Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

The Xinghuo Battalion was formed and began its military exercises, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

Every day, the drill ground resounded with the sounds of drums and bugles, and shouts echoed continuously. The elite troops' formation drills had progressed from basic advances and retreats to simple offensive and defensive transitions and squad coordination. Although the garrison's formations were still somewhat rudimentary, they were at least generally orderly in advancing to the sound of the drum and halting to the sound of the gong. They had replaced their wooden spears with captured old-fashioned long spears, and their thrusting stances were beginning to take shape. Meanwhile, the auxiliary troops practiced repeatedly setting up barricades, transporting the wounded, and constructing simple fortifications in a corner of the drill ground. Wu Xuejiu compiled some commonly used flag signals and drum commands into simple rhymes, which were sung and memorized by each unit, with excellent results.

On the fortress walls, the garrison soldiers also adopted a new duty roster. The elite soldiers were responsible for the four corner watchtowers and the core defense at night; the garrison was divided into three shifts of forty men each, who took turns patrolling the fortress walls and guarding the gates during the day; the auxiliary soldiers were responsible for daytime lookout, communication, and auxiliary vigilance. Chen Wei assigned experienced veterans from the Wei Wu Corps to serve as instructors in each garrison unit, both guiding training and teaching by example in actual garrison duty.

The land reclamation on the north slope did not stop due to the drills; on the contrary, the organization of personnel made the work more orderly. Zhao Tiezhu and Zhou Dashan divided the garrison soldiers into two groups: one group to guard the area and the other to participate in the land reclamation work, with merit points calculated according to the "Merit Order." The newly turned forty mu of land had all been sown with millet seeds, and another twenty mu of relatively flat, cultivated wasteland, which had been extensively cultivated by bandits, had been turned into vegetable gardens. These gardens were managed by those in the auxiliary military force who were skilled in agriculture, and they attempted to sow some vegetable seeds allocated from the "Western Regions Rare Medicine" garden, as well as some locally common vegetables such as cabbage and leeks.

In the garden in the southeast corner of the fortress, the plants within the fence had grown to half a foot tall, their branches and leaves thick and green, showing promising growth. Four guards took turns guarding them, day and night. Zhao Tiezhu personally checked on them every day, recording their growth, his hopes for a yield of "ten shi per mu" growing stronger with each passing day.

The day was clear and bright. It was nearly noon, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys within the fortress as people returning from their work on the slopes finished their tasks. On the western watchtower of the fortress wall, a sentry on duty that day—Zhao Qing, a young man from the former Zhao family village, chosen for his sharp eyes and quick wit—was, as was customary, surveying the surrounding area. His gaze habitually swept over the rolling mountain ridges to the west, the winding official road, and the sparsely wooded hills further away.

Suddenly, his eyelids twitched. About three miles away, on a shady, gentle slope of a hill, something seemed to be moving. It appeared and disappeared intermittently, moving slowly, but certainly not like a wild beast running. He immediately rubbed his eyes and stared intently again.

This time, he saw it more clearly. There were several figures on horseback! About five or six riders, following the outline of the hills, sometimes going uphill, sometimes disappearing into the low-lying areas, slowly meandering towards Xinghuo Fortress! The horses' coats were mottled in the sunlight, and the riders were short and stocky, their clothing seemingly not of the Central Plains style.

Hu cavalry?!

Zhao Qing's heart sank, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. Although he had never directly confronted the Hu people, the shadow of the tragedy in Zhao Family Village and the descriptions of the Rouran cavalry's brutality by his elders were already deeply ingrained in his bones. He dared not hesitate and immediately followed the training procedure, grabbing a small copper gong hanging beside him and striking it forcefully!

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sharp and clear sound of gongs suddenly broke the midday tranquility and spread throughout the fortress walls!

"West! Three li away! There are riders! About five or six riders! They may be Hu people!" Zhao Qing shouted at the top of his lungs as he banged the gong. He called out to the sentries downstairs and in the adjacent watchtowers.

The sound of the gong was an order! Almost the instant the gong sounded, all the soldiers on duty atop the fortress walls, whether they had been walking, resting, or talking, instantly tensed up, instinctively gripping their spears and peering westward. The sentries in the adjacent watchtowers immediately confirmed the direction and relayed the call: "Alarm to the west! Hu cavalry!"

