Chapter 377: Father and Sons

The rising sun shone upon this slaughter-filled battlefield. Chen Xin stood atop the southern wall of Zijing Liang's main camp, his great banner raised high — Dengzhou's Flying Tiger red flag fluttering proudly in the morning breeze. Under the sunlight, tens of thousands of refugees spread across the land like a dense swarm of ants, fleeing in panic in every direction.

"My lord, the cavalry has arrived."

Chen Xin drew out his spyglass and looked east. Several hundred cavalry were galloping north of the camp, all riders in short red military jackets — the Dengzhou cavalry vanguard. They had come earlier than he expected, and the timing was excellent. It seemed they had met no obstruction at all from the other refugees to the east.

"Have them circle around the camp from the north, then strike south to sweep the refugees."

As soon as Chen Xin gave the order, a staff officer jumped down from the earthen rampart, took one of the horses gathered below the wall, and rode off toward the cavalry's direction.

The messengers coming and going around him were also mostly mounted, all on horses just taken from the refugee camp. But having to dodge obstacles on the ground, their speed was not much faster than on foot.

Wang Mafu had gathered reports from several messengers and said to Chen Xin, "All the surrounding refugee bands have scattered. After our attack began, camp panics broke out among Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, Xie Zikuai, Xue Rengui, and the other factions. Most of the bandit leaders fled south with their mounted men before dawn. The remaining refugees are likewise scattering in all directions to save their skins. Only two small bands tried to come to the rescue, but after being swept by the fleeing refugees they were struck by our troops and promptly collapsed. At present, the First Regiment's First Battalion has broken into Gao Yingxiang's camp zone; the First Regiment's Second Battalion has entered Xue Rengui's camp; the Second Regiment is advancing into Cao Cao's camp — none have met effective resistance. The Third Regiment is mopping up the battlefield here."

"Has Zijing Liang been captured?"

"Not yet. Intelligence Bureau personnel accompanying the army are interrogating the mounted prisoners. According to their accounts, before our troops sealed the main camp's south gate, Zijing Liang was seen just charging out. The gate was utter chaos. After that, no one knows where he went. Several men have been taken to identify the corpses."

"Ignore the other bandits. Pick out some who are willing to surrender and who know Zijing Liang to serve as guides. Pursue Zijing Liang with everything we have. As long as no corpse is found, keep up the chase. If he gets far, we won't find him again."

Wang Mafu acknowledged the order, then paused and asked Chen Xin, "My lord, these tens of thousands of refugees — what do we do with them?"

"Those who bring the heads of fierce bandits, or who identify the brutal ones — take them in. After screening, send them to Lin County. As for the rest…" Chen Xin turned his head to look at Wang Mafu. "Have the propaganda officers and indoctrination instructors give them a lecture, then let them go."

Wang Mafu said doubtfully, "They'll just go join other bandits."

"Then what do you propose? Who can afford to feed this many people? If we keep them here, the result will be that they eat up all our grain, and then in the end they'll still go join other bandits."

"How about we notify Xuan Mo? He's the Henan magistrate, this is his responsibility. It'll also save him from later saying we let the bandits go free."

Chen Xin sighed. "What is Xuan Mo worth? Let him say whatever he wants. If we notify him, he'll just lead Zuo Liangyu and that lot over here to chop heads indiscriminately. I don't want to kill these people with my own hands, and I don't want to send them into the tiger's mouth either. After the battlefield is cleared, post no guards. If they want to leave, let them. Whether they live or die will depend on how tough their fate is."

Wang Mafu said no more and hurried off to relay the orders. He truly could not think of any solution. Chen Xin had further considerations: these refugees were a free propaganda corps. When they entered other bandit camps, they would spread tales of Dengzhou Garrison as ferocious as demons and monsters. Once a deterrent force like Cao Wenzhao's was established, it would greatly benefit future operations in the Central Plains and external communications. Another point was that with so many people captured and allowed to keep their lives, in the future those bandits would not fight to the death in desperate resistance.

