Chapter 242: Candidates

On the open wilderness east of the Wangjiatao River, campfires were lit one after another. The Garrison Commander's Third Division and the Personal Guard Unit deployed separately along the two official roads, and now sat on the ground eating hot meals.

The walls of Puzikou blazed with lantern light; many city defense troops and commoners talked loudly, telling latecomers about the grand spectacle they had witnessed that afternoon. Watching a great battle from atop the city wall was safe and offered a perfect view — it was practically a VIP seat, so no wonder they were excited.

On Taiping Bridge, which spanned the city moat outside Wanfeng Gate, Mr. Hou was talking with a Company Commander from Puzikou. This Company Commander had been lowered from the wall in a basket, and the two were deep in animated conversation.

Unlike other places that paid them no mind at all, Puzikou's attitude was somewhat warmer, likely because the Garrison Battalion had publicly routed the Roving Bandits. Whether commoners or officials, their impression of this relief force from upstream was excellent, and they even paid for the things they bought. As a commercially developed market town, as long as silver was offered, they could provide excellent logistical support.

The Garrison Battalion was primarily oriented toward local defense of Anqing, but Pang Yu placed greater emphasis on mobility along the official roads. Even the farthest point, Wangjiang, was within a few days' march, and there were many market towns along the way. What Pang Yu lacked most was combat strength; the more streamlined the troops, the faster they could move, so he paid little attention to specialized logistical support, and had not even taken the Fire Soldiers that were part of the Qi Family Army's structure.

Even when he began preparing to relieve Jiangpu, Pang Yu only arranged grain supplies on the boats and along the river, without preparing a dedicated logistics unit. This time, after disembarking at Puzikou, all the troops went ashore to fight, and the boatmen were busy unloading cargo — no one had made any arrangements for dinner.

The hot food the soldiers were eating now had been bought from Puzikou, bowls and all included. Pang Yu hoped Puzikou could provide some additional supplies — meat, vegetables, straw bundles, firewood, tung oil, and so on — so the soldiers could be more comfortable tonight and recover their fighting strength better. He also needed some bone-setting doctors, who could at least help treat the wounded and sick soldiers.

As a strategic pass and thoroughfare, it was bound to be a gathering place for goods and merchants. Puzikou had no shortage of supplies whatsoever, and they had now entered the bargaining stage. Pang Yu knew those officers and soldiers were just acting as middlemen; much of their goods were bought from merchants inside the city, possibly even procured at low prices through He Mai, hauled up onto the wall, and sold to the Garrison Battalion — probably at above market price.

He had brought ten thousand taels of ready silver on his boats. As long as spending money could solve the logistics, Pang Yu did not mind, but he also could not let these local bosses think the Garrison Battalion was made of money, so some necessary haggling was essential.

The wilderness outside the city was already pitch black. Campfires had been lit at Silver Ingot Bridge and Fierce Tiger Bridge, starkly visible in the dark night.

The cannon assault at Silver Ingot Bridge had killed a pile of people and snapped two recognition banners. Not long after the infantry counterattack began, night fell. The First Division sent out two Companies, pursued for half a li, then withdrew back to camp. They captured several hundred men; the official road was strewn with the bodies of bandits who had trampled each other to death in the panic. Yao Dongshan only dragged back the bodies beneath the recognition banners and was now having captives identify whether any bandit chieftains were among them.

The direction of Fierce Tiger Bridge had suffered heavy casualties; corpses were piled like mountains in the market streets, both sides intermingled. The total casualties had not yet been clearly tallied, but when the cavalry and Relay Horses were counted, only forty men remained, seven of them seriously wounded, and nearly everyone else had minor injuries.

Before nightfall, Wang Zenglu sent two Companies of infantry to sweep the open wilderness. Most of the scattered Mounted Bandits were panicked and lost their way, drowning in the river. Roughly two or three-tenths of the Old Bandits did not cross the river but instead evaded on horseback in the wilderness, using their speed advantage to circle around the infantry; most of these actually survived. At nightfall, Wang Zenglu recalled his infantry and busied himself with defensive deployments.

So now there were still scattered Horse Soldiers in the wilderness. Though they no longer constituted a fighting force, they remained a psychological threat to the soldiers. Even Pang Yu himself felt a lack of security, but after dark he had no good way to deal with these men. From his experience at Yunji Temple, Pang Yu had gained one insight: during combat, one must not raise torches at night. Fang Company Commander and his group had carried torches and been used as target practice by Wang Guohua shooting from the darkness, while Pan Keda, marching with torches, had been spotted by Pang Yu and the others from a great distance, giving them time to change their plans.

But if they went bandit-hunting without torches, the Garrison Battalion would lose its advantage in Organization Degree, and they might end up fighting their own men in the dark.

The Garrison Battalion was not familiar with night fighting, because night combat relied on horn and drum commands and demanded high combat skill and coordination. Execution would still be difficult for Pang Yu's troops, but Pang Yu still decided to send them out — only on a reduced scale.

