Transmigrating to the Chongzhen era, I started by confiscating the Donglin Party.

Chapter 22 Ice River Blood - Part 2

On the first day of the eleventh month of the fifteenth year of Chongzhen's reign, at the third quarter of midnight, the Grand Canal in the Cangzhou section...

Three hundred rockets were launched.

The arrows pierced the air with a sharp whistling sound, drawing three hundred fiery streaks across the night sky like a meteor shower flying in reverse. Oilcloth was tied to the arrowheads, and the oilcloth burned, its flames stretching into long tails in the wind.

The first volley of arrows landed on the icebreaker.

"Puff puff puff—"

The arrow pierced the ship's planks, and flames spread instantly. Tung oil ignites upon contact with fire, and within a few breaths, the entire icebreaker—the bow, the hull, the superstructure—became a giant torch.

The firelight illuminated the canal, its banks, and the hideous faces hidden in the reeds.

Commander Zhao smiled.

Success!

But his smile froze on his face.

Three doors suddenly opened on one side of the burning icebreaker.

Inside the door, no one panicked and fled.

Emerging were rows of figures in dark blue—new musketeers. Shouldering long-barreled flintlock muskets, they moved in perfect unison, leaping from the burning icebreaker and landing on the ice. The ice was slippery, but the front rank soldiers used their rifle butts to break the thin ice and steady themselves, while the rear ranks quickly formed ranks.

Thirty people per row, five rows in total.

One hundred and fifty people.

After lining up, they raised their guns and aimed—but the muzzles were not pointed at the Qing troops on both sides of the strait.

"Target—underwater shadow!" the officer in charge roared.

Commander Zhao, who was in the reeds, was taken aback.

Underwater?

He abruptly looked down at the ice—beneath the ice, dozens of dark figures were moving rapidly, holding iron shovels and hammers for chiseling the ship. Those were the third group of men he had arranged, their real killing move: to drill through the hull.

But how would the new army know?

"Release!" the officer roared.

"Bang bang bang bang bang——"

A volley of flintlock muskets was fired.

But the results... were not ideal.

The biting wind froze the flint, dampened the gunpowder, and nearly half the gun barrels failed to ignite. Most of the lead bullets fired also veered off course, whistling as they fell into the icy river or reeds. Only about thirty bullets hit their targets, exploding beneath the ice in bursts of blood, and seven or eight dark figures surfaced.

"Abandon volley fire!" the officer immediately adjusted. "Free fire! Aim at the shadows cast by the firelight!"

The new soldiers quickly dispersed, each searching for their targets. This time, the effect was much better—the shadowy figures beneath the ice were hit one after another, their screams swallowed by the river, with only bubbles and blood foam rising to the surface.

Commander Zhao gritted his teeth.

They fell for the trap.

The emperor knew about the water ghosts all along.

"Second wave!" he roared hoarsely, "Fire rockets! Shoot people!"

Another wave of rockets.

But this time, the new army was prepared. They crouched down, using the burning hulls as cover. Most of the rockets were embedded in the ship's planks, and a few hit the soldiers—the dark blue cotton armor could stop ordinary arrows, but not those coated with kerosene.

A young recruit was shot by an arrow, and the oil instantly spread all over his body. He screamed and rolled on the ice, while his comrades tried to put out the fire, but the oil burned wherever it touched.

"Leave me alone!" the soldier roared, "Kill the enemy!"

He pulled out a dagger and slit his throat.

Blood spurted out, extinguishing the flames.

The body lay on the ice, its eyes still open.

Commander Zhao felt a chill run down his spine.

But the worst was yet to come.

Because he heard footsteps behind him.

It was very light and fast, like a cat stepping on snow.

He turned abruptly and drew his sword.

But it was too late.

Three dark figures emerged from the depths of the reeds; they were not Qing soldiers, but Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards). They were dressed in black, close-fitting outfits, their faces covered with black cloth, and they held embroidered spring knives in their hands. The knives moved swiftly, flashing three cold streaks in the firelight.

