Love Lock

Chapter 290 Choosing Another Talent
"Form a chevaux-de-frise!" Shen Daohong shouted sternly.

The servants and guards quickly placed several empty carriages across the road to form a makeshift barrier.

In the cold wind, Shen Daohong stood at the forefront, his long sword drawn, the cold light reflecting on his face that showed no fear of death.

In the distance, the banners of the Imperial Guards were already faintly visible, and the sound of iron hooves was deafening.

One thousand meters!

Eight hundred meters!
Six hundred meters!
Just then, on the hillside beside the official road, several agile figures walked down the winding path through the forest, chatting and laughing as they stepped on the fallen leaves.

"We chose a good spot today; there's plenty of game." The dark-faced man at the front patted the black metal slung on his shoulder, which still seemed to smell of fresh pine resin. "That brood of pheasants just now, bang bang, two shots and they were gone..."

"They were so scared they all ran away! Hahaha..." The tall, thin man following behind suddenly interjected, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

He waved the pitiful hare in his hand. "Brother Jiu is right. This M16 is only suitable for hunting bears, not for pheasants. It's a waste of bullets."

These agile figures were none other than the Big Character Team brothers that Da Jiu had brought out to practice their marksmanship.

Da Jiu, who was walking at the front of the group, suddenly stopped, his deerskin boots crushing a fallen acorn.

This young man in his early twenties possessed a composure beyond his years, and a dark scar between his brows appeared particularly sharp when he frowned. He raised his right fist, making a stop gesture, and the laughter behind him abruptly ceased.

Several strong men simultaneously lowered themselves, and the forest suddenly became extremely quiet; even the sound of tits flapping their wings could be clearly heard.

"There's something going on down the mountain."

Da Jiu lowered his voice and listened intently. The sound of horses' hooves in the distance grew closer and closer, like muffled thunder, interspersed with indistinct shouts.

Seventeen crouched low and scurried behind the crooked pine tree at the front, then suddenly gasped: "The official road is shrouded in dust, I'm afraid it's..."

Da Jiu strode forward, his cloth shoes snapping the withered branch with a crisp crack. The cold wind ruffled their cloth clothes, but it couldn't dispel the sharpness in their eyes.

"What's going on?" Big Sixteen asked in a low voice, his finger already on the trigger.

Da Jiu did not answer, but slowly raised the binoculars.

Through the lens, he saw the caravan of magnificent carriages, the women frantically changing carriages, and the old man standing at the very front, holding a long sword.

Further away, a dark mass of cavalry was galloping towards them, kicking up clouds of dust, and the distance between the two sides was rapidly closing.

Da Shiliu also raised his binoculars and asked in confusion, "Huh? Aren't those the Emperor's Imperial Guards?"

These guys from the Big Character Squad have been in the capital for quite some time, and they know the different types of soldiers there very well.

"Ninth Brother, it seems that the caravan is in trouble." The Seventeenth Brother calmly analyzed, "There are at least two thousand cavalrymen, and the caravan's guards number no more than a hundred."

“Ninth Brother, this has nothing to do with us,” Da Shi said coldly. “We have limited ammunition, and there’s no need for us to get involved in this inexplicable conflict.”

Down the hillside, Shen Daohong could already make out the faces of the pursuers. The leading general had a ferocious face beneath his helmet, and he was raising his long sword, issuing the order to charge.

Two thousand iron cavalry surged in like a tidal wave, causing the earth to tremble.

"Prepare!"

Shen Daohong shouted in a deep voice. The servants and guards behind him gripped their weapons tightly. Although their faces were pale, no one retreated.

The carriage carrying Duke Heng and his entourage had only just started moving, its speed far slower than that of the cavalry. Shen Daohong knew that they could only delay them for a moment at most.

On the hillside, Da Jiu watched this scene, his fists clenching involuntarily. The old man's figure, standing tall despite knowing he was doomed, reminded him of his former commander—Zhao Zun.

"Ninth Brother..." Sixteen hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Da Jiu immediately ordered, "Let's observe first and then act rashly."

The brothers in the Big Character Team nodded silently and took out their binoculars to look down the mountain.

In just a short while, two thousand Imperial Guard cavalrymen galloped along the official road like dark clouds pressing down, and in an instant, they were behind the convoy.

The commander of the Imperial Guards, who was leading the convoy, suddenly pulled on the reins when the convoy was fifty paces away. The horse reared up, kicking up a cloud of dust.

