Chapter 713: Departing in the Dead of Night

Since no wealthy magnates had come to offer tribute, there were naturally no women here, and drinking and the like had been strictly forbidden by Ma Chonghao. After dealing with the two visitors, everyone felt the night was passing far too dully, so one by one they all turned in early.

But around the third watch, the squad leaders and commanders from each unit were all roused by Ma Chonghao. Every man was bleary-eyed and visibly irritable. They couldn't really be blamed — it was already the latter half of the night, the prime time for deep sleep, and being suddenly called up would put anyone in a foul mood.

They assumed it was something like an enemy raid and were all a bit on edge, only to be told that Ma Chonghao simply wanted them to discuss matters.

"Gentlemen, the scout I sent to He Village has rushed back. He reports that they have no intention of mobilizing troops these past few days — there's been no movement at all..." Ma Chonghao began. "Tell me, what do you think Zhao Jin is scheming?"

"Looks like he's just waiting for us to come and arrest him!" One man nearby, having slept poorly, answered peevishly. "Seeing an army like ours, Zhao Jin himself knows he can't throw an egg against a rock, and the others won't be willing to die alongside him either, right? I'd wager he's busy digging holes everywhere right now to bury his treasure!"

"Exactly! That's what I think too!" His words drew a burst of laughter, and everyone chimed in agreement.

"Judging by the latest reports, they've probably already lost their nerve. I'd originally hoped to take a few more heads — now I fear I won't get my fill. A pity..." Ma Chonghao then gave a cold snort. "Hmph. Even if that wretch Zhao Jin really does bury his treasure, so what? Once we seize Zhao Jin, we'll dig three feet deep — do you think we won't find the goods?"

After Ma Chonghao finished speaking, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. After all, here in the Jiangbei region of South Zhili, the more people they came into contact with, the more tales they heard of Zhao Jin's exploits. The jumble of assorted rumors had practically painted that scoundrel Zhao Jin as a living, breathing demon king of chaos. Though they all felt it was marketplace nonsense, surely full of exaggerations, they also privately believed there had to be some kernel of truth to it — Zhao Jin was likely no easy mark. They had therefore worried beforehand that this operation would bring trouble, and Ma Chonghao's extreme vigilance after entering Xuzhou had only heightened their tension. Being roused in the dead of night deepened this mood further.

But now, the news Ma Chonghao had relayed dispelled all such feelings like smoke. Most of them knew a thing or two about warfare. When an enemy army arrives, the local force should at the very least strike before the newcomers have found their footing, catching them off guard. Failing that, they should launch a few night raids or make a clamor to wear down their opponents' morale and spirit. Yet there was still no sign of any troop movement. This meant that wretch Zhao Jin either knew nothing of warfare, or his men were already so terrified they dared only cower in place, passively waiting for everyone to come and annihilate them. What trouble could such worthless rats possibly pose? They weren't worth worrying about.

"However, since we're already here, we ought to be a bit more serious about it, no matter what..." Once everyone's mood had settled, Ma Chonghao spoke again in a grave tone. "Now that we've come this far, we must also prepare for the worst-case scenario. Though things are peaceful now, that doesn't mean there won't be a fight. We need to go take a look at the real situation beforehand — only then can we be fully prepared."

Surveying the enemy lines before battle was a duty the commanding general had to perform. Ma Chonghao's words were not wrong, but the distance to He Village was simply too close now. Going to observe the lines would inevitably be dangerous.

"Sir Ma, that Zhao Jin is the most cunning and vicious sort. If our main force makes a move, those flies still buzzing around here will surely report it to his side. But if we go with just a small party, wouldn't the risk be far too great? With complete victory nearly in sight, if anything were to happen to any of us, it wouldn't be worth it!"

These were Shi Ping'ao's words. Everyone nodded upon hearing them. After all, with Zhao Jin's territory about to fall without a hitch, they were all waiting to divide the spoils once it was over. Who would be willing to risk their own neck at a moment like this? They were deeply afraid they might not get their share of Zhao Jin's vast fortune then.

Ma Chonghao smiled and waved a hand dismissively, then continued, "If we're going, we go now. I have my methods. And I won't hide it from you — the eyes I've planted have reported back that Zhao's Camp only has a few men watching the main roads. All other positions have been pulled back; there's no one keeping watch at all. So if a small party of us moves out, as long as we avoid the main roads, they simply won't see us." After a pause, he added, "Don't doubt my eyes, gentlemen. This man was a Night Raider from the Xuanfu and Ji Garrison — a veteran at scouting enemy positions!"

Everyone knew that Night Raiders were the elite of mounted scouts and spies, and the troops of the Xuanfu and Ji Garrisons were the elite of the elite among government forces. If a man like that was scouting the enemy, then this intelligence was naturally reliable. As for how Ma Chonghao had managed to recruit such a man, everyone could guess he was a deserter — though of course no one was about to bring that up.

