Huangming

Chapter 460 Heroes in Chaos, Cutting Off the Fuel Supply

The vermilion gates of the Datong Town Prefectural Government were already crowded with people.

The night was deep, but the torchlight illuminated the open space in a crimson glow, reflecting the panicked faces on the ground.

Most of the officials were accompanied by their families; their wives held crying children, their servants carried half-sized trunks, and even their pampered pageboys were now clutching short knives.

The armor brought from the armory was piled up by the door, but few people could wear it properly.

Some wore their helmets askew, with the straps hanging loosely around their necks.

Some of the arm guards were worn inside out, and the armor plates rattled when the arms were raised.

Some simply wore a belt with their swords clipped to it, just to make it look like a formality.

Zhou Xian, the prefect of Datong, stood in the crowd, wearing an ill-fitting suit of armor over his blue official robe.

He clutched a long sword in his hand, the rope binding the scabbard damp with sweat, and his wrist trembled uncontrollably.

He had spent his whole life studying the classics and judging civil cases; he had never seen anything like this before.

He was still reviewing official documents in the government office tonight, but today he had to draw his sword and break through the siege. Just thinking about the rebels and refugees outside the city made his legs tremble.

The magistrate of Datong County, Dong Zhongxing, standing next to him, was even more ashen-faced, his face paler than paper.

Among the crowd, one figure stood out.

Sun Chuanting, the Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Shanxi, was dressed in light leather armor, with a steel sword hanging at his waist, its tassel dangling at his side, motionless.

Unlike the others who lingered around their families, he stood under the torch, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic crowd and then towards the distant city lights, his brows furrowed slightly.

This isn't nervousness; it's thoughtful consideration.

He had just arrived from the Provincial Surveillance Office and had witnessed the tragic scenes of looting by displaced people along the way. He had also seen the chaos of the rebel army and began to have some ideas about breaking through the siege.

"boom!!"

A loud bang suddenly came from afar, the sound of cannons firing from the direction of the North Gate. Immediately afterwards, the shouts of battle grew closer.

The crowd suddenly became commotion.

"The town warden is back!"

Someone shouted, and everyone turned to look north. A group of figures were running towards them, led by the garrison eunuch Zhang Wei.

His python-patterned robe was covered in dust, and his hair at his temples was disheveled. Behind him followed Zhu Dingwei, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, and a hundred guards of the Prince's Palace dressed in silver armor.

"Is everyone here?"

As soon as Zhang Wei stopped, he asked Lu Jianxing, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He glanced at the crowd out of the corner of his eye and saw that most of the officials were there, which calmed him down a little, but Lu Jianxing's next words poured cold water on his spirits.

"Returning to the town, the Imperial Censor Liu Jing of the Jibei Circuit and the Provincial Administration Commission's Circuit Censor have not yet arrived."

Lu Jianxing bowed and replied, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"The messenger sent to urge them back reported that Censor Liu's family was delayed in packing their belongings, and the residence of the Circuit Intendant Censor was surrounded by refugees. It seems... it seems they won't be able to get out."

Zhang Wei's brows furrowed instantly.

It's already this late, and you're still dawdling!
Just as he was about to lose his temper, Lu Jianxing hurriedly added:

"And over at the North Gate, the scouts just reported that the enemy's offensive is getting fiercer and fiercer. The people of Zuxie Town are about to collapse. The sound of artillery fire is becoming increasingly rare. They're probably running out of ammunition!"

"Can't wait any longer!"

"Break through immediately! Everyone follow me, charge towards the north gate!"

As he spoke, he was about to push through the crowd and head towards the north gate.

If they had been any later, Zu Dashou would have been unable to hold out, and they would have lost their last chance to survive.

"Wait a minute, Town Warden!"

A steady shout came from the crowd, and Sun Chuanting quickly stepped forward to block Zhang Wei.

He did not bow, but looked directly into Zhang Wei's eyes, his tone steady:

“Township Supervisor, breaking out now without any plan or formation is nothing more than driving sheep into the tiger’s den!”
Although the rebel army was chaotic, it numbered in the tens of thousands and must have laid ambushes along the way.

Our side is mostly populated by the elderly, women, and children; the officials are mostly defenseless. This reckless charge will only result in heavy casualties, and we might not even reach the edge of the north gate!

Zhang Wei paused for a moment, his steps faltering.

He was only thinking about "speed" and forgot about "chaos".

