Chapter 1179: Empty Manor

Amid the cursing and grumbling, the four thousand government troops began marching toward that manor to the west. Along this stretch of road, discipline was already starting to break down. Soldiers began seizing moments when the officers weren't watching to slip away. The cavalrymen chasing down deserters were half-hearted about it, and there were even cases where a rider would chase after someone and never come back.

Still, the majority stayed with the column. They passed several small villages without entering any of them, because everyone knew that in the current situation, being alone meant death. A large force had strength and could shield and cover one another. A small village couldn't hold so many people — the enemy could break through with one push. Only a large fortified manor or stronghold could be held. But there were always some bold, reckless ones who fled, and nothing could be done about it.

Chaotic and disorderly, they marched for two and a half shichen. By the time the sky had gone completely dark, the main government force finally reached the manor. The moment they saw the earthen wall encircling it, every man couldn't help quickening his pace. They didn't dare assault a walled city, but they were confident they could take this manor. Inside there would be warm houses, wine, meat, cooked food, even women. At the thought of that, their spirits surged.

The government troops had not entirely lost all order. The scouts and patrol riders sent out continued relaying messages back and forth, constantly reporting the movements of that Xuzhou force. Those three thousand men were advancing with remarkable composure. After reaching the outskirts of Suzhou, they had turned and begun heading this way — not fast, but without delay. There was a real chance they would be camping outside this stronghold tonight.

As for the large force of Xuzhou cavalry coming up from the south, the government troops didn't dare think about them and simply chose not to. Cavalry couldn't take a stronghold anyway; when the time came, they'd just shrink inside and hold fast. Besides, the government troops no longer had any idea what was happening on that front, because not a single scout they'd sent out had returned. Whether they'd been lost or had deserted, no one knew. After sending out several more parties to no avail, they simply gave up trying.

What truly pressed upon them with urgency was that force that would arrive in a few shichen. If the people inside this manor held out stubbornly and it couldn't be taken before the enemy arrived, these four thousand government troops would collapse entirely. Although Yue Qianhu had already made up his mind to flee to Henan, that would mean bearing the crime of desertion in the face of battle, and all prospects of wealth and rank would be gone. Right now, the troops under his command were the guarantee of his future prosperity. As long as he had soldiers, he could skim off pay and provisions. As long as he had soldiers, his superiors wouldn't dare punish him too harshly. Even if he were stripped of office, he could still redeem himself through service. But without soldiers, his life or death would be entirely out of his hands.

"Deploy for the assault on the manor! Each battalion takes its turn! Anyone who retreats will be executed under martial law! The first to scale the wall and open the gate gets a heavy reward — two fine young women for him!" Mobile Corps Commander Yue Qianhu bellowed. His battalion commanders and company officers knew this was no time for slacking off, and they roared as they drove their men forward.

Still, everyone kept a little scheme in the back of their minds. They were all watching where Yue Qianhu's personal troops were. The pay and reward silver for this campaign had already been bundled up and distributed among the various officers' horses, but the largest share was with Yue Qianhu and his men. If the commanding general fled first, everyone had to be sure to follow right behind, lest they end up with neither men nor money.

"The main gate's open!" someone shouted wildly.

A manor out on the plains like this had to have earthen walls and a deep trench; otherwise there was no defending against bandits and mounted raiders. Just as a city closed its gates at nightfall, a manor raised its drawbridge before dark. To force entry, you'd have to climb through the trench, and the manor guards on the stockade wall would spot you.

The government troops were so focused on preparing their assault that they paid little attention to what was happening inside the manor. In their minds, four thousand government soldiers might have to swallow their pride against the Xuzhou bandits, but dealing with an ordinary manor would be easy. They hadn't expected to be blind to what was right under their noses. The drawbridge was laid across the trench, and the main gate was actually left ajar. It left them both bewildered and elated.

"Watch out for an ambush! Charge in, charge in!" someone muttered a warning, but the government soldiers were already beyond restraint. Whoever got in first could grab more spoils, seize more money and women, and at the very least secure a better place to stay. From the march until now, the officers had been losing control of their men more and more. Now, with plunder right in front of them, who could hold back?

There was no ambush inside this large manor. But there were no people either. Not even a living creature could be seen — only a fox that had sneaked in at some unknown time, startled into flight. Every house, every thatched hut was searched meticulously. Cellars and hidden holes in the houses, every concealed and open space, were searched thoroughly, more than once. No one had stayed behind. No livestock, no living thing remained. Not a single grain of food was left. Only some crude, heavy household goods too cumbersome to carry away had been abandoned.

"Scorched earth..." Mobile Corps Commander Yue Qianhu muttered the words. Every officer's face was grim. Suzhou was Xuzhou bandit territory; everywhere there were manors belonging to the Xuzhou bandits. Everyone had been nursing, to a greater or lesser degree, the thought of looting the manors to fatten their own pockets. They had never imagined the enemy would use such a ruthless, root-severing tactic.

"Commander, what do we do?" More than one man asked the question.

"What do we do? We make camp right here and hold fast. Our grain will last another three days. They've pursued so hard, they might not have brought enough provisions of their own. The moment they pull back, we'll go out and forage for grain everywhere. Damn it, this is the land of the Great Ming — where can they hide? Gentlemen, arrange the night watches. These next few days are a matter of life and death. I will enforce martial law strictly. Whoever falls foul of my hand, don't blame me for being merciless," Yue Qianhu said grimly.

The government officers all knew this was no time for ambiguity, and they roared their assent in unison.

