Chapter 16: Victory or Defeat (Part 2)

The group of military officers turned their faces away, their faces pale with fear.
Those were Haiyang’s best two hundred elite soldiers, all armed with foreign rifles. In less than fifteen minutes, they were completely wiped out. What use were they then?
“It’s a pity Weng Yijian isn’t here.”
When Fan Fushu arrived in Haiyang to take up his post, he brought with him a general named Weng Yijian, whose courtesy name was Muzhi. From Guangnan Yanfu, he was known as “the most talented general in the north, second only to Shu Shuo and Weng.” Governor Fan treated him with great favor. But at this critical moment, Weng Yijian was back in his hometown on family business, leaving Fan Fushu with no one capable of taking charge.
The officers stared at each other, none speaking a word. The room was eerily cold.
Another bloodied soldier rushed in: “Three hundred of my men went to reinforce, but we encountered a huge enemy force. After a fierce battle, we were defeated. We lost two cannons and many weapons…”
Now everyone was terrified. How many fierce bandits could there be? Five hundred elite soldiers had already been wiped out, and now three hundred more had been defeated, with two cannons lost as well.
Fan Fushu finally lost his temper: “Why aren’t you going out to fight the enemy? If Haiyang falls, how can I face the emperor for his years of support?”
His roaring voice didn’t make these terrified officers move an inch. Who would dare face such a deadly situation? None of them turned around.
“Go fight the enemy! Go! I’ll reward you generously. Otherwise, you’ll all be dismissed!”
Fan Fushu continued to roar, desperately urging the officers to lead their troops into battle. But these officers preferred to face the governor’s wrath rather than tremble and go into battle.
Seeing these lifeless statues, Fan Fushu was at a loss. He cursed, “What’s the point of the state raising you?”
As he spoke, he spat in their faces, but the officers remained motionless, only repeatedly apologizing. Filled with anger, he grabbed Guan Qi and slapped him hard with his left hand.
With a sharp sound, Guan Qi’s face turned red. He didn’t say a word, allowing the governor to slap him again.
“Useless fool!”
Another slap!
The governor was enraged. He went over and slapped them one after another, but none of the officers showed any courage.
Filled with frustration, the governor turned to slap someone else, only to realize it was Father Ruan Youming. He sighed bitterly, “Is there no one left in this country?”
He then slapped Guan Qi several times more. As the governor kept slapping him, Guan Qi’s face turned into a pig’s face. Angered, he rushed outside and said, “I’ll go lead the troops to fight!”
Finally, someone stepped forward. Fan Fushu breathed a long sigh of relief.
Not only him, but even the officers with slaps on their faces felt relieved.
The gunshots continued, but someone had finally stepped up.
Others wanted to have such courage too, but thinking of the bandits who had wiped out thousands of government troops in an instant, they didn’t dare take that step.
The gunshots kept going.
The governor fell silent again.
No one spoke.
Waiting for victory or defeat.
They didn’t even say a word to praise the brave.
“Bang!” A gunshot came from outside the governor’s mansion.

Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.
Had a winner been determined?
Had the enemy forces arrived?
Before long, several soldiers carried in a corpse: “It’s bad news! Huang Guanqi committed suicide by shooting himself!”
As soon as Fan Guanqi left, all his anger vanished without a trace. No one knew where he had gone to gather his troops. They were filled with fear and shock.
He saw some scattered soldiers trying to regroup, but to their horror, they were too terrified by the carnage in front of the barricades to obey orders. They described the scene there as if it were hell, leaving Huang Guanqi completely devoid of courage.
Unable to control his troops, he dared not fight those legendary bandits, nor face the governor. In desperation, he committed suicide at the governor’s palace gate.
This completely defeated Fan Fushu.
He didn’t even have the heart to breathe; he merely asked, “What should we do?”
The generals couldn’t answer his question.
Ruan Youming smiled.
This was the best opportunity for France and God.
He stepped forward and firmly grasped Fan Fushu’s hand.
“Governor, please take refuge in the cathedral! In the name of the Lord, I guarantee your and your men’s absolute safety!”
What a wonderful opportunity! A governor taking refuge in the Lord’s church—this was a blessing from heaven.
For those terrified generals, Ruan Youming’s invitation was like rain after a long drought!
They stared at Ruan Youming but still dared not speak, waiting anxiously for the governor’s reply.
Fan Fushu felt a glimmer of hope.
Ruan Youming said in the most solemn tone, “Please be assured—even the bravest bandits would not dare defy the authority of the Lord!
Remember, behind us are France and the Lord.
No one dares to provoke the wrath of the tricolor flag.”
It was tempting.
Fan Fushu shook his head.
He also wanted to take refuge in the church to avoid dying in battle, but he couldn’t: “Father Ruan, it is my duty. I cannot leave.”
He was fifty-nine years old, originally named Fan Fushu. Emperor Tự Đức had always shown him favor, and his name was a gift from the emperor.
“I guard the borders for the emperor, I stabilize Hải Dương for him—how can I leave so easily?”
He was a scholar who had studied the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood. Even when sent to Europe over a decade ago, his aspirations remained unchanged.
Though his abilities were limited and he couldn’t turn the tide, how could he betray the emperor’s grace?
He glanced at Father Ruan Youming, then at the cross, and shook his head again, a faint smile appearing on his lips: “Those barbarians overseas may be brave, but how do they understand what is right?”
He reflected on his achievements and failures while guarding Hải Dương. Though he hadn’t accomplished great things, when he took office, there were 21,800 mu of uncultivated land in Hải Dương. It was through recruiting exiles that he helped restore the region.
Although the bandits’ attack ruined years of his efforts, as scholars, we must understand the deeper meaning behind events.
Fan Fushu felt relieved: “The tricolor flag may be fine, but it is not our goal!”
Seeing such a good opportunity slipping away, Ruan Youming immediately held Fan Fushu’s hand tightly and said, “Governor, please think it over!
I have no regrets!”

Fan Fushu waved his sleeve and walked out calmly: “I deeply understand the profound meaning behind words!”
“If one does not know life, how can one know death?”
“Raise the white flag!”