Chapter Seven, The Arrival of the Enemy (Part One)

"Er Lang, should we open the city gate?" Zhao Wu inquired

Zhao Yu took the divine bow and immediately handed it to Zhao Wu, smiling, "Brother Wu, it's your turn." Zhao Wu had just lost face in front of everyone, and if he did not regain it in a timely manner, it would likely pose obstacles in the future when trying to have him lead troops.

Zhao Yu waved his hand backward and said, "The crossbow is coming."

Note 1: Unlike the Empty City Stratagem created by Luo Guanzhong, the Empty Camp Stratagem attributed to Zhao Zilong in the "Yun Bie Zhuan" had already been compiled into anecdotes during the Song Dynasty's discussions of the Three Kingdoms.

At the Bell and Drum Tower, Zhang Yu has already found a place that belongs to him. He sits sideways, wearing a hint of a modest smile. This smile carries a touch of humility and a hint of self-importance, making it instantly pleasant to behold. Coupled with this modest smile, his somewhat unsightly appearance instead evokes a sense of approachability, indeed, he smiles just right.

A single sound of a "buzz" echoed as the crossbow bolt was forcefully shot out. Everyone hurriedly turned their gaze towards the outside of the city, only to see the scout horse quickly retreating.

Zhao Yu began to doubt her judgment, "Could it be that this corrupt official truly values righteousness so highly?"

Moreover, the county magistrate somehow saw through his lies, speculating on his intention to defend the city, and presented a significant gift. How could such a clever and perceptive individual sacrifice himself to benefit others

It was not that Zhang Yu was asking for an exorbitant price, making Zhao Yu reluctant to bid—his life was firmly in Zhang Yu's hands, and it would be easy to repay once he was on solid ground; rather, it was Zhang Yu's proposal that was too bizarre: he was actually willing to use himself as collateral, asking Zhao Yu to release the captured civil and military officials.

Zhang Yu no longer called out, but lay quietly, motionless.

This divine bow is a crucial military asset, and the Song court regards its manufacturing method as a treasure, keeping it a closely guarded secret. The finished products are only equipped to the imperial guards, and those who dare to replicate it for personal use are always subject to immediate execution. For Zhao Yu, obtaining it is undoubtedly a delightful surprise. However, this surprise was unearthed by Zhi Shan.

Not only Chen Wu, but also Master Zhishan, Zhao Wu, and several other leaders stood on this city tower. Only Zhao Wen, who led three teams as a reserve force, was left at the Bell and Drum Tower. No matter which section of the city wall was attacked, they could arrive for support within a quarter of an hour.

He is testing the waters. Everyone on the tower thinks so. Pirates often engage in such tactics; whenever they encounter a plump target whose details are unclear, they always send out one or two fast boats to harass and probe, confirming whether the creature beneath that white fleece is a sheep or a wolf

As I watched a flag being hung from the city tower, one of the three mounted scouts on the official road split off. That scout advanced slowly, gradually approaching the city tower, perhaps to get a closer look at what was happening atop the city wall

The crowd on the city wall cheered loudly. Zhao Yu wore a beaming smile, repeatedly patting Zhao Wu on the shoulder. Chen Wu also set aside his cold demeanor, continuously praising, "Brother Wu is indeed a remarkable archer"

On the city tower of Ximen

Zhao Yu nodded slightly, indicating that she had heard.

Hmm. Zhao Yu's gaze returned to the official road one mile to the west. Three riders were stopped there. However, judging by their physique and the proportion to their mounts, they did not appear to be riding horses; they were likely on donkeys or mules. Although the distance made it impossible to discern their clothing, the helmets they wore and the sabers at their waists left no doubt about their identity—patrolling officers of the inspection department.

Please, Fifth Brother, take a look at the civil and military officials below... Zhao Yu glanced at Zhang Yu again and said word by word: "All, cut, off!"

