The rest of them also began to speed up at this moment, even at the risk of making a little extra noise.
Finally, Zheng Fan climbed up. The instant he stuck his head out, he saw Liang Cheng and the other soldiers already crouched there. Reassured, Zheng Fan heaved himself over the wall.
However, what surprised Zheng Fan was that there were no bodies on this watchtower.
Liang Cheng shook his head at Zheng Fan, indicating that there had been no one there to begin with.
Could the night watchman have gone to the latrine? What incredible luck!
All the men had climbed up. They held their knives tight, crouching low, each breath taken with great caution. The most difficult first step was completed; next, they awaited the order to strike.
This fortress was quite large, which was why it was their chosen target. They estimated it housed several dozen garrison soldiers. Zheng Fan had dismissed the smaller Beacon Forts out of hand, as they only housed single-digit numbers of garrison soldiers. Attacking these small targets could easily expose them.
Liang Cheng gave a hand signal, then began to creep along the wall toward the interior. The rest of the men divided into two lines, all leaning against the wall, following Liang Cheng’s rhythm to carefully make their way into the fort.
As they explored a little deeper, they started to hear some voices and could also see some flickers of firelight.
Smoke signals and firelight were different. The garrison soldiers inside the fort didn’t have to eat dry rations every day; they could cook. Smoke signals were so named because wolf dung was originally used to create the best smoke. Of course, other animal dung or additions like sheep felt could also be used to create a similar effect.
Zheng Fan was always following behind Liang Cheng, so he could hear more clearly than the other soldiers.
Suddenly, Zheng Fan heard some discordant sounds: women’s voices.
Zheng Fan patted Liang Cheng’s shoulder. Liang Cheng turned to look at Zheng Fan. Zheng Fan held his knife in one hand and gestured to his own chest with the other. Liang Cheng nodded, indicating that he too had heard the women’s voices.
Could garrison soldiers from Qian State bring family members along? Zheng Fan really wasn’t sure.
However, he soon realized there was more than one woman’s voice. He could also hear men’s laughter and bragging. Although he couldn’t make out what they were saying, he could sense their smugness.
Life in the fort seemed harmonious. Their relationships were apparently quite good. But why was no one on night watch?
Liang Cheng resumed advancing, with Zheng Fan and the twenty soldiers following him carefully. They began to quietly descend the stairs. When all had descended to the actual interior of the fort, Liang Cheng signaled for the soldiers to stay put. He and Zheng Fan continued forward alone to scout the situation.
Zheng Fan and Liang Cheng exchanged glances. Zheng Fan looked puzzled, and Liang Cheng shook his head. Apparently, he was also clueless. Even with his extensive experience leading troops, he couldn’t figure out what was going on inside this Qian State border fortress.
Liang Cheng gestured to Zheng Fan, indicating that at the upcoming corner, he would go right, and Zheng Fan should go left. Zheng Fan nodded, showing he understood.
The two moved together. After passing the corner, they pressed themselves against the walls on their respective sides.
Zheng Fan bit his tongue.
Damn it! What was he thinking at a time and place ?!
Just then, the wooden door on the side Zheng Fan was pressed against opened. Get full chapters from novelFɪre.net
Zheng Fan’s heart leaped into his throat, and he swiftly brought his knife down.
A lanky man in his forties emerged from inside, wearing leather armor and sporting a mouth full of yellow teeth. "Brother, you have to join the queue..." he said.
Without hesitation, Zheng Fan plunged his knife into the man’s heart.
On the other side, as soon as Liang Cheng saw what was happening with Zheng Fan, he gave a low shout to signal the soldiers behind them and charged inside, knife in hand.
Zheng Fan had just pulled his knife from the man’s body when the twenty-odd soldiers rushed past him.
Then, a string of screams erupted—men and women alike—but there were no sounds of weapons clashing or battle cries.
Once everything had settled, Zheng Fan, still in disbelief, sat on a chair a soldier had brought for him. A charcoal brazier burned in front of him.
Seven or eight women, only partially covered by torn rags, huddled in a corner. Over a dozen men, stripped bare, knelt on the ground. On the other side, another ten or more men, still clothed, also knelt.
There were four bodies on the ground. One belonged to the man Zheng Fan had first cut down, the one who had dared tell him not to jump the queue. The other three were those Liang Cheng had indiscriminately hacked down when he charged in. After that, Liang Cheng realized there was no further need to kill; as the soldiers followed him in, they quickly took control of the situation.
A man who looked like their leader was dragged out by Liang Cheng and thrown in front of Zheng Fan.
Zheng Fan bent slightly, one hand resting on his knife, the other stroking his chin, and asked, "Who are you?"
"I... I’m the fort commander here... My name is... Zhao Changgui."
"Fort Commander?" Zheng Fan pointed at the women huddled in the corner. "And these, what are they?"
"Well... well, supplies in the fort were running low. My brothers couldn’t make ends meet... so, I... I set up this business here, to earn a living, just to earn a living..."
After hearing this, Zheng Fan felt a tightness in his chest. It was as if every careful move he had made leading his men here had been nothing but a foolish show he’d put on for his own amusement. At the same time, he couldn’t help but touch his own face.
History books would probably record it :
In the autumn of the tenth year of the Wu’an reign of Yan, Commander Zheng Fan of Green Willow Fortress fired Yan’s first arrow southward, marking the beginning of the Yan and Qian war.
And then, they’d have to add another line:
He conquered a chicken fort.