It wasn't clear if the Wokou pirates were simply too weak, but ever since Gu Yan Chen reclaimed Salt City, they hadn't achieved any significant victories. At best, they managed to raid an unfortunate village here and there, and were occasionally met with naval crackdowns that inflicted heavy casualties.
Officials in the imperial court generally believed that Gu Yan Chen's achievements were largely inflated. What success could a mere band of sea robbers achieve? Anyone in his position would thrive, perhaps even more successfully than him. Petitions accusing him of dereliction of duty piled up high.
Mere sea bandits, and yet they hadn't been driven out after two years of fighting. If he wasn't capable, he should retire and stop occupying a position he couldn't fulfill.
At the morning court, censors would bring up this matter time and again. Emperor Chang Wu knew full well that some officials in court were merely jealous of the military achievements in Jiangnan. They were all clamoring to bring Gu Yan Chen down so their own men could take his place.
The most vocal among them were the Empress's faction and the Consort Gui's faction.
Emperor Chang Wu watched the spectacle with a cold eye. After the Consort Gui's faction gained the upper hand, he picked up his brush and decreed that Gu Yan Chen be summoned back to the capital to report on his accomplishments, ostensibly to award him. He also appointed Prince Ning, Situ Jue, to temporarily command and defend Jiangnan.
The imperial decree was delivered by Situ Jue himself. When it was read, Gu Yan Chen had just endured a day and a night of fierce combat at sea. An arrow from a crossbow had pierced his shoulder blade. The military doctor had just removed the arrow, and before he could even apply any medicine, Gu Yan Chen led his men in kneeling to receive the imperial edict.
Fresh from battle, Gu Yan Chen exuded a potent aura of martial prowess, mingled with the strong scent of blood. Situ Jue couldn't help but frown at the sight, but he showed magnanimity towards a meritorious official, excusing his impropriety. After reading the decree, he granted Gu Yan Chen three days for the handover.
This unexpected twist stunned everyone.
Meng Chang Dong and Song Ming's eyes turned crimson. They clenched their fists tightly to restrain themselves from outright defying the edict.
Two quarters of an hour later, Situ Jue arrived at the Prefectural Yamen. All the officers with military ranks gathered in Gu Yan Chen's room. The military doctor was busily bandaging his wounds. Song Ming was the first to break the silence, "Boss, what is the court implying by this?"
Meng Chang Dong closed his eyes. "Do we even need to ask? They're plucking the fruits of labor. Now that the defenses in Jiangnan are fully established and the troops are sufficient, this military merit naturally cannot fall into the hands of someone like Boss, who has no backing."
"Pah! I can't believe His Majesty is so shameless, shamelessly snatching his subjects' accomplishments and giving them to his own son."
"Da Mao, quiet down. You have enough heads to lose for speaking ill of His Majesty?"
Da Mao, whose real name was Mao Peng Yi, wielded two heavy hammers. He was skilled in martial arts but rather simple-minded. He had previously worked as a thug for a gambling house. His employer, seeing his prowess, felt it was a waste to have him merely as a common enforcer and assigned him some secret tasks.
However, this simpleton had his own principles and refused to engage in illegal activities.
To control him, his employer had someone lead him into gambling. When he couldn't repay a debt of two hundred taels, the employer forced him to sign a contract of servitude. If Lu Nian Fu hadn't passed by then, he might have become a deadly weapon for the gambling house owner.
Da Mao grumbled and fell silent, but his face remained full of resentment.
Meng Chang Dong said, "It might not be the Emperor himself. Prince Ning is the son of Consort Gui, neither the legitimate nor the eldest. To seize that position, wouldn't he need some political achievements and military merit? His Majesty is probably being pressured by Consort Gui's faction."
This time, not only Da Mao was stunned, but everyone in the room widened their mouths in disbelief. For those who fought at sea, the world of the capital seemed truly distant.
"No way, can an Emperor be controlled by a mere consort?"
"Court affairs are never that simple. Boss, how do you plan to handle this?"
Gu Yan Chen, who had been silent all along, pulled his clothes closed and said expressionlessly, "The imperial decree has been issued, what else can we do? We'll go back. Being a court official in the capital can't be more arduous than fighting in this damned place. I've accumulated a pile of injuries these past two years, it's a good opportunity to return and recuperate."
Damn it, as if he enjoyed this fighting!
Gu Yan Chen was far more sensible than Situ Jue had anticipated. Within a day, he had packed his belongings, preparing to sneak back home under the cover of night.
However, as soon as he reached the main gate, rows of torches illuminated the dark camp.
The soldiers of the garrison stood in formation, saluting him in unison.
Meng Chang Dong's voice was hoarse. "Boss, this is disloyal. You should at least let your brothers send you off. Sneaking away in the middle of the night like this, anyone would think you've committed a crime and are being arrested."
As he finished speaking, his eyes welled up.
Turning, he saw that a group of resolute men, every one of them, had red eyes, and a few were wiping away tears. His heart warmed. This was why he detested all this melancholy of farewell.
He roared, "Hold back your tears, all of you! I'm returning to the capital to enjoy life, to enjoy life, understand? It's like attending a funeral, no wonder I'd want to sneak away!"
Song Ming handed him a flask of wine. "Boss, the brothers have discussed it. We must send you off with a grand farewell! The quartermaster has already made arrangements. Let's stay one more day and have a drunken farewell tomorrow night."
Gu Yan Chen patted him on the head. "Drunken farewell my foot! The winter military pay hasn't arrived yet. Are you planning to drink yourselves into poverty and then go eat the northwest wind? That Prince Ning is here for a golden opportunity. If anything happens, he'll just pack up and leave, and you'll all starve? This one flask is all I'm having. Now, get back to sleep. Don't think that just because we won today, it's all over. There are still so many Wokou pirates out there waiting for you to kill. And don't slack off on your fighting just because the commander has changed. These Wokou pirates have never been fought for me, Gu Yan Chen, understand?"
The assembled soldiers were stunned for a moment, then their shouts of understanding echoed through the sky. "Understood."