Liu Bei time-travels to become the Heavenly King Chao Gai

Chapter 55 Burning the Camp, Taking the Waterway, and Heading to Liangshan

In a narrow alley west of Daming Prefecture, Wang was mending clothes under the lamplight. Her husband, Wang Cheng, had been gone with Supervisor Yang for almost two months without a single letter home. She didn't know where he was, or if he was alright. She only knew that rumors were swirling in Zengtou City that the soldiers were in for trouble.

She got two stitches, then stopped and stared blankly at the dark shadow on the wall.

"Knock knock".

Someone knocked on the door.

Wang put down her needlework, walked to the door, but didn't dare to open it.

"Who?"

There was no response from outside.

She asked again, "Who?"

A low voice came through the crack in the door: "Sister-in-law, open the door. The moon is full on the fifteenth of August."

Wang's hand trembled slightly.

The full moon on the fifteenth of August was an internal communication code.

She unlatched the door, and it opened a crack. A man in a gray cloth shirt stood outside; he had a thin face, small eyes, and looked like a peddler. He pulled a tattered piece of cloth from his sleeve and handed it to her.

Wang took the tattered cloth and examined it under the lamplight. It was her husband's clothing. She recognized it; there was a patch on the left sleeve, which she had sewn herself.

Tears welled up instantly.

"Sister-in-law, don't cry, don't make a sound." The man lowered his voice. "Your husband asked me to pass on a message. Go to Liangshan; someone will meet you by the river. Don't make a fuss. Pack your valuables and take the children southeast. When you get there, someone will naturally be there to meet you."

Wang opened her mouth, as if to say something.

The man stuffed a small piece of silver into her hand and turned to leave.

"I'll remember that, Liangshan."

The footsteps disappeared at the alley entrance.

Wang leaned against the doorframe, her hands trembling violently as she held the tattered cloth and the loose silver. She glanced back into the room. The child lay in bed, still snoring.

.........

Daming Prefecture, a dilapidated house in the south of the city.

There was only one old woman in the house, over sixty years old, with completely white hair. Her son was named Zhao Da, a soldier under Yang Zhi. Zhao Da was unmarried, and she lived alone.

A rogue stood outside the door and knocked for a long time before there was any response from inside.

The door opened a crack, revealing a wrinkled face.

"Who should I look for?"

The rogue squatted down so the old lady didn't have to look up at him, then pulled a button from his pocket.

"Ma'am, do you recognize this?"

The old lady picked up the button and examined it closely. It belonged to her son; he had pulled it off his jacket before he left, telling her to keep it as a keepsake.

"You...who are you to my son?"

"Auntie, I won't lie to you, I'm here to deliver a message for your son." The ruffian's voice was very soft. "He said that you should take your things and head southeast. You'll be safe once you reach the Liangshan River."

The old woman's tears welled up instantly, and she raised her hand to slap him.

"You're lying to me! You liar! My son was perfectly fine, how could this happen..."

The rascal didn't dodge and took two hits.

"Auntie, please stop hitting me. You don't believe me? You don't even believe your son's buttons?"

The old lady stopped.

She clutched the button, her lips trembling for a long time.

"He...he's still alive?"

The rogue nodded.

"Alive. He's still waiting for you."

The old woman squatted down, covered her face, and cried. After crying for a while, she raised her head and wiped away her tears.

"Which way?"

"Southeast. Once we reach the water, someone will meet us." The ruffian B stood up. "Auntie, take care."

He turned and disappeared into the night.

The old woman stood at the doorway, clutching a button in her hand, gazing at the empty alley. A gust of wind ruffled her gray hair. Instead of going inside, she went to a corner of the yard, pulled out an old piece of cloth, and began packing her bundle.

.........

On the west bank of Liangshan Marsh, at the mouth of a waterway.

Ruan Xiaoer lit a lantern and hung it on a willow tree on the bank. The lantern was small, covered with a layer of oiled paper, so it was opaque and only opened on the side facing the water. From a distance, it looked like a thin line of light, and could not be seen unless you got close.

He squatted on the bank, holding an oar in his hand, with a broadsword beside him.

The moon was obscured by clouds, and the water appeared dark and murky.

Footsteps approached in the distance. It wasn't just one person, but several.

Ruan Xiaoer stood up, cupped his hands to his mouth, and imitated a water bird's call.

There was a reply from the other end.

Ruan Xiaoer breathed a sigh of relief and pushed the boat into the water.

