The Child Emperor - Chapter 128: Fire Attack

Lin Kunshan stood in front of Han Ruzi, his expression blank. “It’s not feasible. Fate seers can only go with the flow. If the circumstances aren’t right, there’s nothing we can do. These people have come here to restore a deposed emperor. Trying to convince them to change their minds and head to the Northern Frontier, I can’t do it.”

“That’s fine. I hope you can help me with another matter.”

“Hmm.” Lin Kunshan remained noncommittal.

“Fate seers go with the flow. Since the situation here is difficult to change, let’s go out and see if anyone is willing to join the volunteer army to resist the Xiongnu.”

Lin Kunshan slowly revealed a hint of a smile, seemingly agreeing, yet also mocking. “The mighty Chu empire has a million soldiers, more than enough. How can we expect commoners to volunteer for the army?”

Han Ruzi also smiled. “It’s hard to say. Previously, I couldn’t imagine commoners supporting a deposed emperor either.”

After thinking for a moment, Lin Kunshan reluctantly said, “Alright then, since Your Majesty wishes for me to leave the village, I will go. As for my men…”

“They may stay or go as they please.”

Lin Kunshan nodded and turned to leave.

Prince Donghai, who had been observing from a corner, couldn’t help but speak again. “Once Lin Kunshan leaves, those pugilists will also follow suit. Your grip on power is dwindling.”

“These forces are not at my disposal. What’s the point in keeping them?”

“Heh, nobody is at your disposal anyway. My uncle will soon send a thousand strong cavalry. They’ll crush the Riverside Village in the blink of an eye. What will you do then? Hold a knife to my neck?”

“Grand Tutor Cui is a reasonable man. He wouldn’t act so recklessly.”

Prince Donghai sneered. He certainly didn’t believe his uncle would act that way, but he still thought Han Ruzi was naive.

Han Ruzi paced back and forth, then suddenly turned to Reckless and asked, “You’ve been around. Do you think anyone would join the volunteer army to fight the Xiongnu?”

“No.” Reckless’ answer was simple and direct.

Han Ruzi smiled and sighed afterward.

“Heh, from the way you looked just now, I thought you had a plan.” Prince Donghai regained some confidence from that sigh.

Of course, Han Ruzi didn’t have a plan. Yang Feng had once told him that having too much information would make them harder to sort through. An emperor had to learn to discard most information or, in situations of very little information, deduce the truth and make decisions.

The key was to stand in the other person’s shoes and understand their way of thinking.

What would the Empress Dowager and Grand Tutor Cui do?

“The Empress Dowager has undoubtedly gained control of a force capable of confronting the Southern Army. Grand Tutor Cui has no choice but to abandon the rebellion and head north to join the war. In this situation, Grand Tutor Cui won’t kill me. To protect Prince Donghai, he’ll even assist me. But the Empress Dowager… the Empress Dowager…”

The Empress Dowager had too many options. Han Ruzi couldn’t imagine what she would do.

Prince Donghai continued to sneer, “With just a few hundred of your ragtag men, do you think the Empress Dowager will spare you? What a joke, a colossal joke.”

There was a knock on the door, and Jin Chunzhong pushed it open, carrying three bowls of rice with dried fish and a bit of vegetables on top.

Reckless took the bowl and began eating without a word of thanks. Prince Donghai, as picky as before, still complained, but he was too hungry. After finishing the dried fish in a few bites, there was still more than half of the rice left. He asked, “Why is the fish so small today? And there’s less rice than usual.”

Han Ruzi held his bowl absentmindedly, not really swallowing. It was then that he noticed, indeed, there was less rice, and only one piece of dried fish. “Is the food in the village running low?”

“Yeah, we’re saving a bit. Hopefully, it’ll last until tomorrow night,” Jin Chunzhong took on more responsibilities and was more aware of the actual situation.

“Can everyone eat their fill?” Han Ruzi knew that if even his own portion was this meager, others must have even less.

“It’s okay. Everyone understands. You can’t conjure food out of thin air…”

A thought sparked in Han Ruzi’s mind. “No matter how much food is left, bring it out. Make sure everyone eats their fill.”

