Time flew by, and evening soon drew near.
Dark clouds filled the sky. A storm was coming.
Hangzhou, the governor-general's headquarters.
A large force of government troops rushed along the official road toward the main gate. Seeing Qi Jiguang at their head, the gatekeeper hurriedly sent someone to notify Hu Zongxian, then personally stepped forward to take Qi Jiguang's reins, addressing him as "General."
Qi Jiguang nodded and dismounted. "Is Minister Hu here?"
"In the signing office," the gatekeeper replied respectfully. "Twenty-three guilty officials were executed this afternoon. Zhejiang's officialdom is in turmoil, and His Excellency still has to shoulder all the worry and work."
"..."
Qi Jiguang glanced back at the prisoners in the carts behind him. The capable must do more, he thought. He ordered Ren Jin to put the men in the carts in prison, then entered the headquarters himself to see Hu Zongxian.
"Yuanjing."
As soon as Qi Jiguang entered the room, Hu Zongxian came out from behind his desk and asked gravely, "How goes the battle?"
"Do not worry, Minister."
Qi Jiguang cupped his hands in salute. "Peng Feng, the prefect of Ningbo, conspired with the Wokou and brought twenty thousand of them into the city to burn, kill, and plunder. Civilian casualties exceeded a thousand! Fortunately, Cao Jinxing of the Thirteen Guardians arrived in time with Lu Yi and Yang Xi and turned the tide! All twenty thousand Wokou have now been killed, and their leaders, Matsuura Tadaaki, Mao Haifeng, and the others, have all been captured and imprisoned. The siege of Ninghai has been lifted..."
Hu Zongxian let out a long breath. "A blessing for Ninghai, and for Zhejiang."
"Indeed."
A trace of relief showed on Qi Jiguang's face. He then explained that the Matsuura Domain and the Frankish were backing the Wokou.