Chapter 33: The Mists of Daizhou (1/2)
Chapter 33: The Mists of Daizhou
Lin Tong, the Crimson Clouds Princess, was the youngest child of the Marquis of Daizhou, Lin Yuanting, and the younger sister of the Princess of Jiaping. The princess had always been pampered and spoiled, treasured by her parents and elder brothers and sister. Because she liked wearing martial attire and frequently traveled alone, she always brought bow and saber to hunt.
In the first year of Great Yong’s Longsheng era and the twenty-fourth year of Northern Han’s Rongsheng era, the Princess of Jiaping made her way to Qinzhou to provide support. The situation was urgent with the barbarian assault upon Yanmen Pass, compounded by Yuanting falling critically ill and her second elder brother, Cheng’er, killed in battle. With Daizhou leaderless, the Crimson Clouds Princess stepped forward bravely and personally took command of the resistance against the barbarians. Although she was young, her majesty and ferocity were the equal of her father and elder sister. She obtained everyone’s support to serve as the general, leading Daizhou against the barbarians.
—Northern Han Dynastic Records, Biography of the Crimson Clouds Princess
Vestured head to toe in red, Lin Tong stood on the battlements of Yanmen Pass. Very swiftly she issued orders, commanding all to resist the fierce assault on the pass by the barbarians. Although the barbarians did not have enough siege equipment, they were able to rely on their fierce, skilled fighting abilities and numerical advantage, putting enormous pressure on the Yanmen Pass defenders. In order to effectively kill or injure their enemies, Lin Tong had precisely selected when the enemy’s assaults were especially fierce to pour boiling water and drop rocks. Although the barbarians’ forte was horse archery, having battled for so many years with the Daizhou army, they had mastered the skills to besiege a fortification. Their use of siege ladders and catapults increased the likelihood that they would overcome the defenses. In addition, barbarians who were adept at throwing lassos would use rope to try to climb the walls.
Lin Tong could sense that the barbarian numbers were growing by the day. Presumably all of the barbarian tribes of the grasslands had assembled to assault the pass. Once Yanmen Pass had fallen, they would penetrate deep into Northern Han’s territory unchecked, plundering and leaving nothing behind in order to survive the spring food shortages.
Finally, the barbarians began to retreat after suffering heavy casualties. Lin Tong breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that it wasn’t long before the barbarians would mass once again to attack. Although that was the case, they had been able to obtain a temporary respite. That in itself was sufficient comfort.
Having fought bitterly for so many days, Lin Tong’s elegant appearance had thinned. However, the look on her face was unusually calm. In order to boost morale, she had not left the walls for three days and three nights. Her blazing red clothes seemed to continuously burn atop the walls, encouraging the whole of the army to fight. Ever since her elder brother had advanced out of the pass and was ambushed, dying after his return due to his arrow wounds, her father had fallen gravely ill and was bedridden. As for her eldest brother, Lin Chengyi, he only knew how to fight hand-t0-hand, was unfamiliar with military tactics, and was reckless. As a result, the army worried, having no alternative but to weakly honor Lin Tong as their commander. Initially, this was simply a stopgap measure.1 However, nobody could have imagined that Lin Tong was managing the entire situation with her fragile-looking body, capably commanding the defenses in a manner that would not lose out to a veteran general who had experienced over a hundred battles. Therefore, only a few days had passed before the people and soldiers of Daizhou considered Lin Tong as a suitable replacement commander-in-chief for Lin Bi.
Although Lin Tong had never led troops in battle, she was innately intelligent, and was fond of riding and archery. She had always been extremely interested with regard to warfare. Although her parents, elder brothers, and sister had a mutual understanding of preventing her from experiencing war, she was fondest of following Lin Bi about. As a result, she had been greatly influenced by her elder sister and already had some insights into military tactics. After experiencing the events of the Eastern Sea, Lin Tong seemed to have suddenly matured, diligently studying the art of war. Combined with observing firsthand Lin Yuanting’s leadership for several days, her natural gifts and knowledge, and her open-minded nature, Lin Tong was able to become a qualified commander-in-chief in a short time. Even if there were minor oversights, the assistance of her seniors and experienced soldiers of the Daizhou army were more than able to make up for any mistakes. Furthermore, Lin Tong had always been shrewd and quick-witted, and now had a well fleshed out understanding of the battlefield.
