Chapter 164: What Ruthless Women

Before long, Wen Fangliang arrived leading the troops of the Third Corps. They brought over a hundred mules and horses, and accompanying the army was the Garrison Supervisor, Chi Dacheng.

The soldiers of both corps were all men from Shunxiang Fort. When the brothers met, they laughed and joked noisily. Gao Shiyin recounted the earlier incident, and even Wen Fangliang, for all his irreverence, was shocked. The officers under Wang Dou were nearly all fathers themselves, and they found such a thing utterly intolerable.

Wen Fangliang and Chi Dacheng went to see the infants. Xu Yue'e and the other women were softening some flatbread with warm water and feeding it to them bite by bite. The babies did not cry or fuss; they simply nestled quietly in the women's arms, eating the mush in large mouthfuls, as if they were all ravenously hungry.

Seeing this scene, even Chi Dacheng, with his heart of stone, was moved. He sighed, "The suffering of these chaotic times — when will the realm ever know peace?"

Earlier, when Xu Yue'e had gone to the riverside, she had washed all the filth from her body with river water. She even seemed to have washed her hair, for her tresses were damp, and half of her bright red cloak was wet too. Seeing her gentle demeanor, Wen Fangliang rubbed his eyes in disbelief and said to Gao Shiyin, "Isn't that the young lady Xu? How is she in your army?"

Gao Shiyin gave a bitter laugh and rubbed his face. "A few women insisted on accompanying the army to suppress the bandits. What could I do? They happen to be just right for looking after these infants."

Wen Fangliang gloated, "Old Gao, you've got a headache coming."

Gao Shiyin cursed angrily, "What kind of brother makes fun of a brother like that? What the hell."

Gao Shiyin, Wen Fangliang, and Chi Dacheng conferred briefly. According to the Night Scouts' reconnaissance, their first target of attack was a bandit stronghold near Liujia Spring. Over these days of scouting, the Night Scouts of Bao'an Prefecture had already locked onto over a dozen targets in Weizhou and other areas. In the months to come, the several corps of troops under Wang Dou would shift their campaign through Weizhou, Guangchang, Huai'an, and other places, not ending until the autumn sowing began.

That bandit stronghold at Liujia Spring was about half a day's journey from here. By now, it was already the second day since they had set out from Bao'an Prefecture. Seeing that the sky was growing dark, the soldiers of both corps made camp that evening within the woods to rest.

Early the next morning, the two armies broke camp and marched on. They passed through many villages, all desolate and sparsely populated. The inhabitants of those civilian forts thought the men from Shunxiang Fort were bandits or horse thieves. Seeing that they numbered in the hundreds, with a large train of mules, horses, and weapons, every fort prepared for a great enemy. Fortunately, all was peaceful; the troops simply swaggered past beneath the forts, disturbing neither fowl nor dog.

As they marched toward noon, the terrain gradually rose, and the river not far away slowly widened. When they were nearing a place called Huangmei Fort, a Night Scout suddenly came to report that a small band of brigands was robbing travelers and merchants at a crossroads up ahead. Gao Shiyin inquired and learned there were only a dozen or so brigands. He could not hide his disappointment and said to Wen Fangliang, "A mere handful of bandits. Send a squad of soldiers to sweep them away, and that will be that."

Wen Fangliang nodded in agreement and was about to ask which of his men would volunteer for the fight. Gao Xun's heart stirred, and he was just about to request battle when Xu Yue'e's cool, clear voice rang out: "Yue'e wishes to go into battle. I beg the permission of the two lords."

Countless pairs of eyes turned to Xu Yue'e. Gao Shiyin furrowed his brow, exchanged a glance with Wen Fangliang, and said, "Very well, you are permitted to fight. But blades and arrows have no eyes — you must be careful."

Xu Yue'e said nothing more. She called out, and leaving only two of their number with the army, five women in total marched out. Each carried a long spear and a shield, and they strode forth with heads held high.

Watching their retreating figures, Wen Fangliang said, "Brother Gao, do you think the young lady Xu and her companions have any certainty of victory?"

Gao Shiyin frowned and said, "The young lady Xu's skill is not bad, but when it comes to two armies clashing..."

He shouted, "All of you, follow them! Quick-march!"

