Bangluo Qianqi, stifling his rage, tried to charge into the forest, but his deputy general and subordinates quickly held him back. Half dragging and half carrying him, they pulled him away.
“General, hurry! Something’s wrong with this place—let’s escape first and figure things out later!”
Xiao Jingduo was half-crouched in the leaves, fingers still resting lightly on his bowstring, watching with his own eyes as Bangluo Qianqi was dragged away.
“Magistrate, we’re just going to let them go like that?” someone asked.
“What else can we do?” Xiao Jingduo replied. “Bangluo Qianqi ingested only a small amount of the drug, so he’s not incapacitated. If he stays and regains his bearings, gathers his forces, we’ll be in trouble. We’re far outnumbered—we can only scatter them and defeat them in smaller groups.”
Xiao Jingduo jumped down from the tree first. The others immediately followed, sticking close behind. Someone had been holding in a question and finally couldn’t resist asking:
“Magistrate, how did you come up with this plan?”
“I’ve said it before: on the battlefield, there is no such thing as useless information.” After saying that, Xiao Jingduo added with a sigh, “If they had just followed military protocol, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
According to regulations, soldiers on a forced march are not allowed to cook hot meals, and can only eat dry rations, so as not to alert the enemy. But this group, relying on their numbers, brazenly built fires to cook, even violating military discipline by all eating at the same time. Normally, army meals are staggered, with only one unit eating at a time, specifically to prevent situations like this—so that even if poison is involved, not the entire force would be incapacitated.
Xiao Jingduo had indeed tampered with the food, but he hadn’t poisoned the lake. All that shouting earlier—“The water’s poisoned!” and “There’s a lake demon eating people!”—was all orchestrated by Xiao Jingduo’s men to sow panic. After all, poisoning such a massive lake would require an absurd amount of toxin, not to mention the presence of live fish and shrimp in the water. The real trick lay elsewhere.
Xiao Jingduo had first ordered his men to capture a large number of wild deer and rabbits, then at the right time, released them near the lake. As expected, when the Shilang Zhao army arrived and saw so much wild game running about, they couldn’t resist. They gleefully caught the animals and cooked them. Bangluo Qianqi never stopped to think how suspicious it was that so many ready-to-catch animals were suddenly in the area.
Once they had game, they naturally lit fires and began to cook. To cover the gamey smell, many soldiers grabbed wild herbs growing nearby and tossed them into the pot—and that’s where the real problem was.
Xiao Jingduo had coated all the edible wild herbs in the area with croton seeds, a strong purgative that causes intense stomach distress.
One of the Jinjiang County soldiers muttered,
“To think of smearing croton on vegetables… that’s truly wicked.”
Xiao Jingduo said nothing, but the rest of the men immediately turned to glare at the fool who had spoken.
Realizing too late what he’d just said, the soldier shut his mouth awkwardly. Xiao Jingduo’s gaze swept across the nearby battlefield and he ordered,
“Enough standing around—we’ve got work to do tonight. Go round up the scattered troops.”
The county soldiers guarding Xiao Jingduo immediately sprang into action and re-entered the battlefield. That muttering soldier, as he left, quietly mumbled to himself:
“Wife… from now on, if you ask me to wash the vegetables, I’ll never complain again.”
If those Shilang Zhao soldiers had just properly washed their vegetables before cooking, they wouldn’t have fallen into this trap. But Xiao Jingduo had accurately predicted that these rough soldiers wouldn’t care. To them, wild herbs were just something to wipe off and toss in the pot. In the end, they had poisoned themselves.
Each pot of food was cooked differently, so some people experienced severe symptoms, while others only had mild stomachaches. It was no surprise that Bangluo Qian’s symptoms were minimal—after all, he was the general. Even if his soldiers were careless, no one would dare neglect preparing the general’s food, so his vegetables had likely been thoroughly washed. The people around him were also in the best condition. But none of that mattered—as long as a few soldiers showed signs of illness, all it took was a few provoking words to ignite mass panic.
Now that Bangluo Qianqi had been escorted away by his subordinates, the rest of the soldiers, lacking leadership, were running about like headless flies. Xiao Jingduo’s men, hidden in the woods, launched arrows and stabbed from behind, quickly cutting down a large number of enemies.