With that, the Crimson Cloud Princess’s reputation was cemented. Of course, Lin Tong was not in a mood to bother with this. Further, she had not become aware that everyone considered her to be her elder sister’s replacement, only focusing all her effort on how to deal with the barbarians.
Dragging her heavy footsteps, Lin Tong patrolled along the walls, inspecting the defenses in spite of her exhaustion. For the wounded, she expressed her sympathy. Only when she had completed all of these military matters did she tuck herself into a crenel, leaning against the merlon. Wrapping her cloak around herself, she hugged her knees to her chest and prepared to take a nap. It wasn’t long before Lin Tong drifted into her dreams. At this instant, she could not notice that there was a pair of eyes attentively gazing at her in silence.
The soldiers and levy guarding the pass were divided into two shifts. The current shift had all descended from the wall to rest. Their relieving soldiers and levy began to take watch over the defenses. The Daizhou levy was also trained to the standards of the regular army, organized into squads of five, methodical2 in their progress. Among them, there was one unit that was different. Their movements were noticeably undisciplined and composed of conscripts drafted from outside of Daizhou. When the barbarians invaded every year, the Daizhou army would conscript all of the young and strong outsiders present in the region, restricting them with martial law. First, Daizhou was worried that there would be spies from the barbarians. Second, it was to increase the defense’s military strength. These individuals were organized into a unit with veterans from Daizhou serving as their squad leaders. Those with courage and strength would all serve a shift on the walls, while the weak and incapable would serve below the walls to prepare and deliver rations and water. As the soldiers responsible for supervising and monitoring them were all experienced Daizhou veterans, even if these conscripts were timid and cowardly, there was no way for them to fulfill their duties as spies.
This conscript unit only had a hundred or so members and were composed of those who had an abundance in fighting strength. They had no qualms about going to battle. That was why they had been dispatched up the walls to help the Daizhou soldiers and civilians defend the pass. The officer in command of these hundred men was named Lin Yuanchong and was thirty-nine years old. He was a descendant of an ancillary branch of the Lin family. In terms of generational relationships, he was Lin Bi and Lin Tong’s uncle. Although his tactics were mediocre, after having experienced years of bloody battle he was an outstanding lower-ranking officer. In addition, he was a meticulous individual, perfectly suited to leading and monitoring these dauntless conscripts composed of outsiders. Under his leadership, the conscripts began to take watch over the defenses. Although it was rather chaotic, it was within an acceptable range. Further, these conscripts were all skilled. They would be of great use in defense of the pass. As a result, Lin Yuanchong was quite pleased.
Incidentally, his eyes fell upon an average-looking young man. He frowned slightly. This young man, Wang Dalang,3 was the one he paid the most attention to. Although Wang Dalang’s performance these days was remarkable, and though he was strong and brave, he could not be compared with the courageous warriors of Daizhou. In addition, when it came to battle, he did not show any peculiar behaviors—he was unafraid and did not display any impetuousness brought about by excitement. However, Lin Yuanchong could sense danger from this young man based upon the perception he had acquired from years of battle. Every single time that he was near Wang Dalang, he could sense an oppressive aura.
Unobtrusively, Lin Yuanchong had kept a surreptitious eye on this young man. When he actually observed carefully, this youth’s facial features were delicate and handsome. However, when these features were combined, they became ordinary and nothing special. In addition, the young man somewhat had an air of dejection and a pale complexion, making him appear a bit scholarly and weak. However, Yuanchong could tell from his coarse skin and vigorously powerful limbs that he was not a weak individual.
Although he usually hid his abilities,4 he would always show his remarkable skills when battle raged. Wang Dalang would scrupulously abide by military commands, providing assistance to his comrades, able to constrain enemy soldiers. These were all characteristics of someone who had spent years serving in the army. Usually reticent, when necessary, his words stirred the deaf and enlightened the blind.5 Because of all of this, this recently drafted young man who had arrived in Yanmen Pass a few days ago to look for his friends and relatives was covered with a dense layer of fog, his identity shrouded in mystery.