Commander Zhao had only raised his knife halfway when he felt a chill on his throat.

He looked down and saw blood gushing from his neck, splashing onto the snow, a glaringly red stain. He tried to scream, but no sound came out.

Everything went black before his eyes, and he collapsed.

He never understood until his death how the Embroidered Uniform Guard could have appeared behind him.

The answer is simple.

Li Ce's fleet wasn't entirely on the river.

Inside the bow cabin

Li Ce stood by the window, looking at the firelight outside.

"Your Majesty," Shi Wenyi entered the cabin and knelt on one knee, "the first wave of counterattack has been successful. The Qing army has killed forty-seven and captured nine. The New Army..." He paused, "...three dead and fifteen wounded. Five of them were hit by poisoned arrows; although the flesh was cut away in time, the poison has already entered their blood, and I fear..."

"The imperial physicians will do everything in their power to save them," Li Ce said calmly. "Those who died in battle will be registered and given triple compensation."

"Yes."

"How's the water ghost cleanup going?"

"Twenty-three bodies have been recovered, and some people are still at large. The Imperial Guards are currently pursuing them."

Li Ce nodded: "Change boats."

"yes!"

The order was given.

Twenty small boats silently emerged from behind the large ship. The boats were narrow and long with a shallow draft, each capable of carrying fifteen people. These had been prepared three days earlier in Tianjin—hidden in the cargo hold of the grain ship and then unpacked and loaded onto the spot.

The personnel and supplies on the large ship began to be transferred.

The new army went first, armed with muskets, ammunition, and dry rations. The Imperial Guards followed, armed with swords, arrows, and documents.

The process was quiet and quick.

Because everyone knew that the fire on the main channel was just bait. The real fleet would take the side route.

Li Ce was the last to board the ship.

As he stepped onto the small boat, he glanced back—the burning icebreaker was tilting, most of its hull submerged in the water, with only its stern sticking up, flames leaping on the surface, casting an orange-red glow on the surroundings.

Like a grand funeral.

What was buried was his substitute, and also the enemy's delusion.

"Your Majesty," Wang Chengen asked in a low voice, "on that ship..."

"I left thirty assassins behind," Li Ce said calmly. "They'll finish their act."

The performance lasted until the very last moment.

The story goes on until all the enemies believe that the emperor is trapped in the fire ship.

"Walk."

The small convoy glided into a side channel and disappeared into the dark waterway.

Meanwhile, the fire was still burning in the main river channel.

It's burning brighter and brighter.

Because those thirty suicide soldiers set fire to everything on board that could be burned before the ship sank—the canvas, the ropes, and even their own clothes.

They stood in the firelight, firing arrows at the Qing army on both sides of the river.

Not many arrows, but accurate.

Every arrow hit its mark.

"kill--!"

A death knight roared, his body engulfed in flames, and leaped off the ship, lunging at the nearest member of the Cleansing Army.

The two rolled together, and flames spread.

A scream pierced the night sky.

At the same time, at the caravan camp thirty miles away

Empress Zhou lifted the tent flap and looked north.

There, the sky was dyed orange-red. Not the glow of sunset, but firelight—vast swathes of firelight rolled and rose in the darkness, illuminating the low-hanging clouds.

It was like the gates of hell had opened.

Her knuckles were white as she gripped the dagger.

"Yunniang," she called softly.

Yunniang was already standing outside the tent, also looking north, her face solemn.

"Issue the order," Empress Zhou said, "to break camp immediately. We will not take the official road; we will go into the mountains."

"Yes."

The caravan guards acted swiftly. The campfire was buried with mud, the tents were packed up, and the goods were re-tied. The twenty mule carts turned around, left the post road, and headed towards the hills to the southwest.

There were no roads there, only paths trodden by hunters and herb gatherers.

