Chapter 2: Weize (II)
Half a month ago, the complete military and economic blockade by the Qing army forced the Taiping army into a desperate situation. Yang Xiuqing, the Eastern King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, ordered several small units to venture out in an attempt to find a way to communicate with the outside world. Over the past half month, Wei Ze has led his team on several missions. This time, the expedition has gone the farthest, with the troops having marched continuously for five days.
Sitting beside Wei Ze, Sergeant Zhang Yingchen, like the other soldiers, took out his meal. It was a small bamboo tube broken in half, re-bound with long grass to resemble its original form before it was broken. One bamboo tube represented one meal, making it easy to calculate and carry. Everyone placed their bamboo tubes next to the fire to heat them up. After rubbing his calves for a while by the fire, Zhang Yingchen said, "Wei Sima, the Qing army is setting up camps everywhere, and it is too difficult to go around from the north. The route we have here, if we head north, we are likely to enter the territory of the Yao people. It would be better for us to return to Yong'an first. After returning to Yong'an, we should not head north, but rather go east. The small roads in the north are filled with Qing troops, while there are more small roads to the east, which should mean we encounter fewer Qing troops."
Zhang Yingchen and Wei Changrong are both squad leaders, each commanding four soldiers. They observed that the commander, despite his fatigue, was personally taking action, and that this was evidently beneficial for everyone. The two, along with their respective teams, persevered through their exhaustion and began to work together. With a five-man team plus Wei Ze, a total of eleven people busied themselves, and soon two piles of bonfires were ablaze. The damp and cold weather in Guangxi was indeed difficult to endure; once the fires were lit, even the brothers who were nearly collapsed on the ground began to move. The group, swaying as they stood, gathered around the bonfires. Once everyone had encircled the two piles of fire, Wei Ze, like the soldiers, sat down on a square military backpack.
The battle yesterday was fought with ease, primarily because the Taiping army executed an ambush, outnumbering the enemy by more than two to one. Such a victory, while not entirely unmerited, did not strike Zhang Yingchen as particularly remarkable. The arduous march over the past few days had nearly numbed his nerves; in comparison to the physical exhaustion and psychological toll, a minor victory hardly served as a significant source of encouragement.
After receiving the command, the soldiers hurriedly took their bamboo tubes. They untied the grass wrapped around the outside of the tubes, revealing the steamed rice inside, which was mixed with a considerable amount of other beans. The brothers sprinkled the grains of salt they held onto the rice, and apart from that, there were neither vegetables nor sauces. Such a meal had become the norm for the Taiping Army over the past month.
Zhang Yingchen did not think that his doubts were excessive. After several exploratory trips, Wei Ze this time deliberately chose to traverse areas without even roads. Along the way, they cleared obstacles and crossed mountains and valleys, expending countless efforts, yet it seemed they were still wandering within the mountains. Zhang Yingchen, being a local of Yong'an, found that the paths Wei Ze chose were places even he, a local, would not venture. Going around in circles, Zhang Yingchen himself did not know where he had ended up. If Wei Ze truly believed he could defeat the Qing army, then why take such a route? It was clear that Wei Ze still could not contend with that group of Qing soldiers.
Wei Ze fully understood Wei Changrong's suggestion to take a rest. Leading the team through the mountains where no path could be found, he had long lost count of how many branches obstructing the road he had cut through and how much overgrown grass and shrubs he had cleared. Even for the physically robust Wei Ze, he was now drenched in sweat, his feet swollen and aching. However, the challenges of marching through the winter forests of Guangxi were not limited to the saying "a horse dies from running up a mountain." Unlike the dry cold of the northern winters, Guangxi's winter is characterized by a damp chill. The moisture in the air penetrated through the seams of his clothing, reaching his skin. After standing still for just a moment, Wei Ze felt a bone-deep coldness.