Of course, Lin Yuanchong would absolutely not believe that this young man was a barbarian spy. From the young man’s savagery during battle and the unruffled help provided in leading these men, Lin Yuanchong believed that there was no way that such a character would be dispatched as a spy unless the barbarians were all idiots. Instead, if Wang Dalang were a barbarian, he would command a unit to directly assault the pass.
The young man held a sheathed saber in his arms, sitting down and resting with his eyes partly closed. This was another aspect that was inconsistent with his identity. Only those who had experienced battle understood the necessity of sparing no effort to preserve their strength at all moments. This was unlike how all the other conscripts nervously peered out beyond the walls like newly-hatched birds out of worry about the enemy assault.
Lin Yuanchong withdrew his gaze. Regardless of how dubious this person’s identity was, as long as he was not a barbarian spy, there was nothing to worry about. As for what was to happen afterwards, that was better left until after the barbarians had been driven away.
Although his eyes were slightly closed, he kept note of everything that happened around him. From the slightest of cracks, he noticed the individual who studied him. Chiji wasn’t as calm as he showed. Having used simple disguise techniques, he had made slight changes to his facial features, causing his formerly handsome appearance to lose its luster. He had deliberately hidden his sharpness. Although he had been forced to reveal his true countenance within this unit of conscripts for the sake of battle, Chiji believed that with Lin Tong busy commanding the entire garrison she would not pay attention to a lowly outsider. In this way, Chiji had been able to infiltrate the Daizhou army and get to Lin Tong’s side. He naturally knew that it wasn’t that no one suspected him. However, Chiji understood the Daizhou army quite well, aware that as long as he did not display any possibility of being a barbarian spy, he would not face comprehensive interrogation.
Chiji smirked. Once the barbarians had retreated, it didn’t matter if the Daizhou army wished to settle accounts. If Lin Tong were still alive, even if he died, he would have no regrets. If Lin Tong died.… Chiji’s heart ached. He believed that he would definitely follow her to the beyond. Since this was the case, there was no need for him to be so cautious and careful. Anyway, even if the young master hoped he would return alive, Chiji did not have such extravagant hopes. By forcing this journey to Daizhou, he had already betrayed the young master in certain respects. As one of the eight elites, he had to consider the young master’s aspirations as his own. Once he had chosen to fight side-by-side with Lin Tong, his position as the head of the eight elites had begun to waver, to say nothing of the fact that Great Yong would not permit Daizhou to remain independent. The Yong army would definitely advance upon Daizhou. As for Chiji himself, he had no wish to tarnish his sword with the blood of his beloved and his closest friends and family.
After a while, Chiji was roused awake. It was his turn to monitor the enemy. Standing atop the walls, as he gazed off into the distance with his luminous eyes, his hands performed a task. He took out the sharp arrows from the quivers by his side before untying a calabash gourd from his waist. Then he took out a handkerchief and a pair of deerskin gloves from within his bosom. Putting on the gloves, he poured a black liquid out from the gourd, saturating the handkerchief. He wiped the handkerchief on the arrowheads, his movements quick and agile. After each of the arrows had been treated, the arrowheads looked dark gray. As he was doing this, the conscripts beside him all tacitly obstructed anyone else from observing his actions until he had finished.
Just as he had refastened the calabash gourd to his waist, a sweet-sounding, but somewhat hoarse voice asked, “What are you doing?”
Although he trembled inside, Chiji did not reveal the slightest delay as he turned and kneeled to answer, “This lowly one was just applying poison to the arrows.”
Lin Tong’s phoenix eyes revealed a look of suspicion. “Why apply poison? The arrows of my army’s warriors can take the lives of the enemy. It is time consuming and difficult to apply poison, while it is not that effective.”