"And also," Empress Zhou paused, taking out a gold hairpin from her bosom—a phoenix-shaped hairpin with pearls, one of the few pieces of jewelry she had taken with her when she left the palace, "send a message by carrier pigeon to the imperial carriage guards, instructing them to proceed as planned, but at a slower pace. Every ten li...drop one of my pieces of jewelry."

Yunniang was taken aback: "Your Highness, what is this...?"

"The bait has to look real, it has to smell like bait." Empress Zhou turned and went into the tent to pack her things. "Let them think that I am still in the imperial carriage, but I fled in a panic and didn't even care about my jewelry."

She moved quickly and steadily.

But Yunniang noticed that her hands, which were packing her bags, were trembling slightly.

It's not fear.

It's cold.

The fire in the north was so intense that it was scorching even from thirty miles away.

Deshengmen City Tower - At the Same Time

Zhou Yuji didn't sleep.

He stood on the city wall, gazing south.

The lieutenant stepped forward: "Commander, it's time to rest. We still have patrols to do tomorrow..."

"Did you hear that?" Zhou Yuji suddenly asked.

"What did you hear?"

"The sound of cannons," Zhou Yuji said. "There's the sound of cannons from the south."

The lieutenant listened intently, but could only hear the wind.

"No cannon fire, Commander. It's just the wind."

"No," Zhou Yuji shook his head, "It's the sound of cannons. In my heart."

He recalled what the Emperor had said to him three days earlier before his departure: "Your strength lies in defense. I will give you twenty days to fortify all the passes from Juyong Pass to Xuanfu with deep trenches and high walls, making it impossible for even birds to cross."

"But defense is not about cowering. Select your most elite 'night scouts' and send them out in shifts. Don't aim to annihilate the enemy, just do three things: spy, harass, and burn their supplies."

Zhou Yuji gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

He chose to not accept the three hundred nights.

They were all veterans who had followed him for more than five years. They had fought against the Jurchens in Liaodong and suppressed bandits in Shaanxi. They had at least ten lives on their hands.

At midnight tonight, the first group of fifty people emerged from the pass.

The target was a hay storage yard thirty miles outside Xuanfu City—a scout reported that there were 100,000 catties of dried hay that the Jurchens had just harvested.

We don't need to burn everything; burning 30% would be a victory.

Let the Jurchens know that there are still people inside the pass who dare to come out.

"Commander," the lieutenant whispered, "the night guerrilla squad... should be back by now."

Zhou Yuji looked north.

In the darkness, nothing could be seen.

Only the sound of the wind.

The Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard - At the Same Time

Li Ruolian didn't sleep either.

He sat at his desk with three files spread out in front of him.

Zhou, the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy; Wang, a former compiler at the Hanlin Academy; and the apprentice of the eunuch who swept the Kunning Palace.

Three people, three mouths.

They were all talking about the same thing: "The emperor and empress fled south, abandoning the country and its people."

Li Ruolian drew a circle on each of the three case files with a vermilion pen.

The circle is small, but very popular.

Like blood.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

The commander entered and whispered, "Commander, we've found it."

"explain."

"According to the Imperial Kitchen's purchasing records, a batch of Suzhou silk would be purchased from 'Mei's Silk Shop' on the fifth day of each month, supposedly for making handkerchiefs for palace maids. But the quantity... exceeded the limit by ten times. The whereabouts of the excess silk are unknown."

"Mei's Silk Shop?"

"Yes. The owner's surname was Mei, he was from Suzhou, and he had run a shop in the capital for twenty years. But..." The commander paused, "three days ago, the shop closed down, and the owner ran away."

Li Ruolian's eyes turned cold.

"The plum blossom symbol," he said slowly, "the Plum Blossom Silk Shop. Good, very good."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the lights of Beijing are sparse. At this hour, those who should be asleep are asleep, and those who shouldn't be asleep... are still active.

"Bring that young apprentice here," Li Ruolian said. "Be gentle, don't frighten the child."

