Too Many Thieves in the Realm (4): Mun Bing Confronts Zhang Ji's Army
The world was overrun with thieves. Jingzhou enjoyed relative peace. But that didn't mean it was free from all threats. Precisely because it was so peaceful, bandits and river pirates frequently appeared around its borders. Of course, Jingzhou's official forces had launched major campaigns to suppress them, reducing their numbers compared to other regions.
To put it bluntly, outright bandit rampages or warlords sparking conflicts were far less common here.
"We can't do jack here. Let's move somewhere else!"
Relative stability meant it was tough for bandits to operate.
But an incident like this—thousands of them—was unprecedented. These weren't mere ragtag militias armed with sickles or axes, nor Yellow Turban remnants. They wore full armor and moved with systematic precision. It was as if an entire warlord's army had come to plunder northern Jingzhou.
"Full army alert!"
Jingzhou immediately shifted to emergency mode. Upon reports of five thousand enemy troops descending from the north, Liu Biao swiftly summoned his generals.
"Scouts confirmed it. The five thousand coming down from the north hail from Chang'an."
"Chang'an, you say?"
"Indeed. And according to the reports... they're troops from one of the Four Guardians, 'Jang Je.'"
The generals and advisors recoiled at the name Jang Je. He was one of the four warlords—alongside Li Jue, Guo Si, and Fan Chou—who had seized control of Chang'an after Dong Zhuo's death.
In essence, a subordinate of Dong Zhuo was marching five thousand men into northern Jingzhou.
"Isn't Jang Je one of Dong Zhuo's men?"
"Li Jue and Guo Si wielded power rivaling Dong Zhuo's together, but Jang Je held his own too."
"Jang Je, Li Jue, Guo Si—they're all the same breed."
What kind of man was Jang Je? The assembled officers quickly reached a consensus.
Dong Zhuo's lackey. That said it all.
"But why has he shown up here?"
"I know the answer."
All eyes turned to the middle-aged man.
"Speak, Kuai Yue."
The scholar in official robes, Kuai Yue, bowed hastily.
"Consider it in context of recent events. The Emperor fled Chang'an. Someone who should be in Chang'an appears from the north? My lord!"
"He's undoubtedly come chasing the Emperor!"
"The Emperor, eh."
Liu Biao, seated at the head, stroked his beard and scowled.
"The Emperor escaped Chang'an, and Jang Je chased him all the way here?"
"Highly likely! This is our golden chance to serve him. Dispatch troops at once to find the Emperor!"
"Nonsense."
"General Cai?"
Cai Mao shook his head in rebuttal.
"If it were a pursuit of the Emperor, it would be Li Jue or Guo Si leading it. Not to take sides, but reports say Jang Je mediated between them and even protected the imperial house."
"So he's protecting the Emperor?"
"No. I doubt it. He's more likely gone independent."
Independence. The word cast a pall over the room.
"He aims to seize Jingzhou?"
"Could be the land, or perhaps the grain stores. Scouts report systematic plundering of northern villages."
Northern Jingzhou. The area around Wan had borne the brunt.
"I believe he's fled here to escape power struggles up north."
"Fled south. Plausible. But why all the way here..."
Liu Biao irritably tapped his fan against his chair.
"The bastards dared plunder my Jingzhou's people. General Cai."
"Speak, my lord."
Three men answered in unison. The three Cai clansmen who served Liu Biao all responded at once, but he pointed his fan at Cai Mao.
"You speak, General. If Jang Je attacks Jingzhou, can we stop him?"
"Yes. We can."
Cai Mao indicated the Jingzhou map on the wall.
"They won't dare cross the Yangtze to Yangyang. They'd need boats, which they can't procure immediately."
"Not Yangyang, but what of Xinya?"
"Everything but Xinya Castle would fall to plunder. We must intercept north of the Yangtze—not at Yangyang, but around northern Xinya."
"Xinya, then. Good. We can't turn Yangyang into a battlefield again."
Ambush and crush them at Xinya. Liu Biao clapped and asked,
"Who goes?"
......
Silence fell. Neither civil nor military officials volunteered. Even Cai Mao, who had just proposed the site, glared at the others and stayed mute.
No Yangyang official stepped up to reinforce Xinya. Liu Biao clutched his throbbing head.
"Who's defending the north?"
"Mun Bing."
"Mun Bing? Ah, yes. Reliable man."
Mun Bing. Recently enlisted under Liu Biao, from Wan itself—the perfect spot to defend against northern incursions. Huang Zu of Jiangxia rated him superior even to himself. At least far abler than anyone here.
