Chapter 719: The Fall of Zhuxian Town (Part 2)

At first it was only scattered, but later it became like a rainstorm — the shriek of tearing air was unceasing, and dense cannon fire kept falling toward the wagon-fort positions of the central army.

Now the army formation was dense and the area vast, so even though the bandit cannons were not very accurate, round after round still kept falling among the wagon-forts. They carried fierce kinetic force, shooting, rolling, and bouncing. From time to time a war wagon was smashed to pieces, its timber-framed shield panels and body flying apart in all directions, inflicting grievous casualties on the nearby gunners and arquebusiers.

Amid the howl of cannon fire, Ming soldiers in the wagon-forts were struck or grazed from time to time, rolling on the ground with severed hands or feet and screaming in agony.

It seemed that once the bandits started firing, they never stopped. Along their march they had overrun commanderies and towns, seizing ample supplies of gunpowder and equipment, so they could fire fiercely without sparing powder. Their cannons were also numerous, making the incoming rounds as fierce as hailstones.

Moreover, the breech-loading of the falconets was simply too fast. Skilled gunners could fire the first three rounds in under twenty seconds, and the falconets dissipated heat well, allowing them to fire a dozen or so rounds in one burst before pausing to cool. Of course, afterward one had to watch for gas-leakage problems.

The bandits' fierce bombardment threw many parts of the central wagon-fort into chaos, especially where men were hit by rounds — bodies, arms, and thighs were blasted to fragments, entrails and such strewn everywhere, a sight terrifying and horrifying. Though the dead and wounded were not as many as from close-range volley fire, the chaos and terror it caused were even greater.

While the bandit cannon raged, under orders from the central army, the rear-formation soldiers, hearts trembling with fear, brought up earth-wagons and placed them in front of the timber-framed war wagons. The one directing them now was already the Observation Corps envoy Wen Shiyan. Ding Qirui had long since lost his wits, only knowing how to mumble and echo like a yes-man, and kept saying, "I regret not heeding Envoy Wen's words."

Even Yang Wenyue had become somewhat flustered. It had always been the government troops who held the advantage in firearms, using superior technological strength to pound the bandits. Now that the roles of host and guest were reversed, the psychological state of these two high-ranking civil officials was just like that of the various people in the capital back then, when they heard that the Qing state possessed cannons and muskets no less than the Ming army's. It was simply too hard to turn their minds around.

Yang Wenyue watched as one war wagon after another was destroyed and his subordinate officers and soldiers kept dying and being wounded, yet they could not even touch a single hair of the bandits. He even wondered: what use was all the painstaking training of the wagon-forts?

The central army position was vast in both length and breadth. Although the bandit cannons could only bombard the forward wagon-forts, and only an occasional round landed near the central army headquarters, it was still enough to make hearts pound with fear. This was not like arrows and such — if a cannonball so much as grazed you, you would lose half your life if not die outright. When the cannonballs came, they did not care whether you were a high official or a common soldier.

Wen Shiyan looked toward the bandit side. Over there it was already rolling smoke and haze, the figures blurred and indistinct, but every time a red flame flashed, the sharp shriek of tearing air followed, and then cannonballs fell like hail.

Wen Shiyan's expression was dark and grim. Although the rear-formation soldiers were desperately bringing up one earth-wagon after another, that only reduced casualties — it did not mean their side was completely unharmed. Some of the wagon-fort cannons had also begun returning fire, but no one knew whether they were hitting the bandit side. This feeling of being outranged was truly unbearable.

The Jingbian Army liked to use cannons to bully the enemy from beyond their range, but during the Battle of Songshan, when they encountered the Qing army's red-barbarian great cannons with even longer range, they could only endure with flesh and blood.

Standing there and taking a beating was far too damaging to morale. If the bandit formation took this chance to press forward, the central army would surely be in danger of collapse. They had to close to within one li and bombard the bandits head-on!

……

Like shooting stars, the bandit cannonballs kept roaring down. The hard, solid iron balls struck the ground heavily, then bounced up, carrying burning powder residue, dirt of various colors, grass clippings, and other filth, rampaging unchecked.

If they carelessly plunged into a crowd, they brought with them a burst of bone-shattering sounds that set one's teeth on edge, along with severed human limbs, fragments of weapons, and the like. At the same time, plumes of blood mist rose. From the wounds of soldiers whose hands or feet had been shot off, fresh blood gushed like fountains.

