Chapter 47: Opportunity

"A few more men have newly arrived in Ze Garden, making over forty in total. Before noon today, two sedan chairs came out of that garden and headed toward Tongcheng. No one knows what was inside them."

In the Household Office of the Tongcheng county yamen, He Xianya spoke in a low voice to Pang Yu and Jiao Guozha. As Pang Yu listened, he observed the Main Hall outside the window; the usually bustling hall was now deserted and quiet.

After word of the Chizhou Troops' withdrawal arrived yesterday, the Riffraff and Green-Skins who had already quieted down began stirring restlessly again. The number of people tipping off Huang Wending's gang increased once more. With the rioters growing powerful, even fewer Xuli came to the yamen for duty.

Not only did the ordinary runners and laborers stop coming, even the clerks and squad leaders failed to appear. The squad leaders of Tongcheng's Three Squads had been missing for over ten days. Clerk Zhao and Tang Weimin had not been seen since the unrest began.

Pang Yu needed to gather official information at the yamen, so the three of them met daily at the Household Office, incidentally earning some credit for showing up. At least Yang Fangzao still patrolled the Main Hall every day, and he had expressed approval of the few runners like Pang Yu who still persisted in reporting for duty.

Pang Yu grabbed a dried broad bean from the table and popped it into his mouth. Chewing as he spoke, he asked, "Perhaps swords and weapons? Transported by sedan chair to deceive prying eyes."

He Xianya thought for a moment and answered, "It should be so."

Pang Yu now confirmed the Fang Family's intelligence. This Ze Garden was the study retreat that Fang Kongzhao had specially built for Fang Yizhi and his brothers, located in a secluded spot in the Dragon Sleep Mountains, not far from the county seat — the perfect place to conceal a Da Hang.

He Xianya and Pang Ding took turns watching that compound. As long as they kept a close eye on the movements of these Da Hang men, they could deduce the gentry's timing for action.

Jiao Guozha said in a deep voice, "Both Wuwei Prefecture and Anqing have Da Hang, but I've heard the most are in Nanjing and Suzhou. I wonder where the Fang Family found theirs."

Pang Yu looked at He Xianya and asked, "Judging by the look of that Da Hang, can they handle Huang Wending's gang?"

"Da Hang are all stout fellows, but Huang Wending's gang still has over a hundred men and they have weapons too. I can't say for sure. Second Brother, you know I don't understand these things."

It was Jiao Guozha who answered instead, "Da Hang must also be distinguished. Some merely help others in brawls — Suzhou's Da Hang are mostly of this kind. The year before last, someone hired Suzhou Da Hang to collect debts in Tongcheng; they looked strong and fierce. Others specialize in revenge killings and violence. This type is often called Green Hands. I have yet to see them in Tongcheng, but I've heard they usually look like ordinary people, yet they strike with ruthless cruelty, killing in a single blow."

Pang Yu tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "Whichever type, they are still only men. In my view, thirty or forty Da Hang are not enough to assault Yunji Temple. Especially since the Chizhou Troops suddenly withdrew from Liantan yesterday — reportedly thanks to the efforts of Pi Daren and County Magistrate Yang. The soldier disaster has been averted, but now Huang Wending's gang has lost their inhibitions again and will likely come out to cause more chaos. The gentry are not short of silver; they will certainly recruit more Da Hang and only strike when fully confident. We still have time to continue preparing. Eldest Brother, today you must first ready the three Waist Sabers. We cannot be without sharp weapons. Besides the Waist Sabers, we also need short blades..."

Just as he reached this point, Pang Yu saw Pang Ding running hurriedly past Tangqian Bridge, heading straight for the Household Office.

Pang Ding hastily pushed open the door of the Household Office and came to the three men's side, saying in a low voice, "Young Master, the Da Hang from the Dragon Sleep Mountains have come down! They split up and left in groups of three. I only followed the last group and saw them enter the city through the North Arch Gate."

Jiao Guozha and He Xianya stood up at the same time. All three looked at Pang Yu. In the short time since Pang Yu had proposed this grand scheme, Fool Pang the Second had already become the core of their trio.

Pang Yu remained seated, looking at Pang Ding, and asked in an even tone, "How many people came out of Ze Garden in total?"