Chen Wuyi was taken aback, thinking he had misheard, "Er Lang?" he asked hesitantly

He picked up the crossbow, and Zhao Wu bent down to step on the stirrup to draw the string. Although he had already conducted two test shots earlier, the effort required to draw the string still surprised him. Compared to this powerful crossbow, which weighed four stones and six dou, the bows and crossbows he had used before seemed like mere toys.

From any angle, the short and stout figure in front of Zhao Yu does not resemble a heroic figure characterized by fervor, selflessness, or self-sacrifice; not even in expression, appearance, or manner of speaking does he bear any resemblance.

At this moment, cries and shouts erupted from downstairs, and Chen Wu had already begun to take action

Zhao Yu let out a gentle sigh and said, "Zhang Mingfu, what is the point of this? You have helped me, and naturally, I will not harm you. As for the others, you need not worry too much about them."

Note 2: This passage is from the "Military Records of the Song History." The Divine Arm Bow was presented by Li Hong of the Hengshan Party of the Xi Xia during the reign of Emperor Shen Zong. It is made of mulberry wood for the bow arms and sandalwood for the bow body. The bow mechanism is crafted from bronze, while the string is a blend of silk and hemp twisted together. Unlike other crossbows, the Divine Arm Bow features an iron stirrup shaped like a horseshoe at its front end. By stepping on this stirrup, one can easily draw the bowstring, unlike the earlier waist-draw crossbows, which required one to step on the bow arms to draw the string. Due to the addition of the stirrup, there is no need to worry about damaging the bow arms while drawing the string, allowing the Divine Arm Bow to be constructed with greater strength.

In the distance outside the city, the remaining two scouts gathered the bodies of their fallen comrades and their mounts, then hurried back along the path they came, gradually moving further away until they soon disappeared behind the mountains

The cries from downstairs gradually grew fainter, yet Zhang Yu remained motionless on the ground

He raised his right hand and shouted loudly: "Come, raise the flag of my浪港军...!"

"It won't scare me away." Zhao Yu shook his head with a bitter smile, fully aware of where his martial brother's peculiar ideas originated. "I am not Zhao Yun, and the one below is not Cao Cao. 'Zilong startling the Cao army in an empty camp' is not something we can play around with.

For a moment, apart from the sound of repeated knocks, the building fell silent.

Note 3: Referring to wooden feather arrows: the tail of this arrow is made not of feathers but of thin wooden pieces. According to the "Military Records of the Song Dynasty," in the first year of the Xianping era under Emperor Zhenzong of the Song, Shi Gui presented wooden feather crossbow arrows to the Song, which were capable of long-range shooting and could penetrate armor

Zhao Yu also felt much more relaxed, thanks to Zhang Yu's reminder. He was so focused on searching the county treasury that he forgot that the archers and jailers in the city were all equipped with bows

However, it is questionable how a mere street rogue could obtain such powerful bows and crossbows. When considering the empty armory of the county, one must seriously doubt the credibility of the county magistrate Zhang's words.

What exactly is he planning? Zhao Yu has a severe headache

Zhang Yu maintained her smile, quietly waiting for their response

"Brother Wen," Zhao Yu commanded, "You go down and distribute the bows and arrows. Let Ximen take the lead, and the other three gates along with the mountain pass should also receive a few. The remainder should be allocated to one team, as I have other uses for them."

And now, it is hung on the city wall of Changguo County. It is clearly declaring that this piece of prime territory, I, Wanggangzhai, will not relinquish.

Did it miss? Everyone thought.

With the final echo of "da," Zhao Yu's fingers, which had been tapping on the armrest, came to a halt. He glanced at Chen Wu, just about to speak, when he heard a few thuds coming from the stairs. The three turned their heads in unison, only to see Zhao Wen striding up.

Zhao Wudao: "Perhaps it can scare him away"

Zhao Yu quickly stepped aside, watching Zhang Yu lying on the ground, screaming and looking at the books.

