Brave heroes, up and down

Author: Gao Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-01-01
Features: "I will consult with the Vice Envoy." Tachibana Shunagon finally received a reply, "Eight years ago, Lord Shoiden always consulted with me first before taking any action; I admire him greatly and should follow his approach." Eight years prior, Tachibana Shunagon had traveled from Ningbo through Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Yangzhou, along the Grand Canal to Tongzhou, and then via Tianjin to reach the capital. At that time, he was the Vice Envoy of Lake Xin, and Zhu Wan, a native of Suzhou, was known for his strong-willed nature. The court transferred him from the position of Governor of South Jiangxi to Zhejiang and appointed him as "Commander-in-Chief of Coastal Defense Forces in Zhejiang and Fujian," specifically because of his courage in taking responsibility and entrusting him with the important task of preventing Japanese piracy. In his first year in office, he had come to fully understand the reasons behind the rampant Japanese piracy, so he resolutely refused Tachibana Shunagon's request, ordering him to return immediately and to come again the following year. At the same time, he urgently instructed Lu Tang, the "Commander of Fujian," to maintain strict vigilance in the area of Shuangyu. As expected, just as Zhu Wan had anticipated, Tachibana Shunagon did not lead his ships back but instead sought temporary refuge in Shuangyu.