"Yes."

Half an hour later, a young eunuch, about twelve or thirteen years old, was brought in. He was thin, pale, and had large eyes filled with fear.

"Kneel, kneel to see the Commander..." His voice trembled.

Li Ruolian didn't look at him, and continued to look at the night outside the window.

"Your name is Xiao Shunzi?"

"Yes, yes..."

"Sweeping and cleaning in Kunning Palace?"

"Yes……"

"Ten days ago, you told someone in the imperial kitchen that the Empress left in a hurry and didn't take many of her jewelry with her." Li Ruolian turned around and looked at him. "Who told you that?"

Xiao Shunzi trembled: "No, no one told me... I saw it myself..."

"You saw it?" Li Ruolian approached, squatted down, and looked him in the eye. "How did a lowly cleaning eunuch like you get into the main hall of Kunning Palace?"

"I...I..."

"Who is your master?"

"Wang, Wang Dehai..."

"Wang Dehai," Li Ruolian repeated the name, "is the purchasing eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen. He goes to Meiji Silk Shop to purchase goods on the fifth day of every month."

Xiao Shunzi's face turned deathly pale.

"Now," Li Ruolian said softly, "tell me who told you to pass on that message. Tell me, and you live. Don't tell me..."

He didn't finish speaking.

But Xiao Shunzi understood.

"It's...it's my master..." he cried. "He said...that if I said that to anyone, he would give me three taels of silver...I...I didn't know it was a capital offense...Commander, spare my life..."

Li Ruolian stood up.

"Take him away. Keep a close watch on him."

"Yes."

After Xiao Shunzi was taken away, Li Ruolian said to the commander:

"Go and get Wang Dehai. Alive."

"yes!"

The commander withdrew.

Li Ruolian sat back down at her desk and drew another circle on the three files.

This time the circle is even bigger.

Three names were circled.

It also draws a line—from the Imperial Kitchen to Meiji Silk Shop, and then to Jiangnan.

"Wait," he said softly, as if to himself, "Wait until the Emperor passes Cangzhou. Wait until news of the attack on the imperial carriage reaches us. Wait until those hiding in the shadows... step out on their own."

The sound of the night watchman's gong could be heard outside the window.

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

It's past midnight.

It's almost dawn.

Cangzhou Crossroads - Before Dawn

The small fleet glided silently through the waterway.

There were no lights, no fire, only the faint sound of oars cutting through the water.

Li Ce sat at the bow of the boat, gazing ahead.

The fork in the road was very narrow, no more than three zhang at its widest point. Steep earthen slopes stretched out on both sides, with withered trees leaning precariously like ghostly shadows.

"Your Majesty," Shi Wenyi said in a low voice, "after another five li, we will turn off the road and return to the main river channel."

Li Ce nodded.

He had the half of the jade pendant tucked into his pocket, and his hands were very cold.

"Have the casualties been reported?"

"The report has arrived." Shi Wenyi's voice was low. "The New Army suffered three dead and fifteen wounded, five of whom were seriously injured by poisoned arrows and are unlikely to survive the day. The Embroidered Uniform Guard suffered two dead and eight wounded. Thirty assassins from the icebreaker ship... none survived."

Sixty-two people.

Li Ce closed his eyes.

"Record them," he said. "All those who died in battle will receive five times the normal compensation. The wounded will be treated with the full utmost care by the imperial physicians, and if they are crippled, the court will provide for them for life."

"Yes."

"And also," Li Ce opened his eyes, "tell everyone who is alive—I remember these sixty-two lives. When we get to Jiangnan, someone will repay them a hundredfold."

Shi Wenyi knelt down: "Your Majesty, I thank you on behalf of the soldiers."

Li Ce remained silent.

He looked eastward.

The sky was beginning to lighten.

It looks like a fish's belly, and also like a knife blade.

A new day is about to begin.

And Jiangnan is still ahead.