139: The First Wave Held

The engagement laid in across four days, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past four days' runner-relays.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the runner's accumulating saying at the dusk of the sixteenth day — Lu Mengtai had, at the noon of the sixteenth, laid in the *re-engagement* at the *first cut* at perhaps four further attempts. Geng Quan's *forty-two* had — by the small specific accumulating reading — held the *first cut* through the morning and the early afternoon and had, at the third hour of the afternoon, fallen back at the *second cut* at the small accumulating *staggered fall-back* arrangement.

Geng Quan had taken — across the *first cut's* total engagement of the fifteenth and sixteenth — the small accumulating *cost-of-eight* (three dead, five wounded with three at the small accumulating *non-fatal wound* shape). The *forty-two* was, by the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the sixteenth, at the small accumulating *thirty-four* shape.

Lu Mengtai had taken — by the small specific accumulating reading at Geng Quan's accumulating eye on the dead at the *first cut's* withdrawal — the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-one-hundred-and-twenty-of-four-hundred*.

Wei Quchang's *forty Li Mi reinforcements* held the *second cut* through the late afternoon of the sixteenth and into the morning of the seventeenth.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the runner's saying at the dusk of the seventeenth day — Wei Quchang had held the *second cut* against Lu Mengtai's accumulating *re-laid* attempts of the morning of the seventeenth at the small accumulating *cost-of-six-of-forty* (two dead, four wounded). Lu Mengtai had — by the small specific accumulating reading — taken the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-fifty-further* across the morning's accumulating attempts.

By the small specific reading at the runner's saying at the noon of the seventeenth — Lu Mengtai had laid the small accumulating *real campaign-decision* at his accumulating *campaign-table*. He had, by the small specific accumulating reading at his accumulating *fifteen-year Sui veteran's accumulating engagement-arithmetic* — laid the small accumulating *withdrawal* at the small accumulating *combined cost-of-one-hundred-and-seventy-of-four-hundred*. He had withdrawn his accumulating remaining *two-hundred-and-thirty* at the small accumulating *defeated* shape at the noon of the seventeenth.

The *third cut* did not engage.

The cold-spring brigade had taken — across the four-day engagement — the small accumulating *cost-of-fourteen* (five dead, nine wounded with seven at the small accumulating *non-fatal wound* shape). The brigade was, at the dusk of the seventeenth, at the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-seven* combat-shape (with the small accumulating *seven non-fatal wounded* expected, by the small specific accumulating reading at Ah Chou's accumulating *salve-and-recovery* shape, to return to combat-shape at perhaps the small accumulating *eight to twelve weeks*).

Lu Mengtai had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past four days — taken the small accumulating *cost-of-one-hundred-and-seventy-of-four-hundred* and had withdrawn at the small accumulating *real defeat* shape.

The *first wave* held.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the dusk of the seventeenth day, the runner came up to the master's hut with the small accumulating *first wave's accumulating end* news.

Heizi read the runner's saying.

He filed it.

He laid the small specific accumulating *one-mark-knowing* of the five new dead at the dark catalog at the small wooden bench: *Bai Mengxin* (already laid at ch.138's accumulating filing), *Wu Zenyu* (Hebei, thirty, four years, at *first cut's accumulating second day's accumulating fourth attempt*), *Xie Tongmiao* (Henan, twenty-six, three years, at *first cut's accumulating second day's accumulating third attempt*), *Pan Lianzhi* (Hebei, thirty-three, six years, of Wei Quchang's *forty Li Mi reinforcements*, at *second cut's accumulating second attempt*), *Lin Quzhao* (Henan, twenty-eight, four years, of Wei Quchang's *forty*, at *second cut's accumulating fourth attempt*).

The dark catalog stood at forty-two named names plus the *unnamed thousand* plus the small accumulating *unnamed Sui dead* (perhaps six hundred and sixty so far across the past seven years' engagements).

The lighter catalog stood at perhaps a hundred and forty items, with the small specific accumulating *dusk of the seventeenth day of the third moon of the twenty-second year of Da-ye, when the cold-spring brigade held Pang Yu's accumulating first wave at the small accumulating cost-of-fourteen-against-one-hundred-and-seventy* set at the small accumulating *real* item.

Heizi went to the cot's-side at the dusk.

He said in the small low voice: *master. The first wave held. Brigade fourteen. Lu Mengtai one-hundred-and-seventy. Wave one closed.*

Lao Wen at the cot looked up from the *Royal Regulations'* accumulating *frontier and military chapter*.

He said in the small low voice: *yes, lad.*

He paused.

"By the small specific reading I am giving at this dusk — Pang Yu will, by the small specific accumulating reading at Lu Mengtai's accumulating *real defeat*, lay the small accumulating *post-first-wave* shape at perhaps four months of accumulating *real reading* at his accumulating campaign-table. By the small specific reading I am giving — he will, at the small accumulating *real reading*, lay the *second wave* at perhaps the *seventh moon* of this year — perhaps four months ahead — at the small accumulating *six-hundred-strong* shape with two senior sub-officers at the front."

He paused.

"By the small specific reading I am giving — the cold-spring brigade will, in the next four months, lay in the small accumulating *recovery and *moment*-teaching* at the small accumulating *real seasoned* shape. The seven non-fatal wounded will, by the small specific reading I am giving, return to combat-shape at the small accumulating *combined drilling ground*. The brigade will be, at the small accumulating *seventh moon's accumulating *second wave**, at the small accumulating *one-hundred-and-fourteen-or-fifteen* shape."

He paused once more.

"By the small specific reading I am giving — the *second wave* at six hundred will be at the small accumulating *real strain* shape. The brigade will hold but at the small accumulating *cost-of-perhaps-fifty*. The *third wave* at eight hundred or nine hundred — at perhaps the *eleventh moon* — will, by the small specific reading I am giving, break the brigade."

He paused once more.

"By the small specific reading I am giving — the small accumulating *real moment* of the master's accumulating end is, at this dusk, at the *third wave's accumulating breaking* of the brigade — perhaps the *eleventh moon* of this year, perhaps the *first moon* of the next."

Heizi nodded.

He filed it.

He laid one hand briefly at the master's accumulating hand at the cot.

By the small specific accumulating reading at the past three years' cot's-side — this was the fourth time the lad had laid the gesture.

He held it for one beat.

He let go.

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 *senior sub-officer-and-apprentice* whose accumulating cold-spring brigade had — across four days — held Pang Yu's accumulating *first wave* at the small accumulating *cost-of-fourteen* against the small accumulating *cost-of-one-hundred-and-seventy*, and whose accumulating master had, at the dusk, named the small accumulating *real moment* at the small accumulating *third wave's breaking* of perhaps eight or nine months ahead.

He filed.

He sat his watch through.