Moma Liangshan

Chapter 231 The Hidden Grain and Grass, Tie Li's Abandoned Concubine

Before the troops move, the supplies must be ready. The hungry cavalry brazenly raided the grain supplies; within days, the Jurchens would surely sense something amiss. The consequences then are not hard to imagine. As the sun set, Lin Chong led his troops to inspect the mountain of grain supplies, saying, "Winning the first battle was no easy feat, but the battles to come will be a hundred times more difficult. If you are filled with fear, it's not too late to leave now!" Zhao Tuo was taciturn, but Yang Yong was more talkative, replying, "A true man stands tall and upright; how can he be so foolish as to retreat in the face of difficulty?" Morigen, Jida, and Xiong Pi echoed his sentiments, expressing their determination. Seeing Zhao Tuo remain silent, Lin Chong asked, "Commander Zhao, do you have other ideas?" Zhao Tuo, also Lin Chong's beloved disciple, replied, "This humble general is thinking, with so much grain, it's a pity to throw it away, but carrying it around is a burden. What should we do?" Lin Chong smiled and asked, "Have you come up with a perfect solution?" Zhao Tuo didn't answer directly, but said, "I've heard that leopards in the mountains hide their leftover prey in secluded places to use it again later!" Lin Chong had also been troubled by what to do with the grain, and upon hearing this, he said, "Perhaps we can bury this grain underground, and the army only needs ten days' worth of rations." After saying this, he looked at Morigen, Jida, and Xiong Pi, because Lin Chong knew that these three were far more familiar with the grasslands and mountains than he was. Storing grain in cellars was not a Mongol tradition, so the two did not immediately answer Lin Chong's question. Instead, Xiong Pi spoke up, saying, "This place is a crucial point on the enemy's supply route, and it's also a sufficient distance from the main Jurchen force, making it ideal for our army to seize the opportunity." At this point, Xiong Pi looked at the others. Lin Chong said, "Continue!" Xiong Pi continued, "Using this place as the center, if we set up a grain cellar about thirty li to the east, west, south, and north, our army can flexibly control at least sixty li of land. This will be enough for our iron hooves to roam freely!"

Seeing the look of approval on Lin Chong's face, Morigen added, "The greatest advantage of cavalry is their speed and agility. Without sufficient space to maneuver, they cannot unleash their full fighting potential. However, we only have a little over seven hundred men. If the operational area is too large, we will be short-handed and risk being overwhelmed. Therefore, I agree with Commander Xiong's suggestion!" Lin Chong then looked at the others and asked, "And you?" Everyone readily agreed. Seeing this, Lin Chong ordered, "Xiong Pi, lead your troops as the vanguard and find a suitable place to camp thirty li to the west; the rest of you, clear the battlefield and then set off!"

The vast grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, with only occasional groves and mounds as any other embellishments. Ideally, a camp should be situated near mountains and water, but with no mountains to rely on, a water source became the most crucial factor. If classified according to later regional divisions, Shangjing would belong to Rehe or Liaoxi, a region that is both grassland and plateau, quite different from the hilly terrain of Liaodong. Although Xiong Pi possessed extensive wilderness survival experience, he had to proceed with caution in this new environment, and thus selected a Mongol and a Khitan as his deputies.

When Xiong Pi's men arrived at the designated location, it was already dusk, but in the dim night, several faint lights flickered. The lights indicated people were there, so Xiong Pi ordered his men to investigate while simultaneously reporting to Lin Chong. About an hour later, Lin Chong's main force arrived, by which time the area was completely shrouded in darkness. The scouts returned shortly after, reporting: "It's a village, with eleven tents in total. Judging from the number of cattle and sheep they're grazing, there shouldn't be more than fifty people."

Lin Chong, seemingly lost in thought, commanded, "Jida, Zhao Tuo, listen to my order!" The two immediately replied, "Your subordinates are here!" Lin Chong instructed, "Immediately lead two divisions of troops to surround the village. Remember, without my command, do not harm a single person!" The two received the order, quickly mustered their men, and advanced lightly armed. A mile from the village, their troops split into smaller groups, and in a short time, the village was surrounded. Hearing the neighing of warhorses, the village herders hastily picked up their worn-out weapons and rose in resistance. Lin Chong and his men arrived after the encirclement was complete, and ordered his soldiers to speak in Chinese, Khitan, and Mongolian, summoning the person in charge to speak with them.

A short while later, a woman in her thirties emerged from the gathered villagers and, surprisingly, spoke in Mandarin, Khitan, and Mongolian, asking, "Who are you, and why have you come here?" Everyone was astonished. Lin Chong then said, "As long as you are not Jurchens, we can be friends!" The woman breathed a sigh of relief, slowly releasing her grip on the hilt of her sword, and asked, "Who are you?" Lin Chong smiled and said, "We are friends of the Liao Emperor!" Seeing that Lin Chong and his men were well-equipped and far superior to ordinary soldiers, they were largely convinced and said, "Please come into the general's tent for a chat!" Looking at the woman before him, Lin Chong felt she was no ordinary person and said, "Then I'll take your leave!" He then ordered, "Zhao Tuo, take charge of the situation for me; Yang Yong, come inside with me!" Everyone readily agreed.

Eleven tents and eight sheep pens constituted the village's entire property, yet this small settlement housed fifty or sixty people, mostly women and children. The villagers were ragged, emaciated, and filled with fear and anxiety. The three men quickly arrived at the woman's tent, which contained a narrow bed, a low table, and four straw cushions. The narrow bed was placed directly behind the low table, presumably serving as a seat. The woman took out a tinderbox, lit a dim oil lamp, and said, "Our village is humble; please forgive our shortcomings, Generals." Then she picked up a blackened kettle from the charcoal fire, filled two bowls with hot water on the low table, and said, "Generals, please have some water!"

Lin Chong stood at the doorway and said, "You still haven't told me who you are." The woman looked up and said, "To put it simply, we are refugees from the Khitan!" Lin Chong asked again, "In more detail?" The woman sneered, gritting her teeth, "In more detail, we are a family abandoned by cowards!" Lin Chong seemed to understand slightly and said, "The men of the tribe fled alone, abandoning the old, weak, women, and children in the village?" The woman suddenly laughed wildly and said, "Since you are a friend of the Khitan emperor, perhaps you have heard of the Tieli tribe?" Lin Chong nodded and said, "The strongest in the Khitan tribal army!" The woman sneered and said, "The strongest?" "No!" This "no" was shouted out by the woman with all her might! She said, "I was originally the principal wife of the Tieli tribe's king, but he forced me to live alone outside the tribe for a wild woman. When the Jurchens invaded, he retreated without a fight and abandoned me here alone! Helpless, I gathered refugees, and that's how this village came to be!"