Pang Ding froze, tilted his head back, and rolled his eyes for a long while. Finally, with a troubled expression, he said, "I was in a hurry then and forgot to count. It seemed like over ten, twenty... maybe around thirty people, split into many groups."

Pang Yu shot him a glare. "Remember from now on: when observing, you must stay calm."

Jiao Guozha asked nervously, "Are they going to attack Yunji Temple right away? If they take it, the silver will surely be swallowed up by the Da Hang men, and no one else will get a share."

"But if we go to Yunji Temple now, Huang Wending's gang is still there, and we won't get the silver either. Even less can we go when the two sides are fighting — both will be in a killing frenzy and will cut us down along with the rest."

Pang Yu frowned and stared fixedly at the tabletop, his eyes shifting constantly. When the Chizhou Troops were present, the gentry made no move at all. The moment the Chizhou Troops withdrew, the gentry instead began to act. It seemed somewhat illogical.

If these Da Hang truly went directly to assault Yunji Temple, then Pang Yu and his two companions would indeed have no chance whatsoever to fish in troubled waters. But Pang Yu did not believe that forty Da Hang could take Yunji Temple.

Before Pang Yu could think through an answer, a clamor arose from outside the Ceremonial Gate. The yamen had not been this lively in a long time.

The four of them went out through the Ceremonial Gate together. Before the Eight-Character Wall, a crowd surged and voices buzzed. Countless commoners had formed a half-circle. A young scholar in white robes, accompanied by two household servants, had seized a man and bound him tightly with ropes, now forcing him to kneel on the ground. The man's back was to Pang Yu, so he could not tell who it was for the moment.

A few runners and clerks came out from the yamen. The Jailer from the South Prison was also there — it was Wang Dazhuang's brother-in-law, Zhang Daiwen. He waved his hands repeatedly at the scholar. No matter what the scholar said, he refused to take the man on the ground into custody.

"Those who rebel are bandits! When someone delivers a bandit to the yamen gate and the yamen dares not accept him, what face does the imperial court have left? If you, Jailer, won't take him, the Punishment Office will!"

The speaker was Jiang Guoyong, the man who had offended the entire yamen. This runner, who had been beaten the worst, was the most diligent in his duties — even more diligent than Pang Yu, who was putting on a show. Every day, not only did he report for duty on time as usual, he absolutely never left early.

Having said this, Jiang Guoyong hauled the man on the ground to his feet and dragged him toward the South Prison. The man kicked wildly with both legs and began cursing loudly.

The voice sounded somewhat familiar to Pang Yu. He quickly tilted his head to see the bound man's face and could not help exclaiming in a surprised whisper, "Zhang Ru!"

"The Xiucai who seized Zhang Ru and delivered him to the county yamen is called Zhang Bingcheng. He is Zhang Ru's master." He Xianya mused thoughtfully, "Zhang Ru is his Household Slave. Everyone knows Zhang Ru is one of the Giant Bandits of the popular uprising. I fear Zhang Bingcheng saw the situation turning unfavorable and worried about being implicated by Zhang Ru, so he arrested Zhang Ru and handed him over to the authorities to redeem himself."

Pang Yu raised a hand. "Then why didn't he arrest him earlier? Why choose the exact moment the Chizhou Troops withdrew? This timing makes no sense. And to do it with such great fanfare, as if afraid no one would know — isn't Zhang Bingcheng afraid Huang Wending's gang will take revenge on him?"

"Second Brother thinks Zhang Bingcheng's arrest of Zhang Ru at this moment is not so simple?"

Pang Yu stared at the tabletop. "These past few days, I went to Yunji Temple twice. The mountain path there is narrow, and Huang Wending's gang has prepared many rolling stones. Fang Kongzhao and his people won't find it easy to attack. Today, the Da Hang entered the city quietly, and Zhang Bingcheng arrested Zhang Ru, making a huge commotion and not fearing the rioters would learn of it. That means Zhang Bingcheng is certain the rioters are about to be defeated, so he no longer needs to fear them... Or else, it is a deliberate ploy to lure the rioters into coming to rescue Zhang Ru?"

He Xianya glanced at Jiao Guozha and said thoughtfully, "Fang Kongzhao's own younger sister was married to Zhang Bingcheng's elder brother, Zhang Bingwen. So it is very possible that Zhang Bingcheng's action was done at Fang Kongzhao's instigation. Zhang Bingcheng has Fang Kongzhao as a powerful backer, so he does not fear Huang Wending. Or perhaps, just as Second Brother said, the aim is to use Zhang Ru to draw Huang Wending down the mountain."

