The engagement at the small specific accumulating *outer arc's narrow place* came at the noon of the twenty-seventh day of the eighth moon of the tenth year.
Heizi had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past twenty days — laid the small specific accumulating *fifty's* preparation. He had — by the small specific accumulating careful work of the past twenty noons at the *moment*-training — drilled the *fifty* at the small specific accumulating *flank-engagement-at-the-narrow-place* shape Lao Wen had drawn at the small wooden table at the past five years' accumulating reading. He had — by the small specific accumulating *staff-officer's daily round* — laid in the small specific accumulating personal *one-mark-knowing* of each of the fifty so that, by the small specific accumulating reading at the small specific accumulating engagement, he could — by the small specific accumulating *moment*'s reading — know which of the fifty was at which small specific accumulating position by the small specific accumulating *one-mark-knowing* alone.
He had — by the small specific accumulating reading of An Ashi's small specific *political eye* and the lame brother's small specific accumulating eye on the lower contour's accumulating tracks — laid the *fifty's accumulating positions* at the small specific narrow place by the small specific accumulating reading at the past twenty days' careful walking of the place itself.
The narrow place was — by the small specific reading at the past twenty days — at the small specific accumulating shape of a small specific accumulating bend of an old herder's path that came down through a small specific accumulating *eastern fold* of low wooded hills. The path narrowed at the bend to perhaps the small specific reading of a man-and-a-half wide. The brush at the southern slope was thick. The brush at the northern was thinner. The small specific accumulating *flank-and-side-eye* of an attacking force could — by the small specific accumulating reading at the past twenty days — be set at the southern slope's accumulating thicker brush, with a small specific accumulating *second-flank* at the northern slope above the bend.
Heizi had laid the *fifty* at the small specific accumulating arrangement.
The *fifty* had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the dawn of the twenty-seventh day — taken the small specific accumulating positions at the small specific accumulating shape Heizi had drawn the previous evening on the small specific *staff-officer's* small specific small piece of paper.
Wang Er at the small specific accumulating *thrust-and-set* position of the southern slope's flank, with five of the small accumulating *fifty's* most accumulating *real* swordsmen at his side. Lu Jingzhi at the small specific accumulating *political voice* position of the northern slope's second-flank, with four of the small accumulating *fifty's* small specific accumulating *steady* veterans. Tie-zhu at the small specific accumulating *defensive holding-place* of the small accumulating *fifty's accumulating reserve* at the bend's lower edge, with five small accumulating veterans at his side, against any small specific accumulating *cluster* that might break through the first-and-second flanks. An Ashi at the small specific accumulating *circle-and-thrust* position of the southern slope's accumulating *third-flank*, with four small accumulating veterans. Ah Chou at the small specific accumulating *medic-and-second-eye* position behind the southern slope's accumulating brush, with two small accumulating veterans for protection. Heizi himself at the small specific accumulating *eldest-position* of the small accumulating *fifty's accumulating command*, on the small specific accumulating high ground above the bend, with four of the small accumulating *fifty's* most experienced veterans at his side and the small accumulating bow at his back.
The remaining small accumulating *fifty* at the small specific accumulating *second-and-third reserves*, set at small specific accumulating positions Heizi had drawn at the small piece of paper.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the second hour after the dawn, the small accumulating *runner* — Wei Erjia, the man with the scar at the left temple — came up at the run from the small accumulating *forward eye-station* the lame brother had laid two *li* south of the bend. He stopped at Heizi's accumulating *eldest-position*.
He said in the small low voice: *Heizi-zhang. The expedition. Two hundred and fifty Sui veterans. Marching at the small accumulating *real* discipline. By the small specific accumulating reading at the past hour — perhaps a *li* south. They will be at the bend by the noon.*
Heizi nodded.
He said in the small low voice: *good, brother. Take the small accumulating *forward-eye* position at the small accumulating *western covered place* I drew at the previous evening. Watch for any small accumulating *flanking* the Sui may attempt at the southern slope's western edge. If you see any small accumulating *flanking*, signal at the small specific accumulating *single-clicking* of your small whittling knife at the small accumulating flat slate, in the small accumulating arrangement we have laid.*
"Yes, Heizi-zhang."
The runner went.
