Chapter 108: Discipline and Authority

On the third day of the eighth lunar month, the army arrived at Baijiachuan in Yanchang County.

The autumn air was crisp and refreshing. The sun had lost its scorching intensity, and the stifling heat had vanished from the air entirely. Occasional cold gusts served as a reminder to the leaders that it was time to begin stockpiling grain and fodder for the army to survive the coming winter.

The long march had accustomed Liu Chengzong to the endless shades of yellow, but as he led his men through the clouds of dust onto the ancient Gan-Long road, his eyes were finally met with a kaleidoscope of colors.

Small yellow flowers of the groundsel vine climbed along the riverbanks, and white salt flats stretched out where salt pans had been set up on the hillsides. In the vast, boundless fields, the Sichuan pepper plants were ripe, and in the distance, orchards were heavy with fruit, painting the landscape in vibrant reds.

Further off, in the rolling mountains, the dogwood berries had turned red, and the lush forests looked as if autumn had brushed them with a layer of gold. With the clear blue sky and clouds hanging low over the mountain ridges, everything was breathtakingly beautiful, as if they had stepped into another world.

Except for them.

Stepping onto the ancient Gan-Long road acted like a signal. Even before the leaders realized what was happening, the crowd erupted and scattered with a roar.

People on the north bank of the river began to dash wildly; some rushed to the water to drink, others sprinted into the fields to scavenge for grain, and many more attempted to cross the river. Some led mules onto the bridge, while others shed their trousers to swim across.

On the south bank, the crowd was also in a frenzy, and the sound of alarm bells and drums rang out incessantly. The villagers, seeing them emerge from the mountain path from afar, abandoned their work, rushed home to gather the elderly and children, and fled toward the mountains with carts and livestock.

On the mountains, they had built sturdy earth fortifications. The defenses were large, and the inhabitants of all three villages along the riverbank were fleeing toward them.

The entire formation fell into chaos. The starving refugees were running, the minor squad leaders were running, and even Bu Zhan Ni, Shang Tian Hou, and Hun Tian Hou were on their warhorses and charging ahead the moment the signal was given.

The disheveled Shang Tian Hou ran a few steps, looked back to see Gao Yingxiang and Liu Chengzong standing still, and rode back, shouting, "Cross the river! Everyone is heading to the other side, what are you doing!"

Gao Yingxiang looked slightly embarrassed. He glanced around but said nothing. Liu Chengzong knew what he was looking for: his soldiers.

Of an army of over seven thousand, the majority had vanished in the blink of an eye. Those who remained in formation on the ancient mountain road were either the women watching the baggage train or the young children leading the mules. Even the old men leaning on crutches had run off.

Of the remaining few groups, the eight hundred well-trained frontier soldiers under Gao Yingxiang were divided into two units; they had already donned their armor and were marching forward. There were also over three hundred Mongol tribesmen, led by a man known as Handazi, who stood motionless behind Gao Yingxiang.

Beyond them, the only ones maintaining their formation were Liu Chengzong’s men. To be precise, everyone who remained belonged to Liu Chengzong.

On the mountain ridges and field paths, Wei Qian’er sat on his horse, holding a large flag, motionless. His scouts were scattered in small groups, occupying every high point from the valley to the official road. Gao Xian and Feng Rang each led their units in the lead; they had already exited the valley, donned their armor in the open spaces along the road, and held their positions to guard the thoroughfare. Cao Yao’s artillery unit was at the rear, guarding the cannons and baggage, though their formation had been disrupted and they were currently reorganizing.

Gao Yingxiang remained silent, so Liu Chengzong said nothing as well, leaving an awkward, chilling silence. He disapproved of the indiscriminate looting of villages, but he was currently eating Gao Yingxiang’s rations. Furthermore, while the rank-and-file soldiers of Gao Yingxiang, Bu Zhan Ni, Shang Tian Hou, and Hun Tian Hou were often starving, they still provided Liu Chengzong’s five hundred men with enough grain to be full at every meal. This left him with no moral high ground to interfere or offer advice; he could only watch what he disliked.

