Chapter 413: Rout

The volley guns fired wave after wave. Men kept falling, the ground covered in blood and wounded. It was an experience none of them had ever had, and even the elite old-camp warriors of the Xian camp charging forward were useless — many were stunned senseless.

Some still howled and charged ahead, but others screamed and tried to flee backward. In an instant, the charging bandits fell into utter chaos. And the volley guns across from them kept firing relentlessly; every blast deepened the bandits' disorder.

Ai Nengqi was drenched in blood, whether his own or others' he could not tell. He bellowed furiously, commanding his men: "Keep charging! No one is allowed to retreat! Charge, damn you!"

Just then, another volley erupted from the opposite side. Of the twenty guns, several struck Ai Nengqi squarely, blasting multiple sprays of blood mist from his chest. Ai Nengqi stood frozen. After a long moment, he staggered forward and crashed to the ground, the heavy thud of his fall echoing out.

"No!"

Zhang Xianzhong let out a roar. He had watched the entire fight. His camp's most elite warriors, led by his foster son Ai Nengqi, renowned for his ferocity, had launched a death-or-glory assault on the government matchlock gunners across from them.

In the past, under such an onslaught, even the personal battalions of Yang Huchang, the household retainers of Zuo Liangyu, Meng Ruhu, He Renlong, and the rest would have felt fear.

Yet right before his eyes, one after another they fell to the government firearms, dying utterly worthless deaths, never even touching the muzzles of those guns. His own foster son was dead. How could Zhang Xianzhong not grind his teeth in bitter hatred?

And now, not only were the old-camp elite riders beside Zhang Xianzhong all staring dumbfounded — even Li Dingguo and Sun Kewang were struck speechless. What kind of firearm were the government troops using, to be so deadly?

They had seen government matchlocks before. Never had they seen government troops so fearsome as these before them now.

Sun Kewang even secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Earlier he had been boasting about taking some men to slaughter those government soldiers to the last man. Fortunately, he had not gone; otherwise, Ai Nengqi's fate would have been his own.

The deadliness of the government troops across from them made every man in the Xian force change color, each with his own thoughts. By now, those sword-and-shield men who had attacked the government troops, after Ai Nengqi's death, could no longer suppress the terror in their hearts. Screaming one by one, they fled back.

Zhang Xianzhong ground his teeth. Before he could make another decision, several orders rang out from the opposite side. Those matchlock soldiers, gripping their firearms, advanced slowly toward their own side. Staring at those dense, dark gun muzzles, the Xian camp men stirred with waves of unrest.

The subordinate commander Chuangshiwang Ma Wu shouted: "Grand Commander, the government troops are pressing forward! Shall we send the brothers charging again, or bring up the archers?"

Zhang Xianzhong clenched his jaw. Send the men charging again? They could not even get near those firearms. Bring up the archers — could they outshoot those government matchlock men?

Zhang Xianzhong had fought countless battles great and small, yet never had he felt a fight so intractable as this one.

His expression twisted with savagery. He was about to order another charge when suddenly someone shouted: "Men are fleeing!"

Zhang Xianzhong started and whipped his head around. There was no mistaking it — on the southern edge of the army, several men were lashing their horses frantically, spurring toward the south gate, intent on escaping the city from that side.

In the earlier fighting, of the thousand-plus men gathered on South Street, apart from those elite riders who had dismounted to prepare bows or fight hand-to-hand, the rest remained mounted. Every man had seen the fight clearly, and fear filled every heart. With the government troops pressing forward and the memory of those terrifying firearms, many grew hot with the impulse to flee.

Now, seeing men actually fleeing, it instantly set off a chain reaction. More and more men spurred their horses and bolted. A single stone stirred a thousand waves — first in twos and threes, then by the dozens, men pulled their horses and fled the city. Those left behind grew even more panicked. The situation had collapsed.

Zhang Xianzhong was furious, yet felt an icy coldness in his heart. He had driven his men day and night to raid Xiangyang. Everything had gone so smoothly before — why had it turned out like this in the end?

It was all because of that government force, and that man called Wang Dou!

The rumbling of hooves thundered out. Zhang Xianzhong started and looked — the matchlock men over there had withdrawn, and now the government cavalry was charging. They came five riders abreast, gripping long spears, and behind them rolled an endless mass of horsemen, no telling how many. Long spears and sabers flashed, dazzling every eye.

"Kill the bandits!"

The surging warhorses and whirling blades came rolling toward them. Seeing this, the Xian camp men grew even more terrified. With a great roar, heedless of whatever order Zhang Xianzhong might give, every man pulled his horse and fled, scrambling over one another to charge out through the south gate.

