Chapter 106: Commander
Patrol Inspector gritted his teeth: “Carry the wounded soldiers down for treatment.”
The soldiers scattered to carry the wounded soldiers, but those who fell within crossbow range were left unattended, wailing endlessly and bleeding to death.
Militia Captain stepped forward: “Sir, why not ram the Main Gate?”
Patrol Inspector glanced at him and said slowly: “The bandits are numerous and have powerful crossbows; the Patrol Office cannot cope with them. We must wait for Garrison soldiers.”
Militia Captain grew greatly anxious and hurriedly said: “Sir, no! Even if Haining Guard and New River Garrison rush over, it will take at least two hours at the fastest. Factoring in messenger time, round trip is four hours—how could they arrive in time?”
This Militia Captain was a Lin Mansion servant; with the Master Family in peril, he felt the anxiety personally.
Patrol Inspector’s voice was stern: “Before the Garrison soldiers arrive, we surround Lin Mansion and prevent the bandits from escaping—that is all.”
Militia Captain said: “What if during this time the Master or young master meets a cruel fate…”
Patrol Inspector: “The Garrison soldiers will kill the bandits and exact vengeance.”
Seeing Patrol Inspector’s icy expression, Militia Captain said helplessly: “Sir, since we are to besiege the bandits, should we not send a team to guard the back door?”
Patrol Inspector frowned and said to Clerk: “Then trouble Clerk’s men.”
Clerk had just dodged the back door trouble—how could he agree to return? He made every excuse.
Patrol Inspector clenched his teeth and said to Militia Captain: “Then you go!”
Militia Captain accepted the order and was about to set out when he suddenly felt the ground tremble faintly.
He gazed into the distance and saw orange-red glow lighting the Southeastern sky, as if another force of men and horses approached.
Patrol Inspector and Clerk exchanged a glance, both changing expression, wondering darkly if it could be bandit reinforcements.
From the commotion, it seemed many were coming.
It seemed… there was also cavalry…
The Southeastern firelight drew steadily closer, thunderous hoofbeats growing clearer—clearly a large cavalry detachment.
Jiangnan lacks horses; cavalry of this scale—not to mention mountain bandits or river pirates—even Garrison troops could not assemble. These were Household Soldiers!
Shock surfaced in Patrol Inspector’s eyes; he thought to himself: “Huangyan Lin Clan lives up to its name as a Zhejiang portal; to summon the Commander to lead Household Soldiers in rescue—the Noble Family foundation runs this deep, truly fearsome!”
Three clapper sounds faintly echoed from the mansion.
Dawn was now near; the wilds dim and bright.
Those dozens of cavalry charged straight on, sparing no heed to their warhorses’ exhaustion.
Drawing near, the dozens of cavalry reined in together; horses neighed, raising a cloud of dust.
Before the horses fully halted, one man flipped down from his mount and strode forward.
This man had a tiger back and wasp waist, wore cloth-faced iron Armor, helmet with plume and bowl-shaped crown, arms gleaming coldly, left hand slanting on Wild Goose Feather Saber hilt, right hand gripping horsewhip, stern-faced; as he advanced, Armor clanged metallically.
This aura alone oppressed the hundreds before the mansion into breathlessness; in his path, the crowd unconsciously parted a road.
“Commander Sir.” Patrol Inspector made out the man’s face, hurriedly cupped hands in salute, inwardly even more appalled, thinking: “It is actually Haimen Guard Commander personally leading!
I thought Lin Clan a fallen phoenix inferior to chicken; who knew a lean camel tops a horse—truly dog-eyed judgment!
Had I known, moments ago I should have ordered my men to assault forcefully, show face before the Commander, earn Lin Clan favor, seize a bright future! Alas! Such regret!”
Clerk did not recognize Commander at all; only seeing Patrol Inspector salute did he react, following with cupped hands in greeting.
Commander stared at Courtyard Wall, voice cold as ice: “How many bandits broke in?”
