Chapter 115: Seizing the Opportunity to Extort

Page 1/3

Wang Pu, his mood heavy, said, "The bandits are now less than a hundred li from Datong. It seems impossible to relocate the civilians outside the city walls into the city before they arrive."

"General," Zhen Youcai suddenly proposed, "could we set an ambush on the bandits’ only route? After all, this vanguard force numbers just over ten thousand—only the advance troops of the Shaanxi bandits. If we deal with this vanguard, we’ll still have time to move the civilians inside."

Wang Pu considered carefully, then shook his head. "No, that’s too risky. The bandits are marching along the valley, which is flat and open—hard to hide troops. Besides, since these are the vanguard, they must be the best fighters, over ten thousand strong. If we send too few to ambush, we risk a disaster. If we send too many, Datong’s defenses will be too thin. And if the bandits suddenly change their route, the consequences would be dire."

Zhen Youcai sighed, "Then it seems we must wait for the bandits to come to the city walls."

"But bandits at the city walls isn’t necessarily bad," Wang Pu’s tone shifted. "At least it will scare that stingy Zhu Chuanqi and the old eunuch Zhang Zi’an half to death. Once frightened, they might be more willing to hand over supplies when we ask for them—hmph."

Youcai lamented, "Still, we were careless to be caught off guard by the bandits."

"Though caught off guard, the situation isn’t beyond salvage," Wang Pu paused, then turned to Youcai. "Youcai, it seems we part ways tonight. The monks and Tang Sheng are brave but lack strategy. I entrust you with the defenses at Leigong Mountain camp."

"General, rest assured," Zhen Youcai stood and saluted solemnly. "I will do my utmost to assist Generals Tang and Zhang in holding Leigong Mountain."

Wang Pu also rose and saluted. "Thank you."

"I take my leave," Youcai bowed again and departed.

Once Youcai left, Wang Pu called, "Lü Liu!"

Lü Liu stepped forward and saluted. "Present."

"Order the entire army to break camp immediately and enter Datong. Send swift riders to notify the surrounding garrisons, outposts, and forts, as well as the four thousand soldiers protecting the civilians entering the city—they need not return to Datong. Upon receiving this order, they must retreat to the Left Guard of Datong without error!"

"Yes!" Lü Liu responded loudly and hurried off.

---

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Li Yan’s eight thousand-strong militia arrived at the city gates.

In truth, the government forces’ intelligence was always delayed. When Wang Pu received news that the militia was about a hundred li away, Li Yan’s troops were actually only fifty li from Datong, numbering eight thousand, not over ten thousand. But that was understandable; eight thousand and ten thousand troops look quite similar from a distance.

---

At Datong’s South Gate, on the arrow tower.

When Zhu Chuanqi, Zhang Zi’an, and Wei Daben arrived after hearing the news, Wang Pu was already fully armored, standing proudly on the tower, facing their panicked expressions with cold resolve.

"Wang Ye, Lord Zhang, Lord Wei," Wang Pu said sternly, "the bandits are already at the city walls."

Through the arrow slit, Zhu Chuanqi saw the black masses of bandits outside the city. He gasped sharply, trembling as he said, "The bandits... How... how did they arrive so... so quickly? Weren’t they still three hundred li away yesterday?"

Wei Daben’s face drained of color as he said to Wang Pu, "Prince Consort, the civilians outside haven’t been relocated into the city yet. What are we to do?"

Among the three, only Zhang Zi’an remained calm. Though just a eunuch, he had weathered many storms. When the Khorchin cavalry suddenly appeared during the Anyehai rebellion, and over ten thousand Datong border troops were routed, he witnessed that terrifying scene and was not easily frightened now.

More importantly, Zhu Chuanqi and Wei Daben had never witnessed Wang Pu’s bravery firsthand, but Zhang Zi’an had. Once, Wang Pu led fewer than four hundred riders to chase and slaughter over two thousand Mongol cavalry. Compared to that, these ten thousand bandits outside the city were nothing; Wang Pu could wipe them out with a wave of his hand.

Seeing Zhu Chuanqi’s ashen face, a faint look of contempt flashed in Wang Pu’s eyes. He continued, "Wang Ye, this is only the bandits’ vanguard. By tomorrow night, the main force of hundreds of thousands will arrive outside Datong."

"Hu... hundreds of thousands?" Zhu Chuanqi’s teeth chattered as he stammered, "How many troops are currently defending Datong?"

Wang Pu said, "Four thousand government troops from the northern camp have withdrawn inside the walls, plus our Wang family’s three thousand retainers—a total of over seven thousand."

"Only over seven thousand?" Zhu Chuanqi exclaimed, "Weren’t there nearly twenty thousand border troops?"

Wang Pu explained, "There are eighteen thousand border troops, but over ten thousand are scattered in various garrisons, outposts, and forts, and more than four thousand are dispersed protecting villagers and civilians. These troops cannot return to Datong now, or bandit spies might infiltrate the city. So they must first retreat to the Left Guard of Datong."

"Right," Wei Daben wiped cold sweat from his brow and trembled, "these troops cannot return. If bandit spies get in, the consequences would be unimaginable. For Datong’s safety, retreat to the Left Guard is the only option."

"Wang Ye, Lord Zhang, Lord Wei," Wang Pu’s gaze swept over their faces. "Defending a city isn’t about numbers. If every soldier fights with abandon, three thousand men can hold the city. But if every man is cowardly, even thirty thousand can’t save it."

