Chapter 155: Drag Him Out and Behead Him in the Street-Iron-Blooded Ming Dynasty(The Lonely Swordsman)

Datong, Drunken Return Tower.

The Later Jin invaders had been defeated, the roving bandits had retreated back to Shaanxi, and the Defense of Datong had come to a victorious end.

Prince Dai, Zhu Chuanqi, had booked all the VIP tables on the third floor of the Drunken Return Tower, hosting a grand banquet for the civil and military officials of the Datong Garrison, including Wang Pu, Zhang Zi'an, Wei Daben, Zhao Liujin, Chen Wei, Li Fu, Yang Lin, and Zhao Yang.

"Gentlemen," Zhu Chuanqi said, patting his protruding belly as he scanned the crowd and spoke in a ringing voice, "During this defense of Datong, General Wang faced danger without a tremor, commanding with absolute composure. He led the soldiers and people of Datong to drive back the Later Jin in one fell swoop, slaying over seventy thousand of the enemy and seizing countless spoils. This is truly the greatest victory our Great Ming has seen since the Liaoning campaign began. Come, let us all raise a cup to General Wang."

Zhang Zi'an, Wei Daben, Zhao Liujin, and the others all rose to their feet in unison, raising their cups in a toast directed across the room at Wang Pu.

"I dare not accept such praise," Wang Pu said, rising with his cup and speaking in a calm tone. "The victory in the defense of Datong was not achieved by Wang Pu alone. It was the result of the soldiers and people of Datong uniting as one and fighting fiercely against the enemy. Of course, His Highness and Eunuch Zhang opening their treasuries and offering up their personal fortunes and grain to reward the three armies also deserve the utmost credit."

"Bottoms up!"

Wang Pu and Zhu Chuanqi clinked their cups together heavily, raised them in a toast to the room, and drained them in a single gulp.

"General Wang," Chen Wei, the Garrison Commander of Gaoshan, walked up to Wang Pu holding his wine cup and smiled faintly. "Your subordinate offers you this cup. Once I finish this drink, I have something to say."

Wang Pu replied indifferently, "Speak your mind first. There will be plenty of time to drink afterward."

"Good, straightforward!" Chen Wei freed his right hand, gave a thumbs-up, and said loudly, "General Wang, the Great Ming dynasty has established garrisons with stationed troops in all two capitals and thirteen provinces to protect the localities—this is the regulation laid down by the founding Emperor Hongwu, and it has been nearly three hundred years. Without an imperial edict from His Majesty or an official dispatch from the Ministry of War, how can you simply dissolve and restructure the garrison fortresses of the Datong Garrison just because you feel like it?"

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," Wang Pu said calmly. "As the Garrison Commander of this region and the highest military authority locally, I naturally have the power to do so!"

Chen Wei said, "Does General Wang mean to say that you have no need for His Majesty's edict or the Ministry of War's official dispatches?"

Wang Pu chuckled coldly and retorted, "I already said. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures; there is no need to follow rigid rules in everything."

Chen Wei said, "Then I must ask you this: does this Datong belong to you, General Wang, or to His Majesty?"

"Naturally, it belongs to His Majesty." Wang Pu paused for a moment, then abruptly turned the question back on him, "And this commander would like to ask Garrison Commander Chen in return: whose Majesty is His Majesty, exactly?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Wei answered, "Naturally, he is the sovereign of all the people under heaven."

"Well said," Wang Pu declared. "His Majesty is the sovereign of all the people under heaven, and His Majesty is our sovereign and father. As a sovereign and father, how could he not cherish his subjects? The Sage Mencius also said that the people are of the supreme importance, the altars of grain and soil come next, and the ruler is of the least importance. From this, it can be seen that as long as something is beneficial to the people of Datong, this commander has every right to act boldly, and His Majesty will give his full support!"

Hearing this, Wei Daben could not help but nod gently. Although Wang Pu's methods somewhat exceeded his authority, the logic was indeed sound.

Chen Wei said coldly, "General Wang, if, as you claim, dissolving the garrisons is done out of consideration for the people of Datong, then I must ask you another question: if bandits or wandering rebels stir up trouble, or if the Mongols and the Later Jin breach the passes and invade, whom will you rely on to protect the people of Datong? Can you call this acting for the benefit of the people of Datong?"