This was a matter for Gao Yingxiang to decide.

However, Gao Yingxiang’s focus was not on the villages across the river. Shang Tian Hou followed his gaze, looked around, and realized something was amiss.

Gao Yingxiang was the first to break the silence. He asked Shang Tian Hou in a flat tone, "Why are you running?"

"My men have all run off, I have to go to the front to command them!" After saying this, Liu Jiusi realized how obvious his excuse sounded and felt a pang of regret, so he added, "Winter is coming, and it’s getting very cold. The brothers need to get some clothes to wear."

Gao Yingxiang nodded. He looked up at the azure sky and exhaled heavily, as if asking himself or Shang Tian Hou, "Then why did my men run off too?"

"They are formidable!" Shang Tian Hou exclaimed admiringly. "They are led by Zhong Douxing, marching in perfect formation with their armor in order."

Zhong Douxing was Gao Yingxiang’s younger brother, Gao Ying’en. Just a moment earlier, Gao Yingxiang had been talking to Liu Chengzong about his brother, remarking that he considered himself a man of mettle, yet he couldn't understand why his brother had chosen such a name. The "Zhong Douxing" deity, also known as Da Kui, was the guardian of longevity.

Gao Yingxiang turned to Liu Chengzong and asked, "Then why haven't your men moved?"

Shang Tian Hou chimed in, "I’ve seen it—every one of Liu Shizi's men has a cotton-padded armor; they don't need to loot for clothes."

"It’s not because of that," Gao Yingxiang sighed. "It’s because he hasn't given the order. Look, Monkey, all four of his units are waiting for his command."

At this, a hint of anger flashed across Gao Yingxiang’s face. A moment later, he shook his head and said, "The Lion is right. People like us cannot hold Jinsuo Pass or Yan'an City." He pointed ahead and said, "Go, command your men. Make them stop on the north bank. And tell Bu Zhan Ni and Hun Tian Hou to stop there too. See if you can get them to listen."

Shang Tian Hou, still confused, spurred his horse and rode forward.

Gao Yingxiang then smiled and praised Liu Chengzong, "I knew I wasn't wrong in seeking you out. Only your men look like elite soldiers."

Liu Chengzong shook his head. "Master Gao, my men are not elite soldiers. If it came to a real battle, they might not be better than the two units of frontier soldiers led by Zhong Douxing."

If this were a competition of discipline, it would not be fair to Gao Yingxiang. But Gao Yingxiang didn't know that; he assumed Liu Chengzong was being modest and waved his hand. "Later, you must tell me how you train your soldiers..."

"It’s not that my men are elite; it’s just that they don't have the habit of looting villagers, and I have never let them do so."

In that instant, the expression on Gao Yingxiang’s face was remarkable—shifting from disbelief to realization, and finally, to nothing but regret. It was a simple truth to grasp: Liu Chengzong had fewer men, so there was no need to pillage villages. Their high frequency of attacks on official courier stations was already enough to sustain their supplies.

Realizing this, Gao Yingxiang sighed with emotion, "I originally thought the same, but once the army grows, there is no way to keep everyone fed."

It was like a vivid lesson, and it wasn't just Gao Yingxiang who learned something. Gao Yingxiang saw discipline, while Liu Chengzong saw power. Power appears to come from above, but in reality, it comes from below.

There were "grass-roots kings" everywhere. They were not necessarily the best fighters, nor were they the ones with the highest status or the most knowledge; they didn't even have to be the most talented. They simply thought the same way as the majority and did the right thing at the right time. By gaining prestige and the obedience of the masses, they became leaders. Even if they never bathed.

The three leaders each restrained their own troops. Only Shang Tian Hou, Liu Jiusi, could calm his men amidst the collective frenzy, and most of them gathered back around him. Many others, upon seeing that the main force was still assembling on the north bank after crossing, ran back.

Bu Zhan Ni had no intention of restraint at all. He followed his chaotic subordinates across the river, plucking watermelons in the fields at will. It wasn't necessarily that Bu Zhan Ni couldn't control his soldiers; it was that Gao Yingxiang couldn't control Bu Zhan Ni. These leaders were merely in a loose alliance, without any hierarchy, huddled together just to survive.