Chen Xin cast his gaze inside the walls of Zijing Liang's main camp — corpses everywhere, and everywhere gold, silver, jewels, and several hundred riderless horses. He could not help but grin broadly…

Zijing Liang was at that moment less than three li from Chen Xin, fleeing westward among the refugees. Though his hair was graying, Zijing Liang was still strong and robust, his stamina still holding. He had faced death many times and was rich in escape experience. Though his heart was panicked, he had not lost his composure. Along the way he had stripped off his mail armor and that satin undergarment and discarded them. Even his conspicuous red trousers he had taken off and thrown away. He had torn a filthy garment off a refugee and put it on. Apart from this ragged clothing, all he now had on his person was a short knife. At his reminder, his two adopted sons did the same, stripping off the fine clothes they had looted and turning themselves into utterly inconspicuous refugees.

The Dengzhou soldiers were still in pursuit, but they no longer killed those gaunt refugees. Anyone without a weapon in hand they ignored. Some shouted as they chased, "Those coerced will not be killed! Capture one mounted bandit and be rewarded ten taels of silver…"

The emaciated refugees running nearby grew fewer and fewer. They were thin and weak to begin with, and had spent too much energy in the madness before dawn. After daybreak, all were utterly exhausted. Along the road knelt refugees and foot soldiers begging for mercy, and the fleeing crowd grew thinner and thinner.

But this was no good thing for Zijing Liang, because his horse was gone. In the darkness, someone had dragged him off his horse — he did not know who. Once down, Zijing Liang clung desperately to the saddle. After several struggles, more and more refugees grabbed for it. When the people behind surged forward, his horse vanished to who knows where. At daybreak he found his two adopted sons, both covered in dust and dirt, their horses also gone.

On foot, they could not escape danger quickly. The fewer people running now, the more conspicuous he became. From time to time they saw mounted men racing past nearby, with other refugees still around. In this chaos of war, Zijing Liang dared not reveal his identity. The three of them shouted loudly, calling for the mounted men to stop and pick them up, but those riders, terrified of being seized by refugees for the reward, did not even glance their way. They whipped their horses and fled for their lives.

"Fuck your mother, Cao Cao! Fuck your mother, Gao Yingxiang! When I get my hands on you, I'll flay your skin and break your bones." Zijing Liang cursed furiously in his heart, his feet not daring to stop for a moment. If not for Cao Cao's goading, how would he have come north of Xiuwu, waiting to set a trap for the Shandong troops? Now the Shandong troops had struck first with a vicious blow. He cursed Gao Yingxiang for not coming to the rescue — but in truth, Gao Yingxiang had suffered just as badly. The mountain-roaring, sea-surging cries in the darkness and the volleys of gunfire had triggered a camp panic in the Chuang King's camp as well. In the chaos, he had managed to take only fifty or sixty percent of his mounted men. He himself had become a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow — what leisure did he have to rescue Zijing Liang?

Several Dengzhou cavalrymen came riding up — all from the Special Duty Company and the Central Army's scout riders. They had not stayed behind with the cavalry but had taken on the vanguard task of opening the way on foot. Now they had seized riderless horses inside the camp and were spreading out in pursuit. They raced swiftly after the mounted bandits fleeing ahead. Passing the refugees, they shouted, "By order of the Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Lord Chen: those coerced will not be killed! Those coerced, capture one mounted bandit and be rewarded ten taels of silver! Capture a minor bandit chief, twenty taels! Capture Zijing Liang, one thousand taels of silver and promotion to Battalion Commander of Dengzhou Garrison!"

Zijing Liang hunched over, doing his utmost not to draw their attention. Those several riders charged past a dozen paces from him. They paid no heed to these people fleeing on foot, shouting as they whipped their horses and vanished into the dust.

The refugees watched those government troops ride past without cutting them down. Most of them were coerced refugees. The tension in their hearts released, and they collapsed to the ground one after another, fleeing no more. Every so often the government troops would shout again, and wherever they passed, refugees toppled like dominoes in sheets. Most were excessively panicked, sitting on the ground weeping ceaselessly. Some had run themselves to exhaustion, lying on the ground with mouths agape and eyes blank.

Zijing Liang inwardly cursed his luck. These Ming troops not only fought ferociously but were also so adept at bewitching hearts. The price they offered was a thousand taels plus a Battalion Commander post. Out of the corner of his eye he watched his two adopted sons, sensing that the two had slightly widened the distance between them. It seemed they too feared he might kill them to eliminate future trouble.

One adopted son said as he ran, "Foster Father, don't worry. No one will fall for those dog officials' tricks. We fought our way out of our home village with you. We know exactly what those dog officials are."

Zijing Liang, panting, said in a low voice, "The dog officials are all liars. You follow me, and in the future you'll be my personal retinue. Fine food, drink, and women — you'll have it all."

