Shi Kefa had just finished tearing up the indenture contracts. He had not even managed to say a second sentence when chaos arrived.
A household steward burst into the courtyard, his voice cracking with panic.
"Master, disaster. King Saodi is attacking Qianshan County. The county militia is fighting desperately and barely holding the city walls. King Saodi has sent his trusted subordinate, King Dadan, to shout outside the city, urging the common people to open the gates, surrender, and join the bandits. The city is in total panic."
At the mention of King Saodi, Shi Kefa's expression barely changed.
Li Daoxuan, standing to the side, let out a quiet chuckle. "Him again?"
The Gao Family Village Militia had already clashed with King Saodi once before, at Wu Pass.
Back then, it had also been King Dadan standing outside the pass, shouting himself hoarse, urging the defenders to surrender and join the bandit army.
Now, in the blink of an eye, the same scene was being replayed in Qianshan County.
Li Daoxuan sighed softly. "Truly old acquaintances of the martial world."
Shi Kefa had no time for sentiment. He gathered the hem of his official robe and rushed out at once.
Moments later, the thunder of hooves echoed through the streets as he headed straight for the militia camp.
Li Daoxuan did not follow.
Land battles were not his specialty. Steel bones, packed formations, and bloody sieges were matters for others. He excelled at naval warfare. There was no need for him to insert himself into the chaos at Qianshan County.
Instead, he turned back toward the courtyard.
His gaze settled on the group of young women, lingering briefly on Xue'er. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips.
"Miss Xue'er," he said gently, "you and Chen Yuanyuan have been worrying about something, haven't you?"
Xue'er gasped in surprise.
Chen Yuanyuan stiffened, her face turning pale.
Li Daoxuan's tone remained calm and reassuring. "Whatever it is you have been worrying about, you no longer need to worry. You are safe here, and you will be even safer in Shaanxi. You will be able to live the lives you have always wished for."
With that, he turned and walked out of the courtyard.
Leaving the two girls standing there, utterly bewildered.
Shenyang.
The Later Jin imperial palace.
Not long ago, Huang Taiji had officially abolished the old clan name "Zhoushen," also known as Jurchen, and renamed his people "Manchu."
At this time, the strength of the Later Jin state was steadily rising. They were victorious again and again, holding their own against the Mongols, the Great Ming, and Joseon. They had even managed to clash with the northern Rus' state without suffering defeat.
Each victory fed Huang Taiji's ambition.
Yet recently, a serious problem had begun to trouble him. If it was not resolved, it would force him to be far more cautious in his next campaign against the Great Ming.
"Dorgon," Huang Taiji said coldly, his expression grim. "About these rampaging iron chariots, are you telling the truth? Or are you fabricating stories to cover up your defeat?"
Dorgon stood below him, his back straight, his eyes defiant.
"I would never fabricate such a thing. Yue Tuo was there as well. Even he was helpless against those iron chariots."
Yue Tuo immediately stepped forward. "It is true. The iron chariots are far too formidable. We could not find a way to counter them."
Huang Taiji frowned deeply. "If that is truly the case, then something that can rampage freely across open plains is indeed difficult to resist. I have thought long and hard. The only viable method would be to lure it into marshlands or rugged mountain terrain, where it cannot maneuver freely. Then we would climb onto it, force open its doors, and kill those inside."
The Later Jin generals nodded in agreement.
"That is the only way."
Huang Taiji continued, "There is another method."
The generals looked up at once. "Oh?"
"To fight iron chariots with iron chariots," Huang Taiji said.
The generals exchanged startled glances.
Huang Taiji went on, "We learned how to cast cannons from the Han people. Why should we not learn from them how to build these iron chariots?"
The generals hesitated. "But how would we learn such a thing?"
Huang Taiji suddenly pulled out a book.
It was Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
He flipped through it rapidly, stopping at a familiar chapter. He tapped the page with his finger.
"I have always told you to read more military texts. This book contains all the cunning stratagems and brilliant schemes under Heaven. Look here."
The generals leaned forward, confused.
"The method for learning how to build iron chariots is written right here."
The generals stared blankly.
Huang Taiji explained patiently, "Go to Kong Youde. Have him select some clever subordinates. Disguise them as Ming people and send them into Great Ming territory. They must locate the artisans who construct the iron chariots, befriend them, get them drunk, and steal the blueprints."
The generals were delighted. "An excellent plan."
Yue Tuo raised his hand. "I have an objection."
Huang Taiji frowned. "Speak."
"All of Kong Youde's subordinates have shaved heads," Yue Tuo said. "Their bare foreheads would expose them immediately. It would be impossible for them to infiltrate the Great Ming."
Silence fell over the hall.
Huang Taiji's expression darkened. "Is there not even one among them who has not shaved his head?"
Yue Tuo raised his hand again. "When Kong Youde surrendered, you personally declared that not shaving one's head meant incomplete submission. Kong Youde and all his subordinates shaved their heads at that time."
The silence grew heavier.
This made the situation even more awkward.
Huang Taiji slammed the arm of his chair. "Can you truly not find a single suitable spy?"
After an exhaustive search, they finally found one man among the surrendered Ming soldiers who had not shaved his head.
His name was Bin Sheng.
He was literate, quick witted, and adaptable. He was the perfect candidate.
Bin Sheng soon departed, carrying a large pouch of operating funds personally provided by Huang Taiji. He was accompanied by a ten man support team.
Bearing the hopes of the entire Later Jin state, he embarked on the operation known as "Jiang Gan Steals the Letter."
Through spies planted among the Mongols, Huang Taiji had already learned that the iron chariots originated in Shaanxi.
Thus, Bin Sheng headed west.
Crossing the border in those days was not difficult. Bin Sheng simply found a remote path and slipped into Great Ming territory with ease.
All eleven of them were Han Chinese to begin with. They needed little disguise. They merely traveled as ordinary refugees.
If questioned, they would say they came from the Liaodong frontier. Their village had been ravaged by Manchu forces, and they had barely escaped with their lives.
Such refugees were everywhere at the time.
They blended easily into the massive refugee flows, endured a grueling journey, passed through the mountain passes, crossed the Taihang Mountains, and finally entered Shanxi.
"I have heard Shanxi is in chaos," Bin Sheng whispered to his companions. "Bandits have plagued this region for years. Be careful. We do not want to die before the mission even begins."
They dressed themselves in rags and starved themselves deliberately, appearing so poor that even bandits might look down on them.
Feigning hardship and misery, they slowly advanced.
"Look," one of the men murmured. "Dust ahead. A large group is moving."
They assumed it was a bandit force and immediately hid in the woods. Using the trees as cover, they cautiously moved closer.
After a long while, they finally reached the edge of the forest and peered out.
They watched for a long moment in silence.
Then Bin Sheng frowned.
"This isn't a bandit camp," he muttered.
Ahead of them, hundreds of men were at work, cutting, hauling, and laying stone. A road was being built where none should have existed.