Chapter 1186: Lord Jin Has Arrived

Zhao Zhentang, who moments ago had seemed indifferent and even a little impatient, now had a hoarse voice, his tone full of worry. His father must have been in tears — Zhao Jin could hear it. He did not turn back, only raised an arm and called out loudly, "Rest assured, Father. The ones who need to take care are not your son, nor our Xuzhou, but others!"

With those words, Zhao Jin strode out of the courtyard. The household servants had already brought the horses over, and his personal guards, after a brief rest, stood waiting in solemn silence.

The personal guards escorted Zhao Jin as he headed out. Inside He Village, there was no way to gallop at full speed. The people on the road who were moving their households to Xuzhou and other places hurriedly stepped aside, but there were also those who were not leaving; they bowed by the roadside, wishing Zhao Jin a great victory in the coming battle.

Once outside the village, the mounted household troop was already fully assembled and ready. In addition, a hundred fresh Xuzhou volunteer troops were also standing by at the roadside. The advance of over a thousand riders was a grand and mighty sight, dust billowing in clouds. They had not ridden forward for long when they spotted another hundred-odd riders waiting by the road, and surprisingly, they were outfitted with three horses per man.

"Lord Jin, it's Wang Ziyang over there." The scouts riding ahead quickly brought back word.

"Have him come up and report," Zhao Jin said without stopping, simply giving the order.

The cavalry column was not moving very fast. Wang Ziyang soon rode up alongside. The hundred-odd riders he led fell in behind the main force. Ever since Wang Ziyang had made his fortune, even after being taken down a peg by Zhao Jin, his stout figure had never slimmed down. He looked extremely uncomfortable on horseback, and as uncomfortable as he was, his mount was equally strained.

"Lord Jin, I have led my household guards here especially to offer my aid in battle. I beg Lord Jin to grant your approval," Wang Ziyang shouted at the top of his lungs. To be heard over the rumbling of hooves, one truly had to yell. But as soon as he spoke these words, the faces of several personal guards beside Zhao Jin grew stern — the deadly trap laid by the wealthy merchants of Qingjiangpu was still a recent memory.

"Lord Jin, some of these men are scattered border troops from Datong, others are wandering horse bandits from the grasslands — lonely, destitute souls with no one to rely on. They are all utterly loyal to me, and they know they are Lord Jin's men. Every one of them is willing to risk life and limb. I travel the route between Xuzhou and Guide Prefecture often, and I am also willing to serve as Lord Jin's guide!" Wang Ziyang hollered.

Zhao Jin merely gave a curt nod and said, "Go find Bayin in the rear and report to him. Follow his orders. From this moment on, you are under military law — anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

Over a hundred riders had come to pledge their lives, yet Zhao Jin was this blunt. But Wang Ziyang's face showed a trace of delight. He cupped his hands in salute from horseback, then turned his mount and went to find Bayin. As soon as Wang Ziyang was far off, Niu Jinbao said in a muffled voice, "My lord, that man was shady before. We should still be on guard against him this time."

"Wang Ziyang can be trusted now," Zhao Jin replied simply. Niu Jinbao looked thoughtful, while the others did not dare ask further. Wang Ziyang's livestock and liquor businesses were riddled with informants from the Internal Guard and Cloud Mountain Trading; in effect, his operation was practically a branch of Cloud Mountain Trading. It just wasn't obvious from the outside, but internally, every stir of the wind and rustle of the grass was known.

Zhao Jin had long known that Wang Ziyang was recruiting warriors skilled in archery and horsemanship along the trade routes, and he had even planted Internal Guard agents among them, posing as scattered border soldiers. So Zhao Jin knew that Wang Ziyang had assembled this force specifically to offer as a tribute — just like the Mongol horse bandits and escaped slaves before, all intended to be sent to the Zhao Battalion as household troops and guards. This time, with war at hand, Wang Ziyang had simply prepared to follow the army into battle.

