Chapter 62: Chapter Sixty-Two: Five Days (4,200 Words Combined)

Seeing the other man draw his blade and point it at him, Yue Fei showed no panic at all. Instead, he replied calmly in the same Hebei accent as his opponent:

"Let me inform this Chief Li, back in Hebei I was once surrounded by the Jin army. When I broke out, an arrowhead scarred my brow bone, so now everyone looks to me like I'm rolling my eyes. There's no intention to look down on anyone."

Li Cheng was momentarily stunned, unsure how to respond, but beside him Zhang Rong had already burst out laughing with his hands on his hips, leaving Li Cheng even more embarrassed and stuck in a dilemma!

"Enough!"

Just then, Old Senior Commander Yang suddenly spoke. "Fu Xuan, go and collect the weapons from all the heroes present..."

It had to be said, Yang Weizhong might have seemed crude earlier, but he was old and shrewd. He had stayed silent for a long time, and when he finally spoke, it was perfectly timed—giving Li Cheng a way out, defusing the conflict between Li Cheng, Zhang Rong, and Yue Fei, while also reinforcing his own authority.

Hearing the order, a young military officer under Yang Weizhong stepped forward immediately, leading several other officers to collect weapons from everyone in the hall, starting from the front. They had only cleared one table when they reached Yue Fei and Ma Kuo in order.

Ma Kuo didn't mind and handed over his precious saber directly, but Yue Fei sat unmoving.

"This Controller Yue..." the officer named Fu Xuan couldn't help urging.

"Are you from the Eight-Character Army of Mount Taihang?" Yue Fei sat still, staring at the eight tattooed characters on the man's cheek, and sighed softly. "You shouldn't be from the twelve units that crossed the river back then, right? Otherwise, I'd remember you."

The man was momentarily startled, then grew solemn: "Reporting to Controller Yue, the Jin moved the Jurchen and Khitan Meng'an to various military prefectures in Hebei, and frequently moved hundreds of thousands of troops back and forth, making endless demands. The common people of Hebei couldn't endure, so they rose up and gathered at Mount Taihang... Among them, on the northern Taihang at Mount Wuma, Prince Xin vouched for them, making the biggest noise in the north; but on the southern Taihang, Commander Wang's Eight-Character Army has the greatest reputation... I left home last November to join Commander Wang, got tattooed then, and indeed heard Controller Yue's name mentioned by Junior Staff Officer Fan."

Yue Fei nodded slightly, glanced at Ma Kuo beside him, then continued: "Since the Eight-Character Army is so strong, why are you here?"

"Wasn't I scattered by the main Jin force when coming down the mountain?" Fu Xuan replied helplessly. "The army in the mountains grew bigger and bigger, but once on the plains, we really couldn't match the Jin cavalry... Luckily, after this defeat, heading east, I ran into Senior Commander Yang and followed him here."

Yue Fei nodded again.

"Controller Yue." Fu Xuan, having finished his chat with Yue Fei under the stares of the whole hall, finally urged him. "If you want to talk, we can have drinks tonight, and I'll tell you slowly. For now, please hand over your weapon... so I can do my job!"

Yue Fei finally shook his head slowly, resting his hand on his precious saber: "Senior Commander Yang knows me, and you've heard of me too. You should know I am a Controller of the Eastern Capital Field Headquarters of the Great Song, with the regular rank of Military Valor Gentleman. And this is the official hall of the Great Song government. There's no reason for a proper Controller of the Great Song to hand over his weapon like a bunch of bandits."

Ma Kuo felt embarrassed at this, Fu Xuan was caught off guard, and Yang Weizhong simply turned his head away without a word.

"What do you mean?!" Li Cheng in the hall flew into a rage again and drew his blade a second time. "What kind of bird Controller are you, still looking down on me, Li Cheng, right?!"

"It's not about looking down on Chief Li, just stating the facts." Yue Fei replied earnestly.

Li Cheng grew even angrier and lunged forward, swinging his blade down at Yue Fei's head.

Seeing this, the two nearest men, Ma Kuo and Fu Xuan, reacted quickly—one tried to overturn his table to block, the other turned to grab his weapon.

But Li Cheng was no showman, and his intent was vicious, not just a bluff. This strike was heavy and powerful, yet also incredibly fast, clearly aimed to kill. Fu Xuan hadn't even turned to grab his weapon before he saw the flash of the blade, and Ma Kuo hadn't managed to lift his table... because someone reacted faster than both of them. Yue Pengju, seeing the attack coming, stepped onto the table, braced his waist, and drew his blade to meet it!

In a flash, everyone saw a blur, and the two clashed fiercely in the hall! Sparks flew from the crossing blades!

Everyone present, except for the stunned civil official, was a veteran of the blade. One clash alone revealed the skill of both men, and they all grew tense. Even Old Senior Commander Yang, who had promoted Han Shizhong and seen much, couldn't help narrowing his eyes.

