Chapter 34: How Humiliating

"The Qishan Thousand-Household Office is over ten miles away from our Zhang Village. It should take those Zhifu Island pirates about half an hour to reach this patch of woods."

Zhang Da'an tinkered with the "heartless cannon" in front of him. "The Zhifu Island pirates began attacking the Qishan Thousand-Household Office just as darkness fell, and they were raiding villages by midnight. These pirates have no sense of propriety."

"There is no rule stating that pirates and bandits must only raid villages in the middle of the night."

Zhang Er'an shook his head. "The Zhifu Island pirates and the Futou Village pirates likely rendezvoused at the Liu Village ruins. They intended to launch a surprise attack on our Zhang Village once united. It is a pity we have too few men; otherwise, we could have ambushed them at the ruins."

A few days ago, the bald-headed bandit gang from Magnetic Mountain had slaughtered, looted, and burned down Bu Village. Liu Village had been reduced to ruins. At the time, fewer than a hundred residents had managed to escape Zhang Village during the chaos, surviving by a hair's breadth. Most of those survivors were elderly or children, lacking the strength to rebuild Liu Village. The government had no funds to provide relief, leaving those hundred-odd people with no choice but to leave the ruins in search of a way to survive.

"Tonight, after we repel the pirates' attack, we will expand our militia tomorrow," Zhang Chen declared, cursing under his breath. "Within the next three months, the Zhang Village Militia will wipe out every criminal gang—pirates, bandits, mountain brigands, and horse thieves—within a hundred-mile radius. By next year, we will clear them out within three hundred miles!"

...

A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Er'chen and Tian Yazhun arrived at the south gate of Zhang Village, accompanied by a hundred servants on horseback. Zhang Village had no gates, and dozens of young, able-bodied men were standing guard. They blocked the path of Zhang Er'chen and his party. The men of Zhang Village recognized Tian Yazhun, knowing full well she was the one who had left two rows of teeth marks on Zhang Chen's face. Not daring to meddle in Zhang Chen's personal affairs, the guards simply stepped aside and invited them into the village.

Tian Yazhun nodded at the men and urged her horse forward. Just then, the sound of galloping hooves approached from the south. "Father," she murmured, her face flushing, "it seems my father has caught up with us."

Old Man Tian arrived, leading a thousand-strong militia force to the south gate. "Yazhun, a great battle is about to erupt at Zhang Village. Do not be an obstruction here. You and Zhang Er'chen are to return to the county seat immediately. I will assist Zhang Village in repelling these pirates before I return."

"I will not go! I am an unfilial daughter, Father, but please, return home. Do not concern yourself with my affairs with Zhang Chen."

"You!" Tian Yazhun’s refusal was disgraceful. Tian Xuewen was incensed, his fury mounting.

Just then, a thunderous boom erupted from the north, followed by a continuous series of explosions. Zhang Er'chen, having just dismounted, was so startled he fell flat on his backside. Most of the hundred servants from the Zhang family estate let out cries of alarm, and over a dozen tumbled from their saddles. Having never heard such deafening roars before, the horses were spooked. Tian Xuewen and his thousand militiamen were also caught off guard, with many falling from their mounts. Even Tian Xuewen stumbled, nearly losing his seat.

"The battle has begun. Zhang Chen is commanding the militia to shell the pirates with the heartless cannons." Having heard the cannons throughout the day, Tian Yazhun remained calm. "Listen, Father, those screams—they must be the cries of the pirates."

That evening, Tojo Hideki had led three thousand pirates ashore under the cover of darkness. They had quickly overrun the defenseless Qishan Thousand-Household Office, slaughtering every able-bodied man they could find. An hour ago, Tojo Hideki had ordered five hundred men to loot the office of all gold, silver, valuables, young women, iron, grain, and cloth before setting the entire place ablaze. A quarter of an hour ago, he and two thousand pirates had rendezvoused with nine hundred pirates from Futou Village at the Liu Village ruins before marching on Zhang Village.

Just moments ago, Tojo Hideki and the Futou Village headman, Fu Xiaotian, had led their combined force to the small woods three or four miles north of Zhang Village. They marched along the coal-ash road, though the path was so narrow that many were forced to advance through the fields. In the moonlight, the three thousand pirates appeared as a massive, menacing shadow.

The eight hundred members of the Zhang Village Militia were pale with fear, their legs trembling. Many considered fleeing; they had been refugees just a day ago, and most had never fought or killed before. Seeing nearly three thousand enemies, their terror was only natural.

"Artillery squadron, ignite the fuses!" Zhang Chen’s voice was low and commanding. He lit the fuse wrapped around his wrist, then ignited the fuse on the heartless cannon. "Fire!"

Zhang Da'an, Zhang Er'an, Fatty Niu, and the artillery squadron commander, Yang Zhike, all lit the fuses on their respective cannons. Following their lead, the other members of the squadron did the same.

With a thunderous roar, Zhang Chen’s cannon successfully launched a package of black powder. Moments later, the explosion detonated in the midst of the pirate ranks. The black powder used by Zhang Village was refined, boasting fifty percent more power than standard powder, and the granulated form doubled that efficiency. The resulting blast was devastating, killing or wounding over a dozen pirates.

The pirate formation fell into disarray. Many were so terrified by the sheer volume of the blast that they collapsed to the ground.

"An ambush! They are in the woods!" Tojo Hideki roared. "Follow me! Charge into the woods and slaughter them all!"

At his command, dozens of veteran pirates prepared to follow him. The Futou Village leader, Fu Xiaotian, echoed the sentiment. "First squad, follow me and kill those bastards in the woods!"

Over two hundred veteran pirates from Futou Village shouted their agreement, ready to charge. Just then, the cannon fire from Zhang Da'an, Zhang Er'an, Fatty Niu, and Commander Yang—along with the rest of the artillery squadron—exploded simultaneously within the ranks of the pirates.