Chapter 1243: Not a Single Grain Can Be Left

"We'll leave the city right now, set fire to all the fodder and grain outside the walls, and then head back to the capital. Once the rebel army loses its provisions, they'll surely collapse without a fight, and every one of us will have earned a great merit! Take this silver for now. Once the deed is done, this official will give you the other half — those funds I've already sent back to the capital!" Assistant Director Pan shifted the topic.

Hearing this, the several dozen men Assistant Director Pan had called together were instantly fired up. Setting fires was easy — they'd all seen those grain stacks and granaries outside. Storehouses walled with brush and timber, filled with seed grain and the like — a single spark would catch, and once the flames spread, the job was done. The several hundred taels of silver, both in hand now and coming after, would be theirs.

There was nothing to fear. The rebel army was said to be closing in, but it hadn't arrived yet. Riding out of the city to set fires would catch them completely off guard — by the time the flames rose, it would be too late for anything!

The room quieted briefly, then everyone started shouting, scrambling over each other to grab the silver while hollering things like, "We'll follow Your Excellency through life and death, serving the court!" and "Your Excellency's brilliant plan — once we're back in the capital, great wealth and rank are certain!"

Before long, Assistant Director Pan and his subordinates were fully prepared. Some on horseback, some driving carts, each man carrying a heavy bundle on his back, yet excitement written on their faces. Just like that, they headed out of the city. The officials of Linqing Prefecture couldn't be bothered with them, showing none of the fawning courtesy from the start. Passersby watched the spectacle with considerable contempt for this party — not only were they laden with bags of loot, but the women from that courtyard had been loaded onto sedan chairs and taken along too. This trip to Linqing had truly not been in vain.

Once outside the city, they headed straight for the docks. Returning to the capital by official boat was standard procedure, and naturally, those granaries and grain stacks were there as well. They parked the carts and horses with their valuables upwind, then scrambled to ready the kindling and ignite it. Soon every man held a torch. Assistant Director Pan stood atop a cart like a commanding general, and with a majestic bellow, the men scattered at once, torches in hand, racing toward the granaries and grain stacks.

Ever since word had come that the Xuzhou grand army was massing at Jining, the Grand Canal docks at Linqing had turned utterly desolate. Anyone who could leave had fled — with war looming, only a fool would stay. And with the place so deserted, naturally no one paid any mind to Assistant Director Pan's fire-setting crew. Even those who did see kept well away — those guards were armed with blades!

The deeper the torch-bearers went, the more their excitement swelled. Just imagining setting such a vast store of grain ablaze, the roaring inferno a spectacular sight — these thoughts stirred something primal, and everyone quickened their pace without thinking.

"What do you think you're doing!" An angry shout rang out suddenly. The torch-bearers froze, spotting guards standing watch by the granaries up ahead — armed with weapons of their own.

Doing such a heaven-cursing, conscience-blighted deed, they were all jittery and faint-hearted to begin with. In the quiet emptiness it had been fine, but the moment someone called them out, panic set in. Yet someone immediately shouted to rally them: "His Excellency said — once we do this, it's a great merit for all of us! Anyone who stops the fire is a rebel!"

Meritorious official — rebel. Those two labels slammed down, and their spirits surged again. This gave them the righteous mandate. They'd barely moved a few steps when the guards caught on to their intent and immediately yelled: "Come quick! Someone's trying to set a fire!"

At that shout, figures emerged from the paths and buildings throughout the granary district. Not a huge number, but over a hundred at least. The guards didn't hesitate — one look and they shouted out exactly who they were dealing with: "It's Assistant Director Pan's men! Get them, everyone — don't let them start the fire!"

The men leading Assistant Director Pan's party recognized the other side too — several familiar faces. They were the trusted household enforcers of Inspector Li. When they'd first arrived, they'd made a point of bringing gifts and paying their respects. No wonder everyone said this Inspector Li had close ties to the Xuzhou rebels — there really was collusion. Why else would he have posted men to guard this place?

Setting fires already had them on edge, and those servants and attendants were even more panicked. Seeing the other side charging at them with blades and spears, fierce as demons, all their bravado and composure vanished. They hurled their torches forward, turned tail, and fled. The guards did have weapons, but Inspector Li's men carried polearms and spears — they even spotted two bows. There was no winning this fight.

The escorts assigned to accompany capital officials on provincial assignments were never elite troops — just the usual arrangement of old and weak soldiers with connections, tagging along to scrounge some good food and drink. Who among them had the guts for a real fight to the death? They ran just as fast.

That Ministry of Revenue Assistant Director, Pan Hejian, naturally wasn't about to risk his own neck. He simply stood on the cart, directing operations with perfect composure, waiting for the roaring flames to rise, wondering if this decisive move might win him a fortune in rank and riches. But not even a wisp of smoke appeared. Before long, he saw his own servants come tumbling and stumbling out — and right behind them, the viciously pursuing militia.

At this sight, Pan Hejian drew his sword, grinding his teeth, ready to leap down and fight. But after a long hesitation, he still made no move. In the end, he simply shouted at the cart driver and groom: "Go, quickly! Wait for them further away!"

