In fact, rumours had long circulated in the capital and the Jiangnan region that Jin Feng knew sorcery.
Zheng Chiyuan had heard them too, but he had never believed a word, convinced they were fabrications by storytellers.
Now, however, he was beginning to waver.
The current situation had completely exceeded his understanding.
Nothing but sorcery could explain it.
Some of the more timid naval soldiers had already fallen to their knees on the deck, kowtowing towards the spot where the fireball had appeared.
Soldiers lacked the deep reserve of civil officials. Although Zheng Chiyuan knew it was improper to ask, curiosity still compelled him. “General Jin, what was that fireball in the sky? And how did you send men to the rear mountain?”
“Forgive me, General Zheng. This is a military secret, so I am afraid I cannot disclose it.”
Having gone to such lengths to conceal the hot-air balloon’s flame, Jin Feng would have to be a fool to reveal it voluntarily.
“It was I who was presumptuous.”
Zheng Chiyuan felt regret, yet he could not press further.
He cupped his hands and asked, “General Jin, what shall we do next?”
“Next, General Zheng need only ferry my men to the island, then seal the exits and prevent the water bandits’ boats from escaping.”
Jin Feng said, “Leave the rest to us.”
“I hear this band of water bandits numbers more than a thousand, while you have only a few hundred. Will that suffice?”
Zheng Chiyuan asked, “Why not let Lieutenant Dong lead a thousand men to land with you?”
“No need. We may be no match for them on water, but once ashore, those water bandits are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs.”
Jin Feng waved his hand dismissively.
In truth, this assault had gone far more smoothly than he had imagined.
The water bandits clearly understood nothing of military formation. They had carelessly moored all their vessels in the same area, even placing the merchant association’s ships on the outer perimeter.
Now the merchant cargo ships were ablaze, effectively trapping the rest inside.
Without boats, the bandits had no choice but to cower on Crab Pincer Island and await the escorts’ landing, unless they leapt into the sea.
Even if they still had boats, it would have been useless.
Before the torches were lit, the navy had already completely sealed the exits.
They could not break out without several times their current strength.
Seeing Jin Feng’s insistence, Zheng Chiyuan said no more. He directed his men to use small boats to ferry the escorts onto the island.
This moment was actually the best opportunity for the bandits to mount a defence, yet they had already descended into utter chaos with no one in overall command. No one paid any attention to the landings.
A few bandits did notice, but upon seeing the escorts backed by the numerous naval troops, they lost all courage and turned to flee.
Thus, several hundred escorts swaggered ashore without resistance.
Da Zhuang and Monkey had taken the hot-air balloon to strike the rear mountain, so command this time fell to Han Feng.
Once the landing was complete, Han Feng first gathered the escorts, then divided them into three detachments. Following the intelligence they had gathered, each headed towards a different area.
Meanwhile, the fighting on the rear mountain had reached fever pitch.
Both sides were locked in fierce attack and defence along the narrow mountain path.
The escorts were too few in number, so Monkey and his men could only maximise their weapon advantages.
Heavy crossbows, trebuchets, hand grenades – all were deployed in turn.
The second-in-command knew full well that his only chance of survival lay in seizing the hostages.
He therefore urged the bandits forward with desperate ferocity.
The bandits were repulsed time and again, yet charged once more each time.
Moreover, the second-in-command had learned his lesson. He no longer allowed them to bunch together, but ordered dispersed attacks.
This way he could exhaust the escorts’ ammunition as much as possible.
Having arrived by hot-air balloon, Monkey’s group carried limited weapons to begin with.
After holding out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the heavy crossbow bolts were completely spent, and only one grenade remained.
Reloading the trebuchet was far too slow.
The escorts’ line steadily fell back.
After fighting so long, Monkey had long since spotted the second-in-command directing operations from the rear.
If that man were eliminated, the bandits would collapse without further attack.
Yet the second-in-command stayed hidden behind a boulder, making long-range sniping impossible.
As the enemy reached halfway up the path, Monkey’s temper finally snapped.
He ordered a flash grenade thrown, then led a squad charging down the slope straight towards the second-in-command.
The flash grenade was used on Crab Pincer Island for the first time. Caught completely unprepared, the bandits were blinded on the spot.
Monkey and his men cut through them as though no one stood in their way, reached the boulder unimpeded, and beheaded the second-in-command with a single stroke.
They then withdrew, slaughtering the blinded bandits in a frenzy.
The bandits had long since lost all fighting spirit. Now, with their second-in-command slain, those who regained their sight fled faster than the last.
This place was too terrifying.
They did not yet know that something even more terrifying awaited below.
At the foot of the mountain, battle had also erupted.
Real combat with blade and blood was the best way to test warriors.
The difference between elite troops and a rabble was plain for all to see.
The escorts numbered only a few hundred in total. Some remained aboard the naval fleet to man the heavy crossbows and trebuchets.
Da Zhuang and Monkey had taken two platoons with them.
Thus, the escorts who landed with Han Feng amounted to roughly five hundred.
The bandits, by contrast, numbered more than a thousand – over twice as many – and held the advantage of familiar terrain.
Yet faced with the escorts’ assault, the bandits truly proved as fragile as Jin Feng had claimed, crumbling at the slightest touch.
The escorts maintained their classic formation: black-armoured male soldiers in front, female archers with crossbows behind, advancing like an inexorable bulldozer, crushing all before them.
More than a thousand bandits were steadily driven by a few hundred escorts up to an open space halfway up the mountain.
Behind that space lay a cliff dozens of zhang high.
From the warship, Jin Feng saw that victory was assured. He turned and said, “Da Liu, prepare a small boat. We are going ashore too.”
Hearing that Jin Feng intended to land, Zheng Chiyuan was startled.
In battle between armies, the commanding general rarely went to the front line.
This was not merely fear of death. If the commander suffered injury, the blow to morale could be catastrophic.
In the worst case, it might overturn the entire battle.
Yet recalling that Jin Feng’s decisions were always sound, Zheng Chiyuan opened his mouth, then closed it again without advising against it. He merely watched Jin Feng depart.
Before setting out, Jin Feng had studied the fishermen’s maps countless times. He probably knew Crab Pincer Island better than the bandits themselves.
Once ashore, he did not pause for a moment. Hands clasped behind his back, he strolled northward.
Fighting continued all around. Many thatched huts had been set alight by fallen torches. Shouts of killing and firelight filled the entire island.
Yet Jin Feng walked as though taking a leisurely stroll, unhurried and relaxed.
“No wonder he has achieved so much at such a young age.”
Watching Jin Feng’s retreating back, Zheng Chiyuan sighed with deep admiration.
Scholars look down on one another, and so do warriors.
Previously, hearing that Jin Feng was not yet twenty yet had been ennobled through military merit, Zheng Chiyuan had felt unconvinced.
He had assumed Jin Feng was a puppet propped up by the Qing family.
After all, Qing Huai already held the rank of marquis and could rise no further.
Rather than let military achievements benefit an outsider, it was better to install a puppet to receive them.
Zheng Chiyuan could hardly be blamed for thinking this way. Both battles Jin Feng had fought were inextricably linked to the Qing family.
Thus, while outwardly warm, Zheng Chiyuan had inwardly looked down on Jin Feng. That was why he had made the outrageous demand for a thousand heavy crossbows and trebuchets outright.
But after accompanying Jin Feng to suppress the water bandits and witnessing the entire operation firsthand, Zheng Chiyuan was utterly convinced.