Although the march here had been hurried and panicked, they hadn't yet run out of ammunition and provisions. The manor might not have held the women and valuables they'd hoped for, but it still gave everyone a place of shelter, a fortified stronghold they could defend. After lighting fires and cooking a meal, the soldiers' spirits steadied. The officers began making rounds with their personal guards. This time discipline was extremely strict. Anyone who committed even a minor infraction was immediately seized and beaten, or even beheaded on the spot. This quieted and disciplined the several thousand government troops, sustaining their morale and fighting spirit.

From Mobile Corps Commander Yue Qianhu on down, every officer clutching a share of the money squeezed out some silver and distributed it. They also promised rewards and plunder, which finally put some fight back into the soldiers. Moreover, the commander of Yue Qianhu's personal guard company also led his men up onto the walls for night duty. No one was exempt. This steadied the force even more. The soldiers muttered among themselves that this Commander Yue really was from the capital — well-traveled, experienced, and thorough in his arrangements.

When the sky had gone completely dark and the government troops on watch atop the stockade wall were about to doze off, they saw a fiery dragon approaching in the distance. They quickly raised the alarm. The soldiers, already on standby, immediately formed ranks. They remained on edge until that fiery dragon drew near. Although there were no hidden sentries or roving patrols outside to scout, they could tell from the torches and the manner of advance that this was that force of mainly three thousand infantry. They had actually followed them all the way here.

Night battle is the deadliest and most perilous kind. Still, the government troops had a bit more confidence. They had bows and firearms in hand, and earthen walls and a trench to rely on. The defender always held a great advantage over the attacker. Moreover, in a night battle, the defending side found it easier to hold steady, while the attacking side, at the slightest disruption, was prone to chaos.

To the government troops' relief, however, the three thousand men who had pursued them did not launch an immediate attack. Instead, they made camp several hundred paces from the manor, lighting fires and settling in for the night. Exhausted after a day of turmoil and having just barely gotten settled, the government troops had no desire to sally out for a night raid either. The enemy was clearly a fresh force; it was better not to stir up unnecessary trouble.

So they passed a restless night. Few managed to sleep well. At first light the next day, the officers hurriedly donned their armor and prepared. But to their surprise, even after the sun had risen, the enemy showed no sign of beginning an attack. Just as the government troops were starting to relax their guard, they saw this force slowly advancing toward the stockade wall. The government troops tensed, ready for battle. But then, the enemy force simply stopped. There was no intention of attacking at all.

Even more puzzling, this force began hauling equipment and wooden frames. The government troops assumed they were preparing for a full assault, but instead, the enemy set up the wooden and bamboo frames in front of their own formations and just stood there, motionless. The hundred or so cavalry among them, however, were riding around the perimeter of the manor, as if observing and relaying messages.

Their formations were very orderly. The officers watching from the wall all knew in their hearts that their own troops weren't this disciplined. Moreover, the enemy's movements and maneuvers were highly efficient — clearly the hallmark of a crack force. Everyone even understood that a force capable of such precision would, if it attacked the manor, certainly make for a bitter fight. There was a real chance they wouldn't hold. But the strange thing was, the enemy didn't move either. They just remained locked in a standoff.

Over a shichen passed like this. They could see the enemy force constantly assembling and dispersing in different configurations, yet never advancing. And no matter how they divided and regrouped, they only ever formed into units of about a thousand men. If they hadn't been enemies, watching this would have been a pleasing sight — such formation drill was rarely seen.

"We can't keep waiting like this. If this drags on, that large force of Xuzhou cavalry will arrive too. Combined, they'll outnumber us. Besides, Suzhou is practically Xuzhou bandit territory. We'll only grow more and more passive. Muster the troops and go out to probe them. If we can fight, fight. If not, we pull back," Mobile Corps Commander Yue Qianhu said, frowning.

No one objected to this order. Yue Qianhu's command arrangements also inspired considerable confidence. He sent his own trusted battalion out to fight and personally led his guard troops to hold the rear, ready at any moment to cover that battalion's withdrawal.

First, two hundred cavalry rode out across the drawbridge and assembled into formation outside, to prevent the enemy from launching a hard assault while they were still getting into position. But the enemy clearly had no intention of seizing that tactical opportunity. Their reaction was very strange. They lifted up wooden frames, bamboo frames, and bamboo mats on their backs, and advanced slowly. Every few steps, they would stop to adjust their formation, looking as if they were hemmed in by those bamboo and wood tripods.

This force was so bizarre, its movements so sluggish, that the government troops' courage grew. Some government cavalrymen began spurring their horses closer. Once within bowshot, they would wheel and accelerate, galloping past. Every time a rider approached, this force would halt and freeze, as if terrified. After several such passes, the government troops began to notice something amiss.

"The bandit troops don't seem to have bows and arrows, and none of them are wearing armor. Wasn't it said that the Xuzhou bandits all have iron armor? Apart from the spears in their hands, they don't look like any kind of elite force. They're clearly scared and panicking." The cavalrymen who had drawn near had observed a great deal and reported back upon their return.

Three updates today, this is the first.

Games are only fun when played by the rules, just like what I write in my book — there have to be rules.

Translated, that means: brothers and sisters of Qidian and Chuangshi, hurry up and vote with your monthly tickets! I'm waiting to add more chapters! For someone like me with no backlog and a slowing typing speed, scraping together a chapter has to be put to good use. Of course, the monthly ticket battle really does make Old White work hard on bonus chapters. Though exhausting, I'm very happy!

Brothers and sisters, pelt me with monthly tickets! If there's a big tip or something to give me face, I'll have to add a celebratory chapter too. I guess saying the average subscriptions going up by a hundred or several hundred is just wishful thinking, hahaha.

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