Changing his accent, he replied, “This lowly one isn’t from Daizhou. Tho’ I know how ta shoot an arrow, my strength is bad. E’en tho’ I can pierce the enemy’s leather armor, I can’t kill them. That’s why I’ve applied poison. Raises the possibility of killing the enemy.”
“So that’s why,” understood Lin Tong. Quite interested, she inquired, “Who are you? How do you know how to concoct poison? Applying poison like this is quite troublesome. Is there any way of producing the poison in large quantities to rapidly create numerous poisoned arrows? Get up to speak. There is no need to remain kneeling.”
Hearing this, Chiji calmed his mind before rising to his feet. With his head hanging, he responded, “This lowly one is Wang Dalang. A wandering doc. Knowin’ some medicine, this lowly one made this poison myself. When it meets with blood, the fella poisoned ’as his breathin’ sealed. But this poison is kinda hard ta use. Put on arrows, poison don’t last long. That’s why this lowly one applied poison right now. Princess guards the pass, so we need a ton of arrows. Although it is right hard and time-consumin’ ta manufacture poison arrows, from what this lowly one gets, arrow workshops can be found everywhere in Daizhou. Also, there’s lots of lacquer. Lacquer itself possesses toxicity. If the Princess has people dip the heads of bound bunches of arrows in lacquer ’fore dryin’ in the sun, when it injures the enemy, their wounds will really swell and itch. Also, the wounds be difficult ta heal.”
Hearing this, Lin Tong was excited, carefully gazing at the young man before her. She could see that although he was neither servile nor overbearing in his words, his head was bowed, not daring to glance at her. He seemed to be an extremely reserved individual. However, the words he had spoken were filled with killing intent and maliciousness, making her feel a sudden chill. She found herself saying, “Raise your head.”
Chiji slowly raised his head. Lin Tong gazed at his appearance, a hint of confusion glinting in her eyes. The face in front of her was somewhat familiar. However, she could not recall who he was. Just as she was about to question, a bodyguard standing behind her reported, “Princess, Elder General Qi has come.”
Lin Tong relied heavily upon this man of her father’s generation. Turning around and just as she was about to meet him, she slowed halfway. She suddenly recalled why the young man seemed so familiar. This young man’s face was ninety percent similar to the man in her heart. It was only that his look and bearing, as well as his eyes and brows, were all different. For their appearances to be so similar, that young man couldn’t possibly be Chiji, right? A while after Lin Tong stopped in her tracks, she mockingly smiled. How could it possibly be Chiji? The tiger that was Great Yong was about to swallow all of the lands. At this moment, the Marquis of Chu was especially well-regarded and honored. Chiji was bound to be at his master’s side. With his future prospects boundless, it was impossible that he would come to meet the dangers of Daizhou and fight the barbarians. In addition, since that man had the ability to mix with the barbarians to the north, he definitely had superb skills. It was unlikely that he would appear before her with a face that was ninety percent similar to his own and also not change his surname. There was no need for her to let her imagination run wild.
Hesitating, Lin Tong stopped walking. Turning her head, she asked, “Wang Dalang, do you have any brothers born from the same parents?”
Revealing a somewhat puzzled look, Chiji answered, “Reportin’ ta the Princess, this lowly one has no brothers or sisters.”
“Is that so,” spoke Lin Tong in disappointment and frustration before turning and continuing on her way. She increased her pace and put a smile on her face. Advancing, she welcomed the elderly General Qi with a smile, asking, “Uncle Qi, can you oversee the application of black lacquer to the arrowheads?”
Gazing at Lin Tong’s athletic back, the corners of Chiji’s mouth pricked up just a bit. Before he had departed this time, the young master had informed him that once he joined the battle, it would be impossible for him to be mindful of his disguise. Rather than allowing others to see through his disguise and treat him as a spy, it was better to only change some of the details of his appearance, as well as deliberately change his tone and bearing. Sure enough, even someone as familiar with him as Lin Tong only had suspicions. In addition, because he had many “flaws,” no one would suspect his true identity. Although he would likely be recognized by Lin Tong if they interacted for an extended period of time, Chiji believed that since Lin Tong nursed incessant hatred of him, she would definitely make a deliberate effort to avoid him.