The sun was setting, casting a faint glow as startled crows took flight. Liu Mu and Liu Dadao had led the rangers out of camp half a day ago, yet no word had returned.
Zhu Ping’an stood atop the watchtower at Fengqiao, gazing into the distance. The Japanese pirates encircling the Zhejiang army camp showed no signs of learning their lesson. Their tents were pitched haphazardly, and the pirates themselves lounged about carelessly, gathered in small groups around fires. Their entire position was riddled with gaps, like a sieve, exposing vulnerabilities everywhere. The pirate camps to the north and northwest of the city were out of sight, but the one to the east was faintly visible, though too distant to discern clearly.
As for Liu Mu, Liu Dadao, and the rangers, Zhu Ping’an couldn’t spot a single trace of them.
Just as he was about to descend, a faint clamor reached his ears. Following the sound, he saw the pirates to the east launching another assault on the city.
Judging by the noise, the north and northwest were also erupting with the sounds of combat—the pirates there had begun their attack as well.
From the tower, Zhu Ping’an could vaguely make out the fighting along the city walls.
This assault mirrored the morning’s attack almost exactly. The intensity was lukewarm, as if they were merely probing.
The siege lasted less than half an hour before it ended, much like the morning’s skirmish.
The pirates retreated once more.
Cheers of victory faintly drifted from the city walls.
“Another attack—what are the pirates up to?” Zhu Ping’an rubbed his chin, sinking into thought again.
It felt as though the pirates were deliberately failing, throwing away lives…
That shouldn’t be. The adage went: strike with full vigor once, wane on the second try, and exhaust by the third. Normally, an enemy attacking a city would concentrate their forces, strike with all their might, and press relentlessly to overwhelm the defenders, exploit weaknesses, and seize the city.
Why were the pirates acting so abnormally?
Where there’s abnormality, there’s treachery.
A sudden thought surged into Zhu Ping’an’s mind.
Could the pirates be feigning defeat to lure the city’s garrison into pursuing them, setting an ambush to annihilate the chasing forces?!
At this realization, Zhu Ping’an’s eyes widened. It seemed highly plausible—pirates were notorious for their ambushes and deceit.
With each “failed” assault and “routed retreat with heavy losses,” the city’s defenders might grow overconfident. Some greedy for glory might deem the pirates weak, see a chance to expand their victory, and rush out in pursuit…
With this in mind, though Liu Mu and Liu Dadao hadn’t yet sent word, Zhu Ping’an couldn’t wait any longer. He hurried down the stairs.
“Quick, bring me brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and fetch the carrier pigeons!” Zhu Ping’an called to the guards below as he descended.
Soon, the guards brought the writing materials. Zhu Ping’an swiftly penned a brief warning letter, stating that the pirates might be feigning defeat to entice the city’s garrison into a chase, setting an ambush in secret. To thwart their scheme, he urged the defenders to hold the city and refrain from pursuing the pirates.
Once finished, he blew the ink dry, folded the letter, and placed it into a message tube.
“Send it to the city at once,” Zhu Ping’an instructed, handing the tube to a guard, who tied it to a pigeon’s leg and released it.
To ensure it reached its destination, Zhu Ping’an wrote a second identical letter and had another pigeon dispatched.
Fortunately, the pirates surrounding the Zhejiang army camp were woefully lax. It was dinnertime, and their attention was fixated on the simmering pork, beef, and mutton in their pots, as well as the jars of wine scattered on the ground.
The breakout of Liu Mu, Liu Dadao, and their four hundred rangers had barely fazed them.
Initially, they’d been on edge, but once they realized it was just four hundred men, they dismissed it.
What could four hundred do?! It wouldn’t disrupt their leaders’ plans. In fact, with those four hundred gone, the Zhejiang camp was down to just over a thousand men, making it even easier to encircle.
Breaking out with a thousand would be far harder now.
Thus, the pirates grew even more complacent and careless than before.
The two pigeons, released half a tea-time apart from the watchtower, went unnoticed by the pirates.
Soon, the pigeons flew one after the other into Suzhou City. The pigeon handlers retrieved the messages and rushed them to Prefect Shang Weichi.
Shang Weichi received the letters while still basking in the joy of repelling the pirates again. Reading Zhu Ping’an’s warning, a cold sweat broke out on his back. The timing was impeccable—just moments ago, while inspecting the walls and praising General Wang and his men for their defense, he’d overheard several soldiers’ reckless boasts.
“Pirates are nothing!” “They’re just clay dogs and chickens!” “Those stunted fools!” “If they dare come again, we’ll chase them out and slaughter them till they’re routed!”
Now, with Zhu Ping’an’s warning in mind, Shang reflected on the pirates’ two attacks. They did seem less committed.
Perhaps they were indeed feigning defeat to lure the garrison out…
To be safe, he needed to warn General Wang. Shang nodded firmly to himself.
He headed back to the eastern gate.
“Prefect, you’re back again? With us guarding here, what’s there to worry about? Rest easy,” General Wang laughed heartily. After repelling two pirate assaults, his confidence was soaring.
“General Wang, I just received a pigeon message from Lord Zhu. He warns that these two pirate attacks might be a ruse to feign defeat, aiming to lure our forces out for an ambush outside the city…” Shang Weichi relayed Zhu Ping’an’s message, urging caution against the pirates’ ploy and advising against pursuit.
“Hahaha… Prefect, you’re overthinking it. Lord Zhu’s imagining things—worrying over nothing!” General Wang burst into laughter.
“General Wang, Lord Zhu’s warning isn’t baseless. Caution is best. Victory without arrogance, defeat without despair—our goal is to hold the city. As long as we defend Suzhou, you’ve achieved great merit. Do not chase the pirates out…” Shang Weichi pressed.
“Rest assured, Prefect. I’ve got it under control,” General Wang said, clasping his fists. “I’m a seasoned veteran—decades on the battlefield. I’ve seen it all. I can tell at a glance whether the pirates are faking defeat or truly retreating.”
He then added with a mocking chuckle, “Heh, when Zhu Ping’an wins, it’s skill. When we win, it’s the pirates pretending? This morning’s ‘fake defeat’ left nearly a thousand corpses at the three gates. This evening’s ‘fake defeat’ dropped another thousand. Such losses—since ancient times, Prefect, have you ever seen a feigned retreat like this? A few more ‘fake defeats,’ and the pirates will be wiped out…”
“General Wang makes a fair point, but caution ensures safety for the long haul. Holding the city is merit enough,” Shang Weichi insisted.
“Understood, my lord,” General Wang replied, clasping his fists again.