Aiming at the mountain with the crossbow, Zhao Wu adjusted his sights. He accounted for the drop and calculated the wind direction. Finally, Zhao Wu steadied the crossbow and aimed, ensuring that this position was just right for a shot.

Zhao Wu retreated in embarrassment, and everyone in the city laughed. At least for now, thinking things through is not suitable for him

Zhao Wenda nodded his head and said: "There are indeed! There are indeed! A total of twenty-eight bundles of top-quality white feather arrows. I have had someone count them, and the numbers are all accurate"

Chen Wumei was in a state of confusion, his gaze shifting back and forth on Zhang Yu, as he too could not make sense of the situation

A gust of cold wind swept by, and Zhao Yu tightened the dark-colored short coat around him. He looked up at the sky. The winter sun hung obliquely in the due south, pale and dim, appearing as if shrouded by a layer of clouds, casting no warmth upon him at all

Zhi Shan was entrusted by Zhao Yu to deal with the two ruffians. One of them was easily dispatched with little effort. However, when the pirates stormed into the other’s home, seven or eight men had already gathered inside, their intentions clear. The pirates immediately drew their weapons, and after a fierce battle, all the men were beheaded. However, Zhi Shan's team also suffered two fatalities and four injuries. After searching the entire house, more than ten weapons were found, along with five or six strong bows, and among them was this divine arm bow.

Zhao Wu paid no heed, his mind occupied solely with the scouts beneath the city and the crossbow in his hand. Regulating his breath, he pressed down hard on his teeth.

Since the scout has already arrived, our army will be at the city gates in no more than one hour. It is regrettable that the Zhen'ao Mountain to the west obstructs our view; otherwise, we would be able to see the figures of the soldiers from the San Gu Zhai right now

The scout beneath the city saw someone on the city wall raise a crossbow, so he stopped in his tracks and did not approach any closer. He shaded his eyes with his hand and looked up at the city. He was not worried about being shot; at this distance, without a volley of arrows, it would be even easier to hit him with ten throws of six dice than to hit him with just a single crossbow.

The scout halted in its tracks, and Zhao Wu felt a surge of joy in his heart, as shooting a stationary target is always much easier than hitting a moving one

"Er Lang!" Zhao Wu stepped forward, reminding him.

A follower approached upon hearing the sound, presenting a heavy crossbow that was half a person long and two arms wide.

"Exactly two hours," Chen Wu said from behind him. After delivering the severed head to the city and instilling fear among the crowd, Chen Wu and Zhao Yu came here.

Although he is not particularly skilled in matters of the mind, as indicated by https://www.hetushu.com, he possesses absolute confidence in archery. While others merely shoot at birds and beasts, he can stand on a swaying deck and shoot an arrow that pierces through the surface of the sea over ten zhang away, striking a flying fish as it leaps out of the water. Zhao Wu is confident within a distance of less than a hundred steps

Zhao Yu ignored him, walked to the window, and looked down at Chen Wu hurrying out of the building. Although he did not know what Zhang Yu was planning, he decided to do the opposite. After all, he originally intended to kill these officials as a sacrifice to the flag, so doing it now was merely a matter of timing. Moreover, there were still some archers and yamen runners living in the city hiding in the shadows; if he did not deal with those who could lead, it would ultimately be a problem.

As the crescent moon waned, Zhao Wu took the short arrow handed to him from behind and placed it in the quiver. This short arrow was approximately six inches long, with a wooden carved feather tail, extremely lightweight, yet the three-edged arrowhead glimmered with a sharp light, indicating it was tipped with steel. He raised his divine arm bow, aiming at the scout who had approached within a hundred paces.

Divine Bow

"What about the arrows?" Chen Wu hurriedly asked. Having a bow without arrows is also useless

However, Zhao Yu gently shook her head, crossed her right index finger, and made a slash across her neck, repeating, "All of them must be cut down"

The scout approached along the official road with an air of arrogance, the level of audacity bordering on provocation

"What is the purpose of opening the door?" Zhishan looked at Zhao Wu with an expression close to sympathy, "Is there any cavalry in this city that can charge forward?"

