Chapter 247: Who Isn't Nervous

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard a clamor of noise and chaos drifting over from the east. The enemy cavalry had already withdrawn to a sufficient distance, but the sound was so loud it could still be heard clearly from the watchtower. Night had fallen at last, and the enemy over a hundred paces away was already growing indistinct.

"Move the platforms and barricades back to their original positions! Everyone to your posts! New Recruit Squads Fifteen and Sixteen, get the dry rations ready and boil water!" Zhao Jin shouted down at them.

The dry rations they had brought from inside Xuzhou city had not been finished, because He Village was full of markets and bustling with commerce, with plenty of places providing meals for outsiders. Once the Zhao Character Camp arrived, others could not help but come calling to curry favor and offer feasts. With hot food available, the dry rations they had brought naturally went untouched.

The courtyard bustled into activity once more, resetting the barricades. Everyone had learned a few lessons from the arrows and flying stones that had rained in earlier. Yet even with all this frantic activity in the courtyard, it still could not drown out the clamor and noise from over there—they just could not make out the words.

"Huzi died right beside me. Back when we fought to the death against the pole-wielders from eastern Henan, he took two blades for me! He survived a scene like that, so how could he meet his end in a place like this!" A large man spoke with fierce agitation, pounding his chest with his fist as he wailed aloud.

"Old Eight was still thinking about going back to buy that woman's freedom from the brothel in Shan County..."

The cavalry unit was in utter chaos. Many men had dismounted, cursing and howling in grief. In a mere instant, over twenty brothers had fallen there. This sudden shock was more than anyone could bear.

"Mutou is still over there, go rescue him!" someone shouted. They could hear the agonized screams of their gravely wounded comrade.

Those close to the gravely wounded man mounted their horses one after another, adding chaos on top of chaos.

"Who the hell is stirring up trouble? I'll cut him down right now!" A furious roar rang out, and the cavalry unit instantly fell silent. All those furious, agitated cavalry riders turned to look in one direction.

This big man had also dismounted. He wore a suit of chain mail that was about eighty percent new, and on his head was a broad-brimmed iron helmet. He was not very tall, but looked extremely solid and stocky. At a rough glance, his whole person resembled a water vat. The horse beside him was larger than the average man's, with a long spear and bow and arrows hanging from it.

Compared to his companions, who could not conceal their bandit-like air, this big man was far more composed. Beyond his temperament, he kept himself very neat and tidy. Though he had a full beard, it looked regularly trimmed, whereas none of the others cared about such things, each one looking utterly disheveled. His skin was dark, and his eyes seemed perpetually narrowed, yet a cold gleam flickered within them.

The moment he spoke, none of the other riders made a sound. The dozen or so men around this big man also stared menacingly at the surroundings, ready at any moment to teach a lesson to any unruly troublemaker.

No one had the nerve for that. Kong Jiuying had under his command the so-called Wolves, Jackals, Tigers, and Leopards, and this Liu Cheng was the so-called "Tiger on Horseback."

At the Kong Family Estate by the river bend, this Liu Cheng was a top-tier hero, truly adept in both archery and horsemanship, and equally formidable with long spear or short blade. Ten years ago, he had come alone to seek refuge with Kong Jiuying, and within a year he was placed in a position of importance, put in command of the cavalry unit that Kong Jiuying treasured like his own heart. At first, the men in the cavalry unit refused to accept him, but in mounted duels, Liu Cheng unhorsed them one by one; in foot combat, he floored them one by one. When they got drunk and brawled, Liu Cheng beat down over a dozen of them barehanded. Only then did everyone submit.

Liu Cheng was not only a capable fighter, but he could also command the respect of his men and knew how to fight. He was not the type of reckless brute who just charged blindly; he even knew some military tactics. When they fought to the death against the great pole-wielders of eastern Henan, it was always Liu Cheng who led the cavalry charging in at the most critical moment, securing victory in a single stroke.

Some who understood these matters said privately that skills like Liu Cheng's could never have been honed among outlaws and bandits; they could only be military techniques. And not from just any ordinary troops—if he was not of officer background, then he must have been a personal guard of a general or commander. Otherwise, such ability would simply be impossible.

For a man like this to willingly seek refuge with Kong Jiuying and become the head of a local strongman's private army, there was no telling what crimes he might be carrying. It was better for everyone not to ask.

Liu Cheng silently swept his gaze across the crowd. Everyone he looked at fell quiet; even those weeping wiped their tears and made no sound.

