Looking at the profile of Wang Fuzhi, the magistrate of Qingfeng, Deng Yue, a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, felt a little emotional.
A seventh-rank county magistrate who is suppressed and has an annual salary of only forty or fifty taels, why would he risk his life?
"Sir," Deng Yue reminded again, "You are the imperial envoy, and we are the Jinyiwei who are responsible for the safety of the imperial envoy. If anything goes wrong with you, we will not survive!"
"Oh," Wang Fuzhi nodded, "In that case, you should come with me to the rebel camp to negotiate for amnesty and resolve doubts!"
"Ah, this?" Deng Yue's face turned black and purple in an instant.
Fortunately, the recruitment was successful.
If they fail, their action will become a collective suicide.
No, we have to change Wang Fuzhi’s mind.
He clasped his fists towards Wang Fuzhi and said, "Please think twice, sir! Your wife is still waiting for you to come back!"
Wang Fuzhi stopped his horse and turned to look at Deng Yue: "If you are afraid, you don't have to follow me."
"Your Excellency has misunderstood!" Deng Yue straightened his chest, "No one in the Zhenfu Division is afraid of death, and those who are afraid of death cannot go to the Zhenfu Division."
"Then get ready and go into the city with me."
"Yes!" Deng Yue suddenly remembered something important after receiving the order, and hurriedly bowed to Wang Fuzhi again: "Sir, here is a letter."
Looking at the letter that Deng Yue took out from his arms, Wang Fuzhi looked confused: "Whose letter is it?"
"Your Excellency will know it at a glance."
Wang Fuzhi took the letter from Deng Yue, opened the envelope and was stunned.
This is Chongzhen’s handwritten letter.
Although there is no signature, the handwriting on it is very clear.
The content of the letter consisted of only twelve words: Tell the rebels that there are three types of unfilial behavior, and the worst is not holding an official position.
“There are three types of unfilial behavior, and the worst is not having an official position?” Wang Fuzhi recited softly.
The others stood around, pretending not to hear.
"Let's go," Wang Fuzhi put away the letter and urged his horse to move forward.
The group soon arrived outside Puzhou City.
Although Li Dingguo's army had not arrived yet, the messenger he sent had already arrived outside Puzhou City and met Wang Fuzhi.
"I am a subordinate of Li Dingguo, the commander-in-chief of Huguang militia. May I ask how the matter of recruiting the envoy is going?" asked the messenger.
"How many days will it take for Li Dingguo to reach Puzhou?" Wang Fuzhi did not answer the messenger's question, but asked directly.
"About four days!" the messenger replied.
"No, it's too slow!" Wang Fuzhi frowned, "Tell him to find a way to reach the outskirts of Puzhou within two days."
The messenger thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps the cavalry can do it, but not the infantry. The rebels have already set up camp, and if we want to break into their camp, we have to rely on the infantry."
"What I want is cavalry!" Wang Fuzhi looked at the rebel camp looming in the distance, "As long as the rebels can see the elite cavalry of the Ming Dynasty, my goal will be achieved."
"I will go back and tell him right away." The messenger whipped his horse and left.
Wang Fuzhi knew it very well.
The prerequisite for recruiting is to make the rebels realize that the government troops are not unable to fight, but do not want to fight, or... cannot bear to fight!
After all, they are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty, and there is no need for the government troops to attack these desperate people.
When they see Li Dingguo's elite cavalry, they will inevitably lose some of their fighting spirit.
This will be very beneficial for the subsequent recruitment.
After deciding on the method of recruiting, Wang Fuzhi led his group to retreat ten miles and temporarily settled down in a village called Zhaomiao Village.
Two days later, Li Dingguo led 5,000 cavalry to Zhaomiao Village.
Li Dingguo rode up to Wang Fuzhi, dismounted and saluted: "Li Dingguo, the commander-in-chief of Huguang militia, greets the Imperial Envoy."
Although Wang Fuzhi was only a seventh-rank imperial envoy, his other identity was an imperial envoy who was ordered to recruit the amnesty.
There is no upper limit to the rank of an imperial envoy, and he meets an official one level higher than the other.
Except for the emperor himself.
So Li Dingguo had to salute first.
"General Li, you have worked hard on your journey!" Wang Fuzhi returned the greeting.
"It's not hard to go to the battlefield in compliance with the emperor's order." Li Dingguo answered very cautiously and happily.
This was the first time he led troops into battle alone after surrendering to the imperial court, so he was extremely cautious, fearing that someone would catch him.
As for his happiness, it was because of Wang Fuzhi's attitude towards him.
The civil officials and military generals of the Ming Dynasty were not in harmony.
Not to mention those generals who surrendered.
Although the states and counties along the way prepared food and fodder, the local officials gave people a condescending attitude when handing over the food and fodder.
This made Li Dingguo very unhappy.
As an imperial envoy, Wang Fuzhi not only did not act superior, but was also very polite.
It was difficult for Li Dingguo not to be happy.
Looking at the somewhat reserved Li Dingguo, Wang Fuzhi smiled and extended his hand to invite him to the house where they were staying.
They both sat down and the door closed.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards were on duty at the door of the house, and Li Dingguo's personal soldiers were guarding the courtyard gate.
Li Dingguo was the first to ask, "How does the Imperial Envoy intend to recruit the amnesty?"
"Simple," Wang Fuzhi pointed in the direction of Puzhou City, "I will personally go to the rebel camp to lobby. If the rebels agree, everyone will be happy! If not, please ask General Li to send troops immediately to lift the siege of Puzhou."
"Lord Wang is going to the rebel camp in person?" Li Dingguo was a little surprised.
Since the rebels dared to rebel, they were ready to die.
When a person is not afraid of death, he can do anything.
Not to mention the imperial envoy of the court, they would dare to kill even the emperor himself.
Wang Fuzhi, a mere scholar, had such courage that Li Dingguo couldn't help but admire him.
"That's right," Wang Fuzhi nodded.
Li Dingguo reminded: "Although most of the rebels are ordinary disaster victims, the leaders are not good people. As far as I know, these people have committed murder, arson, robbed silver, intercepted grain and so on. Lord Wang, aren't you afraid that they will do something stupid?"
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