Chapter 325: Trustworthy

On the afternoon of the twenty-second, at Susong Fengjiadian, the Reinforcement and Suppression Troops set up camp against the mountain, banners fluttering atop the hill.

Cheng Long strode to the west end of the post road and looked toward Fenghuangpu. A unit of government cavalry rushed back in haste; many men and horses had arrows stuck in them. Two riders slumped sideways over their mounts and tumbled to the ground as soon as they reached the base of the hill. A hundred paces behind the government troops, a small number of mounted bandits followed; upon sighting the position, they slowed their horses and hung back at a moderate distance, tailing the rear of the column.

Chen Yuwang led his cavalry back up the hill, his armor also pierced by arrows. His face and head were covered in a grimy mix of blood and sweat, and his bearing was rather disheveled. As soon as he dismounted, he loudly declared, "General Cheng, for your discerning judgment: your subordinate encountered the enemy before Fenghuangpu. I intended to fight through to the Chema River and initially won a small victory, but as I pressed forward, the bandits fought to the death without retreating. The mounted bandits I engaged numbered no fewer than two hundred, blocking my scouts from the Chema River. The fighting grew heavier the further I went, and your subordinate had no choice but to withdraw. On the way back, I captured a live prisoner—a squad leader of the Lower Fourth Sentry under the Eight Bandits. He confessed that the Western Camp has already reached Moyanpu. Our great army absolutely must not advance any further."

With the appearance of the notoriously ferocious Eight Bandits, the roving bandits' movements suddenly became extremely resolute. The previously smooth situation took a sharp turn for the worse. The assembled officers murmured in low discussion. Cheng Long turned to look at Drill Master Zhan Peng. Zhan Peng hesitated for a moment, then said, "Circuit Intendant Shi has sent another order token, instructing us to pull back and consolidate our defenses."

"Where has Circuit Intendant Shi reached?"

"The Circuit Intendant and Regional Commander Xu will arrive at Taihu today."

"What of Adjutant General Pang?"

"He is currently hurrying from Shipai to Taihu, but the return dispatch did not state when he would arrive. Circuit Intendant Shi has sent another relay horse to urge him, ordering the Garrison Battalion to reach Taihu within two days, by the deadline."

Cheng Long turned back to observe the west for a moment. The red figures of the mounted bandits were growing more numerous. Chen Yuwang pulled a light arrow from his armor, threw it on the ground, and said to Cheng Long, "Your subordinate believes the roving bandits must have a large force between the Chema River and Moyanpu. The mounted troops that have appeared are already numerous. If we are to withdraw now, we must proceed with the utmost caution."

Cheng Long frowned and said, "With four thousand troops here, a retreat is easier said than done. The roving bandits are all mounted soldiers, and Taihu is still forty li away. The moment we begin to retreat, they will sweep in and attack, and the entire army will be annihilated."

Lu Wangyou, clad in full armor, stepped forward. "The troops' morale is still high, but with so many different camp heads gathered here, a retreat now will cause chaos. Better to hold this position. If the bandit spawn dare to attack, that is exactly what we want. When they are defeated and retreat, we sweep in and strike—a great victory will not be difficult. At the very least, we will drive these bandit spawn out of Anqing."

Cheng Long grunted in acknowledgment, then turned to look at Jiang Ruolai. This small-framed general officer was unremarkable in appearance; thrown among the common soldiers, one could not tell him apart. Yet his martial skill was truly exceptional. During the defense of Jiangpu, he had led from the front, dealing the bandit horde a severe blow, and was one of the higher-achieving officers among the Reinforcement and Suppression Troops.

Jiang Ruolai first cupped his hands in salute and said, "Your subordinate fought these Eight Bandits at Jiangpu. Their city assaults hold nothing remarkable, yet it is these very bandits who caused a great general like Cao Wenzhao to die for his country—all by relying on their swift comings and goings, gathering and scattering without pattern. For us to withdraw now would be extremely difficult. We must also hold for a spell to blunt their edge. For the present, we should still hold this position by the mountain."

At that moment, a large force of mounted troops appeared behind the roving bandits' skirmishing riders. The thunder of hooves rumbled along the post road as groups of red-clad horse soldiers approached from afar, numbering no fewer than two hundred.

"General Jiang's words are sound." Cheng Long's expression was grave. He narrowed his eyes and watched for a moment, then said, "Have General Pan combine his camp with mine. Set up the cannons. We will establish a strong stockade right here. Once the enemy's edge is blunted, we will then sweep out and strike."

