Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

On the fifth day of the first month of the sixteenth year of the Jiazhao reign, in Xuanfu Town.

The sky was overcast, the wind was biting cold, and the sound of gongs rang out from the Mongol camp, as the attacking Mongol soldiers retreated like a tide.

However, the Zhou army defending the city was showing signs of fatigue, unlike the first two days of the siege. It was advisable to press the retreating enemy with the remaining strength and continue to hurl arrows and stones at them.

The surviving Zhou soldiers felt as if they had escaped death when they saw the Mongols retreat, and they dared not provoke the retreating troops.

Some of them huddled on the battlements of the city wall to rest, while others hurried down the city tower to bandage their wounds; their morale and fighting spirit were already showing signs of weakening.

Corpses littered the city walls, including soldiers of the Great Zhou and Mongol troops, their deaths gruesome, staining the city bricks red with blood.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, so strong it was suffocating, and filled with a chilling aura of death.

Guo Zhigui, Xu Fuhui, and Hou Liang, covered in blood, leaned against the battlements, panting.

The Mongol army invaded for three days, using siege ladders to scale the city walls and launch fierce attacks every day, only to return again and again, without end.

The brutal fighting and clashes were escalating, with the number of soldiers defending the city decreasing daily, and the morale of Zhou's army gradually crumbling.

Guo Zhigui and the other two took turns defending the city four times. They managed to escape unscathed the first two times, but soon some of them were injured.

Guo Zhigui and Xu Fuhui both sustained arrow and knife wounds, none of which were fatal, but their fighting ability was diminished.

Whether they could survive if they were rotated to defend the city again is hard to predict.

Of the three, Hou Liang was the most skilled in martial arts, and he was the only one who was unharmed. If it weren't for his support, the other two would have been injured or killed long ago.

After several rounds of fighting against the enemy, most of the comrades who went up to the city together had been killed in action, and they were the lucky ones among them.

……

Hou Liang wiped the blood off his knife, glanced outside the city, and said, "Commander, the morale of the defenders is low today, and the casualties are greater than the previous two days. This situation is not good."

Guo Zhigui had been stabbed in the left shoulder and back, and the bandage was still bleeding. He said with a solemn expression, "There were rumors in the camp yesterday that the military rations in stock were running low."

Hou Liang and Xu Fuhui's expressions changed upon hearing this. Guo Zhigui was a battalion commander in the army and had many contacts with military officers, so he was better informed than they were.

Now we are at a critical juncture in defending the city. If there is a shortage of military food, it could lead to a mutiny in the army, which would be a matter of life and death, and Xuanfu Town would surely fall without a fight.

Guo Zhigui sighed, "The southeast gates of Xuanfu Town have been sealed off by the Mongols, and we can't wait for reinforcements. We've long since run out of options."

"By bringing you into the city to deliver the news, I've only made things worse for you. It's now very difficult for us brothers to survive."

Hou Liang brandished his sword, its blade flashing, and said generously, "We should have thought of this long ago: we serve as soldiers to earn our food, achieve military merit, and die on the battlefield."

"Why do you say that, sir? It's our duty to lead you through the pass to deliver the message. A true man fights on the battlefield; even death should be a swift and decisive one!"

Xu Fuhui sighed as he thought of his elderly mother and brothers at home.

As the three were talking, a military officer came over. It was Chen Sanhe, the patrol captain who had welcomed them into the city.

"Commander Guo, I have received orders from my superiors to transfer you to the city to collect grain. I will also send a squad of soldiers to you."

Guo Zhigui asked, "Captain Chen, is there a shortage of food supplies in the camp?"

Captain Chen sighed, "The grain reserves were originally intended to last until the fifteenth of the first lunar month. According to the imperial decree, the grain would be collected from the city on the second day of the month. Who would have predicted this day?"

At the normal frequency of grain collection, the grain stored in the city will be sufficient until the end of the month. Collecting grain again on the fifteenth will last until the beginning of spring.

Now that supplies have been cut off midway, wartime food reserves are being depleted, and military rations are naturally becoming increasingly scarce.

If we wait two more days, the city's food supply will be exhausted. Therefore, we must immediately requisition grain and coordinate the allocation of stored grain among the people to ensure that the city's food supply can last for a few more days.

