Chapter Eleven

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing. On both sides of the road, the stubble of wheat had been neatly cut, and not far away, the haystacks beside the farmers’ homes rose like small mountains. A few peasants, braving the risk of colliding with the marching army, hurriedly worked the fields, seizing every moment to plant winter wheat and sweet potatoes. From time to time, they glanced nervously toward the official road, where the soldiers of the Han army, dressed in strange uniforms, marched in an unbroken, orderly column that stretched beyond sight.

This year, the weather had been generally favorable. In this era of slow communication, Lin Feng had no knowledge of harvests elsewhere, but the region around the capital had managed, just barely, a decent yield. An almost ludicrous scene unfolded here this year: though the land was engulfed in chaos and war, the peasants of Shuntian Prefecture lived better than ever. The rapid rise of the Han army had thoroughly dismantled the rural administration of Shuntian, leaving a political vacuum that lasted for months. As a result, many of the usual harsh taxes and levies were absent. Only recently had a small group of local officials been selected from among surrendering Qing bureaucrats to act as administrators and collect a meager portion of the land tax.

It was somewhat amusing how this arrangement came about. The idea had occurred to Lin Feng while inspecting the Banner people's settlements. To be honest, the Han army had not treated these hundreds of thousands of Banner people too harshly. By their own rules, the vanquished were either to be killed outright or made into slaves—Nurhaci himself had delighted in such acts. But Lin Feng found himself in a quandary: he could not bring himself to order a massacre, yet it was hardly worthwhile to support so many idle mouths. After much deliberation, he devised this new arrangement.

During this period, Dai Zi, the chief overseer of ordnance, had performed his duties with great distinction, particularly after the Heaven and Earth Society had brought his family into safety. With his worries set aside, he devoted himself day and night to the production of deadly weapons. The craftsmen’s district in the capital, carefully selected by Kangxi himself, proved worthy of their reputation. With the Han army now offering much improved conditions, their productivity soared. After three months of reform, all 8,000 men of the central army’s musket corps had been fully reequipped with flintlock rifles boasting greater range and accuracy. The stockpiles of powder and ammunition were also abundant.

In truth, Lin Feng’s confidence in this war stemmed largely from this firearms corps. Although weapons determinism had long since been scorned in twenty-first-century China, Lin Feng seemed almost bewitched by this erroneous theory, believing in it with unwavering faith. His reasoning was simple: if troops so well-armed and so thoroughly trained over six months could not defeat Qing soldiers armed only with sabers and spears, then his own downfall would be nothing but a testament to his lack of virtue.

Amongst this large group, only one dared to ask Lin Feng such a frank question. “Well, Major Rick, I was just thinking…” Lin Feng waved his hand awkwardly and turned to ask, “Where are we now?”

“Commander, we’ve just passed Langfang. It’s still eighty li to Tianjin.”

“And what of Liu Laosi, Zhou Peigong, and Zhao Guangyuan?”

The aide respectfully replied from horseback, “General Liu’s troops are traveling by boat along the canal. General Zhou’s men are ahead of us—by now, they should be nearing Tianjin. But there’s no word yet from General Zhao.”

“I see,” Lin Feng nodded.

Then, turning to Shi Lang, who stood beside him, Lin Feng said, “Old Shi, I’m afraid your artillerymen will have to work hard. Once the guns are unloaded, give those fellows a taste of what we can do!”

In terms of training, Shi Lang’s men were exemplary. After a few sips of water, Lin Feng led his officers out to observe the artillery. The brigade had already taken their positions and stood ready to fire. At Shi Lang’s order, the ground trembled beneath Lin Feng’s feet, his ears rang so fiercely that for a moment he could hear nothing at all. Through the haze of white smoke, the artillerymen moved with solemn precision, loading and firing in perfect order. No longer did the gun crews fire in chaotic disarray; every salvo was delivered in disciplined succession at the officers’ commands. The shells landed with remarkable accuracy. Apart from the very first volley, nearly every shot struck the city walls, shattering brick and stone, blasting breaches wide open in the parapets.

Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction, extending a thumb in praise. “General Shi, splendid work!”

Liu Laosi, seeing the confusion atop the city walls, came running over, brimming with excitement. “Commander, should we launch a night assault on the city right away?”

Lin Feng shook his head. “We cannot attack. Our troops are weary from the march; this battle would be hard fought.” He patted Liu Laosi on the shoulder and pointed to the Qing soldiers atop the walls. “Do you know how many defenders there will be in Tianjin if we fight now?”

“Didn’t we say before? Just fifteen thousand, right?” Liu Laosi scratched his head in confusion.

“Sigh, Laosi, you need to use your head. There are at least half a million civilians inside Tianjin, of whom sixty or seventy thousand are able-bodied men. They might not be much use in a real fight, but they can certainly throw stones or pour boiling water over the walls. If we charge in recklessly, how many of our men will die before we take the city?”

“Ah! Well…”

Lin Feng clapped him on the shoulder again, more heavily this time. “Laosi, you and the others are my sworn brothers from Linji County, and now commanders in your own right. You must keep learning! You can’t fight a war without thinking.”

“Commander… I…” Overcome with emotion, Liu Laosi was suddenly ashamed, his face flushing red as he struggled for words.

“Rest well tonight. When the fighting starts tomorrow, go easy and take care of yourself. I’m counting on you old friends now.” Leaving Liu Laosi overwhelmed with gratitude, Lin Feng turned to Shi Lang. “Old Shi, tell the men to take shifts tonight: fire a few rounds every so often, and shout loudly as if we’re about to storm the walls. Don’t let the Qing soldiers get any rest!”

Shi Lang smiled, saluted, and replied, “A stratagem to exhaust the enemy? Understood!”