Chapter 323: Prisoner Snatching

On the afternoon of April 21st, seven li downstream from Erlang Bridge in Susong, the river water flowed by calmly. Thousands of reeds along the bank swayed gently in the wind — everything was peaceful and serene.

In the thickets on the western bank, Tang Ershuan lay motionless, prostrate in the shadows of branches and leaves. The sun was High Shine now, the hottest part of the afternoon. Waves of heat rose from the ground. Tang Ershuan's face was covered in sweat, seeping into several cuts on his face left by the cogongrass, a constant stinging pain.

For Tang Ershuan, whose skin had been worn through countless times by towropes and carrying poles, this didn't register as very intense pain. His attention was all on the opposite bank. Through the tangled branches and leaves before his eyes, he carefully observed the situation across the river.

The Land Combat Division had no dedicated Point Scout Squad. With this operation centered on a beach landing, Pang Yu had abandoned the use of Scout Cavalry, and the Land Combat Division assumed responsibility for the entire army's reconnaissance. Unlike the cavalry, Anqing by the Great River had no shortage of this type of soldier. The Land Combat Division was the first division to be fully manned and equipped, but personnel capable of carrying out this kind of reconnaissance were sorely lacking.

Tang Ershuan, as a veteran of the Land Combat Division and one of the few who had previously carried out reconnaissance along the Pure Stream River, was selected by Blacksmith. The Point Scout Squad had fifteen men in total, led personally by Blacksmith.

Previously, Tang Ershuan had served as Team Leader, but he was inept at leading. Not only had a man died during river-crossing training, but his unit had also ranked dead last in multiple evaluations. He had since been demoted to Squad Leader of Five. Detaching him had almost no impact on the command structure.

The reconnaissance operation was conducted mainly along the river channel, with logistical support provided by two Grain Transport Ships anchored on the west side of the river mouth where the Erlang River entered Dragon Lake. This year's rainfall was low, and the stretch of river below Erlang Town had a very gentle current. Years of silt accumulation had formed river islets everywhere, overgrown with weeds — excellent places for concealment.

The team Blacksmith led originally had six men. After sending two messages back toward the lake, only four remained. This section of the river was deeper, with no islets to hide in. During the day, they concealed themselves on the western bank. This direction had no main roads or bustling market towns, so fewer Roving Bandits passed through, making it much safer than the eastern bank.

They had obtained no significant intelligence the previous night. With Roving Thieves swarming around Erlang Town, they couldn't approach directly during the day. They planned to head north again tonight, infiltrate to a point one li downstream from Erlang Bridge, and continue the reconnaissance operation.

The eastern bank held a Pedestrian Road leading from Susong to Erlang Town. Susong County Town was in ruins. The surviving commoners had all fled into Dragon Lake early to escape the bandits. The Roving Thieves knew this perfectly well, aware there was nothing left to loot. Therefore, very few Roving Bandits had come from Erlang toward Susong this time — infantry were almost nowhere to be seen. Occasionally, some Horse Soldiers searched for commoners nearby who hadn't managed to flee. The Horse Soldiers moved too fast and often galloped past in whooping groups. A few Point Scouts on foot had little chance to capture anyone. This made Blacksmith's prisoner-snatching work rather difficult. The two they'd caught earlier were both Servants, from whom they couldn't extract very clear intelligence.

At that moment, the sound of hoofbeats came from afar. Faint shouts could be heard. Now and then, the figures of Horse Soldiers flashed by. It looked like they had discovered more commoners and the Roving Bandits were in pursuit. Tang Ershuan watched the situation intently. Suddenly, through a gap, he seemed to glimpse a banner.

"Treasure Command Banner."

Tang Ershuan turned his head and let out a frog croak toward the north side. From the thicket emerged the mud-smeared face of Company Commander Blacksmith. It was his turn to rest now. He rubbed his eyes, then raised his Telescope before his eyes and observed carefully.

That banner had stopped on the opposite bank. At this distance, Tang Ershuan could already distinguish the Beidi accent. According to the briefings the Military Office gave to each division, below the bandit chiefs, forces were generally divided into Ying. Each Ying had one General Officer, below whom were one Treasure Command Banner and one High Shine, and further below were Post Commander and Team Leaders — that was the general structure. The Treasure Command Banner was nominally responsible for assisting the General Officer in command using flags during the day, while the High Shine was a large lantern for assisting the General Officer at night. In practice, however, they were more like status symbols, serving as the General Officer's deputies.

A Treasure Command Banner could already be considered a high-ranking officer among the Roving Bandits. If captured, he could be interrogated for a great deal of information. With such a good opportunity presenting itself, Tang Ershuan reckoned that Company Commander Blacksmith might risk a daytime strike.

