Too Many Thieves in the Realm (7)
With so many bandits plaguing the land, a militia of a thousand had gathered under heaven's mandate. Or at least, that's what it felt like—though how could ten thousand people assemble in an instant? It was the convergence of several circumstances.
First, the Jingzhou garrison hadn't fled. Second, reinforcements were rushing from Yangyang at once. Third, three-tenths of these folk fell under the Cai clan's influence. Fourth, another three-tenths were long-time locals of the area. Fifth, the rest were mostly refugees from Xuzhou who'd settled on my lands and the Cai family's domains.
And the ultimate reason?
The bandits appearing in northern Jingzhou were dawdling, but they were steadily pushing southward.
"The enemy is targeting Xinya Castle here."
The Suyeon Academy had become a makeshift command post. Mun Bing clustered flags marked "Zhang" on the map north of Xinya and began sliding them downward.
"The enemy numbers about five thousand. Mostly infantry, mixed with archers and cavalry, from what we can tell."
"How accurate is that count?"
"Five hundred cavalry. The rest appear to be infantry. We couldn't pinpoint the archers inside."
He wasn't incompetent. Identifying around five hundred cavalry was proof enough of his skill.
His scouts had survived the cavalry pursuit to bring back intel.
"Five hundred cavalry."
"If they're who we think—Jang Je, subordinate of Dong Zhuo—then they're the infamous Xiliang cavalry."
Xiliang cavalry. I hadn't witnessed their might firsthand, but I knew their fearsome reputation well. Wasn't it their power that let Dong Zhuo seize Luoyang? Five hundred cavalry meant they'd chase down and slaughter scouts by the dozens, even hundreds, while scouting. The infantry trailing behind? They'd be hauling loot.
"A thousand militia, five hundred infantry. We can't win a straight fight."
"True. Not in a straight fight."
Mun Bing and my eyes naturally turned to Sima Yi.
"Jungdal, what's your take?"
"Yes, Lord Taeyang."
Sima Yi stepped forward and pointed at the map.
"The enemy is advancing slowly from north to south. Plunder is part of it, but their main goal is seizing land."
"To take Jingzhou?"
"Yes. Yangyang Castle nearly fell to Sun Jian's vanguard from Yuan Shu back then. General, how much attention does Governor Liu Biao pay to military readiness?"
"...The fact that northern Jingzhou's defenders number only five hundred says it all."
Liu Biao's flaw number one: even after getting mauled by Sun Jian, he hadn't bolstered his forces.
"Put all of Jingzhou's soldiers together, and you'd get maybe thirty thousand."
"Ten thousand in Yangyang, the rest scattered across the ports."
After the Sun Jian incident, Liu Biao had expanded his military—stockpiling grain, recruiting and training troops. Compared to other warlords, it was half-hearted, but better than when Sun Jian's three thousand vanguard had stripped them bare.
Yangyang got the boost, anyway.
His real focus was always "defending Yangyang Castle."
Against invaders like this, he'd send relief if they were a match—or bar the gates if not. Naturally, the people outside Yangyang suffered the most.
It tied to Liu Biao's nature, but now wasn't the time to nitpick. Blaming him wouldn't conjure ten thousand troops out of thin air.
Once this is over, I need to tell Liu Jing Sheng to bulk up his garrisons.
What rebellion could spark from more troops in northern Jingzhou? Or even the south—would the likes of Lady Cai or Han Xian in the Hanning Four Garrisons revolt?
...The south had some risk, I'd heard, but a governor had to care for his borders at least.
We had to make do with what we had. While I pondered, Sima Yi was already deftly commanding Mun Bing and his aides.
"First, we repel them with what soldiers we have. Our top priority: slaughter the enemy while shedding as little of our own blood as possible."
His aides smirked at Sima Yi's words. If it were that easy, what war would ever be lost?
"Our only edge is familiarity with the terrain. Nothing else. We're outnumbered, short on trained troops, and a head-on clash would shatter our lines against the Xiliang cavalry."
"So what do you propose?"
"We use the terrain."
Right, if only it were that simple.
"It's winter. Time to show them what thin ice means."
"Lure them onto the ice and drown them?"
"Yes. Right here."
Sima Yi pointed between landmasses, where a river flowed.
"Bait. Lure. Weight. Collapse."
"A flood attack?"
"Exactly. They're so eager for Yangyang—let's send them straight down this river all the way to the Yangtze."
Success meant wiping them out. Failure? We'd be the ones annihilated, lure or no.
