Chapter 383: Sighting the Enemy

On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of Rongzhen Year 10, snowflakes drifted across the land of Huguang. The wilderness northwest of Macheng lay bleak and desolate; along the route, smoke from cooking fires had ceased in every market town and village. On the official road, at intervals, lay the fallen corpses of people and livestock, while the roadsides were littered everywhere with broken and discarded household goods.

A few scattered figures moved on the road surface, keeping far apart from one another. Wherever the slightest sound arose, they would lift their heads and peer about nervously, only resuming their search through the roadside debris after confirming it was safe.

The sound of hoofbeats approached rapidly from the direction of Ma, urgent and closing in. The few figures on the road scattered like startled sparrows, dropping the tattered scraps they had scavenged and fleeing as if on wings toward the distance.

"Order the Scout Cavalry to reconnoiter today until the end of the Noon hour. Set camp marker flags at forty li. Post four Path-lurking Soldiers at twenty li ahead, and eight Path-lurking Soldiers at ten li ahead."

A Relay Horse bearing a small triangular banner on its back came galloping up. Yang Guangdi exhaled white breath, murmuring the message under his breath, and glanced sidelong at those fleeing figures. He called out once; seeing them run even faster, he could not help but grin. Then, spotting a black triangular symbol on a broken wall ahead, he immediately spurred his horse onward.

He was now a Relay Horse. By the old standards, he would not have qualified, but Sir Pang was eager to expand the cavalry and had instructed Yang Xueshi to broaden recruitment. Yang Guangdi usually tended horses for the cavalry camp, had opportunities to practice, and had also been on the battlefield, so he was among the first batch of reinforcements, becoming a Relay Horse directly subordinate to the Cavalry's First Division.

Today he was delivering orders to the Scout Cavalry out on route reconnaissance. Since nearing Macheng, many Roving Bandits had been spotted in the vicinity, and the journey was unsafe. Relay Horses were supposed to operate in pairs, but because so many Relay Horses had fallen ill, the team leader could not find enough men and had to disregard the Drill Manual, sending Yang Guangdi alone, only advising him to exercise extra caution.

He had been very careful the entire way and encountered no danger on the road. Having already ridden over twenty li from the main force, he was now approaching the Scout Cavalry's reconnaissance zone and needed to watch even more closely for the markers left by the scouts, lest he miss them along the way. Because the distance was great, Yang Guangdi, as required of a Relay Horse, would recite the verbal order to himself every so often to avoid forgetting any part of it.

After another two li, he reached a small market town. Yang Guangdi saw no symbol. He slowed his horse and passed through gradually, searching ceaselessly among the broken walls and ruins for the marker.

A dark shadow suddenly flickered on the road ahead. His mount snorted and twisted its neck. As Yang Guangdi turned his head, he saw a wild dog dart out from the right, streak swiftly across the road surface, and vanish behind a broken wall on the left. From within the shattered earthen wall rose a cacophony of cawing, and more than ten crows and sparrows burst into flight.

The horse's head shook vigorously. Yang Guangdi hastily tightened the reins, stroking the horse's neck with one hand. Only as the crows and sparrows flew into the distance did his mount gradually calm.

Yang Guangdi rode through the spot where the wild dog had emerged. There must have been a thatched hut there; the ground bore no trace of tiles. The forage that had roofed it had long since been burned away. Two sides of the mud walls had collapsed. Between the two remaining walls, seven or eight naked corpses lay piled. On two of the bodies, tattered remnants of sleeves still clung; their skin was covered in a layer of frost and snow, making it impossible to see if there were wounds.

Though young, Yang Guangdi had once been briefly swept up by the Roving Bandits. He knew these people were most likely servants, which was why they were clustered together in a group. They had all frozen to death, their clothes stripped away by other servants.

Following the road ahead, corpses appeared in an unbroken stream. Some bodies were mutilated and incomplete. Inside the market town, all was silent; only the occasional sound of crows and sparrows broke the stillness. Though it was broad daylight, Yang Guangdi still felt his heart prickle with dread. But with orders to carry out, he had no choice but to continue his slow advance, searching for the marker.

At last, just as he was about to exit the market town, he spotted the triangular symbol again. Written in its center was a numeral specific to the Garrison Commander's camp — numbers said to have been set by Sir Pang himself — indicating that this was the fourth reconnaissance objective of the day. He had not missed it along the way; the Scout Cavalry should be somewhere nearby. Yang Guangdi let out a breath of relief and immediately spurred his horse, fleeing out of the market town as if escaping.

Only after leaving the market town did Yang Guangdi feel a chill on his back. According to cavalry camp regulations, if one sweated during a winter march, it had to be wiped away immediately. He hastily pulled a dry cloth from inside his coat and reached under his clothes to wipe. He had just finished wiping his back when shouts and the sound of hoofbeats arose ahead.

Yang Guangdi quickly reined in his horse. Through the wind and snow emerged the figure of a rider in gray, galloping headlong in this direction. With a clang, Yang Guangdi drew his Waist Saber and stared tensely at the man. Behind that man, three more riders immediately appeared. Though somewhat blurred, Yang Guangdi recognized at a single glance the distinctive winter earth-toned uniforms of the Cavalry Camp's Scout Cavalry.

