Chapter 273: The Way Home (6)

On July 11th, the ninth year of Jinghan, after noon, at the border between Huzhou and Hangzhou, dark clouds filled the sky, casting the world into an afternoon gloom. A thunderstorm gathered menacingly. Within the encampment, several thousand remnants of the Wude Battalion began to gather in an open clearing.

Anxiety permeated the crowd. In the main tent, the generals and gentry who were now part of the escape party's high command argued fiercely amidst the gloomy atmosphere. Some, with more volatile tempers, seemed on the verge of coming to blows, only to be restrained by those around them.

It wasn't just there; news that Lu Qiao's army had discovered their hiding place and was now rushing towards them had gradually spread throughout the troops. Even among the common people, there were whispers, but no immediate panic broke out. If the news were true, they couldn't even make a reckless decision. Behind them were rivers and lakes about to be swollen by rain, and ahead lay a trap. No one knew where to flee.

Some were verifying the truth of the situation, while others sought out acquaintances to ask for countermeasures. The main tent, however, drew the most attention from all kinds of people. Tang Xiuxuan, Qian Haiping, Chen Xingdou, the sickly young scholar Ning Liheng, and many other individuals who once held renown or official positions in Hangzhou were all closely watched.

Ning Yi occasionally spoke briefly with a few people, mostly with Tang Xiuxuan. As one of the patriarchs of the four prominent families, this elder still held the highest status and had the most connections. The Wu Dynasty had long valued scholars over military men; even Chen Xingdou couldn't afford to slight true gentry at this time. Tang Xiuxuan spoke with Ning Yi for a long time, then at one point, he finally frowned, gave Ning Yi a deep look, and nodded.

“When we were in Hangzhou, Master Xiwen held you in high regard, didn’t he? At this point, we have no choice but to follow your lead. Go, and take care of yourself.” As he spoke, an officer, seething with anger, was about to rush at Ning Yi but was restrained. Tang Xiuxuan glanced, shook his head, and, leaning on his cane, turned to leave. The cursing officer was pulled away. Ning Yi did not look at him, and with Su Tan’er’s support, walked off to another side. Although he was very tired, there were still things to do.

During this time, Yao Yi’s forces were ceaselessly approaching from the south, where they were located. Further north, the Black Plume Guards had changed direction and were rushing towards them. Beneath the sky, to the northeast of this battlefield, across the river, a woman named Liu Qianqian, known by her nickname Liu Xigua, was leading a unit of the Tyrant Blade Camp to encircle the north side of Shiqiao Crossing. She was not in a hurry; she was merely waiting for Lu Qiao and others to defeat the fleeing party somewhere in the north, after which she would claim the strategist she desired.

As Ning Yi, suppressing his dizziness, made his way to the clearing where the Wude Battalion soldiers were gathered, clamorous noises had already reached him several times from afar. Faintly, Chen Xingdou could be heard speaking, explaining the entire situation they faced to the soldiers present in meticulous detail.

It was a grassy field, which now looked like a small parade ground, with a simple platform set up at the front. The wind was not strong. As Ning Yi ascended from the side, half of the people turned to look at him. Su Tan’er did not follow; such a place was unsuitable for her to provide support. On the platform were not only Chen Xingdou, but also Tang Xiuxuan, Qian Haiping, and some Hangzhou officials and gentry. Looking at the somewhat frail Ning Yi, they harbored some resentment, but did not show much of it. Some stared at him, while others turned their heads away.

On the large platform, there was a simple screen displaying their current location and the five enemy forces they faced.

“…Brothers! We have no retreat! They mean to kill us! We can only go forward! We have three thousand men; they have only a thousand, and they are dispersed, unable to assist each other… Their current underestimation of us is our only chance. If they realize their mistake, we will have no opportunities left… For days, we have struggled to put distance between us. The path can be shown by others, but life must be fought for by ourselves! Those with mettle, pick up your blades and carve a bloody path forward!”

Chen Xingdou himself was skilled in martial arts. His loud voice carried across the entire field, but he wasn't particularly eloquent, mostly repeating Ning Yi's words. After he finished speaking, Ning Yi walked over, handed a large stack of scrolls to Tang Xiuxuan, and then went to Chen Xingdou’s side. “I have no strength left, General Chen. Can you relay my words?”

Chen Xingdou nodded. Ning Yi surveyed the dense mass of over three thousand people and spoke in a low, slow voice: “Turning back halfway and falling into this trap was a deliberate calculation by me—Ning Liheng. You have all been part of my scheme. But besides facing death to find life, we have no other path.”

Chen Xingdou was momentarily stunned, then began to relay his words loudly, causing an immediate buzz among the troops. Ning Yi waited for a moment.

