215: Grief transformed into strength, military preparations were reorganized, and the remaining enemy forces were brought in to demonstrate strength. Intelligence reports were relayed, and a decisive battle awaited.

Wet wine stains still remained before Mao the Eighteenth’s tombstone, and the morning dew dampened the words "Tomb of the Heroic Mao the Eighteenth" inscribed upon it. Xie Hui stood before the grave, clutching Mao the Eighteenth’s polished, shiny great blade, his thumb repeatedly rubbing the calluses on the handle—marks worn down by Mao the Eighteenth spending half his life hacking at rebels and half his life protecting his brothers.

"Big Brother Mao, it’s time for us to go." Shuanger stood behind him, holding a neatly folded coarse cloth shirt. It was the clothes Big Brother Mao often wore; she had washed them clean and even mended the worn cuffs. "The brothers are waiting for us to train new recruits and modify the cannons. Rest assured, we won't let you die in vain."

Xie Hui took a deep breath, slung the great blade across his back, and as he turned, the tearfulness in his eyes had been replaced by cold, hard determination. "Let’s go, back to the Zhuang Residence. From today on, everyone will train for an extra two hours. Thirty modified cannons must be produced within ten days, and new recruits must learn basic saber techniques and methods to prevent poison smoke—we must let the Russian devils know that Big Brother Mao’s blood was not shed in vain."

Everyone followed Xie Hui back. The road was devoid of its usual clamor, with only the rustling sound of footsteps on fallen leaves. Wei Xiaobao held the saber technique mnemonics Big Brother Mao had taught him, occasionally bowing his head to recite a few lines; the "silver" and "gold bracelets" he usually talked about weren't mentioned at all. Songgotu carried his small scale, but instead of calculating the golden buddha as usual, he took the initiative to say, "Little Brother Xie, as soon as I get back, I’ll go to the Ministry of Revenue to transfer grain. We’ll give the new recruits an extra two catties of meat. They need to eat their fill to build strength, or how else will they hack those devils?"

Back at the Zhuang Residence, the recruitment flag still fluttered in the courtyard, but the more than three hundred newly recruited soldiers stood straight and silent—they had all heard about Mao the Eighteenth and knew that this hero, who died protecting his brothers, was the role model they should emulate. Fang Yi stood before the new recruits, holding Mao the Eighteenth’s great blade, her voice loud and clear: "Brothers, Big Brother Mao used his life to protect our territory. Every bit of skill we practice now is another bit of chance for victory when we fight Tsarist Russia later, and another chance to avenge Big Brother Mao! Those willing to train hard, follow me!"

The new recruits shouted "We are willing" in unison, the sound so loud it shook the dust off the courtyard walls. Mu Jianping quickly led several brothers who knew medicine to distribute the brewed herbal soup for heatstroke prevention to the recruits: "Everyone, drink a bowl of soup first. Don't get heatstroke while training. If you get scratched or bumped, come find me anytime. Big Brother Mao also hoped we would all be safe and sound so we can go fight the devils."

Dragon had already taken the former members of the Divine Dragon Cult to the Ministry of Works. Just as Xie Hui entered the Zhuang Residence, he saw Dragon returning on a fast horse, her clothes stained with some iron filings. "Brother Hui, the modified cannon is a success! Its range is fifteen paces further than before, and it can fire fireballs and poison smoke shells simultaneously. We just tested one, and it can blow over cavalry within ten paces. We’ll bring the cannons back now and teach the brothers how to use them."

"Good!" Xie Hui nodded, feeling a bit more at ease—with the new cannons and the well-trained recruits, even if Tsarist Russia sent another three thousand cavalry, they might not necessarily gain the upper hand. He was about to follow her to the Ministry of Works when Songgotu ran over clutching a ledger. This time, the ledger didn't record gold and silver, but rather the grain, fodder, and armaments for the new recruits: "Little Brother Xie, look! The grain transferred by the Ministry of Revenue arrives tomorrow, along with fifty newly forged sabers. I specifically had the blacksmiths add steel, making them even sturdier than Big Brother Mao’s! It’s just..." He paused, touched the small notebook in his robe, and quickly stuffed it back in. "Nothing else! I just feel we should use them sparingly and not waste the foundation Big Brother Mao protected with his life."

Xie Hui couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder. "It’s good that you know to be frugal. Go keep an eye on the grain transport and make sure nothing goes wrong. If anyone dares to embezzle even a bit, no matter who it is, tie them up and take them to Big Brother Mao’s grave to admit their fault."

Songgotu immediately straightened his back. "Rest assured! this official will personally escort the grain. If anyone dares to touch a single grain of rice, I’ll use this scale to smash his head!"

