Chapter 111: 109 — Seizing the City

Having been jolted awake in the middle of the night and then busy all morning, Xu Fusheng was so exhausted he kept yawning. He said to the people around him, "I'm going back to catch up on sleep. The rebels won't come again."

Sun Yanghuai was still somewhat afraid. "Prefect, this rebel Zhao is utterly treacherous — I fear he might double back and strike again."

Xu Fusheng yawned as he pointed toward the south city docks. "I've figured it out now. The rebel Zhao only wanted to seize boats; looting the customs post was just incidental."

Sun Yanghuai looked toward the docks and suddenly understood. With genuine admiration he said, "The Prefect's insight is brilliant!"

"The Prefect's insight is brilliant!"

The dozen or so officials standing nearby all rushed to flatter him.

The city of Ji'an Prefecture was peculiar. Though its walls were high and its moats deep, the area enclosed by the walls was not large, having been built on the foundations of an old Tang-dynasty city.

Inside the city walls, aside from civilian residences, nearly everything else was government offices.

North of the city were the Assistant Regional Commander's residence and the county school; west of the city were the Garrison Commander's office and the granaries; south of the city were the Luling County Magistrate's office and the prefectural school; the city center eastward fell under the jurisdiction of the Ji'an Prefect.

The truly prosperous areas lay outside the city, where many civilian residences had been built around the walls.

In particular, the area from the southern wall to the docks was actually larger than the city interior itself — commerce flourished, goods converged, and shops of every kind lined the streets in close rows.

If the entire city, inside and out, were taken as a whole, the inner area accounted for roughly two-fifths, while the outer area exceeded three-fifths.

If Zhao Han had been after wealth, he need not have robbed the customs post last night — raiding the south city docks directly would have yielded far more!

Xu Fusheng was therefore utterly convinced that Zhao Han's objective had been to seize boats, and that looting the customs post was merely incidental. By now, he was probably long gone by boat, having fled to who knows which county.

The Prefect and the County Magistrate, now confident in their assessment, each gave their instructions and then went home to rest.

Just as they were passing the Assistant Regional Commander's headquarters, they suddenly heard a great shout from atop the wall: "Garrison Commander Zhang has returned!"

The two men exchanged a look, both annoyed and amused.

The eunuch had forcibly marched the guard-station troops out of the city, only to see them nearly wiped out. Xu Fusheng and Sun Yanghuai were naturally furious, but they feared even more that Zhang Yin had died, which would be hard to explain to the Jiangxi Grand Defender Eunuch.

"That eunuch scoundrel runs fast, at least — the rebels didn't manage to cut him down," Xu Fusheng said mockingly.

Sun Yanghuai was yawning too. "Looks like we still can't sleep. We have to go welcome that eunuch scoundrel back into the city and see if we can get him to put in a few good words for us."

…

A basket was lowered from the gate tower. Zhao Han supported the eunuch and said in a low voice, "If you want to stay alive, don't try any tricks."

Zhang Yin was certainly thinking of trickery. Once the city fell, he would lose all value as a hostage — wouldn't the rebels just cut him down with a single stroke?

Zhao Han patted the eunuch on the back and whispered in his ear, "After we take the city, I will kill the Prefect and the County Magistrate. Then I will not only release you, but also send a boat to take you to Nanchang. Remember: the loss of the city and territory is entirely the fault of the Prefect and the County Magistrate. Governor Xie Xuelong deliberately fattened the bandits to boost his own importance, intentionally transferring troops to Anfu County and leaving the prefectural city open for the rebels to seize! As for you, Garrison Commander Zhang, you fought bravely, routed the bandits at one point, and sustained severe wounds in the process."

Zhang Yin was instantly dumbstruck, then wild joy surged in his heart — I'm still useful, I'm still useful, the rebels won't kill me!

And not only could he stay alive, he could also shift all the blame onto the civil officials.

Once he grasped this logic, Zhang Yin's will to survive became boundless, and he launched into a spectacular performance. In his most arrogant tone he bellowed, "Your grandpa's leg is broken — open the city gates at once! Anyone who disobeys, I'll have him killed!"

The officers and soldiers guarding the city dared not open the gates and still only lowered the basket.