While Blacksmith was observing, Tang Ershuan checked his equipment: a Waist Saber and a Short Blade, plus half-torso Leather Armor. Even among the point troops, Tang Ershuan was considered robust. In combat, he undertook assault duties, so he was specially permitted to carry Leather Armor, but for the sake of lightness, he was not equipped with any Auxiliary Armor.

There was a faint rustle from Blacksmith's side. When Tang Ershuan looked over, Blacksmith had already put away his Telescope. He spread his palm, fingertips pointing toward the opposite bank, making a hand signal. Tang Ershuan turned to the other side, where another Point Scout was hidden, and repeated the same hand signal.

After relaying the order, Tang Ershuan fished out a red headscarf and tied it around his head, making himself look like the Roving Bandits' usual appearance. He checked his long and short blades once more. The thing Tang Ershuan worried about least was submerged infiltration. He had grown up in Liantan, surrounded by ponds and lakes everywhere. On the sweltering banks of the Yangtze River, the thing children loved most in summer was swimming and playing in the water. His aquatic skills were among the best even in the Land Combat Division.

A moment later, two frog croaks came from the Company Commander's side. As was customary, Tang Ershuan took the lead position. He crawled on his belly to the waterline and slowly slid into the water. Once in the water, free of the stifling air, he immediately felt a refreshing comfort throughout his body. With his left hand, he readied a length of hemp rope and tied the Waist Saber to his waist underwater to keep it from flailing around while swimming. After adjusting its position, he waited quietly in the thickets by the bank.

Tang Ershuan knew there were many Roving Bandits on the opposite side, but he felt no tension in his heart. Every time he operated relying on a river channel, he felt very much at ease.

All four were soon in the water. Blacksmith said nothing, directly taking the lead in diving down. Tang Ershuan took a deep breath and slowly submerged. A few faint ripples spread across the river's surface. Just as the ripples vanished, a few more screams rang out from the opposite bank.

……

Outside a small abandoned village on the eastern bank, Xiao Wazi spurred his horse swiftly across an abandoned field. Rounding a clump of man-high cogongrass, he cut off the fleeing man and two women head-on. The three screamed in panic. Just as they turned to flee, seven or eight Horse Soldiers closed in from all directions, blocking off every escape route.

The three huddled together, back to back. The man was gaunt as a stick, looking around at the surrounding Roving Bandits in terror. The two women wailed loudly. Xiao Wazi had seen this scene many times; such crying stirred nothing in him.

Eight Master's campaign this year had not gone smoothly. The cities he wanted to attack had basically not fallen. After roaming through Huguang, they had reached Huangmei and Guangji. These two places had been raided many times and were already utterly ruined. The plunder was extremely limited, and grain was growing ever scarcer. Large numbers of Servants had already starved to death. Two Days ago, the Western Camp had entered Susong from Tongling Fort along the post road. Eight Master's main force continued forward. Xiao Wazi had stayed behind in Erlang Town with Liu Wenxiu. Due to heavy Servant losses, today the Treasure Command Banner had specifically led a party out to seize people. Xiao Wazi was still operating with his own Post Commander.

Second Locust rode slowly over, dismounted outside the circle, and swaggered up to the three with his hands behind his back. The man's legs went weak and he dropped to his knees. The elderly woman wept without stopping.

Second Locust crouched down, tilted his head, and scrutinized them carefully for a moment. He asked the gaunt man in the middle, "What's your name? Where are you from?"

The gaunt man trembled uncontrollably and said in terror, "This lowly one is Wang Dashan. I am, I am a Household-born Slave of the Wang Family of Ink Smoke Shop. I beg you, sir, spare my life."

"Who are they to you?"

"To answer sir's Awareness, my wife and mother-in-law."

"The Great Master has said, the old are useless to keep. One stroke of the blade and it's clean."

Wang Dashan kowtowed repeatedly. "I beg you, sir, spare her!"

"Filial piety is a good thing too." Second Locust's face showed a hint of a smile. He sized up the young woman and added, "The Great Master also said, skinny women can't walk to a Distant Place. One stroke of the blade for them too."

The young woman was so terrified she could no longer cry out. Her whole body trembled, curled into a ball. Wang Dashan's face streamed with tears and snot as he wailed, "I beg you, sir, spare her too! My wife is already with child. She cannot be killed!"

Second Locust seemed quite satisfied with this reaction. He looked up at Xiao Wazi. "You said killing people is terribly boring?"

