Chapter 1324: Too Excited to Sleep

This had been just a single day of fighting, and they had even stormed the shores of Pi Island. The advantage in naval warfare was not as secure as everyone imagined, and no one knew how many of the enemies killed today were actual Tartars. Who would dare relax? The cheering on Pi Island's shore did not last long before it was silenced. The rear lines sent up the food and water prepared long ago. The defensive line along the shore would not be withdrawn; they still had to prepare for tomorrow's vicious battle. At the same time, Mao Wenlong dispatched elite forces to patrol the entire island, for they also had to guard against infiltrators swimming across under cover of night.

As the sky gradually darkened, a dozen or so sampans returned to Dongjiang Town. They were scouts sent out in advance, and the news they brought back was deeply chilling. The Tartar cavalry had already sealed off the entire nearby coastline. Scouts who tried to land were either intercepted and killed or went missing. Those who returned had often sensed something was wrong before reaching shore, or had watched helplessly as their comrades died, forcing them to row back in a frantic hurry. Although these sampans could not travel very far, this already spoke volumes.

Though they had not ventured deep inland, they could still gather much intelligence along the coast. The Jianzhou Jurchens were still plundering the population and continuously building rafts. It seemed today's victory or defeat in battle meant little; the great battle was still to come. Looking at the blazing lights and clamorous voices on land, perhaps the decisive battle would be tomorrow. Perhaps the Tartars were ready to throw everything in, staking all on a single desperate gamble.

Heaven only knew how many true Tartars had died today. If the enemy came out in full force tomorrow, even if they still launched a frontal assault from the opposite shore, Dongjiang Town's fleet might not be able to cope. Not to mention getting entangled—there was a real risk the fleet itself could be captured. By this point, no one cared anymore about the forces at the Cloud Mountain Trading Post. At such a critical juncture of a great battle, they could not afford to worry about so many things.

Pi Island's winters were bitterly cold, and the sea itself would freeze over. To survive the winter, the island had stockpiled a considerable amount of oil and fat. All of this was brought out, some placed in scavenged earthenware jars and containers, some mixed with firewood and straw. In a naval engagement, a fire attack would be devastatingly powerful.

"It's all because of those show-offs, those braggarts. If you hadn't been so gleefully stirring up trouble, how would we have drawn the Tartars to attack? In this situation, wouldn't it be far more convenient to wait and strike in winter?" Such complaints were already circulating on the island.

Why were they being fiercely attacked by the Tartars at this unsuitable time for battle? Everyone could figure out a thing or two. In the past, life was hard, and they moved with great caution, often chased off by small bands of Tartars, lacking any real strength to fight back head-on. So the Tartars had looked down on them. But after trading with Xuzhou, they had grown bold and strong. When they encountered small Tartar units, they no longer came out at a disadvantage; they were far more resolute than before. They had become a threat to the Jianzhou Jurchens, naturally drawing the enemy's attention and wariness.

The remnants of the Liao garrison who had come to Pi Island indeed all bore deep, blood-soaked hatreds. But some gnashed their teeth, yearning for revenge, while others only thought of clinging to life and fleeing. Usually, they hid it well, but at such a moment of life and death, many small details were laid bare without concealment.

Yet such complaints and stirrings of unrest did not lead to any real trouble. The soldiers of Dongjiang Town still understood wartime discipline. Personal guards and trusted troops were sent out early to patrol the encampments, bearing the great mandate of military law. At the slightest sign of trouble, they would enforce martial law, killing and beheading on the spot. Such methods were crude and simple, but highly effective. The latent unease on Pi Island quickly vanished, and everyone threw themselves into the tense preparations for battle.

Watching the unextinguished fires on the opposite shore and hearing the shouts and calls carried over, anyone could imagine the Jianzhou Jurchens over there building rafts, preparing for the coming general assault. Thinking back on today's battles—where they had gained the upper hand several times yet still faced deadly peril—every heart in Pi Island's Dongjiang Town grew heavy.

Dongjiang Town did not simply sit and wait for death. Under cover of night, they organized death squads to raid the enemy camp. At the same time, all their elite troops boarded the ships, and they even made use of the captured rafts. If the death squads' night raid succeeded, the main army would immediately cross the sea and push forward. In such a situation, they could not always passively await battle; they had to take the initiative and fight for a sliver of survival.

They could hear the sounds of killing from the shore, and could even see the commotion. The ships on this side set out, but they had not gone far when everything on the opposite shore returned to normal. The ships and rafts could only turn back in dejection. Everyone knew the night raid had failed.

"If the Tartars land on the island, judging by today's battle, they will be spent forces by the time they come ashore. Dongjiang Town's own strength will give them a taste of defeat. If too many of them land and they fight Dongjiang Town to a stalemate, then we will join the fight. Based on what we saw of the battle today, the moment we enter the fray, we can surely deal a crushing blow to the exhausted and panicked Tartars. By then, Dongjiang Town will be fully engaged against the enemy and will have no chance to move against us!" Zhao Song declared loudly to the company commanders and squad leaders.

Dongjiang Town was now completely unable to pay attention to them. Scouts and observers shuttled back and forth, giving the Cloud Mountain Trading Post fortress a firsthand grasp of the situation. After discussing it, Zhao Song and Luo Chen made their decision. Hearing that they would engage the Tartars in battle, the faces of the company commanders and squad leaders below showed excitement and eagerness.

