The wind rose, snow fell, the Japanese pirates arrived.
The vanguard sent by the Japanese pirates was now less than three hundred metres from the Fengqiao encampment, despite the darkness, the torches carried by the Japanese pirates allowed a blurry glimpse of their faces, ferocious and frenzied, arrogant and bloodthirsty.
Zhu Ping’an raised his military sabre high, his eyes unblinking as he stared at the Japanese pirates’ vanguard ahead, feeling a slight pang of regret.
This band of Japanese pirates had combat experience, their march was quite cautious, they didn’t charge in a chaotic swarm, the main Japanese pirate force halted about a li (roughly half a kilometre) from the Fengqiao encampment, dispatching around six or seven hundred vanguard troops to assault the camp, testing the strength of our forces.
If only the entire Japanese pirate army had charged recklessly, after withstanding their assault, we could ignite the fuses, detonate the jars of gunpowder buried a hundred metres ahead, it’d certainly give the Japanese pirates a taste of their own medicine.
Unfortunately, the Japanese pirates were cautious, sending only six or seven hundred vanguard troops, this small number wasn’t worth detonating the gunpowder jars for.
The gunpowder jars were a one-time trick, once detonated, the Japanese pirates would surely heighten their guard, they wouldn’t fall into the same trap twice.
Still, no matter, wiping out the Japanese pirates’ vanguard would enrage them, they’d surely send more troops in their fury.
While Zhu Ping’an fixed his gaze on the Japanese pirates’ vanguard, Xu Hai and the other Japanese pirate leaders were also observing the Fengqiao encampment from within their main force.
“A new man-high wall has been added on the Fengqiao bridge, there’s another man-high wall along the riverbank, on the eastern slope of the bridge there’s a three-storey watchtower, right in front, a low wall connects the bridge, the watchtower, and the Fengqiao encampment, heh, the Zhejiang army’s fortifications, they’re like child’s play, a man-high wall to stop us? We don’t even need ladders, just climb over, aside from that three-storey watchtower posing some difficulty, the rest, I reckon our seven hundred vanguard can take it down.”
Chen Dong stepped forward to the front of the army to observe, seeing the Zhejiang army’s low wall fortifications from afar, he couldn’t help but scoff and shake his head.
“Brother Chen, the Zhejiang army isn’t that simple, we can’t underestimate them, look, our vanguard has already charged to within two hundred metres, yet the Zhejiang army hasn’t budged, they’re waiting to let our vanguard get closer before striking, maximising their killing power, without enough courage and discipline, they couldn’t pull this off, this Zhejiang army isn’t simple.”
Xu Hai shook his head slightly, pointing at the Fengqiao encampment, he spoke slowly, cautioning Chen Dong and the others not to take the enemy lightly.
“Heh, Brother Xu, the Zhejiang army isn’t moving, could it be they’re scared stiff by us?”
Ma Ye said with a laugh.
“Hahahaha…”
As soon as Ma Ye finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted.
“Lord Ma Ye, whether the Zhejiang army’s scared stiff or not, we’ll know soon enough, our vanguard’s already charged to a hundred and fifty metres.”
Beitiao Dao San, that scoundrel, pulled a fan from his robe at some point, snapping it open, it bore images of the sun, moon, and the Big Dipper, he pointed at the vanguard, now a hundred and fifty metres from the Zhejiang army’s position, and said.
“That distance is already within the Zhejiang army’s bow and crossbow range, how come there’s still no movement from them?! Could Ma Ye be right, they’re actually scared stiff by us?! Otherwise, why hasn’t a single arrow been fired?!”
Chen Dong watched as the vanguard reached a hundred and fifty metres from the Zhejiang army, yet there was still no reaction, not a single arrow shot, he froze for a moment, then said half in doubt, half in mockery.
“Hahahaha, I was just joking earlier, who knew the Zhejiang army would be so pathetic, they’ve really been scared stiff!”