The cavalrymen in earth-toned uniforms drew their bows on horseback and loosed arrows at the gray-clad rider ahead, but with little accuracy. The arrows passed over the gray rider's head. The gray rider twisted around and shot an arrow back, equally without accuracy, vanishing to who knows where.

The gray rider was, without question, a Roving Bandit. The dead Roving Bandits in the market town had been terrifying, but a live one was not. Excitement surging, Yang Guangdi spurred his horse and rode to intercept the bandit.

The gray-clad bandit, while controlling his galloping horse, was shooting arrows to hold off the government Scout Cavalry, his attention entirely focused behind him. Only when he heard hoofbeats ahead did he turn his head — another soldier in earth-toned uniform was charging at him with a blade. In his panic, he had no time even to set his bow aside; he threw it away and reached for his weapon. But his hand grasped at empty air where his spear should have been; his Line Spear had been lost somewhere. He then moved to draw his Waist Saber.

By now, Yang Guangdi was within ten paces. The gray-clad bandit opposite had just drawn his Waist Saber and raised it hastily, his face a mask of ferocity, a strange howl bursting from his mouth.

The gray-clad bandit's mount was larger than Yang Guangdi's. Charging at full gallop, its momentum was terrifying. Horses are timid creatures and will instinctively veer away from larger ones of their kind. Yang Guangdi's mount began to swerve to the left.

Amid the strange howl, the figures of the man and horse opposite swelled rapidly. Yang Guangdi's mind went completely blank; everything the officers had taught about mounted combat fled his memory entirely. Seeing the opponent begin to swing his blade, Yang Guangdi let out a shriek, ducked his neck down instinctively, and lashed out fiercely with the Waist Saber in his right hand.

He felt only a tremendous force slam into his hand, and then a fierce gale swept past his side, accompanied, it seemed, by a horse's neigh. His mount carried Yang Guangdi onward at full speed. Only after running for more than ten paces did Yang Guangdi come back to his senses. His right hand was empty; a gash had opened at the web of his thumb.

The two Scout Cavalrymen from the opposite side had already reached him. They paid no attention to Yang Guangdi, passing directly by. Yang Guangdi turned his head numbly and saw the gray-clad rider sprawled below the official road. That horse was just struggling to its feet, staggering off into the fields, blood streaming unceasingly from beneath its neck.

"What's your name, boy?"

The voice was very loud. Yang Guangdi gave a start and looked back to see it was an officer wearing Leather Armor. He looked more carefully — it was the Banner Commander of the Scout Cavalry Banner directly under the Cavalry's First Division.

"Deliver — delivering the Garrison Commander's order token: Order the Scout Cavalry to reconnoiter today until the end of the Noon hour. Set camp marker flags at forty li. Post four Path-lurking Soldiers at twenty li ahead, and eight Path-lurking Soldiers at ten li ahead."

"Why the hell set camp at forty li?" The Banner Commander fumed angrily. "The original order said sixty li. The Point Scouts have already ridden far ahead — how am I supposed to pull them back on short notice!"

Yang Guangdi stood there, unable to speak. He was only a Relay Horse; he relayed exactly what the Garrison Commander said, not a word more, not a word less. He knew nothing else.

The Banner Commander glared at him. "Asked what your name is."

"Yang Guangdi."

"Better than those other Relay Horses. Remember, a Relay Horse is still cavalry! If you don't even dare to cut down a bandit spawn, what gives you the right to draw that much Monthly Pay? I've always said don't pick Relay Couriers for cavalry — all of them are cowards who Fear Death. What damn use is just knowing how to ride a horse?"

Having said this, the Banner Commander ignored him, dismounted directly, and walked over to where the gray-clad bandit lay. The bandit was pinned down by two Scout Cavalrymen, still cursing and shouting.

"I'm telling you lot, my master is about to be Recruited to Surrender, and he'll outrank you officials. You've offended me — my master will have every one of you beheaded..."

The Banner Commander said nothing. He seized the bandit's left hand with one hand, drew his Short Blade from his belt with the right, and suddenly stabbed down. With a miserable scream, the cursing and shouting ceased abruptly; the bandit's hand was pinned to the ground by the Short Blade.

"Call your master over here, then. Let me have a look."

The bandit lay prone on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face, in too much pain to speak. The Banner Commander released the knife handle, crouched down, and tilted his head to study the bandit. After letting him recover for a moment, he asked, "Which Camp Head, which bandit chief?"

"Chuang... Tatian. Master Liu's main camp, First Post..."

The Banner Commander slapped the knife handle, and the bandit immediately burst into loud wails of agony again.

"Liu Guoneng is Liu Guoneng. To hell with 'Laoye.' Where has he gone?"

"Lao... Suizhou. Suizhou. Spare me, soldier sir. Our Camp Head really is going to be Recruited to Surrender. We'll all be brothers in the Government Troops soon..."

