Chapter Thirty: The God of Slaughter, Zhao Hengyi
Hundreds of miles away in Elm Tree Bay, Miao Xiaoyu carried a bamboo basket, leading her six younger sisters and Sixth Aunt, along with a group of women, to the foot of Great Green Mountain.
Among them were both the wife and concubine of Wang Dahuo, as well as Zhang Daniu’s wife. Each carried a bamboo basket containing simple offerings.
At the mountain’s base stood a crude, almost abandoned shrine dedicated to the mountain god.
The women placed their offerings before the shrine, kneeling in earnest prayer, beseeching the mountain god to protect their men serving at the frontier, wishing them safe return.
“Mountain god, I ask only that my husband faces no danger or disaster, that he avoids the blade and the battlefield. If my husband comes home safely, I vow to build a temple and statue in your honor. If I break my word, may thunder and lightning strike me!” Miao Xiaoyu whispered with deep reverence, her expression unwavering and resolute.
...
In the Black Banner Battalion, the bewildered soldiers suddenly jolted to attention.
“Master Zhao, it is inauspicious to kill prisoners!” a deputy general said with a sneer. “Master Zhao is new to the army, perhaps he doesn’t understand the rules of the battlefield!”
“Rules? With the command token in hand, I, Zhao Hengyi, am the rule in this Black Banner Battalion!” Raising the blood-stained token high, Zhao Hengyi shouted, “Where is the law officer? Where is the enforcement squad? Execute these beasts whose hands are stained with the blood of our brothers!”
The deputy general’s face changed, and he withdrew into the crowd, silent. This Mr. Zhao, whom the commander remembered even while gravely wounded and unconscious, carried a murderous aura!
Under the stunned gaze of all the soldiers, the enforcement squad, ten men per group, beheaded the barbarian prisoners at the front of the formation.
Desperate wails, curses, the hiss of blood spurting from throats—all mingled together, chilling the hearts of all who witnessed it.
“Brothers of the Black Banner Battalion, I, Zhao Hengyi, hold neither rank nor office. I am here only for the sake of my brother, who wishes to lead you to survival!” With barbarian blood as his backdrop, Zhao Hengyi roared at the dispirited soldiers: “You are all seasoned warriors. The situation we face—you know it better than I do!
Outside are the barbarian armies, their cavalry swift. They will never give us a chance to retreat to Yonggu City!
...
And the gates of Yonggu City will never open for deserters!
I know some wish to flee, but can two legs outrun barbarian warhorses?
Brothers, if you want to survive, you must hold the camp and strike fear into the barbarians! Once they fear us, our path to survival will open!
I will stay in the camp, sharing life and death with you all. I have no other skills except knowing how to survive and how to kill barbarians!
Brothers, I cannot promise you high rank or riches, but I can lead you to survive!
Think of your parents, wives, and children at home. This time, survive for their sake!
Black Banner Battalion—fight to the death!”
“Black Banner Battalion—fight to the death!”
“Black Banner Battalion—fight to the death!”
At first, only a few of Zhao Hengyi’s guards responded. Gradually, more and more joined the chorus, until the entire battalion echoed with the cry, sweeping away the previous gloom like a tidal wave.
Far away atop Yonggu City’s walls, the veteran Zhang Chaoyang and his officers heard the roaring from the Black Banner Battalion, their faces stern and eyes full of astonishment.
News had spread throughout the city: the Black Banner Battalion had been ambushed, Commander Song Ying’an injured and unconscious. Everyone assumed the battalion leaderless and demoralized, so what was the meaning of this cry for a death fight?
Zhang Chaoyang, who had already given up hope for the battalion, was bewildered. Could that blacksmith named Zhao Hengyi truly have some ability?
Within the Black Banner Battalion, Zhao Hengyi’s rallying turned the soldiers feverish.
Survival—for themselves, for their families—became their sole purpose.
Unlike the previous hasty preparations, now, after witnessing the power of iron caltrops and wire entanglements, both officers and common soldiers alike threw themselves eagerly into establishing new defenses.
Master Zhao was right: the battalion was stuck in its current position; retreat was impossible, and there was no path back.
Beyond the funnel-shaped valley lay the barbarian army. Even if they tried to retreat, Yonggu City would not dare open its gates, and once the barbarians noticed a withdrawal, they would send cavalry to pursue. At that point, no one would survive!
Their only option now was to trust this Mr. Zhao, whom the commander valued so highly.
...
The entire Black Banner Battalion was mobilized. Every soldier, even the supply corps and the law squad, joined in digging horse traps and spreading iron caltrops.
Zhao Hengyi’s intention was clear: rely on these new weapons to hold the line!
Only by repelling the first assault of the barbarian horde could other hopes be entertained.
In front of the camp, the funnel-shaped valley was studded with horse traps of varying sizes—deep, bowl-sized pits capable of breaking cavalry mounts’ legs.
Closer to the defensive line, iron caltrops blanketed the ground. The limited supply of wire entanglements was distributed as evenly as possible along both flanks.
The execution of prisoners at the front had clearly enraged the barbarians on the other side of the valley. Horns sounded endlessly; ten hundred-man squads were mobilized, and soon the thunder of hooves echoed like the drums of death, surging from the valley.
“Hold steady!”
With the raspy cries of the law squad, all shield-bearers formed three rows at the front of the line.
Between their shields crouched archers, ready to return fire once the shields absorbed the first volley of arrows from the barbarian cavalry.
Behind them were the few spearmen, waiting to charge in once the cavalry’s momentum was halted by the horse traps and caltrops, using their long weapons for a powerful counterattack.
Lastly came the largest group—the ordinary soldiers, who stood no chance against charging cavalry. If the front line held, these men would transform from helpless prey into the most terrifying killing machines.
The thunder of hooves beat upon everyone’s heart; none were free from tension, and many still felt fear.
Yet, as Mr. Zhao said, desertion meant certain death. Only by holding the line, trusting the brothers beside you, could anyone hope to survive.
The previous barbarian cavalry raid had cost them dearly; amid the chaos, they failed to notice the hastily prepared horse traps and caltrops. The only thing that drew their attention was the strange wire entanglement.
Over a hundred prisoners executed at the front had been ensnared by the wire, unable to escape.
Now, the wire entanglement was placed on both flanks. The ten hundred-man squads formed an assault formation with no more hesitation, their steeds’ speed pushed to the limit.