Chapter 313: A Path of Retreat

In Anqing, which lay in the Yangtze River basin, snowflakes drifted down in February. Inside Qianshan's Tianning Fortress, the cold wind whipped the colored recognition banners at the edge of the drill ground, making them snap and crack. On the general command platform stood over ten men, Pang Yu at their center, while on the parade ground below, nearly a thousand soldiers stood in solemn silence. Because Tianning Fortress occupied cramped terrain, the common folk from around Qianshan County town had all taken refuge here, so soldiers and civilians were not far apart. Beyond the perimeter, quite a few onlooking commoners stood watching, yet awed by the somber, lethal atmosphere, not a single one of them made a sound.

"In the Grand Adjutant's great examination and evaluation, the Sixth Company is rated Lower-Middle. Centurion Yang San is fined two months' pay and demoted to Acting Centurion, still managing his original duties. The Sixth Company's Third Banner Team is rated Inferior in the examination. Banner Commander Jiang Wei is to be bound and given twenty strokes of the plank."

Two Garrison Inspector soldiers bound that Banner Commander and hauled him onto the platform, pressed him to the ground, and immediately carried out the punishment. The thud of the planks rose and fell in succession, mingling with the Banner Commander's low, muffled screams of agony. By the time the twenty strokes were finished, the Banner Commander struggled several times on the ground but could not manage to rise to his feet, letting out a few wails of pain.

Yang Xueshi's voice echoed across the drill ground. "With the Roving Bandits on our doorstep, we sleep with our weapons at the ready, yet drill must not cease. Honing your skills is your duty, and it is also what will save your life when you go into battle. Officers and men must not slacken in the slightest. If you do not train your skills well, what will you use to kill the Roving Bandits? This time, Lord Pang has come in person for the Grand Adjutant's great examination. The Sixth Company's Third Banner is rated Inferior — the Garrison Commander's camp has never before had an Inferior rating. You've shamed your Sixth Company! I'm not afraid to tell you: before coming to Qianshan, Lord Pang went to Wangjiang to examine the Land Combat Division. In that entire division, the worst rating any banner team got was Upper-Middle! Now look at your Third Banner Team — a Banner Commander who is supposed to lead troops and kill men, and after twenty strokes of the plank he looks like this. What kind of courage can the men of your banner possibly have? Without courage, how do you kill anyone? This is simply a case of an utterly incompetent commander. In the Garrison Commander's camp, we only want men of ability and valor. If you can't do the job, then get lost..."

On the drill ground, not a sound could be heard. Although the soldiers all stood ramrod straight as required, the atmosphere was deeply dejected. The Second Division was led by Wang Zenglu, and ever since the Zhuang Squad days, its training had consistently been better than the other two divisions; it was rare for them to be berated by a superior officer like this. Yang Xueshi was scolding the Sixth Company, not directly rebuking the Second Division, which could be considered saving some face for Wang Zenglu. But Wang Zenglu's face was still as black as the bottom of a wok, and the officers below naturally knew there would be no sweet fruit to eat later.

Wu Dacai was at that moment standing directly in front of the general command platform. He shot a sidelong glance at the Sixth Company Centurion beside him, whose face was full of dejection. In his heart, he felt rather pleased with himself. In this Grand Adjutant's great examination, his own Fourth Company had earned an Upper-Middle rating, but his First Banner Team had achieved Superior — and had just received public commendation from the Military Office.

Achieving a Superior rating was extremely difficult; it required virtually no mistakes across all examination items. The only other unit in the entire camp to earn a Superior rating was the First Division's Mobile Infantry Banner Team — Yao Dongshan's elite troops.

With this outstanding result from the First Banner, he had widened the gap in the rankings between his company and the other three, and had also preserved some face for Wang Zenglu. At least in terms of the Superior rating, he had fought to a draw with that old foe, Yao Dongshan.

The Fourth Company's own drill regimen was, within the division, considered harsh, but the differences were not that great. The general situation was that after the expansion, there were many new recruits. Wu Dacai originally could not have reached Superior, so he had thought of a small method: he assigned most of the outstanding soldiers to the First Banner. Now it had plainly become the face of the Second Division, and naturally, he enjoyed even greater favor from Wang Zenglu.