The shouting of men and neighing of horses were unceasing. Hu Dawei and the others had never imagined the bandit cannons would be so ferocious. It seemed that in just a short while, the cannonballs in the sky were falling like rain. Even though the army formation stretched on and on and the bandit cannonballs could not cover such a wide area, so that only a few parts of the formation were being hit, by the time the earth-wagons arrived, the various parts of the army formation had already suffered considerable damage from the bandits.

Especially when some cannonballs happened to strike right into the ranks, they often knocked down a large swath of men. Watching the soldiers they had painstakingly trained being lost so pointlessly, Hu Dawei and the others felt as if their hearts were being cut by a knife. These new army soldiers, when facing the bandits' dense cavalry and infantry formations, had been so imposing, but when facing the bandit cannons, they proved just as fragile.

And even after the earth-wagons arrived, the wildly rolling and bouncing cannonballs still continued to inflict casualties on the right-wing soldiers, though much fewer.

Boom!

A solid iron ball weighing several jin landed not far from Hu Dawei and the others. When that cannonball struck, it kicked up a great spray of dirt, and finally bounced and rolled for a dozen or so paces more.

Chen Yongfu watched the bandit position opposite. The thunderous cannon fire was unceasing, and great plumes of smoke billowed up from that side, darkening the sky there. He gazed further toward the central army position — it seemed that side was likewise being bombarded by the bandits. The central army had already advanced, and the wagon-forts were still firing back continuously.

He shouted loudly, "Commander Hu, General Jiang, we cannot just stand here and defend like this! We must advance the army formation, and especially send out the cavalry to seize their cannons!"

No matter how fierce the warriors, if they just stayed put and were bombarded by enemy cannons like this, their morale would still sink, and they would come to fear and dread the enemy. They could not just stand there and take a beating.

Jiang Mingwu looked at the opposite side, equally itching with hatred. Not long before, one of his army positions had taken several bandit cannon rounds. The wounded infantrymen were rolling on the ground, blood streaming from them, clutching their wounds in unbearable agony. Jiang Mingwu ground his teeth and said loudly, "I agree with Regional Commander Chen's idea — we must go seize their cannons!"

He said, "I ask the two Regional Commanders to hold the right wing. I will lead all the cavalry here and go — I am certain I can seize the bandits' great cannons!"

Hu Dawei said, "How can I let General Jiang go alone? Hu will go together with you!"

Not only Chen Yongfu, but even his own trusted general Hu Zichen was greatly alarmed. As a Regional Commander of an entire garrison, how could he personally brave arrows and stones and not avoid danger? Everyone hurriedly remonstrated with him, but Hu Dawei shouted, "Say no more!

I am but an old soldier who now holds the post of Regional Commander. Life and death are fated — what is there to fear?"

He made up his mind and discussed with Regional Commander Chen Yongfu and the others: he and Jiang Mingwu would lead the cavalry in a sudden assault to seize the cannons. Meanwhile, Chen Yongfu would lead the new army infantry of the two garrisons and immediately follow up. With infantry and cavalry coordinating, they could surely rout the bandits and capture their cannons.

But just at that moment, an urgent order came from the central army, directing Hu Dawei and the others on the right wing to immediately detach new army troops and go support the left wing.

Jiang Mingwu was furious: "Zuo Liangyu and the others have tens of thousands of troops — can it be that they cannot even hold one wing, and still need our right wing to support them?"

Hu Dawei clenched his teeth: "Grand Coordinator Ding and the others have no choice either. According to the messenger, the bandit cavalry may be attacking the left wing with tens of thousands. If Zuo Liangyu and the others cannot hold, the left wing will collapse, and the central army will collapse too. If they are defeated, how can the right wing survive alone? We must think of the overall situation."

Chen Yongfu sighed: "Indeed. If they are defeated, how can the right wing survive alone?"

They had no choice but to change their plan again. Chen Yongfu would lead the new army of the two garrisons to support the left wing, with the Baoding Garrison new army commanded by Hu Zichen. Hu Dawei and Jiang Mingwu would lead the seven thousand cavalry of the three garrisons and launch a thunderous attack on the enemy's flank. When their cavalry moved out, some miscellaneous troops from the rear formation would also urgently follow up.