Half of the hundreds of people in front of them were women and children, and the other half were civil officials who were powerless to even kill a chicken. If they really rushed in recklessly, they would probably be scattered by the rebels before they could even get half a street away.

Looking at Sun Chuanting's calm eyes, a thought struck him, and he asked, "What good plan do you have, Vice Commissioner?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Sun Chuanting immediately said:

"The most urgent task is to reorganize the formation and divide the troops for protection!"

The prince's guards led the way, clad in heavy armor and wielding heavy shields, capable of blocking the rebels' attacks.

The yamen's bandit squad followed behind, carrying round shields, to fill the gaps in the guards.

The militia and the quick-handed soldiers were positioned on both sides, also carrying heavy shields, to protect the left and right flanks and prevent the rebels from launching a sneak attack.

The archers of the patrol office were positioned in the center, protecting the officials and their families while also being able to shoot down any enemies who tried to stop them from a distance.

When encountering enemies along the way, archers would first shoot them back, and then guards and soldiers would advance, prioritizing steady progress over speed.

Only in this way can there be a glimmer of hope!

His words were clear and logical, hitting the nail on the head, leaving the officials present utterly astonished.

Even Zhang Wei couldn't help but nod in agreement.

He never expected that this provincial inspector, who usually only dealt with criminal cases, would have such a military perspective.

As expected, this general was chosen by His Majesty!

How could His Majesty's judgment be wrong?
"it is good!"

Zhang Wei acted decisively, raising his hand and shouting at the crowd:

"This breakout will be entirely under the command of Vice Commander Sun!"
Anyone who dares to disobey orders and delay the opportune moment will face severe consequences!

There was no time to hesitate; Sun Chuanting's method was their only way out.

The crowd fell silent instantly.

In the midst of chaos, the worst thing is to become like a headless fly.

With Sun Chuanting in charge, everyone's hearts gradually calmed down.

At this moment, official rank is meaningless; survival is the most important thing.

Upon seeing this, Sun Chuanting immediately began to make arrangements:
"Where is the commander of the Prince's Palace guards? Quickly, a hundred men should form the front line, their heavy shields interlocked to create a shield wall!"

"exist!"

A burly guard captain stepped forward, waved his hand, and shouted:

"Brothers, form ranks!"

A hundred guards from the royal palace quickly gathered, holding heavy shields in front of them, instantly forming an iron wall taller than a person.

"The government yamen's thieves and soldiers, form the second line, with round shields around your waists, and advance along the shield wall!"

Sun Chuanting shouted again, and the soldiers in the government office responded quickly. Although their movements were a little clumsy, they quickly formed a line, with round shields in front of them, protecting the gaps in the shield wall.

"The militia and quick-handed soldiers will be divided into two wings, fifty men each, with heavy shields protecting the wings. They are not allowed to charge recklessly when encountering the enemy, and must obey the orders of the archers!"

"Patrol archers, line up in the center, arrows nocked, fire upon sight of the enemy, prioritizing those armed!"

With a series of orders issued, the chaotic crowd quickly regained order.

The officials were protected among the archers, their families huddled in the innermost layer, and the children were covered by their mothers to stop them from crying.

Sun Chuanting walked to the front of the group, drew his iron sword from his waist, pointed the tip of the sword towards the north gate, and said in a loud voice:

"Everyone!
Today's breakthrough means death if we retreat, and life if we advance!

Only by working together can we break out of Datong and reach Xiong Jinglue's reinforcements!

Follow me and kill them!

"kill!"

The guards shouted in unison, their voices so loud that the torches flickered.

Standing on the side of the team, Zhang Wei looked at Sun Chuanting's composed back and then at the gradually forming formation, and finally felt more confident.

He touched the seal in his pocket, turned to look at Zhu Dingwei, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, and saw that although he looked fearful, he still stood up straight. He then said softly:

"Don't worry, Your Highness, with Vice Commissioner Sun here, we can get out."

Zhu Dingwei nodded, his gaze falling on the distant firelight. Thinking of his father who remained in the Prince's mansion, his eyes reddened slightly, but he said nothing more.

There's no point in saying anything more now; survival is the only thing on our minds.

The column moved slowly, with a shield wall in front, archers in the middle, and flanking troops on both sides, like a slow-moving serpent, towards the north gate.

They struggled through the streets and alleys for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

Scattered rebels and refugees were still looting along the way. When they saw this well-organized group coming, some of the rioters tried to rush up and rob them, but were shot through the throat by an arrow from the patrol officer.

"The North Gate is just ahead!"

