Chapter 004: Rain Brings a Breeze Through the House

According to the military system of the Sui Dynasty, able-bodied men between the ages of sixteen and sixty would till the fields during peacetime, participate in training during the agricultural off-season, and gather for battle when war broke out. They were required to provide their own weapons and provisions. After battle, each would return to his home and resume his usual life, only to be assembled again when the need arose.

When word spread that bandits were besieging the county seat, several thousand men who had once trained as local soldiers quickly assembled from ordinary families. Most of the able-bodied men had already been conscripted by the Emperor Yang of Sui for the campaign against Liaodong, leaving behind the elderly, the infirm, and the weak to defend the city. The county constable selected three thousand of these local soldiers, taking command himself and appointing Li Dong as his deputy, granting them authority over the troops.

Many of these local soldiers were older than Li Dong and were surprised to see him appointed as deputy commander. The ranks buzzed with speculation and curiosity about how he intended to repel the enemy. All awaited his strategy with great anticipation.

Li Dong climbed the city walls to survey the distant enemy camp and assess the strength of Zhi Shilang’s forces. As expected, the enemy’s main force was concentrated at the eastern and northern gates. Scouts reported that the western gate was weakly defended by Zhi Shilang’s men. A night raid through the west would likely succeed in breaking the siege, making it crucial to break out from the western gate to request reinforcements—a matter that concerned the very fate of everyone within the city.

Li Dong then created the illusion of a strong force at the west gate by stationing five hundred local soldiers along the ramparts, illuminating the night with countless torches. He ordered another five hundred soldiers to carry two torches each, pacing the walls so that, from a distance, the west gate appeared ablaze, the sky aglow with fire. Meanwhile, only a small number of defenders were posted at the eastern, northern, and southern gates. The remaining two thousand soldiers, armed and ready, were to reinforce whichever gate came under heavy attack.

Receiving reports that the western gate blazed as bright as day while the other gates were lightly defended, Zhi Shilang reasoned that Magistrate Lu Li’er had massed troops there, preparing to break out and summon aid from the Qi Prefecture. Thus, Zhi Shilang avoided the west and only left a small ambush nearby to intercept any breakout attempt, choosing instead to concentrate his main force on the lightly defended east and north gates, deploying forty thousand volunteers at each.

His plan was to storm and capture Zhangqiu in a single night, then dispatch troops to intercept any reinforcements. If he focused his attack on the west gate, he might prevent a breakout, but if he failed to take the city quickly, he risked being surrounded and forced to flee once reinforcements arrived at dawn.

Zhi Shilang aimed to seize the city, not annihilate its people, so he deliberately left the west gate untouched, focusing his main force on the east and north.

Having arranged his troops, Li Dong faced a dilemma. At sixteen, he had never left Zhangqiu and knew nothing of the route to the Qi Prefecture—its distance, landmarks, or geography. He needed a seasoned soldier who knew the way to Licheng in Qi Prefecture to break out swiftly through the west gate.

Li Dong went to the west gate and asked the five hundred local soldiers, “Who among you knows the road to Qi Prefecture?”

No sooner had he spoken than a young officer stepped forward. He wore a high hat, his face pale and resolute, his bearing fierce—about Li Dong’s age. He came before Li Dong, bowed deeply, and declared, “I am Du Fuwei, and I am willing to go!”

At that moment, another man, slightly older, stepped out from behind Du. “I would like to accompany Du and go with him,” he said.

Li Dong was quietly amazed—Du Fuwei! In the future, he would become a regional warlord, renowned for both martial and strategic prowess. It was unexpected to see him so brave even in his youth, bolder than any of the government soldiers. But who was this man beside him?

Li Dong praised them, “You are both admirable men. May I know your name, respected brother?”

The older soldier bowed and replied, “I am Fu Gongtuo. I have been close friends with Du Fuwei since childhood. I could not let him venture forth alone and wish to accompany him for his safety.”

Li Dong was filled with joy. It seemed the history books he had read were true—wherever Du Fuwei was, Fu Gongtuo was always by his side. The two were inseparable, brothers in life and death.

Yet both were still young, not yet awakened to the cause of rebellion against the Sui. In future days, he would need to make good use of these two talented young men, for with their strength under his command, he could at least claim a third of the realm for himself.

Li Dong smiled, “Excellent! It gladdens my heart. Someone, bring wine for these two warriors so they may drink for courage and return victorious with reinforcements to drive out the enemy.”

A young soldier hurried over with a wine gourd. Li Dong personally filled two cups, raising them high over his head to show his respect.

Both men, brisk and efficient, drank in one draught without a word.

Li Dong continued, “Soon you will see flames leaping from the east and north gates—this will be our signal that battle has been joined with Zhi Shilang’s main force. Then you are to quietly open the west gate and charge through without looking back or lingering.”

“At your command!” they replied in unison, bowing deeply. Du Fuwei thought to himself, He is no older than I, yet he commands all these soldiers. How enviable! If I can succeed in bringing reinforcements, perhaps one day I too will command such a force.

Li Dong ordered two fine horses to be brought, replacing their slower mounts. Patting their shoulders, he said, “Once Zhi Shilang is repelled, be sure to find me at the county office. I have even greater plans for you both.”

Fu Gongtuo was delighted. He and Du Fuwei exchanged a glance, their faces brimming with pride—it seemed their fortunes were about to take flight.

With the west gate preparations complete, Li Dong turned to the remaining two thousand soldiers, ordering them to gather stones, prepare wooden stakes, and collect every household’s pork and mutton fat used for cooking. He also borrowed old rags and discarded cotton from the farmers, soaking them in fat so that, when the enemy stormed the walls, they could be set alight and hurled down, forcing the attackers to retreat in flames.

Li Dong worked alongside them, carrying stones with his own hands, sweating profusely in the preparations between the two armies, unaware that his father, Li Hun, had already been placed under guard by Magistrate Lu Li’er.

For Li Dong now commanded three thousand local soldiers—exceeding even the military authority of a fifth-rank colonel, and possessing more real power than the seventh-rank county magistrate Lu Li’er.

If Li Dong chose to turn his troops against the county seat, Lu Li’er would have no way out.

For his own safety, and to keep Li Dong in check, Lu Li’er had resorted to this desperate measure, confining Li Hun under the pretense of ensuring his safety, though in truth it was a kind of house arrest.

Li Dong knew nothing of this.

After a while, the county constable summoned nearly ten thousand townsfolk, hastily conscripted to aid the defense at the east and north gates, where they would serve as assistants to the trained soldiers. Some of the townsfolk, never having experienced warfare, stood timid and fearful; others were roused and eager, rolling up their sleeves and flexing their fists.

Li Dong thought to himself that he must rouse their spirits, lest they falter at the crucial moment. With so few trained soldiers to withstand an assault from an army of a hundred thousand, the odds remained perilous.

After a moment’s thought, Li Dong cleared his throat and raised his voice, exhorting them: “The traitor Wang Bo shows no compassion for the Emperor’s hardships in Liaodong, nor does he care for the suffering of the people. He leads the destitute against our city. If the city falls, they will steal our food, sleep in our beds, and dishonor our daughters. To defend our homes and city, we must summon our courage and never let the enemy’s schemes succeed!”