"Enemy attack?!" Zhao Tiezhu, who was returning from the slope and had just reached the gate of the stockade, looked up sharply upon hearing the sound. His face changed drastically, and he immediately roared, "Close the gate! All garrison officers on duty, get up on the wall! Those not on duty, quickly take your weapons and await orders! Assistant garrison officers, evacuate the women and children near the gate and prepare logs and stones!" Although he was new to military affairs, his instinct for survival honed over many years and his recent training allowed him to react quickly.

A slight commotion arose at the gate, which was quickly quelled by the command of the guard on duty. The heavy iron-clad wooden gate was pushed together and slowly closed with a creak, the bolt falling shut. The soldiers on the wall were all in their positions, and although some were pale and their fingers trembled slightly from gripping their spears, no one left their post without permission.

Almost simultaneously, Chen Wei's figure darted from the direction of the military camp like a cheetah, and in a few steps he climbed the western wall of the stockade. He was not wearing full armor, only a breastplate and arm guards, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. He snatched the simple "telescope" from Zhao Qing's hand. It was actually made of two polished crystal pieces and a bamboo tube. It was a crude contraption that Chen Xing had sketched out and that Wu Xuejiu and his men had worked on. He brought it close to his eyes and looked westward.

In the footage, the figures of the riders became clearer. They were indeed dressed as Hu people, wearing fur hats and coats, with bows and arrows and scimitars hanging beside their saddles. They did not rush straight towards the fortress, but stopped on a high ground about two miles from the fortress wall. The horses spread out, and the riders pointed and gestured towards Xinghuo Fortress, seemingly observing and discussing it.

"Not a large force, just scouts." Chen Wei put down his telescope, his voice steady as he quickly assessed the situation. "Five or six riders, lightly armed, no heavy weapons. It seems our recent activity has finally attracted the attention of our 'neighbors.'" A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Commander, should we send out all the elite soldiers to capture them?" a Wei Wu soldier squad leader standing next to Chen Wei whispered, a murderous glint in his eyes.

Chen Wei pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Our lord once said that when encountering the enemy, one must first understand their intentions and observe their strengths and weaknesses. These few riders are clearly here to probe our strength. If we attack rashly, even if we capture and kill them, it will expose our troop strength and reaction speed, or alert them. If they don't move, we won't move. Order: Soldiers on the wall, each hold your position, no noise, and no wandering around revealing your numbers! Archers, prepare yourselves, but do not fire without my command! Keep a close watch on their eagle eyes and see what they do next!"

"Yes, sir!" The order was swiftly relayed. The atmosphere on the wall grew even more tense, but the commotion subsided, and the soldiers obeyed, crouching low and observing the outside world only with their eyes and makeshift cover. Several soldiers assigned to crossbows carefully nocked their arrows and held their breath in anticipation.

Inside the fortress, the inhabitants, initially panicked upon hearing the alarm, were quickly guided into their houses for refuge by the auxiliary soldiers and the reassurances of Zhao Tiezhu and Zhou Dashan. The streets and alleys were soon cleared. The elite troops had all assembled in front of the barracks, fully armored and with halberds in hand, awaiting only orders. The auxiliary soldiers began transporting pre-prepared logs, rolling stones, kerosene, and other supplies to designated positions on the fortress walls.

Chen Xing had also arrived at the west wall by this time. He did not rush to climb the wall, but first listened to Chen Wei's brief report, and then observed for a while through another telescope.

"They are indeed scouts." Chen Xing lowered his telescope, his eyes calm. "It seems we are not the only ones around Black Wind Ridge. These Hu cavalry are either spies for nearby tribes or outposts for a larger Hu force. They are observing from the high ground, assessing our defenses, numbers, and reaction."

"My lord, should we feign weakness or strength?" Chen Wei asked.

"Nothing is necessary," Chen Xing said. "We're new here and don't know much about the situation. If we show too much weakness, we'll attract wolves; if we show too much strength, it will only encourage them to gather their forces and attack if they are powerful. Let them see that our stockade walls are intact, our sentries are strict, and we move with measured steps. Let them be unsure of our strength and keep them on their toes. That's the best approach."

