Chapter 56: Ye Chenglin

Ten Continents.
“We are messengers from the Black Flag Army’s Xiliu Camp, here to see leader Ye Chenglin!”
With the reputations of the Black Flag Army and Xiliu Camp, Shen Sheng moved freely throughout the Ten Continents—no one dared stop them. Even if they tried to attack, they would have to reckon with Shen Sheng’s revolver.
His old acquaintance with Ye Chenglin was no exaggeration. Upon arriving at Ye Chenglin’s camp, he immediately greeted many familiar faces: “Old Ye, it’s been years—how’s your wife? I’m here to see Chenglin for a matter.”
“I need your help this time! I bring good news.”
He could tell the atmosphere in the camp was extremely tense. Shotguns were already loaded, a mountain-crushing cannon was aimed at the entrance, two barrels of black powder lay open on the left side of the cannon, and soldiers stood at their posts polishing their weapons. Even the elderly and weak had joined the fight—everyone was ready for a decisive battle.
Shen Sheng observed and said, “What’s the matter? I’ll surely point you in the right direction and help you out. After all these years of friendship, I, Shen, have never failed you or Chenglin, right?”
For the first time in many years, Ye Chenglin was so sought after. Even after defeating hundreds of enemies under Huang Chongying, he had never seen such an influx of visitors as now.
Killing and looting to gain favor from the authorities was common in the late Qing dynasty, but Ye Chenglin still hesitated. Then another group arrived: “Shen Sheng, the Grand Master of the Heaven and Earth Society, and Gao Shier, the Twelfth Lord of Mende, seek an audience.”
These two were long-time friends, so Ye Chenglin welcomed them in without hesitation and said, “You must be the seventh group of negotiators. Tell me, which faction are you representing? By the way, Gao Shier, where’s your backbone? I heard you accepted the Black Flag Army’s offer without firing a shot—what did we agree beforehand?”
Several groups had already tried to persuade Ye Chenglin. Everyone knew that his army’s firearms were poor—everyone was equipped with shotguns—but their combat strength was formidable. They were considered one of the best forces in Northern Vietnam and had even defeated Qing soldiers armed with modern rifles.
So, from the Vietnamese government and local elites to the Black Flag Army, many sent negotiators to persuade him, offering dazzling promises.
As an experienced member of the Heaven and Earth Society, Shen Sheng had sharp eyes and saw through Ye Chenglin’s thoughts at a glance. “Old Ye, we’ve known each other for nearly twenty years. Just tell me what you’re thinking. I’m not here as a negotiator—I’m here to risk everything for my friend.”
His words left Ye Chenglin’s lies stuck in his throat. After a long while, he said, “My thoughts are the same as everyone else’s.”
“How so?”
Thinking of years of hardship in Vietnam, Ye Chenglin grew melancholic. “Like Liu Yongfu, I’d rather be a minor officer under the Qing dynasty and live comfortably than be a high-ranking official in Vietnam, suffering under pressure.”
These exiles abroad, no matter what the situation, always dreamed of returning home in glory.