The scarcity of gunpowder gradually allowed the Qing army, which relied on firearms, to begin reversing their disadvantage in combat effectiveness against the Taiping army, while the shortage of salt directly started to weaken the Taiping army's combat power. Loss of appetite, weakness in the limbs, cramps, and headaches are all results of a lack of salt. If this continues, the Qing army will inevitably gain a comprehensive advantage over the Taiping army.
Wei Ze's voice was clear and bright, and when he shouted in Hakka, it was full of energy. After finishing his words, he continued to stride forward. Seeing Wei Ze's determination, Wei Changrong no longer spoke and continued to follow him. Some of the brothers behind had indeed caught a cold from resting too long in the woods, but upon hearing Wei Ze's words, they began to move their heavy feet and resumed marching. With someone taking the lead, the entire group continued to advance. After walking for a while, everyone realized they had finally passed through the forest and arrived at a flat, open hillside. An open space meant they could rest, and the brothers who had been holding on until now immediately collapsed onto the ground.
The soldier next to him approached and, following Professor Weize's method, straightened the leg of the soldier, bent the stiff foot backward, and slowly rotated it in a clockwise direction
In 1852, Guangxi was a poor region, and within this impoverished Guangxi, the Dayao Mountains were even more desolate and wild. Surrounded on all sides by dense trees and shrubs, the ground was covered with grass that could engulf one's calves. Wei Ze's team was traversing through this wilderness where there were no roads to be found.
The bamboo tube had been placed by the fire for a while, and the cold rice inside became warm again. The hungry soldiers bowed their heads and began to eat this military ration of bean and rice, which was only salty in flavor
After being assigned to Wei Ze's command, there have been several reconnaissance missions over the past half month. The Qing army has blocked all roads to the north of Yong'an City. Each group of Qing soldiers consists of more than a hundred at most, and at least fifty or sixty at minimum. They are well-fortified and equipped with a large number of firearms. Wei Ze's team of 26 has been circumventing the Qing army's strongholds. It was only yesterday that they encountered a Qing force with fewer troops than their own, which prompted them to engage and kill the enemy
The cramping warrior, after all, is a young man; under the intense pain, he could not help but shed tears. After a moment, with the help of his comrades, he managed to recover his strength.
Zhang Yingchen, as a squad leader, also undertook the task of determining direction. He casually glanced at the sky and then at the mountain peak, responding: "That is due east"
Without responding to Zhang Yingchen's remarks, Wei Ze pulled out a leather bag from his military pack. This bag was made by punching some holes in a whole piece of cowhide, folding the cowhide in half, and threading the holes together with rattan. Wei Ze took out a ledger from it. Upon opening, the blank pages of the ledger contained some terrain sketches drawn with charcoal pencil, with varying thicknesses due to multiple tracings. After examining the map for a while, Wei Ze pointed in a direction and asked Zhang Yingchen, "Is that southeast?"
The mention of the official road not only gave Wei Ze an air of confidence, but also instilled a sense of assurance in the "old soldiers" of the Taiping Army, who were similarly dispirited during the march. Zhang Yingchen found this particularly puzzling; why did Wei Ze and his fellow "old Taiping soldiers" possess such confidence?
Rest assured! We will surely defeat the evil spirits to the point of their flowers falling and waters flowing away!" Wei Changrong replied confidently
Cramps are caused by not having eaten salt for too long! This time, we must go around the back of Qing Yao and definitely get some salt! Otherwise, if we continue for a few more days, no one will be able to hold on. " Wei Ze said loudly. For nearly five months, the siege of Yong'an City by the Manchu forces has not been effective. However, the comprehensive blockade of supplies for more than three months has dealt a severe blow to Yong'an City. The city is extremely lacking in gunpowder and salt.
Zhang Yingchen is a local from Yong'an, who joined the Taiping Army only after it captured Yong'an. After the Qing army besieged Yong'an City, the Taiping Army engaged in multiple battles with the Qing forces. Although the Taiping Army did not suffer defeat, it was also unable to break the siege laid by the Qing army
After looking ahead into the dense forest for a moment, Wei Ze turned around and shouted, "Brothers, last time we also rested in the woods, and as a result, we couldn't move afterward. Later, we continued forward and found that we could have exited the forest after just a few more zhang. The air in the forest is so heavy with dampness that resting for too long can harm our health. In previous instances, some brothers caught colds and fevers. Since we have suffered this loss, why should we rest in the woods like before? Now, let us continue walking!"