As for Yue Fei and Li Cheng themselves, they were both on guard, sizing each other up while gripping their swords... The former hadn't expected this bandit to have such martial skill and strength, and was somewhat impressed; the latter was even more alarmed. Having come from Hebei, served in Huainan, and turned bandit in Shandong, he had traveled all over the Yellow River region. He prided himself on his unmatched martial arts, yet today, even with a surprise attack, he only managed a draw. Didn't that mean this unremarkable Song officer was actually three parts better than him?

How could he not be shocked?!

"Li Cheng!"

Just as the two faced off in silence, Old Senior Commander Yang spoke again, this time taking a clear stance. "In the official hall of our Great Song, you sneak-attack a proper Controller of our Great Song—what's that supposed to mean?!"

At this, Fu Xuan and the others caught on and drew their blades with a clatter. The Shandong heroes following Li Cheng also drew their weapons in response, but Li Cheng himself, coming to his senses, raised his hand to stop them.

Not only that, but he sheathed his blade, stepped forward boldly, and stood unarmed before a dozen Song officers with drawn swords. Then, past these officers, he addressed Yang Weizhong:

"Old Senior Commander Yang, we came today answering your banner to resist the Jin... It was me, Li Cheng, who drew first and broke the rules in this hall. But are you going to kill me for that? If you kill me, which hero from the two circuits of Jingdong will still trust the imperial court's decrees? His Majesty fled from Hebei all the way to the Huai, only then felt shame and resolve, determined not to retreat again. He hasn't broken his word yet, so are you, Old Senior Commander Yang, going to ruin His Majesty's credibility in Jingdong?!"

"Sharp tongue..." Yang Weizhong stroked his beard with a cold smile. "With such a sharp tongue, why did you just lose the argument with Chief Zhang?"

Zhang Rong, catching on, was also momentarily stunned.

"Regardless, if Old Senior Commander Yang won't kill me, I'll take my leave first!" With that, Li Cheng, without sheathing his blade or acknowledging the Song officers before him, cast a deep glance at Yue Fei, who had already returned to his seat with a calm expression, and strode quickly out of the hall.

With him gone, many of the Shandong heroes, or rather the heroes from the eastern circuit of Jingdong, looked around and, feeling they couldn't stay without Li Cheng, bowed and took their leave... The once bustling hall was suddenly half empty.

However, Zhang Rong laughed with his hands on his hips: "So, Old Senior Commander Yang, how about I be your deputy now? Give me a Controller title too, so I can wear a red flower on my head and show off back at Liangshan Marsh..."

"Chief Zhang, wait a moment. Let me catch my breath in the back courtyard." Yang Weizhong, pinching his beard, stood up and switched to fluent official speech. "Yue Fei, Ma Kuo, you two come with me to the back courtyard!"

"As you wish, Senior Commander!" Zhang Rong grinned again.

Yue Pengju and Ma Zichong immediately rose, and Fu Xuan and the others hurriedly followed... It should be noted that Yue Fei had once been directly under Yang Weizhong in the Marshal's Office, and Ma Kuo was from Didao in Xizhou, with a Western Army background. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so easily summoned by Yang Weizhong's single letter. How could they dare to be slow now?

"Yue..."

Before they even reached the back courtyard, just turning into the corridor behind the main hall, Yang Weizhong couldn't hold back and was about to speak.

"That Li Cheng had ill intentions from the start."

However, before the old senior commander could ask, Yue Fei replied calmly. "He's from Hebei, but his men are all from the eastern circuit of Jingdong. I ask you, why would a group of bandits from Jingdong abandon the terrain of Mount Tai and the Yimeng Mountains, abandon their homes, and come to the western circuit of Jingdong to resist the Jin? They've seen the chaos of the times and are seeking out places where the Jin and we are fighting, hoping to sway back and forth, drive up their price, and even carve out their own territory! To put it bluntly, if His Majesty hadn't held the line at the Huai, and the Huai region fell to the Jin trampling, these people would have gone to the two Huai to cause trouble."

Yang Weizhong thought for a moment and couldn't refute it. Even Ma Kuo and Fu Xuan nodded in agreement.

"Zhang Rong is different." Yue Fei continued without changing expression. "Half of Mount Shuipo Liangshan is within Jizhou territory, and now five thousand Jin troops are pressing down on Jizhou city, right next to Liangshan Marsh, lording it over the people and trampling them. Zhang Rong, as the master of the marsh, commands poor fishermen who live off the waters. His determination to deal with this Jin force is probably as firm as ours... So Zhang Rong can be trusted and used! And to break those five thousand Jin cavalry in Jizhou, the only way is to lure them into the marsh and use the terrain to destroy them!"

Yang Weizhong thought for a long time but still had nothing to say. Fu Xuan and Ma Kuo could only nod again.

"Summon Zhang Rong!" Yang Weizhong, seeing Yue Fei fall silent, understood clearly.

Soon, Zhang Rong came in with his hands on his hips. Seeing the three standing there, he was about to laugh again.

But Yue Fei, unwilling to waste words with him, asked bluntly: "Controller Zhang, how many troops do you have?"

