90 Covered Wagons

It was over a week before we got a reply and it came in the form of strange, muffled sounds coming along the track; a procession of heavy, rolling carts.

It was nearly dusk when I heard the sound.

"Sir, something is approaching. Think you need to take a look, Sir, " my attendant was agitated, " the other officers have been informed, Sir."

'Three sirs in one interaction, he is nervous,' and with that thought, I went outside to join the others.

It looked odd.

A long column of heavily built carts, probably off the farms, were being pulled by a variety of mules, heavy horses and plough oxen.

Each cart had a thick bamboo roof with heavy, sacking sides. The animals doing the pulling, also had a roof protecting them from aerial attack.

I grinned, 'my brother has been thinking this through, clever man'.

"When the first one gets close enough, open the gates so they don't need to change their speed. These animals have pulled a long way, let's make the last part easy for them."

Men rushed forward. It was the first time in quite a while they had done anything with enthusiasm.

Two men jumped down and came over to us, "Gentlemen." With a bow, the older one handed us a scroll. "General Chen sends his compliments and hopes this consignment of replacement troops will be of benefit to us all. He has also sent a team of construction workers to build a more permanent structure here, the information is all in the paperwork." He pointed to the scroll we had in our hands.

The messenger continued, " the carts contain a mixture of work men, soldiers from the Zhang command and supplies. Some of these carts will remain, some will return once unloaded. Your orders, gentlemen, are to gather your men and equipment and vacate this frontier post by sundown tomorrow. You are to no longer engage with the enemy, but prepare for your imminent departure. Brief the Zhang officers and leave the whole process to them."  With that the messenger smiled, he knew this was the best news we will had heard in many a long, gruelling month.

"We have a great deal to do," but none of us were down hearted at this news. "Gather the men together, we must organise and quickly."

Before we realised, sundown was rapidly approaching. The covered wagons which were staying stood neatly in rows. Men were already working, using the covers from the wagons as makeshift workshops. Hidden from aerial attack, they worked tirelessly to complete new and more robust sections for this ever growing fort.

The fresh troops, keen to show their superiority were already assigned clean up tasks in the area. We had given them as much information as we could and small groups were now combing the hills for enemy archers and invading troops.

I turned to one of the remaining men in my command, "do you remember those days?" He laughed, "that was a lot of pain ago, Sir." I nodded.

"Okay, gentlemen, are we ready? Let's load up and get out of here. Let's go and fight a different war, one that maybe offers a bit more comfort and a lot more food rations than we had come to expect."

A muted cheer went up, we had no wish to attract attention to our activities. Inside, I suspect every man was looking forward to a bed, a wash and a plate of food.

A warm smile crossed my face. I failed to protect half of my men, but at least eleven would go back alive even though three were very badly wounded.

I looked at them lying in the back of the cart I was travelling in. "We'll be back at the garrison tonight and you'll be able to get all the treatment you desperately require. Our doctors are ready for us, so don't worry."

"Thanks, Sir." He raised his hand and placed it on my arm, "we tried our best Sir, but there really wasn't enough of us to fight off that initial invasion."

"I know. We were led to our slaughter, but we survived and we are a stronger, tighter unit because of it. We'll grow in numbers again, but we know we are the beating heart of our unit, we know we can fully trust each other, and we know we will always have each other's backs." 

I placed my hand on his, "all I can say is thank you."

He smiled and turned to the other two lying there, "what do you say, men?"

"Thank you Sir."

With that affirmation we dropped the sides, tied them in place and began the slow trundle back to the town.

"Niao! Niao! You in camp?"

Xin came down the path at a gallop.

"Oh, there you are," she was excited, almost bubbling over with enthusiasm. "Guess who'll be back tomorrow tonight? Guess! Go on, guess!"

"Bǎo?" I had no idea but his turn of duty was due to end soon I knew that.

She playfully pushed me, " no you daft thing, Hao Yang! All the troops at the front have been relieved! They're coming back!" She grabbed my shoulders and shook me as I tried to take in what she said, "wait! Say that again," I peeled her off me so I could concentrate on her words.

"I said," she rolled her eyes in impatience, " Hao Yang and all the men at the frontier fort have been relieved. They should be home some time tomorrow tonight."

With that, she sat back on her haunches and beamed at me. "So, you'll see Hao Yang again, don't you get it? He's coming home."

I stared at her. I was part way through gutting a chicken. My hand was covered in blood and guts from its insides. My concentration was on preparing this for the fire not some random Xin attack. 

