Chapter 110: The Walltop

The urgent clang of gongs rang out repeatedly from the eastern city wall. On Bean Family Bridge, countless panicked commoners fled in every direction, and everywhere rose the terrified cry: "The roving bandits have entered the city!"

He Xianya shouted as he rode at a gallop, swiftly turning onto Scarlet Blossom Gate Street. As he neared the city gate, the wind whistled overhead. He Xianya looked up; many arrows arced high over the city wall and into the city, falling on the nearby streets. They struck the roof tiles of houses with sharp cracking sounds. Occasionally, fleeing passersby in the street were hit and lay in the road, wailing loudly.

"Get under the eaves!" He Xianya roared at one such person, his horse's speed not slowing in the slightest. Ahead, Ruan Jin was leading several Runners, racing toward the city gate.

By now, he was not far from the city gate. He Xianya swiftly overtook that group of the Fast Squad and jumped from his horse before it had even steadied. His riding skill was poor, and he had never dismounted like this before. Upon landing, he lost his balance, pitching forward with a hunched body onto the ground. He had no time to check his palms and scrambled to his feet.

Inside the gate, soldiers milled about in chaos. The stone slabs were covered in blood. Over ten corpses lay scattered about, ignored. A few wounded men were screaming hysterically. Many Community Soldiers and commoners scurried in the street like headless flies. Some Community Soldiers had abandoned their short spears and were fleeing deeper into the city, while a clamor rose from the city wall.

Within the dim gate tunnel, a bright crack of light was visible. Dense clusters of figures surged within, and echoing shouts rang out continuously. Someone was yelling in front of the gate tunnel, calling for those arriving to enter and provide support.

The sounds of gongs, wailing, and shouting mingled together. He Xianya's mind suddenly went blank. When Pang Yu had sent him here, he had been told to seize people and close the gate. The entire way, he had only thought about how to get the Guards to smoothly capture those six men. He had never imagined such chaos as this.

Ruan Jin, leading several Fast Squad members, arrived at the gate and charged directly into the gate tunnel.

He Xianya suddenly shuddered and shouted, "To the city walltop!"

Amid the din, Ruan Jin did not hear him at all. The few other yamen runners who had straggled in behind them all charged into the gate tunnel.

He Xianya headed straight for the City Stairs, taking the steps two at a time as he climbed the wall. Reaching the top of the stairs and stepping onto the walltop, he heard a wave of battle cries from outside the city. An arrow whooshed past the battlements, grazing He Xianya's topknot and flying far off to land on Scarlet Blossom Gate Street.

He immediately crouched low and ran forward, bent at the waist.

Reaching the City Tower, he stopped and looked. The area around the tower was packed with people crouching on the ground. The outward-facing wooden wall of the tower was studded with arrows. Three men lay beneath the tower pillars, each with an arrow embedded in their face. Two were already motionless; the other writhed ceaselessly on the ground, clutching his eye and shrieking in agony. Everyone else cowered beneath the wall crenellations, trembling.

He Xianya approached the battlements and peered out. The street below the wall was filled with red-clad figures. The roofs of the tile-roofed houses on either side were also lined with roving bandits, bows drawn and arrows nocked. The moment he poked his head out, someone shot at him. He Xianya quickly ducked back. An arrow immediately struck the gap in the battlement, snapped cleanly in two with a clink against the stone surface, and spun rapidly through the air before falling inside the wall.

A Community Soldier beside him wailed, "Don't look! One look and you'll be shot dead!"

The ground was covered in stones, but no one dared to pick them up and throw them down. He Xianya stared at the two broken arrow halves on the ground, breathing heavily, his heart pounding wildly. For a moment, he had no idea what to do.

A figure dashed past him, rushing swiftly into the City Tower. In the blink of an eye, he emerged clutching two pots and, without even reaching the battlements, hurled them downwards. Without a backward glance, he turned and went back inside the tower.

Amid the cacophony below the wall came the sound of two clay pots shattering, followed by a flurry of panicked shouts.

