The recruits from Liyang came up at the dusk of the third week of the fourth moon of the seventeenth year.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two weeks' accumulating runner-arrangement, Yan Wenshu at the cold-spring camp's accumulating *forty's accumulating remaining shape* had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past peddler's saying — laid in the small accumulating *replacement-recruits* request at Liyang's accumulating sub-camp at the small accumulating *Wagang-recognized* arrangement. The replacements were — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two weeks — at perhaps the small accumulating *eight* shape: eight Wagang-recognized recruits from the past three months' accumulating recruiting at Liyang, sent up to the small accumulating *master's hut* at Heizi's accumulating *staff-officer's* small accumulating request.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two weeks' accumulating arrangement, Heizi had — at the past three weeks — sent the small accumulating runner Sun Erlin's accumulating replacement (a man called *Cao Pingzhi*, a Henan veteran of two years at the rebellion) down to Liyang at the request. The runner had returned at the past noon's arrival with eight men.
The eight stood at the small clear ground in front of the south face at the dusk's accumulating arrival.
By the small specific accumulating reading at Heizi's accumulating *one-mark-knowing* of the past two months' careful planning, the eight were:
*Wei Sangu* (Henan, twenty-six, two years at the rebellion, *quarter-circle* at four-of-ten by Liyang's veteran-trainers' accumulating reading);
*Liu Pingsheng* (Hebei, twenty-eight, three years at the rebellion, *thrust-and-set* at five-of-ten);
*Cao Pingsheng* (no relation to Cao Pingzhi the runner; Henan, twenty-three, one year, *circle-and-thrust* at three-of-ten);
*Tian Wuzi* (Henan, twenty-five, two years, *block-and-set* at four-of-ten);
*Yan Erlang* (no relation to the past Yan Shaozhong or Liu Erlang; Hebei, thirty, four years, *quarter-circle* at five-of-ten — a strong recruit);
*Zhao Wenchang* (Henan, twenty-two, one year, *small-light-blade* at three-of-ten);
*Liu Sanlang the second* (no relation to the original Liu Sanlang; Henan, twenty-four, two years, *thrust-and-set* at four-of-ten);
*Wu Erjia* (Hebei, thirty-one, four years, *defensive corner* at five-of-ten — a strong recruit).
Heizi laid the small accumulating *one-mark-knowing* at the eight at the small accumulating *first-evening's-careful-laying* shape. He stopped at each. He laid one hand once on each man's shoulder. He said the small specific accumulating *name and one-mark*.
The eight stood at the small accumulating *waiting* shape of recruits who had been at Liyang's accumulating *Wagang-recognized* training but who had not, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past three months, been at any small specific accumulating *real* engagement with the small accumulating *real* Sui-veteran-shape.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months' accumulating arrangement — Heizi had laid the small accumulating *one-month-of-acclimation* at the eight before the small accumulating *thirty-Sui-patrol*'s accumulating arrival.
The eight would, by the small specific reading I am giving, lay in at the small accumulating *moment*-teaching at the noons of the next month at the small accumulating *real-engagement* shape. By the small specific accumulating reading I am giving — by the dusk of the first day of the fifth moon, the eight would be at perhaps the small accumulating *six-of-ten* shape against the Sui-veteran-shape, sufficient for the small accumulating *thirty-ambush* arrangement.
The household was, by the small specific accumulating reading at this dusk, at the small accumulating *thirteen-and-master* shape: the small accumulating original *five* (Heizi, Wang Er, An Ashi, Ah Chou, Lu Jingzhi at the medic's cot) plus the eight new recruits, plus the master.
The small accumulating *thirteen* would, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past month's accumulating careful planning, hold against the thirty.
That night Heizi at his watch sat at the small banked fire.
He listened.
The shape of the silence on this watch was — by the small specific reading at this evening — the shape of a small specific *staff-officer-and-apprentice* whose accumulating *thirteen-and-master* would, in perhaps a month, hold against thirty Sui at the upper bend's far-side accumulating ambush.
He filed it.
In the small lighter catalog of moments, beside the small specific dusk of the past month's burial, he set: *the small specific dusk of the third week of the fourth moon of the seventeenth year, when the eight recruits came up the path and the household became thirteen-and-master.*
The lighter catalog stood at perhaps one hundred and eighteen items.
The dark catalog stood at twenty-five named entries plus the *unnamed thousand+*.
He sat his watch through.
That month, at the small clear ground, the eight recruits laid in. By the small specific accumulating reading at Heizi's accumulating *moment*-teaching at the past month's noons, by the small specific accumulating reading at Wang Er's accumulating *thrust-and-set* training, by the small specific accumulating reading at An Ashi's accumulating *circle-and-thrust* small specific Sogdian-variant training, the eight had — at the dusk of the fifth day of the fifth moon — laid in at the small accumulating *six-of-ten* shape Heizi had laid for them.
Lu Jingzhi at the medic's cot had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months — moved at the past week from the cot to the small wooden bench at the small accumulating *gentle-walking* shape Ah Chou allowed. The deep scar at the inner abdomen was — by Ah Chou's accumulating eye — at the small accumulating *closed-and-binding* shape. Lu Jingzhi was, at this dusk, at the small accumulating *holding-the-master's-cot's-back-position* shape.
The master held.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past month — the cough was at the small accumulating *stable* shape. The blood had not returned. The master sat at the small wooden stool at certain mornings of fair weather; at the cot at the afternoons.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the dawn of the seventh day of the fifth moon of the seventeenth year, the lame brother's accumulating eye-station's accumulating successor — Ah Chou himself, who had taken the *eye-station* role at the small accumulating *lame-brother's-after* arrangement Heizi had laid at the past two months — reported at the morning fire: *master. Big brother. By the small specific accumulating reading at this dawn — at the small accumulating southern fold's accumulating staging-area, perhaps four *li* below the foot of the path: thirty Sui horses. By the small accumulating reading at the past hour — they are at the small accumulating *staging* shape of perhaps one hour to coming up.*
Lao Wen at the cot nodded.
He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad. The thirty are at the staging. By the small specific reading I am giving — they will come up at the noon. The lad will, by the small specific reading I am giving, be at the small accumulating *upper-bend's-far-side* ambush by the third hour of the dawn.*
Heizi nodded.
He filed.
He laid the small accumulating *thirteen-minus-Lu-Jingzhi* arrangement at the brothers' accumulating morning fire. The twelve — Heizi, Wang Er, An Ashi, Ah Chou, plus the eight recruits — would walk up to the small accumulating *upper-bend's-far-side* by the second hour of the dawn. Lu Jingzhi would hold the master's cot's-back-position with the small accumulating *small light blade*.
The twelve set off at the second hour.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two hours, the twelve were at the small accumulating *upper-bend's-far-side* fold by the third hour. They laid in the small accumulating *ambush positions* Heizi had drawn at the past month at the small wooden bench: Heizi at the small specific accumulating *high-ground* with the bow; Wang Er at the *thrust-and-set* position at the western lip; An Ashi at the *circle-and-thrust* position at the eastern lip; Ah Chou at the *medic-and-second-eye* position behind the eastern lip with two of the recruits (Wei Sangu and Tian Wuzi) for protection; the remaining six recruits at the small accumulating *first-and-second-line* of the ambush's accumulating layered arrangement.
By the noon, the small accumulating thirty Sui came up the path.
The ambush opened.
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