Sun Chuanting suddenly stopped, his iron sword pointing towards the city gate ahead.

Following his gaze, everyone saw that the tall city gate was tightly closed, the torches on the city wall were about to fall, and several soldiers could be vaguely seen lying on the city wall, their armor covered in blood.

The city walls on both sides of the city gate were blackened by smoke. Burnt logs and broken ladders were piled on the ground. Several rebel corpses leaned against the wall, arrows stuck in their chests, and they were already lifeless.

"boom!"

Another cannon shot rang out, this time so close it made people's eardrums hurt.

A soldier on the city wall was thrown off by the blast wave and fell heavily to the ground, where he fell silent.

Immediately afterwards, Zu Dashou's hoarse roar came from the city wall:
"Hold on! Hold on a little longer!"

Sun Chuanting felt a pang of anxiety, knowing that Zu Dashou was already at his last gasp.

He turned and shouted at the guard commander:

"Speed ​​up! Advance the shield wall and cover the archers!"

The hundred guards of the royal palace responded in unison, pushing their heavy shields forward even further, the clanging sound of shields colliding echoing through the streets.

The group quickened their pace and rushed towards the city gate. Just as they reached the vicinity of the city gate, they saw a group of rebel soldiers wielding knives and spears rushing out from the alleys on both sides of the city gate.

These are the soldiers left behind by Liu Zhenbang.

"Archers, shoot!"

At Sun Chuanting's command, the archers in the center immediately nocked their arrows and drew their bows, and arrows rained down on the rebels.

The first few rebels fell to the ground, but those behind them continued to charge forward fearlessly, about to crash into the shield wall.

Just then, a deafening shout suddenly came from the city wall:

"kill!"

Zu Dashou charged out of the city gate, carrying a blood-stained longsword, followed by more than three hundred remaining soldiers.

Most of them were injured and looked miserable.

Zu Dashou's armor was already stained red with blood, and his face was splattered with flesh and blood, but his eyes remained sharp as knives:

"Brothers! Break through and get us out of the city!"

Three hundred remaining soldiers followed him, like a rusty but still sharp knife, slashing at the flank of the rebel army.

The rebels intended to besiege Sun Chuanting's troops, but they did not expect a fresh force to suddenly appear from behind, throwing them into chaos.

Zu Dashou cleaved a rebel's head in two with a single stroke, blood splattering all over his face, but he paid no heed and continued charging forward.

"Quick! The city gates are open, it'll be too late if we wait any longer!"

Upon seeing this, Sun Chuanting immediately ordered: "Shield wall for cover, families go first, officials follow, soldiers cover the rear!"

The procession sprang into action instantly, with family members carrying their children and running towards the city gate through the gap created by Zu Dashou's charge.

"Faster! Faster!"

Zhou Xian, the prefect of Datong, and Dong Zhongxing, the county magistrate, followed behind. They had long lost their usual refinement and were only concerned with running forward, not even bothering to pick up their hats that had fallen to the ground.

Zu Dashou rushed to Sun Chuanting's side, grabbed his arm, and said urgently:

"There are still some rebel scouts outside the city. After you leave the city, run towards Xujiazhuang Fortress. Xiong Jinglue's army is over there!"

"What will you do?" Sun Chuanting asked. "I'll cover the rear!"

Zu Dashou grinned, revealing two rows of teeth stained with blood.

"Even if all three hundred of my brothers die here, I will still get you out of here!"

With that, he turned and charged at the rebels again, brandishing his long sword and cutting down two more rebels.

Sun Chuanting watched his retreating figure, his eyes slightly warming, but he had no time to say anything more.

Every second at this moment is a matter of life and death.

Without further hesitation, he followed the group into the city gate. As soon as they exited the city gate, they saw several of Zu Dashou's soldiers fighting with the rebel cavalry on the open ground outside the city. Dozens of corpses were already lying on the ground.

"Retreat! Run towards Xujiazhuang Fortress!"

Sun Chuanting shouted to the crowd.

Just then, Liu Zhenbang's furious roar suddenly came from the city wall:

"We can't let them get away!"

Liu Zhenbang stood on the city wall, watching the breakout team gradually disappear into the distance, his eyes red as if they were about to bleed.

If these officials flee, the order in Datong Prefecture will be completely paralyzed. Even if he captures the city, he will have no way to explain it to Wang Wei.

"Brothers! Charge with me! Bring them all back!"

Liu Zhenbang, carrying a long spear, ignored Zu Dashou in the city and led several thousand rebel soldiers in pursuit of the breaking-out troops.