After a moment, Pang Yu said with certainty, "Huang Wending's gang does not know about the Da Hang hidden in Ze Garden. As long as the Chizhou Troops are gone, they think they can rampage through Tongcheng as before. Fang Kongzhao is precisely exploiting their arrogance. I believe it is very possible Huang Wending will come down the mountain."

Jiao Guozha nodded. "As long as the rioters come down the mountain, they are absolutely no match for the Da Hang, especially in the streets and alleys — those are precisely the Da Hang's area of expertise."

Pang Yu slapped the table. "It must be that Wang Gongbi threatened to lead troops into the county seat, forcing the gentry to exterminate the rioters. Fang Kongzhao and the others, unwilling to let Guest Troops enter the city, agreed to immediately take action to wipe out the rioters, on the condition that the Chizhou Troops withdraw from Tongcheng county territory."

He Xianya clapped his hands. "That explains why the Chizhou Troops suddenly withdrew. It must be exactly so. Fang Kongzhao and the others plan to ambush Huang Wending in the county seat, which is why the Da Hang began entering the city today."

Jiao Guozha said, "That means, within these Two Days, the gentry and the rioters will decide the outcome."

"What kind of life we live for the rest of our days depends on these Two Days." Pang Yu's gaze was resolute. "Find me a horse from the Fast Squad. I need to make a trip to Yunji Temple. You two prepare the things we agreed on first."

Yunji Temple was located at the mouth of the Guache River in Tongcheng, already at the end of the Dabie Mountains' remaining range. The mountain peak it sat upon, though not tall or majestic, was quite steep. From the foot of the mountain upward, besides the Mountain Path, there were also several hundred steps. Along the way, the path twisted and turned among green pines and emerald cypresses. Wherever the view opened wide, one could overlook the undulating low hills to the southeast, surging like waves.

But Pang Yu at this moment had no heart to appreciate the scenery. He had ridden his horse for half a shichen to reach Yunji Temple and was now advancing up the Mountain Path, drenched in sweat. Huang Wending's gang had felled many trees along the Mountain Path, mostly cypress. Having been cut for several days, the branches and leaves were already somewhat withered.

They had done this to create obstacles for any enemy attacking Yunji Temple. This tactic was very simple, and from Pang Yu's direct impression, it was also very effective.

Pang Yu constantly had to clamber over large tree trunks. Sometimes, when he encountered a fallen tree with dense branches and leaves, he had to leave the path and detour around it. He expended considerable effort along the way. The zigzagging Mountain Path wound upward along the mountain's southeastern face. The rioters at the summit spotted Pang Yu from afar. Two who recognized him kept throwing down branches to harass him, roaring with laughter every time they hit their mark.

Pang Yu had no time to pay them any mind. He climbed to the summit in one breath, already exhausted and drenched in sweat. Only when he reached the main hall did he take out the Coconut Ladle he carried and drink a long draught of water.

The rioters in the main hall had already received the news. They were all preparing their gear. Pang Yu greeted Zhu Zong, whom he was familiar with. Zhu Zong now recognized Pang Yu and led him to find Gu Xiaowu.

The moment Pang Yu saw Gu Xiaowu, he said urgently, "Brother Xiaowu, Big Brother Zhang Ru has been arrested and locked in the Inner Prison of the county yamen's South Prison..."

"Huang Alliance Master already knows. He is furious. This time we will definitely turn that Tongcheng county yamen upside down — how dare they arrest Big Brother Zhang Ru." After speaking, Gu Xiaowu noticed the sweat covering Pang Yu's head and added gratefully, "Still, I thank Brother Pang. Running over ten li in this great heat just to bring me a message — only a true brother would do that."

Pang Yu exchanged a few polite words. Noticing Gu Xiaowu's ashen complexion, he could not help asking, "Is Brother Xiaowu feeling unwell?"

Gu Xiaowu coughed twice and waved a hand. "These past few nights I've been staying in the Side Hall. That main door doesn't shut tight, and the mountain wind is strong at night. I must have caught a chill. Ah, last night alone, I ran to that latrine out back five times."