The bandit cannons kept booming, and the military situation was urgent. The three men had no time to say more, and only clasped hands and cupped fists to each other: "Take care, take care…"

When Chen Yongfu and Hu Zichen departed, they both turned back to look without prior agreement. They saw Hu Dawei and Jiang Mingwu sitting upright on their horses, their faces both bearing an air of being ready to face death.

……

"The Ming central army has already pressed forward, and Hu Dawei and the others on their flank have also moved. It is time for the cavalry to go forth!"

Amid the deafening cannon fire, watching their own cannons continuously bombard the Ming side, and within the shrouding smoke and dust, the Ming wagon-forts already advancing, and the government cavalry on the right wing likewise surging over with hoofbeats like thunder, like a tide, Li Zicheng let out a breath and spoke slowly.

The men of the bandit camp were silent. Victory or defeat would be decided in this one battle.

But He Yilong still cast a sidelong glance at Yang Shaofan, who had come up close, and said, "Brother Yang, according to the scouts, on Zuo Liangyu's side, both the front and rear formations are set with layer upon layer of chevaux-de-frise, and behind each formation arquebusiers and archers are massed. Can our righteous army's cavalry really charge through? Putting aside everything else, I, old He, find those chevaux-de-frise damned hard to deal with!"

Yang Shaofan cupped his fists and said calmly, "That is why I suggest putting the old camp in front. Back when I was in Liaodong, I heard about how the Tatars fought at the Battle of Sarhu. The government troops also set chevaux-de-frise in front, and the Tatar cavalry could not break through, advancing and retreating repeatedly. Later they put armored cavalry behind the horses and used their weapons to drive the horses forward, and finally broke through the chevaux-de-frise. The government troops could not hold and ultimately fell into chaos. The old camp has many horses — we can drive horses to break the formation. Once we defeat the government troops, the dead and wounded horses will still come back. In war, after all, there are trade-offs."

"Enough talk — move out!"

Looking at the sea-tide of cavalry in the rear formation, Li Zicheng finally gave the order.

……

"Open fire!"

With thunderous roars, the cannons on each war wagon of the Baoding wagon-fort continuously let out great peals like thunderclaps. Rolling dense smoke billowed forth, and dense falconets and bandit-exterminating cannons bombarded the bandit cannon positions. The central army's wagon-fort had finally closed to within one li of range and was now engaged in a fierce artillery duel with the bandit cannon camp.

The positions on both sides were dark and dim. Amid the plumes of smoke rising into the air, long cannon flames flickered, and heavy balls traced arcs through the sky, then crashed heavily onto the opposing positions. The limbs of the dead and wounded on both sides gave off a foul stench, and all manner of severed body parts flew and fell.

But amid the shriek of tearing air, slowly, the Baoding wagon-fort gained more and more of the upper hand. Once they closed to mutual firing range, ants in numbers could bite an elephant to death, and with their superior training, the Baoding wagon-fort, with its many cannons, clearly had the advantage. Fewer and fewer cannonballs came from the opposite side.

Yang Wenyue had also finally found his footing again. He spared no thought for his own safety, either personally directing at the front or manning a great cannon himself, only shouting and urging the fight. Inspired by Yang Wenyue, the gunners in the camp fought even more fiercely, disregarding their own lives. The Ming army's wagon-fort kept advancing.

Seeing the government troops slowly gaining the upper hand, Ding Qirui finally breathed a sigh of relief. He and Wen Shiyan directed the overall situation, as scouts raced back and forth, continuously bringing the latest intelligence from all sides.

On the left wing, which Ding Qirui was most concerned about, Zuo Liangyu and the others were fighting fiercely. Although the rolling bandit cavalry had broken through their front formation, they had also paid a heavy price. Scout reports came in that it seemed a bandit general holding a great banner had been shot dead by an arquebus, though no one knew which one in the bandit camp.

Now the bandit cavalry were fiercely attacking the rear formation of Zuo Liangyu and the others on the left wing. But Ding Qirui was somewhat relieved — after all, the left wing's rear formation was composed of the elite troops of Zuo Liangyu's, Fang Guoan's, and the other garrisons. The miscellaneous troops of the front formation had held out for a long time; there was no reason the rear formation, packed with household retainers, could not hold.

