Chapter 5: Pre-War (Part 1)

Indeed. Zhao Wen was deep in thought, his brows furrowed.

There is no need for that. If we are to speak of someone well-acquainted with the inner workings of the city, is there not a better candidate?

"That makes sense." Zhao Yu nodded in agreement with Chen Wu's speculation. After a moment of thought, he shook his head and said, "No! Regardless of whether that county magistrate is clever or not, he will definitely need to visit the village."

Chen Wu shook his head and said, "The county magistrate indeed ran away. A family member saw him descend from the city wall using a rope on the west side. There are prints of thick-soled official boots on the muddy ground outside the city wall, and there are also traces of water on the opposite bank of the moat, indicating the direction towards Sanguzhai."

The sun is already high in the sky, marking the time of the Chen hour.

Zhao Yu calculated silently in his heart and quickly arrived at a conclusion: "Sangu Zhai is fifteen li away from the city; considering the time, the county lieutenant should have arrived at the stockade by now"

According to what is said, Cai He was originally a scholar, lacking the strength to even bind a chicken, and had never been on the battlefield, always staying in the stockade to guard the home. This time, unexpectedly leaving his duties behind to run out is indeed a remarkable occurrence

Zhao Yu blinked, somewhat puzzled: "What do you mean by this, Fifth Brother?"

Zhao Wen shook his head—Zhao Yu's words were naturally directed at him. He said, "I don't know. However, Uncle Er must have come out for an important matter, and it must have occurred after the fleet left Qushan Island." He chuckled a couple of times; in fact, this was trivial. Zhao Wen continued, "Moreover, this matter should be quite urgent and cannot wait until after this battle is over; another point is that this matter does not require much discussion, which is why Uncle Er has the leisure to come here and wait for contact."

Upon seeing Zhao Wen return, Zhao Yu asked, "Have the breakfast deliveries been made to the brothers?"

The servant received the soup with urgency, bowed in thanks, sat down, and said: "After being ordered to leave the city, I encountered no obstacles along the way and arrived at the designated beach in about half an hour. As instructed, I lit three bonfires, and before long, the second-in-command personally came over in a small boat."

Zhao Yu extended three fingers, each finger bending back one by one. "First, regarding the officials, all the high and low officials in this city have already been captured by you, Fifth Brother. The county lieutenant who managed to escape is already outside the city, and there is no one left to lead. Therefore, there is no need to concern ourselves with that. As for the local tyrants and wealthy families, they are all farmers; how could they leave their fields? Even if they come to the city for a short stay, they cannot bring many servants, let alone tenants. Thus, this is also not a matter for excessive worry. The only concern is the local heroes. If, during our battle with the government troops, one of them suddenly harbors ambitions of establishing a name for himself and securing wealth and status, it will undoubtedly disrupt our formation. However..."

Facing the puzzled gaze from Chen Wu, Zhao Yu explained: "He swam across the Hao River. He must be completely soaked; otherwise, if he doesn't change into dry clothes, he will surely freeze to death on the road in this cold winter."

The fire that burned in the courtyard of the county office for half the night finally extinguished. Among the ashes, wisps of smoke spiraled upward, only to be scattered by the sea breeze. Due to the pond and the surrounding walls, the fire only consumed the winter firewood and some old houses in the wood shed, without spreading further. However, although the fire was out, the smoke in the county office remained heavy. Zhao Yu had some tables and chairs moved to the Bell and Drum Tower, temporarily using this tower as the center.

The first day of the first month in the third year of the Daguang era, on the day of Bingwu

Chen Wu stood up again and said: "This matter should not be delayed. I will go to invite the third master right away"

"Fifth Brother!" Zhao Yu raised his hand, signaling Chen Wu to sit down again, "Do not be anxious. We must not act recklessly now. If we reveal any flaws, we will have no place to bury ourselves. If we are attacked by the officials of the Inspection Department and someone stabs us in the back, the more than one hundred of us will definitely not be able to withstand it."

Note 4: In the inspection office, for every one hundred soldiers, there are one chief inspector, one deputy chief inspector, ten captains, one commander, one officer in charge, two guards, and ninety-three long-distance soldiers. The inspection office of Changguo has a total of two hundred soldiers, thus there are naturally two chief inspectors.