For this purpose, Ye Chenglin specially asked a former prefect from Hubei to contact Qing officials in Guangxi and Yunnan, but nothing came of it: “Some money was given, all the right words were said, and you know the person who handled it—he’s a former prefect from Hubei, someone who should be able to influence things officially. But…” He shook his head; everyone knew there would be no further progress. Meanwhile, Shen Sheng untied his outer robe and said, “Brother Ye, we’ve been friends for twenty years. How could I not understand your thoughts? But back then, when the Four Warlords controlled the seven provinces in northern Vietnam, they still couldn’t gain recognition from the Qing Dynasty, let alone us today.” He added thoughtfully, “Now is an era of peace and prosperity. It’s impossible to become like Luo Guozhong, nor can one become like Cheng Xueqi.” Both of these men were former generals of the Heavenly Kingdom who defected during its rise. Luo Guozhong betrayed the Heavenly Kingdom while defending Changshu and joined the Huai Army, enjoying wealth and honor for life. Even before his death, he led the Ming Army, one of the most powerful military units in the country. Cheng Xueqi was also a former Heavenly Kingdom general who joined the Xiang Army while defending Anqing, only to suffer discrimination from them. Whenever battles broke out between the Heavenly Kingdom and the Xiang Army, Zeng Guoquan would close the camp gates and aim his cannons at Cheng Xueqi’s camp. His experiences were extremely bitter, until later, when Cheng Xueqi followed Li Hongzhang to assist Shanghai, things finally improved for him. Hearing this, Ye Chenglin sighed deeply before saying, “I heard that the officials who tried to help me were reprimanded. The high-ranking Qing officials said that since I’ve long held power over these lands, if I were to submit, it would be like keeping a tiger as a threat. It’s better for me to join your Black Flag Army.” Shen Sheng smiled and said, “This time, I’m not here as a lobbyist for the Black Flag Army.” “Not for the Black Flag Army?” Ye Chenglin turned to Gao Shier and said, “Don’t beat around the bush. Didn’t you guys defect to the Black Flag Army?” Shen Sheng respectfully bowed to Ye Chenglin and introduced himself, “Allow me to introduce myself—I am now the platoon leader of the Search Squad under the Xiliu Camp of the Black Flag Army.” “Xiliu Camp of the Black Flag Army?” Ye Chenglin was puzzled. “When did the Black Flag Army get another Xiliu Camp?” He had heard of the name Xiliu Camp, but since the Ten Provinces were remote, he wasn’t very familiar with it. He only knew of a unit in Shanxi that had slaughtered the remnants of the Yellow Flag Army, not realizing it was the Xiliu Camp. Gao Shier quickly interjected, “This Xiliu Camp is very different from ordinary Black Flag Army units.” He then recounted what he had seen and heard. Ye Chenglin flew into a rage, “Gao Shier, don’t deceive me! How could there be a camp with such excellent equipment? By your account, even the Guangxi defense forces are not as good!” Shen Sheng snorted, “Are you saying I’d betray you, my friend? If you refuse to join such a powerful army like Xiliu Camp, you’re seeking your own death. Don’t forget what happened in Suzhou.” By referring to the past events in Suzhou, he meant the incident where Li Hongzhang and Cheng Xueqi killed surrendered generals there. Back then, Cheng Xueqi, a defector from the Heavenly Kingdom, killed countless surrendered soldiers with ruthless efficiency.

