Chapter 232: Sails in Sight

It was a complete mess — that was Heifu's impression of the defense of Yidao that night.

First, the Ba tribal groups below the walls attacked with no order at all. They had risen in haste, had hardly any siege equipment, and could only swarm forward carrying logs and crude bamboo ladders.

Before charging, these attackers ran to the Yi River and smeared white mud on their faces. In the night, set against their dark skin, they looked especially conspicuous.

Unlike the Qin army's siege methods Heifu had seen at Chenliu and Waihuang, they formed no files, deployed no assault formations, and had no gongs, drums, banners, or signals — whoever wanted to charge just charged. They came howling like a reckless herd of beasts, each gripping a shield and raising a sword, shouting ceaselessly as if they had inexhaustible strength. Even while climbing the bamboo ladders, their mouths never stopped.

With this chaotic assault, although a handful of fierce Ba warriors occasionally leaped onto the battlements, most were stabbed off by the defenders' long spears and bamboo poles before they were halfway up…

The bowmen supporting them below the wall had formed no firing line either — three standing here, five standing there — and could not even release their arrows in unison. In the darkness, those sharp-eyed Ba hunters could not aim properly and could not play to their strengths, so the arrows fell like scattered raindrops, posing little threat.

As if that were not enough, while several hundred men were attacking the wall up front, the Ba behind them had lit several fires on the ground. Some sat, some stood, and in the middle were a few accompanists beating drums and blowing flutes. As though holding a bonfire gathering, the crowd sang and danced, waving their arms and stamping their feet.

Who knows whether they meant to hearten their comrades or had already forgotten this was a battlefield and thought it was a tribal assembly! Their chieftains not only did not stop them, but even joined in themselves, stumbling along as if already drunk.

Heifu took in this scene and inwardly rejoiced: "Master Wu's Sun Tzu says: 'When the general is weak and lacks authority, instruction is unclear, officers and men lack discipline, and troops are deployed in disorder — this is called chaos, one of the six great faults that lead to defeat.' These Ba may all be brave and skilled in battle, but most have no concept of order. Rising in haste, with incomplete arms and armor, swarming forward, and attacking only one side — the threat they pose to the city is actually limited…"

Heifu surmised that this was because the Ba usually did little more than take part in tribal brawls and were rarely organized to assault cities and seize territory.

The one praiseworthy point was these Ba's utter fearlessness in the face of death — as one wave fell, another surged forward, as if they would not stop so long as the singing and dancing continued.

Yet looking at his own side, Heifu's small delight was canceled out.

Because among the defenders on the wall, apart from the hundred or so county soldiers who still maintained some order, the minor clerks and commoners were just as flustered, on par with those chaotically fighting Ba…

First, the bowmen on the wall: aside from a dozen or so county soldiers, the rest were young men who claimed to be "skilled archers." These men could indeed draw a bow, but the moment they saw the Ba charging forward shouting, they scattered in confusion to every crenel and could not resist releasing their arrows while the enemy was still far away. As a result, not a single man was shot down. One tall, long-armed youth was even shooting with his eyes shut. Heifu could only yank him back and send him to help deliver arrows instead.

Watching this group's disastrous performance, Heifu could not help missing Xiao Tao.

"If Xiao Tao were here, she would certainly teach them what it means to be a qualified crossbowman-archer."

Unflinching in the face of danger, not releasing an arrow lightly, not seeking to shoot many — for shooting too many only makes the arm ache and strength wane — but striving for every shot to hit its mark!

The young men issued halberds and spears were the same. Under the county soldiers' shouted orders, they formed ranks behind the bowmen, but they stood crooked and slanted, legs trembling, constantly swallowing saliva. Some even involuntarily stepped backward when fierce Ba warriors swiftly climbed onto the battlements, leaving gaps. Although these young men underwent one month of rotational garrison training each year, they had never experienced a real battle line, and their performance left much to be desired.

In truth, when defending a city, experience is not the most important thing — courage is. These local youths perhaps knew how fierce the Ba were, and facing them, their courage was sorely lacking.

"If Dongmen Bao were here, he could use his fearlessness in the face of death to set an example." So thought Heifu.

At that moment, two minor clerks, who by his order were running orders back and forth along the wall, collided and tumbled to the ground.

Heifu shook his head helplessly. If Ji Ying were here, it would be ideal — that fellow was perfectly suited to be a runner, not only fleet-footed but also able to crack a few witty remarks now and then to ease everyone's tension and boost morale.

And Li Xian — if he were here, he would surely have come up with several viciously cunning schemes against the Ba.

The key lies not in the orders, but in the men who carry them out.

Watching the disastrous performance of the Yidao men, Heifu felt somewhat helpless and began to miss, with particular keenness, his subordinates still back in Anlu County.

"The strong wind reveals the sturdy grass. When I first left Anlu, I didn't feel it, but once war comes, the soldiers and clerks I trained with my own hands are the most reliable. Before the second campaign against Chu, I must find a way to return to Anlu County and continue leading the hometown troops."

That was a matter for later. As he thought this, Heifu dodged an arrow drifting erratically in the night wind and drove a long spear into the chest of a howling Ba warrior…

That night's assault and defense ended in utter chaos. The Ba seemed to have tired themselves out dancing and withdrew. The men on the wall, not quite knowing how they had repelled the enemy, all let out a cheer…

…

"Left Arms Clerk, I see these Ba have neither pitched camp nor formed defensive lines — they are all sleeping like logs. They are far too careless. Why not sally out and strike them? What do you think?"

The next morning, at sunrise, unlike the clamor of the previous day, it was utterly silent outside the walls. Heifu, dozing on the battlements, was woken by the only centurion left in Yidao, who presented this "brilliant plan" of his.

"Who gave you the nerve?"