He Xianya turned his head to look. A cloud of white dust was billowing into the air. So he had thrown lime pots. Only now did He Xianya recall that there was no Grass Depot set up at the City Tower. Items like lime pots, fire bottles, straw bundles, and gunpowder were all stored inside the gate tower. Because there had been no warning whatsoever, these moisture-prone items had not been moved out. The walltop was therefore ill-prepared; even the hanging curtains for arrow defense had not been fully hung.

The man emerged again at that moment and threw two more lime pots. This time, he also shouted, "All of you, get up and throw! Kill the bandits for the nation!"

This time, He Xianya got a clear look. The man was none other than Jiang Guoyong, who had been dismissed from the county yamen. He had no idea which ward's Community Soldiers he had joined, but here he was, appearing on the City Tower.

White smoke billowed below, accompanied by waves of panicked shouts and furious roars. He Xianya stood stunned for a moment, then ran into the gate tower. Imitating the man, he grabbed all sorts of bottles and pots and hurled them haphazardly downwards.

…

Before the gate crack, battle cries shook the heavens. The Guards pushing the gate chanted work songs, straining with all their might to push the gate leaves outward. The roving bandits outside also shouted at the top of their lungs, the voices of both sides echoing within the gate tunnel.

Seven or eight short spears and the long shafts of long swords clashed and clattered in the gate crack, their blades flailing wildly in the space beyond. Both sides fought blindly through the gate, with no time at all to observe their targets.

Two more Guards wielding short spears had appeared beside Yao Dongshan. They jabbed chaotically through the gate crack at the roving bandits outside. The bandits held no advantage; because of the element of surprise, they could not hide overly long weapons in their carts. Their so-called long spears were even shorter than the Guards' short spears.

Yao Dongshan constantly shifted his angle, controlling the section of the gate near the crack. He had already stabbed two bandits who had pressed themselves against the gate boards to death in succession. Because the gate opened inward, the bandits could not attack the yamen runners behind it. Yao Dongshan's angle, however, was just right for striking the enemy through the crack. By controlling this section of the gate board, he prevented the bandits from all pressing against it to push the city gate. Thus, despite their greater numbers outside, the bandits could not out-push the yamen runners inside the gate tunnel.

A bowstring twanged outside. An arrow flew in at an angle, striking the arm of the Guard to Yao Dongshan's left.

"Team Leader, make room!"

Yao Dongshan heard Zhou Er's voice behind him. He dodged to the side. A javelin whooshed out through the gate crack. A scream came from outside. One of the long spears in the crack jerked upwards, then toppled forward, slamming to the ground with a thud.

The other long spears and long swords abruptly pulled back a section. Someone outside roared angrily, "Anyone who retreats dies!"

Immediately after, another person shouted, "Everyone, clear the way!"

The blades all retracted. Just as Yao Dongshan thought they were retreating, a human figure lunged heavily against the crack, jamming the two short spears from inside the gate within the gap.

Yao Dongshan wrenched his short spear back with all his might and, without a second thought, stabbed twice at that person. The figure did not react at all. Looking closely, he saw that the person's eyes were rolled back, white and lifeless. He had been dead for some time. It was a corpse. Its head lolled, and its body was being shoved desperately into the gate crack, slowly squeezing further and further downwards.

Yao Dongshan stared unblinkingly at that spot, waiting for the corpse to slide down so he could stab the bandits behind it. To his surprise, another corpse was shoved on top of it, completely blocking the gate crack. Yao Dongshan could no longer control that section of the city gate.

The roving bandits outside shouted in unison and threw themselves against the gate boards to push. The gate leaves began to inch inward.

Yao Dongshan rushed forward and pushed against the corpses with all his might, trying to force them outward, but he could not budge them. He knew there were bandits outside bracing against them. He also dared not drag them inward, as that would be helping the bandits push the gate open. At that moment, a fourth corpse was piled on top. The bandits outside exerted their strength together, and that crack grew wider and wider.

Yao Dongshan ran back to his position, picked up the short spear from the ground, and prepared to deal with any bandits who might charge in through the gate crack.