As long as we can delay the defense of the city for as long as possible, we can wait for reinforcements from the imperial court. The requisition of grain is of utmost importance, and the commander-in-chief has already issued a strict order.

All grain stored in rice shops, restaurants, and large merchants throughout the city must be requisitioned in full, as the war is bound to be protracted, in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The soldiers selected for grain requisition are all new faces and outsiders, so as not to embarrass the villagers. Pack your things quickly and assemble at the west gate.”

……

After Commandant Chen finished speaking, he left in a hurry. Xu Fuhui, who came from a farming family and was also a veteran soldier, immediately understood what he meant.

He angrily said, "Commander, what he said sounds nice, what kind of bastard grain requisitioning is he? He's telling us to rob the people of their grain."

They're afraid of getting their hands dirty, so they make us outsiders do the work. That's fucking despicable!

Hou Liang sheathed his sword and said, "Our military supplies are running low. If we don't enter the city to collect grain, Xuanfu Town won't be able to hold out for more than a few days."

When the Mongols raided the Central Plains, they would massacre the inhabitants of any fortified city they breached in revenge. Once Xuanfu Town fell, everyone would die.

Requisitioning grain from the people now is a last resort. Even if they don't have enough to eat, they can still live a few more days, which is better than the city falling and everyone being slaughtered.

Guo Zhigui said, "Hou Liang is right. The army's actions have reached a dead end."

When you and I enter the city to collect grain, we should leave some room for maneuver, avoid harming the people, and do what our conscience tells us.

"To put it bluntly, there are still two more sieges today. We won't be able to enter the city to collect supplies, and we'll have to take turns defending the city. It's hard to say whether we can hold out on the city walls..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Fuhui felt a chill run down his spine. Both he and Guo Zhigui had knife wounds, which had diminished their fighting ability.

Even though Hou Liang was highly skilled in martial arts, he wasn't superhuman. He was bound to make a mistake. If he went up to the city wall to hold out for another two rounds, some of them would surely die.

There is hope as long as you're alive; once you're dead, there's nothing left...

……

Although Xuanfu Town is called a town, it is a large port city with more than 100 years of history. It is a well-known and prosperous city in the north, far superior to ordinary villages and towns.

As a key town on the border, this place not only shared the responsibility of the tea-horse trade, but also, due to its convenient location, saw a thriving development of various border trades.

The city's roads were well-organized, and it had everything from restaurants and entertainment venues to inns and brothels.

On ordinary days, the streets are bustling with people, shops are thriving, and merchants gather in droves, making it a very lively place.

But ever since the Mongol army attacked and besieged Xuanfu Town, the city has been in chaos, with countless corpses being carried down from the city walls every day.

Countless pits were dug in the wasteland east of the city, but there was not enough time to bury the corpses. In order to prevent the spread of disease, some of the corpses had to be burned on the spot.

The people in the city lived in fear. Except for rice shops and restaurants, most shops were closed, and the streets were deserted with few pedestrians.

Guo Zhigui, accompanied by Hou Liang and Xu Fuhui, and followed by a dozen soldiers, walked through the streets, where a desolate scene was everywhere.

They arrived at a house with white walls and blue tiles, and the soldiers stepped forward and knocked on the door.

The gate was only opened a crack before it was forcibly pushed open, and the soldiers collecting grain swarmed in.

Before Guo Zhigui led the team to collect grain, Chen Xiaowei gave him a roster that recorded the locations of various wealthy households, rice shops, restaurants, and other establishments in the city.

The mansion they broke into belonged to a well-known wealthy merchant in the city who had made a fortune in border trade over the past few years.

Although the imperial court closed the tea-horse trade and banned border trade with the remnants of Mongolia for more than a year,

Even though these wealthy border traders' businesses were slow, their wealth remained substantial. These large households had a habit of hoarding grain, making them the primary targets for grain requisition.

……

Guo Zhigui ordered his soldiers not to disturb the women of the household or damage the property, but to search for stored grain.

They quickly found fifty bags of grain in a side room in the inner courtyard.

Because Xu Fuhui was from a farming family, Guo Zhigui ordered him to keep ten days' worth of grain according to the number of people in his household, and to requisition all the rest of the grain.

