Chapter 544: Cheng Xu's Literary Prowess
A single, synchronized volley left the West Camp Eight Great Kings reeling.
He hadn't anticipated such a sudden surge of musket-wielding government troops...
Who in the blazes were these government soldiers? He’d never faced such ferocity before.
But given the choice between unraveling the mystery and preserving his life, he swiftly opted for the latter.
He immediately deployed the bandits' most practiced and essential tactic: "Retreat!"
To scatter the moment the tide turned even slightly—this was the core nature of a bandit. It was the only way they managed to survive, however precariously.
The West Camp Eight Great Kings lived up to his word, turning tail and sprinting northeast, his rearguard becoming his vanguard. They wore no heavy armor, all of them lightly equipped, carrying even less than the Gao Family Village musket-wielding troops. The moment they broke into a run, they were incredibly swift, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
They left behind only a scattering of corpses and a few bandits, wounded but not dead, groaning miserably on the ground.
Only then did Cheng Xu lead his troops, slowly, onto the Dragon Gate Bridge.
Cheng Xu remarked, "So, Shanxi has erupted in such chaos again in the blink of an eye? Even with just a fleeting glance, I spotted at least twenty to thirty thousand rebel soldiers."
Shi Jian replied, "It’s absolutely rampant. Ever since Cao Wenzhao and Wang Cheng'en were redeployed to Shaanxi to contend with Shen Yikui’s faction, the rebel armies in Shanxi have grown significantly bolder."
Cheng Xu let out a wry chuckle. "Are they behaving like students whose teacher has stepped out of the classroom?"
Shi Jian echoed his wry amusement. "Precisely! The moment Mr. Wang turns his back, Gao Sanwa is up on the ceiling, scribbling away. Now that Cao Wenzhao is gone, these rebels are on the verge of turning heaven and earth upside down."
Cheng Xu inquired, "And Du Wenhuan? Where is he?"
Shi Jian replied, "Du Wenhuan has been imprisoned."
A single, bewildered "Why?" formed in Cheng Xu's mind.
Cheng Xu, it turned out, was far less informed about official government developments than Shi Jian and his men.
Shi Jian sighed faintly. "A few months back, Shen Yiyuan laid siege to Qingyang. Du Wenhuan went to avenge the Shen brothers, and after successfully eliminating Shen Yiyuan, he took the opportunity to slaughter some refugees from Yanchuan, passing them off as rebels to inflate his achievements. Wu Shen uncovered this deception and impeached him. Censor Zhang Chengzhao then followed suit with his own indictment, leading to Du Wenhuan’s imprisonment and dismissal."
Cheng Xu listened, then offered a bitter smile of his own. "Killing innocents for false glory, eh? If that happened in our territory, the Heavenly Lord would strike him down with a divine palm. Just a few days ago, the Heavenly Lord mentioned Gao Family Village needed a military academy principal. I was even contemplating suggesting we entice Du Wenhuan to join us, but I never imagined he was such a scoundrel, capable of such deceit. The Heavenly Lord would never tolerate someone like that."
Shi Jian glanced at the two thousand militiamen arrayed behind Cheng Xu and couldn't help but inquire, "Instructor He, are we truly deploying all our elite forces this time?"
Cheng Xu nodded. "The Heavenly Lord has decreed that we must consolidate the strategic line stretching from Dragon Gate Ferry, through Hejin County, Pingyang Prefecture, and all the way south to Puzhou City. This entire corridor lies along the Shaanxi-Shanxi border, precisely where rebels prefer to operate. We must instill such fear in them that they will never dare to return."
Shi Jian nodded in understanding.
Cheng Xu continued, "The Dragon Gate Yellow River Bridge will become an exceedingly vital strategic artery in the future. All overland cargo transport between Shanxi and Shaanxi will pass across it. Since you are now tasked with its defense, you must guard it with the utmost vigilance."
Shi Jian looked a touch embarrassed. "With merely four hundred men, defending this crucial bridge against tens of thousands of rebels—that truly presents a considerable challenge."
Cheng Xu chuckled, patting his shoulder. "Don't fret. Once this battle is done, you won’t be limited to merely four hundred men."
Shi Jian looked utterly perplexed. "How so?"
Cheng Xu grinned. "Come, come, bring me paper and a brush. I'll instruct you on how to compose a proper memorial to the throne."
