Chapter 252: The Hero Who Wishes to Save the Realm
Chapter 248 of "The Great Ming in the Box" introduces new challenges: Cheng Xu recalled the troops and pulled back beneath the low cloud.The militia also withdrew.... Keep following!
Cheng Xu recalled the troops and pulled back beneath the low cloud.The militia also withdrew. Everyone tallied their loot and found, huh, there was quite a haul indeed.
The officials had fled while shedding gear every step of the way, truly embodying the spirit of âdisarming completely in a stampede.â
Li Yingâs full set of Mountain-patterned Armor was now entirely in the hands of the militia. Several men had each picked up various pieces, and together they assembled the whole set. Bringing it to Cheng Xu, they said, âCaptain Ghost, we captured the enemy commanderâs armor. This should go to you.â
Cheng Xu laughed. âWhat use have I for that? The set Iâm wearing is no worse in craftsmanship than this. Bring it back and store it. When we gain a second commander, itâll be for them.â
Ground Rabbit suddenly popped in from the side. âThat would definitely be me! Grand Commander, Mr. Rabbit. Why not just give it to me early?â
âThump!â
Cheng Xu knocked Ground Rabbit flat with one punch.
Everyone counted their spoils, gathering everything into a large bundle to carry back.
Usually, whether soldiers of the Ming army, Qing troops, or bandit rebels, the rule regarding loot was âfinderâs keepers.â But Gaojia Villageâs militia operated differently. One of the âThree Main Rulesâ they studied daily was that âall captured goods must be transferred to public ownership.â Therefore, anyone who obtained spoils didnât get to keep them. Instead, everything was pooled for centralized distribution.
This ensured the militia wouldnât have individuals chaotically or recklessly charging ahead out of greed for plunder during battle.
Li Daoxuan watched their actions from the sky and silently nodded in satisfaction. Excellent. The results of ideological training were beginning to show.
As he thought this, his gaze caught a fast-moving figure at the edge of his perspective: a lone rider galloping hard. The rider was fully armored and gripping a long spearâŚ
It was Fang Wushang, Patrol Officer of Chengcheng!
News of the Guyuan rebelsâ approach had secretly been relayed to the county town by the gentry of Fengyuan Town. Liang Shixian and Fang Wushang had rushed immediately to aid.
The magistrate, leading the militia, was slower and had fallen far behind.
But Fang Wushang possessed a horse. Being impetuous, he couldnât wait for the foot soldiers to catch up and charged ahead solo, mounted and unaccompanied.
He arrived a step too late. Li Yingâs division had long since vanished entirely, and Cheng Xuâs militia was already turning back.
A more cunning patrol officer, someone like Cheng Xu, would certainly halt the pursuit then. But Fang Wushang was rigidly upright. Seeing the âGuyuan rebels,â he roared instantly, âTreacherous rebels, dare you invade my Chengcheng?!â
With a slap to his horseâs rear, he charged forward.
His charge dumbfounded Li Daoxuan. âEh? How could he just charge in like that?â
Equally bewildered, Cheng Xu muttered, âDoes that patrol officer value his life so little? How much pay does a small ninth-rank inspector even get? Is it worth such reckless sacrifice?â
âHe⌠Captain Ghost, heâs charging at us!â
âWhat do we do?â a few voices asked nervously.
Cheng Xu âhmphâ-ed. âWhat do we do? Pick up your spears, pull in tightly, and form a circle pointing all weapons outward. Thatâs what we do.â
The militia, by now well-trained, followed the order instantly. They pulled into tight formation. Hundreds of spearpoints snapped up together like quills of a giant porcupine.
This was their first time facing cavalry; watching the warhorse hurtle towards them, they were visibly terrified. Several dozen trembled, the men gripping their spears unable to hold them steady.
But it was enough!
Fang Wushang, halfway through his charge, saw the enemy transform its formation thus and was shocked himself. He dared not charge headlong into them like he had previously done to the He Yang bandits. He yanked on his reins, pulling his horse into a frantic turn around the militia square.