Zhao Han and Fei Ruhe, their hair disheveled and their faces and bodies covered in dust, helped the eunuch sit into the basket. Deliberately lifting his broken leg, they slammed it hard against the basket's edge.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

The eunuch let out a scream like a slaughtered pig, sweat beading on his forehead from the pain.

There was no need to act at all anymore. His face deathly pale, he cried out, "Open the gates, quickly! My leg is broken — go find a bone-setting doctor!"

The soldiers guarding the city looked at each other in confusion. Officials began arriving at the scene one after another.

Some officials wanted to open the gates; a few dared not take the risk. An intense argument broke out.

Xu Fusheng and Sun Yanghuai arrived belatedly. Seeing that the eunuch did not seem to be faking — no one could act that convincingly — Xu Fusheng said, "Open the gates. Welcome Garrison Commander Zhang into the city. And send for the best bone-setting doctor."

The city gates opened. Zhao Han and Fei Ruhe supported him on either side, dragging the eunuch, who was nearly unconscious from pain, inside.

Once inside the gate, everyone felt even more tense and fearful than they had been outside the city.

This was because, apart from the gate facing the river, every other gate had a barbican. Zhao Han and his men were now inside the barbican. If they were discovered, they would be like turtles caught in a jar — no escape whatsoever.

In the end, they passed through without incident and entered the prefectural city proper.

"Ah, Garrison Commander Zhang, you've finally returned!" Xu Fusheng said with a smile as he descended the gate tower and hurried over to welcome him.

Sun Yanghuai added, "Garrison Commander Zhang is a man blessed by fortune. What are a few paltry rebels to him?"

The many officials of Ji'an Prefecture and Luling County all came forward to flatter him, hoping only that the eunuch would put in a good word for them. The local unrest had grown so severe that the court would likely punish them; only the eunuch could still whisper in the palace.

Zhang Yin could think of nothing else now. His broken leg was causing him excruciating agony. Weakly, he gasped, "Find a doctor… quickly, find a doctor."

Serves him right!

The many officials mouthed flattery and wore ingratiating smiles, but in their hearts they were all gloating.

Xu Fusheng pushed Zhao Han aside and personally took hold of Zhang Yin, reassuring him, "Rest easy, Garrison Commander, the bone-setting doctor will be here soon."

Sun Yanghuai also pushed Fei Ruhe aside and supported the other side, saying, "Last night the Garrison Commander directed operations with perfect composure, routing the bandits and driving them far away. Truly a pillar of the court!"

Zhang Yin was drenched in sweat. He pleaded, "Aiyo… slower, slower, my leg is broken."

The Prefect and the County Magistrate were wicked too; they deliberately dragged the eunuch forward, just to make the wretch suffer.

"Ah," Xu Fusheng quickly halted his steps and said with a look of deep concern, "Is the Garrison Commander all right? I was too rash."

"N-no… it's nothing, just… go slower." Zhang Yin could barely speak anymore, his face completely contorted with pain.

As they spoke, the many officials of Ji'an Prefecture and Luling County had gradually gathered around the eunuch.

"Kill!"

Zhao Han stabbed Prefect Xu Fusheng to death with one thrust of his spear, then drew his blade and cut down a Vice Prefect. After that, he simply hacked away with his sword.

Everyone was packed tightly together, the distance between them very close — a short blade was handier than a long spear.

Rebels?

Xu Fusheng clutched his chest and slowly collapsed. Even as he died, he could not understand — how could the rebels still be here?

There was nothing worth looting inside the city. Why not raid the south city docks instead? Why take the risk of seizing the prefectural city by deception? It simply made no sense!

At the same moment Zhao Han struck, Fei Ruhe cut down the County Magistrate, then hacked the Assistant Magistrate to death, and plunged into the crowd of officials, sweeping all before him.

Zhang Tieniu, gripping his axe, cut a swath through the officials, then turned to slaughter the soldiers guarding the city.

At this moment, Wu Yong himself could not tell whether he was a bandit or a soldier. He could only steel himself and charge, spearing to death the Assistant Prefect who was trying to scramble up, then spearing to death the struggling Assistant Magistrate.

Having killed two officials in a row, Wu Yong felt an inexplicable excitement, as if something inside him had awakened.