Although the Shilang Zhao army had superior numbers, whenever someone tried to regroup and retaliate, the county soldiers ignited specially made smoke bombs and used the cover of thick smoke to withdraw quickly. In this kind of guerrilla, hit-and-run combat, more and more Shilang Zhao soldiers fell, and many stumbled into the lake. Before they could climb back out, they were shot dead in the water.
Interestingly, Xiao Jingduo’s idea of using smoke and psychological fear to pretend to be spirits or monsters was actually inspired by the Tai Li sect. When sugar and saltpeter are mixed and ignited, they release thick smoke. The Tai Li sect used this kind of smoke to stage mystical deceptions. While Xiao Jingduo had no interest in ghosts or gods, he saw the tactical value in such smoke bombs—they formed quickly, blocked visibility, and were perfect for ambushes or retreats. To use such a weapon only to trick villagers would be a tragic waste of its potential.
With just 300 men, Xiao Jingduo fought through the forest all night, looting arrows from fallen Shilang Zhao soldiers when supplies ran low, and rotating tired soldiers out with fresh ones. By dawn, they had slaughtered over a thousand enemies.
“Magistrate, we’ve dealt with most of the survivors nearby. What should we do next?”
Xiao Jingduo’s body was splattered with dried blood, now a dark brown and nearly invisible on his black clothing. He looked up at the sky and said,
“Take ten men back to town and send someone to clean up the battlefield. The rest, follow me—we’re going after Bangluo Qian.”
Bangluo Qianqi had only taken a small amount of the purgative, and with his deputy protecting him, he had already escaped the encirclement when he realized something was wrong, fleeing toward the mountains. But his soldiers weren’t so lucky. Once they were scattered and isolated, Xiao Jingduo’s men hunted them down one by one in the dense forest. At this point, Bangluo Qian’s main army was mostly dead. Even if he escaped with nearly a thousand men, they were no longer a significant threat to Jinjiang County.
With the siege lifted, Xiao Jingduo finally felt at ease. But he was someone who always finished what he started. Since the immediate threat was gone, he immediately led his troops to pursue Bangluo Qian.
Even though Bangluo Qianqi had been defeated, he had already reached an area near Jinjiang County. If he was allowed to escape back to his homeland, there would be endless trouble later.
Bangluo Qianqi had a full night’s head start, but he didn’t know the terrain and fled in panic without trying to cover his tracks, so Xiao Jingduo quickly caught up.
Bangluo Qianqi had set out with four thousand men, but now fewer than a thousand remained. Even so, he still outnumbered Xiao Jingduo significantly. So Xiao Jingduo didn’t launch a direct assault, instead using the terrain to his advantage, targeting stragglers and those who fell behind. Whenever Bangluo Qian’s forces began to react and regroup, Xiao Jingduo would set off a smoke bomb and retreat.
The Shilang Zhao soldiers had no idea where the strange white smoke came from, and even when they realized it was a trick, they had no way to counter it. They could only watch as Xiao Jingduo used the same tactic over and over again. After a few rounds of this, the Shilang Zhao soldiers were utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.
Bangluo Qianqi was so furious he nearly coughed up blood. When Xiao Jingduo once again ambushed the rear of his troops, and immediately retreated under the cover of smoke, Bangluo Qianqi could finally endure no more. He spurred his horse toward the smoke, shouting:
“If you have any guts, come fight me face-to-face! Always relying on these underhanded tricks—what kind of hero are you? You think just because you have this white smoke I can’t deal with you?”
“General, come back! You can’t see anything in this white smoke. Be careful—they may be setting a trap!” his deputy urgently called out from behind.
But Bangluo Qianqi was too blinded by rage. He charged into the smoke with a belly full of anger and actually saw a few black-clad figures scrambling through the woods, seemingly retreating in a panic.
“So you’re hiding here! Troops, listen up—pursue them and avenge our fallen brothers!”
They say even the most intricate trap can be destroyed by brute force. Bangluo Qianqi went all-in, chasing relentlessly. Even as Xiao Jingduo’s troops released more smoke bombs, they couldn’t stop him. Seeing how fiercely he was charging, the Jinjiang County troops were forced to fall back again and again, appearing to be in full retreat.
After being strung along for a whole day, Bangluo Qianqi had finally turned the tide. His heart burned with rage and he swore he would capture these cunning Han soldiers and slaughter them all. As for their leader—well, once Bangluo Qianqi caught him, he’d slowly torture him to death, just to show all Han people what it meant to cross Bangluo Qian.
