Fight or Not?

Gao Qiqian sighed, straightened up, and asked the generals seated below him, "Have the Night Patrol under your command discovered any signs that the Jurchen army intends to attack tonight?"

The bearded man immediately shook his head. "No, I haven't received any news. The Tartars stopped moving once they reached Changping. Haven't things been peaceful these past few days? Heh heh heh. Is your Governor Lu worrying that the sky will fall? Or is he... scared? Is that why he wants reinforcements? Hahahaha!"

The others understood perfectly what Gao Qiqian was implying. Besides, after hearing that the court was negotiating peace, they were quite happy to stay huddled here, so they eagerly echoed the bearded man's words.

"You-" Chen Guowei was furious, and his right hand slipped involuntarily onto his sword hilt.

"What, you want a fight?" The bearded man slammed down his wine cup. "You think I'm afraid of you?"

The women attending them looked frightened and retreated several steps, huddling together. In an instant, swords were drawn and bows strung within the tent, yet Gao Qiqian seemed unconcerned and continued drinking on his own.

Wang Shi grew anxious. If a fight really broke out, Gao Qiqian would have grounds to punish Chen Guowei, leaving no room to maneuver on Governor Lu's behalf. With that thought, Wang Shi moved a few steps toward Chen Guowei, pressed a hand over the hand gripping his sword hilt, and gently shook his head.

"Chief Supervisor, how about this? I'll send more Night Patrol to investigate. If the reports prove true, we can ask you to make a decision then!" Wang Shi said.

"How long will that take?" Chen Guowei frowned and said quietly to Wang Shi, "Night has already fallen. The fighting may already have begun over there. How many hours will we waste waiting for the Night Patrol to go there and back?"

"This stalemate won't get us anywhere either. At least this gives us a chance!"

While the two were whispering, the tent flap lifted and a man who looked like a general walked in. He wore battle armor, making him utterly unlike the men drinking and making merry inside.

He glanced at Chen Guowei, then addressed Gao Qiqian loudly. "Reporting to the Chief Supervisor! The Night Patrol under my command have learned that Governor Lu's main camp has come under attack by the Tartars. Please give the order to march to his aid!"

"General Li..."

The newcomer was Li Zhongzhen, deputy commander of the central battalion in the Xuan-Da governor's personal command. He was one of Lu Xiangsheng's key generals and had followed him into battle against bandits in the Taihang Mountains and Rebel Bandits in Daming, Guangping, and Shunde. He had once made Gao Yingxiang and Li Zicheng lose their nerve at the mere sound of his name.

His face was dark, and a scar ran from his temple straight to his eyebrow. A fraction farther, and it would have injured his eye.

An arrow had left that scar during a campaign against bandits in Shanxi. Half his face had been dyed red with blood, and one eye was glued shut by the thick blood. He had even thought he would go blind.

Lu Xiangsheng had seen him in that state. Lu Xiangsheng himself was a commander who led from the front, charging ahead of everyone with his Wrought-Iron Broadsword raised. He had immediately taken note of Li Zhongzhen, later entrusting him with important duties and promoting him step by step to deputy commander.

Although Gao Qiqian had transferred Li Zhongzhen here, he had kept a constant watch on both Lu Xiangsheng and the Jurchen after arriving. Thus, when the Jurchen broke camp, he had already received word.

He had been considering how to persuade Gao Qiqian to send troops, only for Chen Guowei to arrive first. While they spoke, Li Zhongzhen had already been waiting outside the tent for a while.

Li Zhongzhen knew perfectly well that Gao Qiqian's talk of investigating was nothing but an excuse. Even if he really sent out the Night Patrol and they returned with reliable intelligence, Gao Qiqian would find some other excuse not to march.

Then he would listen first and see what nonsense Gao Qiqian would use to wriggle out of it.