Chen Wu concluded the search operation and returned to the Bell and Drum Tower

To defend against external threats, one must first ensure internal stability. As long as there is order within the city, the two hundred troops from San Gu Zhai will not be able to breach it in the short term

Upon hearing this, Ji Jiao stood up, performed a bow, and went downstairs.

The Bell and Drum Tower did not chime today, and they could not explain it clearly, only stating that it was just dawn, while the west was still dark. It was approximately the hour of the Rabbit.

Note 1: The courier system during the Song Dynasty was divided into three categories: foot delivery, horse delivery, and urgent foot delivery. Urgent foot delivery was the fastest, covering four hundred miles in a day. Subsequently, the term "urgent foot" became a designation for those who delivered messages quickly.

Upon the arrival of the second-in-command, he learned that Erlang had already captured the county town, which brought him great joy. He also mentioned that he would report to the leader, assuring that the brothers who attacked the county town would receive generous rewards. He then exchanged his badge with the younger ones and returned.

What is it, after all

Uncle Er has also arrived? Hearing the urgent mention of 'Second Master', Zhao Yu was somewhat surprised

"Why do you think Second Uncle would come out?" Zhao Yu suddenly said, looking at the anxious head that had already sunk to the ground beneath the board. Dismissing unrealistic desires from his mind, he wanted to know what could have prompted Cai He to take such an unusual action.

Jijiao furrowed his brows and thought for a moment, then shook his head with certainty and said: "No. I only told Erlang to rest assured that we would act according to the plan"

The city gate, the mountain pass, and Brother Chen Wu's place have all been delivered; the brothers all praise Erlang for his consideration of others. Zhao Wen replied with a smile, knowing what Zhao Yu wanted to hear

As for the clerks and the military officers, they are respectively low-ranking civil servants and military officials, without any rank.

The monk Zhishan, with old injuries, was feeling weak and found a place to rest. Meanwhile, Chen Wu was leading a search for the county magistrate, the county lieutenant, and the chief clerk. Although these individuals were merely subordinates of the magistrate, they were well-acquainted with the internal affairs of the county, and losing even one of them would pose a problem. Zhao Wu was patrolling the city walls, while Zhao Wen went to prepare breakfast for the soldiers below. The other leaders were also occupied with their own tasks, leaving several chairs unoccupied, with only Zhao Yu sitting alone in the building.

I understand. Zhao Yu sighed and nodded, saying, "You have worked hard today; go down and take a good rest."

Zhao Yu stopped smiling, furrowed her brows, and asked: "When did that family see the county magistrate leave the city?"

Upon seeing Zhao Yu, the urgent figure first greeted him with a bow, then straightened his back, standing upright, and quietly awaited Zhao Yu's inquiry

Chen Wuyanjing's eyelid twitched, and he said solemnly: "With the axe resting on their necks, they surely dare not lie"

The Bell and Drum Tower stands majestically in the center of the county town, with all four city gates within sight along the crossroad. Zhao Yu, while enjoying hot soup and eating the pastries taken from the county office, kept a watchful eye on the activities in various directions within the county town

Zhao Yu said, "Let him come up."

When Chen Wu returned, only Zhao Yu remained as the leader in the building. Zhao Wen had been dispatched to inventory the county treasury of Changguo and had already left. Given the importance of the treasury, Zhao Yu was understandably reluctant to let anyone else handle it. In his estimation, although the county treasury was not large, it should contain enough weapons and armor to equip at least two hundred men, and the provisions should be sufficient to sustain several thousand mouths in the city for a month. As for money, silk, tea, and medicine, there should also be a considerable amount in the treasury. It was indeed a windfall. In his estimation, although the county treasury was not large, it should contain enough weapons and armor to equip at least two hundred men, and the provisions should be sufficient to sustain several thousand mouths in the city for a month. As for money, silk, tea, and medicine, there should also be a considerable amount in the treasury. It was indeed a windfall.