Just as he was burning with anxiety, a series of sharp cracking sounds came from outside. Amid the bandits' panicked shouts, a cloud of white dust poured into the gate tunnel through the crack. Yao Dongshan smelled the acrid scent of quicklime.

A voice outside roared, "No retreat!"

But the sharp cracking sounds continued without end. The white dust surging into the gate tunnel grew thicker and thicker, and the sound of much coughing came from outside.

That voice continued to shout, "Close your eyes! Keep pushing the gate!"

Through this chaos, the force outside lessened, and the gate leaves began to close again. But when they reached the position of those corpses, the leaves stuck there and could not be shut any further.

The corpses could neither be pushed out nor pulled in. Yao Dongshan was at a loss. In his heart, he could only hope that something more would come from the City Tower.

Just as he thought this, more panicked shouts came from outside. With a muffled thump, a ball of fire dropped from the sky. Immediately after, white smoke mixed with ash billowed upward. Through that crack, Yao Dongshan saw flames licking and dancing above the corpses.

…

Jiang Guoyong, clutching a straw bundle, squeezed into a corner of the wall. He forcefully smashed a fire bottle against the wall, splashing tung oil all over the straw bundle. He then held it over a burning brazier. Once the flames caught, Jiang Guoyong placed the straw bundle onto a gap in the battlements. Bandits below shot arrows, which thudded into the straw bundle with dull thumps, but to no effect whatsoever.

Someone below shouted, "Here it comes again! Get out of the way, quick!"

Fueled by the tung oil, the flames on the straw bundle rapidly intensified. Thick white smoke rolled upwards. Jiang Guoyong waited until the entire straw bundle was engulfed in flames before shoving it over the edge.

The instant the straw bundle dropped, an arrow whooshed through the white smoke, grazing Jiang Guoyong's forehead and leaving a long gash.

Yet Jiang Guoyong did not even cry out. He turned around and roared at the Community Soldiers cowering beneath the battlements, "All of you, get up and throw! Crouching there won't save anyone! Now is the time to kill bandits and serve the nation!"

He then tried to pull up a Community Soldier in front of him. The soldier's face was streaked with tears as he shook his head and cried out incessantly.

Unable to pull him up, Jiang Guoyong turned back to the tower, grabbed another straw bundle, and repeated the process. As he did, he continued to shout, "A true man dies when it is his time to die, but he should die a worthy death! All of you, get up and kill the bandits!"

Those Community Soldiers still paid him no heed. Jiang Guoyong moved with lightning speed, pushing down another straw bundle. The thick, burning smoke from below drifted up onto the walltop. He Xianya, meanwhile, stood to the side, ceaselessly throwing down lime pots and fire pots.

Although a continuous stream of arrows came from below, not a single one could hit the two men, because they never exposed their heads at all.

Seeing the two men come and go unharmed, the Community Soldier who had been wailing earlier finally stirred. He cautiously stood up, tremblingly picked up a stone, placed it on a gap in the battlements, and, without poking his head out, shoved it over.

Following this, several more Community Soldiers began to hurl stones. Jiang Guoyong loudly urged them on. More and more soldiers rose to throw things. Once they started throwing, they moved faster and faster, as if possessed. They grabbed whatever they could find and hurled it downwards chaotically. Even a small cannon sent from Anqing Prefecture was thrown over the wall by someone. A chorus of agonized screams rose from below.

Community Soldiers from the nearby sections of the city wall also began to arrive in a steady stream. Under Jiang Guoyong's direction, straw bundles were lit one after another and dropped. Below the City Tower, flames blazed and white smoke billowed. The stench of burning human flesh permeated the air everywhere, and wave after wave of searing heat surged toward the walltop.

The sound of a horn rang out. Someone below shouted loudly, "Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

After a burst of chaotic noise from below, it gradually fell silent. The men on the walltop continued to hurl straw bundles, lime pots, and stones without pause. Earlier, He Xianya had haphazardly thrown down quite a few fire pots, spilling tung oil everywhere below. Now, combined with the burning straw bundles, the heat waves were ferocious, and no one could possibly stand nearby.