He waved toward the entrance, and the Night Patrol under his command escorted a Tartar into the tent. "Chief Supervisor, the Night Patrol under my command captured a Tartar mounted scout alive. He can confirm that General Chen's report is true!"

As Gao Qiqian looked at the Tartar kneeling on the ground and trembling, his expression instantly darkened. What sort of men served under Lu Xiangsheng? Were they all in such a hurry to throw their lives away?

He took a breath, glanced at the sky outside, and said, "I understand. We'll break camp at dawn!"

"Dawn?" Chen Guowei almost thought he had heard a joke. "Night has only just fallen. If we wait until dawn, will we be going there to collect corpses?"

"Marching at night is dangerous enough, and it's pouring outside. How do you expect the army to move?"

"An emergency calls for flexibility. How can we cling to rigid rules on campaign?" Chen Guowei retorted.

For a moment, Gao Qiqian could think of nothing to say. He simply slammed the table. "This is my camp, and I am the chief military supervisor! Who are you to speak here? Get out!"

"You-" Chen Guowei could no longer endure it. Even if I have to kill this eunuch who brings disaster upon the country and its people tonight, I'm taking the Heavenly Hero Army with me!

By the time Wang Shi and Li Zhongzhen saw Chen Guowei draw his sword, it was too late to stop him. Worried for Lu Xiangsheng as well, they exchanged a glance and, in unspoken accord, took their places on either side of Chen Guowei, their hands closing around their own sword hilts.

"Mutiny! Mutiny!" Seeing their stance, Gao Qiqian could not help feeling frightened. This was a mutiny! He hurriedly ordered the generals seated below him to act, but they were either too drunk or simply too afraid to draw their swords against the three men.

How could they not know the Heavenly Hero Army's strength? Those men stood there radiating murderous intent. They could never muster such an imposing presence themselves!

The bearded man who had just been talking so tough lost his nerve too. How could he have known that Chen Guowei was such a reckless devil, actually daring to draw his sword in the command tent? He backed up several steps and stood against the tent wall, his right hand clutching a frail woman. If a blade came swinging his way, he apparently intended to shove her into its path to buy himself time to escape.

"Guards! Guards!" Gao Qiqian shouted toward the entrance. Figures surged forward at once, and his personal guards burst inside. Seeing the confrontation, they hurriedly leveled their sword points at the three men.

The atmosphere inside the tent abruptly tightened. Chen Guowei's chest heaved as countless thoughts flashed through his mind. If he could kill Gao Qiqian, he would first lead the Heavenly Hero Army to rescue Governor Lu. Once the fighting was settled, he would never implicate anyone else. He would go and answer for his crime himself.

If he could not kill Gao Qiqian, he would still fight his way back to Governor Lu's side, kill a few more Tartars, and keep the governor safe.

Governor Lu had recognized his worth and given him his chance. Everything he had today was thanks to Governor Lu. Governor Lu...

Wait...

Chen Guowei suddenly remembered something. An object was pressing against his chest. He reached up to touch it. "How did I forget this?"

Under everyone's astonished gaze, Chen Guowei sheathed his sword and reached inside his clothes to take out a wooden box. The little box had been carefully protected. Even though his clothes were soaked, not a single drop of rain had touched it.

Gao Qiqian had already prepared to dodge, but when he saw Chen Guowei suddenly lower his sword and produce a box instead, he pointed at him and demanded, "What is that? What are you trying to do?" Then he turned to the generals. "Quick, he's put his sword away! Get him! Go!"

Wang Shi and Li Zhongzhen were puzzled too. Hadn't Chen Guowei been so angry just moments ago that he could barely control himself? Why had he sheathed his sword just when they were about to act?

Were they fighting or not?

The two turned to look. Chen Guowei was opening the box, and when they saw what lay inside, delight instantly spread across their faces. "You had this! Why did you only bring it out now?"

A smile appeared on Chen Guowei's face, and he smiled apologetically. "I was so frantic, I truly forgot!"