Moreover, Ding Qirui had transferred many reserve units to support them, and Chen Yongfu and the others with the new army would soon arrive. As long as Zuo Liangyu and the others held firm, the bandits' great defeat was right before their eyes.

And the news from the right wing delighted Ding Qirui even more. He looked at that scout and asked joyfully, "Commander Hu and the others have already broken into the bandits' flank, and the bandit formation is about to collapse? Hahaha, indeed the treasured blade has not aged — Commander Hu is mighty!"

That scout only nodded silently, then hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping: "In reply to the Regional Commander, yes, it is so. Only the cavalry of the three garrisons have suffered rather heavy losses, and also… also…"

Ding Qirui frowned: "What is it?"

Wen Shiyan also looked over. That scout lowered his head: "Also… Commander Hu… may have met with misfortune. Some scouts say he seems to have been struck by a cannonball…"

Ding Qirui suddenly stiffened and bellowed, “This is impossible!”

Just then, a thunderous roar erupted from the left wing — it sounded like the terrified wails of tens of thousands of Ming troops. Ding Qirui’s hair stood on end. He dared not turn his head.

A bone-deep chill surged into Wen Shiyan’s heart as well. He stared fixedly in that direction, faintly catching shouts of: “Left Regional Commander has fled! Left Regional Commander has fled!” Then, amid the screams of several men, he saw that flank collapse like a bursting dam — countless routed soldiers scattered and fled in all directions, howling with heart-rending despair.

A dark mass of bandit cavalry charged from the left wing, herding the routed soldiers like ducks. Watching the overwhelming tide of bandit horse troops surge in from the left, Ding Qirui was utterly stupefied. He could only mutter, “Why… victory was within reach — why did Zuo Liangyu run?”

Wen Shiyan’s face was ashen. Astride his horse, he ground his teeth and finally forced two words from his lips: “Useless wretch!”

Watching the left wing collapse, then the rear formations of the central army crumble in turn, and finally the rout spread to the entire field, a sense of bewilderment welled up in Wen Shiyan’s heart. He felt that ever since arriving at Kaifeng, all his efforts had ultimately become a joke. Perhaps he should simply have observed quietly. The most pressing thing now was to escape with his life — everything else could wait.

He savagely spurred his horse, his heart seething with boundless hatred: “Warlords — these are warlords! One day, I shall petition the Grand General to exterminate every warlord under Heaven!”

…

On the twelfth day of the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, at the Battle of Zhuxianzhen, the Ming army suffered a catastrophic defeat. Zuo Liangyu fled a thousand li, bolting straight back to Xiangyang. Ding Qirui narrowly escaped back to Kaifeng, but his imperial credentials, seal, and sword were all lost. Yang Dezheng and Fang Guoan fled back to Kaifeng, each with only a few dozen riders left.

Hu Dawei was struck by cannon fire and died. Yang Wenyue was surrounded and fought to the death alongside Ding Hu. The wagon fort was annihilated. Jiang Mingwu was trapped in heavy encirclement and died fighting alongside his personal guards Geng Daoming, Jiang Yelong, Wang Bao, Zhu Xigui, Bai Yuzhu, Yang Shou, Zhuang Dengke, and others.

The new army led by Chen Yongfu and Hu Zichen was overrun by the routed troops, then pursued and slaughtered by the bandit cavalry. Afterward, each managed to rally only a little over a thousand new army soldiers and some two thousand cavalry from the regular battalions. The roving bandits won a complete victory, accepting the surrender of fifty thousand Ming infantry and five thousand cavalry, and seizing vast stores of baggage, provisions, cannons, weapons, and equipment, as well as ten thousand horses and mules. Their prestige swelled even further.

…

As the Ming army disintegrated and scrambled desperately for their lives, the rebel army pursued and slaughtered them all the way across the plains between Zhuxianzhen and Chenliu, right up to the walls of Kaifeng. Corpses littered the fields; abandoned equipment and banners lay everywhere; dead men and dead horses were strewn about, their blood flowing into small rivers.

The roving bandit commanders were exultant. He Yilong clapped Yang Shaofan on the shoulder and roared with laughter: “Brother Yang, it’s all thanks to your brilliant plan!”