"Rescue who? There are at least thirty bows waiting for you in that big compound. Those few still alive are just bait, waiting for you to bite. Go, and you die!" Liu Cheng's voice was not loud, but everyone listened with deference.

"Damn it all, of those thirty bows, at least ten are sharpshooters..." At this point, Liu Cheng muttered to himself.

The so-called "sharpshooter" did not necessarily mean their archery was divine, but anyone with above-average accuracy could earn that title. Many had been shot directly in the neck. The first arrow, with time to aim calmly, was one thing, but to manage the same with the second arrow—that spoke to the archers' skill.

"Big Brother, do we still attack this Zhao family?" someone asked gruffly.

This was actually a trusted subordinate of Liu Cheng asking, really just providing a way out. Such a question could not be left for someone else to ask. Liu Cheng glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Ninth Master said this estate must be taken, so it must be attacked!"

Those two hundred-plus riders were Kong Jiuying's core strength, the very foundation of his rampages across eastern Henan, western Shandong, and northern Xuzhou. When he handed them over to Liu Cheng, countless people had warned him to be on guard—what if this Liu Cheng harbored disloyalty? But after all these years, Liu Cheng had shown nothing but unwavering devotion. Any order Kong Jiuying gave, Liu Cheng would certainly carry out.

"Big Brother, let's round up all the people of He Village and make them lead the charge!"

"With this many people in the village, we can just bury them in bodies!"

"Set fires! Set fires!"

Once they heard the attack was confirmed, the cavalry riders who had just quieted down instantly erupted. Every man gnashed his teeth and howled, each one spitting out vicious schemes.

"Nonsense! You think the other village households are just pigs and sheep? You think those livestock traders don't have blades and spears in their hands? There's not even a breath of wind tonight—what do you hope to achieve by setting fires!" Liu Cheng could not bear to listen any longer and could not help but roar out. Silence fell all around once more.

"... Big Brother, then what do we do?"

"Wait. Feed the horses first, then eat. Men stay by your mounts, and be ready at all times in case they come out from the compound." Liu Cheng said in a deep voice.

Hearing this, the men looked at each other, and as they exchanged glances, a sense of deflation seemed to settle over them. Liu Cheng paid no heed to their mutterings. He simply grabbed one of his subordinates and said, "Ride out and see when those bald donkeys are getting here!"

The subordinate nodded, swiftly mounted his horse, and galloped off into the distance.

The sky grew darker and darker. From the watchtower, Zhao Jin could only vaguely make out a single rider racing away into the distance, while the main force remained where it was, making no move.

"Report any sign of movement out there, no matter how slight. Otherwise, I'll enforce family law on you!" Zhao Jin gave the order, and Yan Qianli beside him hurriedly nodded.

An ordinary order would not normally require a threat, but this Yan Qianli was not only a new recruit, he also had a somewhat slick and slippery nature, so a bit of extra sternness was necessary.

As night fell, He Village remained quiet, yet who knew how many villagers and outside merchants were watching the He Family Compound through every means possible. They dared not come close to look, but they could always see by lying flat on their rooftops. And by now, people were not quite so worried. When so many riders first arrived, everyone had thought the village was about to be sacked and had been terrified and on guard. Small households hid in their cellars, while larger, more numerous families organized their able-bodied men to prepare for self-defense. Unexpectedly, the cavalry unit made no major moves, only sending a small detachment on a circuit through the village—a gesture of intimidation—while the rest of the main force surrounded the He Family Compound.

Though they could not see clearly from a distance, everyone could tell the cavalry had gained no advantage and had likely suffered a serious loss. But seeing the cavalry remain at the edge without leaving, many people began to feel uneasy.

Zhao Jin's companions and the squad leaders of each unit all climbed onto the high platform. Letting every household trooper see the scene outside would shake morale, but the leaders needed to understand the situation.

From the moment the cavalry had raided them until now, apart from the archers and the lookouts on the watchtower, everyone else had been cooped up inside the compound, able only to guess at what was happening outside.

"Eat! Don't eat your fill—half full is enough. Once we win, we'll slaughter pigs and sheep!" Zhao Jin shouted into the compound. Flatbread, pickled vegetables, and hot water—that was the Zhao Character Camp's simple evening meal.

"You need a full belly to have strength. Big Brother, why...?" Liu Yong came over and asked.

"A full belly makes the mind sluggish. If the fighting starts right when they're stuffed, you don't expect them to take a stroll to digest, do you?" Zhao Jin asked with a grin. Liu Yong chuckled and went off to his own tasks.