Pang Yu had been to that latrine, located next to the Lay Practitioners' House. Yunji Temple was remote and its Incense Offerings were sparse. The monks there had grown somewhat lax and never cleaned the cesspit. The latrine stank to high heaven. Just thinking of it made Pang Yu frown.

Gu Xiaowu added, "They're all minor ailments, nothing to worry about. Brother Pang has had a hard trip. Will you rest here overnight or head back this afternoon?"

Pang Yu sighed. "Today, someone in the yamen said I've been passing messages to you all and claimed they would report it to the gentry. Tomorrow you plan to attack the South Prison. I am very afraid. This afternoon, I, your younger brother, will go back first to scout things out. If there is no urgent news, I will come to Yunji Temple tonight to lie low for a while. Once the situation calms down in two or three days, I will return."

Gu Xiaowu forced out a thin smile. "I never imagined Brother Pang had moments of fear too. Then come to Yunji Temple. We still have twenty or thirty brothers staying here. You might as well join our stronghold; we will certainly guarantee your safety. In the evenings, you can drink wine and eat meat with everyone."

Pang Yu observed the situation inside the main hall from the corner of his eye and asked casually, "Will Brother Xiaowu also be going to rescue Zhang Ru?"

A hint of spirit returned to Gu Xiaowu's gray eyes. "Naturally. There are still many Volunteers in South City whose hearts are with Huang Alliance Master. It requires me, the Vanguard General, to go and make contact."

Pang Yu saw that Gu Xiaowu's complexion was poor. After hesitating a moment, he opened his mouth to urge, "Brother Xiaowu, since you are slightly unwell, there is no great need to go to Tongcheng. This temple is a bit crude; you could first head south to Huaining to rest and recover for a few days. Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutting; nothing is more important than your own health."

Gu Xiaowu patted Pang Yu's shoulder weakly. "Brother Yu is the one who cares. But this minor illness truly won't get in the way."

"Then Brother Gu could also go home and rest for a few days. Tomorrow, with the Huang Alliance Master in charge of the overall situation, one man fewer than Brother Gu won't matter. You can certainly afford to slack off a bit."

Gu Xiaowu laughed heartily. "Your brother here is now a runner, and ordinarily I'm not inclined to slack off. Perhaps once we rescue Big Brother Zhang Ru and bring him back, my spirits will lift and I'll be cured."

Pang Yu did not dare to continue urging him. Looking at Gu Xiaowu's ashen face, he showed a little smile and said, "That would be wonderful. Then I won't delay you further, brother. I'll head back to Tongcheng first to scout around, and come again to Yunji Temple this evening."

Gu Xiaowu cupped his hands and said, "I will also be going to Tongcheng shortly. If we don't run into each other on the road, then we'll meet again tomorrow. Tomorrow evening I must get thoroughly drunk with Brother Pang at Yunji Temple."

……

"There is a perfect opportunity to act." Pang Yu's eyes shone the moment he returned to Tongcheng. "Huang Wending's group will come down the mountain this afternoon, leaving only twenty or thirty men at Yunji Temple. After descending, they will each summon their followers in the surrounding villages, gather at Wuyin Temple early tomorrow morning, and after setting up the altar and performing the incense ritual, they will enter the city together to rescue Zhang Ru. After that, they will continue the incense procession through the city, enticing the common people to follow and riot, and return to Yunji Temple by evening."

In the Pang family courtyard, He Xianya and Jiao Guozha listened intently to Pang Yu's plan, their expressions grave. Both had been lured by the silver, and though they had been making preparations earlier, they had not imagined Pang Yu would actually put this grand notion into action — and that the three of them would have to deal with twenty or thirty men.

Pang Yu continued, "The most likely scenario is that Huang Wending's group rashly enters the city, is ambushed by the Da Hang with no preparations, and the rioters are wiped out. Then the Da Hang and the able-bodied servants of the various families will follow up by attacking Yunji Temple. Between the rioters and the Da Hang, there is only this one day's window. Therefore, our only opportunity to act is tonight."

Jiao Guozha frowned and said, "But our preparations are not yet complete. This is too rushed… If we seize the silver tonight, and early tomorrow Huang Wending gets word of it, he won't enter Tongcheng. The bandits' strength would remain intact. What if they come seeking revenge on us?"

"For one, we won't let them know who took the silver. For two, once they lose the silver, the only outcome is the tree falling and the monkeys scattering. We have even less reason to fear them."