A dozen or so people came ashore. There were women, children, an old lady, and an old man with a limp who was being helped by others. No one spoke; they were all panting heavily.

Ruan Xiaoer steered the boat to a safe stop and whispered, "Get on board. Don't make a sound."

A woman carrying a child boarded the boat first. The child was asleep, neither crying nor fussing. The old woman was helped aboard, her legs trembling violently. Ruan Xiaoer reached out and pulled her onto the boat.

"Auntie, please sit tight."

The boat wasn't big; it could only carry about ten people at a time. Ruan Xiaoer would send this batch over first, then come back to pick up the next batch.

At the foot of Liangshan Mountain, Lin Chong and his men were already waiting.

The women and children were led to a shed at the foot of the mountain. Some people handed them hot water, while others gave them dry food. No one asked them where they came from, or who their husbands were. They didn't speak, but held their bowls and drank slowly.

Wu Yong stood on high ground, looking at the lights at the foot of the mountain, and sighed.

Lin Chong walked to his side.

"Scholar, how many people came tonight?"

"The first batch, thirty-seven," Wu Yong said. "More will follow."

Lin Chong nodded.

"Brother, this move is not hasty, but it's prudent." Wu Yong put away his feather fan and tucked it into his sleeve. "That's how you win people's hearts."

Lin Chong didn't speak. He looked at the women and children below the mountain, then at the lantern that was faintly visible on the water, and turned to leave.

……

The message was brought back by Wang Cheng.

He rode a fast horse and rushed back from Daming Prefecture overnight. When he arrived at the camp, it was still dark, and the guards at the gate almost mistook him for a spy and stabbed him with their spears. Wang Cheng didn't have time to say anything and went straight to Yang Zhi's tent.

Yang Zhi was not asleep. He sat at the military table, on which lay the map. The oil lamp had burned out, and the flame was only the size of a mung bean, about to go out at any moment. He heard footsteps and looked up.

Wang Cheng lifted the curtain and entered, kneeling on one knee.

"Commander, the families have moved. The first batch, thirty-seven people, has already gone to Liangshan."

Yang Zhi paused his finger on the map for a moment.

"Is he alright?"

"It's alright. Chao Baozheng sent someone to meet us at the water's edge, and we made it up the mountain safely. There are others on the way, and they will arrive soon."

Yang Zhi was silent for a moment. He stood up, walked to the tent entrance, and lifted the curtain. It was still dark outside, with only a few lanterns lit up on the arrow tower of Zengtou City in the distance. A breeze blew in, carrying the chill of early autumn.

"Wang Cheng".

"exist."

"Go and call all the squad leaders here now."

……

Several teams were entering the tent one after another. Wang Cheng was the last to enter. When he came in, there were already six people standing in the tent. They were all old brothers who had followed Yang Zhi for many years. Some had followed him since he set off from Daming Prefecture, while others had been transferred later, but they were all trustworthy people.

Yang Zhi did not sit down. He stood by the table, looking at the group of people.

"Brothers, we've been without food for five days, and all our horses have been slaughtered. Liang Zhongshu isn't supplying us, and the imperial court has no reinforcements. Zengtou City is right in front of us; we can't win. Returning to Daming Prefecture would be a capital offense."

No one speaks.

"I have a path," Yang Zhi said, his gaze sweeping across everyone's faces. "But once you take this path, there's no turning back."

One of the men spoke up: "Supervisor, what route?"

"Liangshan".

A moment of silence fell over the tent. The other squad leader's voice was hoarse: "Commander, isn't that where the bandits are hiding?"

Yang Zhi looked at him.

"Do you want to live as a bandit, or die as a government soldier?"

The team leader fell silent.

Wang Cheng stepped forward and said to his colleagues, "Brothers, the commander has already sent our families to Liangshan. Our mothers, wives, and children are all there. What will happen to them if we don't go?"

The expressions of the team leaders all changed.

"Commander, when did this happen?" someone asked.

Yang Zhi said, "These are the events of the past few days. Chao Baozheng sent word that the Ruan brothers are on the water to meet us. The first group has already arrived."

The tent fell silent again.

A moment later, the oldest member of the squad spoke up: "Commander, I've followed you for eight years. Now that I have no more worries, wherever you say, I'll go."

Once he took the lead, the others followed suit and expressed their opinions.

Yang Zhi nodded.

"Alright. It's settled then—we'll retreat tonight. Burn down the camp, take the waterway, and head to Liangshan."