He was from a military household, in reality a serf, living worse than a tenant farmer.

Kill, kill, kill — all officials deserve to die!

Wu Yong grew fiercer the more he fought. He did not kill soldiers, only officials. A heap of them lay on the ground, and some were not yet dead. Anyone still moving could not escape Wu Yong's spear.

What a thrill — Wu Yong felt utterly exhilarated, and suddenly realized his previous twenty years had been a waste.

Only now, like this, was he truly a man. Before, he had been nothing but livestock.

"Kill!"

Wu Yong's eyes went blood-red as he charged at the defending city soldiers, even forgetting fear and death.

As Zhao Han rushed toward the gate tower, he shouted: "Ruhe, take men and hold the city gate. Tieniu, stop charging forward — bring men and follow me to hold the gate tower! Bugler, get over here, quick!"

The bugler dashed to Zhao Han's side and pulled a suona from his cloth bag.

"Doo-doo-dah, doo-doo-dah-doo-dah-doo-dah, doo-doo-doo-woo~~~~~~~~~~~~"

"Doo-doo-dah, doo-doo-dah-doo-dah-doo-dah, doo-doo-doo-woo~~~~~~~~~~~~"

The shrill, piercing sound of the suona rang out. Outside the city, the gates of the eunuch's luxurious mansion were suddenly thrown open, and Jiang Dashan led five hundred soldiers charging toward the prefectural seat.

The bugler kept blowing without pause. He used to play only for weddings and funerals; now, standing atop the gate tower of the prefectural seat, he was merrily sending off the entire body of prefectural and county officials in a mass funeral.

"The rebels are attacking!"

"Run!"

The defending soldiers fled in panic. With the officials wiped out in one stroke, what fighting spirit could they possibly have left?

The eunuch Zhang Yin crashed to the ground, howling in pain, and was trampled several more times in the melee. One foot landed squarely on his broken leg, granting him his wish — he passed out from the agony.

By the time Jiang Dashan led his five hundred soldiers into the city, the defending troops had already fled without a trace.

The market streets outside the city soon descended into chaos. Merchants and residents hurriedly shut their doors, and the merchant ships at the docks hastily set sail. Some soldiers who had fled the city, along with ruffians and thugs, seized the chance to burn, kill, and loot outside the city — and they did so under the rebels' banner.

Zhao Han immediately issued orders: "Ruhe, take a hundred men to the docks to suppress the disorder. Dashan, take fifty men and seize the Ji'an Prefectural Office. Tieniu, take fifty men and seize the Luling County Office. Huang Shun, take fifty men and seize the prefectural and county granaries. Li Zheng, take men to the county school and tell those xiucai not to panic. Remember — no killing at will, except for those taking advantage of the chaos to cause trouble!"

Chen Maosheng was at this moment concealed in a small hill valley, responsible for managing the grain, livestock, and political workers.

Huang Yao, with two captured merchant ships, had sailed to a landing point ten li to the north, having arranged to sail back at noon.

Zhao Han personally led men to the prefectural school. Because he had moved so swiftly, some of the xiucai inside had not yet fled.

Seeing the rebels bearing down on them, the xiucai grabbed benches, ready to fight to the death.

Zhao Han stepped forward with a smile. At once, some xiucai threw down their benches and ran, while others were so terrified they dropped to their knees and begged for mercy.

"Relax, I won't kill indiscriminately. I am a man of learning myself," Zhao Han said with a smile.

The xiucai were still badly shaken, but at least they were no longer so afraid.

Zhao Han asked, "Are you the only ones left?"

One xiucai reminded him, "There are still some at the county school, and also the White Egret Islet Academy on the river."

"I had forgotten about that place," Zhao Han said with a laugh, then suddenly barked an order: "Men! Surround the White Egret Islet Academy — not a single boat is to enter or leave!"

The White Egret Islet Academy, together with White Deer Grotto Academy, Goose Lake Academy, and Yuzhang Academy, was known as one of the Four Great Academies of Jiangxi. Surely a few talents could still be netted there.

(This book updates twice daily, plus one extra chapter for an Alliance Master donation, making three updates in total. Also, requesting monthly tickets.)

(End of chapter)