Chapter 3: Weize (Three)

As Wei Ze was halfway through his drawing, Zhang Yingchen could no longer contain his intense feelings of envy. He said in a tentative tone, "Wei Sima, I wonder if you could teach me the skill of drawing."

"What are they transporting? If we kill the Qingyao, everything they are carrying will belong to us!" Wei Ze said with a smile

Once the plan was determined, the troops immediately sprang into action. Surprisingly, this action involved transporting all the items that were unnecessary during combat to a concealed location for safekeeping. Wei Ze explained that this time, they would take what they could and leave, aiming to travel light during the retreat. Naturally, the supplies that could not be taken at the moment should not be given away to outsiders; they must be hidden first, and they would come back for them when there was time.

The outsider Wei Ze was actually able to lead everyone along a path they had never taken before to reach the official road. More importantly, yesterday Wei Ze claimed that they could reach the official road in no more than one day. Naturally, Zhang Yingchen, who was dizzy from wandering in the mountains, did not believe it. However, upon truly arriving next to the official road, Zhang Yingchen felt both joy and surprise at such an outcome

Wei Changrong and his companions have already found the way down the mountain, and the group set up camp in a hollow half a mile from the official road. The area is densely forested and well-concealed. However, Wei Ze was still uneasy; he sent his brothers to several locations along the official road to personally observe the situation inside the camp before finally beginning to set up the camp.

Seeing Wei Ze take the lead, Zhang Yingchen retracted his thoughts, stood up, and rushed down after Wei Ze. Zhang Yingchen was about 165 cm tall, which was not considered short in Guangxi during the Qing Dynasty, while Wei Ze was around 170 cm tall, making him relatively tall with long legs. Zhang Yingchen realized that he had exhausted all his strength in the charge, yet the distance between him and Wei Ze was increasing. Meanwhile, someone next to him quickly surpassed Zhang Yingchen and soon ran ahead of him. Zhang Yingchen noticed that he had used all his strength to charge, but the distance between him and Wei Ze continued to grow. The person was Wei Changrong, who was about the same height as Zhang Yingchen.

This blatant act of pouring cold water did not achieve its intended effect, as Wei Changrong boldly replied: "What does it matter if there are more than two hundred people? My fourth uncle, along with seven other brothers, captured eight forts, and by following him to ambush the Qing army, we can definitely make the Qing troops suffer a crushing defeat."

Before Zhang Yingchen could refute, Wei Ze interrupted Wei Changrong's words, "Yingchen has already become accustomed to our marching speed; according to our pace, he should have arrived long ago."

The Taiping Army was not unfamiliar with the Qing Army's firearms; within Wei Ze's troops, there were five matchlocks captured from the Qing Army. These firearms were not only heavy but also had a complex operating procedure. Each shot required more than a dozen steps, and even skilled shooters in the Qing Army could manage only two shots per minute at most. Moreover, the barrels had poor heat dissipation; after firing five or six shots in succession, they had to wait for the barrel temperature to decrease before continuing to use them. The best way to deal with such firearms was to suddenly close in on the Qing Army, preventing these guns from having any opportunity to be utilized. This was the core point of Wei Ze's operational plan.

At that moment, Zhang Yingchen felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Wei Ze beside him whispering, "Send the order down, prepare to charge!"

Zhang Yingchen had heard about this matter concerning Wei Ze, but it was merely hearsay. He couldn't help but add, "We only have 26 brothers"

Even so, this did not undermine Wei Changrong's confidence; he patted Zhang Yingchen on the shoulder and said, "Listening to my fourth uncle is never wrong"

Not long after the Qing army's transport team had passed, Zhang Yingchen's eyes lit up as he noticed that the pack horses in the rear were carrying preserved meat. Zhang Yingchen could hardly see the Qing army or other transport teams, as the preserved meat occupied almost all of his attention. At that moment, he heard the sound of more than one person around him swallowing saliva. The thought that they might be able to eat meat if they defeated the Qing army suddenly filled Zhang Yingchen with the courage to fight. At that moment, he heard the sound of more than one person around him swallowing saliva. The thought that they might be able to eat meat if they defeated the Qing army suddenly filled Zhang Yingchen with the courage to fight.

In this day and age, without modern communication equipment, the only way to scout is by walking. Zhang Yingchen, Wei Changrong, and the others have been on the move for an entire day without any news. Naturally, Wei Ze did not remain idle; he made comprehensive preparations for the ambush positions and the retreat routes with his troops. Early in the morning on February 9, Zhang Yingchen hurriedly returned.

Moreover, according to Zhang Yingchen, the Qing army would arrive at the ambush site before noon, but unexpectedly, the Qing army's supply convoy was moving quite slowly and had not appeared even after noon. Wei Changrong could not help but ask Zhang Yingchen in a questioning tone, "You haven't revealed any clues that would alert the Qing demons, have you?"