"Hmph hmph, protecting the people?" Wang Pu said coldly, "Do you really think that the mob of worthless cowards under your command are fit to speak of protecting the people? In the battle of A’enhai, more than ten thousand of you faced three thousand Mongol cavalry, and the moment they charged, your entire force collapsed. Not long ago, when you were assigned to escort grain and fodder—also numbering over ten thousand men—you broke and ran the moment four thousand Later Jin troops made a single charge. Are such worthless, brittle armies fit to talk about protecting the people? What can you do besides burning, killing, looting, and plaguing the common folk? What can you do besides oppressing military households and ruthlessly exploiting them? You scum, human refuse, worse even than the roving bandits—how do you have the gall to clamor before this commander? Have you grown tired of living?"

"Crack!"

Zhao Liujin stood up abruptly, smashed the wine cup in his hand hard onto the floor, and roared in a stern voice, "Men!"

Amidst the sound of hurried footsteps, a squad of government soldiers poured tumultuously onto the third floor, swiftly blocking the doors, windows, and stairwells, surrounding everyone present.

"Hahaha!" Chen Wei threw his head back and laughed aloud three times. When he lowered his head, murderous intent was already gleaming in his eyes. He looked straight at Wang Pu and said word by word, "Wang Pu, it is not this subordinate who has grown tired of living, but you! Do you know? Today's banquet was a Hongmen Banquet set up by the Prince. Wang Pu, you are a dead man!"

"Your Highness." Wang Pu shifted his gaze to Zhu Chuanqi and asked with a chilling, gloomy tone, "Is this true?"

"Cough..." Zhu Chuanqi gave two dry coughs, stood up, and said to Wang Pu, "General Wang, you arbitrarily dissolved the local garrisons without either an imperial edict or a dispatch from the Ministry of War. This indeed violates the regulations of the imperial court. Although I am a prince of the blood and forbidden from interfering in local military and political affairs, I nevertheless have a responsibility to uphold the dignity of the imperial house. I will never sit idly by while someone shows contempt for His Majesty. However, you need not worry; I will not kill you. I merely intend to escort you to the capital and hand you over to His Majesty for punishment."

"Uh... this!" Wei Daben stood up in utter shock, stammering, "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?"

Zhang Zi'an was likewise kept completely in the dark. He stood up and stammered, "Your Highness, doing this might be somewhat improper, wouldn't it?"

"What is improper about it?" Chen Wei said harshly, "Wang Pu flouts the law and shows contempt for imperial authority. Putting him to death is no more than he deserves!"

"That's right, kill him!"

"Kill him!"

Li Fu, the Garrison Commander of Yanghe, Yang Lin, the Garrison Commander of Tiancheng, and Zhao Yang, the Garrison Commander of Andong Central Garrison, chimed in with a clamor.

Chen Wei turned his gaze to Zhao Liujin and said sharply, "Deputy Garrison Commander Zhao, what are you waiting for? Do it!"

Zhao Liujin's gaze hardened as he shouted loudly, "Come forth!"

"Present!"

Dozens of government soldiers surrounding the circle stepped forward in unison, roaring their response.

"Seize these four traitors: Chen Wei, Li Fu, Yang Lin, and Zhao Yang!"

"Yes!"

***

Dozens of government soldiers roared their assent, swiftly rushing forward to pin Chen Wei and the other three to the ground. This sudden blow was fiercely executed; Chen Wei, Li Fu, Yang Lin, and Zhao Yang were left completely dumbfounded. Zhu Chuanqi was also struck speechless, staring at Zhao Liujin in sheer disbelief as he stammered, "Deputy Garrison Commander Zhao... What is the meaning of this... What are you..."

"Deputy Garrison Commander Zhao, have you grown tired of living!?" Imperial Secretary Wang, who was seated next to Zhu Chuanqi, stood up abruptly and shouted sternly, "How dare you betray the Prince? Do not forget that there are three hundred elite assassins belonging to the Prince lying in ambush downstairs. The moment the Prince gives the order, neither you nor Wang Pu will survive!"

"Hehe," Zhao Liujin gave a grim laugh, pointed a finger at Imperial Secretary Wang, and shouted once more, "Men, seize this dog-headed fool as well!"

"Yes!"

