Chapter 45: Citywide Search
“What’s the matter?”
Wang Xiaoman said: “I have a relative among my subordinates. He was originally the Chief Clerk of Nanchang County, appointed by Liu Yao. After Hua Xin became Prefect, he was dismissed and is now idle at home. I promised to restore him to his official position, and he agreed to help me obtain three hundred sets of armor.”
Wang Ping frowned. “Is it necessary to do this?”
Wang Xiaoman nodded. “I think it’s very necessary. Han Dang is defending North City very strictly. Last night we discovered that there were at least three hundred soldiers on both the north and south city walls. Although we also have three hundred men, we have no spears, only battle sabers, no shields, and no armor. If we don’t have long weapons in our hands, we simply cannot defeat the enemy.”
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll betray you? If he betrays you, he can still be restored to his position.”
“If he were going to betray me, there would have been a city-wide search last night. It’s been very quiet until now, which means he hasn’t betrayed me. Besides, when attacking Pengze County, didn’t I also find Yao Jian’an?”
“That’s not the same thing. Yao Jian’an is facing a crisis with his daughter being taken, so he has something to ask of us. You must not confuse the two.”
Wang Xiaoman also knew he had made a mistake. He said in a low voice: “Fortunately, I kept a backup plan!”
“What did you keep?” Wang Ping asked sternly, his gaze extremely stern.
“I didn’t tell the truth. I impersonated a subordinate of Tong Zhi from Luling to obtain armor in the Nanchang black market, and I didn’t tell the former Chief Clerk our residence.”
As soon as Wang Xiaoman finished speaking, an inn waiter ran over and said: “The whole city is about to be under martial law. We just received news that all inns will be inspected door-to-door. You’d better prepare your identity proofs. If you really have no proof, leave quickly. We won’t betray our guests.”
Wang Xiaoman’s face turned deathly pale. His elder brother’s worry was right; they had indeed been betrayed.
Wang Ping glared fiercely at Wang Xiaoman, then decisively said to one of his subordinates: “Go out of the city immediately to notify the Lord. Tonight’s attack will change to the East City Gate, time unchanged!”
His subordinate was a local with a business tax proof, so he could leave as long as the city gate wasn’t closed.
The subordinate ran out immediately, with Wang Ping following closely behind. At the inn entrance, he watched his subordinate from afar. He saw the subordinate say a few words at the city gate, and the defending soldiers let him out.
Just as his subordinate had left the city, soldiers came galloping on horseback, shouting: “General Sun orders the whole city under martial law. Close the city gates immediately!”
The city gate began to close slowly. Then bailiffs went to the streets beating gongs and shouting, “Everyone go home, close your doors and windows. After half a shichen, the whole city will be under martial law for a search.”
Wang Ping decisively said to Wang Xiaoman: “Gather all the brothers in one mansion, hurry!”
“The three mansions are right next to each other.”
“Still, gather everyone together.”
“Elder brother, don’t worry. I have a way!”
Wang Xiaoman led Wang Ping and several subordinates out of the inn and quickly ran toward the rented mansion.
In the northwest corner of Nanchang City, there was an alley with three households, all rented by Wang Xiaoman.
These were the mansions of three rich merchant brothers. The three brothers had gone to Wu Commandery to do business, leaving the houses empty. The old butler watching the mansions quietly rented them out to make money.
Wang Xiaoman spent thirty guan qian to rent the three mansions for a month. Three hundred subordinates were hiding in the three mansions.
Entering the mansion, Wang Xiaoman summoned the old butler and took out three hundred taels of silver. “Help us cover for us. This three hundred taels of silver is all yours. If you betray us, your grandson will die before us.”
The old butler and his wife lived there with their five-year-old grandson to watch the mansion. In his desperation, Wang Xiaoman took the grandson as a hostage.
The old butler turned pale with fright and promised repeatedly: “Don’t worry! I guarantee I won’t betray you.”
Wang Xiaoman ordered everyone to clean up their things, erase all traces, and they hid in the cellar in the rear residence.