Hearing such a resolute tone, Wei Ze turned to look at Zhang Yingchen, his sharp gaze fixed on him. Zhang Yingchen did not understand what Wei Ze meant, but he also returned Wei Ze's gaze with determination. Wei Ze was very pleased with Zhang Yingchen's attitude and said with a smile: "Yingchen, if you are going to study, then study well, and surpass me. I have high hopes for you"

Zhang Yingchen was certainly resolute, and his response was very firm

With both hands clasped in front of his chest, Wei Bo quietly gazed at the official road ahead. Wei Changrong, Zhang Yingchen, and other squad leaders stood to the left and right of Wei Ze, while further back were the soldiers who had endured countless hardships to reach their destination. The mountain wind was fierce, causing the long headbands of the soldiers to flutter in the air.

On the morning of February 8, Wei Ze and his team finally traversed the desolate Dayaoshan Mountain and arrived at a high peak beside the official road. Standing on the moss-covered rocks, with the piercing mountain wind around them, they looked down to see a winding road extending into the distance. With a broad view, the road was faintly visible amidst the trees and hills, yet its existence could be clearly discerned.

Zhang Yingchen, who was running behind Wei Ze, witnessed Wei Ze swiftly darting into the Qing army ranks. With the spear thrusting out like a venomous snake, he pierced the throat of a Qing soldier directly in front of him with a single strike. At this moment, Wei Ze had already come to a halt. As he gently twisted the gun barrel and retracted his arm, blood gushed forth from the wound on the soldier's neck.

Only a moment slower than Wei Ze, Wei Changrong, who followed closely behind, had already rushed to the front of the Qing army. He shouted, "Kill!" and thrust the spear in his hand fiercely into the lower abdomen of a nearby Qing soldier. Another Taiping soldier, who was following Wei Changrong, rushed slightly ahead of him and kicked the Qing soldier, who had been stabbed by Wei Changrong, in the chest and abdomen. The Qing soldier let out a terrible scream and released his grip on Wei Changrong's spear, falling backward.

Even in the case of an ambush, Zhang Yingchen and others observed that the Qing army did not appear to be very vigilant. Wei Ze did not become complacent as a result. He immediately devised several plans with his brothers to address different situations.

The ambush position was no more than twenty-odd meters from the official road. Within less than half a minute of standing up, Wei Ze had already penetrated into the Qing army ranks, which were completely taken aback by this sudden turn of events

More Taiping soldiers have taken to the official road, and their coordination is quite tacit. Those who are as agile as Wei Ze can single-handedly deal with the enemy, while the fierce but less skilled warriors require two or three to confront a single Qing soldier. In the blink of an eye, five or six Qing soldiers have already perished on the spot

Watching Wei Ze skillfully manipulate the charcoal stick to sketch the route of the mountain path and depict the terrain near the official road, Zhang Yingchen was left dumbfounded, unsure of what to say. Of course, Zhang Yingchen had contributed to that map; the cross symbol in the upper right corner, which determined the final direction, was established with his assistance. However, discerning direction was Zhang Yingchen's innate talent; for him, as long as he observed the sky according to the time, and then glanced at the mountain's shape and the appearance of the trees, he could accurately determine the direction. Indeed, Zhang Yingchen had a role in that map, with the cross symbol in the upper right corner confirming the final direction being his contribution. Yet, recognizing direction was Zhang Yingchen's gift; for him, simply by checking the time, looking at the sky, and observing the mountain's contours and the trees' shapes, he could precisely ascertain the direction.

Wei Changrong thrust the spear in his hand against the rock and took a step forward, leaning over to see what was below the cliff. Wei Ze quickly grabbed Wei Changrong, saying, "Be careful, we have come this far, do not let a moment of excitement lead to any trouble."

I have spotted the grain transport team of the Qingyao! They should arrive here by noon at the latest" Zhang Yingchen reported with considerable anxiety

Before being assigned under Wei Ze, Zhang Yingchen had always been a member of the city defense forces and had no experience in field combat. Although he had received some combat training under Wei Ze, Zhang Yingchen was still taken aback by the formidable combat capabilities displayed by his comrades.

At this point, Wei Changrong fell silent. Zhang Yingchen shot a glare at Wei Changrong, yet did not refute anything. After all, it was Zhang Yingchen's prediction that had gone awry. Even though Wei Ze provided an explanation for Zhang Yingchen, the mistake at hand was undeniably real. Fortunately, in anticipation of changes, Wei Ze had instructed everyone to bring a bamboo tube of military rations. Upon realizing something was amiss, he ordered everyone to have another meal, which ultimately prevented any significant deviation. However, as he chewed on the cold rice mixed with yellow bean porridge, Zhang Yingchen felt uncomfortable looking around. He believed that the brothers beside him would return his gaze with unkind eyes.