When the soldiers of the two corps reached the crossroads, they saw the ground strewn with the corpses of travelers. It seemed these merchants had all met a brutal end. Looking further, they saw Xu Yue'e and the five women already engaged with the dozen or so brigands. The women had formed a line, shielding themselves with their shields in one hand and thrusting their spears forward from behind the shields with the other, advancing step by step. The brigands, seeing only a few women before them, waved their great blades and laughed raucously, not taking them seriously. Several of the brigands even spewed a stream of filthy, obscene words.

Xu Yue'e's face remained cold. When she saw the brigands come within the reach of her long spear, she gave a light shout: "Kill!"

Five long spears shot out like venomous serpents. Several harrowing screams rang out — the foremost brigands did not even have light armor. The long spears pierced them through, chilling their hearts. These brigands collapsed in disbelief. Xu Yue'e and the others withdrew their spears, revealing the stunned brigands behind them.

Again, the women's icy voices rang out: "Kill!"

Five blood-dripping long spears, nearly ten feet in length, thrust out viciously once more. The remaining brigands in the rear screamed in earth-shattering agony as Xu Yue'e and the others' spears plunged into their bodies. Without the slightest effort, Xu Yue'e and the women had already slain nearly ten brigands.

The last few brigands charged forward with wild howls. Xu Yue'e was at the very front of the women's line. A great blade once swung down at her, but she blocked it with her shield, paid it no heed, and continued pressing forward. Her long spear swept out and stabbed into the body of a brigand ahead of her. And that earlier brigand who had struck at her was met by the next merciless long spear.

Before anyone knew it, only a single brigand remained on the field. Gao Shiyin, Wen Fangliang, Li Guangheng, Gao Xun, and the others all watched, dumbstruck — shocked by the ruthlessness of Xu Yue'e and her companions, and shocked too that long spears and shields could be used in such a way.

That last brigand had earlier spewed obscenities at Xu Yue'e, but now, where was any trace of his bluster? He fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing and begging piteously: "Great aunt! Please, raise your hand in mercy, spare my life!"

Xu Yue'e looked at him coldly. Her long spear slowly rose. Amid the brigand's shriek of terror, her spear thrust out fiercely. With a squelch, the blood-dripping spearhead burst through the brigand's throat. The brigand gurgled, his eyes bulging wide.

Xu Yue'e withdrew her spear. A jet of blood shot from the brigand's throat, and his corpse slowly toppled to the ground.

Everyone present drew a sharp breath. "What ruthless women!"

They stared at Xu Yue'e in shock. No matter how they tried, they could not connect her figure with that gentle woman who had so tenderly cared for the infants.

Only Li Guangheng nodded repeatedly. "This woman is not bad!"

This was likely the first time Xu Yue'e and the others had killed on a battlefield. Apart from Xu Yue'e, the other women all seemed somewhat unsettled. But they soon cheered and jumped for joy, going to rifle through the waist pouches of the dozen dead brigands. They actually managed to find over thirty taels of silver in small coins and bits, some of the silver still stained with blood.

According to the military regulations of Shunxiang Fort, all spoils were to be turned in, and after the battle, merits would be uniformly assessed and rewards distributed. The captured brigand weapons would also be valued. As for the deceased travelers and merchants, after their bodies were buried, their goods would also be confiscated for the public treasury, and these too would count as spoils captured by Xu Yue'e and her group.

The Garrison Supervisor Chi Dacheng looked at Xu Yue'e, his expression rather complicated. He instructed his civil clerks to properly record the spoils taken by Xu Yue'e and the others, then slowly nodded. "Soldier Xu, you and your comrades have slain brigands. One merit is recorded. For these captured silver, coins, and goods, after we return to the fort, you shall also receive a thirty percent share as reward!"

Just like that, with ease, they had earned several months' worth of pay in the Ming army. The women soldiers all gathered around Xu Yue'e, cheering: "Sister Xu, we've struck it rich this time."

A trace of a smile also appeared on Xu Yue'e's cool, clear face.

Watching the excited women nearby, the soldiers of the Second Corps' Third Company all exclaimed and discussed the scene, their eyes full of envy. Many were also itching to give it a try.