Two government soldiers acknowledged the order and pounced like tigers or wolves, pinning Imperial Secretary Wang to the ground. Struggling in vain, Imperial Secretary Wang turned his head frantically toward Zhu Chuanqi and cried out piteously, "Your Highness, save me, save me..."

Zhu Chuanqi opened his mouth to shout a command to stop them, but the moment his eyes met Wang Pu's ice-cold gaze, he forced the words right back down into his stomach. He truly believed it this time: this Wang Pu was someone who feared neither heaven nor earth—no, he was someone who dared to pierce a hole straight through the sky. If this fellow chose to throw his weight around, hacking him, Zhu Chuanqi, to pieces with a single slash was well within the realm of possibility.

They say the stubborn fear the fierce, and the fierce fear the reckless. As a prince of the blood, Zhu Chuanqi was accustomed to walking sideways through Datong, but encountering someone as lawless and fearless as Wang Pu this time genuinely made his heart quail. In front of Wang Pu, Zhu Chuanqi could not put on even a shred of a prince's majesty.

"Your Highness, you gathered a faction of rebels including Chen Wei and Li Fu with the plot to murder the commander of this region, which has already violated the penal code forbidding princes of the blood from interfering in local military and political affairs!" Wang Pu offered a dark, shadowy smile, then shifted his gaze to Zhang Zi'an and asked, "Eunuch Zhang, if a prince of the blood violates the statute forbidding interference in local military and political affairs, how should he be punished?"

"At the very least, confinement; at the worst, the stripping of his princedom..." Zhang Zi'an paused for a brief moment before hurriedly explaining, "However, this must be reported to the capital, adjudicated by the Imperial Clan Court, and then carried out by imperial edict from His Majesty."

"Given these troubled times of war, reporting it to the capital is quite unnecessary," Wang Pu said coldly. "Zhao Liujin, take your men right now and escort His Highness back to his residence. Furthermore, seal off the front, back, and side gates of the Prince's estate with brick and mortar, post troops to guard them strictly, and do not allow anyone to enter or exit. As for the daily necessities required by the Prince's household, the Datong prefectural government will dispatch people to supply them."

"Yes!"

Wei Daben and Zhao Liujin replied in unison. Once that was done, Zhao Liujin bowed formally to Zhu Chuanqi and said, "Your Highness, please."

Zhao Liujin had figured it out: although Wang Pu had not yet openly raised the banner of rebellion, everything he was doing was essentially indistinguishable from treason. Wang Pu was currently the local emperor of Datong; he had money, guns, and a brave, battle-tested, invincible elite army. To oppose him was simply courting death!

After Zhao Liujin had escorted Zhu Chuanqi away, Zhang Zi'an turned to Wang Pu and said, "Lord Son-in-law, isn't doing this a bit improper?"

"I have already said, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. All of this is done for the sake of the people of Datong, and to properly guard Datong for His Majesty." Wang Pu let out a long breath and suddenly dropped a remark that seemed entirely disconnected from the previous topic, "Of course, Eunuch Zhang, you may report this matter truthfully to the inner court. If His Majesty wishes to place blame, this commander will take full responsibility."

Zhang Zi'an rolled his eyes and had nothing more to say.

Wei Daben was still a decent official, but he was also a smooth and worldly man. Since Wang Pu had already put it in such terms, what else was there for him to say? Besides, even Zhu Chuanqi had been placed under house arrest, and Zhang Zi'an's words carried no weight. Even if a humble prefect like him had the heart to intervene, how could he possibly do so?

As long as Wang Pu did not rebel, and as long as Wang Pu did not make things difficult for the common people of Datong, Wei Daben had no desire whatsoever to cross swords with him.

Wang Pu's gaze suddenly shifted toward Wei Daben, and he smiled faintly, "Prefect Wei."

Wei Daben hurriedly cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Your subordinate is here."

Wang Pu said, "The surveying and allocation of the dry and irrigated lands belonging to the various garrison fortresses will have to trouble you."

Wei Daben replied, "This falls entirely within the scope of your subordinate's duties; your subordinate will naturally give it his utmost effort."

"Haha!" Wang Pu laughed heartily twice and seated himself once more, saying, "Those who deserved to be killed have been killed, and those who deserved to be arrested have been arrested. But this banquet must not go to waste. Come, Eunuch Zhang, Prefect Wei, let us continue drinking."