In the afternoon, the courtyard of the Zhuang Residence was filled with shouts of slaughter as the new recruits, divided into ten squads, followed the old brothers of the Heaven and Earth Society to practice saber techniques. Wei Xiaobao stood on a high platform, holding Mao the Eighteenth’s saber mnemonics, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Remember it all! Big Brother Mao said 'the hack must be fast, the sheath must be steady.' Don't act like you haven't eaten! That brother just now, you can't even lift your saber; if Big Brother Mao were here, he’d definitely whack your head with the hilt!"

He used to love being lazy and slippery, but now he was more serious than anyone, not even pausing to wipe the sweat from his forehead—he remembered Big Brother Mao’s words about "protecting brothers and opposing the Qing Court," and he remembered the weight of that shove Big Brother Mao gave him. It was a weight capable of taking a bullet for him, and he could not let it down.

Right in the middle of training, a sudden "thump-thump" knocking came from the courtyard gate, and a brother from Green Wood Hall ran in drenched in sweat: "Brother Hui! This is bad! There are over fifty Russian remnants with firearms loitering in the woods two li outside the manor. They even fired two shots, as if they're testing our depths!"

Xie Hui’s gaze turned sharp, and he immediately grabbed his black iron sword. "Dragon, carry two modified cannons and follow me! Wei Xiaobao, take a hundred new recruits. They've trained for so long; it's time to let them test their mettle! Songgotu, you and Mu Jianping stay and guard the manor. Don't let any remnants flank us!"

The team quickly assembled. Although it was the first time the new recruits were to face real blades and guns, not a single one shrank back. Each gripped their newly issued sabers, their eyes filled with Killing Intent—they had all heard about Mao the Eighteenth and wanted to personally hack a Russian devil to avenge the hero.

As they neared the woods, Xie Hui signaled the team to stop and gestured for Dragon to set up the cannons on an earthen slope. Through the gaps in the leaves, they could see over fifty Russian remnants gathered around a large tree talking, their firearms slung carelessly over their shoulders, showing no guard—they thought it was just a group of untrained recruits who would be easy to bully.

"Aim for the devils in the middle!" Dragon adjusted the cannon's angle and lit the fuse. With a loud "boom," a fireball shot out, landing right among the remnants and instantly blowing many over. The remnants scrambled to grab their firearms as Wei Xiaobao led the recruits in a charge. Though their saber work wasn't yet proficient, they dared to hack forward: "Kill! Avenge Big Brother Mao!"

A Russian remnant raised his firearm to aim at Wei Xiaobao, but Xie Hui was quick. With a swing of his black iron sword, he directly hacked the firearm away and followed up with a kick that sent the man into a nearby pit. "You want to hurt my brother? Ask the sword in my hand first!"

Dragon wasn't idle either, her long sword weaving through the remnants. She had practiced the sword techniques of the Divine Dragon Cult and learned the Lightness Skill of the Nine Yin Manual; her movements were as fast as the wind, and in less than two moves, she had the remnants' leader pinned to the ground. "Speak! What are you doing here? Where is the main Tsarist Russian force?" Dragon’s blade pressed against the leader's throat, cold as ice.

The leader trembled all over, jabbering in Russian. Fortunately, Fang Yi was prepared—she had found a brother from Green Wood Hall who understood Russian, and he was now crouching nearby to translate: "He says... they are here to Scout the way. The main Tsarist Russian force of fifty thousand cavalry has already reached the Black Water River at the border, preparing to attack Zhangjiakou in three days, and they've brought ten heavy cannons!"

Xie Hui’s heart sank—fifty thousand cavalry plus ten heavy cannons was more than they had anticipated. He ordered the remnants to be tied up and taken back to the Zhuang Residence for interrogation, while he rushed back with Dragon and Wei Xiaobao: "We must quickly tell the Kangxi Emperor and have him send another five hundred Imperial Guards to Zhangjiakou to reinforce the city walls. Our cannon production must also be accelerated. Three days is enough for us to modify another twenty!"

When they returned to the Zhuang Residence, Songgotu was counting the newly arrived grain with Mu Jianping. Seeing them return, he hurried to meet them: "How was it? Were the remnants captured? No brothers were hurt, right?" Seeing blood on Xie Hui’s shoulder, he quickly added, "I’ll go have Miss Shuanger prepare trauma medicine right away. If there's not enough, I'll go to the palace for more!"

"No need, it's all the devils' blood." Xie Hui waved his hand and recounted the news of the Tsarist Russian main force. "Lord Suo, go to the palace now and explain the situation clearly to the Kangxi Emperor. Tell him he must send more Imperial Guards and grain. If Zhangjiakou cannot be held, the capital will be in danger."

This time, Songgotu did not dally. He tucked his ledger away and ran out, but after a few steps, he turned back: "Little Brother Xie, rest assured! Even if this official has to run his legs off, I will make sure the Emperor sends the troops and grain! Oh, and..." He touched the small notebook in his robe again and quickly closed it. "Nothing else! Once we've defeated Tsarist Russia, we’ll go see Big Brother Mao again and bring him the best Shaodaozi!"