“Ahead, there’s no escape; behind, there are pursuers. A force of nearly ten thousand cannot conceal its tracks. In this Hangzhou region, no matter how we move, given enough time, we will only face a dead end. Ahead of us, there are nearly six thousand enemies. But after the Battle of Hangzhou, Fang La’s bandits have grown overconfident. Yesterday, we so easily deceived them at Shiqiao Crossing – that is clear proof. We still have one sole chance of victory: we are the Wude Battalion… we are the elite of the army.”

Ning Yi looked at them, but such flattery actually had little effect.

“In the Battle of Hangzhou, due to circumstances beyond our control, we suffered a defeat, one that even we found somewhat inexplicable. Three thousand men are still here today. I don’t know if you’ve begun to fear. But Fang La’s forces already consider us mere dirt and dogs. They’ve sent five armies, each with only a little over a thousand men. These groups argue amongst themselves, unwilling for others to gain too much advantage. As for how to defeat us or seize our belongings, they haven't given it any thought. Like you, they believe there’s no need to consider it further. But we still have three thousand men, and over there, the manor guards and escorts number nearly a thousand. The current situation is illustrated on the map behind me: they, just over a thousand strong, are coming aggressively, while we, over four thousand strong, only think of fleeing. They, one thousand; we, four thousand.”

“I don’t understand warfare well, and I don’t know if we can win. But now, our situation is clear to everyone. Unlike before, this time, each of you clearly understands how we must fight. I can only help you with some other matters.”

He waved his hand, and some large and small chests were carried onto the platform.

“Starting yesterday, we began recording the names and origins of all brothers. Elder Tang, who is here today, is at the head of this. I have just handed all the scrolls to him. In this company, we are all in the same boat. If we can return to Huzhou, look at this platform, look over there—everyone will owe you a favor. Every single one of you can be promoted and gain wealth.”

The chests were opened, and the gleam of gold and silver flashed out.

“Those here are not ungrateful people. You have guarded Hangzhou. I know that many of your relatives and brothers were also in Hangzhou; some are in this force, while others have died in Hangzhou or cannot get out… Fang La killed them, burned your homes… there were women too…”

Ning Yi paused, then pointed to the screen behind him: “They are not like the elites who originally attacked Hangzhou. They are peasants, ill-equipped even with basic weapons! They fight us with rakes and wooden sticks! Now, just over a thousand of them are aggressively approaching! We can think about how to escape – strip naked and jump into the river, swim across! Or we can go over there right now and crush them! You’ve already seen it: their five armies are dispersed. We can devour Lu Qiao’s unit, then Yao Yi’s. The others won’t be able to catch up in time. We can fight with the river at our backs, circle around, and then take out Xue Dounan. It’s going to rain; this is Heaven helping us… How to fight this battle, and whether we can win, you can decide for yourselves!”

“If you win, you can avenge your fallen relatives and brothers from Hangzhou! You can claim this gold and silver! You can go to Huzhou, gain official positions and noble titles! You will be the only army to win in this great Hangzhou war! Every single one of your names is clearly recorded in the scroll in Elder Tang’s hands. When that scroll reaches Huzhou, none of you will be forgotten. Even if you cannot return, your families will receive what is due to them, and those who live will care for your families as if they were their own closest kin!”

Elder Tang nodded, saying, “I, this old man, will be responsible for this matter; Heaven and Earth be my witnesses.” Someone then relayed his words.

Ning Yi smiled: “If we don’t win, then there will be nothing. Brothers, my wife is pregnant, and she is standing right behind me. If we can still lose under these circumstances, we will all die here. All this gold and silver will be plundered by them. You will not survive. They breached your city in Hangzhou, destroyed your homes, killed your closest kin—those vendettas will never be avenged. At this moment, if we strive forward, we will live and gain everything. If we retreat now, none of us will get revenge, and it will be a dead end… They are a mob of disorganized peasants, not even fully armed, with no training or order, who came here just to loot and kill. They have only a thousand men. Will you lose? Will you lose everything to them?”

“Or will you take something back?”

When he finished speaking, the entire scene fell into a suffocating silence. Under the oppressive dark clouds, everyone gazed at the large screen, stunned for a long moment. Finally, someone murmured, “We can get revenge…”

“How could we possibly lose—"

“Trample them to death—"

The wave of voices gradually began to coalesce. At that moment, someone abruptly rushed out: “Don’t listen to him! He’s spreading lies and confusing the masses! He’s the one who trapped us here!” It was the officer who had previously caused trouble for Ning Yi. This man, named Xia Qi, was the cousin of the troublemaker Ning Yi had beaten half to death for obstructing water collection on the morning of the ninth. For the past few days, he had repeatedly opposed Ning Yi. His sudden appearance caused the soldiers’ emotions to abruptly falter, and Xia Qi immediately began to claim that the plan was Ning Yi’s doing alone.