Ma Ye shook his head and burst into hearty laughter.
“Exactly, didn’t we scout earlier? The Zhejiang army’s commander is that new top scholar from the imperial court, isn’t he? Barely past twenty, a frail scholar still wet behind the ears, facing such a grand scene for the first time, it’s normal he’d be scared stiff, I just didn’t expect this guy to be worse than Zhao Kuo, who at least managed to clash with the God of War Bai Qi for a few months, this one’s been scared silly the moment he saw us, truly a scholar’s uselessness personified.”
Chen Dong recalled the intelligence they’d gathered, the Zhejiang army’s commander was a young scholar, it seemed highly likely he’d been paralysed by fear, he sneered.
“Really scared stiff?!”
Even Xu Hai was starting to feel uncertain now, the vanguard had reached the Zhejiang army’s bow and crossbow range, yet they still didn’t move.
“Heh, I told you Brother Xu was too cautious, overestimating them.” Ma Ye said with a grin, arms crossed.
“Yoshi! Victory is ours! Our lads have charged to a hundred metres, that’s already within our Japanese pirates’ bow range, look, among the vanguard, Haneda Heitaro’s leading a hundred archers, drawing their bows and firing, suppressing the Ming army, paving the way for the rest to charge.”
Beitiao Dao San saw a hundred archers break off from the Japanese pirates’ vanguard to suppress the Zhejiang army’s low wall, he said with a delighted expression.
“Well done!” Chen Dong and Ma Ye nodded happily too.
Xu Hai frowned slightly, vaguely sensing something off, the Zhejiang army shouldn’t be this incompetent.
Up ahead, the Japanese pirates’ vanguard had charged to within a hundred metres of the Zhejiang army’s position, Haneda Heitaro led his hundred archers to stop at that distance, forming a horizontal line, each wielding a man-high Japanese pirate bow, they pulled arrows from their quivers, drew their bows, and fired toward the low wall, Liu Dadao quickly raised his shield, protecting Zhu Ping’an.
Behind the low wall, the rear ranks of the Zhejiang army also took out shields, tilting them upward to cover their comrades in front and themselves.
A hundred arrows came flying sparsely, their force considerable, their aim decent, of the hundred-plus arrows, at least ninety were on target.
However, thanks to the man-high wall blocking them, the shields, and the Zhejiang army’s oversized cotton armour providing ample protection, most of the Japanese pirates’ arrows hit the wall, the trickier ones aimed straight at faces were blocked by shields, the arcing arrows that landed behind the wall and struck unprotected Zhejiang soldiers were stopped by their cotton armour.
This volley of Japanese pirate arrows caused no harm to the Zhejiang army.
Haneda Heitaro wasn’t the least bit discouraged, in fact, a smile spread across his face, because under the cover of his arrows, the Japanese pirates’ vanguard had advanced another ten metres or so, one more volley, and they’d be within fifty metres.
Fifty metres was just a few breaths’ time, victory was assured.
“Fire again!”
Haneda Heitaro shouted the order.
His Japanese pirate subordinates followed his command, drawing their bows and firing once more, just like the last round, this one also failed to harm the Zhejiang army, except for one unlucky soldier who got hit in the hand.
Haneda Heitaro was thrilled, the vanguard had now charged within fifty metres.
“Drop bows, charge!”
Haneda Heitaro yelled, tossing aside his longbow first, drawing his Japanese pirate blade and rushing forward, his men followed suit, abandoning their bows, grabbing their blades, and charging with him.
Just a few steps into his charge, Haneda Heitaro heard the Ming commander ahead bellow, “Open fire!”
Then, he saw blinding flashes erupt from the low wall ahead, followed by a deafening barrage of “bang bang bang” from the muskets.
And then, there was no “then.”
Haneda Heitaro watched as the Japanese pirates who’d charged to within thirty metres of the Zhejiang army fell like harvested wheat, in the blink of an eye, at least a third of them were down.
—
