Chapter 794: Capture the Bandits by Capturing Their Leader

Xiao Yuanhang nodded: "Zhao Tieshan."

"The subordinate is here!"

"You stay here, guard the warships and the Main Camp; if anything goes wrong, bring your head to see me."

"Yes!"

"Zheng Wucheng, you will uniformly allocate grain, fodder, and supplies."

"Each day, at the chen and shi hours, send one trip straight to the central army; no delays."

"Yes!"

"Xiao Ningxun, go meet with Zhang Wu'an and lead two thousand troops to open the way first."

"Clear obstacles on the road, build bridges and pave the way; clear everything as quickly as possible, without mistake."

"Yes!"

"Xiao Ningchen! Lead five thousand cavalry, follow Xun Er, and rush to the outside of Kamakura City as quickly as possible."

"Along the way, kill any samurai heading to Kamakura City, whether they are reinforcements or not; do not let a single one survive."

"Yes!"

Xiao Yuanhang hugged his daughter and rose; all the generals stood up straight.

"The remaining generals, follow this king as we lead the central army forward."

"Before dark today, this king wants to see the walls of Kamakura City."

"Yes!"

The generals received the orders, turned, and walked out of the big tent.

"Speed is essential in warfare," Chu Yuan nodded, saying: "That Great General Who Subdues the Barbarians surely didn't expect that his scheme to send Ciyuan to delay would backfire."

Tuan Tuan wrapped her arms around her father's neck: "Father, didn't you say we should take it slow?"

Xiao Yuanhang was startled, then laughed: "The enemy wants us to go slow, so we'll go fast instead."

Tuan Tuan understood: "I get it! Father, we'll go head-to-head with them!"

"Exactly! So smart, my good daughter!" Xiao Yuanhang kissed her little cheek and handed her over to Xiao Er.

"You and Lu Qi, protect Tuan Tuan and the National Preceptor, and follow behind the main army."

"Yes!"

Evening, Kamakura City, the setting sun like blood.

A soldier on the city wall rubbed his eyes, strained to look into the distance, and finally made out the first red battle flag appearing at the end of the official road.

His eyes widened, he jabbed the soldier next to him: "Look, is that the enemy's flag?"

"What enemy? You must be dreaming!" that soldier lazily leaned on the battlement and looked over.

In the next instant, his eyes also widened: "Enemy, enemy troops are attacking!"

The two turned their heads together and shouted in unison: "Ring the bell! Quickly ring the bell!"

The two soldiers before the bell tower hastily pulled the thick rope on the bell hammer, exerting all their strength to keep striking.

The huge, urgent bell sound immediately echoed throughout the city.

The guard commander ran to the battlement, took a glance, and seeing the battle flags already forming a solid line on the official road, he roared loudly: "Close the city gate!"

The city below instantly fell into chaos.

The merchants hurriedly shoved their belongings into bamboo baskets, hoisted them, and ran into the city.

The guard soldiers surged out of the city gate wielding long spears, pushing and shoving the civilians still outside into the city.

The winch creaked, the two massive city gates slammed shut, the iron bars clanged down, their teeth biting into the stone seams.

Black smoke rose from the beacon tower on the inner side of the city wall, thick smoke like a pillar.

Archers stood three steps apart, filling the battlements, raising their big bows, palms slick with sweat.

The guard commander grabbed a nearby soldier: "Report to the general! The Fierce State's great army has arrived outside the city! Their battle flags cover the sky and earth!"

"Yes!"

The soldier turned and rushed toward the stairs, practically tumbling down the city wall.

He mounted his horse and galloped toward the general's residence.

The bell kept ringing, one sound after another.

Soon, the streets inside the city were empty of people.

The soldier ran into the general's residence, knelt outside the Constant Imperial Hall, and, gasping for breath, reported everything that had just happened.

Upon hearing the first bell, Yuan Guangyi had already ordered someone to summon Teng Yuan Liangxin.

At that moment, he was sitting behind his desk, sipping tea: "How many have come?"

"I don't know! When I left, they were still on the march, but there were so many battle flags, they covered the sky and earth."

"How fast!" Yuan Guangyi gently set down his teacup: "Has Lord Fujiwara arrived yet?"

As if answering his question, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the door.

Teng Yuan Liangxin entered, bowed deeply: "General, your subordinate Teng Yuan Liangxin has come upon summons."

Yuan Guangyi rose: "Follow this general to have a look."

"Yes!"

Soon, the two climbed onto the city wall, arrived at the arrow tower at its highest point, inside the keep, and gazed out together toward the outside.

The sunset sank, night began to fall.

A hundred paces outside the city wall, lights stretched like a sea, layer upon layer, extending straight to the end of the official road, almost no edge in sight.

Countless tents were pitched, joining into one vast expanse.

Bonfires dotted the scene, flickering with orange-red light.

Cooking smoke was drawn into thin, long veils in the night wind.

Faintly, soldiers could be seen sitting in a circle by the fire, some adding firewood, some holding bowls and eating something.

Countless red battle flags, illuminated by the campfire, looked as if soaked in blood, slowly turning in the night wind.

Yuan Guangyi stood with his hands behind his back: "What a grand deployment."

Tengyuan Liangxin stood with his hands lowered behind him, the fingers in his sleeve slightly curling.

Yuan Guangyi asked: "Lord Fujiwara, in your opinion, how many troops are outside the city?"

Yuan Guangyi looked carefully: "According to my estimate, about eighty thousand, not exceeding one hundred thousand."

"The remaining troops should be left at the coast."

Yuan Guangyi nodded: "Go back."

Having said that, he turned and walked down toward the city wall; the wind raised by his sleeves swept a fallen leaf off the stone steps.

"Yes." Tengyuan Liangxin hurriedly followed after him.

The two returned to the General's Residence and entered the Constant Attendance Hall.

Yuan Guangyi sat down, his gaze fixed on Tengyuan Liangxin's face: "How many troops are inside the city? How many loyalist warriors have arrived?"

Tengyuan Liangxin knelt and bowed: "Reporting to General, this morning Lord Ichijo personally drafted the order and sent someone out of the city with the Great General's command."

"Even the swiftest warriors are estimated to have been intercepted by the Fierce Kingdom's great army outside the city."

He paused: "I believe that the warriors arriving in succession cannot possibly enter the city."

Yuan Guangyi fell silent for a moment, then asked again: "How many fighting-capable people are there in total inside the city?"

Tengyuan Liangxin replied: "The standing garrison numbers about eight thousand, and the General's Residence's direct elite about five thousand."

"Including the inner guards of each manor, the total is about twenty thousand."

"Twenty thousand..." Yuan Guangyi murmured, "against eighty thousand."

Tengyuan Liangxin hurriedly said: "General, do not be anxious; Sickle Warehouse Castle is easy to defend, hard to attack. Although the enemy forces outnumber us several times, being surrounded by mountains on three sides, they can only launch a frontal assault."

"Moreover, this morning, the soldiers who returned after verifying the military report told us that what they used when landing were all heavy cannons; thus, the cannons available for siege must now be almost none."

"Although our forces are few, we hold the high ground; without cannons, they would not easily breach the gate."

Yuan Guangyi pondered for a moment: "Gather all fighting-capable people and place them entirely under your command."

"Quickly go to the Yin-Yang Bureau and order Anbei Taiqin to act at once."

"The Fierce Kingdom's great army relies on nothing but Prince Ning and the Immortal Envoy alone."

"\"Capture the bandit leader first; no matter what sorcery they use, I, the General, will take the lives of these two."

Tengyuan Liangxin touched his forehead to the back of his hand: "I receive the order."