As soon as the war began, Wang Ziyang started preparing bows, horses, and supplies, spending his days rousing these caravan guards, telling them to defend Xuzhou and fight to the death for the Zhao Battalion if they wanted to keep the good life they had now. This behavior naturally aroused suspicion — the wealthy merchants of Qingjiangpu had done much the same thing not long ago. At the time, the patrolmen and household troops inside He Village had already tightened their guard and were ready to strike at any moment. But in the end, it was confirmed that this man was sincere.

Having learned his lesson, knowing exactly where his wealth and status came from, knowing where his roots lay, and knowing that without Xuzhou and the Zhao Battalion, everything he now possessed could not be preserved — naturally, he would be utterly loyal.

As they traveled west from He Village, they could see many militia units hurrying along the road to assemble. With the great battle imminent, the Land Reclamation Office was gathering the field estate militias from every area, concentrating them at estates with convenient transport links. Groups of ten companies were formed into one unit, ready to maneuver for attack and defense on command. Meanwhile, the various field estates formed temporary guard militias. If each estate had only a single company and truly encountered an enemy, a mere hundred-odd militiamen could easily be wiped out. But once massed into a regiment of a thousand men, both attack and defense became far more flexible.

When these militiamen saw the Zhao Battalion cavalry column passing by, they all moved aside to the edges of the road. Seeing their own mounted household troops looking so majestic, every man was stirred, every man was envious. And when some recognized the great banner in the cavalry column and realized that Zhao Jin was among them, the militiamen by the roadside could not help but cheer at the top of their lungs. They were men of the Zhao Battalion, and they naturally wished for the Zhao Battalion to remain undefeated and everlasting.

"... Yang Zhaoji and Zhou Baolu's troops crossed the river and joined up with the various government forces, then have been marching west ever since. They are not moving fast, and they are moving very cautiously. They advance thirty li each day, then make camp, sending out cavalry pickets to stand guard. Each time, they rely as much as possible on villages, towns, and cities. Military discipline is being strictly enforced — every day, martial law is proclaimed..."

"... The unit under Zhang Hubin of the Personal Guard Brigade is advancing east. We are fully equipped with carts and horses, our provisions are ample, morale is high from top to bottom, and the common folk along the way are eager to help. Everything is proceeding smoothly. Deputy Brigade Commander Zhang requests instructions from Lord Jin: should he rendezvous with Lord Jin first, so that Lord Jin can take command of the overall situation to meet the attack..."

As the thousand-odd riders led by Zhao Jin advanced, reports from the Zhao Battalion forces ahead came in continuously, allowing Zhao Jin to stay informed of the military situation at the front at all times and make decisions accordingly.

"Why wait for me? Keep pushing forward. I am fast, you are slow — we are bound to meet on the road," Zhao Jin's reply was simple.

The current situation was not complicated. The area around Xuzhou and He Village was bordered by a north-south mountain range, while to the east and west stretched an endless plain. At this time of year, the Yellow River was frozen solid. There were no terrain obstacles, nor any place to hide or conceal forces. Moreover, with armies of this size on both sides, each had ample cavalry scouting and searching in all directions, making any kind of surprise attack or ambush virtually impossible — especially when both sides were being so cautious.

"There's no need to worry about missing each other. The government army has over ten thousand men, and we have close to ten thousand as well. For forces of this size to maneuver, there is no other option but to move along the Yellow River. The battle will certainly unfold along its banks, and it will be an open, head-on engagement. The only other possibility is that the enemy avoids battle and tries to stalemate us." Zhao Jin had his own assessment.

A large army on the march must move along a water source; otherwise, soldiers and livestock will die of thirst. And in this region, the only river that could support an army of over ten thousand was the Yellow River. Given this premise, it was easy to deduce the enemy's line of march. By the same token, the enemy could deduce the Zhao Battalion's movements in the same way.