Zhan Peng hesitated briefly, then said, "The bulk of the provisions and fodder is still at Old County. The army has less than two days' supply remaining…"

Cheng Long's expression soured. The earlier advance at Old County had gone too smoothly, and the light-equipment pursuit had met an unexpected check. The provisions were already scarce, and now they were cut off from the army. "The roving bandits will withdraw to their camp stockade at night. Have Old County send provisions tonight. The remaining grain must be delivered here this evening, without fail."

By now, the mounted bandits had reached the base of the hill. They did not come up to attack, but instead rode slowly at a walk a hundred paces away, incessantly emitting strange howls. Some thirty-odd riders fanned out to the south, apparently preparing to skirt the slope of Fengjiadian and scout the camp of Pan Keda behind it.

The assembled officers were deeply worried. The mounted bandits before them displayed a strong intent to attack, while the Reinforcement and Suppression Troops had far too few cavalry of their own to control the surrounding battlefield. Facing a large force of mounted bandits, they were utterly passive; the initiative in this battle now rested entirely in the bandits' hands.

A stir rippled through the surrounding soldiers. When the officers looked up, another fresh force of mounted troops had appeared in the distance on the post road. The exact numbers were still unclear from afar, but it was certainly over a hundred. The soldiers on the slope of Fengjiadian were all pointing toward the west, many with expressions of fear. The atmosphere was one of heavy solemnity.

Jiang Ruolai said to Cheng Long, "The roving bandits are strong in number and have a mind to fight. Your Excellency must guard against the bandits taking advantage of the night to raid the camp."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Long called over the other several officers and began discussing in low voices, all the while pointing out the surrounding terrain and arranging the night's defensive measures.

Taking advantage of this lull, Jiang Ruolai turned his head and whispered to the household retainer beside him, "Go find two sets of commoners' clothes. Do not let anyone else know. See to it personally. This officer trusts only you."

The household retainer nodded knowingly and immediately turned to leave. Jiang Ruolai drew a breath and edged closer to Cheng Long and the others. He heard Chen Yuwang saying, "Since His Excellency the Circuit Intendant has already pressed the Garrison Battalion to reach Taihu in two days, they will arrive here in no more than three or four days. This mountain offers favorable terrain. As long as the remaining grain from Old County is delivered tonight, we can certainly hold this place. Your subordinate once fought a bloody battle alongside the Garrison Battalion at Chuzhou. Even against tens of thousands of roving bandits, Adjutant General Pang did not flinch. In battle, he is trustworthy…"

…

Late at night on the twenty-second, seven or eight lanterns hung from the city tower at Taihu's Fumin Gate. In the dim yellow light, Shi Kefa, clad in full armor, stood by the battlements, occasionally raising his head to gaze toward the southwest. Behind him stood Xu Strengthening and Yang Zhuoran. Xu Strengthening leaned against a pillar of the gate tower, dozing off. At that moment, his head lolled to one side, and he jolted awake with a start.

Xu Strengthening had brought his own Wusong Troops and come to Taihu together with Shi Kefa. The original intent was to rendezvous with Cheng Long and hold Taihu, anticipating a battle. He had not expected Cheng Long to go straight to Fengjiadian. Now Taihu was a secure rear area, and in his exhaustion, drowsiness was hard to resist.

Xu Strengthening looked around in a daze before realizing he was still on the city tower. After rubbing his face, he shot a meaningful glance at Yang Zhuoran beside him.

Taihu County Magistrate Yang Zhuoran also looked exhausted. Since the bandit chaos began this year, he had been forced to flee the city to avoid the bandits multiple times. Last month he had fled to Susong, and this month the Eight Bandits had come again—he still did not know where he would have to escape to next. Constant fear and toil had worn him out, and his energy was already flagging. Today, staying up late with Shi Kefa, he truly could barely hold on. He opened his mouth to yawn, but seeing Shi Kefa turn around, he forcibly swallowed it back.

When Shi Kefa faced him, Yang Zhuoran bowed his head respectfully and said, "Your Excellency need not worry. Though they have encountered a large bandit force at Fengjiadian, General Cheng is, after all, a veteran commander. The troops under him are an army formed from son of a good family personally selected and trained in martial arts by Military Commander Zhang over many years; they will not fear those roving bandits. Your Excellency has not slept for two days. Please retire early and rest, for the sake of the people of Anqing, take care of your own health."