Among the leaders, Hun Tian Hou was in the most miserable state. He listened to Gao Yingxiang and tried his best to restrain his men on the riverbank, but his subordinates had a strong sense of autonomy, and many simply merged into Bu Zhan Ni’s troops to loot on the other side. Only a minor leader named Bai Guang’en stayed by Hun Tian Hou’s side with a few dozen men.

The main force did not cross the river. Bu Zhan Ni led over a thousand men to ransack the salt pans, orchards, pepper fields, and villages before returning fully loaded, draped in the villagers' cotton jackets and quilts.

"Pah! If you guys hadn't refused to go over there, there were definitely good things in that fort; I saw them." Bu Zhan Ni was in high spirits as he returned to the north bank. He said to the others, "Why are we still standing here? Chuang Wang, say the word: do we take the fort, or do we keep moving?"

Gao Yingxiang shook his head. "Let us split the army here."

"Hm?" Bu Zhan Ni frowned. "What do you mean?"

"What are you thinking? It is time to split. Seven or eight thousand people gathered in one place is impossible to feed. You have many men, go to central Yijun. Shang Tian Hou, go to Yichuan, and Hun Tian Hou, go to Luochuan." Gao Yingxiang knew well he couldn't control Bu Zhan Ni, and this fellow townsman of Wang Jiayin was equally difficult to manage. He added, "Keep in touch with each other, and use this time to drill your men. When there is movement from the government troops, follow the plan and head toward Yanchuan."

This was a plan they had long agreed upon, and no one had any objections. Bu Zhan Ni gestured at Liu Chengzong with his chin. "What about Liu Shizi? Is he coming with you?"

"I will stay in Yanchang. It is closer to Yanchuan, and I will keep some strength in reserve to engage the government troops." Gao Yingxiang turned to Liu Chengzong and said, "Since he is a native of Yan'an, then he will go back to Yan'an."

On the day the split was decided, Bu Zhan Ni and Hun Tian Hou led their troops away. Shang Tian Hou’s route was different, but he said he would travel a bit further with them; once Gao Yingxiang found a place to settle, he would take his troops south to Yichuan. However, for the rest of the journey, until they followed Gao Yingxiang into the deep mountains to a desolate village called Guyuan, he clung to Liu Chengzong, asking about the methods of training soldiers and maintaining discipline.

Liu Chengzong knew his own worth; discipline was the credit of his squad leaders, and he knew nothing about it. As he had told Gao Yingxiang, his four units listened to him because of the prestige he had earned by leading from the front, and because of where his soldiers came from. They had all received military training and knew that if the formation scattered, their combat effectiveness would vanish. They had winter clothes, had never gone hungry, and were used to the big business of raiding official courier stations; they didn't care for the petty gains of looting villages unless they were starving.

But most importantly, the leaders of his three platoons believed in him. They believed Liu Chengzong would not let them suffer, and they believed he could lead them to survive. The most valuable experience he could pass on to Liu Jiusi was the establishment of an organization; even if one were leading a group of starving refugees, one had to select layers of leaders from among them.

Liu Chengzong couldn't teach Shang Tian Hou much, but after a few days of contact, he understood him much better. Shang Tian Hou’s given name was Liu Jiusi, and Liu Chengzong knew from the name alone that his background wasn't bad. When he asked, it turned out that his father and grandfather had built a decent fortune in Qingjian through trade, and his family owned more land than the wealthy Master Liu of Heilong Mountain.

"Jiusi" came from the *Analects of Confucius*, meaning one should be clear in sight, sharp in hearing, warm in expression, respectful in demeanor, loyal in speech, serious in work, inquisitive in doubt, mindful of difficulties when angry, and think of justice when seeing profit.