Yang Shaofan’s expression was indifferent. Li Dingguo stood beside him, looking at the gruesome scene before them, then at Yang Shaofan’s back. For some reason, a line flashed through his mind: “A single general’s glory is built on ten thousand bleaching bones.”

Li Zicheng was also in high spirits. The great victory at Zhuxianzhen filled him with elation, though his own forces had suffered no small losses. The old camp that had charged the formations, for instance, had taken nearly two thousand casualties, with countless horses lost as well. Even Hao Yaoqi had fallen in battle.

Although Zuo Liangyu and the others had fought in complete disarray, the terrifying firearms on the eastern route had still inflicted enormous damage on his old camp. The remaining cavalry had also suffered grievous losses. Had Zuo Liangyu not fled to preserve his strength, Li Zicheng still did not know how it would have ended.

Afterward, he also learned a terrifying piece of news from the captured new army soldiers: Chen Yongfu and the others, leading the new army, had been on the verge of arriving as reinforcements. Thinking of their entry into the fray made Li Zicheng and his men shudder. Fortunately, Zuo Liangyu had revealed his true colors, allowing their side to achieve a great victory.

And afterward, they also captured quite a few new army soldiers from the two garrisons. New army troops without formation were nothing to fear; moreover, they were not surrounded in a desperate position and lacked the do-or-die spirit of a last stand. Capturing or destroying them was several times easier than destroying the new armies of Cao and Wang.

The new army in the Central Plains that had given him such headaches was thus resolved. Thinking on it, Li Zicheng once again thanked Zuo Liangyu — and, of course, did not forget Yang Shaofan’s contribution.

Such a grand pledge of allegiance was enough to prove his loyalty. Li Zicheng pondered: henceforth, the new army within the rebel forces would be placed under Yang Shaofan’s command.

Of course, the losses his own forces had suffered pained Li Zicheng and the others greatly, and Hao Yaoqi’s death made everyone in the Chuang camp sigh with grief. Yet it was all worth it — what they had gained far exceeded what they had lost. With the great victory at Zhuxianzhen, the rebel army would grow even stronger from now on, and in this region of the Central Plains, there would be no more force to restrain them.

Thinking of this, Li Zicheng burst into hearty laughter. Feeling his troops strong and his horses sturdy, he looked around at the roving camp’s men with an air of haughty condescension. He said, “Now that the government troops have suffered a crushing defeat, Kaifeng is but a ripe peach. Our righteous army can surely take it in one swift assault. Shall we lay siege to Kaifeng now and uproot this stronghold in the Central Plains?”

The commanders of the Chuang camp and the men of Ge and Zuo all agreed. Luo Rucai’s eyes flickered briefly, but he said nothing. Li Dingguo pondered, as if lost in thought.

Li Zicheng paid him close attention and immediately smiled: “Brother Li, do you have some superior insight? Please share it with us. Earlier, you offered a brilliant plan that destroyed the new armies of Cao and Wang. What excellent strategy do you have now?”

Li Dingguo cupped his hands and said, “King Chuang, and all you chiefs: Li believes that although Kaifeng can be besieged, we should not hold too much hope. This city is not easy to take… Besides, Kaifeng is already an isolated city — taking it sooner or later makes no difference. Now that our righteous army has won a great victory, the most important thing is to first seize the opportunity to sweep away the enemies around us — such as Wang Qiaonian in Henan Prefecture, and the feudal princes and others over in Runing Prefecture.”

He continued, “My strategy is to first destroy Wang Qiaonian. Right now he is in Henan Prefecture, surrounded by men like He Renlong, Zheng Jiadong, Niu Chenghu, Zhang Guoqin, and Zhang Yinggui. How many of these military bosses are truly willing to serve the court? He Renlong especially — at Kaixian he stirred chaos and fled, abandoning Fu Zonglong. He and Zuo Liangyu are birds of a feather. It is very possible that when our righteous army presses toward them, He Renlong will abandon Wang Qiaonian and flee again. Even if he doesn’t run, they may still be unaware of our great victory in Henan Prefecture. If we send elite cavalry on a sudden dash westward, with local rebel forces rising in response, we can certainly achieve an extraordinary effect!”

Li Zicheng nodded repeatedly, his face full of approval. The men of the roving camp likewise showed expressions of admiration.