Heifu cursed inwardly, but outwardly smiled and affirmed the centurion's courage. He stood and observed the Ba below the wall, sprawled every which way, sleeping on their shields.

"Centurion, do you see that red Chu banner in the very front row?"

The centurion nodded. Heifu smiled. "There are over a hundred Chu armored soldiers there, likely led by the envoys who persuaded these Ba to rebel against Qin and join Chu. Last night they did not join the assault but rested the whole time. This morning they are watching the city's movements — clearly, the enemy is on guard."

The centurion was still unwilling to let it go. "I have heard that last year, the Left Arms Clerk led a few hundred troops against two thousand Chu soldiers and routed them in one blow. Today we have over a thousand men inside the city — why not follow that example?"

Heifu shook his head. "That time was that time, this time is this time — they cannot be spoken of in the same breath. You say I have a thousand men to use, but in truth, the nine hundred young men can defend the walls but cannot be used in open battle. Those who can sally out and strike the enemy are only the hundred or so county soldiers."

"The situation now is that the enemy failed to press their advantage in one surge; now, at the second surge, they are already flagging, and likely no longer have yesterday's momentum. Our forces are insufficient for attack but more than enough for defense. Holding out for a day and a night now is not difficult. If we rashly sally out, we might suffer a setback, and a single setback would destabilize morale and instead boost the enemy's spirit."

For all that he said, what Heifu was really thinking was: back then, he had led a band of desperate soldiers whose retreat was cut off, who wanted nothing more than to smash the Chu forces and go home — among them were soldiers and clerks he had personally trained, so of course he had no fear. But now, leading these Yidao youths who had no long-term training out of the city to fight the fierce Ba in open battle? Heifu asked himself if he was not yet mad enough for that.

If Xiao Tao, Dongmen Bao, Li Xian, Ji Ying, and even Huaimu — who had already died in battle — were all here, Heifu might immediately lead his men out in a sudden strike…

"We will sally out and strike the enemy."

Not wanting to dampen the centurion's enthusiasm, he said, "When the moment comes!"

"When will that be?" The centurion was full of anticipation.

Heifu turned around, looked past the small town's lanes and alleys, and gazed toward Yidao's northern wall.

"The moment reinforcements arrive — that will be the time for our counterattack!"

…

Just as Heifu had said, although the Ba had been in high spirits the first day and seemed incomparably fierce, by the second day they were far more listless. Not only did they retreat hastily after taking just two volleys of arrows from the wall, leaving a few dozen corpses behind, but even those in the rear could no longer muster the energy to sing and dance.

Although the Ba chieftain Fan Qin killed several men, it was to no avail. By the afternoon, Heifu and the others on the wall even saw two groups, numbering several hundred men, break away from the main force without authorization and withdraw northward.

After all, they were a few tribes hastily thrown together. When things went smoothly, they could cooperate in good faith; when things went badly, they scattered like birds and beasts.

The Chu envoy beneath that red Chu banner must have been watching this scene with helplessness too. The Ba excelled at mountain and forest warfare and could also serve as "shock troops" to throw enemy formations into chaos — but siege warfare… they truly could not do it.

The second day passed without alarm or danger. That night, in the early hours, under the urging of chieftain Fan Qin, the Ba launched another fierce assault, but it was already a spent arrow that could not pierce thin silk. After a chaotic bout of fighting, they withdrew once more…

"One surge of energy, then a second where they flag, and a third where they are spent — Yidao is held…"

Heifu touched his arm, scraped raw by a stray arrow, and breathed a sigh of relief.

By the third day, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, the first thing he did was observe the Ba outside the walls. They were even fewer than yesterday — another thousand or so gone — leaving only a little over two thousand who still refused to give up and remained in place. But they were all slouched and askew, their morale as different from the singing and dancing of their arrival as clouds from mud!

Just then, the centurion came running hurriedly along the parapet and said to Heifu in delighted surprise, "Left Arms Clerk, reinforcements — we've spotted reinforcements!"

Heifu immediately had men keep watch on the enemy outside the walls and sent the centurion to rouse the county soldiers and the better-performing youths, mustering them together. He himself ran to the northern parapet and saw, two li away, the mighty river flowing grandly. Over a dozen wooden boats, large and small, were sailing this way. The north wind was blowing, and the boats had all raised their stiff sails, like a flock of grey geese entering the water, stretching their wings.

Judging by their speed, they would reach the southern bank in less than a quarter-hour…

They had seen the silhouettes of the reinforcements' sails, and the enemy scouts posted on the shore had surely seen them too.

"Have the men on the south wall keep a death grip on the enemy outside the city. The moment they start to withdraw, prepare to sally out in pursuit!"

Heifu, who had played it safe for two days, was overjoyed. He immediately descended from the battlements, looked at the Yidao Qin youths mustered in the street, the corners of their eyes still crusted with sleep, mounted his horse, and raised his sword high so that all could see him.

"The reinforcements dispatched by the Commandery Governor have arrived!"

When the crowd heard that reinforcements had finally come, they were first overjoyed, and then, stirred by Hei Fu's loud exhortations, their gazes turned fervent.

"You men have held the city of Yidao, held your homes and country — but is that enough? Now that reinforcements are here, if you are true men, follow me out of the city to strike the enemy, pursue the routed, and chase down the fleeing!"

"Your houses burned to ash, your crops destroyed, your livelihoods disrupted — for all these things, today, we shall take recompense with their heads!"

The crowd roared in response, their morale soaring. Hei Fu thought to himself, "If I can pacify the Yidao rebellion in one stroke and capture Fan Qin, my noble rank might just rise another level!"

PS: Tomorrow's updates will still only be in the afternoon and evening. These past few days have been rather busy, so the schedule is a bit unstable — my apologies.

(End of chapter)