The Banner Commander slapped the knife handle again. "Who's your brother? Liu Guoneng was in a Combined Camp with the Eighth Bandit. Where did the Eighth Bandit run off to?"

The gray-clad bandit panted for a moment, then said, "Split camps several days ago. The Eighth Bandit headed for Xiangyang. Spare me, soldier sir. Liu Guoneng and the Eighth Bandit are both going to be Recruited to Surrender. We're all on the same side."

The Banner Commander stood up, aimed a kick at the bandit's head, and with a dull thud, the bandit passed out.

"On the same side — have you no shame. Just the man — that Relay Horse, whatever his name is — take a verbal message to the Garrison Commander."

He looked up, only to see that the Relay Horse was staring blankly at the bandit's wounded horse, which had run off a ways.

The Banner Commander walked over, tilted his head to look. "What's so interesting about that horse?"

Yang Guangdi said hastily, "That horse is good."

"How so?"

"My former teacher said: large eyes, large nostrils, large twin ducks, small ears, small triple-mountain bone, long face, long neck, short waist, high knees, high cannon bones. This humble one just recalled — when that horse ran just now, its hind hooves could reach past its front hooves. That horse is good in every way. A pity it's been cut and ruined. Also..."

"Report to the Scout Cavalry Banner when we get back. From now on, you'll serve as a Scout Cavalryman under me."

Yang Guangdi's mind was still somewhat dazed. He replied numbly, "Then I'll have to tell my team leader..."

"Tell him my ass. He wouldn't dare refuse to release you. Remember the verbal message: The Scout Cavalry Banner today slew three bandit riders and captured two. They belong to Chuang Tatian's main camp First Post and Horse Soldiers' Lower Third Post. All have confessed that Chuang Tatian and the Eighth Bandit have split camps. Chuang Tatian is headed for Suizhou; a portion of his force is fifty li from here. The Eighth Bandit is headed for Xiangyang, roughly four days' march away."

"Sir Garrison Commander, the Clerk Officer has come to ask why we are setting camp early."

"Does he have to meddle in marching and fighting too?" Chen Rulie scooped up a handful of snow from the roadside and wiped it across his face. "Go tell him: today, over thirty more Warhorses are too weak to walk. The Carriages aren't even enough to transport the wounded and sick."

Chen Rulie used his tongue to lick the snowflakes at the corner of his mouth into his mouth. "Macheng won't open its city gates. There's nowhere to settle the wounded and sick, and nowhere to purchase Rice and Beans or Forage. This whole stretch of road, even with money, there's nowhere to buy anything."

"Macheng sent word that the Eighth Bandit and Chuang Tatian only left a few days ago. Mounted Bandits are still roaming nearby. They're likely not far off. Should we continue the pursuit?"

Chen Rulie was silent for a long moment, then said, "Pursue. Why wouldn't we pursue? Sir Pang issued explicit orders — we are to keep nipping at the Eighth Bandit's heels. But we won't all pursue together. Send a Dispatch Report to Sir Pang: Due to severe cold, after over ten days of marching, we count two hundred twenty-nine Warhorses wounded or sick, twenty-seven dead. Officers and soldiers wounded or sick total one hundred seventy-four, nine dead. Accompanying Packhorses wounded, sick, or lost total fifty-four. Carriages damaged: seven. The Cavalry First Battalion cannot sustain a daily march of sixty li for the entire force. I plan today to replenish the Cavalry First Division with all available men and horses and, under my command, continue to pursue and shadow the Eighth Bandit's unit. Those short of quota, along with the wounded and sick, will be transferred to the Cavalry Second Division. The Second Division, led by the Vice Battalion Commander, will follow at a slower pace."

The adjutant officer was just about to fetch brush and ink from the saddle when a relay horse arrived before them. Chen Rulie looked up at the relay rider.

"Reporting to the Thousand-Leader, sir: the First Company's Scout Cavalry Banner today slew three thief riders and captured two. They belong to the First Post of Chuang Tatian's main camp and the three lower posts of the Horse Soldiers. All have confessed that Chuang Tatian and the Eight Thieves have split their camps. Chuang Tatian is heading for Suizhou, with one part of his force fifty li from the Scout Cavalry. The Eight Thieves are heading for Xiangyang, about four or five days' march away."

The adjutant stopped at once, came over, and asked Chen Rulie, "Sir, shall we continue pursuing the Eight Thieves?"

"Which of the two is closer?"

"Suizhou is closer. Chuang Tatian is closer."

"Chuang Tatian also came to Anqing to commit atrocities. Since we've encountered him, strike Chuang Tatian first."

"Lord Pang said to pursue and track the Eight Thieves."

"Pursuing and tracking the Eight Thieves naturally also means exterminating any Roving Thieves we encounter. Lord Pang also said that cavalry exists to attack, that cavalry should..."

The officers nearby said in unison, "Strike the enemy on sight!"

"Send out the Thousand-Leader Headquarters' directly subordinate Scout Cavalry to reconnoiter Chuang Tatian's camp. Everyone who can move, prepare for battle, damn it."