Chapter Fifty-Six: On the Eve of Battle

Early the next morning, the barracks were already filled with the sound of spirited training. Amidst these lively shouts, several dozen soldiers dressed in civilian clothes walked out of the camp. Once outside, they turned back with some reluctance, casting a final glance at the training ground where loud slogans still echoed. Yet for these men, they were leaving this place forever.

Recruit training continued as usual, but Chen Qingzhi received a piece of troubling news.

“Officer Chen, County Magistrate Liu has recently received word that the bandits at Luoqing Stronghold seem to be stirring. He fears for the safety of Qingyuan County and asks you to remain vigilant,” a young man reported to Chen Qingzhi in his office. This was the secretary to Liu Zhi’an, the county magistrate of Qingyuan.

“Luoqing Stronghold? Where is that?” Chen Qingzhi asked in puzzlement.

“It’s a bandit gang based on Luoqing Mountain,” the secretary explained. “Their leader is known as Master Biao, commanding over a thousand men and as many guns. They’re quite formidable. Before Hei Kui became the Security Regiment’s commander, he and the Luoqing bandits were bitter rivals…”

With the secretary’s explanation, Chen Qingzhi understood. It turned out that Hei Kui, whom Chen had previously killed, was also a bandit lord before becoming the commander of the Security Regiment. Along with Luoqing Stronghold, they were the largest bandit factions in the area around Qingyuan County, each vying to swallow the other. Later, Hei Kui somehow managed to become the regiment commander, while Luoqing Stronghold grew ever larger, gathering over a thousand men and arms, making them a force to be reckoned with.

Now, with Hei Kui dead, the bandits of Luoqing Stronghold seemed to have caught wind of it and were growing restless. Liu Zhi’an feared they’d swoop down on Qingyuan County and so sent his secretary to inform Chen Qingzhi. After all, with the Independent Brigade now garrisoned here, only they could guarantee the county’s safety from such a threat.

Having grasped the situation, Chen Qingzhi nodded and said to the secretary, “I understand. Go back and tell Magistrate Liu that the Independent Brigade will do everything to protect Qingyuan County. He need not worry.”

“Yes, sir! In that case, I shall take my leave.” The secretary bowed and departed respectfully.

After sending a soldier to escort the secretary out, Chen Qingzhi sat alone in his quarters, his brow furrowed. He had been focused solely on training his men, and hadn’t fully surveyed the situation in the surrounding area. Who could have guessed that so near lay a bandit stronghold with over a thousand men?

Though Luoqing Stronghold had only about a thousand men, not enough to pose a direct threat, they were still close by and could easily cause trouble. One should not allow others to sleep soundly under one’s own roof.

If he hadn’t known before, Chen Qingzhi might not have intervened, but now that he did, he could not simply stand by. From the secretary’s explanation, he also learned that both Luoqing Stronghold and Hei Kui’s former faction were notorious for their crimes—plundering, bullying the countryside, committing all manners of evil. At a time when the nation was in peril, instead of resisting the invaders, they preyed upon their own people. Such men deserved no mercy.

With this resolve, Chen Qingzhi summoned his battalion commanders for a meeting. Huzi, Wang Yachuan, and the others soon arrived, and after Chen laid out the situation, all wore thoughtful expressions.

Seeing this, Chen Qingzhi smiled and said, “The situation is clear enough. We must deal with Luoqing Stronghold—leaving such a scourge unchecked would be most unwise! But how we strike requires careful planning.”

“The commander is right!” Fang Xiaodong agreed. “We must first ascertain the true strength of Luoqing Stronghold before making any moves.”

“Our brigade may not fear a nest of bandits, but we have just expanded, and the recruits have only begun training. If we fight without knowing their situation, we’ll surely suffer unnecessary losses, and that is not what we want.”

“That’s why it’s urgent we gather solid intelligence on Luoqing Stronghold and their real capabilities. Know your enemy and yourself, and you will never be defeated.”

Hearing Fang Xiaodong’s words, the other commanders nodded in agreement. Chen Qingzhi also nodded, saying, “Very well, then let’s send scouts to investigate Luoqing Stronghold and learn all we can about them.”

“I want to see for myself just what this Luoqing Stronghold is made of,” Chen Qingzhi said coldly.

With the plan set, he immediately ordered Huzi to take a squad of soldiers to scout the area around Luoqing Mountain.

Huzi was both skilled and quick-witted, so Chen Qingzhi felt at ease entrusting him with the task. And Huzi did not disappoint—he set out in the morning and by dusk had returned with detailed intelligence.

“Commander, I’ve got the information,” Huzi reported. “There are about thirteen hundred men up at Luoqing Stronghold, almost all armed. Their weapons are poor, but their fighting power is not to be underestimated. More importantly, it’s said they have two cannons up there, though no one knows the caliber.”

“We captured two of their men and learned that their leader has designs on our Independent Brigade—he’s planning a sneak attack.”

“Lately, their restlessness is all preparation for an assault on us.”

Huzi’s report startled everyone.

The other details were of little consequence, but the revelation that Luoqing Stronghold intended to attack the Independent Brigade left all the commanders deeply shocked. They had assumed the bandits were after Qingyuan County, not realizing their real target was the brigade itself.

On hearing this, Fang Xiaodong couldn’t help but laugh. “The audacity of Luoqing Stronghold! They dare set their sights on us? They should be grateful we haven’t gone looking for trouble with them, and now they come courting disaster!”

“Heaven always drives the arrogant to destruction,” Chen Qingzhi said calmly. “Luoqing Stronghold has targeted us because our recent recruitment gave them the impression of wealth, stirring their greed.”

“But this works in our favor. Since they want to make trouble for us, we can lure them out and wipe them out in one fell swoop.”

With a cold tone, Chen Qingzhi finished speaking.

At his words, Huzi shouted, “Damn it, a measly Luoqing Stronghold dares take us on—they’re out of their minds! Commander, just give the order. However you want to fight, we’ll follow you!”