Chapter 503: Relay Horse

In Hexiwu Town, Wuqing County, Hooge stood with his hands clasped behind his back on a wooden bridge spanning the Grand Canal. Not far below the bridge on the river's surface, several figures holding torches crouched on the ice, inspecting it closely.

A group of bondservants piled large amounts of firewood on both sides of the bridgehead. According to the original plan, the Right Wing was to speed up and cross via this wooden bridge within two days, so as to leave the water-net marsh region before the river thawed, at which point they would burn the bridge to block any pursuit.

Hooge led the Plain Blue Banner to cover the Right Wing, returning to Wuqing from Xianghe. The main force occupied Hexiwu Town, which, similar to Yangcun, was a key node on the North Canal. Ordinary freight and passenger traffic on the canal largely ended here; only tribute grain continued on to Tongzhou.

Shops and warehouses lined both banks at Hexiwu in rows. Having arrived earlier, the Left Wing had already plundered the place extensively, seizing enormous wealth. This was now their second time here.

Several men came up from the ice. The one in the lead walked up to Hooge and said, "Reporting to my Master: the ice can still bear men, but if the sun keeps shining tomorrow, it will no longer hold carriages."

Hooge turned his head to look at him. The man in the lead was Darhan, the Manchu Banner Commander of the Plain Blue Banner.

Darhan said in a low voice, "Master, three household men under Nushan company seem to have contracted the plague again today. These three fell ill before noon yesterday and were all dead by noon today."

Hooge frowned. "Have they been dragged away?"

"A few bondservants were found to drag them far off. Once they reached the spot, all those bondservants were shot dead."

Hooge relaxed slightly. This was the reason he was unwilling to return to Hexiwu again. This was an area they had passed through; the people they had killed before were left unburied, and the human and animal corpses littering the roadside were beyond counting. Plague had broken out repeatedly among his banners. This plague was extremely fierce, killing within two or three days. Because they had responded decisively, it had not caused major losses.

The Qing army had experience dealing with epidemics from the Heavenly Mandate era. Even if Eight Banners nobles contracted plague, visits were forbidden, thus breaking the chain of transmission. However, the campaign inside the border covered a vast area, passing through broad territories and killing enormous numbers of people and livestock. The plague diseases encountered differed greatly from those in Liaodong. The epidemics within the campaign zone were exceptionally virulent, causing many non-combat casualties for the Qing army. Even Yoto, the Right Wing Commander, once infected, could not be saved, and this even affected the march of an army tens of thousands strong.

Half a year out of Liaodong and nearly five months inside the border, the Qing army, from top to bottom, all wished to exit the border soon and were even less willing to linger in areas where plague might be rampant. Hooge was no exception; he only hoped to link up with the Right Wing quickly. But today, dispatch bulletins came one after another from the Right Wing. Not only had they not quickened their march, they had actually stopped to attack a Ming army unit blocking the road, which infuriated him.

He was displeased at the Right Wing's further delay. According to the initial plan, they should have already reached the vicinity of Ji Garrison by now, rested and reorganized men and horses, waited for outside support, and then broken out of the border around the twentieth of the second month.

Previously, the Right Wing had delayed over ten days at Jinan. Although there was a reason, it had still held up the march. The Left Wing was already full of resentment, and now, nearing Wuqing, the Right Wing pulled this again. At the current pace, they would never make it out of the border by the twentieth of the second month.

After nightfall, a new dispatch bulletin arrived: the Right Wing had actually failed to take that manor. The bulletin did not detail why they failed, but Hooge was not surprised. The Qing army inside the border was extremely sensitive to casualties, and their assault capability had never been strong. They often retreated when facing small, prepared towns, and failure in assault was very common.

Hooge did not care whether a manor was taken or not, but the Right Wing had wasted another precious day of daylight, which naturally angered him.

"Has the river surface thawed on Dudu's side?"

Darhan nodded. "The Right Wing reports that the Yongding River is cracking. Around noon, the Bordered Blue Banner lost two carriages through the ice. After that, they spread grass and wood on the ice and could still get carriages across. At another ferry crossing, the Bordered Red Banner lost a mule. They laid some things down and could also keep moving. They just don't know if it will still be passable tomorrow." (Note 1)

The entire region had reached the thawing season. Hexiwu was about to thaw as well, making this wooden bridge before them critical.

"Dudu Beile sent another urgent letter. The Ming border army has been harassing them constantly these past few days. He wants our men to move further south to help deal with the border army's household retainers north of the Yongding River."

A surge of anger rose in Hooge's heart. He waited a moment, then said, "Darhan, send someone to tell him this bridge at Hexiwu is critical. The Plain Blue Banner has only five hundred men here, and we still have to guard against the Ming Xuan-Da troops at Tongzhou. The river is about to thaw, and it's still sixty li from Yangcun. He's tangled up with those Ming troops — how long does he plan to wait? I will cover at Hexiwu and will not go further south. Tell him to come north immediately and assemble."