By the noon, the small accumulating *expedition* came to the bend.
It came — by the small specific accumulating reading at Heizi's accumulating eye on the high ground — at the small accumulating *real* discipline of a Sui-veteran-shape's small accumulating column. Two hundred and fifty men in five rows of fifty, with perhaps fifteen mounted officers at the front and the rear, with the small accumulating banners of Wang Shichong's accumulating new garrison.
At the small accumulating *first-rank* of the column was — by the small specific accumulating reading at Heizi's eye — Wang Shichong himself.
He was — by the small specific accumulating reading at this noon, by the small accumulating saying of the southern command's accumulating veterans at the past three months — perhaps thirty-five. He had on a small accumulating *ming-guang* armor (the Sui-officer's *bright-mirror* armor of accumulating polished steel plates), with a small accumulating *staff-officer's banner* at his back. He rode at the small specific accumulating *front* of his accumulating column with the small accumulating *real* posture of a Sui officer at his accumulating *real* engagement.
Heizi looked at him.
He filed it.
He laid one hand at the small accumulating *signal-stone* he had at his accumulating eldest-position. He raised it once.
The first arrows from the southern slope's flank — by the small accumulating reading at the *signal* — flew.
They flew at the small accumulating *first-rank* of the Sui column. By the small specific accumulating reading at the past two months' bow training — perhaps fifteen of the *fifty's* accumulating bowmen had laid in the small accumulating *moment* well enough to take a Sui-veteran-shape's accumulating front rank at the bottlenecking. By the small accumulating reading at the noon — they did. Perhaps eight of the front rank fell. Perhaps four of the mounted officers fell — but Wang Shichong, by the small specific accumulating reading at the small accumulating *quarter-circle* of his own accumulating *moment*, *moved*. He moved his accumulating horse at the small accumulating instant of the first arrows' release. The arrow that had been aimed at his accumulating *window of the heart* — by Heizi's own bow at the high ground — took the man directly behind him in the chest. Wang Shichong rode forward, unharmed.
Heizi filed it.
Wang Shichong was at the small accumulating *moment*-shape too.
The accumulating engagement went on.
It went on by the small accumulating reading at the past two months' accumulating training. The Sui column — by the small accumulating reading at the bottlenecking — broke at the small accumulating *first-and-second-cluster* shape Heizi had laid. The southern slope's accumulating flank, with Wang Er at the *thrust-and-set*, took perhaps thirty Sui veterans in the small accumulating *first wave*. The northern slope's accumulating second-flank, with Lu Jingzhi, took perhaps fifteen. The bend's accumulating reserve, with Tie-zhu, took perhaps twelve.
The Sui column — by the small accumulating reading at the small accumulating second hour — was at perhaps a hundred and seventy men remaining. They had — by the small accumulating reading — held the small accumulating *real* discipline of a Sui-veteran-shape. They were not breaking. They were — by the small accumulating reading at Wang Shichong's small accumulating shouted orders at the front — *fighting*.
Wang Shichong shifted to a small accumulating *counter-flank* shape Heizi had not, at the past twenty days' planning, fully anticipated.
He sent — by the small accumulating reading at his accumulating order — perhaps fifty of his Sui veterans at the small accumulating *up-the-southern-slope* counter-attack against Wang Er's accumulating flank.
The small accumulating *up-the-slope* came at the small accumulating *real* discipline.
Wang Er and the five *fifty's* swordsmen at the southern slope's flank held — by the small accumulating reading at Wang Er's small accumulating *quarter-circle* and the five accumulating swordsmen's small accumulating *thrust-and-set* — at the small accumulating *first wave* of the up-the-slope. They took perhaps fifteen Sui veterans.
By the small accumulating reading at the second wave, however, they were — by the small honest measure — at perhaps the small accumulating *half-strength* of their own.
Heizi saw it from the high ground.
He decided.
He laid the small accumulating *signal-stone* twice — by the small accumulating arrangement — for the small accumulating *first-reserve* to come up the southern slope at the run.
The first-reserve — fifteen of the *fifty's* small accumulating second-most experienced veterans — came up.