He Xianya gulped down a mouthful of saliva. "Why must it be at night? That is so inconvenient. The bulk of Huang Wending's rioters won't be at Yunji Temple tomorrow during the day. Wouldn't it be more convenient for us to act in broad daylight tomorrow?"

"Darkness favors the side that is prepared." Pang Yu said composedly, "There will still be twenty or thirty men in the temple. How can the three of us deal with them in broad daylight? Consider also: if we succeed, forty thousand taels of silver is over three thousand jin. I've roughly counted the silver chests — about twenty or thirty of them. Those chests are square and awkward to grip; they can only be carried by two people, leaving one person to guard the chests at the foot of the mountain. Yunji Temple has three hundred and twelve steps. One round trip carrying a chest takes at least a quarter of an hour, and that's not counting the obstruction of trees along the path. Twenty chests would require five double-hours. During the day, the Official Road is bustling with people coming and going, making transport even more inconvenient. Moreover, during the day the rioters will certainly be sending messages back and forth. If we are discovered at any point during those five double-hours, all our previous efforts will be wasted."

He Xianya and Jiao Guozha both fell silent after hearing this. Pang Yu looked at the two of them and said firmly, "Therefore, it must be at night, when the bandits' guard is lax. No one travels the Official Road, and no one will disturb us in the desolate wilderness around Yunji Temple. Counting from nightfall, we will have a full five double-hours."

Jiao Guozha said in a deep voice, "The three of us — two carrying, one guarding below — then won't there be no one keeping watch up on the mountain? Should we bring Pang Ding along as well?"

Pang Yu shook his head. "There is no way around this. Pang Ding is too timid; if he came, he might ruin things… I believe we can simply guard the mountain top. The silver chests brought down can be placed in a spot at the mountain's base where the grass and trees grow thick — this is another advantage of the dark. The two of you should set out shortly for the Guache River mouth. Confirm that the house chosen for hiding the silver is unoccupied, then prepare an ox cart in Guache River Town and conceal it at the location we scouted last time. Before daybreak tomorrow, we must transport the silver there and hide it well. There must be no negligence."

"You can rest assured about that house, Second Brother. I know the owner; he has been gone to Anqing for three years. The house lies outside the market street at the Guache River mouth. Transporting at night, we won't pass any homes, and it is screened by trees. If one didn't know, even passing by in daylight would draw no attention."

"If it truly comes down to it, each of us can just carry a hundred jin or so on our backs. That's still over a thousand taels — enough to buy fields and a house, hahaha." Jiao Guozha spoke through gritted teeth, a strange light shining in his eyes, as if that thousand-plus taels were already in hand.

"The opportunity is rare. If we can take more, we absolutely must take more. A little extra effort now yields wealth that others would toil a lifetime to earn." Pang Yu pointed seriously at the ground. "At the foot of Yunji Temple, where the steps begin, there are usually two men. At the top of the steps, there are two more. The rest are generally inside the temple. Every night they drink in the main hall, and the silver chests are in the adjoining Samantabhadra Hall."

Pang Yu used a twig to draw the positions in the dirt, and said to He Xianya and Jiao Guozha, "The two at the foot of the mountain are usually weaklings, mere Green-Skin Ruffians. Big Brother, dealing with them will be no problem for you."

The muscles on Jiao Guozha's face twitched once, and he nodded silently.

He Xianya's forehead was ceaselessly beading with sweat. He looked up at Pang Yu and said, "But after all this talk, how are the three of us supposed to deal with the twenty or thirty men inside the mountain temple?"

Jiao Guozha also folded his arms and looked at Pang Yu. Those twenty or thirty men were the greatest obstacle to the plan. One of the key difficulties in plucking chestnuts from the fire was that no one could know the silver had fallen into their hands. Otherwise, whichever side won, once they learned the truth, they would force the three to cough it up. This problem still had no solution, and he very much wanted to know the answer.

Pang Yu looked at the two of them for a long moment, then pointed at himself. "It won't be the three of us. I will deal with them alone."

"You alone?" He Xianya licked his dry lips, his voice trembling slightly.

Pang Yu fixed his gaze on the two of them and said in an even tone, "The two of you will hide at the foot of the mountain with the ox cart. Only move when you see my signal. If by the end of the zi hour you still haven't received the signal, then it most likely means I have been exposed and killed. You must not wait any longer."