"How many northern defenders?"
"...Around five hundred."
Five hundred. Against five thousand.
A tenfold disparity. Even Mun Bing's prowess couldn't overcome Dong Zhuo's battle-hardened elites.
"Can they hold out in Xinya Castle?"
"The men would survive. But they'll plunder northern Jingzhou until we drive them off—and only then will the problem end."
"Right. Who?"
Who. The word sealed every mouth.
"Very well. I'll decide. Cai M—"
As Liu Biao's gaze shifted to Cai Hua, Cai Mao narrowed his eyes in a glare.
Go ahead and appoint someone. Dare to meet Jingzhou's governor's eyes like that? Only Cai Mao could.
"Urk..."
Liu Biao bit his lip and aborted the order. Fury boiled inside, but he couldn't name Cai Mao outright.
The other Cai clansmen were the same. And the rest? Better not to send them at all.
"Hm... Tricky."
"My lord, what of General Huang?"
"Huang? Who?"
"General Huang Zu. He's temporarily in Yangyang."
"Ah, right. Yes, Huang Zu."
Why was Jiangxia's governor in Yangyang? Liu Biao had sent a letter just to see his face—and Huang Zu actually came.
Talk about perfect timing.
"Summon Huang Zu!"
* * *
At that moment, Yangyang's eastern port.
"...What the hell is this?"
Huang Zu stared blankly at the order flying his way.
"Rush north, join Mun Bing's defenders, and wipe out the enemy?"
The sheer numbers overwhelmed him.
"Beat five thousand with five hundred? In open battle? Are they insane?"
"Governor, you can't?"
"Not a siege—an open-field rout? Madness. Against Dong Zhuo's men. But..."
Huang Zu gripped the order tightly.
"Debts must be repaid."
"What if Jiangxia falls while you're gone?"
"Falls? Ha, after you smashed all the local pirates, who's invading? Yuan Shu's busy conquering Jiangdong, from what I hear. My lord must've calculated that before sending me to Xinya."
"Or...?"
"Gan Ning, watch your tongue. Don't second-guess the governor."
Huang Zu returned the order to the messenger.
"We'll sail up the Yangtze from the port, link with reinforcements, then head to Xinya."
"Fortune in battle!"
The messenger pocketed the order and rode back to Yangyang. Huang Zu boarded with heavy steps.
"Set course upstream. To Xinya as fast as possible. Hurry!"
"Yes, sir!!"
Jiangxia's sailors sprang into action, and the moored ships began ascending the Yangtze.
"Governor, what's this about a debt?"
"Someone showed me a path to survival."
Huang Zu gripped his sword against the northern wind.
"One thing a man must do is repay favors."
"Heh, that's the spirit, Governor!"
Gan Ning slapped Huang Zu's back with a booming laugh.
"That's a real man."
A handprint-shaped bruise bloomed on Huang Zu's back.
* * *
"Any strategy—tactics, whatever. A way for five hundred to beat five thousand, or at least buy time. Please, teacher, help us."
"Hm..."
No escaping this. Nor should I.
Just as Huang Zu came to me in desperation, so had this man.
He's a parent, basically.
I hadn't realized before, but commanding northern Jingzhou's defenses meant he was general material. The fake beard for gravitas was a bit much, but with the mustache, he looked the part.
Honestly, more potential than Huang Zu.
Five hundred. Five thousand.
Doable.
I wasn't a master strategist, but this fight was winnable. Especially with backup behind me...
"General, you know me well? I'm just good at reading situations and setting the board. Tactics? Not my forte."
"No need for false modesty. I know you greatly aided General Huang."
"I had help that time."
Sorry, Xun You—I'll apologize later.
"Do you know this girl?"
"...Your prized disciple?"
"Correct. Yi Ya, greet him."
"Pleased to meet you. Sima Yi, courtesy name Jungdal."
Mun Bing's eyes widened.
"A woman...!"
"Her insight into strategy surpasses mine. And..."
This was Sima Yi's idea first.
"With Sima Jungdal's stratagems, tactics, and maneuvers, we can rout those northern bandits without spilling a drop of blood."
My role: set the stage for my disciple to shine.
"I'll be the mouthpiece. Using Jungdal's brain to defend Jingzhou. All right?"
"You as mouthpiece—surely you don't mean..."
"Yes."
To protect my land, I'd step up myself.
"I'm a man who lives by words. Leave the talking to me."
Words from my mouth mean responsibility on my shoulders.
"Let me defend Jingzhou."
Southern Jingzhou's north. Now my land and grain were under threat.