Blinded by fury, Bangluo Qianqi continued charging forward. His soldiers, terrified of his temper, had no choice but to follow closely behind. As they went on, the deputy general grew more and more uneasy, and at last couldn’t hold back anymore.
“General! We can’t keep chasing—we’re entering dangerous terrain!”
Unbeknownst to them, they had already entered a narrow gorge. The entrance was wide, but the interior narrowed sharply, with towering cliffs on either side—like a pocket ready to trap them.
Bangluo Qianqi wouldn’t tolerate being contradicted, so he ignored the warning and continued forward. The deputy looked around at the surrounding cliffs, feeling increasingly alarmed. At last, he mustered the courage to grab Bangluo Qian’s reins and yell,
“General! We’ve fallen into a trap—retreat now, quickly!”
But it was already too late.
Boulders suddenly rolled down from both sides of the gorge, and an arrow storm rained from above. The narrow path gave the soldiers nowhere to run. Countless were struck down or crushed. In panic, the rest tried to flee toward the entrance of the gorge—only to find it already blocked.
There, black-clad soldiers stood with long blades, using the terrain to their advantage. They slaughtered relentlessly—one came, one was cut down; two came, both were killed. Because the terrain was narrow inside and wide outside, the trapped army couldn’t make use of their numbers and were slaughtered like lambs.
This one-sided massacre lasted until sunset. Blood soaked into the earth, staining the shattered stones a deep red. Bangluo Qian’s hands were tied behind his back, and he knelt on the ground, watching as Xiao Jingduo approached with a blade. He spat fiercely.
“A real man fights openly—you keep hiding and ambushing. What kind of hero are you?”
Xiao Jingduo sneered,
“I know the terrain and use it to my advantage. Why should I fight you head-on if I can ambush you? Besides, I have to admire you—falling for the same trick three times. You deserved to lose, even with ten times my troops.”
Using smoke by the lake to intimidate, using it again during pursuit to ambush, and now using it as bait to lure Bangluo Qianqi step by step into the gorge—ultimately, it was all the same trick.
And yet, Bangluo Qianqi still fell for every single trap without fail. Even Xiao Jingduo didn’t know what to say anymore.
Just the mention of this made Bangluo Qianqi explode with fury. His eyes bulged, veins popped along his neck, clearly itching to resist. He opened his mouth to curse loudly, but before a single word could escape, a government soldier stuffed a cloth into his mouth. Bangluo Qianqi let out muffled howls of rage.
Xiao Jingduo waved his hand casually and said,
“Keep an eye on him. We’re heading back to the city. Since Bangluo Qianqi is some sort of noble in Shilang Zhao, bringing him back gives us leverage in future negotiations with Nanzhao.”
…
Ever since Xiao Jingduo had left, many at the county yamen had been on edge, dreading the arrival of enemy forces.
But three days passed—and nothing happened.
On the fourth day, a group arrived and knocked on the city gate, requesting for people to be sent to clean up the battlefield.
The assistant magistrate feared it might be enemy scouts. Even after recognizing they were their own people, he still didn’t dare let them in. The standoff continued for another day—until the soldiers from Rongzhou arrived at Jinjiang County, but still, there was no sign of the enemy army.
At last, the team sent back to the city led the skeptical Rongzhou reinforcements to the lake to view the enemy corpses. Only then did the people of Jinjiang awaken as if from a dream, falling into a state of surreal disbelief.
Magistrate Xiao, with just three hundred men, had already intercepted and wiped out the enemy on their way.
The county that had spent days trembling in fear had weathered the crisis without a scratch.
The entire city burst into celebration. Many citizens gathered at the city gate of their own accord, awaiting the return of the heroes who had saved them.
A few more days passed, and finally, hundreds of black-clad soldiers, blood-streaked and battle-worn, appeared at the gate. The townspeople cheered and welcomed them as they marched in. Their clothes were stained in dark and light splotches of blood; many bore injuries, and though they looked exhausted, their faces shone with pride and satisfaction.
Once inside the city, the government troops were quickly swept away by friends and family from their own neighborhoods. Though they were still covered in blood and dust, they didn’t mind at all. On the contrary, they enthusiastically recounted their adventure outside the city, bragging about their victories.