Zhang Rong grew serious, stepped forward, and clasped his hands: "Old Senior Commander Yang and Controller Yue, do you really mean to fight?"

Yang Weizhong and Yue Fei said nothing.

Zhang Rong had no choice but to nod: "If I leave the water fort and fight on land, I can only muster seven or eight thousand able-bodied men! But let me say this first—even though you call me Controller, my title isn't like yours. I don't take empty pay from my folks, and you won't be paying me either..."

"What if we lure them to the edge of the marsh?" Yue Fei, tired of the banter, asked seriously.

"Then I can call out fifteen or sixteen thousand! All can draw bows, row boats, and use blades, but we don't have much armor." Zhang Rong grew even more solemn. "Are you really going to fight? Don't fool me!"

"Senior Commander, how many troops do you have?" Yue Fei turned to ask.

"I only have a little over a thousand remnants, but Commander Fu brought out no less than three thousand from Mount Taihang..."

"That's enough." Yue Pengju narrowed his eyes. "Select twenty thousand men, use the marsh's terrain, find an excellent spot to set an ambush, and we can break the enemy! Remember, five thousand enemies, twenty thousand men for an ambush is enough. Any more is useless."

Old Senior Commander Yang, Ma Kuo, and Fu Xuan still didn't know how to argue.

"Eight hundred li of Mount Shuipo Liangshan, plenty of divine spots. I could close my eyes and know where to make the Jin die and feed the fish." Zhang Rong still felt confused. "But why would the Jin come to the marsh willingly and walk into my ambush?"

"Take advantage of the enemy's current arrogance and lure them in." Yue Fei replied simply.

"Who's going to lure the enemy? That's five thousand Jin cavalry!" Zhang Rong crossed his arms again, snorting disdainfully. "Whoever goes is just going to die!"

"I'll go, naturally." Yue Fei's voice remained as calm as ever.

Spring was warm but the flowers had not yet bloomed; a balmy breeze gusted through the corridor. This time, even Zhang Rong didn't know how to refute him.

"Are we really going to fight?" After a long pause, Zhang Rong again stood with his hands clasped in front of him.

"If we do this, how many days will it take to prepare?" Yang Weizhong also tugged at his beard and asked through gritted teeth.

"Are you short on weapons? How long will it take to gather men?" Yue Fei continued asking, but this time directed at Zhang Rong.

"Not short, and no need to waste time gathering men. The water stockade has everything ready, and the men are all assembled... We were already gathered together to guard against the Jin army. I just need to send boats to ferry you across from here on the Ji River." Zhang Rong also answered through gritted teeth.

"Then from now, until we cross over and everything is arranged, how many days exactly will it take?" Yue Fei pressed on.

"Five days is enough... You set out early tomorrow morning, travel at full speed, and you can reach the edge of the marsh by noon the day after. Take a boat all night, then rest for a full day and night, and repair your equipment while you're at it. By the fifth day, we'll be ready to spring the ambush no matter what... I know this route with my eyes closed." Zhang Rong was actually starting to get flustered. "I've traveled this road who knows how many times. There's no way I'll make a mistake."

"Then we break the enemy in five days."

Yue Fei turned back and calmly gave his answer to Yang Weizhong, like an emotionless block of wood stating the obvious. "Old Commandant, your reputation is too great. It would be best if you stay here with the remaining troops and those small bands of volunteers, drinking and making merry to draw attention. Chief Zhang, you should have a loud quarrel with the Old Commandant in public, then sneak back tonight. Tomorrow morning, Brother Ma and Commander Fu, you lead the troops quickly toward Liangshan Marsh. I will take five hundred cavalry and cross the river from Dingtao to the south bank of the Ji River. On the fifth day, the twenty-eighth of the first month, I will lead the main Jin force toward the marsh... At that time, you will be ready to receive me at the marsh, guide me into the ambush circle, and then twenty thousand men will strike together. The outcome will be decided in one battle... Don't drag it out. You must understand that the longer it takes, the more things can go wrong. We're not stationed there, where we have to deliberate back and forth with all the various lords."

Yang Weizhong tugged at his beard and stared at Yue Fei for a long time, as if looking at something strange. Instinctively, he wanted to refute the other's nonsense. But he exhausted his half-lifetime of military experience, thought it over and over, and still didn't know how to refute him.

As for Fu Xuan and Ma Kuo, they were already stunned speechless.

Zhang Rong, however, counted on his fingers and couldn't help adding a word: "Five days from now is indeed the twenty-eighth of the first month. I ask Controller Yue to lead the Jin men there after the middle of the afternoon, but before evening."

"Agreed."

Yue Fei's expression was still like wood, but he did take a slight measure of the man before him, this master of the Liangshan Marsh who looked like a fisherman.

PS: You all say I'm short every day. I checked... A certain new book that's doing better than mine also has exactly two hundred thousand characters, but it was published half a month earlier than mine, and it's divided into a full ninety chapters! Heaven and earth, have mercy!

Good night.