“But…” Jin Chunzhong couldn’t understand this approach.

“Trust me. Even if there’s nothing to eat by tomorrow morning, let everyone eat their fill tonight. Maybe… I can really conjure food out of thin air.” Han Ruzi smiled faintly.

“Alright, I’ll go instruct them to cook again. Breakfast tomorrow should be fine.” Jin Chunzhong took his leave.

Prince Donghai had already finished most of his bowl of rice and was eyeing Reckless’s bowl, but he dared not ask for it. He said to Han Ruzi, “You’re digging your own grave. No grain means no army. It’s the simplest logic. With morale already unstable, if we finish the food, everyone will disperse tonight.”

Han Ruzi found a flint and lit the only small oil lamp in the room. He said to Reckless, “The common people won’t join the army to resist the Xiongnu, but would they be willing to become soldiers in exchange for a full meal?”

As a well-known chef in a famous tavern, Reckless wasn’t picky. He finished his bowl of rice cleanly and said, “City folk won’t, but I don’t know about those outside the city.”

Han Ruzi smiled faintly. Reckless not knowing was a kind of affirmation of his plan.

Prince Donghai looked incredulous. “Are you crazy? You can’t even feed these few hundred people properly, and you want to recruit more? With what, deception?”

“Lin Kunshan will help me accomplish this.”

Prince Donghai was taken aback. “Why?”

“Because he doesn’t want to achieve nothing. The fate seers’ initial plan was abandoned by me. If Lin Kunshan wants to achieve something, he should help me. Go with the flow, tell the people what they want to hear. There are also his allies around the Capital. Together, they can persuade many people who have been suffering from disasters and hardships. Maybe the three thousand I reported is too conservative.”

Prince Donghai stared for a moment, then burst into laughter. “You’re insane, truly insane. Do you think everything will go according to your plan? Do you think everything will be prepared for you overnight? Haha. Reckless, you seem more rational. Try to reason with him. If he keeps going like this, he’ll have to pray to the Heavens to send soldiers and generals.”

Reckless raised his right hand to his eyes, examining his palm in the lamplight. Suddenly, he swung his hand back and slapped Prince Donghai across the face. Prince Donghai stumbled, almost falling, hands covering his face, furious. “I know you’re from Drunken Immortal Inn…”

Reckless glanced at him, and Prince Donghai immediately shut his mouth, suppressing his anger, unwilling to suffer further humiliation.

“I’ll protect your safety.” There was always a hint of cynicism in Reckless’s indifference, as if there was nothing in this world worth his serious attention. “But if the enemy is too strong, I won’t risk my life to protect you. You’ll have to figure it out yourself.”

“Of course.” Despite his inner turmoil, Han Ruzi managed to appear composed.

Cheers from outside indicated that everyone was quite pleased about having a full meal. As for tomorrow’s concerns, that was something the “Emperor” should worry about.

Prince Donghai took a few steps away from Han Ruzi and said, “Why bother? There’s no need to force yourself into a dead end. You could join my uncle, save yourself a lot of trouble, and have a much better chance of becoming emperor again.”

Han Ruzi shook his head slowly. “What wasn’t in my hands from the start won’t be in my hands later.”

“If you keep being stubborn, there won’t be a later.”

Han Ruzi fell silent. The confidence he had just managed to muster was slowly dwindling. He needed several miracles to happen simultaneously to escape the current predicament.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Jin Chunzhong rushed in, looking flustered. “Bad news! Someone is setting fires outside the village.”

Without a word, Han Ruzi immediately ran out of the room, standing at the door and looking into the distance. Indeed, the crisis came earlier than expected.

The village was situated by the water to the east, and fires were visible in the other three directions, clearly set deliberately.

“Where are the guards?” Han Ruzi asked loudly.

“They’re back…” someone shouted, and the crowd quickly gathered.

A group of militia rushed in panic from the direction of the main gate, one of them shouting as they ran, “Government troops! Government troops are here again!”

The crowd was shocked, and Han Ruzi quickly asked, “Where are they from? How many?”

