Chapter 272: The Way Home (Part 5)

Fictional History

Slowly, dark clouds gathered ahead, thread by thread.

The journey from Hangzhou to Huzhou was one of constant escape. Looking back from later days, Hangzhou fell on the fourth day of the month, and everyone fled the city in panic, not knowing what to do. Afterward, the most direct choice for many was to go to Jiaxing, but at that time, Fang La's army was still engaged in various encirclements and interceptions, trapping many people. It was not until the sixth or seventh day that these large scattered groups of people reassembled on the road and restored some semblance of order.

By then, Fang La's rebel army, which had been gathering west of Hangzhou, was nearing saturation and began expanding in all directions. The re-gathered refugees painfully chose their respective escape routes, gathering and dispersing across the Hangzhou region, an area characterized by a network of waterways despite shallow mountains. Some were encircled and killed by the rebels, while others were captured, robbed, and sent back to Hangzhou as prisoners.

For several months, Fang La's military strength had reached its peak. Fang Baihua was repelling Kang Fangting's Wu Zhou Battalion in the northwest, while Chen Shisheng's Wu Wei Army in the south was ambushed midway by Deng Yuanjue and Si Xingfang. Fang La and Fang Qifo, with their main forces, captured Hangzhou, and thereafter, rebellions erupted everywhere in response. On the roads surrounding Hangzhou, by the time the bewildered refugees realized what was happening, they found that starting from Hangzhou, almost every direction had become a dangerous minefield.

Apart from those who broke into small groups and hid in the mountains and villages, eventually escaping by sheer luck, there were few instances of large organized groups successfully fleeing the Hangzhou area at that time. Most of these displaced people, driven out of Hangzhou, ultimately became either sacrifices or the initial subjects of the "Yongle Dynasty" later established by Fang La. The influence of the Wu Dynasty in the Jiangnan region was temporarily suppressed to its lowest point. Of course, if one were to look for small glimmers of hope amidst it all, they were indeed present.

The entire process occurred in a corner bordering Hangzhou and Huzhou. The largest group of refugees, comprising numerous wealthy merchants and gentry who had fled Hangzhou, arrived there after a winding journey. All the preparations took place in less than two days, from the early morning of the tenth to the morning of the eleventh.

Strategically speaking, it was difficult to execute overly complex operations within a day and a half. At that time, five detachments of rebels were closely trailing the group, led by five generals from Fang La's army: Yao Yi, Lu Qiao, Xue Dounan, Mi Quan, and Shen Zhucheng. A small number of Black Plume Guards and some soldiers from the Overlord Blade Battalion, led by Liu Dabiao, were not yet accounted for. These five detachments together comprised over six thousand troops, and their morale was high. The refugee group included three thousand remnants of soldiers, plus over a thousand household guards and bodyguards employed by the wealthy merchants and gentry. However, unlike street brawls, the combat effectiveness of these thousand-plus individuals was highly unreliable in a battlefield setting.

In hindsight, within an area of less than forty li, these groups merely engaged in a simple intertwining and psychological warfare, after which they began to corner each other. The events were straightforward, but the subsequent outcome was somewhat unexpected. Naturally, at the outset, it wasn't just Fang La's army that found the developments surprising; even the refugee group itself only reacted after experiencing immense bewilderment.

Gathering dark clouds, oppressively hot and restless weather, and a winding riverbank, the convoy stretched out into the distance. This advancing group, numbering nearly ten thousand, was at its tail end, where murmuring and internal strife were brewing. Whispers circulated among the crowd. Meanwhile, in the front and middle sections, some mounted soldiers or strategists rode back and forth. Most carried paper and pens, dispersing among each small detachment of the remnant troops to record necessary information.

Conducting such statistics during the escape seemed somewhat rushed, but the directive, passed down since morning, was simple: The team leader, Chen Xingdu, had discussed it thoroughly with the gentry led by Tang Xiuxuan. If the group reached Huzhou, every soldier would be considered a hero for their escort. For future rewards, the name and origin of every individual, both officers and soldiers, would be recorded so that no one in the group would be overlooked. Furthermore, if anyone had family members who died or were separated in Hangzhou, they would receive additional compensation. This was their deserved reward for escorting these "important figures."

After the fall of Hangzhou, the Wu De Battalion found it difficult to maintain its formation. Although this group comprised over three thousand soldiers, their affiliations were quite chaotic, and most had lost the will to fight. Chen Xingdu became the military leader of this group because he had the most subordinates at the time, over seven hundred. While the others also followed orders, implementing them proved quite troublesome.