He was clad in armor, his eyes beneath his helmet as sharp as a hawk's, and his right hand always rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist.

The imperial guards behind him reined in their horses and stopped. The clanging of armor and the neighing of warhorses echoed through the silent valley, startling a flock of birds in the forest.

Shen Daohong's beard trembled slightly in the wind, and the servants and guards beside him had already drawn their swords, the cold light reflecting on their tense faces.

The old steward gripped the riding whip tightly as a weapon, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

Everyone watched the Imperial Guards, who had suddenly stopped, warily, wondering what they were up to.

"Is that Marshal Shen Daohong ahead?" The voice of the Imperial Guard Commander rang out like thunder, echoing through the valley.

Seeing that they seemed to have no ill intentions, Shen Daohong slowly loosened his grip on the sword hilt, his palms already damp with sweat.

He straightened his back, but his voice was unusually calm: "It is indeed I."

A cold glint flashed from the lens of Da Jiu's telescope in the bushes on the hillside.

Suddenly, the eldest brother next to him gasped: "Ninth Brother, that old man is actually the 'Iron Wall Marshal' of Nanguan!"

"No wonder those carriages were so luxurious, it turns out it was Marshal Shen." Da Shiqi also secretly clicked his tongue in amazement.

At this moment, the commander of the Imperial Guards took out a bright yellow imperial edict from his bosom and opened it.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Marshal Shen Daohong of the Southern Pass has guarded the border for twenty years, demonstrating skillful command and repeatedly achieving remarkable feats."

Before the imperial edict was even finished being read, a bitter smile appeared on Shen Daohong's lips.

He gazed at the distant mountains and recalled that on a similarly bright spring day outside the South Gate, he led 30,000 men to defend the pass for three months.

When the court needs him, he is called a "pillar of the nation," but when it doesn't, his military power is stripped away, and he is now retired and living in seclusion. He is currently on the run for his life.

Thinking about it still makes me feel disheartened.

"...The Eastern Ming Empire has now deployed 300,000 troops. Shen Daohong is hereby ordered to immediately lead 150,000 troops to reinforce Dongguan and join forces to resist the enemy. This is the imperial decree!"

The last syllable of the imperial edict still lingered in the air when the commander of the Imperial Guards, having already rolled up the edict, narrowed his eyes and said, "Marshal Shen, receive the edict!"

Upon hearing that foreign enemies had invaded the border, Shen Daohong was instinctively filled with righteous indignation. But he also harbored resentment; he had a temper, you know?
Besides, if it's just to deliver an imperial edict, is it really necessary to mobilize two thousand Imperial Guards?

Is this an invitation, or an arrest?

He recalled his daughter's letter. The new emperor had sent assassins to kill his daughter's family, yet at the same time, he had issued an edict summoning him back. What was going on...?

Thinking of this, Shen Daohong suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh filled with desolation.

He stroked the mottled marks on the scabbard, marks left from the fierce battle on the South Gate battlefield years ago.

Immediately, he sheathed his sword, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said very politely, "I have long since retired from the military and returned to my hometown. I am afraid these old bones of mine cannot withstand the wind and sand of the border. I beg Your Majesty to choose another capable person!"

"you!"

Seeing his polite refusal, the Imperial Guard Commander suddenly drew his sword, the tip of which drew a silver arc in the air, pointing directly at Shen Daohong.

"Are you really unwilling to accept the imperial decree?" The commander of the Imperial Guards squinted at him.

Master Shen, however, remained completely unfazed. "So what if I accept? And if I don't... what then?"

"Hmph! His Majesty has issued an edict. If you do not obey..." The Imperial Guard Commander's expression changed instantly. The two thousand iron cavalry behind him stepped forward at the same time, causing the valley to tremble. "That would be disobeying the imperial edict! Then don't blame me for being impolite. I can only take your head back to report."

As expected! Emperor Jing dispatched two thousand imperial guards to deliver the imperial edict precisely to make this move!

"Then... allow me a moment to consider it."

He's deliberately stalling for time. The Duke of Heng and his group shouldn't have gone very far yet, right?

Hidden among the bushes on the hillside, Da Jiu licked his dry lips and said in a low voice, "Did you see the jade pendant on that old man's waist?"

Da Shiliu leaned closer to the binoculars: "It looks like it's engraved with... the characters 'Jing'an'?"