Shi Kefa waved his hand. "That is precisely what this official is worried about. These four thousand-plus troops are the concentrated elite of Jiangnan. To send aid to Anqing, Military Commander Zhang has already stripped the Ten Prefectures of their best soldiers. The safety of Yingtian practically depends on this single army. Now that it has been rashly cast into a danger zone, how can this official lie down in peace?"

Yang Zhuoran said quietly, "The relay horse scouts saw only a few hundred roving bandits. Though there are many foot soldiers behind them, they are nothing but a rabble. Although Vice Regional Commander Cheng has encountered the enemy at Fengjiadian, he has already seized the favorable terrain. The Eight Bandits will find it extremely difficult to gain any advantage."

"Several hundred horse bandits are more than a match for several times their number of foot soldiers. What Vice Regional Commander Cheng leads… is, after all, a hastily assembled force. Once they encounter a large bandit force, I fear the odds are not in their favor." Shi Kefa paused for a moment, then said, "Tomorrow, we will first lead troops to Fengxiang Courier Station and wait for the right moment to act."

Behind him, the bleary-eyed Xu Strengthening staggered, jolted suddenly from his slumber. He quickly shuffled over and said to Shi Kefa, "Reporting to His Excellency the Circuit Intendant, your subordinate believes it would be more prudent to wait until General Pang arrives at Taihu and then combine our forces before advancing."

Shi Kefa waved his hand. "General Pang's earlier return dispatch also stated that setting up a defensive position at Old County would be better. Let us go there first and wait for General Pang at Old County, so we can also provide close support to Vice Regional Commander Cheng."

Just as he said this, the sound of hoofbeats came from the post road, followed by shouts from the path-lurking soldiers. After a brief pause, the hoofbeats reached the base of the city wall.

All three men grew somewhat tense. A relay horse traveling at night usually meant urgent business, and it was coming from the direction of Susong. Shi Kefa took the lead and hurried down the city stairs. Lanterns also hung inside the city gate. Several soldiers had already opened the gate, and a Company Commander was checking the relay rider's token, tally, and accent.

The relay rider carried no dispatch report. Upon seeing Shi Kefa, he immediately said, "This humble one comes from Old County. After nightfall, the sound of cannon fire erupted loudly from Fengjiadian. Over ten scattered soldiers reached Old County, claiming that Adjutant General Pan has already combined camps with His Excellency Cheng, and that the bandits launching the night raid number over ten thousand."

Shi Kefa rubbed his hands together, a picture of anxiety. He turned to Xu Strengthening and said, "At dawn, proceed immediately to Old County to serve as a reserve force for Vice Regional Commander Cheng."

Xu Strengthening's throat bobbed with a gulp, but Shi Kefa's tone was resolute, and for the moment he dared not refuse.

Seeing the anxious look on Shi Kefa's face, Yang Zhuoran said quietly, "Your subordinate will wait here for General Pang. As soon as the Garrison Battalion arrives, your subordinate can promptly brief him on the battle and defense situation, and then follow Adjutant General Pang's main army to provide reinforcement and suppression."

Shi Kefa did not reply. Yang Zhuoran added in reassurance, "The Garrison Battalion is superbly drilled. They will certainly arrive within two days. By then, we will have nothing to fear from the Eight Bandits."

Shi Kefa finally nodded. "Though General Pang is still young, he already possesses the bearing of a veteran commander. In marching and fighting, he is still trustworthy…"

…

In the early morning of the twenty-third day of the fourth month, on Dragon Lake five li from Susong's Chang'an Port, over a hundred boats blanketed the lake's surface. The sails of the vessels at the front had already been lowered, and the boats following behind were furling their sails one after another, gradually reducing speed.

Several small patrol boats flying white flags slowly circled the area, with men aboard waving and shouting, directing the nearby grain transport ships to shift positions.

Chang'an Port was only eight li from Susong County Town and was the largest dock in Susong. The trade of the entire Dragon Lake watershed centered on this location. The dock conditions were excellent, making it a good place for a conventional landing.

The Garrison Battalion had traveled up the Lei River, passing through Bo Lake and Daguan Lake to reach Dragon Lake. Now five li from Chang'an Port, Pang Yu had dispatched scout boats to contact the Land Combat Division's point scouts and confirm the latest intelligence before deciding whether to land. At the same time, the order of the boat convoy was being adjusted. Because many civilian boats had been commandeered and they lacked the formation training of the Water Army, disorder during the voyage was inevitable. The patrol boats of the Water Camp Suppression Patrol were directing the adjustments.

