deduction.

Eunuch Guo waved dismissively. “There is no danger of running out of provisions. Xuanhua is heavily garrisoned. No matter how strong the Oirat are, Yang Hong would never let them cut off the army’s supply lines. If the Oirat truly severed the supply route, everyone in Xuanfu—including Yang Hong himself—would lose their heads.”

He paused, then added, “Perhaps Yang Hong might deceive the Emperor over matters concerning Yang Jun and Zhao Mei, but to sit idly by and let the Tartars cut the army’s provisions—that he would never do. Though I am at odds with him, I trust him on this matter.”

The moment he finished speaking, Lu Qing protested, “But what if you are wrong? What if Yang Hong bears no loyalty to the Emperor?”

Hiss!

At those words, Eunuch Guo, Song Bangde, Zhou Yunyi, and Lin Xiaoqi all turned pale. Song Bangde and his fellows were especially furious. Though Yang Jun had abandoned them, they still revered and admired Marshal Yang Hong. How could they accept Lu Qing’s slander of their commander?

“Nonsense! Yang Hong has served the state loyally, and since the Emperor’s ascension, his family has received unparalleled favor—he is called the pillar of the nation and is deeply devoted to the Emperor! Young man, don’t speak such drivel. If word gets out, whether it reaches the Emperor or Yang Hong, I cannot protect you!”

Eunuch Guo was both shocked and angry. This youngster dared to say anything, without considering who was present. All these officers were Yang Hong’s men; to question their marshal in front of them was courting disaster. Even if these men refrained from confrontation out of gratitude for promised advancement, if such words spread, they would sow discord between the Emperor and his border commanders. Then, if someone exploited it, even Eunuch Guo himself would be implicated.

Foolish, utterly foolish!

Yet, Lu Qing persisted. “In this world, we fear not the one-in-ten-thousand, but the ten-thousandth chance! What if Yang Hong really…”

“Silence!”

Before Lu Qing could finish, Eunuch Guo, enraged, cut him off. “This matter ends here. Do not speak of it again!” He turned and swept his gaze over Song Bangde and the others, face cold. “What was said today stays in your ears and rots in your guts. If I hear any rumors in the future, do not blame me for forgetting old ties.”

“Rest assured, sir, we would never speak of it!”

Song Bangde and the others hurriedly bowed, sincerely vowing not to spread such absurdities. The very thought was laughable.

Seeing Lu Qing about to say more, Eunuch Guo glared at him and ordered, “Go and check on Niu Qing. The matter at Junzibao must be settled quickly. We cannot let Ge Ming and the others cause trouble, nor let those women and children follow us. If it becomes difficult, force them to leave.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lu Qing sighed helplessly, realizing he had said too much. If he persisted, Eunuch Guo might turn against him. He immediately left with his men to find Niu Qing.

After Lu Qing departed, Eunuch Guo saw Song Bangde and the others still watching him. He waved lazily. “You all should rest as well. When dawn comes, you must be ready, whether the Tartars have taken Jinjiazhuang or not. We must travel this road. Wealth is sought in danger; whether you become the Emperor’s personal troops depends not only on your fortune, but on your courage. My life is entirely in your hands now.”

“We swear to protect you to the death!”