This was exactly what Ye Chenglin was worried about—since ancient times, offering amnesty always carried hidden dangers; it might well be a trap. To address this, Gao Shieru acted as a lobbyist for Liu Yu: “Chenglin, just like Master Shen, I’ve known you for nearly twenty years. Back in the day, following Panlun Si, we must have had quite a glorious time…” “Now that we’ve joined the Xiliu Camp, life is still pleasant. You’re in Shi Zhou and I’m in Mengde—we can look after each other and live our carefree lives.” His words were far from Shen Sheng’s thoughts, but they indeed touched Ye Chenglin’s heart. Still, he shook his head: “I want to join the Xiliu Camp, but I can’t. I have no choice but to take the path of the Black Flag Army. Fortunately, Liu Er and I are from the same hometown in Qinzhou, so I suppose he won’t treat me badly.” Shen Sheng, however, was displeased: “Liu Yuanting is just from Shangsi. You and I are both from Dongli—true locals, closer to each other than him! I guarantee that joining our Xiliu Camp is the same as joining the Black Flag Army, with even better conditions.” Ye Chenglin just shook his head: “I wish I could do that too, but circumstances force me to act otherwise.” He said to Shen Sheng, “Haven’t you noticed the tense atmosphere here? Haven’t you seen that we’re already surrounded by the Diao family?” “The Diao family? I just came in under the banner of the Black Flag Army.” Ye Chenglin sighed bitterly: “There are six or seven hundred of them, surrounding us tightly. The Black Flag Army even borrowed twenty Remington sharpshooters from them. I want to break through, but I’m afraid it will cost my brothers their lives.” The Diao family were local powerhouses in Shi Zhou who had a poor relationship with Ye Chenglin. With the recent changes, seeing that the powerhouses of Mengde had all defected to the Black Flag Army and that the Black Flag Army had borrowed twenty more Remington sharpshooters from them, they gathered hundreds of men to surround Ye Chenglin’s old camp. “Under normal circumstances, with twenty sharpshooters, I wouldn’t fear them. But at this critical moment, it would only mean unnecessary deaths among my brothers.” Now trapped in his old camp, no matter how clever and capable he was, he couldn’t come up with a solution. There were many family members in his camp, and if he tried to break through, they would all be left behind, unable to defend themselves. Even if he succeeded in breaking through, it would be like an egg hitting a rock. This time, the Black Flag Army sent three thousand men, and the Yue Army sent three thousand as well—combined, they numbered five or six thousand, equipped with advanced weapons. He only had three hundred soldiers, all armed with muskets, and could only avoid their attacks in hopes of regrouping. But the battles ahead were perilous, and he didn’t know how many of his brothers would die. He also wasn’t sure if he could overcome this challenge. He bowed deeply to Shen Sheng and Gao Shieru: “Brothers, thank you for your kindness. We’ve known each other for twenty years. Circumstances force me to act this way. I fail to live up to your expectations. I’m trapped in a deadly situation. Your Xiliu Camp and the Black Flag Army are one family—don’t let me ruin your relations.” “Liu Er sent someone with a letter urging me to surrender. I’ve decided to accept it!” Seeing that there was nothing they could do, Shen Sheng and Gao Shieru could only hold Ye Chenglin’s hand and comfort him: “From now on, we’ll all be under the Seven-Star Black Flag. There will be many opportunities for cooperation.” Ye Chenglin sighed deeply, recalling his past days following Huang Chongying: “Sigh… Panlun Si once faced Liu Er’s sharpshooters! I’ll go write a letter to Liu Er.”

Ye Chenglin’s letters had reached Liu Yongfu’s hands. Since he was illiterate, he asked his aides to read them to him word by word. As soon as they finished, Yang Zhenen stood up and congratulated him, “Congratulations, General! You’ve gained another formidable warrior.”

On the side, Liu Chengliang and Wu Fengdian also said cheerfully, “The commander has laid out an excellent strategy. Back in the day, when Ye Chenglin was under Huang Chongying’s command, he was already famous for his ability to fight tough battles. Our Black Flag Army has suffered losses at his hands before. Now that he has joined our forces, our Black Flag Army can reach even greater heights.”

They were well aware that Ye Chenglin’s troops were similar to the Black Flag Army—lacking some vitality and sharpness—but each of them was an experienced veteran who had fought in numerous brutal battles and emerged from the maelstrom of bloodshed. They were confident that these veterans could be considered the best soldiers in the world. Whether it was the Vietnamese or the Qing army’s elite troops, none could match them. However, the Qing soldiers were equipped with many Western weapons, which made fighting against them somewhat troublesome.

Liu Yongfu tapped his fingers unconsciously on the coffee table. “This matter must be handled well! Yalou, go and contact Ye Chenglin. Prepare plenty of gifts to show our sincerity.”

He added, “Tell him that if he joins our Black Flag Army, I allow him to form his own battalion, and I’ll assign Xuan Guang as his defense area—a privilege even the Xiliu Battalion doesn’t have!”

Up the Red River, above Shanxi, lay Xuan Guang. Though it was a small province, it would be enough for Ye Chenglin’s battalion to settle there. “Our Black Flag Army can’t treat him poorly. We can also fight for him a Vietnamese official position in front of Lord Huang Zuoyan.”

Xinghua.