Darhan also had no desire to head south at this moment and immediately agreed, "Your slave will dispatch a relay horse at once."

……

On the official road thirty li north of Yangcun, a long string of mule carts adorned with lanterns and torches stretched end to end, advancing northward. As the lanterns passed, their light illuminated the broken carriages on both sides of the road.

Yang Guangdi lay hidden in the darkness thirty paces from the official road, with Qin Jiuze beside him. The sky in the direction of Hexiwu to the north was a murky yellow, and the same scene lay toward Yangcun in the south, but camps in this stretch were very sparse.

They had taken part in the raid on Wangzhuang the day before, withdrawing from combat after noon, then moved covertly northward from northwest of Yangcun. The official road before them cut through Wuqing from Yangcun, passed Hexiwu, and led to Xianghe — it was the Qing army's main marching route.

After two nights of traveling by night and hiding by day, the scout cavalry had evaded the Qing army's scout cavalry and finally reached the vicinity of the official road, infiltrating the Qing army's heartland. The scout cavalry operated in two groups; one group was closer to Hexiwu, where Chen Bin led two squads to set this ambush.

Normally, Qing cavalry would completely control the area around a camp, but this region was called the Jiahetao area, where old and new river channels intersected with ponds and marshes. The terrain was extremely fragmented and lacked large tracts of land suitable for encampment. With no large camps nearby, there naturally would be no ambush army, making it suitable for the scout cavalry to operate.

Qing troops on the road came and went frequently. During the day, reconnaissance with a telescope spotted a marching column of the Plain Yellow Banner. The stream of carriages on the road was unbroken all day long, only finishing their passage just before nightfall. This long string before them was likely stragglers. Being between the Left and Right Wings, the Qing troops on the road were lax in their vigilance, focused only on hurrying forward, showing no sign of alertness at all.

This place was an area dense with Tang Lake marshes, threaded through by two old river channels. The terrain was extremely complex and unsuitable for mounted activity. The scout cavalry had come here on foot from a concealed point; even if the ambush failed, they need not worry about pursuit by Tartar cavalry.

A passing carriage convoy like this held no value; the scout cavalry merely watched them depart into the distance. Qing troops were massed between Xianghe and Wuqing, and much information needed to be passed between the Left and Right Wings. Relay horses were a better target.

Besides this string of mule carts, two groups of Qing troops had passed on the official road tonight, each numbering around four men. They were likely relay horses, but Chen Bin had not yet given the order.

Yang Guangdi felt his way to Chen Bin's position and said in a low voice in the darkness, "Centurion, both groups of relay horses were heading north from Yangcun. Something big must be happening at Yangcun. If more come, do we grab them?"

"If there's business at Yangcun sending messages north, that's only information from the Right Wing at Yangcun. When messages come south from the north again, we'll have the movements of both wings. Don't touch the ones going north; we'll strike when the ones heading south come." Chen Bin thought for a moment and added, "Try not to let a single one escape. That way the Tartars won't know we're here tonight."

Yang Guangdi returned to his squad's position and relayed Chen Bin's order to Qin Jiuze.

Qin Jiuze's hoarse voice said in a deep tone, "For the Eastern Invaders' relay horses, the one with the banner on his back is the one carrying the message. Along the route, whenever a relay horse's banner is seen, regardless of rank, the way must be yielded to the relay horse first. The information on this man is critical. We must grab him first."

Yang Guangdi added this point and told Manda'er beside him. In the darkness, the squad members passed it along one by one.

Yang Guangdi listened carefully. The ones in front were basically without error, but further back it grew distant and unclear. He concentrated intently to listen, lest the new recruits pass it on wrong.

Suddenly, the faint sound of hoofbeats reached his ears. Yang Guangdi turned his head to look north. Several points of light appeared in the distance.

Cavalry traveling at night were very likely relay horses. This group was heading from north to south. Chen Bin's order followed immediately. Yang Guangdi gave the order in a low voice, and the scout cavalry moved up to the edge of the official road, entering their ambush positions. As Yang Guangdi stopped, he stepped on something loose. He tested it with his foot — it was probably a corpse, already completely stiff.

Yang Guangdi crouched right beside the corpse. Once the surroundings fell quiet, he let out a low cat call.

Cat calls came back from the three ambush positions. Yang Guangdi needed to confirm they had not gone to the wrong places and would attack according to their designated fields of fire. Otherwise, chaotic killing in the dark could lead to friendly fire. He was especially uneasy about the new recruits. These new soldiers all had decent individual skills, but compared to the fully trained scout cavalry, a huge gap remained.

