Chapter 108: Never Go to Gaojia Village After Dark
Begin Chapter 104 of "The Great Ming in the Box" with: Cheng Xu exclaimed, âHoly crap! This weird-looking catapult actually works? How did you manage that?âThe... Find out more!
Cheng Xu exclaimed, âHoly crap! This weird-looking catapult actually works? How did you manage that?âThe deputy inspector, equally stunned, remarked, âJust like that, Bai Family Fortress now has ten catapults. The more bandits swarm us, the easier it is for these catapults to hit them.â
Cheng Xu snapped, âIdiot! How many men could catapults kill? Their real value is breaking the enemyâs spirit! Those bandit thugs are already a disorganized mob. In battle, they refuse to charge headlong. Just hurl a few large stones into their ranks with catapults, and the rear units will falter. Meanwhile, the reckless fools in front keep surging forward, splitting their formation clean in half. Weâd crush them both easily.â
After a pause, he shrugged dismissively and scoffed, âEven splitting them though, trapping the head and tail from aiding each otherâour current forces plus Bai Family Fortressâs militia still couldnât stop that army.â
Compared to the catapults, that bizarre giant train intrigued Cheng Xu more. It was colossal and intimidating. Even a two-zhang catapult could be transported on it. Using it to move troops or supplies? Thatâd beâŚ
He recalled the last time heâd seen itâwhen the giant train had barreled through Little Overlordâs rebel ranks, scattering bandits like rag dolls. Cheng Xu secretly marveled: Now thatâs the real game-changer.
Unfortunately, it was too clumsy. Rough terrain rendered it useless. Earlier, when leaving after delivering the catapult, just turning around took agesâagonizingly sluggish and awkward. If I were commanding against it, Iâd seize that moment when it pivoted. Order soldiers to storm aboard and butcher whoeverâs driving it.
Enough. Bai Family Fortress canât hold anyway.
His mind stayed fixated on fleeing. While half-heartedly discussing defenses with Bai Yuan, he ignored every word said. Over two hours later, mealtime arrived. The Bai Steward started distributing rations to soldiers, and Cheng Xu readied himself to mooch a meal.
Suddenly, that rumbling sound echoed once more.
Grabbing two steamed buns from the Steward, Cheng Xu gnawed at one while climbing to the watchtower. Scanning the noiseâs source, he saw the peculiar giant train returningâŚ
Bai Yuan hurried outside once again to greet it.
Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu parked by the gate, beaming. âLord Bai! The Deity sent us bringing a second haul of treasures.â
Curious, Bai Yuan looked: This time, it carried a bunch of colorful giant crossbow vehicles. These were the exact 1:200 models Ningyang Toy Company had specially customized for the âDaily Life in the Tiny Kingdomâ themeâpart of their collaboration with Li Daoxuan on the TikTok Little Yellow Bike project. Li Daoxuan had delivered ten more to Bai Yuan.
Made mostly of plastic yet mirroring ancient giant crossbows, Bai Yuan and Cheng Xu grasped their design instantlyâno explanation necessary.
Bai Yuan cheered, âThanks to the Deity! More fortress-defying marvels!â
Cheng Xu also thought, Giant crossbow vehicles beat catapults for defense. Catapults rely on luck, but crossbows? Pinpoint accuracy. Still⌠what sorcery are these bolts?
Turns out each bolt was plastic-blunted, childish playthings. Cheng Xu shook his head wearily.
Bai Yuan gestured calmly, âFear notâthe Deity blesses with mercy. Though blunt, we sharpen them. Slice bamboo tubes to cap the tips.â
Instantly, villagers chopped thick wood bamboo, capped the dull arrows, then sharpened the other endsâturning frivolous toys into lethal spikes.
Since giant crossbow vehicles couldnât arc shots like catapults, they couldnât lurk behind walls; they needed mounting atop. But they were significantly smaller and lighter. Coordinated villagers hoisted them onto the fortress wall with heave-ho shouts, installing them along the parapet.
Cheng Xu scanned left and right. Unknowingly, Bai Family Fortress now boasted ten catapults and ten giant crossbow vehicles. Eyes widening, he slapped his forehead awake. âHuh?! How can this cramped Bai Family Fortress hold more siege equipment than a border army general?â
Beside him, the deputy inspector also gaped, whispering shakily, âGeneral⌠doesnât Bai Family amassing all this⌠constitute treason?â
Cheng Xu tilted his head, considering solemnly. Privately forging armor? Undeniably treasonous. Hoarding firearms? Also treason. But siege weapons? Never heard of such an accusationâutterly beyond his knowledge.
After scratching his head forever, he murmured, âWho knows. Why stress? Stronger fortress only helps us. If it blocks the bandits from Chengcheng County, thatâs ultimately my credit. I could just claim I organized villagers to build these siege weapons.â He smirked coldly. âPocket the glory? Why brand Bai Family a traitor? Pointless malice. Not my style. Unlike those spineless, report-snitching scholarsâsons-of-unmentionables types.â
The deputy inspector nodded dutifully. âWhat the general says is wise.â
Awkwardly chatting, both stared as that giant train outside painstakingly turned once more and rumbled away.
Cheng Xuâs curiosity surged. Approaching Bai Yuan, he probed, âMr. Bai, where did that enormous train come from? Where did these siege devices arrive from?â
Bai Yuan answered plainly, âTransported from Gaojia Village.â
âGaojia Village?! Again?â Cheng Xuâs mind flashed with both visitsâdawn and laterâhis skin suddenly prickling. Voice tense, he asked, âMr. Bai, which Gaojia Village? The daylight one or⌠the night one?â
Bai Yuan, baffled: âGaojia Village has different day and night forms?â
Cheng Xu explained, âFirst time, nearing duskâI saw a colorful wall. Inside, villagers stared back frenzied and strange. Another time, daytime⌠saw a sturdy fortress. Thatâs where I claimed Zheng Yanfu and Zhuang Guangdaoâs headsâŚâ
Bai Yuan chuckled lightly. âOh! General Cheng witnessed the same Gaojia Village both times. It just⌠shifts. Rapidly. Constantly moving, shape-shifting itself. As for Zhuang Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu? Overreaching fools who tried raiding Gaojia Village at night. Hehâdid they think high Jia Village allows nighttime strikes?â
Bai Yuan wasnât lying; every word was true.
But to Cheng Xu, those words sounded wholly unnatural. Shivers ripped up his spine.
Nearby, the deputy inspector also paled, sweating cold.
The two retreated aside. The deputy rasped, âGeneral⌠Mr. Bai impliesâitâs safe by day. But at night? Gaojia Village becomes a village of ferocious ghosts⌠All those slaughtered banditsâŚ? Ghosts did it.â
Cheng Xu wiped rivulets of sweat. âAfter sundown, steer clear of that haunted ground. Whatever you do!â He shuddered involuntarily. âNever want to meet my⌠grandmother there.â