This was a secret Wang Xiaoman had discovered. The rich merchant brothers had dug a large underground warehouse in the rear residence, connecting the three mansions. Wang Xiaoman found a lot of salt residue in the warehouse, indicating that the three brothers did legitimate business on the surface but were actually smuggled salt dealers.
Wang Xiaoman also led Wang Ping into the underground warehouse. With the old butler’s grandson as a hostage, he wasn’t afraid the old butler would betray them.
The cellar was about one zhang high and over eight hundred square units in area, with more than a dozen pillars supporting the ceiling and cleverly designed vents. Three hundred soldiers sat in the cellar without feeling stuffy at all.
Wang Ping seized the opportunity to sternly criticize his brother’s dangerous behavior. “When carrying out secret missions, you can’t casually reveal your identity, let alone put your fate in others’ hands. People’s hearts are unpredictable, especially officials—you can’t trust them lightly. Remember today’s lesson. As a scout, you can’t trust anyone; you must see with your own eyes and do it yourself!”
Wang Xiaoman lowered his head and accepted his elder brother’s criticism. He was only seventeen after all. Though very clever, he indeed lacked scout experience.
“I remember. I guarantee there won’t be a next time!”
Seeing he knew his mistake, Wang Ping softened his tone. “I’m not saying you can’t have ideas. I’m just saying you can’t put your fate in others’ hands. You could bring sabers into the city—why not think of a way to bring spears and armor?
Spears can be hidden in a ship’s bottom hold. It’s not wartime status, so as long as you pay more tax and bribe the tax officials, no one will search the bottom hold. How did we seize Wan County? Did you forget?
Also, you knew to take the butler’s grandson as a hostage, so why didn’t you send someone to watch that official?”
Wang Xiaoman was full of frustration. He had indeed been negligent.
Wang Ping patted his brother’s shoulder. “No matter when, never let others decide your fate. Fate must be in your own hands, whether being a scout or leading soldiers in battle in the future. Remember your elder brother’s words.”
Wang Xiaoman nodded lightly. He remembered.
At this moment, knocking sounds of ‘dang! dang! dang!’ came from above. Wang Ping shushed, and everyone fell silent.
Nanchang City was searching house to house for spies. The former Chief Clerk Wang Hong had secretly reported to Sun Fu early that morning that Tong Zhi’s spies from Luling were in the city buying armor—three hundred sets. Sun Fu was furious and immediately ordered the city gates closed, the whole city under martial law, and the army to search house to house to find these damned spies.
All inns in the city had been searched. Then they conducted house-to-house searches, taking away anyone not local for further interrogation. Soon over a thousand people were arrested, throwing Nanchang City into chaos.
Soon, the search team reached the northwest of the county town. A team of soldiers knocked on the gate. The old butler trembled and bowed. “What can I do for you gentlemen?”
The leading Battalion Commander said: “Searching for Tong Zhi’s spies. Call out your master!”
“Reporting to the army sir, my master went to Wu Commandery to do business and took his family. No one is in the mansion—it’s empty. The two neighboring houses are the same. They are three brothers doing cloth business together, all away from home. The mansions are empty, and I’m just watching the gate.”
“Open all the doors. We’ll search!”
The old butler had no choice but to open all the doors. A hundred soldiers split into three teams and rushed into the three mansions.
All items in the mansions were gone, only some furniture remained. After searching around, there was indeed no one. The three teams came out, and the team leader saluted the Battalion Commander: “Reporting to Battalion Commander, the mansions are indeed empty.”
“Did you search the cellar?” the Battalion Commander asked.
“No cellar found, only an empty vegetable cellar.”
The old butler hurriedly explained: “My master’s warehouses are all rented outside the city. The mansion has no warehouse.”
“Then where is the business money kept?”
“Some in the shop, some in room chests and cabinets, but all taken to Wu Commandery.”
The Battalion Commander waved his hand in frustration. “Let’s go!”
Without getting any loot, they went to the next house.
Seeing them leave, the old butler quickly closed the door, leaned against it, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and let out a long sigh of relief.