"After the meal, the Third Division will send out three Banner Teams, and the Personal Guard Unit will send out two Banner Teams. Each Banner Team will have five additional archers attached. Deploy one team every li along the Silver Ingot Bridge main road. Once in position, use drum signals as the command, and advance from south to north. While advancing, pay attention to the direction of the fire beacons at Fierce Tiger Bridge. Advance in line abreast, and the line of march must be due north only, to avoid attacking each other."

After speaking, Pang Yu looked up at Zhuang Chaozheng and Guo Fengyou. The infantry of the Third Division and the Personal Guard Unit had not fought in the afternoon; tonight's attack naturally should use them as the main force. These few sweep teams could not possibly eliminate all the surviving Horse Soldiers in the night, but they could prevent those men from reorganizing.

Both men immediately acknowledged the order. Pang Yu sized up Guo Fengyou, whose face was still wrapped in cotton cloth, blood seeping through from underneath.

"Fengyou fought fiercely at Fierce Tiger Bridge this afternoon. I should not make you exert yourself further, but you lead the Personal Guard Unit. Both infantry and cavalry fought with valor; the Personal Soldiers are the troops directly subordinate to the Central Army, and must set the example themselves, so you cannot rest yet."

Guo Fengyou snapped to attention and said loudly, "The Personal Guard Unit is the Biao Troops of Your Excellency. Whatever Your Excellency commands, your subordinate will carry out at once."

Pang Yu smiled and nodded, a nameless sense of accomplishment in his heart. Last Spring Festival, Guo Fengyou had been nothing but an Auxiliary of the Fast Squad guarding a city gate. The soldiers back then were mostly commoners who turned pale with terror at the mere rumor of Roving Bandits approaching. He had integrated the right resources and assembled them with these men, and they had become the Garrison Battalion before his eyes — a force that had just defeated over ten thousand Roving Bandits.

"Go prepare. The two of you will personally brief each Banner Team on their mission."

"Your subordinate understands. Please rest assured, Your Excellency." Zhuang Chaozheng saluted Pang Yu, then walked toward his own unit.

Pang Yu glanced at Zhuang Chaozheng's retreating figure. This Company Commander was not as outstanding as Yao Dongshan or Wang Zenglu, and the Third Division's training results were slightly inferior, yet Pang Yu somehow felt closer to him. He could not quite explain why himself.

"Your Excellency, your meal."

Pang Ding's voice sounded behind him. Pang Yu turned around; Pang Ding stood there waiting, holding a large bowl. After the Mounted Bandits at Fierce Tiger Bridge had been routed, Pang Yu had let Pang Ding come ashore. At least for today, the bandits could no longer threaten the docks.

He took the large bowl; it was still steaming hot, piled with five or six pieces of meat on top, and some green vegetables underneath.

His stomach had been growling for a while. Pang Yu picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, chewing vigorously. The meat was well seasoned with salt, the savory juices stimulating his taste buds. Pang Yu sighed in comfort.

"Young Master, eat slower. Do you want to go eat inside that building over there? It's already been tidied up, tables and chairs and all."

Pang Yu waved his hand and stood right there in the street, wolfing down his food, looking exactly the same as the soldiers around him.

After he had eaten half the bowl this way, the feeling of hunger subsided. Pang Yu slowed down, and with his mouth still full, said indistinctly to Pang Ding, "In a bit, take a few personal guards to Silver Ingot Bridge."

"What am I going there for?"

"Silver Ingot Bridge — naturally, to count silver." Pang Yu lowered his voice. "They found rations and pay the bandits had stored in the market streets. At first the Marine Corps was guarding it; now the Garrison Inspector Dui is watching over it. You go take a count, consolidate it in one place for storage, with personal guards and Garrison Inspector troops guarding it together."

At that moment, the personal guards nearby finished their meal and began forming up to prepare for the night's sweep mission.

Pang Ding glanced at those personal guards, then scratched his head. He knew Pang Yu cared most about silver. "Isn't it fine with the Garrison Inspector Dui guarding it? No one's allowed to carry silver on campaign; if it's found on you, you get beheaded. Who would dare hide any?"

"So what if they can't carry silver? If it were me, young master, and I saw a lot of silver, I'd find a place to hide it and come back for it later." Pang Yu ate as he spoke. "In this pitch-black night, dig a hole by the riverbank and bury it — who's going to find it? Or if they even find a boat, they'd haul the silver straight to Nanjing. Where would I go to catch them? When the silver reaches a certain amount, someone is bound to take the risk. Only if you take charge will I be at ease."

Pang Ding let out an "Oh," then said, "This silver business is the most critical thing. Then why doesn't Young Master go to Silver Ingot Bridge in person to supervise it?"