At this moment, all those standing on the platform were senior officers of the Garrison Commander's camp. Two years ago, they had been little better off than Wu Dacai. As far as he knew, Yang Xueshi was merely a Relay Courier, and Jiang Guoyong a clerk, yet now they could both stand on the platform and deliver speeches to a thousand men. Wu Dacai felt that he could do the same. He imagined it in his mind, as if he himself were standing on the platform, looking down at the dark, dense mass of people below.

Yang Xueshi's scolding was fierce, but Wu Dacai felt no dejection. The last time he had openly contradicted the Clerk Officer, Wang Zenglu had brought the Second Division back to Tianning Fortress. In the days that followed, the atmosphere within the division had been subtle; no one was optimistic about his prospects. But not long after, the Clerk Officer was dismissed from his post and expelled from the Garrison Commander's camp. Wu Dacai knew he had chosen the right path. Now, everyone in the Second Division, regardless of rank, treated Wu Dacai with more courtesy than they showed other Centurions — tinged with a trace of fear and also a bit of distance. Wu Dacai thoroughly enjoyed this feeling.

Wang Zenglu's favor was no longer the main thing. His own single act of opposition had gotten the Clerk Officer dismissed. Wu Dacai knew what his comrades' fear stemmed from. This time, when Lord Pang came to Tianning Fortress, he did not grant Wu Dacai a private audience, which left Wu Dacai somewhat uneasy, wondering whether Lord Pang actually knew that the heroic feat of rebuking the Clerk Officer had been his doing.

He raised his eyes slightly to glance at the center of the general command platform. Lord Pang appeared increasingly steady and composed, but between his brows, a hint of worry could be discerned.

At this point, Yang Xueshi finished his speech. Next, Jiang Guoyong came forward. He first commended those who had shown valor in the defensive operation at Kongcheng Town. The Second Division had also been mobilized and participated. Seven men were commended, mainly from the Fifth Company. They had carried out a proactive river-crossing assault. The seven men each received a recorded merit citation, along with rewards ranging from two to ten taels of silver.

After finishing the commendations, Yang Xueshi swept his gaze across the entire assembly for a moment, then loudly declared: "Announcement: the Garrison Inspector Dui is to enforce military law. In the recent defense of Kongcheng Town, Tongcheng, the Second Squad of the Second Banner Team of the Second Company of the First Division — on the night of the twenty-seventh day of the first month, serving as skirmishers, under orders to patrol upstream on the left wing — encountered Roving Thief horse soldiers. The entire squad fled in rout without engaging in battle. Squad Captain Liu Shiguo fled back to camp and falsely reported that they had become separated during the night. His squad leaders and soldiers colluded in this false testimony. After investigation and verification by the Garrison Inspector officer, all eleven men, from the Squad Captain down, are to be executed by beheading in accordance with military law. No comfort compensation will be paid. Their heads are now to be transmitted and displayed to all units throughout the camp as a warning."

Over ten Garrison Inspector soldiers walked to the side of the general command platform and hoisted eleven human heads high, hanging them from a wooden pole. The heads were all disheveled, their faces hideous and contorted. A wave of uproar swept through the commoners watching from the outer perimeter.

Even Wu Dacai, who had experienced several bloody battles, felt a jolt of alarm at the sudden sight of the heads. He recognized that Squad Captain. The last time they had brawled on the drill ground, this man had seized the moment to land several blows on Wu Dacai. Now his head was already hanging from that tall pole.

Everyone's breathing grew somewhat heavy. The Garrison Commander's camp's military law largely followed the precedents set by Qi Jiguang, and the punishments concerning combat were especially harsh. At the Battle of North Gorge Pass, quite a few deserters had been beheaded. After the Battle of Puzikou, several men who had secretly hoarded silver coins were beheaded. But this past year, without any major battles, everyone seemed to have indeed somewhat forgotten. This was the first time an entire squad had been beheaded like this for desertion in the face of the enemy.

Wu Dacai did not want to look at those severed heads for long and lowered his gaze a little. This time, with the heads being transmitted throughout the entire camp, the First Division had lost tremendous face. It seemed that Yao Dongshan and Wang Zenglu, these two veteran pillars of the army, had both been having a rough time lately. He wondered if it was because the areas they were deployed to were too close to Tongcheng.