The Wu De Battalion was touted as elite, but in truth, it lacked extensive combat experience. After this major defeat, many would likely be filled with dread at the mere mention of reorganizing. However, after this order was issued, for ease of recording, these individuals began to spontaneously gather, temporarily electing officers according to their original camp formations. Although it appeared as if they were each claiming their own territory, they ultimately established a more cohesive structure. During this period, Chen Xingdu naturally also placed his trusted confidants to expand his influence, allowing orders to be issued more quickly.

Amidst the military headcount, rumors began circulating among both soldiers and civilians. Naturally, there was negative news, including the approaching pursuers behind them and the blocked paths ahead, which had secretly spread and then became public knowledge. Subsequently, other pieces of information also spread through whispers among the crowd.

"Mr. Tang and the others have found a way..."

"I heard someone from the Tang family has connections with the rebels of Qingfeng Stronghold. We have over three thousand Wu De Battalion soldiers now, and Qingfeng Stronghold will clear the way..."

"No, I heard someone named Ning Liheng devised a strategy that accounted for everything. General Chen and the others consider it a treasure. My cousin is at the main camp; he saw it last night..."

"Who is Ning Liheng?"

"Ha, you don't know, do you? This man appears to be a scholar, yet he's known as 'Ten Steps, One Calculation.' Furthermore, he possesses exceptional martial arts skills. Back in Hangzhou, when Fang La's gang caused chaos in the city, he helped strategize. Later, Shi Bao, Fang Qifo, and others personally went to kill him, but he outwitted them, killed several of their men, and then calmly walked away, leaving Shi Bao and Fang Qifo humiliated. Alas, it's a pity the city fell too soon; if it had held out for a few more days, I heard Fang Qifo would have been killed by him..."

"...I heard he also has a name in the martial arts world, but it's not 'Ten Steps, One Calculation'; people call him 'Bloody Hand Butcher.' We can definitely get through this time..."

All sorts of chaotic rumors instantly became exaggerated and legendary, including Ning Yi's actions in Taiping Alley and his nicknames, which were widely circulated. Of course, this did little to alleviate the anxiety that had already arisen in most people. With enemies both ahead and behind, few could trust an unknown, greenhorn, no matter how much he was portrayed as Zhuge Liang reborn; it wouldn't necessarily inspire much confidence. However, within the refugee group at this time, soldiers, wealthy merchants, gentry, landlords, and officials had very few choices. If Fang La's army caught up, they would certainly have no chance of survival; it would be a dead end. At such a moment, they could only cling to whatever hope was available. But it was different for the destitute or those with little wealth in the group. They had simply been following the crowd, initially feeling safe with the group, but upon hearing the latest news, they suddenly grew apprehensive. The group's order was weak, and various conflicts already existed, though they were initially suppressed by the collective effort. However, once these desperate tidings arrived, the tensions immediately intensified.

For these common people, even if caught, they could still choose to surrender, or scatter into smaller groups and hide in mountain gullies or villages. As long as Fang La's army didn't completely slaughter everyone around Hangzhou, there was naturally a chance to escape detection. By the afternoon of the tenth day, under the permissive indulgence of the group's leadership, after crossing a tributary near a place called Shiqiaobin, the fleeing group, triggered by a minor skirmish, split into two factions: one of seven thousand and another of nearly three thousand.

These three thousand began to turn northeast, attempting to bypass Qingfeng Stronghold and Xiaoluo Town, heading towards Jiaxing. Most of these people were commoners, though some cunning wealthy merchants and officials had also infiltrated their ranks. To them, the pursuing rebel army was primarily after wealth, and if the seven thousand could be used as bait, they might gain a slim chance of survival. Others, sensing danger ahead, simply began to leave the group and scatter into the surrounding areas as civilians.

At this point, issues of indecision also began to emerge among the pursuing forces. As they drew closer to the largest refugee group, various fragmented pieces of information suddenly appeared before them.

From isolated refugees, they could easily extract all sorts of information: the size of the group, the internal conflicts brewing within, the fantastic rumors circulating—such as 'Ten Steps, One Calculation' and 'Bloody Hand Butcher'—which had supposedly humiliated Shi Bao, Fang Qifo, and Liu Dabiao. Then there were reports of individuals starting to leave the group and go their own way, or intelligence that certain wealthy merchants and officials, realizing the urgency of the situation, had begun to abandon the group and flee into the mountains.