Li Dingguo continued, “After destroying Wang Qiaonian, our righteous army will turn south to attack Runing Prefecture. When Chen Yongfu and the others flee back to Kaifeng and the feudal princes are in peril, will they come out of Kaifeng to rescue them or not? If they do, our forces can set an ambush in the field and defeat them just as we defeated Cao and Wang. If they don’t, the officials and generals of Kaifeng can only watch helplessly as we conquer cities and seize territory!”

Li Zicheng roared with laughter and declared loudly, “Worthy of the title ‘Little Yuchi’ — brilliant! Truly brilliant!”

The men of the roving camp all laughed as well. Yang Shaofan looked at Li Dingguo, his eyelids lifting slightly.

Sun Kewang watched with a faint smile, his thoughts unreadable.

…

On the sixteenth day of the ninth month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, inside Kaifeng, Wen Shiyan was writing furiously, compiling a summary report of his recent observations.

“…The relief army has been routed and destroyed, and the bandits grow ever more brazen. Now the bandit threat presses urgently; seven or eight-tenths of all Yu has already fallen. The feudal princes cry for rescue, looking to us as parched fields look to clouds and rainbows. Speaking of the future, the Central Plains are the heartland of the realm; speaking of today, they are a region shattered and ruined…”

“The defeat in this battle was entirely the fault of the warlords. The lesson of this precedent must not be ignored. If our Jingbian Army is to coordinate in battle with allied garrisons, we must rigorously scrutinize their character and qualifications — better to go without than to accept the unworthy…”

Just as he wrote this, a gust of cold wind swept in. Wen Shiyan involuntarily tightened the heavy coat around him. He looked outside: snowflakes as large as palm blossoms were falling in chaotic flurries. What a heavy snow — auspicious snow heralds a bountiful year. Yet the snow had come too early; it seemed next year would bring another great drought.

Wen Shiyan sighed. That day, under the cover of his guards, he had fled back to Kaifeng. Though he himself was unharmed, over a dozen of his escort had been killed or wounded. Upon returning to Xuanfu, he would certainly face an inquiry. Closing the completed report, he picked up another document — a proclamation the roving bandits had shot into the city.

“Proclamation by Li, General of Civil and Military Affairs of the Heaven-Upholding Righteous Camp: To all civil and military officials, soldiers, and civilians within the province, know this: The relief forces of Ding Qirui, Zuo Liangyu, Hu Dawei, and others have been defeated and slain by this camp, fleeing and scattering in all directions. This camp has dispatched troops to guard the Yellow River; all other routes of reinforcement are cut off. You are already fish in a cauldron. You may surrender the city immediately; civil and military personnel will be retained in their posts, and not a single person will be killed. If you persist in resistance, the waters of the Yellow River will be unleashed within days, and you shall all be buried in the bellies of fish. This camp fears to harm the harmony of Heaven and cannot bear to act rashly. Take care not to obstinately regard this as an empty threat! This is hereby proclaimed in advance.”

Wen Shiyan stared for a long time at the words “the waters of the Yellow River will be unleashed within days, and you shall all be buried in the bellies of fish.” Would the roving bandits actually breach the river in the future? He could not be certain.

After the great defeat of the government troops on the twelfth, the roving bandits besieged the city on the thirteenth. But two days later, after an unsuccessful attempt to storm it, they withdrew. Before leaving, they shot numerous proclamations inside.

According to scout reports, the bulk of their forces had gone to Runing Prefecture. There were also reports that a large force of roving bandit elite cavalry was pressing toward Henan Prefecture. No one knew whether these reports were true or false. Now the open country was the domain of the roving bandits; the government scouts were all too terrified to venture out. Everyone inside Kaifeng could only watch helplessly, powerless to act.

Putting away the proclamation, Wen Shiyan swept his gaze around the room one last time. At last, he was about to leave Kaifeng. He did not know what feeling stirred in his heart. He packed his belongings, opened the door, and a gust of wind wrapped in snowflakes struck him. Wen Shiyan could not help but shudder all over.

Outside, snowflakes drifted down. The courtyard was full of the observation mission’s staff and some men from the Sanjin Trading Company. Carts were lined up, laden with the women and children they had gathered. A merchant approached Wen Shiyan and complained, “Ambassador, when we leave today, we can only take three hundred of the purchased women and children. In this freezing weather, it is truly inconvenient.”