"The enemy won't cross the riverbank."
"...This is truly your plan? Not Master Kim Taeyang's?"
"General, I'm no expert in strategy or tactics. I can advise or refine Jungdal's schemes, but crafting them from scratch? Beyond me."
If Sima Yi framed the big picture, I filled in the gaps, weaving it tight.
"But as her master, if Jungdal's plan fails, I'll bear the responsibility."
"Why?"
"I recommended her. Her failure is mine. To Jingzhou, it's northern lands plundered and thousands of civilians massacred. But to the volunteers who took up spears trusting me? An unforgivable sin."
Sima Yi would bear the crime of a failed scheme. I'd bear the sin of leading people to death on her word.
"General Mun. This only works if you cooperate fully."
"And if I refuse?"
"The Suyeon Academy militia proceeds alone."
Not just the aides—Mun Bing himself frowned at her words. The militia would handle it without official help. Even if that's how it came across, Sima Yi remained serene.
My answer can't be wrong.
That's what she was saying—and I believed it too.
"General, will you stake your life for us?"
"......Hah. Master Kim Taeyang."
Mun Bing gripped his sword.
"Soldiers exist to protect the people. Fine, let's do it. If I die, make sure you and the others escape alive. And... look after my boy."
"General!"
"It won't come to that, right? Lady Sima?"
"Of course not."
Following Sima Yi's proposal, the two thousand volunteers I'd raised converted to engineers.
And then.
"For the lure—"
"General."
The most dangerous role in all this.
"I'll draw them in."
How could I let Sima Yi take such a reckless job?
"General! Urgent report—the Jingzhou garrison's right on top of us."
"Hah."
Jang Je snorted at the flags fluttering in the distance.
"That their garrison? Call it a scouting party."
His aides smirked at the mockery.
"Barely three hundred, if that. All wielding swords, half not even in proper breastplates, let alone full armor. Grab some farmers, slap a blade in their hands—is that a garrison?"
"Defending the land makes them a garrison, no?"
"True. They'll realize it means nothing once they're all dead."
Jang Je raised his hand.
"Time to teach them how perilous these chaotic times are. Charge—"
"General, look there."
Clop, clop.
A single horse stepped forward. The man in official robes had a sharp look.
But no way did he pass for a "general."
"Haha, Jingzhou's so peaceful. A scholar leading the garrison?"
"Might not be the garrison. Could be dragging his students out with swords."
"Maybe. Haha."
Jang Je spurred his own mount forward.
"Who are you?"
"Shut your filthy mouth, you scum!"
He got cursed at out of nowhere. Jang Je doubted his ears.
"What'd you call me?"
"Filthy thieves stealing what ain't yours! That's how your mothers raised you?"
"...That bastard."
Even a sage wouldn't stomach insults to his parents.
But such trash talk was daily life in Chang'an.
Jang Je leisurely drew his sword with a grin.
"Run now, and you live."
"Aigoo, how tragic! Your mothers must've been thrilled to birth sons like you, only for you to grow into grain-stealing bandits!"
"Watch your tongue."
"If they'd known you'd turn out thieves, they'd have tossed you whelps aside!"
The man spat on like he meant every disgusted word.
"They say the uneducated flaunt it—and you lot are beyond saving! Don't even think of learning! You'd just prowl doing trash like this anyway!"
"Scholarly curses are so proper. Let me teach you real filth."
Jang Je bellowed a laugh.
"Right! Who taught you to curse before greetings? Fetch your parents! I'll charge them for raising you wrong!"
"Our parents are dead!"
"Then point me to their graves! Hahaha! I'll crack the coffins open myself and check on them!"
The man seemed genuinely choked up. Jang Je mocked his flushed rage with wild laughter.
"Kahaha! As expected, you're—"
"As expected of Dong Zhuo's shit-eaters!"
Jang Je yanked the reins, freezing his horse. "What... did you say?"
"Scraping Dong Zhuo's leftovers—you scraps got no business talking!"
"You bastard! What nonsense is this?!"
"Shut it, maggots! Dong Zhuo's ass-lickers yap too much!"
The youth twisted his lips.
"Ah, got it! Your parents wiped Dong Zhuo's ass for a living and passed the trade to you! Tsk, tragic! Could've made it a family business for your kids too!"
"Grab that fucker—!!"
Neigh—!!
"I'll cut out his tongue and send it to Chang'an!"
The Xiliang cavalry and infantry charged forward as one.