The two thanked him in unison, repeatedly pledging their loyalty. Zijing Liang kept his expression neutral, buried his head, and continued on his way. Moments later, from the north came the thunder of hooves. Several hundred Ming cavalry were racing south, their target likewise those mounted bandits. They were passing a hundred paces from Zijing Liang and his men.

Zijing Liang looked at the cavalry's direction, then suddenly stopped and said to the two, "There are fewer and fewer people ahead. The three of us traveling together draws attention. Let's split up. Don't follow the others south. We'll head north separately into the mountains. It's dangerous before we reach the mountains, but once inside, it's safe. You two go to Qinghua Town and wait for me there. We'll rise again from the ashes."

The two adopted sons hurriedly stopped. Their faces were covered in blood, sweat, and dust, making them look like mud monkeys. Both were stunned for a moment, apparently taken aback by Zijing Liang's sudden decision to flee separately. In truth, Zijing Liang did not trust them either. He would rather take the risk alone. Once in the mountains, he was confident he could escape to Qinghua Town. If he could find any of the Thirty-Six Camps, he could save his life and then gather the scattered men.

Some refugees still fleeing for their lives skirted around the three, straggling southwest. Zijing Liang said, "Go quickly. Once there are even fewer people, we won't escape. Xiao Jiu, you go due west. Xiao Shiqi, you go…"

The adopted son called Xiao Jiu suddenly pointed behind Zijing Liang and shouted, "Foster Father, dodge!"

Both men drew their short knives at the same time. Zijing Liang did not even turn his head. His short knife stabbed straight toward Xiao Jiu's chest. Blood flashed — both men were stabbed at the same moment. Zijing Liang had dodged aside from the chest, but his left upper arm was pierced. He dropped low and silently swung his short knife, fighting Xiao Jiu to the death. The surrounding refugees scrambled and crawled away, putting some distance between them.

Despite his youthful-sounding name, Xiao Jiu was in fact a short, stocky, ferocious man. He had premeditated this, but he had not expected Zijing Liang to react so swiftly. A gash had been opened across his left chest, not deep into the flesh. He bellowed loudly and lunged viciously at Zijing Liang, grappling and slashing. The two men's short knives drew blood again and again. In the blink of an eye, they had gone from foster father and son to mortal enemies.

The two soon rolled together into a tangle, each using his free hand to grab the other's knife hand, rolling back and forth on the ground. The refugees around them either passed by as if blind or stood numbly watching the spectacle. Xiao Shiqi seemed frozen in shock, standing where he was and staring blankly at the two "relatives" before him.

The strong and robust Zijing Liang finally gained the upper hand. With difficulty he pinned Xiao Jiu beneath him. Xiao Jiu, however, used his left arm to clamp down desperately on Zijing Liang's right knife hand, pressing Zijing Liang's right hand under his body. Zijing Liang tried several times to pull it free but could not. The two were locked in a stalemate.

Xiao Jiu was at a disadvantage. If Zijing Liang pulled his right hand free, he would be dead for certain. In desperation, Xiao Jiu shouted to Xiao Shiqi beside them, "Shiqi, kill Wang Ziyong now! We'll each get five hundred taels! I'll give you the Company Commander post…"

Zijing Liang spoke rapidly, "Don't listen to him, Xiao Shiqi. Foster Father will take you to Qinghua Town. We'll gather our men and live just as happily as before."

Xiao Jiu, clamping Zijing Liang's right hand with all his might, his face flushed red, roared, "You didn't help him just now. When you get back, he won't let you off. These government troops are this fierce — even if Wang Ziyong doesn't kill you, sooner or later you'll die at the hands of these government troops…"

Zijing Liang smashed his head into Xiao Jiu's face, cutting off Xiao Jiu's howl abruptly. Xiao Jiu followed by headbutting him back. Wang Ziyong nimbly dodged, then said to Xiao Shiqi, "Don't believe him. The government troops won't let you off either…"

With a thud, before Zijing Liang could finish, his head snapped violently to the side and he toppled over. Xiao Shiqi, carrying a club, sauntered over and said to the unconscious Zijing Liang, "With you as my door-knocking brick, why wouldn't the government troops let me off? I'm no fool."

With that, he pulled out a short knife and waved it high toward the government troops passing a hundred paces away. (To be continued…)