Chen Wu listened, leaned back against the chair, let out a long sigh, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. A bundle of arrows typically consists of between thirty-five to forty shafts, which is just enough to fill two quivers. These twenty-eight bundles contain over a thousand arrows. If distributed evenly, each bow would receive twenty arrows. Although this is not abundant, the inspection office would not come empty-handed when attacking a city; they would need to bring bows and crossbows, and when the time comes, they could shoot arrows at the city, allowing the defenders to pick them up for their own use.

Zhang Yu slightly bent over, half-shrinking her neck, looking up at Zhao Yu, who was seated at the head of the table. She leaned in and said, "Second General," as calling him 'King' seemed too excessive, and 'Er Lang' felt overly familiar. After careful consideration, Zhang Yu ultimately chose this form of address, "I wonder if the Second General would agree to the humble proposal I just made."

In recent years, the reputation of the Langgang pirates has soared, becoming well-known across the East China Sea, largely benefiting from the death skull flag proposed by Zhao Yu.

Zhao Wushuang received it with a solemn expression. He understood Zhao Yu's intentions. Zhao Wu was determined in his heart that he must regain the dignity he had lost.

Zhao Wen was panting heavily, his face glistening with a layer of sweat, clearly having run here. He excitedly shouted: "Er Lang, Wu Ge, this corrupt official did not lie! In the courtyard of the county office, there are indeed more than thirty bows, and there are also seventeen or eighteen in the southern monitoring courtyard, adding up to a total of exactly fifty bows. I have checked them, and they are all high-quality products made by the state supervisor."

"It is done!" Zhao Wu said in a deep voice

"General Er!" Zhang Yu shouted again, falling to his knees, attempting to grasp Zhao Yu's thigh

However, in the eyes of the people in the city, the position Zhao Wu aimed at was not only too high but also slightly to the north

The first quarter of noon

Please have mercy, General Er!" Zhang Yu shouted, leaping up from his chair

Zhao Wen received the order and departed

This crossbow is made of mulberry wood for the body, sandalwood for the bowstring, iron for the arrowhead, copper for the horse's face, and hemp rope for the string. Although it is a crossbow, it is referred to as a bow

Chen Wu stood up, cupped his fists, and bowed, saying: "I dare not claim any credit."

Noon

Zhi Shan could no longer hold back and exclaimed: "Kid! Are you shooting at people or at birds?"

Indeed, he was struck. The horse he rode took only two steps before gradually collapsing, and then he swayed and fell off the mount. His left foot was caught in the stirrup, facing downwards, and he was dragged away.

However, allowing that scout to approach without making any indication would not do either

Zhao Yu's fingers lightly tapped on the armrest, producing a rhythmic sound, revealing the hesitation in his heart

The two henchmen acted simultaneously, and a black flag measuring five feet in length and three feet in width slowly ascended to the top of the city tower's flagpole. The black flag fluttered in the wind, and the white skull embroidered on it stood out starkly under the dim sunlight. The hollow eye sockets of the skull seemed to disdain all enemies, while the crossed leg bones beneath the skull symbolized danger and death

Nuo... ..." Chen Wu descended with hesitation

The county magistrate pressed his head tightly against the floor, repeatedly saying: "I implore General Er to show mercy!"

Surrounded by admirers, Zhao Wu felt an unprecedented sense of exhilaration, as if he had never experienced such joy in his life before

Zhao Yu glanced at Zhang Yu, who was smiling beside him, and smacked his lips. The weight of this deposit was indeed significant; one should reciprocate appropriately, and his return gift could not be too light. He turned to Chen Wu and said, "Brother Wu, I will need your assistance with this matter."

This is the flag of Langgang Water Village