"Squad Leader Yang, there's a dead person…"

It was the voice of that escort master, Yang Shizhong. He was in the same ambush position as Yang Guangdi. Yang Guangdi turned his head and said angrily, "No talking during an ambush!"

The escort master fell silent. Yang Guangdi's anger lingered. These new cavalrymen had good individual combat skills, but only in riding and fighting. That was enough for escorting valuables, but for the army, it was still far from sufficient.

The presence of corpses here was not strange. The Qing army had abducted a vast number of commoners and used them like beasts of burden. Enduring long treks, lacking rest and sufficient food, utterly exhausted in body and mind, those of slightly weaker constitution might drop dead from exhaustion. On the roads the Qing army passed, the dead lay unbroken along the way. Yang Guangdi had seen plenty of it and was not frightened even encountering it in the middle of the night.

There were no trees beside the official road, making it inconvenient to set up trip wires. Yang Shisan and Manda'er, each leading a new recruit, laid out caltrops strung together with rope on the road surface. Each string held nine caltrops, and in a moment they had laid out over ten strings.

The points of light on the official road swayed closer. Yang Shisan and the others returned below the road surface. Along with Qin Jiuze and five others, they held step bows and waited silently, hidden in the darkness.

Yang Guangdi did not use a Lumi musket, because the fire rope would reveal his position at night. The firelight gradually approached. There were five men in the group; it seemed the fourth one carried a banner on his back, but he had fallen unusually far behind the riders ahead.

Yang Guangdi gripped his throwing axe tightly. The enemy's spacing was too far apart; his own ambush cordon was not that long, making it easy to miss someone.

He could now clearly see the faces of the Qing troops in the firelight. Judging by their clothing, they all wore padded armor, with furred hats on their heads and furry ear flaps on both sides. There was no way to change the order now; he could only pray that the banner-bearing relay horse would enter the ambush cordon.

The banner-bearing relay horse was unhurried, even chatting with someone beside him. The lead Qing soldier was just about to reach the caltrops.

A horse let out a long neigh. The lead Qing soldier's mount began to buck on the spot. The other mounts were startled, and the column immediately halted. That banner-bearing Tartar was just outside the ambush cordon.

Chen Bin's voice rang out. The hidden scout cavalry all around loosed their arrows. Horses neighed on the official road. One Qing soldier was struck by two arrows at once. Lanterns and torches fell to the ground, and the light dimmed abruptly.

Before they could turn around, the Ming troops fired a second volley of arrows amid the chaos. The cover of a fallen lantern on the ground now caught fire, and the light suddenly brightened again. In their panic, the Qing troops wheeled their horses. Several scout cavalrymen charged onto the road surface, using this brief illumination to rush at the Qing troops, brandishing blade staffs and long spears, launching fierce attacks at the Qing soldiers who could not maneuver on horseback.

Amid the chaos on the official road, riders fell from their horses, and horses collapsed neighing. The scout cavalry swung their weapons, fighting and killing desperately.

Yang Guangdi chased onto the official road. In the dim firelight, he saw the banner on a back flash once — that Tartar had already turned his horse's head. Yang Guangdi quickened two steps and hurled the throwing axe in his hand. Whoosh — it flew toward the Tartar's retreating figure. Amid the sound of hoofbeats, the Tartar still fled north.

In the darkness, bowstrings twanged again from both sides. With a scream, another figure tumbled from horseback.

Someone shouted, "The Tartar's wounded, he can't get far! I'm going after him!"

Then a figure vaulted onto a riderless horse. Amid the pitiful neighing of horses on the ground, Yang Guangdi could not make out the accent. He hurriedly called out to stop Yang Shizhong and the others, who were still swinging their large clubs.

The two Squad of Five leaders began counting off men. Qin Jiuze came straight over and said, "The one who chased after them is Yang Shisan."

Yang Guangdi hesitated a moment, then had the Squad clear the road first to avoid discovery by other passing Qing troops, and dragged the one Qing soldier who could still speak far from the Official Road for interrogation.

The hoofbeats to the north faded into the distance. Of the three horses left here, all were either dead or injured. Yang Guangdi had no way to pursue. The mounted scouts needed to withdraw immediately.

Since one Qing soldier had just fled, the scouts' position might be exposed. They had to disengage quickly to avoid being overtaken by Qing forces.

Now that Yang Shisan had broken away from the unit, if he were captured by Qing troops, their concealed position would no longer be safe either.

Chen Bin came over and listened. He did not blame them for letting the Relay Horse escape, but simply said curtly, "Clear the road and retreat."

Yang Guangdi could see that Chen Bin was somewhat disappointed. Not daring to say more, he joined the others in dragging the corpses off the road surface.