Wei Daben hesitantly asked, "Then how do we make soldiers fight without fear?"

"Simple," Wang Pu’s eyes fixed sharply on Zhu Chuanqi. "Generous rewards breed brave warriors. If someone offers seven hundred thousand taels of silver—one hundred taels for each of the seven thousand defenders—they will fight to the death. Even if a million bandits come, Datong will stand firm."

Zhang Zi’an and Wei Daben both turned their gazes to Zhu Chuanqi. Currently, only Zhu Chuanqi seemed capable of providing such a sum.

Indeed, the Wang family was wealthy in Shanxi, with plenty of silver. But everyone knew the Wang family had spent nearly all their silver buying cattle and sheep from Zhang Zi’an. Though Zhang had funds, sixty thousand taels had gone to pay arrears, with fifty thousand taels remitted to the imperial treasury.

"Wang Ye," Wei Daben suddenly knelt before Zhu Chuanqi, pleading, "Please prioritize Datong’s safety."

Zhu Chuanqi turned, eyes pleading toward Wang Pu, trembling as he asked, "Really... really need seven... seven hundred thousand taels?"

With bandits looming, Zhu Chuanqi no longer dared to be stingy.

He was typical of those who bullied their own people but were weak before external threats. Before the bandits arrived, he even quarrelled with Wang Pu over a little civilian grain. But now, with the bandits at the gates, he softened immediately, knowing Wang Pu was a loyal subject of the Ming and wouldn’t harm him, but the bandits would not hesitate to plunder his mansion if they breached the city.

After Luoyang’s fall, news spread that Prince Fu Zhu Changxun was ground to meat paste by bandits and brewed into a liquor for their soldiers—Zhu Chuanqi could not but worry. If he refused the silver, the defenders would not risk their lives, and the bandits might really break in, putting his mansion and fortune at risk.

"Wang Ye," Wang Pu said coldly, "If one hundred taels can make border troops fight for you, isn’t that worth it? Whose life isn’t precious? Go ask your guards if they would risk their lives for a hundred taels, or dare to fight the bandits outside."

"Fine," Zhu Chuanqi gritted his teeth. "I can provide five hundred thousand taels. The other two hundred thousand must come from Lord Zhang and Lord Wei. Whether merchants and gentry in Datong donate or the sum is divided per capita, that’s your business. Also, Wang Pu, you must guarantee the bandits won’t enter the city."

"Of course," Wang Pu said with cold certainty. "As long as Wang Ye provides the silver, no one will breach the city."

---

Page 2/3

Outside the city.

After Li Yan’s troops arrived, the defenders were ready, so he did not order an immediate attack. Instead, he commanded his forces to rest and set up camp by cutting wood. By evening, the militia had established a simple camp outside Datong’s southern gate.

In Li Yan’s command tent, Ma Shouying exclaimed, "Brother Li Yan, you’re incredible! We just captured several government soldiers alive; they said that that bastard Wang Pu planned to move all civilians inside the city and starve us out. Damn, he’s ruthless!"

Lin Yangcheng agreed, "Good thing we arrived in time, or Wang Pu would have succeeded in starving us."

"Exactly," He Jin nodded. "If we had arrived two days later and the civilians brought their grain inside, we’d be in big trouble. Our brothers would find no food here and couldn’t fight on empty stomachs. We’d have to relocate to other counties."

He Yilong added, "Brother Li Yan, to avoid troubles, should we send scouts to gather supplies?"

Li Yan shook his head. "The people of Datong are already suffering. Their grain might not last until harvest. We must not seize their food unless absolutely necessary. We still have seven days’ dry rations. Let’s find another way."

"Another way?" Liu Xiyao frowned. "What other way could there be?"

Before Li Yan could answer, Jing Maocheng burst into the tent, saluted, and reported, "Commander, I have urgent military intelligence!"

"Oh?" Li Yan smiled. "Please speak, General Jing."

Jing Maocheng said, "While patrolling, my men encountered a small group of government soldiers. After a fierce fight, we wiped them out and captured several alive. They said there’s a mountain called Leigong Mountain less than fifty li away, garrisoned by over two thousand of Wang Pu’s retainers. Moreover, there are large stores of grain and cured meat hidden there!"

Li Yan asked, "Did they say how much grain?"

Jing Maocheng replied, "The captives estimated at least twenty thousand shi of grain and over a million jin of cured meat. But they don’t know exact amounts—they’re low-ranking soldiers, only aware because acquaintances are stationed there."

"Twenty thousand shi of grain? Over a million jin of cured meat?!" Ma Shouying rejoiced, "Heavens, that’s fantastic! If we get that, it’ll feed us for two months!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" He Yilong said loudly. "Brother Li Yan, order an attack on Leigong Mountain. Let’s seize that grain and meat."

"Exactly," He Jin agreed. "Don’t let that bastard Wang Pu haul those supplies back into the city."

Liu Xiyao asked, "Brother Li Yan, shall we march out now?"

"Not yet," Li Yan shook his head. "Twenty thousand shi and a million jin are a lot. To transport all at once back to Datong needs thousands of carts. Such a large convoy would be vulnerable to attack. Wang Pu isn’t foolish enough to do that. We’ll wait for reinforcements. If the supplies are really there, they won’t be moved in just a couple of days."

---

Page 3/3