"I attended a lecture at the academy once. This business of marching thirty li a day and then making camp — it seems to be from the military manual of Marshal Qi. Didn't Lord Jin say this method of fighting is called 'building hard camps and fighting dull battles'? He said this approach is best suited for militia to use," Tao Gui chimed in. Zhao Jin had gone to the academy to lecture; at the time, company commanders, battalion commanders, and outstanding squad commanders had all been required to attend and listen.

Xu Yong, far quicker-witted than Tao Gui, picked up the thread with a grin: "Doesn't that just mean the government army is about the same as our militia?"

At these words, Zhao Jin couldn't help but laugh, and everyone's spirits soared. Marching west from He Village, this cavalry force under Zhao Jin felt little tension. The Land Reclamation and Trade offices had already set up supply depots based around the agricultural field estates, making it very easy for the Zhao Battalion's troops to obtain provisions — this made the march quite relaxed.

What everyone found increasingly suspicious was that Wang Ziyang requested to see Zhao Jin several times, claiming he had matters concerning Shanxi to discuss. At a moment like this, the most critical thing was the great battle — what did such irrelevant trifles matter? Though Zhao Jin did not coldly refuse outright, he did say directly that they would talk after this battle was fought. Sun Dalin specifically instructed the Internal Guard to keep a close watch on this Wang Ziyang.

At noon on the third day, the cavalry force led by Zhao Jin entered the main body of the Xuzhou troops. Although the Daming and Henan government forces were said to be moving slowly, Zhang Hubin's unit had not been moving fast either. They covered just over forty li each day, and when it came to setting up camp and arranging defenses, there was not the slightest sloppiness.

"Lord Jin has arrived!" the vanguard light cavalry announced in a loud call.

Zhao Jin disliked such fanfare, but at a time like this, such fanfare was necessary. Just like the militia along the route, the household troops and militiamen in this main force were all wildly excited, waving their weapons and cheering. Even the company and squad commanders leading them were equally stirred. As Zhao Jin rode past them, he waved his hand constantly in acknowledgment, accepting even greater cheers.

"Do you know what I'm pleased with?" During this procession, which resembled a review, Zhao Jin asked loudly. He was in rather high spirits at that moment. Ahead, Zhang Hubin and Meng Zhiqi were riding forward to greet him. The men beside Zhao Jin all played along, asking, "What is Lord Jin pleased with?"

"They are cheering, they are stirred, yet they are still maintaining their formation and advancing. With troops like these, what defeat do we have to fear?" Zhao Jin said loudly. Everyone who heard these words looked at the still-marching column, and their faces, too, lit up with excitement.

Up ahead, Zhang Hubin, Meng Zhiqi, and the commanders of each unit had already arrived. They all dismounted in unison and bowed in salute. Zhao Jin reined in his horse and said, "Mount up and talk. Don't delay the march."

"When my lord had not yet arrived, although everyone kept their composure, there was still some restlessness. The moment my lord came, everyone steadied at once," Zhang Hubin said first with a smile. Seeing Zhao Jin's brow furrow, he gave a dry cough and began to brief him on the military situation.

"... Starting this morning, our light cavalry and the government army's scouts have already clashed. Each side has suffered four or five casualties. Our light cavalry has already sighted the main body of the government army. Estimating their numbers from the dust cloud, they have definitely not split their forces. The hidden lines we have laid in Guide Prefecture have also sent word, saying the government army has been advancing in a single body the entire time, without dispersing..."

"If that's the calculation, it looks like we'll be fighting outside Xuzhou," Zhao Jin judged.

It's the end of the month. Brothers and sisters on Qidian and Chuangshi, you've all seen the second and third monthly tickets coming in. Old Bai's pace has been a bit fierce these past few days. Tomorrow night at seven, if the monthly tickets can reach the number 1810, I'll add an extra chapter.

Thank you to "User An Mu Feng Chen Dan Xiao Wei １ Ren, Yuan Heng Li Zhen, Man Chang De Lu, Qi San Wen, Hua Ji, Book Friend 150719114016381" — several old and new friends — for your tips. Thank you all for your subscriptions and monthly tickets. Thank you, everyone.