Cheng Xu bellowed, âRaise crossbows!â
As one, every militiaman lifted their small crossbow upwardâŚ
Fang Wushangâs heart jumped. Abandoning even the circling, he frantically reined his horse around and fled backward.
Cheng Xu didnât give the order to fire. Instead, he shouted after Fang Wushangâs retreating back, âBrother, soldiering is just a common trade to survive! Donât risk your neck like this. Go back and lie low. We of the Guyuan border army merely came seeking our past-due military pay from the imperial court. We wonât rob the common folk.â
Stiffening slightly upon his saddle, Fang Wushang glanced back at Cheng Xu in disbelief. Slapping his horse again, he sped off. Internally, he pondered. The frontierâs border army was formidable indeed. That formation I stood no chance breaking solo. Even with my hundred men at hand, success would remain hopeless. Pray this rebel band keeps their word and refrains from harassing Chengchengâs populace.
Only after he was entirely out of sight did Cheng Xu laugh derisively. âHah! Why would we rob the common folk? Are any peasants across Chengcheng County richer than our villagers? Plundering their homes might yield less loot than robbing Ground Rabbit!â
Those nearby chortled in agreement, âExactly! Letâs go rob Ground Rabbit!â
Ground Rabbit exclaimed indignantly, âH-hey now, what kind of terrifying talk is this? This Mr. Rabbit possesses not a shred of affluence! Empty as my rabbit hutch, youâd find naught but grains had you robbed me.â
Zheng Gouzi questioned him, âThe militia pays well! How can you possess nothing? Iâm relatively new myself and already banked a tidy sum.â
Ground Rabbit burst into boisterous laughter, âYou know nothing! This Mr. Rabbit practices righteous vegetables! Every coin drawn as pay I gave unto the poor folk dwelling within Bai Family Fortress! Hahaha! Riches to me stink as manure. I, Mr. Rabbit, shall one day save the realm and sweep away all evil beneath Heaven. Why cling so greedily to transient treasure?â
Astonished silence met his wordsâŚ
Only Cheng Xu retorted caustically, âRighteous generosity! Not vegetables! Damned fool, where did you muster the audacity for such boastfulness?â
Gao Chuwu mumbled beneath his breath, âBack before, when you first joined the village, you did bounce around fussing over tiny trifles of pay.â
Ground Rabbit flared up instantly. âAghhh! Let those disgraceful deeds pass unspoken! Whomsoever brings them up again shall this Mr. Rabbit silence with his âCelestial Rabbit Swordâ!â
Momentarily speechless, the others collectively ââŚâŚâ
Li Daoxuan almost chuckled aloud. Ground Rabbit. Always managing pleasant surprises at the strangest places.
Perhaps herein lay the peak joy found in fostering miniature worlds. Moments where one stumbled upon delight amongst these little folk.
The militia resumed their withdrawal. Soon, they skirted Fengyuan Town.
Liang Shixian, Fang Wushang, local gentry, as well as the townâs own militia, crouched upon the town walls. They watched this âGuyuan rebel bandâ with wary eyes, dreading an abrupt assault upon Fengyuan.
Their wariness proved unfounded!
Cheng Xu and his crew bypassed the town entirely, continuing north. Swiftly, they slipped back into Huanglong Mountain. Upon ensuring Fengyuan Townâs scouts failed pursuit into hills, they immediately tore off their cloth masks. Together they burned the banner bearing âGhostâ insignia and the âReturn Our Hard-earned Military Pay!â standard. They wound through the mountainsâ secret vale, looping westward to emerge descending Bai Family Fortressâ northern slope.
Bai Yuan awaited them already. With a cupped-fist greeting he asked, âHow fares matters?â
Cheng Xu gestured upward at the low cloud above, a relaxed smile breaking. âUnder the Deityâs watchful gaze, how could we do less than succeed? We successfully drive Guerrilla General Li Ying clear beyond Chengcheng.â