***

Beijing, the Forbidden City.

Between the Hall of Establishing Governance and the Palace of Heavenly Purity, there was a gateway known as the Cloud Terrace Gate—this was the famous Platform. The emperors of the Great Ming dynasty had long maintained the institutional practice of summoning ministers to the Platform to consult on matters of state strategy. The Chongzhen Emperor had twice summoned Yuan Chonghuan here. It was right here that Yuan Chonghuan had uttered his grand boast that he could "pacify Liaoning in five years."

At that time, the Chongzhen Emperor had just ascended the throne, merely an eighteen-year-old youth. Upon hearing such a bold promise, his blood had surged with passion, and he immediately appointed Yuan Chonghuan as the Grand Coordinator of Jizhou and Liaoning, concurrently conferring upon him the rank of Minister of War, along with the bestowal of a Shangfang Sword granting him the supreme authority of executing criminals before seeking imperial approval and the power of life and death over local officials within his jurisdiction.

Pity that this scholar, Yuan Chonghuan, ultimately failed to pacify Liaoning within five years; instead, he took matters into his own hands and executed Mao Wenlong, the Garrison Commander of Dongjiang. Freed from any worries in his rear, the Later Jin ruler broke through the passes the following year. Lacking military command capabilities, Yuan Chonghuan committed a string of tactical errors that led the Later Jin army to march straight toward the capital region. This caused a massive shock to both the young Chongzhen Emperor and the citizens of the capital, and ultimately brought about Yuan Chonghuan's own doom.

Fairly judged, Yuan Chonghuan was a feudal literatus deeply imbued with Confucian Neo-Confucianism, and the ideology of loyalty to the ruler was deeply rooted in his mind. It was impossible that he would choose not to be a proper minister of the Great Ming, but instead willingly submit to the Later Jin as a lackey. Nor was Yuan Chonghuan a warlord who hoarded troops for self-preservation; had he truly desired to be a warlord guarding troops for his own ends, it would not have been so easy for the Chongzhen Emperor to have him executed, nor would he have tried to persuade Zu Dashou to turn back and rescue the capital while sitting in prison.

Yuan Chonghuan could be considered a loyal minister with both courage and insight; his tragedy lay in the fact that he only possessed the capacity to carry a burden of a hundred catties, yet overreached himself to shoulder a thousand catties, ultimately being crushed by the weight. The reason he has been touted by certain so-called "historians" as a national hero of supreme benevolence, wisdom, courage, and integrity is essentially because his end was too tragic and invited the deepest sympathy—nothing more.

The Chongzhen Emperor was once again summoning his ministers to the Platform, and this time it was Sun Chuantang.

Looking at Sun Chuanting seated before him, the Chongzhen Emperor felt a complex mix of emotions. On one hand, he hoped Sun Chuanting could turn the tide and drive back the Later Jin forces outside the walls of Beijing; yet on the other hand, if Sun Chuanting truly succeeded in repelling the Later Jin, wouldn't that mean the Chongzhen Emperor had been wrong to support Yang Sichang while throwing Sun Chuanting into prison back then?

The Chongzhen Emperor asked, "Official Sun, three hundred thousand Later Jin troops have gathered outside the walls of Beijing, and the situation is as perilous as a pile of eggs. I wonder if you have any brilliant strategy to shatter the enemy?"

Sun Chuanting replied with absolute confidence, "Your Majesty, although the Later Jin boast of having three hundred thousand men, this subject believes they number no more than one hundred thousand. If the Later Jin merely wish to plunder the Central Plains as they did during their previous two border breaches, this subject might not be able to do much to stop them. But if the Later Jin are foolish enough to attempt a direct assault on Beijing, this subject has a tenfold certainty of making them return in ignominious defeat!"

Ni Yuanlu, the Senior Vice Minister of War, asked, "How can Lord Sun be so certain that the Later Jin number no more than one hundred thousand?"

Sun Chuanting answered, "The Later Jin are merely a wild tribe from Liaoning with a population of little more than two hundred thousand. Coupled with years of continuous warfare, the able-bodied men within their tribes number at most fifty to sixty thousand. Adding the so-called Han Eight Banners and Mongol Eight Banners, their total strength amounts to no more than one hundred and fifty or sixty thousand. In the battle of Datong, General Wang beheaded over forty thousand of the enemy. From this, it can be deduced that the Later Jin forces outside Beijing number at most around one hundred thousand."