After hastily clearing the road, the rest of the men began their withdrawal. Yang Guangdi still stood on the Official Road, gazing north.

Man Da'er came up beside him and said, "Yang Shisan got himself a horse. He's bound to have run straight back to Xuan-Da by now. No point waiting."

Yang Guangdi said evenly, "If he caught a Tartar, it'd be hard for one man to escort a prisoner. You all withdraw first. I'll wait a while longer."

Qin Jiuze had not left either. He stood with Yang Guangdi for a moment. On the road, one torch had not been fully stamped out; its faint embers still flickered, now bright, now dim.

Until a catcall sounded from the darkness — Chen Bin urging them on. Man Da'er said in a low voice, "Yang Shisan's a slippery one. In this pitch black, there's no way he'd risk real Danger to grab a prisoner. He's definitely bolted…"

Yang Guangdi suddenly raised a hand. Hoofbeats came again from the north. Qin Jiuze immediately stepped down to the roadside and took out his Step Bow.

Man Da'er also took out his bow. The hoofbeats drew near — a dark, shadowy shape, a single horse.

Yang Guangdi called out ahead of time, "Yang Shisan!"

"Got one." Yang Shisan's voice came from the darkness.

Yang Guangdi let out a breath. He watched the dark shape approach. A man lay draped across the horse's back. Once Yang Shisan dismounted, he seized the man on the horse and yanked him off the saddle. Boom — he slammed him onto the ground.

Yang Shisan said from the darkness, "Tartar Relay Horse."

Man Da'er stared blankly, momentarily speechless.

Hearing the commotion, Chen Bin strode back. Yang Guangdi hastily picked up the torch from the ground and blew on it. As the flame flared to life, he held it close to the Tartar. Chen Bin looked down. The Banner Bearer flag was still on his back. He turned at once to Qin Jiuze and said, "Take him further away and interrogate him. If there's critical intelligence, we must report it to Lord Pang immediately."

……

"Given the current situation, once the river center thaws, what methods will the Tartars try?"

At Xicunkou in Wangzhuang, Pang Yu stood atop a Carriage being used as a barricade, carefully observing the south through his Telescope.

Last night, this nearest Tartar Camp Ground had been set up as a Ming Camp, building Shield Carts right under Pang Yu's nose. Tonight, the lens showed a dark, indistinct mass, while further to the south, the area blazed with lights.

Pang Yu was not surprised. The Tartars also feared night raids, and at the same time they would cut off contact with Wuqing. In this stretch of open wilderness around Wangzhuang, who knew how many Ambush Army troops lay in ambush.

Tu Dianli and Zhuang Chaozheng stood right beneath the Carriage, each scanning with a Telescope.

Tu Dianli said without hesitation, "They'll use cavalry to screen the perimeter of Wangzhuang to prevent us from sallying out. They'll abandon the carts, load supplies directly onto pack animals, and bypass Wangzhuang through the wilds. That way they can take the people, the livestock, and the supplies with them. The Tartars will prioritize saving the horses, then the oxen, then the people, then the mules and donkeys."

Zhuang Chaozheng interjected, "Without carts, relying solely on pack animals, they won't get far."

"They'll abandon anything worthless and take only the valuable supplies. The Rice and Beans can be shared out within the banners." Tu Dianli paused, then continued, "Their most likely approach is to spread all sorts of material over the ice surface to delay the Ice Thaw. If the carts can't cross, they'll need to get the people and livestock across. Among the items seized at Wangzhuang, many livestock and carts are carrying reeds. The common folk say they cut them while crossing Sanjiaodian, to build shelters and use as firewood for warmth. The various Tartar columns have just passed Sanjiaodian and aren't far from it — they should all have this stuff. They can spread reeds on the ice, then tear down door panels nearby and lay them over the reeds. That could buy them a day or two… depends on whether this weather turns hot."

Pang Yu jumped down from the Carriage. After a moment of Strategic Patience, he said, "No matter how many days, tomorrow is critical. As soon as the river surface thaws, the Tartars behind will fall into disarray. Send out two more Relay Horse teams to break through to Wuqing. Request that Sun Doutang must dispatch troops to pin down the North Bank. Otherwise, the Tartars will mass their forces to besiege Wangzhuang. Also request that Sun Doutang send separate cavalry to raid the South Side, to slow the Tartars' marching speed. We absolutely must delay them and prevent them from making the River Crossing. The sooner the cavalry moves out tomorrow, the better, and the more cavalry, the better."

……

Note 1: On the ninth day of the second month, Qing troops burned the wooden bridge at Hexiwu. Sun Chuanting arrived that same day but could not cross the river. He spent a day repairing the bridge and only crossed on the tenth. From this, it can be inferred that by the ninth day of the second month, the North Canal had already thawed. The Yongding River, being in the same region, should have thawed at the same time.