After hearing Ma Chonghao's words, most of them were reassured, but some were naturally more cautious by disposition. Commander Chu, the Thousand-Household sent by Vice General Zhou to lead his men, coughed once and said, head lowered, "Sir Ma, it's not that we doubt your eye, but there's always a chance of something going wrong. No matter how safe it looks, there's still a risk of going and not coming back... What if we run into Zhao Jin's roving cavalry or a small detachment?"

Upon hearing this objection, Ma Chonghao's expression turned stern.

"There's always a chance of something going wrong — that's true enough. But to always imagine the sky is falling is wrong. If what my eye reports is true, what problem could there be in us going to take a look? Besides, if you want no risk at all, the world doesn't offer bargains that cheap. Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat. If we don't do our due diligence properly, how can we be confident of capturing Zhao Jin? How can we get rich? We've already reached Xuzhou — do you want to fall short right at the finish?"

As he spoke, Ma Chonghao, the Assistant Commander of the Nanjing Embroidered Uniform Guard, grew utterly serious. He swept his gaze around the room and said solemnly, "Even a fruit seller on the street has to toil and move about, straining his voice to hawk his wares. Now a huge source of wealth is right before our eyes, and we don't even need to draw blades to take it — are we unwilling to put in this little bit of hard work? Let me say the ugly part up front: just because you sent men doesn't mean you get a share of the profits. Only by doing the work and contributing the effort do you have the standing to demand more!"

He had spoken these words deliberately. It wasn't that he truly insisted on making a trip out there tonight; he simply wanted to humble the other leaders and establish his own authority as the one calling the shots among them — so that when the time came to divide Zhao Jin's property, his word would carry weight. Seen in this light, rousing everyone in the middle of the night might well have been a show of power to keep them in line.

After hearing Ma Chonghao out, everyone understood that a trip tonight was unavoidable. A few men exchanged glances. Commander Chu and Shi Ping'ao both looked hesitant, while Xu Tiebiao, of the Duke of Wei's household, and Commander Hu, under the Eunuch Grand Defender of Fengyang, were utterly unconcerned. Xu Tiebiao said gruffly, "Don't try to goad us with words. Old Ma, you're a steady man — I doubt you'd lead us all into danger to die. If we're going, we're going. We live by the blade — are we supposed to be afraid of this?"

Xu Tiebiao was a man of rough exterior but subtle mind. His words carried several layers of meaning, and everyone present understood them. They also understood that the nobility and the eunuchs had already aligned themselves with the Embroidered Uniform Guard — this force was now theirs to command.

They're all breathing through the same nostrils now — what more can we say? We can only hope they show a bit of conscience when dividing the spoils. Commander Chu sighed inwardly. Shi Ping'ao also fell silent.

"We came here to get rich, not to throw our lives away. Trust me to handle things." Having delivered the harsh words, Ma Chonghao shifted his tone.

Having won this hidden battle and cut down the others' arrogance, his mood had now turned exceedingly good.

In the end, however, Commander Chu and Shi Ping'ao did not go themselves. They merely assigned trusted men from their retinues to accompany Ma Chonghao. Though Ma Chonghao had made it clear earlier that this would mean a smaller share when the profits were divided later, Xu Tiebiao and Commander Hu didn't much care. They already knew they were destined not to get the lion's share anyway.

And so, led by Ma Chonghao, a party of just over twenty men quietly slipped away from the manor in the dead of night. They did not ride horses, and all had changed into the clothes of common civilians.

For all his earlier bold talk, Ma Chonghao was, after all, a man who valued his life. Before they set out, he had specifically deployed the night patrol cavalry to sweep the direction they were heading several times, only departing once he was certain no one was there.

A cool breeze had long been blowing across the midnight wilderness. The party advanced at a measured pace. Though somewhat weary, they still found the cool wind refreshing. Traveling light and with a small retinue was, compared to the sweltering march in heavy armor they'd endured before, like being in a completely different world. For a time, everyone relaxed. Though they exchanged few words, their walking speed picked up a little.

As they walked, they came to a village not far from the manor. At this hour, it should have been pitch-black everywhere, yet this village was lit with lamps and bustling with activity. The group was initially uneasy, but when they saw villagers proactively come out to greet them and lead Ma Chonghao inside, they finally relaxed.

"There's a shop selling salted goods over by He Village — deals in salted fish and dried shrimp from Haizhou and the like. Business has always been brisk. Zhao Jin's crew also patronizes this business heavily. Every few days, that salted goods shop comes here to pick up shipments. The Haizhou side delivers the goods here and then turns back — it's become a routine. Zhao Jin's men have also come to inspect it; it's a legitimate business, nothing amiss. What they never imagined is that this shop is run by me. The shopkeeper is an old subordinate of mine. He never actively inquires about anything on ordinary days, just notes what he sees and hears, then passes the information through a man in the Haizhou merchant caravan to Nanjing." Ma Chonghao explained this to everyone in earnest — it was also his guarantee to set their minds at ease about going over.

Thank you, everyone.