Xiao Wazi looked puzzled, then nodded. Second Locust gave a dark chuckle and turned back to Wang Dashan. "You're just as skinny. Can't walk to a Distant Place, can't do hard labor. Tell me, what use is there in keeping you?"

Wang Dashan kowtowed frantically. "I beg you, sir, spare our lives! This lowly one can farm, dig lotus roots, weave bamboo ware, and also... I will certainly obey you, sir. Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do."

"'Obey you, sir' — that's very well said." Second Locust nodded. He reached out, grabbed the young woman's hair, and pulled her face up. "How do I know you'll really obey?"

Wang Dashan dared not stop him, only saying urgently, "This lowly one will certainly obey—"

The woman's hair was caught in Second Locust's grip. She stared blankly at the sky. After studying her for a moment, Second Locust shoved her away. His eyes flicked to the elderly woman, then back to Wang Dashan. "You've had a stroke of Fate. I, your master, am a kind-hearted man. Seeing you're about to starve to death, I can't deny you a path to live. Follow me, your master, and you'll have food every day and fine cloth to wear. Are you willing to follow your master?"

Wang Dashan, never expecting to be granted a way to live, said with shocked joy, "Our family is willing to be your Household Slaves for generations, sir. We beg you, sir, to spare us."

The two women on the ground both stopped crying and looked at Second Locust full of hope.

"But there's not enough grain to eat. If I keep you all, I can't answer to the Great Master. He'll kill me." Second Locust put on a troubled expression. He paused, then said, "How about this: of the two, one must be killed. You choose who dies."

Wang Dashan was dumbstruck, staring blankly at Second Locust. Not a trace of color remained on his gaunt face. Then he collapsed to the ground, head down, retching uncontrollably. The surrounding Roving Bandits roared with laughter.

The old woman said, trembling, "Kill this old body, then. Erfang is with child. This old body has no more attachments."

Second Locust stared at the retching Wang Dashan, his smile carrying a sinister edge. "Your master said you choose. If you don't choose, you're disobeying your master's words. I'll count to three. If you still haven't chosen, your master will kill all three of you. One."

Second Locust slowly drew his Sword. The gleaming Short Blade reflected the sunlight ceaselessly. The blade's guard bore dark stains — who knew how many people's blood had dyed it.

"Two."

The young woman could no longer contain her terror and let out a high-pitched scream.

Wang Dashan shut his eyes, crying loudly. His Fingers lifted slightly, pointing in the direction of his mother-in-law.

"Are you choosing your mother-in-law? Your master wants you to say it."

Wang Dashan raised his eyes to look at Second Locust, not daring to glance toward his mother-in-law. His Mouth gaped as he wept, "This lowly one chooses... m-mother-in-law."

"Don't kill! Don't kill!" the young woman shrieked, throwing herself at Wang Dashan and clawing at him.

"Since the choice is made, your master also says..." Second Locust slowly stood up and stepped back two paces. He tossed the Short Blade onto the ground in front of Wang Dashan. "You do the killing. If you don't kill, I'll first slice open your woman's belly and let you see your child. Then I'll carve the flesh off you, cut by cut."

Several Roving Bandits placed their hands on their Waist Sabers, watching Wang Dashan with amusement.

Wang Dashan on the ground wept. Under Second Locust's urging, his hand trembling, he reached out and picked up the Short Blade. As the woman beat at him, his body swayed back and forth, and he let out a string of hoarse, desperate wails.

The old woman cried out loudly, "Just kill me then!"

Wang Dashan's face streamed with tears and snot. An unintelligible sound came from his Mouth. He slowly raised the Short Blade toward his mother-in-law. The blade trembled violently. His wife clung to his arm, letting out hopeless howls.

Second Locust turned his head to look at Xiao Wazi and smiled gently. "Killing people is the most interesting thing there is. Learn to kill like this, and it won't be boring. Once he's killed, you take them to raise."

Xiao Wazi had killed many people, many in cruel and miserable ways, but he had never seen an expression like the one on Wang Dashan's face before him. For a moment, he watched with intense focus. At these words, he nodded woodenly.

Just as the blade was about to plunge down, a sudden shout came from outside: "The Great Banner has been dragged into the river!"

The Roving Bandits all around rushed toward the riverbank. Wang Dashan numbly lowered his Short Blade. Second Locust spat in disgust. "What a killjoy!"

He turned to Xiao Wazi and said, "You stay and finish him."

With that, he waved a hand at the others and spurred his horse toward the riverbank. Xiao Wazi slowly drew his own Waist Saber, met Wang Dashan's terrified, frozen gaze, and spoke calmly: "Let's begin."