A group of ten thousand refugees left relatively clear trails, but at this point, a series of confounding factors appeared: scattered valuables stretching in various directions along the escape route. Scouts from all five armies were pushing forward, and clashed with Wu De Battalion scouts in different directions. Yao Yi and his men, marching north, were not originally cohesive. Disputes naturally arose over the distribution of spoils and loot. Finally, to maintain temporary peace, the five detachments positioned themselves some distance apart and advanced in the same general direction. Because they chose the same direction, Yao Yi and Lu Qiao's groups even quarreled again. Of course, at this point, no one was concerned about fighting. Even if they caught up, three thousand scattered soldiers surrounded by seven thousand troops wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight.

That evening, the main body of the refugee group, over seven thousand strong, turned back from the Shiqiaobin area where they had originally crossed the river. They almost brushed past Yao Yi's force, which was pursuing them north, then continued several li south under cover of night, making camp by a treacherous river bend. The river here curved like a hook. As they turned back south, there were already various traces along their path. Now, with the river blocking their way to the east and south, this bend seemed to pocket the people, making it virtually a death trap if Yao Yi and his men were to turn back south. However, Yao Yi and the others were currently eager to pursue northward and did not investigate further for the time being.

That night, the five detachments headed north via different routes. Several thousand men under Xue Dounan and Mi Quan even passed by on the opposite bank of the river bend where the main group was camped, setting up temporary camps in different areas, over ten li away from them. That night, the camp by the river was so quiet it was almost suffocating. As long as the five pursuing forces broke camp and marched north tomorrow, they would have their first opportunity to execute further maneuvers.

No one dared to light a fire or lantern. Knowing the gravity of the situation, everyone, at the precipice of life and death, instinctively held their breath, not daring to speak loudly for a while. However, the near miss with Yao Yi's army that night, involving a clever feint, was exaggerated in everyone's telling. While it was just a small trick, people needed some confidence to sustain them.

Thus, by the next day, as dark clouds gathered in the sky, the Wu De Battalion dispatched its most elite scouts to monitor the movements of the several armies to the north. Yao Yi's army began to break camp, as did Xue Dounan and Mi Quan's armies, and Shen Zhucheng's army. Lu Qiao's detachment was bringing up the rear, following Yao Yi's route towards Shiqiao Crossing. Then, on the eve of crossing the river at noon that day, he stopped...

He had started to turn back.

At noon, on a hillside to the north, a man named An Xifu rode on horseback, leading the Black Plume Guards as they hurried northward.

His mission differed from that of Yao Yi and the others, and also from Liu Dabiao, who had come looking for people on a whim. The goal of disrupting Huzhou to prevent it from reinforcing Jiaxing seemed simple enough; Yao Yi and his group treated it like a leisurely pursuit or a chance to get rich. But An Xifu was responsible for the bigger picture.

Chasing down fleeing people along the way was about collecting spoils, which could be handled a bit carelessly. However, Huzhou still had its own army, so he led the Black Plume Guards rapidly northward, having long surpassed the others' progress. For those who had suddenly risen up, like those in Qingfeng Stronghold and Xiaoluo Town, there had been no prior contact with Fang La. Thus, it fell to An Xifu to go and grant them an official designation and ensure they truly exerted themselves in battle.

By then, they were nearing Xiaoluo Town. A scout who had stayed behind to observe Yao Yi and the others' movements also returned on horseback, reporting the daily progress of the five detachments as usual. Looking at the intelligence brought back by the scout, the man in black casually pointed at a spot on the map, frowned, and then set the map aside. He found these people too lazy, too slow—slow in fighting, even slow in plundering—truly incorrigible. As for the refugee group, it was indeed a bit strange; this thought merely flickered through his mind, and he did not dwell on it.

However, after about fifteen minutes, as the group gradually descended the mountain, something began to click in his mind. He paused several times, then picked up the map. A moment later, he truly frowned: "That can't be right..."

He waved his hand, halting the group, then called for the scout. The scout began reporting information heard since yesterday, piece by piece. During this process, he also recalled the experiences of Shi Bao and others in Hangzhou, and the purpose of the Liu family woman's visit this time. Though still unsure, as he reflected, a certain ominous feeling seemed to descend from the gloomy sky to the south.

"Ning Liheng..." he mused, "I hope... it's not like that..."

The sky was dim. In the camp, Chen Xingdu sat in his tent, reviewing the plan Ning Yi had brought with two trusted confidants. When the scout's report arrived, his entire face turned pale.

"How... how could this be... It shouldn't be..."

He instinctively looked at Ning Yi's plan. The plan was somewhat complex but highly convincing. Up to this point, it could only be considered a beginning. Truth be told, with several thousand soldiers still remaining, breaking through Qingfeng Stronghold and Xiaoluo Town to head north towards Huzhou was not impossible. However, the pursuers were already close behind, and even a slight delay in battle would result in being encircled by nearly ten thousand enemy troops. With the soldiers' morale utterly depleted, expecting a smooth battle was simply out of the question.