Zhang Xianzhong nearly coughed blood in rage, his long beard quivering. Eyes red, he howled: "Why has it come to this? Why? I refuse to accept this!"

The tide had turned. Seeing the government cavalry charging closer and closer, Li Dingguo shouted to Zhang Xianzhong: "Foster Father, go quickly! As long as the green hills remain, there is no fear of lacking firewood. Do not let all our men be lost here!"

Sun Kewang also seized Zhang Xianzhong's warhorse, bellowing: "Father Commander, go now! We'll charge out of the city!"

For those Xian camp archers who had earlier dismounted to prepare their bows, and for the shield-bearers, this was a day of misery. Their horses had been left to the rear; now, wanting to flee, they could not even find their mounts. Seeing the government cavalry charge and their own side scatter, they fell into utter panic — some screaming and fleeing into the side alleys, others desperately shoving toward the rear.

With a thunderous crash, the Shunxiang Army cavalry slammed into them. Many were sent flying, vomiting blood, or tumbled to the ground, only to be trampled into bloody pulp by the rolling iron hooves.

The lead Shunxiang Army cavalrymen tore a bloody alley through them, then pressed on to hunt down the mounted bandits, leaving these men to the endless waves of cavalry coming behind.

The Xian camp soldiers had no ability to resist at all. Struck by the Shunxiang Army cavalry's horses, stabbed by their spears, or slashed by their sabers, they died one after another here. Screams merged into a single sound, and fresh blood kept spattering across the flagstones of Xiangyang's South Street.

Zhang Xianzhong watched, his eyes splitting with fury, waves of blackness washing over his vision. These were the elite of his camp — dying so pointlessly.

He dared not linger. If he hesitated any longer, he himself would be left on this street. Under the protection of his two foster sons, gathering some of the Xian camp elite, in a state of terror and panic, they burst out of South Street and fled through Xiangyang's south gate. Li Guangheng led two companies of cavalry straight out in pursuit, but Wang Dou did not follow. Surrounded by his guards, he gazed coldly toward the south gate for a moment, then said: "Come with me to the Prince of Xiang's residence."

With bandit troops inside the city, the Prince of Xiang within the palace, as well as Military Defense Vice Commissioner Zhang Kejian and the others, were all terrified. Seeing more and more bandit cavalry gathering outside the palace, they trembled in even greater fear.

Suddenly they heard that Wang Dou, Assistant Regional Commander of the East Route of Xuanfu Garrison, was leading troops to their aid. The men were both shocked and overjoyed. Xiangyang Prefect Wang Chengceng said: "Heaven has sent down a surprise force, heaven has sent divine troops! General Wang has come to our rescue. I hereby congratulate Your Highness — one who survives a great calamity is destined for future good fortune!"

The Prince of Xiang said: "Good, good, good. I have heard of this Wang Dou's name. I have heard he is a tiger of a general, and His Majesty once bestowed upon him the four words 'Courage Surpasses the Entire Army.'"

Military Defense Vice Commissioner Zhang Kejian said: "Indeed so. At the Battle of Julu and the Battle of Pinggu, General Wang routed the slave-bandits. At the Battle of Zhuozhou, he even slew the slave chieftain Yoto. With his army of tigers and wolves, mere roving bandits are beneath consideration."

For a time, all the officials praised Wang Dou's ability. As civil officials, and moreover the honored heads of a circuit and a prefecture, they were naturally well-informed and knew of Wang Dou's various achievements. Now they added fuel and spice, lavishing praise on Wang Dou — this was also a kind of psychological comfort. The more formidable Wang Dou was, the better he could drive the Xian bandits out of the city. If he could annihilate them, that would be even better.

And indeed, that was exactly what happened. Wang Dou's troops swept all the way from North Main Street; then the bandits before the palace all retreated, and a fierce battle erupted on South Main Street. Very soon, the Xian bandits were routed and fled the city in disarray. When the news came, cheers erupted along the palace walls.

Shortly after, Wang Dou led his guard company to the palace square.

The Prince of Xiang's residence had originally been in Changsha. In the first year of the Zhengtong era, it was relocated to the southeastern corner of Xiangyang. The complex was vast in scale and imposing in manner. After Wang Dou arrived at the square, the palace gates soon opened. The Prince of Xiang, his two sons, the palace civil and military officials, and the assembled officials of Xiangyang all came out together to greet him.

The Prince of Xiang was very old, his hair and beard white, dressed in a yellow robe. Wang Dou saluted and said: "I have come late and caused Your Highness alarm."

The Prince of Xiang personally raised Wang Dou up, tears streaming down, and said: "My beloved general, you have come at just the right moment. Truly a pillar of the state!"

Military Defense Vice Commissioner Zhang Kejian asked: "General Wang, what is the situation with the Xian bandits now?"