Shi Jian merely blinked, utterly baffled.
Cheng Xu picked up the brush and began to write with a flourish. He breezily skipped over the initial paragraphs, which were doubtless filled with obsequious praise, and cut straight to the heart of the matter: "...The rebel leader Lao Huihui and the West Camp Eight Great Kings launched a coordinated assault on Hejin County. Your humble servant, though commanding a mere four hundred troops, was ordered to garrison Hejin and faced them without fear. The bandit chieftain Lao Huihui, with two thousand cavalry, charged my formation. I, alone, stood resolutely before the lines, loudly reprimanding Lao Huihui, appealing to his sense of honor, and reasoning with him. Overwhelmed by shame, Lao Huihui covered his face and withdrew."
"Shortly thereafter, the West Camp Eight Great Kings advanced with fifty thousand rebel soldiers. I, personally leading the charge, fought a desperate battle against the rebels, refusing to yield. Though struck by numerous arrows, I plunged into the enemy lines, cutting through them thrice, shattering the rebels’ resolve. My subordinates and the militia then followed, sweeping in to inflict a crushing defeat upon the West Camp Eight Great Kings at Dragon Gate Ferry... Later, the physician extracted arrowheads from my body, weighing no less than two catties..."
Finishing his flamboyant account, Cheng Xu set down his brush, blowing triumphantly on the freshly inked page. He then grinned. "See that? A memorial like this, once it reaches the court, should net me at least a two-rank promotion, wouldn't you say?"
Shi Jian felt a cold sweat prickle his brow. "Instructor He," he stammered, "nine out of ten sentences you’ve written there are pure fabrication!"
Cheng Xu burst into hearty laughter. "Of course I know I’m embellishing! In truth, once this is submitted, the high officials and even the Emperor himself will likely recognize the exaggerations, but that hardly matters. Just peruse any history book; you'll find countless embellishments there. The crucial thing is that the outcome is correct: Lao Huihui and the West Camp Eight Great Kings genuinely retreated, and you genuinely defended Dragon Gate Ferry. As for the narrative, what harm is there in a little bravado? Everyone appreciates a stirring battle report; no one will scrutinize the details too closely! Unless, of course, you're a universally reviled member of the Eunuch Party."
Shi Jian remained speechless.
Cheng Xu clapped him on the shoulder. "Keep up the excellent work, you'll be promoted before you know it."
Shi Jian was momentarily dumbfounded, but nonetheless carefully folded the letter, sealed it in an envelope with wax, and then gathered the ears of the musket-slain rebels. These grisly trophies were placed in a box and dispatched to Wang Cheng'en, the Grand General of Shaanxi, for his official inspection.
After offering Shi Jian a few more pointed instructions, Cheng Xu led his forces onward, continuing their march northeast.
Meanwhile, the ten thousand common folk of Hejin County had been thoroughly terrified by the recent battle. For the time being, returning to Hejin County itself was out of the question. The county town had no walls, leaving its residents vulnerable to constant threats from rebel soldiers. They would be living in perpetual danger, so staying put seemed far preferable to going back.
The government soldiers here seemed impressively formidable.
Shi Jian, naturally, took them in, sheltering them within the water fort.
Following this engagement, Shi Jian concluded that the modest water fort was dangerously inadequate. It needed expansion, and quickly. He promptly penned another letter to San Shier of Gao Family Village, requesting funds for the urgent enlargement of the small, rundown stronghold.
San Shier, of course, had no reason to refuse. "Excellent," he replied. "Cement will be dispatched to you immediately, along with a few Blue Hats. Organize those ten thousand Hejin County refugees as laborers and transform that dilapidated water fort into a formidable concrete castle."
Shi Jian was overjoyed.
Meanwhile.
Xing Honglang’s forces had just departed Puzhou City, beginning their northward journey. After covering several dozen li, a small, forlorn town emerged on the banks of the Yellow River ahead. It was dilapidated, utterly lacking town walls, and stood as a pathetic sight against the horizon.
Gao Chuwu exclaimed, "Oh? This town is utterly derelict! What place is this?"
Xing Honglang explained, "This place is called Sunji Town, under the jurisdiction of Linyi County. It once possessed town walls, but they were likely torn down when Old Zhang Fei’s forces came through, causing havoc."
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