Chapter Fourteen: The First Counter-Encirclement Campaign

Just now, Jin Broadsword, who had been dragged out by Kong Luodi, returned, his face even darker than when he left. Biaozi and his men followed behind, all bearing obvious bruises and swelling. Yang Xiaolin saw their bewildered faces and asked, “What happened?”

Jin Broadsword was furious. “Chief Yang, you must stand up for my brothers! They followed your orders and brought grain to the eastern Two-Headed Mountain for the hunters there. As soon as they entered the village, someone shouted, ‘Bandits are here!’ Then a hundred or so people rushed out. Before my brothers could explain themselves, they were beaten like this!”

He pulled each injured brother before Yang Xiaolin, their misery clear and pitiful.

Yang Xiaolin asked, “Did you tell them you came to deliver grain?”

Biaozi replied, “Who had time to explain? If we hadn’t run fast enough, we might all have been done for today! Chief Yang, we’ve never been humiliated like this. Give me a few dozen men, I’ll go flatten that Two-Headed Mountain right now!”

Yang Xiaolin realized now that the old patriarch’s methods, though seemingly simple, required great skill. Ordinary people couldn’t manage it. Even he, attempting to imitate, had made a mess of things, which was a blow to his confidence.

Still, he believed it was the right way. He patted Biaozi on the shoulder. “Alright, brothers, go rest for now. We’ll certainly deal with Two-Headed Mountain, but not yet. Heal your wounds first. Tonight you’ll get extra rations—you’ve earned it.”

Biaozi’s face was swollen like a pig’s head, his eyes barely open, peering fiercely at Yang Xiaolin. “Chief! We’ve never lost face like this. If word gets out, how will I ever show myself again?”

Yang Xiaolin nodded. “I understand. Brother Jin, let them rest first. Let’s discuss how best to handle this.”

Other groups who had gone to distribute grain gradually returned, each with different stories. Yang Xiaolin noticed a pattern: when local hunters accompanied them, the grain was more readily accepted; but if Jin Broadsword’s men went, things went poorly. Even if they forced grain onto villagers’ doorsteps, the locals would throw it away—no one dared take anything from bandits.

Still, none had encountered violence as blatant as at Two-Headed Mountain.

“Brother Gu, what’s the story with Two-Headed Mountain?”

Gu Tianming knew the area best. When Yang Xiaolin asked, Gu knocked his opium pipe against the table a few times. “Just a band of hunters, much like our own outpost—living off the land for generations. When Brother Liu first arrived, he sent me to recruit them to fight the Russians, but they refused, though they were polite.”

“Polite? They beat my men like this? Surely they’ve heard my name!” Jin Broadsword was enraged; striking his men felt as humiliating as striking himself.

Gu Tianming sympathized but, seeing Jin Broadsword’s anger, held his tongue and continued to Yang Xiaolin, “Chief, Two-Headed Mountain is treacherous terrain—even steeper than our own. Not easy to attack.”

Seeing Jin Broadsword about to explode, Yang Xiaolin quickly interjected, “It’s not about whether it’s easy or not—it’s about regaining our dignity. We’re bandits. If we can’t handle a small outpost, the brothers lose heart, and we lose face.”

Gu Tianming fell silent. Jin Broadsword agreed enthusiastically. “That’s what I like to hear, Chief. Looks like we picked the right leader. Just say the word, and we’ll follow.”

Yang Xiaolin smiled. “Now isn’t the time. We must focus on dealing with the Qing troops, not let other matters distract us.”

Jin Broadsword was reluctant but said no more.

Everyone turned their gaze to him. Few believed they could win against the Qing army—so many soldiers, so few of them, a vast disparity. Though fierce, the bandits still feared the imperial troops; Gu Tianming’s hunters had never imagined fighting the government. Suddenly facing this, they lacked confidence. If Yang Xiaolin hadn’t led them to victory at Ganzi Tun, giving them some faith, merely hearing of the government’s plans would have been enough to break them.

Yang Xiaolin glanced at the other three in the room, lit a cigar, and took a drag. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll gather the brothers for some training. Our tactics are far from adequate.”

Just then, Sui Bing rushed in, flustered. “Chief, bad news—the government troops are here!”

Yang Xiaolin was genuinely shocked, the cigar trembling in his hand. “What? So soon?”

He had expected the Qing forces to wait for Russian pressure before coming, giving him at least seven or eight days to prepare—to train the men, instill discipline. But he had barely returned, and the troops had arrived, with less than a day in between.

The problem now was the Qing soldiers had come too suddenly, leaving no time to prepare. The supplies brought from Ganzi Tun hadn’t been hidden, the bandits had received no training—many didn’t even know how to use grenades! None of his plans had been carried out.

Sui Bing panted, “About two thousand men, already combing the mountain. They seem to know the way well—heading straight here! Chief, what do we do?”

Kong Luodi and Gu Tianming were clearly anxious; though they tried to hide it, their expressions betrayed real fear.

To rebel and kill officials was always daunting the first time—afterwards, it became easier. Jin Broadsword, for example, was steadier now, immediately realizing why the Qing troops came straight to their mountain. “I heard recently that Wang Damaizi defected to the government. I thought it was a joke, but it seems true—he must be leading them!”

That no longer mattered; what mattered was that the guests had arrived before supper was ready.

Yang Xiaolin stubbed out his cigar. “Since they’re here, we must welcome them properly.”

Kong Luodi edged forward. “Chief, do you have confidence?”

Yang Xiaolin’s heart was pounding. This battle would open the curtain, and the outcome would depend not only on his own abilities, but also on what the Qing army brought to bear. With his meager force, could they withstand it? He was uncertain.

He tried to keep his voice calm. “Beating the Qing army won’t be easy, but making them leave—perhaps that isn’t so difficult.”

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