The assembled officials nodded repeatedly. Sun Chuanting's explanation sounded reasoned and well-supported, or at least it sounded quite plausible.

The Chongzhen Emperor said, "Even if the Later Jin only number one hundred thousand, that is still no trivial matter. You haven't yet spoken of your strategy to drive them back."

Sun Chuanting said, "My strategy for repelling the enemy is very simple: all commoners, livestock, and grain within the prefectures and counties of the capital region are to be evacuated into the city walls without exception, maintaining deep trenches and high ramparts while refusing to give battle! Once the weather warms up and the Later Jin exhaust their grain and fodder, their forces will be forced to retreat completely without us having to fight."

Chen Xinjia asked, "What if the Later Jin launch a direct assault?"

Sun Chuanting said, "If the Later Jin dare to launch a direct assault, they are simply courting their own death. The two hundred red-coated cannons atop the city walls of Beijing are not there for show."

Zhou Yanru asked, "What should be done if the Later Jin emulate the Datong campaign and tunnel underground to blow up the city?"

Sun Chuanting said, "The reason the Later Jin were able to blast open the walls of Datong was because the defenders there lacked prior preparation. For the defense of Beijing, we can make preparations in advance; how could we ever let the Later Jin succeed? To take a step back, even if the Later Jin somehow managed to blast a breach in the wall, what of it? As long as the red-coated cannons are defending it, the Later Jin still will not be able to enter the city!"

After listening to Sun Chuanting's comprehensive analysis, the Chongzhen Emperor and the ministers finally set their minds at ease.

The Chongzhen Emperor's thoughts quickly turned to long-term national policies after the Later Jin retreated, and he asked further, "Official Sun, after the Later Jin retreat, what should be done next?"

Sun Chuanting collected his thoughts and spoke with a solemn expression, "Your Majesty, this subject believes that the most urgent priority is to restore the New Policies of the Wanli Era. Only by restoring the Wanli New Policies will the imperial treasury become full, and only when the treasury is full will there be sufficient funds and grain to drill and organize a new army, making it possible to pacify the Liaoning situation and exterminate the roving bandits."

The so-called New Policies of the Wanli Era referred to a series of reforms led by Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng during the Wanli reign. These reforms included rectifying the civil administration, implementing the evaluation system, surveying land, clearing out concealed private estates held by imperial relatives and aristocratic or scholarly gentry, and implementing the Single Whip Method of taxation which levied taxes based on acreage.

Since the founding of the Great Ming, imperial relatives had been exempt from paying land taxes, and scholarly gentry who had passed the district examinations—regardless of whether they had passed provincial exams or held official posts—were likewise exempt from paying land taxes on their landholdings. By the time of the Chongzhen reign, the Great Ming dynasty possessed over two hundred thousand imperial relatives and nearly one million scholarly gentry.

A simple calculation could be made: if each imperial relative owned an average of one thousand mu of land estates, more than two hundred thousand imperial relatives would hold two hundred million mu of estates; if each scholarly gentry owned an average of one hundred mu of estates, one million scholarly gentry would hold one hundred million mu. Added together, this came to three hundred million mu of land estates, whereas the total arable land across the entire Great Ming dynasty amounted to only a little over eight hundred million mu.

These two massive privileged groups monopolized vast quantities of land throughout the nation, causing massive drains on the tax revenues of the imperial treasury!

After the Wanli era, natural disasters struck the Great Ming incessantly, accompanied by continuous military conflicts, leading to an empty imperial treasury and expenditures far exceeding income. The court needed to wage war against the Later Jin and suppress the roving bandits at the same time, leaving it with no alternative but to increase taxes. Naturally, the extra tax burdens could only be piled onto the ordinary commoners. At this point, the most absurd phenomenon occurred: in many places, a commoner's hard work for an entire year was not even enough to pay the taxes; they actually lost money just by farming!

Commoners who owned large amounts of land found the burden unbearable and were forced to sell their lands to the privileged groups who were exempt from land taxes, subsequently becoming tenant farmers under them. This was because the share paid to landlords was vastly lower than the taxes owed to the state—farming for the state meant starvation for the peasants, whereas farming for a landlord at least guaranteed a mouthful of rice.