Chen Sheng and the other companions also gathered around. Shi Manqiang spoke first: "Big Brother, the compound's three main gates and two side gates have all been blocked. Should we dig up earth, fill sacks, and seal them completely shut?"

Before Zhao Jin could answer, Ji Xiang beside him added, "Big Brother, that cavalry unit took heavy losses but hasn't left. Could they be thinking of attacking again? If they attack again, they'll just take more losses. Do they have reinforcements coming?"

Zhao Jin nodded slowly and said, "I originally thought a night battle would be inconvenient for both the enemy and us. Looking at it now, it really might come to fighting in the dark."

His companions all wore solemn expressions. Zhao Jin continued, "Cavalry can't assault fortifications, and they have too few men. But the eight hundred monk soldiers of Cloud Mountain Temple can. Cavalry plus monk soldiers—then they can launch a direct assault."

"... That many men, and we have so many raw recruits on our side..." Dong Bingfeng said, his face grave.

Chen Sheng shook his head and said, "If we can't win, we still have to fight to the death. Do you think they'll leave us a way out?"

Battle after battle, so many lives taken, not to mention the profits from this distillery, the great sums of gold and silver stockpiled in the compound, and the power to have a say in matters across the Xuzhou region—every single one of these things was a matter of life and death.

"Whether we live or die, we'll only know after we fight," Zhao Jin said. He could feel that his companions were somewhat pessimistic. Zhao Jin did not try to console them. The balance of power was laid out plain as day; no words would change it.

"Seal the side gates shut. Barricade the three main gates from the inside and assign more men to guard them. If we seal them completely, they can still get in, but we won't be able to get out!"

"What? We're still going to sally out and fight?"

Hearing Zhao Jin's words, Shi Manqiang blurted out the question. Zhao Jin nodded, pointed at the surrounding compound walls, and said, "Look at these high walls, and look at the structures inside. Do you think we can hold them?"

The walls of the He Family Compound were very thick and very high, and there were firing steps built along the inside. But walls and fortifications like these were only impressive compared to ordinary households.

After all, the area around Xuzhou was still relatively peaceful. The He Family Compound, less than a day's journey from the city, had no need to be built to the standards of a fortress.

High walls and a large compound like this could keep out petty thieves, but if over a thousand private soldiers and fierce bandits came to besiege it, then these structures would truly be of little use.

"Those cavalry riders were overconfident just now. When the main force arrives, they won't need to do anything else. Even if they just hurl stones wildly inside, they can still keep our heads down. Then they'll smash through these walls and charge straight in!" Zhao Jin described the scene that was about to unfold.

Shi Manqiang paused, then nodded and said, "It's the same principle as guarding our distillery — you have to send people out. I'll go arrange the gate matters right now."

If nothing else, the compound had plenty of manpower. Once Shi Manqiang gave the order, every squad immediately sprang into action.

"The recruit squad watches the gate, the veteran squads go out to fight, and we also need to bring the guard corps and the trustworthy recruits out!" Zhao Jin made further arrangements.

Zhao Jin had been analyzing and arranging everything with complete calm, and his demeanor steadied his companions considerably. Ji Xiang glanced toward the western compound wall and suddenly spoke up: "That man we posted outside should know to run by now, right? When will reinforcements from inside the city arrive?"

"By the time he gets back, the city gates will already be shut. What can he do inside the city? Even if he manages to get in, even if he can gather rescue forces, by then the gates will still be closed, and they still won't be able to get out." Chen Sheng said with a cold sneer.

To guard against bandits and rioters, except on special festival days, the city gates were never opened once shut for the night. Everyone thought it through and understood. Shi Manqiang, who had returned to this side, paused and then looked up and said, "Seems like even if we hadn't struck, they were going to make their move tonight anyway."

Everyone nodded. Zhao Jin clapped his hands and said with a smile, "The few of us brothers faced over a hundred men and still won and came home. Now we have over six hundred men in our hands — what's there to fear? Each of you go to your own squad and keep watch, and wait for my order."

The companions each returned to their squads. The squad Chen Sheng and Zhao Jin led was right beside them, so they did not move. The two sat on the bed frames arranged as barricades. Chen Sheng tested the catch spring on his scabbard and suddenly spoke: "If something goes wrong, I wonder if Wang Zhaojing will feel relieved in his heart, thinking he pulled out from our group just in time."

"Ridiculous. If the man we posted can get back to report, Wang Zhaojing will definitely come along!"