Wen Shiyan said flatly, “It doesn’t matter. The remaining women and children can be transported gradually.”

He looked from cart to cart. Inside, the women and children all stared back with fearful eyes, each one filthy, gaunt, and sallow, shivering and huddled together. Wen Shiyan said, “The weather has turned cold. Give each of them an extra padded coat, and ensure a good supply of hot water and hot gruel on the road. You must make certain that not a single one dies before reaching Xuanfu Garrison.”

The merchant groaned inwardly. My lord, this is the heartland of the Central Plains, not Xuanfu Garrison — where am I supposed to find such good conditions? Fine — Ambassador Wen casually gives an order, and I’m the one who has to labor and toil over it. Truly, when the superior moves his lips, the underling runs his legs off. But outwardly he fawned, “The Ambassador is benevolent and virtuous.”

Wen Shiyan said, “Mm. The image of our Jingbian Army must be built from every small detail. This matter brooks no carelessness.”

A staff officer beside him also sighed, “Whenever war and chaos strike, it is always the women and children who suffer most. The Grand General’s order to gather these orphans and widows is a deed that would move ten Battalion Commander to call him a living Buddha.”

Another staff officer said, “Right now Xuan Garrison and the lands beyond the frontier are full of able-bodied young men. If human nature is denied, over time, disaster is sure to follow. We must also gather as many women as possible.”

As they talked, they came to one cart, and everyone’s eyes lit up. Inside was an old woman with graying hair. She seemed injured and coughed from time to time. Nestled against her were twin girls of five or six years old. Both girls were pale and frail; they huddled together, clinging tightly to each other. Under the gaze of the onlookers, they only looked back timidly.

Twins were a rare sight, so everyone took a few extra glances. The old woman, somewhat apprehensive, made to rise and bow, but Wen Shiyan stopped her. Gently, he asked the twin girls, “What are your names?”

The one who seemed to be the elder sister said timidly, “…Elder Sister is Da’nan, Younger Sister is Er’nan…”

The merchant beside them explained, “They are family members of famine refugees captured by Marshal Cao and brought back to Kaifeng for resettlement…”

He then pointed to a young woman beside the three of them. In her arms she held an infant. This baby was plump and fair, with a pair of round, strikingly bright eyes. From time to time, it clapped its little hands with innocent, artless delight, babbling something in baby talk. At that moment, it was clutching tightly to the hem of Da’nan’s clothes and refusing to let go.

The merchant explained the infant’s background. Because he had to accompany the army on campaign, Cao Bianjiao had brought the baby to Kaifeng and found a wet nurse, even giving him the childhood name Qu’er. When the wet nurse saw that Cao and Wang had not returned and read the bandits’ proclamation, she feared they might truly breach the river one day. She decided to go to Xuanfu Garrison and sought out this merchant.

Everyone sighed with deep sorrow. The staff officer lamented, “Pity my people, so many are their hardships. Pity my people, so many are their sorrows…”

In the courtyard, Chen Yongfu and Hu Zichen had also come with a few personal guards to see them off. Amid the wind and snow, Chen Yongfu stood silent and wordless. Hu Zichen merely sobbed, grieving the death of Hu Dawei. Everyone bade farewell with clasped hands, wordlessly. As they mounted the carts and horses, Wen Shiyan looked back. Chen Yongfu still stood there, dazed.

Wen Shiyan suddenly felt a sting in his nose and nearly shed tears. He was not a man of rich emotion; his life had been filled with cold calculation. Yet for some reason, he simply wanted to weep bitterly.

The cold wind bit sharply; snowflakes drifted down. The carts and horses filed steadily out of the great courtyard. Chen Yongfu stared blankly as they traveled northward. Slowly, as if a flurry of snow swept past, they vanished without a trace.

He sighed a mournful, drawn-out breath: "My son, your father can only hope that you stay well in Xuanfu, safe and sound — that is all."

Amid his sigh, the wind and snow intensified, until at last they swallowed his entire figure from sight.

Old White Ox: This volume had many twists and turns; thankfully it is finally finished. Thank you, friends, for your unwavering support. Please look forward to the final volume of this book: Where the Heart Finds Peace, There Lies Home.

Also, I have just learned of what happened in Kunming. I am utterly furious — hatred, bone-deep hatred!