Chapter 1251: The Army Formation Is Like a Solid Fortress

Back when Qi Jiguang garrisoned Ji Garrison, he had led troops up and down the canal many times; the older folk around Qing County had seen it before, but no one took the old man's words seriously, so naturally no stir was raised.

Although the atmosphere made it feel very much like a spring outing, the Zhao Family Army was already on high alert. After all, Qing County was too close to Jinghai, and they were now approaching Shuntian Prefecture, the heart of the Northern Metropolitan Region. The county seats here were very close together, and the terrain was all flat, open plain. The distance from Qing County to Jinghai was only a few hours by fast horse, making a surprise cavalry raid very easy for the enemy.

To the Zhao Family Army's surprise, the first to come from Jinghai County were not government army scouts and patrol riders, but gentry and commoners fleeing the disaster. Some came with carts and convoys, others on foot carrying their belongings. They were not coming to seek refuge with the Zhao Family Army; they simply wanted to get as far away from the current Jinghai County as possible.

According to these refugees fleeing Jinghai, the county seat was already in complete chaos, with unbearable suffering both inside and outside the city. The Ji Garrison border troops had entered the city first and occupied the best area. Then the Xuanfu Garrison border troops arrived, and naturally unwilling to be quartered in the outskirts, they nearly came to blows with the Ji Garrison troops inside the city over their long-standing mutual grudges. Only the forceful suppression by Xuanfu Regional Commander Zhang Jixian kept the peace.

At this time, the Capital Garrison and the two garrisons of Baoding and Zhending from the Northern Metropolitan Region had yet to arrive, yet there were already nearly thirty thousand government troops inside the city. So many soldiers were utterly impossible to restrain. On the very first night, several wealthy, well-off households in the city were slaughtered in their entirety, their money and valuables gone, their womenfolk defiled beyond recognition. Among them was even the household of a Provincial Graduate. These few families could at least still file complaints; countless commoner households suffered calamity with no one paying them any heed. What's more, because the several columns of troops had all set out in great haste, civilian laborers and supplies were severely lacking, so they were directly conscripted on the spot. This was an even greater disaster for Jinghai County, and the gentry and commoners immediately began to flee.

In the hearts of the refugees who had escaped Jinghai, if the government troops were already like ravenous wolves and savage tigers, then the rebel army must be even worse than beasts. But at present, aside from heading south along the canal, there was no other road to take. To the east was the sea. To the west, government cavalry was operating very frequently, and many who went that way were simply killed as spies and scouts, their possessions plundered clean. So they could only come this way in fear and trembling, hoping to slip past the outer perimeter of the Zhao Family Army's camp.

If they couldn't even evade the government troops' patrols, how could they possibly slip past the Zhao Family Army? Those who were caught were on the verge of despair. There were even scenes of women from the fleeing families voluntarily offering themselves, begging the great army to spare their entire household. But the Zhao Family Army's response was strictly by the book: after questioning, they let everyone go as they pleased, so long as they didn't turn back. This was quite surprising to people, and that disciplined, orderly bearing was even more awe-inspiring.

More and more people began to voice the question: "Just who is the government, and who are the bandits?"

Once the refugees appeared, the government troops' scouts and patrol riders also began to show themselves. In terms of cavalry combat strength and quality, the government troops held a slight edge over the Zhao Family Army. So from the very start, the Zhao Family Army did not send out its own light cavalry to fight the government troops' elite scouts in single combat. Instead, they dispatched their mounted soldiers in squad-sized units, sweeping only within a ten-li radius around the main camp, steadily killing and wounding the government troops' elite cavalry. Though the number of enemies killed was not large, it still inflicted damage on the foe.

The Zhao Family Army was currently only focused on this ten-li perimeter, because the main government force was certain to meet them in battle at Jinghai County — of that there was no longer any doubt.

Early on the twenty-first day of the fourth month, the Zhao Family Army struck camp and dismantled its field fortifications, beginning its march north. The clamorous bustle outside was naturally noticed by those watching from Qing County. The gentry and local strongmen even secretly contacted each other to coordinate: once the government troops won a great victory and the rebel soldiers were routed, Qing County must respond. They would organize militia and local braves to cut off the rebels' retreat — partly to reap some benefits, and partly to be ready to close the city gates at any moment. If the government troops were allowed inside the city, the havoc would be immense.

No matter what, the people of Qing County did not believe the Zhao Family Army could win, even though they also considered the government troops to be pure calamity.

As the main body of the Zhao Family Army began moving north, the government scouts who had been shadowing and observing them began to pull back, shuttling back and forth to relay information. The Zhao Family Army's brigades and regiments were all prepared to engage at any moment, but the government troops made no move.

No matter how the court urged them, and no matter how the common folk judged the relative strength and odds of victory, Supreme Commander Wang Zaijin and commanding general Zhang Jixian still made the most prudent arrangement: relying on the city of Jinghai, they would array their forces outside the walls to meet the Zhao Family Army in battle. For the Zhao Family Army, if they wanted to follow the canal straight to the capital, Jinghai was a checkpoint they could not bypass; the decisive battle could only be fought beneath these walls.