“Er…” Patrol Inspector pondered briefly; saying too few would show his utter incompetence. He replied: “About a hundred.”
“Men sent to back door?”
“Er… this lowly official was just dispatching.” Patrol Inspector’s face stiffened.
Commander’s gaze knifelike, coldly piercing: “Hundreds blocking Main Gate, yet none minding back door—if bandits slip away, you bear the blame!”
“Yes.” Patrol Inspector felt inwardly wretched.
Commander instructed Household Soldiers: “Zhao Ba, you take fifteen men to watch back door! Rest find ram to smash Main Gate!”
“Yes!” Dozens of Household Soldiers cupped fists to orders, voices shaking heaven.
“Commander Sir, the gate… seems opening…”
“Hm?” Commander turned; Lin Mansion Main Gate was slowly opening.
He looked again to wall top; bandits vanished.
From Lin Mansion’s opened Main Gate surged a crowd; Household Soldiers drew bows accordingly, surroundings ringing with grating bowstring tautness.
“Hold!” Commander raised hand; Household Soldiers eased strings.
He peered intently; the emerging Lin Mansion crowd wore only underclothes, each black-clothed head, hands bound behind, stumbling out shoved along.
More and more exited mansion, about one to two hundred, crowding a vast open ground.
“Boom!”
Gunpowder blast echoed inside Lin Mansion; crowd before gate panicked, scattering in flight.
Commander urgently told surrounding Household Soldiers: “Block them! Let none escape!”
“Yes!” Surrounding Household Soldiers swiftly encircled, shouting loudly: “Don’t move! All sit!”
But these with black cloths over heads saw nothing ahead, hearts in utmost panic—how to stop easily.
Household Soldiers turned ruthless, directly slaying several.
Screams only spurred crowd to wilder scatter.
Commander’s Household Soldiers numbered just over sixty; even mounted, could not corral such numbers fleeing.
Chaos reigned momentarily, at a loss what to do.
Commander already discerned these must be Lin Mansion Family Members and Servants; only too many, all hooded, underclothes similar—impossible to identify.
Crowd mostly men, but also some slender-figured women; they scurried blindly, speechless—mouths doubtless stuffed.
Thus he shouted: “I am Haimen Guard Commander; all are safe now—do not move!”
His lone voice carried not far, so Household Soldiers shouted in unison; then he dispersed Patrol Inspector, Clerk, Militia personnel to control crowd.
Commander strode forward himself, seized one at hand, removed hood.
The man was past forty, beard hair neat, skin fair—clearly a Manor Master; eyes full terror, mouth stuffed dirt bound tight with Rope, only whimpering nonstop.
Man, hood off, thought recaptured by bandits, struggled fiercely. Seeing clearly a Great Ming General in Armor before him, ceased struggling, tears streamed, whimpering on as if words to speak.
Commander drew Dagger from waist, severed Rope.
“Pah! Pah! Pah!” Man spat saliva-soaked mud, gasping: “General, right in the crowd! Cannot… cannot let escape!”
Commander vaguely guessed, still pressed: “Speak clear: bandits mixed in crowd too?”
Man nodded frantically: “Yes, yes! Stripped our Clothes, bandits… mingled… Muddle Through, must not escape!”
Commander inwardly cursed bandits truly sly!
Nights ago, Haimen Guard River Blocking Rope snapped without warning; after interrogating North Guard Captain, learned full story, realized the ploy.
River Blocking Rope snap big or small; small: long neglect normal wear, report Ministry of War for replacement.
Big: as Commander, charges damaging supplies, lax guard, duty neglect inescapable.
Radish out pulls mud: his empty rations, soldier-blood drinking, weapon trading, soldier Plunder also exposed.
Worst: today urgent report—Emperor collapsed first of ninth month.
River Blocking Rope snapped fourth; Haimen north-south Garrisons banqueting.
Taichang Emperor dead just three days!
National mourning period!