Zhang Yingchen, have you seen enough? If you have, then start killing the Qing demons!" Wei Changrong, who was following Wei Ze, had just dealt with another Qing soldier. He turned his head and shouted loudly at Zhang Yingchen.

Zhang Yingchen possesses a talent for discerning directions and was selected by Wei Ze in the team to undertake the important responsibility of determining the direction. As a local, Zhang Yingchen took a long time to truly convince himself that the road ahead was by no means a minor path, but rather the official road familiar to him as a local from Yong'an. However, Zhang Yingchen had never stood at such a high vantage point so close to the official road, experiencing an indescribable sense of both familiarity and strangeness.

Is that true? What does the grain transport team of the Qingyao carry?" Wei Changrong asked impatiently. If it weren't for the fact that the ambush camp was more than a mile away from the official road, and Wei Ze had ordered everyone not to speak loudly, Wei Changrong would have likely shouted out loud.

The other brothers also nodded in agreement with great enthusiasm

Zhang Yingchen felt a sense of despair, as this was, after all, a battle of one against ten. While Wei Ze might be capable of facing ten opponents alone, Zhang Yingchen did not believe he possessed such abilities. Given the repeated emphasis on the number of Qing troops, the veteran soldiers of the Taiping Army remained confident, which led Zhang Yingchen to feel that perhaps Wei Ze and Wei Changrong were indeed formidable fighters. In truth, Zhang Yingchen did not wish to expend such great effort traversing mountains and valleys only to return empty-handed.

Zhang Yingchen had heard Wei Changrong boast numerous times about Wei Ze's bravery. In the last battle, the Qing army was annihilated while in retreat, and winning was not particularly remarkable. Upon seeing Wei Ze charging at the front of the ranks, Zhang Yingchen acknowledged that Wei Ze was indeed "brave." Now, Zhang Yingchen could personally verify whether this individual was truly as skilled as the rumors suggested.

Zhang Yingchen knew that Wei Changrong had a rather impulsive personality and enjoyed taking risks, but he did not expect him to become quite serious at this moment

Upon hearing this, Wei Changrong immediately stepped back and nodded in response: "Uncle Si is right, I indeed have not been careful enough"

The preparation of the position was quite good, but as soon as the brothers took their positions, they realized that something was amiss. The official road is, after all, an official road; even during wartime, when there are few travelers, it has not reached the point of being completely deserted. In order to avoid exposing the ambush position, the brothers could not move once they lay down. Although they had grass cloaks for concealment, they were wearing cotton jackets seized from the Qing army, and there was quite a bit of grass underneath them. Even in this motionless state, the cold was still difficult to endure. Although they had grass cloaks for concealment, they were wearing cotton jackets seized from the Qing army, and there was quite a bit of grass underneath them. Even in this motionless state, the cold was still difficult to endure

In the brief moment when Zhang Yingchen was focused on observing how his comrades fought, Wei Ze had already consecutively stabbed to death four enemies. The Qing army could never have anticipated encountering such a ferocious foe. Zhang Yingchen witnessed firsthand the Qing soldiers turning pale with fear, trembling all over, completely oblivious to the fact that their firearms had fallen to the ground. In the face of such an enemy, Wei Ze showed no hesitation whatsoever, nor any semblance of mercy; his attacks were aimed directly at the throats of the Qing soldiers. Taking a few steps forward, he swiftly stabbed two more Qing soldiers to death.

The camp is quite simple; two long spears are fixed at the ends on the ground, with their heads tied together. A long spear is then placed on top of these two pairs of support points, bound with grass rope, and covered with cloth, creating a tent that can accommodate six people sleeping closely together. Now that the weather is cold, huddling together can provide warmth, and the brothers have no objections.

Zhang Yingchen then understood that Wei Ze was not just speaking to him alone, but was instructing him to relay the message to the brothers beside him. He quickly turned his head and whispered to the ambushed brothers nearby: "Pass the order down, prepare to charge"

The orders were passed down one after another, and as the whispers grew fainter, the commands spread throughout the troops. Suddenly, a rustle in the grass was heard, and Wei Ze abruptly stood up from his concealed position. Shaking off the straw hat from his head and the grass cloak from his body, Wei Ze raised his long spear high into the air and shouted, "Brothers, charge with me!" Without looking back, Wei Ze thrust his spear forward and charged towards the Qing army.

The Qing army's supply convoy moved with great swagger, and was soon discovered by Zhang Yingchen and his companions. Seeing Wei Zesheng's confident demeanor and the joyful expressions of those who were excited about the opportunity to ambush the Qing troops, Zhang Yingchen immediately added with concern, "There must be more than 200 of them!"