The master of the house, accompanied by two servants, attempted to stop them, but Hou Liang threatened them with a drawn knife, causing them to give up in fear.

Guo Zhigui took out a blank document he had prepared, filled in the amount of grain to be requisitioned, and handed it to the pale-faced wealthy merchant.

He said, "This is the imperial court's document for requisitioning grain. We have already left you with ten days' worth of rations. The imperial court will send reinforcements to relieve the siege within ten days."

By submitting this document to the government, the imperial court will compensate with money and grain at market prices.

After he finished speaking, he didn't even leave the house. His soldiers swarmed forward, loaded dozens of bags of grain onto carts, and drove away.

Xu Fuhui sighed inwardly. The promise of reinforcements arriving within ten days was nothing but empty talk. With the Mongol army besieging them, how could Xuanfu Town possibly hold out for ten days?

……

Guo Zhigui led the grain requisition team and, according to the list submitted by the army, collected grain from several large households in the city. Although it was a forced requisition, they left each household with ten days' worth of rations.

The grain requisition process was naturally not pleasant, with curses, crying, and even physical resistance. Fortunately, Guo Zhigui suppressed the protests cautiously and did not cause any major disturbances.

Although they had collected two large cartloads of grain along the way, Guo Zhigui, Hou Liang, and Xu Fuhui were all in low spirits.

Beyond the hateful gazes of those whose grain was being requisitioned, their discomfort and guilt, and most importantly, the fact that this looted grain could not reverse the dire situation before them.

Xuanfu Town was surrounded by Mongols on all sides, and no news could be sent out at all. The attacking Mongol army was several times larger than the defending Zhou army.

Without reinforcements to relieve the siege, no matter how much food and supplies are seized from the people, the city will still fall. It's just a matter of prolonging the situation day by day.

……

The group soon arrived at the new grain collection point, a two-room rice shop. The shop was still open, and many people were queuing up to buy grain.

Five or six burly men stood guard in front of the shop, holding batons.

Guo Zhigui glanced at them and saw that these burly men were strong and steady, looking like they were trained fighters. In the current situation, the rice shop was a vital location in the city, and if it was not guarded, it could easily be looted.

In the past few days, one after another, small rice shops in the city have run into trouble. The grain shops that are still operating normally all have some kind of powerful backing.

The fact that this grain store can hire strong men to protect it means that the store owner must either have extensive connections or ample funds.

Since ancient times, the common people have never fought with the officials. Even the most well-connected merchants would not easily offend the government, let alone a group of soldiers with guns and swords.

Hou Liang stepped forward and said, "The Mongols are attacking the city right now, and the army needs to collect military rations. The rice and grain in this grain store have already been requisitioned."

The people queuing to buy grain were in an uproar. Although there were complaints and grievances, no one dared to oppose the soldiers.

Those who were quick-witted realized that since the government troops had begun to requisition grain, instead of wasting time here, they should find another shop with stored grain to buy some.

Otherwise, if they were delayed, they might be levied a bounty by the soldiers, leaving them with nothing. After a brief period of chaos, the crowd would scatter like birds and beasts.

Seeing this situation, Guo Zhigui sighed inwardly. Today was the first day of grain requisition, and it had not yet caused panic among the people.

By tomorrow, when the grain requisition begins, the news will have spread throughout the city. These grain buyers will no longer be so easily appeased, and it will be difficult to predict what will happen then.

As the siege drags on, Xuanfu Town will face increasing internal and external troubles, and the situation will become even more dangerous and unpredictable.

At that moment, Guo Zhigui inadvertently looked up and saw the sign of the grain store, which read "Hongfeng Rice Store".

Guo Zhigui paused for a moment, feeling that the name of the grain store seemed somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it.

……

At this moment, a person came out of the shop. Judging from his clothes, he should be the shopkeeper. He was in his thirties, slightly overweight, with a friendly smile, and a black mole on his left cheek.

With a terrified expression, he asked, "Sir, I am Zeng Daquan, the manager of this shop. Our shop is a legitimate business. May I ask what brings you here, sir?"

Guo Zhigui said, "We are acting on orders from our superiors. At this critical moment in defending the city, all the grain stored in the city must be requisitioned."

