Book 8 Chapter 1 – Meticulous Planning

The next morning, the situation inside the city was still very tense. Tieqi Hui’s warriors and Lin Shihong’s Chu Army could be seen galloping on horsebacks back and forth on the streets, patrolling and searching.

Fortunately Niu Fangcai was in good relationship with the high-ranking military officer guarding the city gate; therefore, Yun Yuzhen, Xiang Yushan and the others were able to leave the city and went on board their ship without any surprise without any danger, so that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling breathed a sigh of relief.

After Niu Fangcai returned, he fetched a map of the City of Jiujiang, and coached the two boys in detail. He said, “Jiujiang is located at the heart of the route connecting the north and the south. Those who want to travel from south to the north will most likely take the waterway first and then abandon their boat here to continue by land. There is a stone pier at the north side of the old city that has a reputation as ‘southern boat northern horse’; it is very prosperous.”

Kou Zhong said, “This time Lin Shihong and Ren Shaoming are forming alliance in Jiujiang and announced it all over the world, their intention must be to display their strength to the heroes and warriors from both the north and the south. Ay! Vying over the world is really not a simple matter.”

Niu Fangcai went on, “On the south Jiujiang is connected to Dongting [Lake], on the north it is connected to the Great River, network of waterways crisscrossing the city. The main part is the old city district. The city wall reaches fifteen zhang high, with four city gates and three sluice gates. My Xing Fa Long and the Chun Zai Lou are both located at the old city district, only one in the south the other in the north, at the ends of the North Gate Avenue and the South Gate Avenue, respectively. These two streets meet at the city center, where the city hall, Zhen Jiang Lou [lit. river town building] is located.”

Xu Ziling said, “Fifteen zhang is such a high wall, we will need some kind of tool to climb over it.”

“Or, find a way to slip out via the sluice gate,” Kou Zhong said.

Niu Fangcai said, “The sluice gate is reinforced with double steel walls, extremely sturdy. Pl