Zhao Lu's support fleet consists of numerous vessels, which naturally cannot anchor near the island but instead hide in a harbor southeast of the island, at Zhujiajian. The small boat that Cai He is on was launched from a fishing boat used for communication, which was stationed by the beach. According to the plan, once this communication boat returns to the anchorage of the support fleet, the support fleet will then come to provide assistance from their anchorage, which will take approximately a little over a day.

Is it according to plan? Zhao Yu felt somewhat disappointed. Having a reinforcement of ten to twenty would be good, regardless of their combat effectiveness, as they could boost the morale within the city

That is also true. Zhao Yu has inferred the same, but it remains unclear what the matter is

His second uncle is naturally a sworn brother of Zhao Lu and Zhi Shan. His surname is Cai, with a single character "He". He is from Hangzhou and has studied for a few years. Unfortunately, due to unfavorable circumstances, he did not even pass the imperial examination to become a tribute scholar, merely achieving the status of an unsuccessful scholar. After accidentally killing a son of a government official, he fled to sea to avoid trouble. However, he was encountered by Zhao Lu and subsequently fell into the grass. Later, he swore brotherhood with Zhao Lu and Zhi Shan. Because he was skilled in writing and arithmetic, he was known in the rivers and lakes as the "Silver Pen Scholar." This Cai He has a single daughter named Cai Jing, who has been betrothed to Zhao Yu since childhood.

"How should we settle this?" Chen Wu furrowed his brow and asked, "We are not familiar with the city, and without anyone taking action, we cannot possibly know who will cause trouble"

Note 3: During the Song Dynasty, the county was administered by officials such as the County Magistrate, the County Vice Magistrate, the Chief Clerk, and the Constable. Additionally, due to the production of salt in Changzhou, there was also a Salt Supervisor.

Zhao Yu laughed and said: "It is indeed Third Uncle. The Guanyin Temple is bustling with visitors every day, with a continuous flow of incense offerings. Moreover, over the past three years, he has followed the original abbot in and out of the temple; what news in the county could possibly escape Third Uncle's knowledge?"

Chen Wu still wore a cold and indifferent expression. He performed a bow but did not sit down, and said in a low voice: "Er Lang, I have come to apologize."

Chen Wu shook his head and said: "There is a village two li to the west of this city. If the county magistrate is clever enough, he might go to requisition some livestock for transportation. In that case, perhaps the local soldiers from the patrol office have already set out."

"Do not ask them," Zhao Yu waved his hand and said, "These people are adept at deception and cunning. If Fifth Brother were to inquire, he would likely be deceived by them."

Chen Wu slowly stood up, his expression becoming extremely serious: "In other words, we only have two hours left. Erlang, give the order; we must prepare the defenses of the city immediately"

After receiving the badge and confirming it with a glance, Zhao Yu asked again, "Did Uncle Er say anything else?" He was not concerned about rewards or anything of that sort. If he wanted money, he could easily find tens of thousands of coins in the county town at any time; what he needed now was soldiers! The entire county town was surrounded by enemies, and with only about one hundred people to defend it, Zhao Yu felt very uneasy.

"I will go instead," Zhao Yu also stood up, reaching out to press Chen Wu back into his seat. "Brother Wu, you have worked hard all morning without a break. It is just the right time to eat something and rest your feet." Through the window slats, beyond the city gate, Zhao Yu gazed towards the western horizon. "Once it reaches the afternoon, I fear we will be busy again."

Last night, the city was captured in one swift move. After apprehending the county magistrate Zhang Yu, Zhao Yu saw that the situation was settled and sent a swift messenger out of the city to report. Calculating the time, he should be returning around now

Zhao Wen agreed and went downstairs to serve the soup. Just as he reached the bottom, he came back up again. Zhao Yu looked at him in confusion.

Note 2: The xiucai of the Song Dynasty differs from that of the Ming and Qing Dynasties; any scholar who participated in the selection examination for tribute students at the prefectural government could be referred to as a xiucai. In fact, this is equivalent to the tongsheng of the Ming and Qing periods.

Only the county lieutenant ran alone

What do you think we should do, Erlang?