As a local, Zhang Yingchen, along with several brothers, let down their hair, wrapped their headscarves tightly, and set out to scout the way

This statement greatly exceeded Zhang Yingchen's expectations. Learning from others is a significant matter, and a student must express the utmost sincerity, while a teacher tends to be evasive. However, from Wei Ze's tone, it seemed he was quite pleased with Zhang Yingchen's desire to learn drawing. This was simply the opposite of what one would expect. Zhang Yingchen is 23 years old this year, 4 years older than Wei Ze. Having come from the Tiandihui, Zhang Yingchen has interacted with many friends from the martial world, and he suspected that Wei Ze was merely speaking out of youthful exuberance. This was simply the opposite of what one would expect. Zhang Yingchen is 23 years old this year, 4 years older than Wei Ze. Having come from the Tiandihui, Zhang Yingchen has interacted with many friends from the martial world, and he suspected that Wei Ze was merely speaking out of youthful exuberance. Yet, Wei Ze's attitude made Zhang Yingchen feel otherwise. Throughout the following time, Zhang Yingchen was completely preoccupied with this matter, and neither of them spoke until Wei Ze finished the drawing.

This capability has been praised by many around Zhang Yingchen, yet it has never received such high acclaim as it has here with Wei Ze. More importantly, no one has ever been able to accomplish so much based on Zhang Yingchen's ability to discern direction as Wei Ze has.

Similar to the situation reported by Zhang Yingchen, this Qing army hired a group of pack horse teams. The pack train consisted of approximately fifty to sixty Dian horses, including the horse herders and the Qing soldiers responsible for escorting, totaling more than 200 individuals. Wei Ze's team only had 26 members, with 21 brothers armed with spears and five brothers equipped with matchlock guns

Wei Ze commanded, "Everyone split up to find the way down the mountain, Yingchen, you stay here." After saying this, Wei Ze took out his account book with the drawn map and asked Zhang Yingchen to help determine the direction

"Do you really want to learn?" Wei Ze replied without looking back

The Qing army did not discover the Taiping army, which was carefully hiding in the grass. They did not even observe any places that could serve as ambush points. Zhang Yingchen, who was hiding in the ambush position, was instead intently watching the Qing army's supply convoy. He noticed that the Qing army's formation was extremely lax, and the pack train hired by the Qing army was taking care of the horses, not wanting them to exert too much effort, resulting in a very slow pace. The Qing army moved at the same leisurely speed as the livestock. Zhang Yingchen, still in his ambush position, continued to watch the Qing army's supply convoy closely, noting the same laxity in their defenses. The Qing army's central force was led by an officer of an unclear rank, but there were quite a few guards surrounding him, though it was unclear whom they were escorting. This Qing army unit was almost entirely armed with firearms, confirming that it was a unit from the Qing army's Green Standard troops.

After the preliminary preparations were completed, the troops lay in ambush on the prepared positions, waiting. The ambush site was located on the side of the official road, beyond a hillside. After careful searching, it was determined that this area was about 20 meters from the official road, and the ground was mostly flat. The troops wore hats made of straw and cloaks of grass. They lay hidden in the grass. Under Wei Ze's orders, Zhang Yingchen personally observed the ambush position from the official road. He saw only a vast expanse of dense grass and no sign of any people. Lying in the grass, Zhang Yingchen, under Wei Ze's orders, again observed the ambush position from the official road, and once more saw only a vast expanse of dense grass with no sign of any people. At this point, Zhang Yingchen felt relieved.

After approximately half an hour had passed, the brothers who were observing from a high vantage point finally came down to report that a troop of Qing soldiers had appeared on the official road

Without even glancing at the enemy who was beyond saving, Wei Ze turned half his body, accompanied by a roar, "Kill!" Wei Ze's spear once again pierced the throat of another Qing soldier.

The time has come to engage in a real battle with the Qing army, and Zhang Yingchen felt his heart begin to race intensely. Just as he was feeling excited, he caught a glare from Wei Ze, who commanded, "Send the orders down, prepare to charge!"

Zhang Yingchen was startled by the roar, trembling slightly. Although he knew that a battle was imminent and rushed out, it was only now that he suddenly realized one thing: he was already on the battlefield. Watching Wei Ze and Wei Changrong, among others, either skillfully or ferociously assassinating the enemy, he saw the Qing soldiers caught off guard by the sudden attack. Confirming his presence on the battlefield, Zhang Yingchen cast aside all other thoughts. He randomly fixed his gaze on the nearest Qing soldier, regardless of whether he could hit or not, and with all his might let out a roar, "Kill!" Zhang Yingchen thrust his spear forward.

Meanwhile, the other warriors had begun to inquire of Wei Ze, "Commander Wei, how shall we proceed with the battle?"