Dragon Boat Race Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Undercurrents

Epigraph: A single strategy first settles the camp, but surging undercurrents already reach the body. How can one find peace alone in the tent, when killing intent hides within laughter and talk.

Wu Ge’s orders were executed swiftly and effectively. Over the next two days, the atmosphere in the camp visibly grew more severe. Patrols became more frequent, and password checks were much stricter. Rumors about “Di people crossing the river” did not spread widely, but an invisible tension had permeated the air.

Qin Gong was still “recuperating” in his tent, but the news Ah Sheng brought back daily allowed him to roughly piece together the external movements.

“Military Advisor, two teams sent out by Commandant Sun have returned. They both say the riverbank is quiet and they didn’t see any large groups of Di soldiers,” Ah Sheng reported, his face showing a complex expression of relief mixed with a slight sense of injustice on Qin Gong’s behalf. “General Zhao’s side seems to have some… some gossip, saying we’re making a fuss over nothing and wasting manpower.”

Qin Gong leaned back on the bed, slowly drinking warm water, his face expressionless. The lack of enemy sightings was within his expectations. If the Di people had truly set a trap, the ambush would be extremely well-hidden, and ordinary scout reconnaissance might not uncover any clues. The absence of rumors might mean the enemy was being even more cautious, or that the time was not yet right.

“Is there still one team that hasn’t returned?” Qin Gong asked.

Ah Sheng shook his head: “No, it’s the team that went into the dense forest on the opposite bank. They are veterans among the night crawlers. Logically speaking… they shouldn’t be delayed this long.”

Qin Gong’s heart sank slightly. The most experienced team had gone to the area most likely to conceal heavy forces, and they had not yet returned. This, in itself, might be a signal.

Sure enough, late that night, Qin Gong was startled awake by faint hoofbeats and suppressed human voices. He was already a light sleeper; this body was unusually sensitive, and with matters weighing on his mind, the slightest movement woke him.

He held his breath and listened intently, hearing hurried footsteps approaching his tent, followed by low conversation. It seemed to be Wu Ge’s personal guards speaking with the sentries. Soon, the footsteps receded, and the camp returned to its surface tranquility, but the faint scent of blood and the tension, though subtle, lingered.

Early the next morning, when Ah Sheng brought in breakfast, his face was pale.

“Military Advisor, something happened…” He set down the tray, his voice trembling. “Last night… the last team of night crawlers returned. Only… only two men came back, and both were injured! I heard they encountered Di people’s hidden sentries in the woods on the opposite bank and barely escaped with their lives… They said that in the forest… there really are ambush troops, a lot of them, at least a thousand men! They were all hidden; if they hadn’t probed so deep, they wouldn’t have found anything!”

Qin Gong’s hand, holding the chopsticks, froze. The speculation was confirmed.

The Di people had indeed set up a heavy ambush there. If his previous deduction was correct, a conspiracy targeting Wu Ge and the Vanguard Camp had quietly spread its net. And he, because of this accurate warning, had unknowingly increased his weight in this dangerous game of chess.

Shortly after breakfast, Wu Ge’s personal guard came to Qin Gong’s tent again, speaking respectfully: “Military Advisor, the Commander requests your presence. Meeting in the main tent.”

What must come, always comes. With Ah Sheng’s help, Qin Gong carefully straightened his clothes. Although his face was still pale, he tried to straighten his back. He knew that this time, he would no longer be an expendable “patient,” but would truly step onto the periphery of the Northern Expedition Army’s core decision-making circle.

The main tent was simpler than Qin Gong had imagined, but much larger. The air inside was filled with a mixed scent of leather, metal, and sweat. Wu Ge sat upright on the tiger-skin chair at the head, with General Zhao, Commandant Sun, and several other generals Qin Gong hadn’t met seated to his left and right. The moment Qin Gong stepped into the tent, all eyes focused on him.

There was scrutiny, curiosity, surprise, and also unconcealed suspicion, like General Zhao’s, and a subtle, hard-to-detect sense of apprehension.

“The Military Advisor is not yet recovered. Give him a seat,” Wu Ge said, his voice steady, breaking the silence in the tent.

A personal guard immediately brought over a wooden stool padded with animal hide and placed it near the position below Wu Ge. This detail caused the expressions of several generals to shift again.

Qin Gong thanked him and slowly sat down, his movements still bearing the slowness of sickness, but his posture was neither humble nor arrogant.

“The situation is known to all of you,” Wu Ge cut straight to the chase. “The Di people have ambushed heavy forces in the dense forest across the Black Water River. Their intention, I believe, is self-evident. The Military Advisor’s prediction the other day has unfortunately come true.”

“Commander!” General Zhao couldn’t help but cup his fists, his voice booming. “Even if there are ambush troops, so what? We hold the camp and defend; can the Di people fly over? I still maintain that instead of guessing the Di people’s intentions here, we should take the initiative to attack and seek a decisive battle with their main force!”

“General Zhao,” Commandant Sun spoke coldly. His perception of Qin Gong was now much more complicated. “The night crawlers who escaped last night reported that the ambush force is by no means small, and they are well-equipped, clearly the Di people’s elite. A rash attack would play right into their hands. The Military Advisor previously deduced that the Di people’s target is the Commander. If the Commander moves lightly, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Are we just going to shrink back and let the Di people act arrogantly right under our noses?” General Zhao demanded angrily.

“We are not shrinking back,” Wu Ge finally spoke again, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, finally resting on Qin Gong. “Military Advisor, since you predicted the enemy’s move, do you have a strategy to break this deadlock?”