Zhao Yu is not unaware of this matter; however, as it is his first time leading troops alone and the pressure is so immense, it has caused him to feel somewhat unbalanced in his mindset

By order of a certain Feng Erlang, a search was conducted to capture the various officials in the county. The county deputy, the chief clerk, the salt supervisor, and several clerks and minor officials residing in the city have all been apprehended, yet the county constable alone managed to escape

Zhao Yu laughed heartily and said, "What great matter do I take it for? It was merely a capture of someone from the ninth rank. I have already caught several from the seventh and eighth ranks; what difference does it make if one is missing? Moreover, it is not certain that he has escaped the city; he might be hiding in the home of someone he knows."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wu pondered for a moment and suddenly realized, "Ah! Could it be the Third Master?"

The urgent footsteps hesitated, not daring to take a seat. Although they were merely pirates, the rules were equally strict. Only the leader could occupy the chair; the underlings had no place to sit.

Exactly. The others are all tied up below with that county magistrate, waiting for Erlang to decide their fate

"Please take a seat, it is of no concern." Zhao Wen brought up two bowls of hot soup and said with a smile, "Erlang has never liked his own brothers to be overly formal." He handed one bowl to Jiqiao and found a chair for himself to sit down.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs, and a head poked up. Zhao Yu looked in the direction of the sound and saw it was Zhao Wen.

Zhao Yu nodded. Both the reactions of his soldiers and Zhao Wen's perceptive understanding pleased him greatly. He picked up his bowl and suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" as he remembered something, and asked, "Brother Wen, you have been busy all morning; you must not have eaten, right? Please go and get a bowl of hot soup so we can eat together. This County Magistrate knows how to enjoy life; the food at home is of the finest quality, even better than what I had when I went to Ming Prefecture."

Zhao Yu's detailed analysis finally put Chen Wu at ease. He sighed and said, "Then I will go down to ask the captured clerks, the county officials, and the local figures; they know these local tyrants best."

Having spoken, he took out a small wooden plaque, about the size of a palm, inscribed with the characters 'Wu Si', and presented it to Zhao Yu with both hands. This plaque served as a receipt from Langgangzhai, proving that the urgent message had indeed been delivered.

Seeing Chen Wu approach, Zhao Yu quickly stood up and smiled, saying: "Today has been quite tiring, Brother Wu, please sit down and rest."

This matter is not difficult. Zhao Yu pointed out, "Since ancient times, those who have been able to instigate rebellion are either civil or military officials who can leverage the authority of the court; or wealthy landlords who have retainers and tenants at their disposal; or renowned heroes and champions who can gather a group of brothers. Apart from these, there are no others capable of rebellion. Those common people, as long as they are well-fed and content, lack both the courage and the ability to lead a rebellion.

Zhao Yu, aware of the person's fatigue, pointed to a chair and said gently, "You have worked hard; please sit down and we can talk."

However, there is no need to express the doubts in her heart in front of outsiders, Zhao Yu said to the anxious person: "Please continue."

Sangu Zhai is the garrison of the Changguo Inspection Office. The duty of the Inspection Office is to apprehend bandits. Currently, the county town of Changguo has been occupied by bandits, and the charge of dereliction of duty cannot be avoided. If the Inspection Office does not immediately dispatch troops to retake the county town after receiving a plea for help from the county magistrate, they will also incur the charge of 'fearing the enemy and avoiding battle.' In that case, with both charges combined, the heads of the inspector and the two captains will certainly be at risk. Therefore, Zhao Yu and Chen Wu are almost certain that as soon as the county magistrate arrives at Sangu Zhai, the official troops of the Inspection Office will immediately mobilize.

Zhao Wen pointed below and said: "Er Lang, the urgent messenger sent to contact Uncle has returned."

Zhao Yu smiled and walked over to pat Zhao Wen on the shoulder: "Don't think too much; you will know soon."

Zhao Yu smiled and said: "It is merely that in Changguo City, there are few people, and among those who can inspire loyalty and dedication, there are at most one or two heroes, which makes them not difficult to find"

Zhao Wen complied and turned to go downstairs. Soon, a weary yet lean man came up, his eyes showing undeniable fatigue, but they sparkled brightly, and he appeared to be in excellent spirits, not at all resembling someone who had just traveled over twenty miles. Zhao Yu recognized this person as the urgent messenger he had sent to contact the reinforcement fleet led by Zhao Lu.

Early morning