The guards ran up, but couldn’t answer the question. A hundred-men leader said, panting, “They blocked the road and set fires. Only government troops would use this tactic.”

Another group of guards arrived, and the leader gasped out, “It’s not government troops, it’s the Chai family’s men, saying they’re here for revenge.”

“The Chai family!” Jin Chunzhong exclaimed in alarm.

Chao Hua, on the other hand, was furious. “The ones who killed my father are here. Good, get your weapons, follow me, and avenge my father!”

A large group of people responded, but some remained silent, not feeling obligated to avenge an old fisherman.

“Wait!” Han Ruzi’s voice was stern. He said to Chao Hua, “You agreed to wait another three days. In these three days, I’m still your commander.”

The ferocious and reckless side of Chao Hua was triggered, and he glared viciously but only for a brief moment. He bowed and said, “I obey Your Majesty’s command.”

“Everyone, line up! No one is allowed to leave the village.”

The crowd scrambled to find their hundred-men squads. The fire outside the village was growing, and Han Ruzi turned to Prince Donghai, who had followed him out, and asked quietly, “What tactics are generally used to deal with fire attacks?”

Prince Donghai was already in a state of panic. Fire knew no mercy. Once it entered the village, even he wouldn’t survive. Cursing the Chai family in his heart, he heard Han Ruzi’s question and answered mechanically, “Fire attack? The books say… you need to clear out a space to prevent the fire from spreading…”

Han Ruzi’s knowledge from books was still too limited, and it was only after Prince Donghai’s reminder that he realized the situation. He personally ordered a few hundred men to tear down the houses on the edge of the village.

The houses in the Riverside Village were all very basic. Some had already been burned by the Chai family’s attack in the morning, making them easier to tear down. Dozens of people pushed with all their might, toppling the structures easily. However, it took more time to clear away the scattered wood. Meanwhile, the fire outside was getting closer, causing anxiety.

Suddenly, shouts from outside the village pierced the air.

Han Ruzi shouted loudly, “Don’t be fooled! This is a ploy by the enemy to lure us out!”

Sure enough, the shouts soon disappeared, but no one rushed in.

Han Ruzi led the militia back to the riverside. Someone shouted, “Get on the boats, everyone!”

Han Ruzi felt something was amiss. As he pondered, Prince Donghai called out, “No, they have set fires on three sides, leaving only the water route. This is clearly a tactic to let the enemy escape and ambush them midway. There must be a Chai family ambush on the water.”

“We’ve been fishing here for years. Are we afraid of dealing with a few small fish on the water?” someone challenged.

Prince Donghai just shook his head. Although the fire outside was getting fiercer and was almost reaching the village, he remained somewhat calm.

Han Ruzi agreed with Prince Donghai’s assessment and said to Chao Hua, “Put a few torches on the boats and push them out.”

Zhao Hua immediately complied and, with a few others, untied a small boat and pushed it downstream.

The boat, with torches aboard, slowly drifted on the lake. The fire outside had already reached the village’s fence, seemingly almost at their doorstep. Finally unable to bear the torment, some disregarded the emperor and military discipline and jumped onto boats to escape. More people followed suit, scrambling for boats, and the waterside descended into chaos.

Han Ruzi was almost overwhelmed. Chao Hua shouted loudly, “Stop! There’s an ambush on the water! Look!”

Everyone looked, and the boat had already drifted some distance away. Suddenly, there was a swishing sound in the darkness, indicating a barrage of arrows.

The people on the boats scrambled back to shore in a panic.

Prince Donghai muttered, “Where did the Chai family find archers? If they come a little closer and start shooting towards the shore, we’ll all be dead…”

Before he could finish, several boats appeared in the darkness, slowly approaching the Riverside Village from the center of the lake.

“Oh Heavens, these aren’t the Chai family’s people, they are… soldiers from the Southern Army! My uncle…” Prince Donghai’s vision blurred, and he almost fainted.

The crisis came earlier than expected, but the enemy wasn’t whom Han Ruzi had anticipated.

If you are reading this on an aggregator site, do consider visiting https://tuzhitranslations.wordpress.com/ to support this translation project by leaving a comment.

← CH 127