They came at the small accumulating *thrust-and-set* shape behind the Sui counter-attack's accumulating second wave. The Sui counter-attack — by the small accumulating reading at the small accumulating sandwich-shape of being attacked from behind by the first-reserve and from in front by Wang Er's accumulating flank — broke. They retreated down the slope.
By the small accumulating reading at the third hour after the noon, the small accumulating engagement was at the small accumulating *real* shape of an accumulating Wagang victory.
Wang Shichong, at the small accumulating *front* of his accumulating remaining column of perhaps a hundred Sui veterans, gave the small accumulating *retreat* order at the small accumulating fourth hour after the noon.
The Sui column retreated south.
The small accumulating *fifty* held the bend.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the count taken at the dusk of the twenty-seventh day, the small accumulating *fifty* had taken perhaps eighty-five of Wang Shichong's accumulating expedition of two hundred and fifty. The Sui retreat had — by the small accumulating reading — perhaps a hundred and sixty-five men remaining, with perhaps thirty wounded among them.
The *fifty* had — by the small specific accumulating reading at the count — lost three dead and seven wounded.
Three dead.
Heizi looked at the three names at the *staff-officer's accounting* sheet at the dusk.
The three were: Liu Sanlang of Hebei, thirty-one, missing the third finger of the left hand; Cao Daniu of Henan, twenty-six, two daughters at his uncle's village he sent his small accumulating cash to at every runner's outgoing; Yan Wugou of Henan, twenty-eight, who had been at the rebellion since Da-ye seven and had buried twelve men of his original ten-man unit and was now, by the small accumulating reading at this dusk, the thirteenth.
Heizi laid the three names at the small accumulating *staff-officer's dark catalog* — the small accumulating *fifty's accumulating dark catalog* the lad would, by the small specific reading I am giving, keep separate from his own small accumulating personal one.
The small accumulating dark catalog of the *fifty* stood, at this dusk, at three.
Wang Er — by the small specific reading at the dusk — was at a small wound at the right shoulder from a Sui counter-attack's accumulating saber-stroke at the second wave. Ah Chou had laid the small accumulating *huang lian* salve and was binding the small accumulating shoulder. The wound was — by the small specific reading at Ah Chou's accumulating eye — at the small accumulating *will heal in two weeks*.
The other six wounded of the *fifty* were — by the small specific reading at Ah Chou's accumulating round of the dusk — also at the small accumulating *will heal* shape.
By the small specific accumulating reading at the count, the lad's accumulating *first command* had — by the small honest measure — held.
The lad's accumulating *first command* had — by the small honest measure — taken its first three names in the small accumulating *fifty's accumulating dark catalog*.
He filed each of the three.
He filed: *Liu Sanlang. Cao Daniu. Yan Wugou.*
He filed them at the small accumulating *staff-officer's* small specific accumulating responsibility.
He filed Wang Shichong as the small specific accumulating *real opponent* the brothers would, by the small specific accumulating reading I am giving, see again.
That night Heizi at his watch sat at the small banked fire of the *staff-officer's tent* at the southern command, where the small accumulating *fifty* had returned at the dusk in the small specific accumulating order of the bend's accumulating *bottlenecking*'s small accumulating count.
He did not, on this watch, weep.
He had not — at any small specific moment of the past nine years and four months on the road — wept since the low rock behind the burned eastern row of the hamlet of two wells.
He did not weep on this watch either.
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* at his accumulating *first command* who had — at the noon today — taken three of his accumulating fifty into a small specific accumulating dark catalog of his own keeping.
He filed it.
In the small accumulating darker catalog of the lad's own accumulating *staff-officer's responsibility*, beside the names Mei-er and Yan Liu-er and Ah Si and the eastern-pine hermit and the unnamed fourteen-year-old at the bandit-farm lean-to and the unnamed bandit at the small clear ground, he set: *Liu Sanlang. Cao Daniu. Yan Wugou.*
The dark catalog stood at nine names.
The lighter catalog — at the small specific accumulating *first command's accumulating victory* — added the small specific accumulating *the bend held*, but the small specific accumulating *the bend held* was, by the small honest measure, at the small accumulating *cost-of-three* the lad had not, by the small specific accumulating reading at the past nine years' work, ever quite expected to be his to keep.
He sat his watch through.
Sign in to comment
No comments yet.