Wang Dou said: "The Xian bandits have fled in rout outside the city. I have already sent subordinate commanders in pursuit. They will not escape."

Everyone let out a great sigh of relief. As long as the Xian bandits had fled, Xiangyang was safe and sound.

Xiangyang Prefect Wang Chengceng said, his heart still trembling with lingering fear: "General Wang arrived at just the right moment. If he had been one step later..."

These words made everyone present shudder with horror. Indeed, if Wang Dou had been one step later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Wang Dou said: "It was indeed a coincidence. After the great victory at Luoyang, I followed Grand Secretary Yang's directive and rushed my troops here at star-speed. Just as I reached Xiangyang, I encountered the Xian bandits entering the city. This is heaven dooming the Xian bandits!"

Everyone was stunned: "Great victory at Luoyang?"

Wang Dou explained: "Some days ago, our army won a great victory at Luoyang. The Chuang bandits' hundred-thousand-strong army was routed, with only a few riders fleeing."

"This..."

Everyone looked at each other. This news was too shocking. They had all heard that the Chuang bandit army was besieging Luoyang. They never imagined Wang Dou had beaten them so badly. Truly a brave general. And he had first rescued the Prince of Fu, and now the Prince of Xiang — truly a hard-iron fire brigade. His luck was simply too good: rescuing two imperial princes in succession, both times arriving at the critical moment. Truly a general of fortune.

The Prince of Xiang and the officials grew even more cordial. With the roving bandits still outside and the memory of the city nearly falling just moments ago, only with a brave general and lucky general like Wang Dou inside could they feel at ease. They all praised Wang Dou without end as a weighty general of the state — wherever he went, the bandits scattered.

By now, the era when civil officials were honored and military men despised had long passed. Even someone of Yang Juanchang's stature was utterly helpless before warlords like Zuo Liangyu and He Renlong. The officers and soldiers of Xiangyang had fled at a word, showing not the slightest regard for the safety of the Prince of Xiang and the officials. With the Xiangyang government troops scattered, only if Wang Dou garrisoned the city could everyone feel secure.

Wang Dou said: "My lords, you need not worry. The Xian bandits have already become frightened birds; they cannot escape. When I entered the city, I knew the Xian bandits would certainly rout, so I dispatched two thousand elite cavalry in advance to cross the river and set up an ambush at the Zhanggong Shrine and other places. I expect that before long, Zhang Xianzhong's head will be brought here."

Seeing everyone's mouths drop open in astonishment, Wang Dou paused, then added: "I still have several hundred elite cavalry within Xiangyang, plus these guards of mine. Xiangyang's walls are as solid as metal and stone..."

Everyone's gaze followed to the fierce cavalrymen behind Wang Dou, and they all sighed inwardly: "All tigers and wolves. No wonder they beat the Xian bandits to a pulp just now. If Xiangyang had such a strong army inside, why would we ever fear those roving bandits?"

Everyone felt even more at ease. The Prince of Xiang was old and had just suffered a fright. Now that his heart was settled, he felt his strength failing and returned to the palace to rest. Before leaving, he invited Wang Dou to a night banquet: "I shall set a wine feast within the palace to thank the general for his life-saving grace. The general must come."

After that, the group returned to the Military Defense Circuit government office to discuss affairs, and Wang Dou was invited to take the high seat of honor.

By this time, the roving bandits at every gate had all collapsed and scattered, fleeing outside the city. After the bandits retreated, a series of tasks awaited in Xiangyang City: searching out and exterminating the remaining roving bandits within the walls, suppressing lawless elements who took advantage of the chaos to loot, pacifying the frightened commoners, reassembling the scattered and routed officers and soldiers, and so on.

Pacifying the frightened commoners and reassembling the scattered and routed officers and soldiers — these were matters for the various officials of Xiangyang City.

As for searching out and exterminating the roving bandits, maintaining order within the city, and the defense duties of Xiangyang City, these were entrusted to Wang Dou to handle.

Wang Dou did not decline. He had three full brigades of troops remaining in Xiangyang City, plus a squad of Night Scouts who had been lying hidden inside the city earlier. He therefore assigned one brigade of troops in four squads to guard the city gates, while the Night Scouts and one brigade searched out and exterminated the remaining roving bandits within the city. The remaining guard brigade, along with the personnel of the central army staff, accompanied Wang Dou as he ascended the west gate tower.

By now the sky was fully bright. Gazing out at the land beyond the city, Wang Dou felt a surge of heroic emotion and thought to himself, "One of my objectives in coming to Xiangyang has already been achieved. I wonder about the other objective — can Gao Shiyin, Wen Fangliang, and the others lying in ambush succeed in killing Zhang Xianzhong?" (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to come.)