Those on the platform were also stunned. Chen Xingdou, who had been pleased to see the soldiers’ morale stirred, now pointed at the man: “Xia Qi! Isn’t your petty quarrel with Young Master Ning over your cousin enough these past few days? How dare you sow discord among the troops at a time like this!”

A force of ten thousand men, while large, can also feel small. On that day, Ning Yi had made an enemy of Xia Qi’s cousin, and some soldiers were aware of the grudge. Xia Qi raised his head and said, “General Chen, what I say is the truth. If it weren’t for Ning Liheng…”

Before he could finish, Ning Yi had already taken a few steps to the side of the platform, seized a northern-style crossbow from a nearby soldier, vigorously drew its string, and aimed it directly at Xia Qi. Xia Qi froze for a moment, then spread his hands, exclaiming, “You dare—!”

The next moment, with a thud, blood spurted out as the crossbow bolt struck him directly in the forehead. The man fell to the ground, eyes wide, still in the pose with arms outstretched. Ning Yi, with his other hand, gripped a long spear from a nearby soldier, struggling to keep his footing. “Stop your prattling! Stop being so effeminate! Stop whining! You’re no man!”

He was already in a weakened state, yet he used brute force now. His voice, audible to everyone, momentarily stunned not only the soldiers below but also Tang Xiuxuan and the others on the platform, who stared in shock at this usually sickly scholar, a chill running through them. They had heard rumors of Ning Yi’s ruthlessness and his encounters with Shi Bao and others, but they had never witnessed it firsthand until now, seeing him kill so decisively.

“There are only two paths! Forward! Or backward! Make your choice, then go and fight for your lives! Those with a personal grudge against me! Come find me afterward! Kill me! I’ll gladly oblige! But those who disrupt military morale at this moment are all our mortal enemies! You are free to choose whether to listen to them or not!”

After Ning Yi finished speaking, his hands and body trembled violently, but he remained standing. Xia Qi’s subordinates, initially stunned, now had someone abruptly shout, “How dare he commit murder in public, brothers…” Before he could finish, a sharp “ping” sound rang out, and someone from behind swiftly drew a blade and slashed at him. The man was agile, parried the blow, and stepped back a few paces, only to hear his assailant yell, “Who the hell are your brothers?!” This assailant was someone who had long harbored a grudge against him.

Amidst the crowd, someone else swiftly drew a blade and pointed it, shouting, “This man has ill intentions!”

“Kill him!”

More shouts erupted. The man with the blade retreated a few steps, while shouts swelled from all directions. Many had their eyes reddened by the sight of the recent blood, and it was clear to everyone that confronting Ning Yi at this moment would be futile. Amidst the cries, the man was suddenly slashed in the ribs by someone nearby, and blood gushed out. He opened his eyes in shock, wildly swinging his blade around, as a burly soldier charged through the crowd and thrust a blade into his stomach with a whoosh: “I’ll kill you, you coward—!”

One slash followed another. Soldiers formed a circle around the man, blades flashing repeatedly as they hacked at him. Blood sprayed everywhere, until someone finally cleaved the man’s head. The surrounding ground was stained red with blood. The burly soldier who had struck first raised his steel blade and faced north, shouting, “Brothers, slaughter those scoundrels! Avenge us—!”

“Kill them.”

“Slaughter those peasants—!”

“I want revenge!”

In moments, almost everyone’s eyes were bloodshot from the savagery. Blades gleamed like fire, and a roar of voices began to boil over. While the army might not have had much discipline at this point, the raw courage of men pushed to their limits had finally been ignited.

Ning Yi stood there, leaning on the long spear, watching everything. He blinked, and then the darkness around him began to close in. His body grew cold, his vision started to tilt. He took a breath, vaguely hearing someone shout, “Young Master Ning—!”

“Young Master Ning…”

Consciousness faded…

Half an hour later, under the gloomy sky, on a hillside in a stretch of hills less than two *li* north, Lu Qiao’s soldiers brought their quarry into view. Like a pack of wolves, they charged towards them. The two sides quickly entered bowshot range. The few arrows fired from their side seemed to have little effect.

Lu Qiao was still puzzled as to why the engagement occurred so swiftly. The several thousand Wude Battalion soldiers, eyes red with fury, wielded their blades and spears, surging forward like a tidal wave, their roars shaking the heavens.

A soldier leading the charge under Lu Qiao’s command subtly sensed something was wrong and almost instinctively paused, only to be pushed down by comrades behind him and trampled over. Ahead of him, more soldiers instinctively slowed or stopped. This turn of events was unlike anything they had imagined, and unlike similar encounters from previous days.

The shock among these thousand-plus men did not last long. Moments later, they were simply overwhelmed by the chaotic, yet furious, charge before them. A raging tide of thousands swept powerfully along a battle line several *li* long, surging northwards.

There was no protracted struggle, no tactics, no further encirclement or interception. After the initial clash, a red carpet of blood was laid out, and corpses littered the ground…