A foot boat came paddling swiftly from the northwest. A small patrol boat went to inspect it and then allowed it through. The foot boat pulled up alongside a grain transport ship flying the Canjiang Red Flag. Two men climbed up the lowered ropes to the deck, and moments later, Pang Yu received the latest intelligence.

The deck level of this grain transport ship had undergone some modifications, making this cabin much more spacious than those on ordinary grain ships. After reading the intelligence, Pang Yu passed it to Xie Zhaofa, who was accompanying him. Yang Xueshi was also present, but his literacy was limited, and he could not yet read it smoothly.

After reading it, Xie Zhaofa said to him in a low voice, "As of yesterday afternoon, it is confirmed that the Eight Bandits have passed through Erlang Town. Sweeping King, Ma Shouying, and Cao Cao are also on their way, but it is still unknown whether they have reached Erlang Town. A captured standard-bearer of the great banner mentioned that the Eight Bandits had instructed Liu Wenxiu that Chuang Tatian had encountered a large force of government troops on the post road, and told him to rendezvous with these several giant bandits, then combine forces to attack and destroy the Anqing government troops."

Yang Xueshi stared blankly for a moment, then said, "Then haven't all the great bandit camp heads come?"

Xie Zhaofa continued, "In addition, a captured squad leader under You Lihua claimed that the forces of Geli Yan and Zhang Pangzi are also on their way, but he only heard rumors and did not witness it himself."

Yang Xueshi swallowed hard, momentarily speechless. Beside him, Pang Ding kept his head down, biting his lip incessantly.

Xie Zhaofa lowered his head. The idea of attacking Erlang Town to concentrate and annihilate the bandits had been his suggestion. At the time, he had thought there would be at most two large camp heads. Now, it clearly far exceeded expectations. The main force of the Garrison Battalion had arrived here; continuing the attack would be far too difficult. If they withdrew to Taihu, there would not be enough time to support Taihu. They were in quite a dilemma, caught between advancing and retreating.

He bowed to Pang Yu and said, "Your subordinate's planning was not thorough…"

Pang Yu, clad in chain mail, waved his hand magnanimously. "Devising strategy is your duty; making the decision is this officer's. Since I adopted this plan, I bear the responsibility for it, right or wrong. It has nothing to do with you, Zhaofa."

Xie Zhaofa's expression cleared slightly. Pang Yu came over, patted him on the shoulder, and said gently, "Since the Eight Bandits left word to combine forces and encircle us, it shows that Vice General Cheng must have reached Old County. The conditions for a concentrated annihilation are already set. The moment we go ashore, we will have achieved the effect of a surprise raid. Your strategy itself was not wrong—in fact, it can be called exceptionally brilliant. As for the extra roving bandits coming, that was beyond your control. Moreover, this officer had long anticipated such a situation. Once you reach the battlefield, the plan becomes useless, yet the plan remains indispensable. After you've fought a few more battles, you'll understand."

Pang Yu's manner was completely composed, as if he did not take such a multitude of ferocious roving bandits to heart at all. He looked every inch the seasoned battlefield commander. Xie Zhaofa, who had been uneasy, felt his mood steady considerably, and he could not help but feel great admiration for His Excellency Pang. Yang Xueshi also looked at Pang Yu with reverence.

With his mind at ease, Xie Zhaofa's thinking became more agile. He said respectfully to Pang Yu, "If the Cavalry Division proceeds smoothly, they will reach Chang'an Port in roughly an hour and a half. At that point, the roving bandits around Susong will be alerted. Whether the infantry here should land or not, I request Your Excellency to make a prompt decision."

Pang Yu nodded and said, "That makes sense, but the situation on the battlefield changes greatly. This official needs a moment of quiet reflection to settle on a strategy."

As soon as Xie Zhaofa and Yang Xueshi heard this, they immediately rose and withdrew outside. Pang Ding also prepared to leave, but at the doorway he saw Pang Yu signaling with his eyes. Understanding, he stopped, closed the door properly, and even slid the door bolt into place.

The moment the door was shut and he turned back around, he saw Pang Yu suddenly bury his face in his hands, pacing urgently around the room, his voice frantic as he said, "It's over, it's over. This time I'm really done for!"

Pang Ding stayed close beside Pang Yu and said in a low voice, "Then we just won't go ashore. No matter how many Roving Thieves there are, they can't chase us all the way out here."