The men who'd chased them out from the docks and granaries didn't press the pursuit. But more and more people kept pouring out of the grain storage area — soon there were over three hundred. Not all of them were fierce warriors, though; some were ordinary militia with cringing, fearful expressions. Li Yuliang and two martial instructors emerged at a brisk walk, all wearing light armor and carrying polearms and spears.

"Good thing we had preparations here in advance. If those granaries had gone up, it would've been a catastrophe!" Li Yuliang muttered, still shaken.

The martial instructor behind him didn't relax, instead saying in a grave tone: "Young Master Li, if the city decides to make a move, our few hundred men here likely can't hold them off. Only a hundred or so can actually handle a blade — the rest are just making up numbers."

Hearing this, Li Yuliang glanced back. He'd trained in martial arts and seen battle formations — he knew exactly the quality of these few hundred men. The Li family's own enforcers and servants had run roughshod over Linqing City for years, but they were only good for padding the ranks. If it came to real bloodshed, they'd be useless. As for the able-bodied men rounded up from his family's properties and the city's Cloud Mountain Trading Company, they probably couldn't even handle a brawl. The only ones who'd actually be of any use were the patrol office soldiers his father Inspector Li kept fat on silver, the local "guards" from Cloud Mountain Trading Company, and a dozen or so martial men who'd mysteriously shown up but were deemed reliable.

There were still several hundred government troops inside the city. If the officials and gentry really threw their weight behind it, they could muster several thousand militia and able-bodied men. This time it was just Assistant Director Pan trying to set the fire — but if the city authorities decided to act, there'd truly be no stopping them.

"Brother Lei Cai should be able to arrange things. The officials in Linqing Prefecture know what Xuzhou is capable of — they won't dare make any rash moves. We just need to hold out one more day. Those estates can surely scrape together a thousand or so able-bodied men. Once they arrive, we can hold on until the Xuzhou army gets here!" Li Yuliang said, feigning calm.

With that, Li Yuliang turned and waved his arm: "Everyone disperse. If anything happens, just yell at the top of your lungs. Reinforcements will be here soon. For the next few days, rewards are doubled — flatbread and stewed meat, eat as much as you want!"

His words were met with a burst of cheers. The men guarding the granaries began returning to their posts. As the crowd dispersed, the ease on Li Yuliang's face dissolved too, replaced by deep worry. In a low voice, he said: "Gather everyone among us who can ride. The moment you hear shouting, race over. We absolutely cannot let anyone slip through and set a fire!"

Just then, the urgent sound of hoofbeats rang out. Li Yuliang and the martial instructors beside him all tensed instinctively, hands tightening on their weapons. A single rider galloped up to them. Recognizing the man, Li Yuliang and the others relaxed slightly — but his face was a mask of panic. Before even dismounting, he shrieked: "A large... a large cavalry force is coming from the north! It has to be government troops!"

The words had barely landed when Li Yuliang and those around him turned pale. Coming from the north, it could only be government troops. Months ago, Daming Regional Commander Yang Zhaoji and Shandong Regional Commander Yang Guodong had withdrawn with their remaining cavalry to Hejian Prefecture. After Wei Zhongxian was recalled, they'd been ordered to hold Hejian — always regarded as eunuch faction henchmen, never given much regard.

But regardless, that was still nearly three thousand cavalry. With that many elite government troops bearing down, Li Yuliang's rabble had no chance of holding them off. Everyone around Li Yuliang looked to him. A moment of silence passed, then Li Yuliang muttered a few curses and said through gritted teeth: "Send word — to the estate, tell my father to prepare to move toward Yanzhou Prefecture. We'll ready the fires. Not a single grain can be left for the government troops!"

If the Zhao family army couldn't hold this granary, then the government troops absolutely must not hold it either. Li Yuliang had made his decision quickly, but his mood was deeply frustrated. Analyzing the situation, the government troops likely couldn't hold Linqing anyway. These few thousand government cavalry would probably end up burning the grain themselves and retreating to Northern Zhili. The outcome would be much the same — yet it still left him bitter and vexed.

"Go, quickly! Tell everyone to get ready, or it'll be too late!" Li Yuliang shouted, urging them on. But just then, hoofbeats sounded again, making everyone's faces turn even grimmer. Had the government cavalry already arrived? This was outside the city, after all — if the government cavalry drove straight in, there truly was nothing to stop them.

Yet everyone quickly steadied themselves. It was the sound of a single horse — that they could handle. And with no warning shouts or attempts to stop the rider, it had to be one of their own.

Moments later, a rider came into view. Unlike the previous messenger, this man's face was alight with excitement. From a distance, he waved from horseback and shouted: "Young Master! The Xuzhou grand army is here! The Xuzhou grand army is here!"

Everyone froze again. A brief silence, then cheers erupted. What a rollercoaster of emotions — moments ago they'd thought despair was upon them, and now reinforcements had arrived. Since they'd come so quickly, what was there left to worry about? The outcome was all but settled.

Li Yuliang, more meticulous than the others, called both messengers over for questioning. It didn't take long to confirm one thing: the government cavalry would definitely arrive later than the Xuzhou mounted troops. This dispelled everyone's remaining worries like smoke. When had Xuzhou troops ever feared government soldiers? As long as they got here first, there was nothing to worry about. Everyone beamed with joy, their earlier fears completely gone.

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