Watching the triumphant soldiers surrounded by the crowd, gesturing animatedly as they spoke, Chen Ci was deeply moved. She squeezed Qiuju’s hand tightly and could see tears sparkling in her friend’s eyes.
It was over. Everything was finally over.
Chen Ci craned her neck, searching the crowd for a long time, and finally asked in disappointment:
“Where’s Magistrate Xiao? Why hasn’t he come back?”
Upon hearing Xiao Jingduo’s name, one of the soldiers, caught up in boasting, paused and called back,
“Magistrate Xiao said he’s gone to discuss what to do with Bangluo Qianqi with the generals from Rongzhou. He told us not to wait for him.”
“Ah…” Chen Ci and Qiuju were both disappointed.
“So… he’s not coming back?”
Though Xiao Jingduo was the one who contributed the most, he didn’t return to the city with the others. Instead, he brought Bangluo Qianqi with him to meet the generals from Rongzhou.
What to do with Bangluo Qian, how to negotiate with Nanzhao, and cleaning up the battlefield—these matters took many days to resolve.
When Xiao Jingduo finally returned to the residence, Qiuju bustled around and said,
“My lord, why didn’t you return with the others that day? Clearly, you were the one who did the most, but it was the others who got all the attention.”
“It’s all just empty fame,” Xiao Jingduo said, clearly unconcerned. In fact, it could even be said that he had deliberately avoided returning with the others precisely to avoid the townspeople’s overly enthusiastic welcome.
“What a relief this all turned out to be!” Qiuju said excitedly.
“My lord, you weren’t here these past few days and we were scared half to death! Even the rest of the county couldn’t sleep peacefully. Now that you’re back, we can finally live in peace again.”
“I’m afraid peace won’t last,” Xiao Jingduo replied.
“This time, we completely wiped out Shilang Zhao’s army and captured Bangluo Qianqi alive. We’ve made a deadly enemy of them now. In a few days, the court will likely take the initiative to pressure Nanzhao, and when that happens, we’ll be on the frontlines—trouble will keep coming.”
“Ah… Then what should we do?”
Xiao Jingduo didn’t respond right away. After a moment of silence, he said lightly,
“Perhaps… Jinjiang County will need to station troops.”
And as it turned out, Xiao Jingduo’s prediction was spot-on. In recent years, Jinjiang County had gained considerable fame thanks to its jade and brocade trade, and this time, it achieved a legendary victory by defeating a larger force with fewer men.
Though the Nanzhao people didn’t say anything openly, they were deeply resentful, and many had already set their sights on Jinjiang, looking for a chance to retaliate.
Xiao Jingduo proactively submitted a memorial to the Governor of Rongzhou, who passed it on to the imperial court. In the end, the Ministry of War issued a decree approving a permanent military garrison in Jinjiang County.
With a formal military camp, Jinjiang immediately rose another level in status.
Only border towns or critical locations could be granted a standing army. Thanks to this brilliant victory, Jinjiang stood out among countless counties and became a prominent dot on the Ministry of War’s military map.
Because of the garrison, Xiao Jingduo had to work nonstop for several more months.
Military affairs also fell under the local magistrate’s responsibilities. In the past, without stationed troops, Jinjiang’s affairs were manageable, but now that a full-time military unit was present, everything from food to logistics fell on Xiao Jingduo’s shoulders. It was a massive burden.
Still, though his workload increased, the benefits were immediate and obvious.
With a proper army as deterrence, public disturbances in the county decreased dramatically. Even the nearby mountain bandits became more cautious and no longer dared to attack Jinjiang’s merchant caravans.
With military protection, trade became even more frequent.
Far from being destroyed by war, Jinjiang’s years of development were instead elevated to the next level. The city grew even more prosperous.
Because of the stationed troops, friction with the six Zhaos (vassal states) became more frequent, and mail delivery became increasingly unreliable.
As a result, Xiao Jingduo didn’t receive a letter from Chang’an until November, though the postmark on the envelope showed it had been sent in June.
June—likely the time the news of the battle reached Chang’an.
The letter bore no signature, but as Xiao Jingduo looked at it, he was inexplicably stirred.
T/N: Croton seeds are a purgative (a super strong laxative) that can cause stomach issues (understandably). Apparently, some people do use it to treat constipation :O…but croton seed oil can be deadly depending on the dosage, definitely not something to take lightly.
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