I wiped my hair off my face with the back of my hand and thought it through. 'So the fort had been relieved. The men were coming back. Why should I be excited? I don't get it. Relieved, yes, still don’t get this excited thing.'

I looked toward Xin, "I'm really pleased for them all. That's a hell hole of a place to be left, and they were left. Are all coming back? The wounded as well, I hope? And the dead? What about them?"

Xin looked at me and shook her head. "When are you going to understand, he is your alpha mate." She rocked back and laughed. "I've brought some tea back, do you fancy a cup? Once you've got all that off your hands that is?"

"Give me a moment, need to stick the bird in the fire, burn off the majority of feathers."

"Ew! Love chicken to eat but hate that smell." With that, she got up and moved up wind. 

"I'll put the tea on once that's done. Okay, go!" and with that she took a breath and held her nose. I giggled, she'd shut her eyes tightly too.

Officer Bǎo walked onto the garrison square. With him, his three sergeants walked toward Colonel Chen's quarters.

"I wonder what this is about?" one of the sergeants looked at Bǎo, "he can't be changing the rota so soon, surely, we've only just got it bedded in." 

He looked down at his feet and kicked an imaginary stone. He was feeling a bit like that right now, his men being kicked around like dogs. 'We're not dogs to be beaten, we're trained fighters and good at it.'

Bǎo sensed the grumbling. His unit hadn't had any time off in almost a  year. 

"Think of those poor buggers at the frontier post. They're dying. At least we've not lost anyone." He thought about it momentarily, and added, " we've done well and young General Chen is very proud of our work. Yes, we are only a small unit, but we've done amazing things. Let's hope this meeting bring good news."

"The only good news I want to hear is we're going home, but I don't see that coming, do you?"

Bǎo shook his head. They continued on in silence until they entered the meeting room. 

"Oficer Bǎo and his three sargents, reporting for duty, Sir."

"At ease, gentlemen, at ease." Second Master beckoned to some chairs, " sit please, I have some news I'm hoping you'll be pleased to hear, and some not necessarily good news you may not wish to hear."

The four looked at one another and hearts sank.

"We're not being sent back to the frontier post again are we Sir?"

"No, rest assured, you will not be returning there. You have your duties here,  maintaining order around, and inside the town. The system as set up now, will continue to run until I say otherwise, so relax.

No, the good news is, those who have been at the frontier post will be returning tomorrow, probably tomorrow night. I will want you to go out and escort them in. Make sure there's nothing that can go wrong. I want them home safely."

"That is wonderful news, Sir. Will they be able to bring out their injured... and their dead, Sir?

Second Master nodded. "The messengers went out this morning, they will go in at dusk, tonight. That will give the troops the night and following day to prepare and hand over. Zhang troops will take over."

The men looked at each other and nodded. "Good. It's their land, they need to be primary defenders not us."

"Agreed. So there will be a unit of two hundred men in total, one hundred leaving with the messengers and once our men return, the wagons will take the second one hundred plus supplies."

Smiles cracked otherwise downcast faces. 

Bǎo was the first to comment, "does Niao know yet?"

"I would imagine she'll find out soon enough. You let Xin Yi know and she'll pass it on." Second Master smiled. The close knit group would all be together again. Now the not so good news.

"Next, my other piece of news." He looked at them and with great seriousness, continued, " there is a large army of men making it way towards us as I speak. I've been told they are about a week away and will be coming to support the Zhang garrison. It is believed they have orders to relieve us of our duties here and that we are to return home."

The smiles grew larger as the thought of home filled their minds.

One of the sergeants suddenly stopped, "hold on, you said there was news we wouldn't necessarily be pleased to hear. So far, it's all good news, what's the bad bit?"

Second Master looked straight at them. " The bulk of the army is from Mu."

There was silence in the room. Hackles began to rise as they thought of the incessant troubles between them and the House of Mu. 

 “I knew it! I just knew it! We were set up!” the sergeant looked at his two accompanying officers and they all nodded. After a momentary pause and a fierce look toward the three men, Băo replied, "Now I see what you mean. The men have spent years fighting them, and they will be bunking down in the same garrison? No. This won't work."

"Now I see what you mean. The men have spent years fighting them, and they will be bunking down in the same garrison? No. This won't work."

"Exactly." Second Master looked at the four of them. " You will have to be careful who you kill, otherwise there could be a major incident."

Bǎo nodded. "Basically, we need to be relieved of duty here, otherwise fighting amongst the men could become a bigger issue than dealing with the enemy."

He was right. They had one week to get things organised.