Just as he was about to ponder this further in his mind, Jiang Guoyong had already finished speaking. Pang Yu and his retinue descended from the platform and walked along the ranks toward the temporary official hall to the west. As Lord Pang passed by in front, Wu Dacai did his utmost to thrust his chest out even higher, but Lord Pang did not look his way, nor did he stop to speak.

Just as he was feeling quite dejected, the passing procession suddenly halted. Then Lord Pang turned and walked back, heading straight for Wu Dacai. Wu Dacai hurriedly snapped to attention, tilting his head up a little more.

Pang Yu stopped in front of him and said in a mild tone, "Centurion Wu, I hear that in your unit there is a banner team rated Superior in the examination, and even its archers achieved the Superior grade. Do you have some secret method?"

"In reply to Your Lordship, your subordinate has no secret method. I simply remember what Lord Pang said: skill is steeped out through sweat. Acquiring skill is what saves your own life. Every day, I strictly supervise drill according to the syllabus issued by Company Commander Wang. When others are at leisure, your subordinate conducts extra training. Achieving Superior this time was also a matter of luck."

"Remembering those words is exactly right. Living in this chaotic, strife-ridden age, whether as an officer or a common soldier, preserving your life is your fundamental duty, and killing the enemy is your responsibility. Both rely on the skill forged through training."

Wu Dacai maintained a standard military posture, though his voice trembled slightly. Yet he still mustered his courage and continued, "Military law states that in this army, your food and clothing are provided for, your monthly pay and rations support your entire family, old and young, and there are people to teach you the skills to preserve your life and kill the enemy. As a soldier or an officer, you needn't worry about anything else — just focus solely on honing your skills. You keep your life and draw your pay, and what's more, the skill you gain is your own. This is a tremendous bargain. If you still crave ease and comfort, and fail to train your skills well, then when the time comes to go into battle and you lose your life, so be it. Even worse are those who, lacking skill and therefore lacking courage, cling to their lives and flee back in defeat, only to have their heads chopped off in the end anyway, with no relief silver for their families. Their entire household, old and young, is left with no support, and in the final reckoning, they have only brought harm upon themselves."

Pang Yu nodded affirmatively and turned to Wang Zenglu and Jiang Guoyong. "This is the principle repeatedly proclaimed in military law. The officers and men have all memorized it, yet some still do not understand. Otherwise, we would not have an entire squad from the First Division executed. In my view, we should use this occasion of transmitting the heads as a warning to further reinforce military law throughout the camp. Everyone must reach the level of understanding that Company Commander Wu here has demonstrated."

He did not single Wu Dacai out for praise. After speaking briefly, he headed toward the temporary official hall. At the doorway, he saw Jiang Fan waiting.

Seeing that Jiang Fan had personally rushed back to Anqing, Pang Yu knew there must be urgent matters from Nanjing. He dismissed the accompanying general officers, keeping only Guo Fengyou and a few other close guards, and led Jiang Fan into the simple official hall, stopping only when they reached the wooden palisade at the southeast corner.

Jiang Fan dispensed with superfluous formalities and reported in a low voice, "My lord, the situation in Nanjing is unfavorable. Ruan Dacheng has still not managed to open a channel to the new Inner Garrison Commander. Junior Supervisor Zhou's side has already set people in motion."

Pang Yu had already received wind of this earlier. Hearing it now, his expression grew grave. His business in Nanjing was like a piece of fat meat, attracting all manner of power factions and giving him a feeling of being overwhelmed. His original intent had been that since the Restoration Society was likely to fall, he should align with the Donglin to smoothly develop his silver bank in Jiangnan. But no matter how many calculations he made, he could not have foreseen that Qian Qianyi, who had retired to private life for seven years, would become embroiled in trouble, nor that Zhang Yixian would die within a month. Now, as far as Nanjing was concerned, he was in a state of complete loss of control.

"What do they plan to do? Do they still intend to seize Bai Shun Tang?"

"Li Ping'er overheard them discussing it. This time, they not only want to seize Bai Shun Tang, but also the silver bank." Though the situation was critical, Jiang Fan's voice remained steady. "They have found two Censors from the Zhejiang Censorate Faction in the Censorate to impeach Your Lordship, accusing you of colluding with Zhang Pu of the Restoration Society, publishing the Jiangnan Times to manipulate public opinion, and also clinging to Qian Qianyi of the Donglin, remotely controlling Zhang Guowei's authority in Jiangnan, and fabricating battle achievements for exceptional promotion. Everything is aimed directly at you, my lord."