But his luck was poor. Not long after he was born, his parents passed away one after another. He was raised by his grandfather, and before he was even old enough to study, his grandfather was gone as well. His relatives didn't let him starve, but that was all they did. The family shops and land dwindled year by year, and by the time he grew up, there was almost nothing left. Later, he was led astray into gambling and completely squandered what remained of the family fortune.

Losing the family fortune didn't matter much to him; rather, the people who had ruined him made him feel important, and he found warmth being with them. But eventually, those gamblers abandoned him too, and he could only wander from place to place. It wasn't until the uprisings began that he started raiding. Perhaps it was his nature—if others treated him well, he would return the favor twofold. In the hardest times, if he had a single morsel of food, he would endure his own hunger to share it with those who followed him. That was how he went from a beggar to a leader.

When Liu Chengzong asked him why he didn't bathe, he said that not bathing made him feel safe. The thick layer of filth on his body was like armor.

On the sixth day of the eighth month, Shang Tian Hou led his troops to Yichuan. Gao Yingxiang dispersed his men to camp around Guyuan and demonstrated for Liu Chengzong how his army usually operated. He had not only frontier soldiers and tribesmen but also a large number of women, craftsmen, and even more starving refugees with no combat skills.

Hundreds of blacksmiths, carpenters, peddlers, and swindlers went out into the mountains to gather intelligence. Within just two or three days, those nearby had returned with information on village terrain and the locations of wealthy households and government officials, while those who had gone further were still on their way. At this rate, they would have the entire situation in Yanchang mapped out within ten days.

Following this, units formed of refugees and women were sent out daily to forage for wild fruit, graze horses, and feed donkeys. The combat soldiers used this time to rest and sharpen their blades, preparing for a major strike once the intelligence was received.

Liu Chengzong did not stay long. Gao Yingxiang held him in high regard; before he left, he prepared grain for the mule train and even slaughtered a lame donkey, sending men to a nearby village to trade silver for wine, preparing a feast to see him off.

But the meal did not go smoothly. Halfway through, a scout reported that government troops had arrived in the mountains to the south.

Over two hundred cavalrymen, with four or five hundred horses.

When the news arrived, Zhong Douxing Gao Ying’en was holding a bowl of wine to toast Liu Chengzong. He spat half a mouthful onto the ground and started coughing uncontrollably. Between coughs, he wheezed, "Brother, retreat! Retreat... government troops!"

The entire camp fell into a panic. Strangely, if they had heard there were four or five hundred government troops, they might not have been so afraid. But the number "two hundred cavalry" was terrifying to any peasant army in northern Shaanxi. After all, the last time Li Bei had led two hundred cavalry from Huanglong Mountain to outside the Great Wall, he had nearly wiped out the entire peasant movement in the region.

Gao Yingxiang was not as frightened as his brother. He wiped his mouth and said, "What is there to fear? Lion, I am afraid you cannot leave now. Let’s fight them, what do you say?"

Liu Chengzong had the same thought. He nodded, holding his wine bowl, and said, "We cannot lose our composure now. If we run, we will end up just like Old Huihui... eh?"

Before he could finish, a commotion arose by the campfire at the camp entrance. A familiar figure walked over—it was Shang Tian Hou, Liu Jiusi, who had returned. Behind him was a man wearing the cotton-padded armor of a frontier army captain, scarred by battle. Shang Tian Hou walked over and introduced him, "This is Chuang Wang Gao."

The man scanned the surroundings and cupped his hands toward Gao Yingxiang. "Greetings, Chuang Wang."

Before Gao Yingxiang could return the gesture, the man turned his head and asked Shang Tian Hou, "Where is General Liu?"

Shang Tian Hou looked at Gao Yingxiang with a helpless expression, then gestured toward Liu Chengzong.

Liu Chengzong looked at the man with suspicion. He was certain he had no memory of this person. He set down his wine bowl, placed his hand on the hilt of his waist saber, frowned, and asked, "Who are you?"

The frontier army captain stepped forward, looked at him carefully, performed a military salute with a bow, and cupped his hands. "I am Yang Yao, a battalion commander of the Guyuan Camp cavalry. I have led two hundred and forty brothers to join you. I implore the General to take us in!"