Gao Xun's blood boiled with passion. He gripped his long spear tightly and swore a secret oath that he must achieve merit, must capture spoils.

"Slay the bandits and earn merit — this very day."

As the officers' long blades pointed forward, beneath the bandit stronghold at Liujia Spring, the arquebusiers of the two corps fired incessantly at the stockade walls, pinning the brigands down so they could not raise their heads. The brigands were terrified. Where had these bold fellows come from, daring to pull a double-cross? Looking at the ferociously intense gunfire of their opponents — in all of Weizhou, no mountain stronghold's braves possessed such martial force, and every one of them was clad in iron armor?

To say they were government troops — they did not look the part, for they carried no banners or insignia. The brigands also knew the government troops in Weizhou. Would those troops dare come to suppress bandits? It was more likely they would be suppressed themselves. And those beggar-soldiers could not possibly have such firelock equipment.

To deal with the brigands, Gao Shiyin and Wen Fangliang had brought out many old-style matchlock arquebuses from the Shunxiang Fort armory. These matchlocks had a killing range of a hundred paces. Against brigands who wore no armor whatsoever, such matchlocks were actually more effective. The new-style firelocks, which had a killing range of sixty paces and could pierce the heavy armor of Qing soldiers, were not as useful as these old matchlocks for bandit suppression. The new firelocks had a shorter range, and their firepower was excessive for the task.

Such ferocious gunfire — the brigands of Liujia Spring had never seen anything like it. After several volleys, they were on the verge of collapse.

Several squads of ironclad long-spearmen from the two corps slowly closed in. In the Second Corps' Third Company, Gao Xun led the soldiers of his squad in a relentless charge upward, all the while shooting sharp arrows at the stockade wall. His archery was divinely accurate. Arrow after arrow flew out, and scream after scream rose from behind the low stockade wall. Watching this, Company Commander Gao Shiyin nodded repeatedly.

"The bandit stronghold is breached."

A group of sword-and-shield men were the first to scale the walls and enter the stronghold. They opened the gate, and a great cheer went up as waves of ironclad long-spearmen surged in.

"Follow me."

Xu Yue'e held her shield in one hand and her long spear in the other, directing her sisters to follow. They crested a slope, only to see a group of brigands fleeing toward them in panic.

"Fire the three-eyed guns!"

Xu Yue'e shouted. The two women soldiers behind her quickly acknowledged the order, rushed to the front of the group, and, holding smoldering coals in one hand, braced the three-eyed guns with the other and aimed them at the brigands ahead.

Before setting out to suppress the bandits, Xu Yue'e had asked Gao Shiyin for two three-eyed guns. Gao Shiyin had thought it strange at the time — what did Xu Yue'e want with three-eyed guns? During her contest with Li Guangheng, she had used both a shield and a long spear, which was already surprising. Now she wanted three-eyed guns as well. How many secrets did this Xu Yue'e carry?

But he said nothing and allocated two three-eyed guns to Xu Yue'e. Now, of Xu Yue'e's seven women, besides the five who used long spears and shields, the remaining two wielded the three-eyed guns.

The two women touched the smoldering coals to the powder vents on the rear of the three-eyed guns. A flash of fire, a thunderous boom, and two brigands instantly screamed and were blasted to the ground. The two women then rotated the gun barrels slightly, touched the coals again, and another thunderous boom rang out. The two three-eyed guns fired six rapid shots, and a swath of the charging brigands collapsed.

The three-eyed guns did not shoot far — their range was only within thirty paces — but their report was extremely loud, audible even from a great distance. In later ages, they were still used in many places during wedding banquets; the sound of firecrackers was much softer by comparison. Moreover, the muzzle balls of the three-eyed guns were quite large. At such close range, and with the brigands wearing no armor to speak of, after these two three-eyed guns fired and killed or wounded several men, the rest immediately screamed and scattered in all directions.

Xu Yue'e shouted, "Sisters, follow me to slay the bandits!"

And she charged out at the very forefront.

From the fifteenth day of the third month of the tenth year of Chongzhen, dispatches of victory came in unceasingly from the troops out suppressing bandits. On the twentieth day, as the first batch of spoils arrived, Wang Dou finally had the confidence to begin digging irrigation wells and building waterwheels for the soldiers and civilians of Bao'an Prefecture.