Pang Yu gave a cold laugh. "I thought he would impeach me for opening gambling dens and a money house, preying on the common people of Jiangnan."

"Junior Supervisor Zhou wants the gambling dens and the money house. He intends to seize them privately and will not bring these two matters into the open official arena. Therefore, not a single word of it will be mentioned."

Pang Yu narrowed his eyes. Junior Supervisor Zhou's methods were vicious. He wanted to tie Pang Yu firmly to the Qian Qianyi case, and also drag in Zhang Pu and Zhang Guowei — placing him right at the bloody, stormy core of the court factional struggles, involving both Forming Cliques and civil-military collusion, all things the Emperor detested most. For this, he did not hesitate to sling mud at both Qian Qianyi and Zhang Guowei. Only these eunuchs had no fear of offending the Shi Lin; they dared to do anything for profit.

"It seems they want not only the gambling operations but also my head. They certainly know how to ride the momentum — Wen Tiren strikes at Qian Qianyi, and they follow along to get rich. Have you managed to find out clearly: are the Emperor and Chief Grand Secretary Wen aiming to deal with the Restoration Society or the Donglin? Is there still any hope for Qian Qianyi? Is there any confirmed information?"

"Recently in Nanjing, neither the Restoration Society nor the Donglin have been at peace. All sorts of information is circulating, but your subordinate cannot verify it. The information from various brokers in Nanjing is often full of fabricated claims. Even if you spend silver, it may not be confirmed information. Therefore, this humble one dares not report back to Your Lordship." Jiang Fan hesitated for a moment, then said, "But your subordinate has a thought. Junior Supervisor Zhou came out of the Capital's Directorate of Ceremonial; his information is a hundred times more reliable than any broker's. For him to dare act like this now, directly attacking Qian Qianyi and Lord Zhang, he must have obtained definite information. From this, we can deduce that Mr. Yushan's situation is dire this time."

Pang Yu nodded. "To do business in Jiangnan, we inevitably have to deal with the Restoration Society and the Donglin. If not because of Mr. Mace this time, it would be because of someone else next time. Conflict with Junior Supervisor Zhou was only a matter of time. So, Jiang Fan, what do you think? How should we deal with them this time?"

"Since Junior Supervisor Zhou has set his mind on this, we cannot spend a thousand days guarding against a thief. Better to end it once and for all." Jiang Fan hesitated again. "The difficulty lies not with Junior Supervisor Zhou himself, but in the fact that he comes from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Killing him would be easy, but the fear is that it would offend the Directorate of Ceremonial, and then there would be no retreat. Moreover, the Censors' impeachment memorials have probably already been submitted."

"An impeachment does not necessarily mean trouble will follow. How many times has Wen Tiren been impeached? How many times has Military Commander Zhang been impeached?" Pang Yu rubbed his forehead. The content of the impeachment by Junior Supervisor Zhou's faction had clearly been carefully thought out. They were making a huge issue out of the congratulatory message for Qian Qianyi, borrowing the tailwind of Wen Tiren's attack on Qian Qianyi, and also implicating Zhang Guowei in it, making it difficult for Zhang Guowei to exonerate Pang Yu. As things stood, he had not yet thought of any way to respond, because his greatest weakness was that he had no powerful backer whatsoever at court. If he sought out Capital Officials from Tongcheng to intercede now, they would not dare get involved. So he still had to rely on Zhang Guowei, with whom his ties were closest.

"This matter implicates Military Commander Zhang. This time, we are in the same boat as Military Commander Zhang. As long as Military Commander Zhang is safe, we are safe." Pang Yu paused in thought for a moment. "The situation is severe, but it has not completely deteriorated. We have been far too negligent regarding intelligence. Once the Roving Bandits withdraw this time, I intend to establish a separate Military Camp unit. You will take charge of this matter."

Jiang Fan acknowledged in a low voice, then asked, "Then for now, do we observe the situation, or how should we proceed?"