"Zhao Jin, in a moment I'll lead men out to charge. You stay here and take command." Chen Sheng added in a muffled voice.

"I've never seen you talk this much nonsense. Dasheng, you're not the nagging type. If neither of us goes out to charge, how can we hold the line steady? Do you think many in the veteran squads have seen blood?" Zhao Jin said with exasperation.

Chen Sheng fell silent again, just nodding. After a moment of silence, he said, "If we were all cavalry, we'd just ride away right now. Why would we need to hold this place to the death?"

Zhao Jin couldn't help laughing. He shook his head and said, "If we really had over six hundred cavalry, we'd first devour this force outside, then ride straight to intercept and wipe out those monk-soldiers halfway. That said, if we truly had that much strength, who would dare provoke us? But over six hundred horses — the cost would really be too great."

At this, Zhao Jin couldn't help shifting his body. He had not taken off his iron armor the whole time — not because it felt heavy, but because ever since the cavalry troop had withdrawn to a distance and stayed there, his back had been sweating. Whether it was tension or fear, Zhao Jin himself couldn't quite tell.

"All armor to be split evenly between Veteran Squad One and Veteran Squad Two!"

After giving this order, Zhao Jin paused in thought, then named some twenty-odd individuals. These were all sons of the guard corps and various households inside the city — to put it plainly, people with roots. They could not possibly harbor disloyalty, because if anything went wrong, their families and clans would suffer along with them.

"In a moment, move with my own squad. Do not pass the first row of my squad, do not obstruct the rear squad's movement. Pay no mind to anything else — just kill the enemy, and that will do." Zhao Jin added.

The people he named were not chosen solely for their reliability, but because they possessed skills and showed courage — they were no ordinary recruits. Just as Zhao Jin had judged, the moment he called their names, excitement appeared on their faces. Only two or three hesitated briefly, but none voiced any objection. Xuzhou was a place that esteemed martial valor; flee before battle, and you could forget ever holding your head high again.

The disposition of the squads inside the compound was also readjusted. The four veteran squads were assigned to the four directions; three recruit squads were responsible for one main gate, two recruit squads for one wall, and the rest served as reserves. The archers remained on the watchtowers and the makeshift wooden platforms, keeping lookout. The barricades were naturally readjusted as well. Liu Yong, upon seeing the stones on the ground, had a flash of inspiration and ordered men to gather and stockpile them — dropped from a height, these would also do damage.

Everything in the compound was more or less arranged. Everyone was in a state of resting while awaiting orders. Zhao Jin climbed onto a wooden platform and looked outside. The raiding cavalry troop was still stopped over there; they had even lit two campfires. Most of the men had dismounted; only a dozen or so remained mounted, circling around He Family Village — likely sentries they had posted.

"Big Brother, should we set up the chevaux-de-frise and wooden palisades outside again?"

"No need. Those things are obstacles to cavalry, but foot soldiers can move them aside easily." Zhao Jin answered helplessly.

This was his first time holding a position and meeting an attack. His experience was sorely lacking; many things he had taken for granted, many things he had not anticipated beforehand. The only consolation was that he had managed to cope without disaster so far.

After these preparations were finished, the south-facing main gate on Zhao Jin's side opened for the first time. But the moment the gate opened and the household guards had just stepped out, the cavalry troop over there immediately mounted up to a man. This side had no choice but to pull back.

Although fighting in the streets with archer cover from one side meant the cavalry would not gain too great an advantage, Zhao Jin did not dare let his household guards, who had never been through battle formations, face a cavalry charge. The risk of them collapsing in an instant was far too great.

Never mind recruits who had never seen a battlefield — according to the accounts of his second uncle Zhao Zhenxing, even troops famed as elite infantry could be shattered in one charge by enemy cavalry. Better not to take that risk with his own men.

Both sides could only maintain this stalemate. Torches and lanterns had been lit inside the compound, and campfires blazed among the cavalry troop as well. But the rest of He Family Village was pitch-black; no one dared light a lamp at this hour — why invite disaster upon yourself?

Unable to go out, they could only wait in silence. No one in the compound spoke; only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. Everyone knew a powerful enemy would soon attack. Faced with life and death, none of these young men on the verge of their first battle could avoid being tense.

Zhou Xuezhi, who had been hiding inside the house all along, now came out trembling with fear. The household guards in the main compound were already extremely tense, but compared to this Zhou Xuezhi, they seemed positively composed. Zhou Xuezhi's face was deathly pale, utterly bloodless, and his body quivered with every step he took.