Sun Chuanting looked back and saw a dark mass of rebel troops chasing after them. He immediately gave the order:

"Heavy shield bearers, form ranks! Archers, unleash a barrage!"

The heavy shield bearers quickly turned around and held their heavy shields upright behind them, forming a temporary shield wall.

The archers split into two groups, one shooting arrows and the other loading them, and a dense rain of arrows was fired at the rebels.

The rebels at the forefront fell to the ground, but those behind them continued to charge forward.

A heavy shield bearer was pierced in the shoulder by a rebel spear; blood flowed down the seams of his shield, yet he stubbornly held on, refusing to retreat an inch.

"Hold the line! Don't let them get through!"

Upon seeing this, the heavy shield bearers nearby immediately stepped forward and plugged the gap.

Liu Zhenbang gritted his teeth in anger as he looked at the shield wall and the rain of arrows in front of him.

He hadn't expected that this hastily assembled team would be so formidable.

The arrows rained down wave after wave, and his men fell one after another, but they could not break through the shield wall.

As the breakout team grew further and further away, he felt extremely anxious.

"stop!"

Liu Zhenbang suddenly called out to everyone.

He looked into the distance.

The breakout group glanced at the hundreds of cavalrymen beside them, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in their eyes:
"Stop chasing! Send the cavalry!"

The cavalry commander beside him immediately understood, mounted his horse, and led several hundred cavalrymen to flank the breakout team.

Liu Zhenbang stood there, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Sun Chuanting's team included many elderly, weak, women and children who could not run fast.

Moreover, archers have a limited number of arrows. As long as the cavalry follow behind and harass them, it will be time for him to hunt when they run out of arrows.

"Wait, then……"

Liu Zhenbang watched the cavalrymen's departing figures and muttered to himself.

"Even if you break out of the city, you won't escape Datong's territory!"

By this time, the breakout team had already run several miles.

Sun Chuanting glanced back and saw that the rebel infantry had not pursued them, but a troop of cavalry was circling around to the flank. His heart skipped a beat.

That damned Liu Zhenbang has no intention of letting them go.

He said to the commander of the guards beside him:
"Have the archers keep half of their arrows to guard against cavalry attacks."

"Send a few more scouts ahead to see if there are any of Xiong Jinglue's men in the direction of Xu Family Manor!"

The guard commander responded and left.

Zhang Wei, panting heavily, leaned against a withered tree and looked back towards the direction of Datong City. He saw the flames still shooting into the sky from the city walls, and his heart was filled with lingering fear.
"Finally... we escaped."

Prince Zhu Dingwei, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dai, gazed in the direction of the city gate, his eyes reddening.

He didn't know if his father, who remained in the Prince's mansion, was still safe.

Sun Chuanting patted his shoulder and said softly, "Your Highness, rest assured, as long as we see Commander Xiong, we can bring our troops back, quell the rebellion, and rescue the Prince of Dai."

Zhu Dingwei nodded, but remained silent.

What Sun Chuanting said was nothing more than words of comfort.

At this moment, Datong Prefecture had become a living hell, and no one could say for sure whether the father would live or die.

Time slowly passed amidst the killing and the escape.

The morning light, like a cool veil, gently covered the city walls of Datong Prefecture.

Wang Wei rode on a fine horse, holding the reins in his hand.

He looked up at the three mottled plaques bearing the inscription "Datong Prefecture" on the city tower, his heart filled with complex emotions.

Just a few hours ago, he was the deputy commander of Datong under the Ming Dynasty, but now he has become a rebel who has led his troops to break through the city.

They've rebelled.

If you don't succeed, you will become benevolent.

He had no other choice.

Not far away, several refugees were looting a grain store. The grain bins were punctured, and millet was spilling out through the cracks. In an attempt to grab more, some people even swung wooden sticks at their companions. Cries and curses drifted on the wind.

Wang Wei's brows furrowed instantly. He reined in his horse and turned to look at Zhang Tianlin beside him.

Zhang Tianlin was wearing a captured Ming army armor, but without a helmet, revealing messy hair and dried bloodstains on his face.

He had just taken in several groups of scattered refugees and was figuring out how to distribute the looted goods when he saw Wang Wei looking over, so he immediately composed himself.

"The person who controls you."

Wang Wei's words were filled with murderous intent.

"I want to see order restored in the city within half an hour."

If anyone dares to plunder or cause trouble, my men will suppress them without you having to lift a finger.