He paused, then added, "However, we can't let them get too comfortable. Chen Wei, select two of the best archers, use powerful bows, and aim for the edge of that high ground. Don't worry about hitting the target; just shoot the arrows about fifty paces in front of their horses. Consider it a greeting, and also test their courage."

A glint flashed in Chen Wei's eyes: "This subordinate understands!" He immediately turned around and whispered the order.

Before long, two sharpshooters from the Wei infantry quietly took their positions behind two crenellations in the middle of the west wall. They used heavy bows designed for city defense, and their arrows were specially made heavy arrows. After a quick assessment of the wind and distance, the two men simultaneously drew their bows to their fullest extent. With a trembling sound from the bowstrings, two sharp arrows whistled as they left the bowstrings, tracing an arc as they landed far away on the high ground two miles away.

On the high ground, the five or six Hu cavalrymen were clearly not expecting the enemy to fire arrows from such a distance. Ordinary hunting bows could hardly reach such a distance. Although the arrows did not injure the men or horses, they pierced the soil dozens of paces in front of them with two sharp thuds, their tail feathers trembling violently.

The Hu cavalrymen stirred noticeably, their horses snorting restlessly. They pointed towards the fortress wall for a moment, seemed to argue for a few moments, then turned their horses around and galloped back the way they came, quickly disappearing behind the hills.

"They're gone." Chen Wei squinted until the last trace of the rider disappeared behind the ridge. "Judging from the direction they retreated, it seems to be northwest."

"The Northwest..." Chen Xing murmured thoughtfully. He turned to Li Shu and Wu Xuejiu, who had rushed over. "Li Shu, record in detail the time, number, attire, movements, and retreat direction of the Hu cavalry today. Mr. Wu, recall if there are any Hu tribes living in the northwest according to surrounding maps or rumors?"

Wu Xuejiu stroked his beard and pondered: "Reporting to the Lord, I have heard that there is a grassland called 'Wild Fox Plain' a hundred miles northwest of Black Wind Ridge. It seems that a small tribe of several hundred people is entrenched there, making a living by herding and hunting, and sometimes they also raid southwards. Whether it is that tribe or not is hard to say."

Chen Wei said coldly, "Regardless of whether it's them or not, now that they've shown themselves, they won't let it go. After the scouts scout, a large force usually comes. My lord, we must intensify our preparations for battle."

Chen Xing nodded: "Today's response was timely and orderly. This shows that our daily drills are not just for show. However, this is only a warning; the real test is yet to come." He looked around at the soldiers on the wall who had just experienced their first real combat warning, still tense but now composed, and announced loudly: "Zhao Qing, the sentry on duty today, detected the enemy promptly and gave the proper warning; twenty points awarded! All the soldiers on duty remained calm in the face of the alarm and stayed at their posts; five points awarded to each! This merit is not only a reward for their hard work but also an encouragement to their courage!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers guarding the wall were first taken aback, then their eyes lit up with excitement. The tension and fear they had felt earlier were greatly diminished by this tangible reward for their merit, and they even felt a sense of "it's nothing special." Zhao Qing was so excited that his face turned completely red.

"Chen Wei, from today onwards, extend the scouting perimeter five li outwards. Deploy more hidden sentries, paying particular attention to the northwest. Double the night patrols of the garrison commanders, and have the elite troops on standby. The auxiliary troops, expedite the preparation of defensive equipment and inspect the armory." Chen Xing issued a series of orders. "Furthermore, inform the entire fortress that the Hu cavalry have appeared; the warning is not unfounded. However, our fortress walls are strong, our soldiers are fighting bravely, and our supplies are plentiful. There is no need to panic. Each person should remain at their post and strictly adhere to the rules; that is the greatest contribution you can make to the fortress!"

"promise!"

The cavalry's spying, like a sudden gust of cold wind, shattered the brief peace and tranquility of Starfire Fortress. But what followed was not panic and collapse, but a state of impending battle, rehearsed in advance and thus ignited. Arrows on the fortress walls, drills in the training ground, provisions and weapons in the warehouse, and even the tension in everyone's hearts, all quietly tightened because of those few distant cavalry figures.

The crisis is already brewing, and trials are looming. Whether Starfire Fortress can withstand the storm that may follow depends on the preparations made each day and the determination of every individual.