"Military Commander Zhang will be arriving in Anqing shortly. I will ascertain the situation clearly before making a decision. You wait in the Prefectural City for a few days, and also go home to visit your family." Pang Yu relaxed his expression slightly. "You have been toiling and rushing about in Nanjing for a long time. This is a good chance to spend some time with your parents, wife, and children."

"This humble one thanks Your Lordship for your concern."

Pang Yu nodded. After Jiang Fan left, he slowly walked toward the rear section. The rear section of this temporary official hall was actually a former Monks' Quarters of Tianning Temple. It had originally partially collapsed, but after the decision was made to establish a defense here, it had been repaired in the eighth month.

There were guards at the entrance to the rear section, who saluted upon seeing Pang Yu. Pang Yu's mind was preoccupied; he returned the salute simply and stepped inside. Within were five brick houses. Pang Yu walked directly into the brick house on the right side. Unlike the other rooms, this one had three soldiers standing guard at the door.

The interior was sparsely furnished. A figure sat listlessly on the edge of the bed. Hearing the footsteps, he raised his head. Seeing it was Pang Yu, he hurriedly stood up.

"Lord Zhu, no need for excessive courtesy. Let us sit and talk." Pang Yu waved a hand at him, then reached out and pulled over a bamboo chair. As he sat down, he immediately felt the icy coldness.

The person inside was Qianshan County Magistrate Zhu Jiaxiang. His complexion was ashen. Upon hearing this, he sat back down dejectedly and did not initiate conversation.

Pang Yu gave a light cough and said, "Lord Zhu's matter has already been memorialized to the Emperor. By rights, the Branch Surveillance Circuit should come to investigate. But in these times of chaos and military turmoil, travel for the Branch Surveillance Circuit is inconvenient. Circuit Intendant Shi is also stationed in Tongcheng. Lord Zhang has instructed me to come and ascertain the facts. Therefore, in coming to Qianshan this time, apart from reorganizing the military, I am unavoidably compelled to carry out this official duty. I must beg your pardon for any offense."

Zhu Jiaxiang let out a sigh but remained utterly silent.

Pang Yu reached into his bosom and drew out a written statement. As he read it, he spoke. "I must first confirm the details with Your Lordship. Lord Zhu was captured by the Roving Bandits late at night in the county seat and taken to Wu Family Cliff. After being held for three days, Lord Zhu, seizing a moment when the thieves were off guard, tied his official seal to his arm, used a bedsheet as a rope to lower himself down from a three-story wooden tower, and escaped under cover of night back to Qianshan." (Note: Zhu Jiaxiang's experience is historical fact. He claimed to have escaped after being captured, but there were no witnesses. Zhang Guowei reported it to the Capital, but the Chongzhen Emperor did not believe it.)

Zhu Jiaxiang raised his eyes to look at Pang Yu, his lips trembling as he said, "Does General Pang simply not believe it at all?"

Pang Yu looked at the written statement. "Why would Lord Zhu say such a thing? I bear no grudge against Your Lordship. Naturally, I would rather believe it is true."

"That is not what this humble official meant. It is rather that this matter is inherently bizarre, and it is only natural that people do not believe it when told. But for this humble official, it is truly a supreme shame and humiliation. The moment I escaped, I submitted a Detailed Report to the Prefectural Office. Yet Lord Pi and Circuit Intendant Shi, instead of offering consolation, sent people repeatedly to interrogate me. This time, Military Commander Zhang has done the same. From this, one can see that in the end, the Emperor will not believe it either." Zhu Jiaxiang's eyes reddened. "Since taking up this post, I have not slacked for a single day, solely to protect the land and its people. This time, I nearly lost my life. Having barely managed to escape by sheer luck, I must still prove my own innocence. Had I known this, it would have been better to have fallen to my death from Wu Family Cliff and been done with it."

Pang Yu rubbed the corner of his eye and said in a low voice, "Lord Zhu's hardships — I have heard Company Commander Wang mention them many times. But the higher one goes, the less anyone knows Your Lordship personally. They only look at the words in the Detailed Report; they do not speak of sentiment or personal ties."