Moreover, Jinghai was very close to Tianjin, allowing them to receive grain and supplies from there at any time. The border troops of Ji Garrison and Liao Garrison also served as a rear guard, all of which kept army morale high and steady. But if they advanced any further, increasing the distance from the great granary at Tianjin, then given the government troops' wretched logistics and supply train, even a slight delay would cause morale to waver. If mutiny or infighting broke out, they would descend into chaos before even engaging the rebels — and then nothing more need be said.

The Zhao Family Army's response was equally by the book. The government troops had superior numbers and were entrenched at Jinghai County seat, while the Zhao Family Army's supplies had to set out from Linqing, traveling an ever-lengthening canal route north. If some armchair strategist had been advising them, he would have long since proposed countless brilliant stratagems. Outsiders, too, imagined that the Zhao Family Army should now attempt some daring, risky maneuver. But the Zhao Family Army's response was even more "wooden" than the government troops': since you've set your formation, I will simply march over and fight a head-on decisive battle.

After marching along the canal for two hours, the soldiers of the various brigades and regiments began taking turns eating dry rations and drinking water to replenish themselves. Just then, a great cloud of dust could be seen rising in the north. The forward scouts reported back: over four thousand government cavalry were heading this way.

Harassing and charging an enemy force on the march with cavalry offers a high chance of directly breaking or routing them. By committing over four thousand riders at once, the government troops were deploying at least seventy or eighty percent of their mounted strength. Over four thousand cavalry against a formation of nearly twenty thousand infantry — by any reckoning, it was an overwhelming advantage. Of course, the best results from a cavalry charge came from ambush, but the canal region of Hejian Prefecture was all great plains, offering no such conditions. They could only strike mid-journey!

The Zhao Family Army had long had a contingency plan for just such an enemy cavalry charge. The artillery regiment and arquebusier companies immediately began moving toward the outer flanks of the marching column, but to their surprise, Zhao Jin gave the order: "The artillery is to hold position. Use the arquebuses to stop them. The cavalry is not to pursue!"

When enemy cavalry harasses a marching column, they will usually charge in if there's an advantage to be had, and break off at once if there's none — they won't just plunge in recklessly. Under such circumstances, to inflict sufficient casualties on the enemy, artillery was essential — especially since the Zhao Family Army had plenty of cannons, and devastatingly effective ones at that. No one expected Zhao Jin to give such an order.

But the commander's orders were beyond question, and moreover, Zhao Jin had led them to so many victories. Once the order was given, preparations began immediately. The pikemen companies moved to protect the artillery companies, while the arquebusier companies ran to the outer flanks. The arquebusiers of the several brigades together numbered close to three thousand — more than enough to secure the perimeter. Besides, the pikemen's formation was as solid as a mountain and had no fear of cavalry charges.

From the lowliest arquebusier up to the regimental and brigade commanders, everyone felt a stir of excitement, because a deployment of arquebuses on this massive scale was a first for the Zhao Family Army. They wondered what kind of tidal wave of firepower it would produce. But Zhao Jin's next order put a stop to any such grand spectacle: no volley fire — just drive off the enemy cavalry, and that would suffice...

The order seemed demanding and difficult, but it was the most appropriate for the current situation. Under Zhao Jin's direction, the Zhao Family Army began shifting formation to meet the enemy.

The distant dust cloud kept drawing nearer. The main body of the Zhao Family Army had already halted its advance. The boats following along the canal began to pull back, while the carts, horses, and artillery accompanying the army began fine-tuning their positions. Centered on the carts, horses, artillery, and baggage train, regiments formed into square formations arrayed around this center. The Zhao Family Army's cavalry pulled back, maintaining a reserve and mobile response role. Among the accompanying infantry, only the student-soldiers moved together with the cavalry.

One square formation after another took shape. The arquebusiers were all loading their ammunition, and company commanders were inspecting their soldiers' equipment and alignment. The atmosphere was growing tense, but the government cavalry was not advancing as quickly as expected. With the light cavalry scouts constantly reporting back, everyone learned that the government cavalry had slowed down about four li away and was beginning to regroup.

"The government troops are taking our artillery into account!" Zhao Jin judged.

When the government cavalry reappeared, they were already in squads of several dozen or a hundred riders, widely dispersed, and their forward approach was very slow. Light cavalry could also be seen racing back and forth among these small squads. At a rough glance, one could tell these cavalrymen were considerably stronger than the Shandong cavalry — their massing, dispersing, and maneuvering were all more agile and practiced.

By the time the government cavalry charge came, the scouts and patrol riders had been largely swept clear. The government cavalry had probably not expected the Zhao Family Army to respond this way. Yet the sight before them was awe-inspiring enough: a defensive formation built on tight, disciplined ranks — a "fortress" constructed of soldiers.

A few scattered government light cavalry began accelerating forward. The Zhao Family Army's cavalry remained on standby far from the main formation, with only a handful of roving riders observing and maneuvering, not joining the fight. They let the government light cavalry approach, then wheel and turn back. These scattered riders had come merely to observe.

Once these light cavalry wheeled back to the main government force, the government cavalry's advance visibly quickened, but that dispersed small-squad pattern remained unchanged.

"They've seen there's no way for our artillery to fire over the wall of men, so they're pressing forward faster. Before our Zhao Family Army appeared, I doubt anyone under heaven imagined that infantry in formation could withstand cavalry. Even Qi Jiguang's elite troops had to rely on box-wagons. Seeing a formation like ours, they can't resist testing it," Zhao Jin remarked with a smile.

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