Pang Yu covered his face, tilting his head up and down, his voice tinged with a sob. "Not winning is losing — a total Defeat. What kind of Military Officer am I even? Those dog-fucking Roving Thieves, that dog-fucking Wen Tiren, and that dog-fucking dead Eunuch — all ganging up to take my life. If I'd known it would be this hard, back when I got that silver from Yunji Temple I should've just gone to Nanjing, bought a big garden estate by Mochou Lake, bought a hundred maids, and followed Ruan Dacheng to be an artist. Wouldn't that have been better? Begging for favors, sending money, racking my brains to scheme for this torment of a Military Officer post — screw your grandmother's Garrison Commander!"

"But since you've already taken it, at least it's a high official post after all…"

"Dog-fucking Roving Thieves, I'm not afraid of you. Go get Xu Lengzi, have him stay right by my side. When it comes to Battle, Xu Lengzi is still the one I trust most."

Pang Ding scratched his head. "Young master, have you forgotten? You said he was too dumb to be a personal attendant, so you sent him off to the Personal Guard Division to be a Heavy Armor Soldier."

Pang Yu waved his hand in Anger. "That was clearly a poorly handled matter — why didn't you stop me?"

Just as Pang Ding stood there dazed, Pang Yu suddenly grabbed him by the collar and lowered his voice to the barest whisper. "Did you get everything ready like I told you last time? If we're defeated, we need Copper Coins to run."

Pang Ding, a little frightened, replied, "The three thousand taels of ready silver are all prepared, stashed in that house in Chizhou. No one else knows… Young master, should we flee to Nanjing?"

"If we're defeated, you think I'd dare go to Nanjing to die? We'll go straight to Chizhou, grab the silver, and head for Suzhou — no, Zhang Guowei is in Suzhou. We'll go to Hangzhou. Anywhere no one knows us."

Having said this, Pang Yu let out several long breaths, dejectedly let go of Pang Ding, took a few steps, and slowly sat down in a chair, staring blankly at the floor.

Pang Ding cautiously came over and said, "Then what about the old master and madam — how do we take them along? And that Zhou Guniang, Liu Ruogu, He Sandi… should we leave them some silver? There's still some in the silver shop anyway."

Pang Yu only slowly shook his head. Pang Ding asked again in a low voice, "Young master, are you afraid the imperial court will arrest you?"

"You don't understand. The ones who want my life aren't necessarily the imperial court, and even less necessarily the Roving Bandits." After saying this, Pang Yu sat dazed for another moment, then suddenly said in an utterly calm tone, "Bring me a piece of sand-clam."

Pang Ding hurried over to the table across the room, took a piece of sand-clam from the Copper box, and handed it to Pang Yu. Pang Yu didn't look at it. After taking it, he didn't bite down hard either, but placed it gently in his Mouth, as if letting his saliva slowly dissolve it.

Pang Yu seemed frozen still. Silence filled the cabin. The lake water gently rocked the Boat's hull, occasionally producing creaking sounds. From the lake's surface, the drum and horn signals of the Water Camp command rang out from time to time, passing through the deck planks into the cabin, feeling at once distant and near.

After a long while, Pang Ding felt his own Waist was starting to ache. Pang Yu finally moved. He took the remaining sand-clam away, stood up, walked to the table, and placed it back into the Copper box. His movements were very slow but very steady.

Pang Ding tilted his head and watched Pang Yu. "Young master, we can just not go to Erlang Town. We can go back to Anqing. Young master, you have several thousand troops — who could do anything to you?"

"Say no more. Even if there were twice as many Roving Bandits, I must still go to Erlang Town. Otherwise, I'd be giving up the chance for victory — and I never give up." Pang Yu turned his head and looked at Pang Ding, his tone resolute. "Without victory, there is no survival."

Pang Ding's mouth hung open. At this moment, the young master radiated the glory of one struggling against adversity, completely different from the young master of the past. His heart filled with admiration as he looked at Pang Yu, and in a surge of emotion he blurted out, "Then I'll go ashore with you, young master, and kill Roving Thieves!"

Pang Yu slapped Pang Ding on the head and cursed in a low voice, "What would you go up there for? Not giving up doesn't mean not leaving a way out. You stay on the lake. If I suffer defeat, when I come back, we run."

"Can't we have Ren Dalang receive us instead?"

"Ren Dalang won't do. This matter — only you can be trusted."

Pang Yu gave him another hard slap, let out a long breath, then briefly adjusted his military bearing and appearance. Once he had restored the composed, veteran-general demeanor, Pang Yu walked straight to the cabin door and opened it himself. To Xie Zhaofa and Yang Xueshi waiting outside, he said calmly, "Herald, inform the Water Camp and all divisions: land at Chang'an Port in the predetermined order."