Intensifying the conflict, using those three thousand as bait, and then this group quickly turning back to hide in a desolate place they were unlikely to search—as long as a small window of opportunity was found, they could change course again and gain more room to maneuver. Ning Yi had provided many analyses on the feasibility of this, including the temperament of the pursuing leaders and how to use money and psychological tactics to slightly widen the distance between them. Frankly, many contingency plans were arranged, with almost every situation anticipated. When Ning Yi arranged for some soldiers to create a diversion, causing slight suspicion among the pursuers and making them disperse, Chen Xingdu actually gained considerable confidence in Ning Yi. Moreover, Qian Haiping was there, recounting how Ning Yi's previous strategies against Shi Bao and others were similar to the current one and quite effective. Within the group, the re-organization of soldier formations was also based on Ning Yi's method. Subsequently, the rumors and divisions within the group almost entirely confirmed parts of the plan. They did indeed hide here for a night, yet they never anticipated that at this most crucial moment, the enemy would still discover them and begin to turn back.

The plan, in various ways, asserted that the enemy would be confused and confirmed its feasibility with complex rhetoric. Furthermore, subsequent plans were extremely enticing. However, it notably failed to clearly state what to do at this critical juncture. Someone seemed to have raised this point previously, but Ning Yi, feeling unwell at the time, simply said, "You can observe the developments and then decide if this is what you want to do. Is that acceptable?"

None of them had ever seen such a detailed and convincing plan before. Even Tang Xiuxuan said, "We must take a risk." Ning Yi's strong confidence at the time and his intricate arrangements in other areas temporarily silenced his doubters. But now, it was as if they had been struck on the head; the plan had been ruined the very next day at a critically vulnerable point.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Chen Xingdu grabbed the plan and walked out. The weather was hot and humid, overcast. The others, unaware of the news, waited quietly. He went straight to the Su family's tent. At that moment, Ning Yi had just woken from sleep. Since the evening of the ninth, his fever had worsened, and he needed Su Tan'er's support to sit up from bed. The high fever had temporarily affected his thinking. When Chen Xingdu entered, Ning Yi looked somewhat bewildered, then shook his head. Chen Xingdu watched him for a moment, then, suppressing a trembling tone, said, "Something has happened..."

Ning Yi rubbed his head, "Yao Yi... no, Lu Qiao... It should be Lu Qiao..."

Before he could finish, Su Tan'er, who was kneeling beside him helping him arrange his clothes, spoke up: "General Chen, where is Lu Qiao?"

Chen Xingdu paused, slightly stunned, looking at the couple. Then he dropped the plan, grabbed a map, and drew a point: "He's at Shiqiao Crossing, and he's turning back! He's found us!"

Ning Yi thought for a moment: "What about the others?"

Chen Xingdu swiftly drew four more points. The five points on the map formed a fan shape, already encircling their position, some further, some closer. Ning Yi looked at the map for a long moment, then closed his eyes: "Then what are you waiting for?"

"You..."

"Lu Qiao's army has only over a thousand men. We have four thousand. They are currently dispersed, separated by the river, and will gradually discover us. General Chen, now is the best time to defeat them one by one. This is all I can do. What are you waiting for?" The scholar, struggling slightly, stood before Chen Xingdu, his voice not loud. "They are scheming against each other and are far apart, so reinforcements won't arrive in time. Once these men are defeated, the siege of Huzhou will be lifted. General Chen, promotions, titles, and prosperity for your family are surely in store for you in the future, you know that."

Chen Xingdu hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Are you toying with me...? You know, a routed army collapses like a mountain. These men are simply incapable of fighting... even if it's just over a thousand enemies..."

"But we're not fighting for others now. We've been telling them the seriousness of the situation since yesterday. In open areas, they could take off their uniforms and hide in the mountains, but that's not possible now. We have no retreat. We've burned our bridges. We are an army driven by desperation. If we don't press forward, it's a dead end."

"If... if we don't win, do you know..."

"You actually believed that plan!?" Ning Yi slightly raised his voice, gritting his teeth and pointing at the plan Chen Xingdu had thrown on the ground. "That was all a lie, and it ends here! I'm not a god; how could I have predicted so much? General Chen, I could only control this one day. They are the pursuers, too careless, temporarily dazed, and unable to react immediately. If this counterattack fails, and they calm down, we'll have no opportunities left." "The path can be pointed out by others, but one's life must be earned by oneself! In this situation, there's no good way to survive by merely playing small tricks." He looked at Chen Xingdu: "My wife is pregnant. If four thousand men cannot defeat one thousand, we will all die here. That's it..."