179 The road to Mudon

Băo and his two packs arrived just as another missive came in from Chenxi. It was directed straight to Second Master and he was opening it as Băo walked in.

Băo waited and watched Second Master's face drain of colour. "What's happened?"

"Yiran has died. She gave up the fight about a week ago and was pronounced dead a few hours after she went quiet." Băo watched, as his face cycled through pain, agony, worry and then white fire rage.

He touched Second Master's arm. "We will get them. We will bring them to justice. We will make them pay."

"That feud has taken my children and now my wife. Is there anything left it can take?" He looked at Băo with tears in his eyes. "I loved her with my very life. She was my everything. What do I have now?"

"You have a younger brother to protect and a sworn brother who will stand by your side. You have a Province to restore and peace to make. You are very important to us all brother and now is not the time to collapse and give in."

"You're right." He looked haunted. Băo could only watch as he continued, "If I collapse now, then my father and his stupidity wins. The Mu family win. I cannot allow that to be her legacy."

"Then, brother, we step forward and deal with this clan once and for all. Agreed?"

Second Master nodded. "Give me a few moments and I will be out."

Băo nodded and went outside. The attendant was about to step inside, but Băo shook his head, "not at the moment, he has just received bad news. He will be out in a few minutes." A knowing look came over the attendant's face. He nodded ad waited with Băo outside the tent flap.

Niao called her two groups together. "All okay? Damages?"

"A couple have minor wounds but they can be patched up easily enough. What next Mother?"

"We wait. The next group will be along the water's edge soon and we must be ready. This area is red with blood. It could act in our favour, make them cautious, but it could make them more likely to strike out and we don't want that."

" How about we move further down the river towards Mu territory?"

Ears twitched, they heard a call. It was Xin. She was calling her groups together and from what they could tell, something had changed.

"Do we go too?"

"Not sure." Niao called out to Xin, 'do you want us too?'

'yes'

'we come'

 

Second Master emerged from the tent, some time later. Although he was still pale, there was a determination on his face. It was only when Băo looked into his eyes, that the pain and devastation became clear. Băo noticed there was a white ribbon adorning his hair, the headpiece which notified his rank had been removed. 

Băo bowed to him. "Sir, I too will remove my headpiece and wear white. We morn together." Removing his insignia from his hair he re-tied it in a simple half pony tail, synonymous with mourning and attached the white ribbon, given to him by Second Master's attendant.

Together, the walked toward the central collecting ground, soldiers parting to let them through. Each looked at them as they walked.They knew something had happened which changed the emphasis of this campaign.

Băo caught a sergeant's attention, "Inform all the troops to assemble as best they can, our Commander wishes to address the army." He bowed and left.

Within an hour the men had assembled as best as they could. An open wagon had been wheeled into the centre of the arena; everyone knew he would talk from there.

Those at the back, would have to strain their ears to pick up anything, relying on relayed words from those who stood closer. They knew this was important and they didn't wish to miss any of it.

Băo climbed up first and brought the crowd to order. Second Master stepped up and looked around at all the men gathered below him. Tears welled up in his eyes, only those closest could see. He sniffed and wiped them.

"Gentlemen," he began, a tremor clearly audible in his voice, "my father started a blood bath. We have lost comrades, brothers, sisters, wives and children. Our families have been eradicated or decimated, either way, we have lost loved ones." He stopped and Băo touched his arm. Second Master nodded and continued, the tremor in his voice becoming more obvious. "I have just received a communique from Chenxi informing me my wife has finally given up the fight for life."

A gasp went up in the audience. Words relayed further back produced an echoing effect as all began to hear.

"She was ambushed by Mu militia, we think, and she watched as they tortured.." His voice broke and he looked at Băo.

"The two children were callously slaughtered in front of her eyes and thrown down the hillside. She was subsequently beaten and raped, and left for dead." Băo looked at Second Master who was now weeping. Băo continued, " She was found some time later by my other sworn brother and his wife and taken back to Chenxi. She never recovered."  

Băo paused as they took it in and those who were busy relaying the words could do so.

"So gentlemen, I want to ask you a question. Is there any one of us who has not lost someone in this fight who is important to us, be it a comrade at the desert front, or a friend in the Pass or someone from your company as we travelled this far towards home? How many of you expect to go home to lost family, lost wives, lost children?" He looked at Second Master, "and like my sworn brother, are left with nothing to live for save the knowledge we cannot let the Mu army, those Mu dogs, take anything else from us!"

A roar went up, weapons raised in defiance. A looked of anger and solidarity swept the grounds. 

Băo finished with a flurry, full and powerful. "Then join us in our fight, and if you know you have lost loved ones, don the white ribbon and we, Twin Hammers, will make this as a Just War and fight for the memory of those who have fallen and have risen with the phoenix!"

The roar grew louder, but Băo continued. "We have lands to protect, children to raise, farmland to tend, families to rebuild. We have towns and villages to restore. We are Twin Hammers and we will win in the name of those who have fallen for justice and truth!"

 

"What is it?" Niao crouched down next to Xin.

"They have mobilised every man they can find, farmers with pitch forks, men who were serving in shops, now brandishing a sword." She looked at Niao. "They are more dangerous than the soldiers. They are scared, unpredictable and terrified of us. Now what do we do?" 

"We return. Let's pick up a fast trot and get back to the camp as quickly as possible." With that, the remaining Blade packs moved as one unit, silently padding up the roadway, back to the camp outside Tangun.