A moment later, a guard came running up the city stairs. He shouted to the crowd, "Stop throwing! The gate is closed!"

Only then did everyone cease. He Xianya moved to the battlements and cautiously peered out. Outside, nothing but rolling white smoke from the burning straw bundles filled the air, stinging He Xianya's eyes so badly he could barely open them. Squinting, he could vaguely make out some red figures moving below, seemingly withdrawing across the rooftops. This wave of attack was finally over, yet no one on the city tower cheered.

Everything had happened too fast. The roving bandits' attack had been utterly sudden; no one was prepared. Now that the bandits had retreated, no one felt the slightest joy. The people on the city tower looked at one another, and not a single one spoke.

"What of the city gate?"

A voice came from nearby. He Xianya turned his head and saw a man who had just come up the city stairs. It took him a moment to recognize Pang Yu.

Though it was still early spring, Pang Yu's face was drenched in sweat. He was panting heavily, leaning against the battlements with a grim expression. He had clearly just rushed over.

By now He Xianya's reactions had returned to normal. He hurried over to Pang Yu. "Squad Leader, your guess was extremely accurate. It was indeed the roving bandits attempting to seize the Xiangyang Gate. When I arrived, the fight inside the gate tunnel was still ongoing. I immediately ascended the wall, preparing to attack from the ramparts, but found the community soldiers in a panic. I took command at once, and the community soldiers promptly restored order. Using lime pots, fire pots, straw bundles, and stones, we dealt the bandits a heavy blow. The roving bandits have now been driven back."

Jiang Guoyong was leaning against the wooden wall of the gate tower, originally bent over inspecting his arm. Upon hearing He Xianya's words, he suddenly raised his head, an indignant look on his face. But after hesitating a moment, he lowered his head again, as if he had not heard that speech at all.

Hearing that the roving bandits had withdrawn, Pang Yu's expression eased a little. He patted He Xianya on the shoulder and said, "Well done. Third Brother, you kept your head in the crisis. Had you not directed the attack from the ramparts, the city gate would have been in grave danger."

As he passed in front of Jiang Guoyong, Jiang Guoyong raised his head again. Pang Yu recognized him too and gave him a slight nod.

Jiang Guoyong forced a smile, then bent back down to bandage his arm with a strip of white cloth. When he had pushed the straw bundles earlier, both his arms had been burned by the flames, raising strings of blisters.

At that moment, Zhuang Chaozheng and Ruan Jin came up the city stairs. Zhuang approached Pang Yu and said, "Constable Yao is gravely wounded. I fear he can no longer lead the team."

Pang Yu said nothing, only nodding slightly. "First, strengthen the defenses. I will go see him this evening."

With that, he strode north for a stretch, moving clear of the smoke. Looking out from the battlements, he saw large swaths of red on Zilai Street. Some of the roving bandits, armed with swords and spears, had begun searching the nearby houses.

Pang Yu made a rough estimate. The bandits who launched this first assault numbered only a little over a hundred, yet they had nearly taken Tongcheng. All the preparations he had made had been almost utterly useless against them.

What he did not know was that, in the original course of history, when the roving bandits entered Tongcheng, it was Pan Keda who had led troops to meet them in a field battle in the East Suburb, blocking the bandits' first wave of attack. Now, with no Chizhou troops garrisoned in Tongcheng, the roving bandits had driven straight in unopposed.

The roving bandits outside were also observing the city wall. After their dash and the fierce fight, they were utterly exhausted, yet the looks they cast toward the ramparts remained vicious.

"Squad Leader, what do we do now?"

Pang Yu withdrew his gaze and looked at the three of them. "First, use bricks and stones to seal the Xiangyang Gate and the West Gate. Post community soldiers on the battlements to hold them. This group is only a hundred or so strong. The main force of the roving bandits is behind them. Having failed to seize the gate, they will have to assault the city wall. Our city defense battle has only just begun."

As his words fell, the faint sound of a signal cannon came from the northeast. A moment later, another sounded, much clearer this time.

Pang Yu looked toward the northeast and said softly, "They are here."