Looking at Songgotu’s retreating back, everyone couldn't help but smile—this old fellow still couldn't change his habit of minding his petty calculations, yet he was a bit more reliable than before. Shuanger came over carrying freshly cooked chicken soup and distributed it to everyone: "Quickly, drink some soup to warm your bodies. We just found a map on the Russian remnants; it marks the location of the Black Water River and the placement of their heavy cannons. I've already copied it for you."

Xie Hui took the map and unfolded it. On it, the ferry at the Black Water River was circled in red—that was the path the Russian cavalry had to take. Beside it, the positions of ten heavy cannons were drawn, only one li from the ferry. "Good stuff!" Xie Hui pointed at the map. "Dragon, we can set a trap at the ferry. Dig a deep trench, cover it with wooden boards and soil. When the cavalry comes across, we’ll pull the boards and let them fall in. Fang Yi, contact the remnants of Prince Mu's Residence and have them bring some explosives to bury near the heavy cannons; we'll blow the cannons once we attack. Jianping, prepare more detoxification powder and trauma medicine. Tsarist Russia will definitely use poison smoke shells; we must be prepared."

Everyone responded in unison, and the courtyard became busy again. The new recruits continued practicing their saber techniques, sweat streaming down their cheeks, yet not one complained of fatigue. Dragon led her subordinates to modify the cannons, the "ding-ding" sound of hammers hitting iron sounding like a countdown to the decisive battle. Mu Jianping and Shuanger brewed herbal medicine and sewed bandages, the chimney in the kitchen constantly emitting smoke. Wei Xiaobao, meanwhile, held Mao the Eighteenth’s great blade and taught the recruits how to hack and slash; though his movements were unrefined, he was more serious than anyone.

As the sun set, Songgotu returned from the palace, drenched in sweat but looking excited: "Little Brother Xie! It’s done! The Emperor agreed to send eight hundred Imperial Guards and one hundred thousand catties of grain and fodder; they’ll arrive first thing tomorrow! He also said that if we defeat Tsarist Russia, he will posthumously title Big Brother Mao as the 'earl of loyalty and righteousness' and have his name inscribed in the Ancestral Shrine of Loyal Martyrs in the capital!"

"Good!" Xie Hui felt a surge of warmth—Big Brother Mao had spent his life protecting his brothers and opposing the Qing Court. Now, being named the "earl of loyalty and righteousness" and entering the Ancestral Shrine of Loyal Martyrs could be considered a worthy recognition of his sacrifice. He shouted to the crowd: "Brothers, did you hear that? The Emperor has posthumously titled Big Brother Mao as the earl of loyalty and righteousness! We must fight even harder; we cannot let Big Brother Mao’s name be shamed!"

The new recruits shouted "Good" in unison, their voices louder than before, and even the recruitment flag on the courtyard wall fluttered loudly in the wind. Looking at the scene before him, Xie Hui was full of drive—with the Kangxi Emperor's support, the brothers' hard work, and the newly modified cannons and traps, even if Tsarist Russia brought fifty thousand cavalry, he was confident they would win.

Late into the night, the lights in the Zhuang Residence were still on. Dragon was still modifying the cannons, not even pausing to brush away the sparks that landed on her sleeve. Fang Yi was still sending messages to the brothers of Prince Mu's Residence, writing page after page. Shuanger was still brewing herbal medicine, the fragrance of the herbs filling the entire courtyard. Wei Xiaobao sat by Big Brother Mao’s great blade, reading the saber mnemonics by lamplight, whispering to himself, "Big Brother Mao, look at whether I'm learning this right."

Xie Hui stood in the middle of the courtyard, holding the map of the Black Water River, his fingertip tracing the location of the ferry. He knew that the decisive battle in three days would be a tough one, that brothers would be injured or even sacrificed. But he knew even more that Big Brother Mao was watching from above, and all the brothers who had sacrificed themselves to oppose the Qing and protect the people were watching—they could not lose, and they could not afford to lose.

Suddenly, the walkie-talkie rang; it was a signal from Xu Tianchuan at Zhangjiakou: "Brother Hui, the city walls of Zhangjiakou have been reinforced, and the brothers are all waiting for you! The Russian Scouts came twice more, but we drove them all away. We’ll hold out against them to the very end!"

Xie Hui pressed the talk button, his voice firm: "Brother Xu, wait for us. In three days, we’ll meet at the Black Water River. Together, we’ll avenge Big Brother Mao and drive those Russian devils back to their homeland!"

Hanging up the walkie-talkie, Xie Hui looked up at the night sky. The moon was exceptionally bright, as if Big Brother Mao was holding a lantern in the sky, lighting their way toward the decisive battle. He gripped the map in his hand, silently thinking: Big Brother Mao, wait for us. This battle, we will surely win!