This created a vicious cycle: the privileged groups acquired more and more land, while ordinary commoners owned less and less, leading to a further shrinkage of state treasury revenues and a worsening of the financial situation of the Great Ming. Compelled by necessity, the court had to continue raising taxes, and to pay these taxes, the commoners had to sell even more land...

Repeating this cycle endlessly, by the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, more than half of the land nationwide had fallen into the hands of the two major privileged groups, and the tax base of the Great Ming dynasty had shrunk by nearly three-quarters compared to the early founding period. Operating under such a dreadful financial condition while trying to maintain the operation of a massive bureaucratic apparatus, support nearly two hundred thousand imperial relatives, and wage wars against the Later Jin and roving bandits—if the Chongzhen Emperor hadn't gone bankrupt, it truly would have been a miracle.

Sun Chuanting was not the only one who saw the root of the problem, but no one had ever been willing to bring it up.

It wasn't as though the Chongzhen Emperor had never thought of restoring the Wanli New Policies, but almost no one supported him. Why didn't the ministers support the Chongzhen Emperor? The reason was simple: because these ministers were themselves members of the scholarly gentry. To use a modern term, these people were vested interests; how could they possibly advocate for a revolution against themselves?

Therefore, when Sun Chuanting proposed the restoration of the Wanli New Policies, although the Chongzhen Emperor maintained a poker face on the surface, his heart was deeply stirred. The Chongzhen Emperor had always wanted to restore the Wanli New Policies, but had suffered from a lack of capable men to employ. Now that Sun Chuanting had brought it up, the Chongzhen Emperor finally had a man he could use.

However, the Chongzhen Emperor and Sun Chuanting were soon doused with a bucket of cold water.

"Your Majesty, the New Policies of the Wanli Era must never be implemented; otherwise, it will surely throw the realm into chaos."

"Your Majesty, the Wanli New Policies levy taxes based on acreage, treating imperial relatives and scholarly gentry on the exact same footing as ordinary common folk in the markets—it is utterly disgraceful to refinement and propriety."

"Your Majesty, looking across successive dynasties, scholarly gentry have never paid grain taxes. If our Great Ming dynasty sets such a precedent, won't it chill the hearts of scholars across the realm?"

Ministers led by Zhou Yanru rose in a chorus of opposition, fiercely resisting the "counter-attack and liquidation" of the Wanli New Policies.

The reform policies during the Longqing and Wanli eras were able to be implemented because there was a cadre of visionary and insightful prominent ministers such as Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Zhang Juzheng, and Hai Rui. But what kind of men did the Chongzhen court have? Aside from Sun Chuanting, who was under a cloud of criminal charges, who was truly willing to consider things from the court's perspective and share the Chongzhen Emperor's burdens?

Since the public fury of the privileged class could not be easily offended, the Chongzhen Emperor had no choice but to retreat and settle for second best. He promoted Sun Chuanting to Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, conferred upon him the rank of Junior Vice Minister of War, elevated him to Left Assistant Censor-in-Chief, and appointed him as the Viceroy overseeing the military affairs of five provinces: Shanxi, Shaanxi, the Capital Region, Shandong, and Henan. As for pushing forward the reforms, that would simply have to wait until the Later Jin forces were driven back before he could figure out a way.

Shaanxi, Mizhi.

Liu Zongmin was holding two women he had plundered in his arms, drinking wine inside his tent, when his adopted son and primary confidant, Liu Cheng, suddenly entered the tent to report, "Foster father, Li Yan has left."

Liu Zongmin's expression changed. He pushed the woman in his arms away with a shove and asked in a deep voice, "He really left?"

Liu Cheng said, "He really left."

Liu Zongmin said, "How many troops did he take with him?"

Liu Cheng said, "He only took five hundred cavalry, but..."

"But what?"

"But Li Hu, Li Xuan, and Jing Maoquan all went with Li Yan."

"It's better that those fellows left," Liu Zongmin said. "They weren't of one mind with us anyway; keeping them around would only have gotten in our way. But this Li Yan, leaving just like that—he didn't feel a shred of heartache over more than twenty thousand elite troops and eight thousand cavalry. That breadth of vision, that boldness—I have to hand it to him; this old Liu admires him."