Including your subordinates.

Zhang Tianlin felt a chill run down his spine; he knew Wang Wei wasn't joking.

Although the two are temporarily cooperating, Wang Wei's 20,000 elite troops could crush his refugee army at any time.

He nodded hastily, waved to summon several trusted lieutenants, and whispered his orders:
"Tell the brothers to stop! Anyone who dares to steal again will be killed!"
"Secure the main streets first, and don't cause General Wang any trouble!"

The leaders obeyed and left, blowing whistles to disperse the looting refugees, and the chaos in the streets finally subsided somewhat.

Wang Wei watched this scene, slowly exhaled, and spurred his horse toward the General's Mansion.

The vermilion gate of the General's Mansion remained unchanged, except that two more guards stood watch beside the stone lions in front of the gate. Upon seeing him approach, they immediately bowed and saluted.

"The General Headquarters is still the same as before..."

Wang Wei walked into the main hall and looked at the familiar rosewood desk, on which were the military reports he had reviewed a few days ago. But now, looking at them again, his mood was completely different.

He used to scheme here to embezzle military funds and launder money, but now he's plotting to become an enemy of the imperial court.

Fate's joke is so ironic.

at this time.

Hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. Wang Zhong, a personal guard, stumbled in, his face as pale as paper, and he even forgot to bow.

Wang Zhong was someone he had sent into the city beforehand to gather information; his current state clearly indicated that something serious had happened.

"Why are you panicking?"

Wang Wei frowned, suppressing his unease.

"The sky is falling?"

"General...General..."

Wang Zhong swallowed hard, his voice trembling.

"The officials in the city... they've all broken through the siege!"

"what?!"

Wang Wei suddenly stood up, his hand on the sword at his waist, his eyes instantly turning sharp.

"What did you say? Zhang Wei, Zhou Xian, and the others? They all ran away?"

"Yes……"

Wang Zhong nodded, his head bowing even lower.

"According to the clerk who stayed at the town's administrative office, when Zhang Wei summoned the officials last night, he secretly had his family members and important belongings packed up. As soon as the city gate was breached, they followed Sun Chuanting's troops and fled through the north gate..."

Wang Wei's heart skipped a beat as he suddenly remembered something.

"The Fish Scale Atlas! The Population Tax Register! And the Treasury's Material Files!"

"Where are those things?!"

Wang Zhong's face turned even paler, and his voice trembled with tears:

"They took them away too... Zhang Wei specifically sent people to the prefectural government and the provincial administration office to either hide all the documents or pack them up and take them away, leaving us not even a single page..."

Wang Wei looked grim.

The fish-scale register is fundamental to tax collection. Without it, even if he occupied Datong Prefecture, he wouldn't know who to collect grain from or how much money to collect.

The population tax register recorded the number of people in the city; without it, he could not count the number of soldiers and laborers available for conscription.

"A bunch of castrated dogs! Utterly despicable!"

He originally thought that once he took over Datong Prefecture, he could immediately extract wealth from the city and expand his military strength. But now, he only has an empty city, a group of unruly refugees, and 20,000 elite troops waiting for food.

Without official documents, he couldn't even maintain basic rule, let alone confront the impending Xiong Tingbi!
Which way did they run?

Wang Wei took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Now is not the time for rage; those officials and documents must be retrieved.

"They left the city half an hour ago, heading towards the north gate."

Wang Zhong covered his arm and quickly answered.

"I have already sent someone to report to General Liu. He has led his cavalry to pursue them. They should... should be able to catch them."

"Chase them! We must get them back!"

Wang Wei's eyes were red, and he clenched his fists.

"Without those documents and those officials, Datong Prefecture would not be able to be used by me in a short time."

If Liu Zhenbang can't be brought back, I'll cut off his head!

The guards were terrified and no one dared to speak.

Wang Wei walked to the window and looked in the direction of the North Gate, but a sense of unease rose in his heart.

Liu Zhenbang gave chase, but Xiong Tingbi's army was at Xujiazhuang Fortress, only a day's journey from Datong Prefecture.

If Liu Zhenbang were to run into Xiong Tingbi's advance force while pursuing them...

He didn't dare to think about it any more.

希望
Liu Zhenbang hopes to catch up quickly and bring back the documents and officials before Xiong Tingbi arrives.

otherwise!

His desperate rebellion was likely doomed from the start, with the situation heading in a direction unfavorable to him.

PS:

There might be an extra chapter tonight!
(End of this chapter)