After saying that, he waved his hand to signal Hou Liang to lead two soldiers into the rice shop's granary to count the stored grain.

A short while later, Hou Liang came out and said, "Sir, there are 430 bags of various kinds of rice and flour in the warehouse, totaling more than 1,000 shi."

Guo Zhigui was slightly surprised to hear this. Ever since the Mongols began attacking the city, the price of grain in the city’s major rice and grain stores had skyrocketed, yet people still lined up every day to buy it.

This Hongfeng Rice Shop still has over a thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) in stock, which is truly a rare commodity. Once this batch of grain is collected, today's grain collection quota will be fulfilled.

The shopkeeper, Zeng Daquan, said with a bitter face, "Sir, this is a small business. If you take all the grain, what will my family eat?"

As soon as Zeng Daquan finished speaking, the men guarding the store gathered around. Although they did not take any extreme actions, they were all carrying sticks.

Hou Liang and the others immediately became vigilant, and all the soldiers were on alert, each gripping the hilt of their swords.

……

Now that Xuanfu Town is besieged, the people inside are in a state of panic. It is not surprising that the government troops are forcibly requisitioning grain and are being resisted or even attacked by the people.

The grain requisition team had a smooth journey, but that was just luck; they didn't encounter any tough opponents.

Although this Hongfeng Rice Shop was inconspicuous, it had a very large grain reserve and strong men guarding the shop, so it had some backing. The soldiers collecting grain had to be wary of it.

Just as the atmosphere was getting tense, someone suddenly spoke up: "Fatty Zeng, the imperial court is requisitioning grain to resist the Mongol attack on the city, what are you dawdling about here for!"

Guo Zhigui turned around and saw that the person who came was Chen Sanhe, the patrol captain. It was he who led Guo Zhigui and others into the city that day, and it was he who gave the order for them to collect grain.

When Zeng Daquan saw Chen Sanhe, it was as if he had seen a savior, and his expression was overjoyed.

He hurriedly stepped forward and said, "So it's Brother Chen. These soldiers came to the shop to collect grain. My small business can't withstand this."

"I'd like to trouble you, Brother Chen, to put in a good word for me. They must be your comrades-in-arms; we're all on the same side."

Chen Sanhe said impatiently, "I can do you favors, but requisitioning grain is the commander-in-chief's order, which is related to the important matter of defending Xuanfu City."

"If the soldiers can't fill their stomachs, how can they defend Xuanfu Town? If the city falls to the Mongols, we'll all die. What's the use of keeping this grain!"

Chen Sanhe said to Guo Zhigui, "He is my distant cousin. Although he is my relative, he is facing a life-or-death situation right now, and I will absolutely not show favoritism."

"As long as Commander Guo follows the rules, the collection should be done the proper way."

Guo Zhigui smiled and said, "Since they are relatives of Commandant Chen, we should make things convenient for them. We will collect all the stored grain, and keep the grain on the shop for their own consumption."

……

The shop displays various kinds of rice and grains, all for business and sale. There are at least thirty bags of grain, which is a considerable amount for daily sustenance.

Chen Sanhe laughed and said, "Then thank you very much, Commander Guo. I see that your grain carts are already full and there are no extra carts."

"Have Fatty Zeng bring carts and horses to load the grain, and you can lead them back to the granary."

Upon hearing this, Zeng Daquan looked dejected. His cousin was probably being unreasonable, not only losing the grain but also the transportation, which made him feel depressed.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Guo Zhigui, Chen Sanhe took his leave alone. Although Zeng Daquan looked reluctant, he still led out the carriage.

The shopkeepers didn't make any move; in fact, they even put down their sticks and helped the soldiers carrying grain.

By the time the rice shop warehouse was emptied and all the trucks of the grain transport team were fully loaded, the sun had already set and the sky was gradually darkening.

The grain transport team returned, arriving at the military granary for storage. By then, it was already pitch black. Zeng Daquan was somewhat dejected and led his burly men back with empty vehicles.

……

Guo Zhigui and the other two walked out of the granary. Hou Liang looked towards the north gate, his expression somewhat surprised and confused.