"Zhu is a man already as good as dead, and I am not afraid to speak frankly with the General. If Circuit Intendant Shi had not transferred Company Commander Wang's unit to Tongcheng, how could the Roving Thieves have infiltrated the county seat? Is his Tongcheng a fiefdom to be defended, and my Qianshan not a fiefdom?" Zhu Jiaxiang stood up agitatedly. "Zhu will speak even more frankly. Qianshan has no walls. The commoners who could leave are all in Tianning Fortress. There is no money, grain, or young people in the town. Yet Prefect Pi insisted that I remain to guard the county seat, merely saying that Defending the Territory is my duty, forcing this old man to hold a Danger Zone alone. Does the General know — the twenty-one runners I brought with me had all fled clean away by nightfall, leaving only the gatekeeper who came from my hometown. Just the two of us guarding a vast, empty town. As soon as Company Commander Wang's main force left, a few dozen Roving Bandits came and captured me, a County Magistrate, alive..."

Zhu Jiaxiang broke down in sobs and could not continue for a moment. Pang Yu did not press him, only feeling that Zhu Jiaxiang's predicament was actually even more difficult than his own — yet Zhu Jiaxiang was clearly far more wronged.

Tianning Fortress was not in a Mountain Region; it was simply an earthen slope directly opposite Qianshan County town, at a very close distance. Because Qianshan's sandy soil foundation made town construction difficult, Shi Kefa had approved the building of a Fortified Stronghold here. After Roving Bandit activity became frequent, the commoners remaining in the county town had basically all moved into Tianning Fortress. He had no idea what Pi Yingju was thinking, insisting that Zhu Jiaxiang remain in the county town and not permitting him to relocate to Tianning Fortress.

When Wang Zenglu's Second Division was garrisoned at Tianning Fortress, they had patrols and control over the outer perimeter and would proactively attack any Roving Bandits discovered, so Zhu Jiaxiang had remained safe all along — until Zhang Pangzi attacked Kongcheng Town and Shi Kefa once again transferred the Second Division to Tongcheng. After Pang Yu received confirmed intelligence, he led the main force of the Garrison Commander's camp to Tongcheng, preparing to conduct a major operation. Qianshan was left with only one company plus one banner team, barely enough to guard Tianning Fortress itself, unable to control the surrounding area. The Roving Bandits from the northern mountain region seized the opportunity to pour out in all directions.

In the end, Pang Yu never fought that great battle. Zhu Jiaxiang, who had remained in the county seat, was captured by a small band of Roving Bandits. He escaped and returned three days later, and those three days became an experience impossible to explain clearly. Under the current circumstances, he would very likely be deemed to have sold himself to the enemy and then returned as an Inner Responder, and his fate would be utterly miserable.

Zhu Jiaxiang suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud. "I trust General Pang, but I truly have no witness. I can only beg that after the General defeats those Roving Thieves and captures a few of the Bandit Spawn who guarded me that day, my innocence can be restored. Of all the tens of thousands of troops along this river, I trust only the General can utterly Defeat those Giant Bandits."

Pang Yu's eyes rested on Zhu Jiaxiang. He understood Zhu Jiaxiang's Opinion. Though he still did not know whether Zhu Jiaxiang was telling the truth, Zhu Jiaxiang truly had only this one path to shed suspicion. Although Anqing had multiple forces, Pang Yu's word carried the most weight, and his relationship with Zhang Guowei was the closest. Whether the captured Bandit Spawn were truly the guards from that day was not important; what mattered were the words written in the Detailed Report.

"I thank Sir Zhu for your auspicious words. However, the Bandit Spawn number in the thousands upon thousands. This official will of course do his utmost, but I truly dare not claim I can happen to capture those specific guarding Bandit Spawn."

Zhu Jiaxiang knelt on the ground, a string of snot dripping down and swaying beneath his nose. He said through sobs, "I have no retreat left either way. I can only hope the General captures the witnesses. You would undoubtedly be the parent who gave me a second life. If I can remain in office as this Qianshan County Magistrate, I will go through fire and water to repay you."

Pang Yu mused, "As long as we win a great victory over these Giant Bandits, perhaps we can capture them. A great victory…"

"General, please, you must restore my innocence. I have been wronged. It is not at all as they imagine."

"Where Sir Zhu actually went during those three days, this official truly does not care in the slightest. Nor do I need you to go through fire and water. Mutual cooperation and benefit in the future, however — that is something we can have." Pang Yu slowly stood up and walked to the doorway, then stopped and looked back at Zhu Jiaxiang. "Sir Zhu, in these times, who has any retreat?"