It has been five days since we set out from Yong'an City. In yesterday's skirmish, we eliminated over ten Qing soldiers, but the joy from this victory did not last long. Before this departure, each person carried a square-shaped military backpack on their back, filled with provisions and their own equipment. After the victory, we also carried the captured Qing soldiers' gear, further increasing everyone's physical exertion. Each person's clothing was soaked with sweat across the chest. The soldiers wielding long guns used them as walking sticks, while those carrying heavy firearms had begun to show signs of stiffness in their steps and dazed expressions. Those who were overly exhausted appeared to be on the verge of collapse as they walked. After several days of marching in these desolate mountains, the Taiping soldiers following Wei Ze had long been worn out. When Wei Ze paused for just a moment, the troops behind him automatically came to a halt.
As the one at the forefront, Wei Ze naturally had to take on the role of a pathfinder. A branch from a tree, neither too high nor too low, obstructed his way. Wei Ze neither circumvented it nor pushed the branch aside. He swung the single-edged knife, which served as a makeshift machete, and the sturdy branch, as thick as his thumb, was effortlessly severed. After cutting the branch, Wei Ze paused for a moment to catch his breath, while glancing at the dense forest on the hillside, where his line of sight could not penetrate, and muttered to himself, "The mountain is so high that it exhausts the horse!"
"Very well, let us head southeast," Wei Ze said to Zhang Yingchen. After speaking, Wei Ze turned to Wei Changrong and said, "Changrong, when we reach the pipeline, follow me into the charge!"
Just as Zhang Yingchen was filled with doubt, he heard Wei Ze shouting: "Dinner! Dinner!"
"Heat the food!" Wei Ze shouted. A small amount of gunpowder and a little salt had been seized from the Qing army that was eliminated yesterday. Wei Ze initially intended to conserve the salt, but now he realized that was not feasible. He ordered Lin Asheng, who was in charge of logistics, to take out the salt and distribute it among everyone. The amount of salt carried by the Qing army was limited, so each brother received only a small portion. Immediately, some brothers put a few grains of salt into their mouths; despite the saltiness causing them to frown and smack their lips, the inner comfort it brought them was undeniable. He ordered Lin Asheng, who was in charge of logistics, to take out the salt and distribute it among everyone. The amount of salt carried by the Qing army was limited, so each brother received only a small portion. Immediately, some brothers put a few grains of salt into their mouths; despite the saltiness causing them to frown and smack their lips, the inner comfort it brought them was undeniable.
"Ha... ha... ha... Fourth Uncle, should we... should we take a break?" Seeing Wei Ze pause, Wei Changrong, who was following behind him, asked. Due to extreme fatigue, Wei Changrong's face had turned somewhat pale. After asking this question, Wei Changrong no longer had the strength to continue speaking, only bending over to catch his breath while leaning on the gun barrel.
The first to arrive at this clearing was naturally Wei Ze. Upon his arrival, he did not sit down but instead stood on the hillside, looking around. Seeing that there were no signs of human presence and that the team had all emerged from the woods, Wei Ze shouted: "Zhang Yingchen, Wei Changrong. Lead your subordinates to start a fire and prepare a meal." After saying this, Wei Ze swung his machete and began to chop the branches nearby.
The heat emanating from the campfire drove away the chill from the soldiers' bodies; some soldiers looked revitalized, while others could not help but doze off. One soldier was attempting to change his sitting position when suddenly his body twitched, and he let out a groan, clutching his leg and collapsing to the ground. The soldier held his leg, emitting painful sounds of "oh" and "ah," and could not help but gasp sharply due to the intense pain. No one was surprised; everyone had experienced similar episodes several times over the past few days. That soldier had suffered a cramp.