The pressure was back on Qin Gong. This time, it was no longer speculation, but a need for a concrete response plan.

Qin Gong took a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t propose specific tactical details (that would immediately expose him), but he could provide direction on the strategic and conceptual levels.

“Commander, Generals,” his voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears. “The Di people’s layout aims to ‘lure’ and ‘trap.’ Their ultimate goal is to force us into making a wrong choice—either rashly attacking and being ambushed, or being trapped in the camp until supplies run out. The key to breaking the deadlock is to… do the opposite, disrupt their rhythm, and seize back the initiative.”

“How do we seize it?” asked a scholarly-looking middle-aged general, Quartermaster Wang, who was in charge of logistics.

“First, show weakness to the enemy to inflate their arrogance,” Qin Gong said slowly. “The Di people have been in ambush for a long time. Seeing no movement from our army, they will inevitably become anxious. We can deliberately expose some ‘flaws,’ for example, feigning a shortage of grain, low soldier morale, or even… spreading false news that the Commander is confined to bed due to a ‘recurrence of an old injury.’”

There were several slight gasps in the tent. Spreading news of the commander’s illness was a major taboo in military strategy!

Wu Ge’s eyes flickered, but he did not interrupt.

Qin Gong continued: “Second, openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Wei River. The Di people’s attention is focused here, so their rear must be vulnerable. We can send a small, absolutely loyal, and elite unit to bypass the main route and penetrate the Di people’s rear. They don’t need a major battle; they just need to harass their supply lines, burn their grain, and make as much noise as possible. When the Di troops in the ambush learn that their rear is on fire, their morale will be shaken, and the ambush will be difficult to sustain.”

This was a strategy of maneuvering the enemy, rather than being maneuvered by the enemy.

“Third, consolidate ourselves and meet motion with stillness. Further strengthen the camp defenses, especially the protection of grain and water sources. At the same time, dig more traps and set up chevaux de frise, adopting a posture of long-term solid defense. Let the Di people feel that a strong assault would be too costly, and a siege would be ineffective.”

He paused, then summarized: “In short, do not engage them in a decisive battle on their pre-set battlefield or at their pre-set time. Through false information, rear harassment, and solid defense, we will wear down their patience and disrupt their deployment, forcing them to either retreat without success or change their plan. And once they move and expose a flaw, that will be our army’s opportunity.”

The tent fell silent. None of Qin Gong’s strategies involved a direct confrontation; they were full of cunning and adaptability, completely different from the straightforward approach favored by traditional generals. General Zhao’s brow furrowed into a knot; he clearly disagreed with this “unorthodox path.” But Commandant Sun and Quartermaster Wang showed signs of deep thought.

Wu Ge’s fingers tapped lightly on the back of his chair, his gaze profound. Qin Gong’s strategy coincided with some of his own thoughts, yet it was more systematic and daring. Especially the two points about “spreading false news” and “harassing the rear,” though risky, were likely to hit the Di people’s weak spot.

“What do the rest of you think of the Military Advisor’s plan?” Wu Ge looked at the generals.

Commandant Sun was the first to cup his fists: “I believe the Military Advisor’s strategy, while seemingly risky, is actually pulling the rug out from under them and can effectively break the current stalemate. Regarding the harassment of the rear, I volunteer to lead the team myself!”

Quartermaster Wang stroked his beard and said: “Showing weakness and consolidating camp defenses are both stable methods. However, spreading news of the Commander’s illness… requires caution, lest it shake military morale.”

General Zhao snorted. Although he did not explicitly object, he no longer insisted on immediate attack.

Wu Ge pondered for a moment, then made his decision: “We will proceed according to the Military Advisor’s strategy. Commandant Sun, you will be fully responsible for the rear harassment. The personnel must be elite, and the action must be swift and secretive. Quartermaster Wang, you will arrange the strengthening of defenses and the ‘showing of weakness.’ The details must be carefully considered, and no obvious flaws should be exposed. General Zhao, routine vigilance and training in the camp must not slacken. Be ready to engage at any time!”

“We obey your command!” the generals responded in unison.

With the orders given, the generals left. Only Wu Ge and Qin Gong remained in the tent.

Wu Ge stood up and walked toward Qin Gong. His tall figure carried a sense of oppression. He looked down at Qin Gong and suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question: “You seem to be very good at… fathoming people’s minds.”

Whether it was the Di commander’s or those of the generals under his command.

Qin Gong’s heart tightened. He knew this was an inquiry into his non-traditional way of thinking. He lowered his eyes and said respectfully: “I am merely accustomed to… viewing problems more from the ‘opponent’s’ perspective. The world is like a game of chess. If one can guess what the opponent intends to do next, one can be much more composed.”

“A game of chess…” Wu Ge repeated the phrase, a hard-to-read light flashing in his eyes. “It seems I have indeed picked up an… interesting ‘chess piece’ this time.”

His tone was flat, yet it sent a chill down Qin Gong’s spine. A chess piece? Yes, everything he had now was based on being “useful.” Once he lost his value, or became a discarded piece, the outcome was predictable.

“Take good care of yourself,” Wu Ge’s tone returned to its usual cold severity. “This game has only just begun.”

Qin Gong bowed and, supported by a personal guard, slowly walked back to his tent.

The sunlight shone on him, but he felt little warmth. He looked up at the clear blue sky, his heart surging. He had successfully taken a step further, truly participating in military decision-making. But with it came deeper involvement, a more complex situation, and Wu Ge’s meaningful comment about the “chess piece.”

The undercurrents had never stopped surging. And he was now at the center of the vortex.