"When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. I understand the reasoning Li Jiucheng spoke of, but only at a moment like this can we truly speak of lips dying and teeth freezing. Otherwise, we would just be foolish boys tricked and trapped by others." Zhao Song raised his voice. The company commanders and squad leaders burst into laughter along with him.

The mobilization eased their tension somewhat, but their actions still had to be meticulous. This included the night watch; everyone had to keep their armor and equipment on, ready to fight at any moment. Zhao Song, however, went to bed early that night, because he had to rise as early as possible the next day. Just before he slept, Luo Chen came to visit. The moment he entered, his face was filled with deep worry, which gave Zhao Song a start.

"Battalion Commander, I see the brothers below with faces full of delight, utterly fervent for military glory and riches. But before battle, we cannot afford carelessness. If such a mindset cannot be restrained tomorrow and a mishap occurs on the battlefield, that would be a great calamity. Lord Jin's fury would be thunderous!" Luo Chen had been watching from the side when Zhao Song gave his speech. His mind was meticulous, and he thought about things more deeply.

Zhao Song chuckled, teasing him: "Old Luo, you've served in the imperial court too long. You always use their rules and conventions to measure us. Right now, no one has a chance to earn merit. We've finally scraped one up this time. Not only are they happy, I'm happy too. But happiness aside, the military law is here, the drill manual is here. Everyone knows the consequences of not acting according to them. Who would dare move recklessly? Besides, without these rules and drill manuals, how could our Zhao Family Army ever win battles? They are our lifeblood. Old Luo, you needn't worry so much."

Luo Chen nodded with a wry smile and said, "That would be for the best. I've never quite been able to grasp Lord Jin's rules. When I was first assigned to Pi Island, my heart went cold. I thought I was being banished here. Someone told me it was a sign of high regard, but I didn't believe it until you, Battalion Commander, arrived…"

Pi Island's Dongjiang Town had arranged troops for night watch and patrol. On the Cloud Mountain Trading Post side, besides maintaining strict security, they also sent people out to constantly gather information. The method they used was simple and effective. The trading post had ample grain stored; they baked oil-and-salt flatbreads and prepared hot tea, sending them out under the pretext of rewarding the troops. In the cold, windswept night, such practical gifts made it easy to obtain news.

Zhao Song, Luo Chen, and the officers not on duty had all gone to rest. But if urgent news arrived, they had to be woken immediately. However, the night passed quietly without incident. The Tartar slaves did not attempt to swim across and infiltrate; they simply worked through the night by lamplight, building rafts and preparing for the next day's decisive battle. This show of force placed ever greater pressure on Dongjiang Town. Many Pi Island refugees had already made preparations. The able-bodied men took up whatever weapons they could use and prepared for battle. The women made a different kind of preparation: if the Tartars landed and won, they would first kill their children and then themselves, never allowing themselves to fall into Tartar hands.

Before the sky had even brightened, Zhao Song was already awake. He fetched cold water himself, casually washed his face, and began inspecting the fortress's defenses. The Cloud Mountain Trading Post had invested heavily in building this fortress, even specially transporting craftsmen from Shandong to construct it. Everything was built according to proper methods, differing from the Great Ming's usual regulations, and incorporating Xuzhou's own structural designs. Lord Jin is truly omnipotent, Zhao Song thought with emotion as he walked up the steps.

When he reached the lookout platform atop the wall, he saw two soldiers dozing off under the lamplight. Everyone was on rotating shifts; no one would stay up all night without sleep. Zhao Song immediately understood the reason. These lads must have been too excited to sleep, thinking about fighting the Tartars. Zhao Song yawned first, wiped his eyes, then stepped forward and gave each of them a kick, jolting them awake. He shouted angrily, "You worthless scoundrels! Aren't you afraid of military law?"

The Zhao Family Army's military law was severe. Dozing off while on sentry duty was a grave offense; if it led to a mishap, the punishment was beheading. In such matters, there was no room for the slightest ambiguity. The two kicked soldiers both shuddered. When they turned and saw Zhao Song, their faces immediately fell. Zhao Song reprimanded them with a dark expression, then turned and walked elsewhere. This fortress was a small-scale walled city; the patrols and sentries were interwoven. A lapse in one spot would not endanger the entire situation. But seeing this, Zhao Song did not dare relax or be careless. Yawning, he quickened his pace and walked on.

Every soldier of the Zhao Family Army on duty at that moment was listless and weary. Even though they had been standing there for an hour at most, the excitement of fighting the Tartars had kept them all from sleeping. Zhao Song spent nearly the entire patrol cursing. The several hundred soldiers of his infantry battalion were different from other brigades and regiments. Every soldier had participated in at least two battles, and all were native-born men of Xuzhou and Pizhou—veteran core troops of the Zhao Family Army. Though none of them were old, they had all been through a great deal. Even so, every one of them was this excited. This was a battle against the Tartars, after all. Zhao Song himself had not slept well either, but that was something he need not mention to outsiders.

Once Zhao Song was up, the entire infantry battalion and everyone at the Cloud Mountain Trading Post rose as well. A new day began. The kitchen staff had risen even earlier; flatbreads, fish soup, and pickled vegetables were soon prepared. Breakfast was divided into two locations: one inside the fortress, and another delivered to the two seagoing ships anchored in the harbor, where several dozen sailors remained. Even by the standards of Xuzhou's abundant supplies, this breakfast was quite sumptuous. With battle imminent, they had to eat and drink well to maintain their strength and morale. Everyone wolfed down their food amid laughter and cheerful talk. Let the Tartars come—they would learn the might of Xuzhou's men!

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