He said, "Commander, based on the Mongols' offensive in the past few days, there were two rounds of attacks on the city from afternoon to sunset, but today there has been no movement at all, which seems a bit strange."

Guo Zhigui said, "The Mongols have been attacking the city for several days without any success. We have suffered many casualties, and the Mongols have also suffered considerable losses. They are probably reorganizing their troops."

I heard from military officers that yesterday the army sent out thirty messengers and scouts to try to break through the encirclement at the south gate and request reinforcements from the imperial court and other military garrisons.

In the early hours of this morning, the bodies of thirty scouts were piled up into a mound of corpses by the Mongols outside the city, and not a single one of them managed to break through the encirclement.

The siege has slowed today; the Mongols must have a plan. Tomorrow's attack will likely be even more intense. For now, we can only wait it out, one day at a time.

All three remained silent. With the Mongols besieging the four cities, news from Xuanfu Town could not be sent out. The fall of the city was likely inevitable, and the entire city's soldiers and civilians would perish.

Xu Fuhui said, "It's probably not going to be easy for us to survive this time. Thinking about it is pointless. We've been assigned to collect grain today, so we can return to camp a little later."

"Sir, there's still some time before curfew. How about we find a place to have a few drinks to clear our heads? We don't even know if we'll be able to drink next time."

……

Guo Zhigui looked up at the towering city wall, which resembled a lurking beast in the darkness, exuding a sinister and unpredictable aura.

Outside the city walls, there was no sign of life, as if the thousands of Mongol troops besieging the city had never existed; the world was shrouded in deathly silence.

He felt an indescribable unease, but couldn't pinpoint its source. He had no desire to go back to camp and get some sleep, so he agreed to Xu Fuhui's suggestion.

The three walked along the street for a long time before finally finding a street-side eatery at an intersection.

Now, during this difficult siege, supplies in the city are gradually running out. Restaurants no longer serve beef or mutton, only offal soup, naan bread, and other coarse food.

The three ordered some simple food to fill their stomachs, and also ordered several jugs of liquor. They then toasted each other and drank heartily.

Guo Zhigui recalled that he and Jia Lian had also drunk at a roadside eatery in Donggang Town that day. Judging from the time, he should have returned to Liaodong Town by now.

Once the commander-in-chief receives the military intelligence report, he must have already dispatched a fast horse to inform the capital. Judging by the timeline, the imperial court will definitely deliver the urgent military intelligence report within one or two days.

When the capital city learns that the Mongol army has entered the pass and the military depot in Donggang Town has been occupied, the court and the public will surely be shaken, not to mention that Xuanfu Town is in imminent danger. How should the court respond?

……

Guo Zhigui was in a state of confusion and restlessness, drinking one cup after another in silence.

Hou Liang asked, "Sir, you don't look well. You should take it easy with your drinking, or you'll get drunk."

Guo Zhigui poured a full glass of wine and was about to raise it when he suddenly asked, "Hou Liang, did you find anything amiss with Fatty Zeng's rice shop just now?"

Hou Liang said, "We have requisitioned several rice shops, and most of them do not have much grain left. Only his shop has the most rice, which is a bit unexpected."

Xu Fuhui said, "That's exactly the point. Now that the Mongols are besieging the city, rice prices inside the city are soaring, but no matter how high the price is, everyone is still desperately buying it."

Right now is a golden opportunity for rice shops to make a fortune. Every shop is desperately trying to sell grain at high prices. Hongfeng Rice Shop still has so much rice in stock; it's practically giving up money when it can.

Fatty Zeng is too foolish in business. When the city falls, he will lose everything, and all the grain will go to the Tartars.

Guo Zhigui had just thought of Jia Lian, and after listening to Xu Fuhui's words, his mind seemed to be enlightened...

Suddenly, he remembered that in the mountain valley, he had led the grain convoy to set up an ambush and annihilated two hundred Mongol pursuers.

He kept muttering to himself, "Hongfeng Rice Shop, Hongfeng Rice Shop..."

He asked urgently, "Hou Liang, what's Fatty Zeng's name?"

Hou Liang thought for a moment and said, "His full name is Zeng Daquan."

Guo Zhigui was startled, suddenly realizing the source of the inexplicable unease that had been swirling in his heart for the past half-day... (End of Chapter)