Huang Zuoyan was somewhat uneasy. Reading the news of the Black Flag Army’s swift victory without a fight, he felt inexplicably anxious. After pondering for a while, he muttered to himself, “Not killing Ye Chenglin means failing to bring peace to the Ten Provinces…”

He knew Ye Chenglin well. Although he was a Qing citizen, he had been in Vietnam for over a decade and had already established a solid foothold in the Ten Provinces. Local strongmen like Wen Er, Gao Shisan, and Wei San had already allied with him. As long as Ye Chenglin was alive, Vietnam would never be able to control the Ten Provinces.

He then remembered what his relative Yunping had said, which made him anxious again. But then he turned to look at the framed landscape painting and only after a while picked up a pen to write several letters.

Only after finishing the letters did he feel relieved. He sealed them and called over his trusted subordinate, Guan Qi. “Go and deliver these letters to the Ten Provinces for me.”

Guan Qi, Huang Zuoyan’s trusted confidant, asked, “Is it about executing Ye Chenglin?”

“That scoundrel must be executed!” Huang Zuoyan said little. “Tell Yunping not to worry about any responsibilities. I’ll take care of things on Liu Yongfu’s end.”

“Yes, Commander! Is the second letter for Liu Er?”

“No! I’ve sent a message to Liu Er, asking him to bring Ye Chenglin to Xinghua when he has time to be pardoned.” Huang Zuoyan smiled. “This letter is very important. Be careful—this one is for Huang Shouzhong in the front battalion.”

“Huang Shouzhong?” Guan Qi immediately understood. “He had a feud with Ye Chenglin back then, which is why he joined the Black Flag Army!”

“That scoundrel Ye Chenglin must be executed. Huang Shouzhong should understand what I mean.”

……

Shen Sheng returned disappointed along with Gao Shier. He personally apologized to Liu Yu, “I failed to persuade Ye Chenglin to change his mind. He has already made up his mind to join the Black Flag Army.”

Liu Yu’s deployment to the Ten Continents was not aimed at Ye Chenglin. This expedition yielded many benefits—it greatly improved the troops’ marching capabilities, and Meng De also secured a few allies for their side. Although most of the people like Gao Shier were former members of the Yellow Flag Army, disloyal and untrustworthy in critical moments, they at least sowed seeds that might bear fruit someday. What pleased Liu Yu even more was that the troops’ ability to read, use, and create maps had improved significantly—a skill of great importance. During the People’s Liberation Army’s counteroffensive against Vietnam in 1979, the most common issue was that frontline officers couldn’t understand military maps or use them in battles, relying instead on veteran officers from the revolutionary war era. Now, although his own company and platoon officers still didn’t know how to use maps in combat, they could already read simple military maps, with a few like Liu Suiyun even able to draw them skillfully by hand. Thus, he didn’t take this as a major gain or loss and simply said, “I’ll have to trouble Platoon Leader Shen to make another trip. Since we’re all now commanders of the Xiliu Camp, I’ll write a letter to Ye Chenglin to express my goodwill.” He added, “I look forward to your return soon. As planned, after arriving at the Ten Continents, our left flank will hold a parade.” Gao Shier said beside him, “I wish to go with Platoon Leader Shen.” Wu Fengdian had a good relationship with Ye Chenglin and was even more welcomed in the old camp than Shen Sheng and Gao Shier. This time, it was Ye Chenglin himself who went out of the old camp to welcome him, and the troops from the Diao family, who had surrounded the old camp, respectfully escorted Wu Fengdian in. “Ye Chenglin wishes to join the Black Flag Army. Here is the roster of soldiers!” As soon as they met, Ye Chenglin presented a generous gift to Wu Fengdian, saying, “I hope you’ll continue to look after me in the future.” Wu Fengdian was also very happy. He took Ye Chenglin’s hand and said, “From now on, we’re comrades-in-arms—there’s no need for such formalities!” Ye Chenglin warmly took Wu Fengdian’s hand and said, “I’m truly sorry for troubling you this time.” Wu Fengdian, a calm person, smiled and said, “It’s my fault that Chenglin had to endure this. Chenglin, I’ll write a letter right now to ask Yuan Ting to have the Diao family lift the siege.” With the help of the Black Flag Army, the Diao family had surrounded Ye Chenglin’s old camp tightly, but Liu Yongfu was confident he could make them withdraw: “Diao Mingchi is Yuan Ting’s adopted son and is very close to him. A single letter from Yuan Ting will make him retreat.” Yet Ye Chenglin knew that even if the Diao family withdrew, the Black Flag Army would soon surround him. Compared to these six or seven hundred miscellaneous soldiers, three thousand Black Flag Army troops would leave him completely trapped. With no other option but to join the Black Flag Army, he said, “That’s great! I’m willing to go with you to meet the general.” At that time, Liu Yongfu had no way to deal with his relative Yunping: “Killing Ye Chenglin is not appropriate.” As a member of the royal family and military supervisor, Yunping said, “This is the will of the emperor, as well as that of the commander-in-chief.”

