The sun rose, hung high, then set, twilight slowly descending, the moon climbing the willow branches, silence enveloping the fields.
For an entire day, until deep into the night, the Japanese pirates stayed quietly hunkered down on the riverbank ten miles away, making no move to attack the Zhejiang army’s position. They didn’t even feign an assault, their stillness almost unbelievable.
On Suzhou’s city walls, under the glow of torches, officials fortified defenses, increased patrols, and stood guard against the pirates.
The soldiers atop the walls gazed at the distant pirate camp, pointing and chatting, their mood relaxed.
“Seems like the pirates got their heads bashed in at the Zhejiang army’s front, lost a lot, and haven’t recovered all day. They haven’t dared attack the Zhejiang position even once. Heh, look at them, don’t they seem like wild dogs with broken legs, only daring to glare and bare their teeth from afar, without the guts to turn and fight back?”
“Hahaha, the pirates aren’t much after all…”
The atmosphere on the wall was far lighter than it had been at dawn, a trace of disdain for the pirates creeping in.
“The pirates are cunning. They didn’t attack during the day, probably to lull us into a false sense of security. They might strike at night, bypassing the Zhejiang army at the south gate to hit other gates. We must stay vigilant and leave them no openings.”
Suzhou’s prefect, Shang Weichi, tirelessly summoned the responsible officers and officials with every stretch of wall he inspected, emphasizing this point.
“Yes, yes, rest assured, Lord Prefect. With the lives of the city’s people at stake, my family included, I wouldn’t dare slack off in the slightest.”
The officials and officers repeatedly assured Prefect Shang.
“Of course, not everyone needs to stay on high alert. We can split into two or three shifts, one on full watch, the others resting nearby. The townsfolk sent over three thousand quilts, plus our own stock, there’s more than enough for two per person. Sleeping on the ground won’t risk cold or hunger.”
“Light more bonfires on the walls. First, it creates the illusion of a large force to confuse the pirates and make them wary. Second, with the freezing weather, extra fires will let everyone warm up and fend off the chill. Third, cook a big pot of meat broth over the fires and bake some flatbreads beside them, a midnight snack to keep the soldiers nourished.”
Prefect Shang arranged for the troops.
The soldiers eagerly agreed. Three shifts, more bonfires, and an extra meal, who wouldn’t be pleased?
After inspecting the walls, Prefect Shang didn’t descend. He went to the gate tower, laid out a simple bedroll on the floor like the soldiers, and rested against the wall in his clothes.
“Lord Prefect, it’s late, and the pirates show no sign of moving. We’ve got the walls covered. Go back to the residence for a proper sleep. You’ve worked too hard today, even iron couldn’t withstand it,” his subordinates urged.
“Haha, I’m not some feeble old man. One night’s nothing, I could handle a month. A few months ago, when Zihou governed Jingshan County and faced a pirate siege, he carried his bedroll up the wall, vowing not to leave until the pirates retreated. I’m doing the same now, no descent until they’re gone,” Prefect Shang said with a wave, resolute.
“Lord Prefect, that was then, this is now. With Lord Zhu leading the Zhejiang army at Fengqiao Camp and us here, you…”
The subordinates kept persuading.
Before they could finish, Prefect Shang cut them off. “No more convincing needed, my mind’s made up. And you’re all the same, no one leaves the wall until the pirates retreat, or it’s desertion in the face of the enemy!”
The subordinates fell silent…
In the dead of night, the soldiers on the wall didn’t dare relax. Beyond those resting on the ground, every on-duty soldier kept their eyes wide, watching the distance, alert to the slightest rustle.
The pirate army lingered over ten miles away, still not retreating, a potential assault looming at any moment. Though the Zhejiang army had dealt them a heavy blow that day, with only two thousand men, they could only hold Fengqiao Camp. Suzhou had gates on all sides, the pirates could easily skirt the southern Zhejiang defenses to strike elsewhere.
Thus, the wall’s defenders stayed on edge.
Prefect Shang emerged again at midnight to patrol, nodding in satisfaction at the soldiers’ diligence.
Far off, at the Zhejiang army’s Fengqiao Camp, hooves thundered as over a hundred riders stopped before the gate.
“Password! Give the password to enter!” the guards shouted warily.
“Water can carry a boat,” the soldiers at the gate called out.
“And it can race one too.”
The riders responded in unison.
“Password’s correct, open the gate,” the sentry leader waved, signaling his men to comply.
“Water can carry a boat, and it can race one too,” a playful password designed by Zhu Ping’an, laced with modern whimsy.
Its real strength was secrecy. In this era, hearing “Water can carry a boat,” most would expect “And it can capsize it.” Unless another time-traveler appeared, only Zhejiang soldiers told by Zhu Ping’an knew the reply was “And it can race one too.”
“Sir, we spread out, keeping a distant watch on the pirate camp until Captain Zhang’s team relieved us. We observed for three full hours, not a single pirate left their camp, their whole army stayed inside.”
Captain Wang Xiong led the hundred-plus riders back, handing the horses to his men for feed and warm water, then entered the tent to report to Zhu Ping’an.
“Oh?”
Inside, Zhu Ping’an was reviewing the soldiers’ combat merit logs, drafting a commendation request. He paused at Wang Xiong’s report.
He’d expected the pirates to slip out under night’s cover, sending teams to bypass the Zhejiang-held Fengqiao Camp and hit Suzhou’s other gates. Yet they’d truly hunkered down in their makeshift base.
This puzzled Zhu Ping’an. Though the pirates lost six or seven thousand men to the Zhejiang army that day, their main force remained, outnumbering Suzhou’s defenders several times over. They shouldn’t be this passive.
The pirates must be brewing some scheme.
Zhu Ping’an pondered briefly but came up empty. Still, doing his job right and leaving no openings for the pirates couldn’t go wrong.
“Good, I’ve got it. Well done, Captain Wang, go rest,” Zhu Ping’an said, dismissing Wang Xiong before heading out with Liu Mu and others to inspect the camp, plugging any gaps.
To guard against surprises, Zhu Ping’an sent three more cavalry patrols to scout Suzhou’s other three directions, monitoring pirate movements.
He specifically instructed them to prioritize alerts over engagement if they spotted the pirates.