"When do I have the time? The losses at Fierce Tiger Bridge are far greater than at Silver Ingot Bridge. The cavalry is full of dead and wounded; the Second Division hasn't even had a hot meal yet. This official must go there no matter what. The docks need supplies inspected. And there are things that must be done before daybreak — after today, they won't work anymore." Pang Yu noisily shoveled the rice into his mouth, chewed it thoroughly, swallowed, then added, "There are also some ox carts and donkey carts at Silver Ingot Bridge. You need to find people to put them to use. This is very important for us. Right now, our fifteen hundred men are split into four parts — at the docks, Wanfeng Gate, Silver Ingot Bridge, and Fierce Tiger Bridge. I need those carriages to transport wounded and supplies, to restore the troops' combat effectiveness in time."

"This humble one understands. Then the manpower for driving the carts…"

Before Pang Ding could finish, Pang Yu suddenly said loudly, "Why are there six pieces of meat in my bowl?"

The personal guards forming up nearby all stole glances out of the corners of their eyes.

Pang Ding froze. "This… I added a few extra pieces…"

"This official just saw that every soldier has three pieces of meat. This official has long said that on campaign, officers and soldiers share weal and woe as one. Regardless of rank or post, none are exempt — this official included. Why did you knowingly violate this?"

"I…" Pang Ding's eyes darted around as he glanced at the surroundings and realized the soldiers were all paying attention. He hurriedly said loudly, "Your subordinate was muddle-headed and willingly requests punishment from Your Excellency."

"Three months' pay forfeited. If it happens again, this official will not let it pass lightly."

Pang Ding lowered his head and rolled his eyes. His silver was never accounted for; Pang Yu gave it to him constantly, far more than his official salary. That so-called military pay — he had never even gone to the silver bank to collect it.

"Your Excellency's teaching, this humble one will engrave firmly in his heart."

"Carry out the military order at once." Pang Yu shoved the bowl into his hands, and under the reverent gazes of the surrounding personal guards, strode toward a large compound at the west end of Taiping Bridge.

Pang Ding looked down. In the glow of the surrounding firelight, he saw the bowl was already empty. He muttered under his breath, "Why didn't you say so before you ate?"

……

Pang Yu, his belly bulging, had just entered the compound when the main gate quickly closed behind him. Inside were seven or eight personal guards and three men in civilian clothes, one of whom was Jiang Fan.

Pang Yu asked him, "Have the candidates been selected?"

"One each from the Eight Bandits and Sweeping King's camps, both are Team leaders. The one from the Eight Bandits Camp has the bandit name Second Locust. He was originally a household slave of a Shaanxi gentry family, knows about a hundred characters, dresses fastidiously, and fears death. I had intended to select a few more, but time was truly too rushed…"

"Bring the man from the Eight Bandits first."

The personal guards immediately entered a room and dragged out five or six Roving Bandits with their hands and feet bound, most with only light injuries. Finally, they dragged out one man who had been held separately from another room.

Surrounded by sword-wielding officers and soldiers, and with a man who looked like a General Officer in front — it seemed like an execution was about to take place. Some among the bandits began to wail.

Jiang Fan pointed at the man dragged out separately. "This is a Precious Banner Bearer from the Eight Bandits Camp, bandit name Nine Striped Dragon. He is Second Locust's Long Family. He was shot in the leg at Fierce Tiger Bridge."

Pang Yu nodded. "Which one is Second Locust?"

One of the wailing bandits below hurriedly shuffled forward on his knees. "This humble one is he. This humble one was forced by that Eight Bandits scoundrel, I've never killed anyone! I am willing to follow Your Excellency to exterminate those Roving Thieves."

Pang Yu said to one of the Personal Soldiers, "Untie his hands."

That Personal Soldier immediately went and untied the rope. Second Locust looked around in panic. The other Roving Bandits were all still bound. He had not expected to persuade this General Officer so easily.

Pang Yu drew his Waist Saber in one motion and, with a clang, threw it on the ground in front of him, startling Second Locust so badly he fell backward.

"Didn't you want to exterminate the Roving Bandits? Kill your Long Family Nine Striped Dragon, and you can live."

"This, this…" Second Locust lay sprawled on the ground, staring at Pang Yu in terror.

The other several Roving Bandits panted for breath. The atmosphere in this small courtyard was extremely heavy. Their lives all rested in this General Officer's mouth. They did not know what he meant by having Second Locust kill Nine Striped Dragon, much less whether he would have Second Locust kill them too.

"If you haven't acted by the time I count to five, this official will switch to someone else. One."

Second Locust turned his head. Nine Striped Dragon lay on the ground, glaring fiercely at him. A vicious light slowly emerged in Second Locust's eyes, then he looked at the other several Roving Bandits again.

"Two…"

Second Locust propped himself up and knelt properly. "Your Excellency, could you allow this lowly one to kill these Bandit Spawn as well?"

Pang Yu looked at him with a Cold Expression. "They are all witnesses to you killing people from the Long Family in the camp. How could I let you kill them? This official tells you who to kill, and you may only kill that person. Three."

Sweat poured down Second Locust's forehead like Rain. He had no time to think further and slowly gripped the hilt of the Sword on the ground.