With that, he took out a letter and read it aloud: “Ye Chenglin has been harassing the ten provinces for ten years now. The common people there suffer under his tyranny, and it’s unbearable to hear about. The country is facing many troubles, and there are often cases of prioritizing one issue over another, which is why he hasn’t been thoroughly eradicated yet…”
“Today, with our army as numerous as clouds, we must strike at his lair and eliminate all evil forces—no one must escape. If Ye Chenglin and his leaders are captured, they must be executed immediately to serve as a warning. We cannot allow a tiger to return to the mountains, as it will be difficult to control in the future. If the country’s army is weak and allows him to occupy territory, and now that the country’s army is strong yet still allows him to surrender, how can we still use this as a deterrent against bandits?”
Wu Zanxiang, the commander of the Yue troops, also spoke up: “This indeed reflects the governor’s intentions.”
“This scoundrel deserves to be executed. Does Governor Liu still intend to protect him?” Zunshi Yunping pressed further: “If your Black Flag Army finds it inconvenient to act, our Yue troops can carry out the execution.”
“This is inappropriate. Killing those who surrender is inauspicious,” Liu Yongfu argued. “Since Ye Chenglin has agreed to surrender to us, I will ensure his safety.”
Zunshi Yunping sneered, “Do you want to disregard the laws of the state? Governor Liu, I advise you—this matter concerns the country. Don’t go down the wrong path!”
Huang Shouzhong also felt his troubles were mounting.
Several trusted officers sat beside him. After hearing him finish reading the letter, they sighed, “That Huang Zuoyan is setting a trap for me, Huang Shouzhong!”
Everyone knew that Huang Shouzhong had a grudge against Ye Chenglin, which was why he had joined the Black Flag Army—but it was just an old grudge.
Huang Shouzhong was shrewd and capable. He said, “This is a dilemma—no way out!”
Huang Zuoyan had offered him a huge advantage: after he killed Ye Chenglin’s forces, he could annex their territory. But Huang Shouzhong knew this meant stepping into a pit of fire. Killing them would offend Liu Yongfu, while not killing them would offend Huang Zuoyan. Both were difficult to deal with.
Even this letter would bring endless troubles. If he didn’t show it to Liu Yongfu, there would be endless disasters later, but showing it to Liu Yongfu would arouse his suspicions. Since Huang Zuoyan could now bypass him and give orders directly to Huang Shouzhong, it was unlikely there would be a second chance.
Moreover, Huang Shouzhong’s troops were already stronger than Liu Yongfu’s core forces, and now he was on good terms with the Xiliu Camp, the best-equipped unit in the Black Flag Army. His suspicions were already deep, and with this letter, Huang Shouzhong felt his scalp burning—very difficult to handle.
Huang Zuoyan was truly skilled in political maneuvering. A single letter had trapped him.
His trusted officers also had different opinions—some suggested annexing Ye Chenglin’s forces first, while others thought the risk was too high, and still others advised waiting and seeing.
Huang Shouzhong shook his head gently: “You don’t know how formidable Liu Er is! He’s even fought against Huang Chongying’s Black Guns.”