“It’s a token that the late emperor bestowed upon the Jing’an Army.” A glint of light flashed in Da Jiu’s eyes. “The prince said that all former Jing’an soldiers… No, we have to save them.”

Before he could finish speaking, a series of crisp bowstrings were drawn from below – the Imperial Guard archers had already formed three ranks.

"Ninth Brother, are you crazy?" Da Shi roared. "We only have five or six men, and we don't have enough ammunition!"

Da Jiu turned to look at Da Shi, "I'm asking you, what is the Emperor's man to the Prince?"

“Of course they are the prince’s enemies,” Da Shi replied without hesitation.

Da Jiu suddenly snapped off a tree branch, splinters falling everywhere: "Isn't that the end of it? The people the Imperial Guards want to kill... are the people we're trying to save!"

“But our ammunition…” Da Shi hesitated.

"Hehe!" Da Jiu chuckled, confident. "We don't need too much ammunition. Just like the prince did, we'll capture the leader first. Come here..."

The brothers from the Big Character Team quickly approached, and Da Jiu whispered something in their ears. The brothers immediately showed knowing smiles.

Da Jiu then instructed, "Remember, that commander is mine."

The team members quickly spread out, searching for the best firing positions. Da Jiu locked onto the Imperial Guard commander charging at the forefront through his scope.

Down the mountain, after waiting for a while, seeing Shen Daohong dawdling and not giving an answer, and instead occasionally looking back at the distant official road, the Imperial Guard captain seemed to understand something.

He looked down from his horse, displeased, and said, "Marshal Shen, what's your decision? Or are you just stalling for time?"

Shen Daohong was taken aback, realizing that he couldn't delay any longer.

A mocking smile appeared on his face as he slowly said, "As I have said, I am getting old, and I ask Your Majesty to choose another capable person."

Upon hearing this, the captain of the Imperial Guard realized he had been tricked and was immediately enraged.

He brandished his longsword and ordered, "Kill them all, leave no one alive, and bring back Shen Daohong's head."

As soon as he finished speaking, a volley of arrows rained down, and the Imperial Guards charged forward, brandishing their weapons.

"kill--"

On Shen Daohong's side, everyone brandished their weapons to defend against the arrows.

The two sides were already about fifty paces apart, and the official road was not wide, only wide enough for four horses to cross side by side, so the Imperial Guards were stretched out in a long line. Therefore, only a small number of arrows actually hit the convoy, and most of them fell to the ground exhausted.

The commander of the Imperial Guards took the lead, his long sword gleaming coldly. Shen Daohong and the others, who had just blocked the arrows, quickly engaged the enemy again.

It seemed that Emperor Jing was determined to take Shen Daohong's life. Da Jiu took a deep breath, just as the two sides were about to pull the trigger.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Several crisp gunshots pierced the sky, completely unlike any sound from the era of cold weapons.

The five cavalrymen at the forefront fell to the ground from their horses, including their commander.

The sudden turn of events threw the entire Imperial Guard into chaos, and the warhorses, startled, reared up, neighing.

On the official road, Shen Daohong and his servants and guards looked in horror at the Imperial Guards who had rushed in front of them but suddenly fell to the ground, and then turned to look at the hillside from which the gunshots came.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

Gunfire continued, and more Imperial Guards fell to the ground. The remaining Imperial Guards were already in a panic, but then a series of chaotic shouts mixed with gunfire came from the nearby hillside, as if many people were charging.

"Come on!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Come on!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The Imperial Guards at the front saw their own men falling one after another, with blood everywhere, but they had no idea what the enemy's situation was.

As a result, the Imperial Guards were thrown into chaos, the official road became congested, and the horses trampled haphazardly.

"Go back, go back!"

"Retreat! Run!"

Shouts from the Imperial Guards rose and fell, the troops were on high alert, and they struggled to turn around and escape through the pipes.

Shen Daohong and the others remained in their fighting stance, their expressions of terror never fading.

"What...what is that?" an old servant asked, his eyes trembling as he peered at the hillside.

Shen Daohong narrowed his eyes, puzzled, but he immediately seized the opportunity: "Take this opportunity and get out of here!"

He turned and shouted to the carriage, which had already driven some distance away, "Go! Don't look back!"

On the hillside, Da Jiu calmly changed magazines: "Keep the suppression, don't let them regroup!"

The team members fired precise shots at the Imperial Guards' horses, causing them to fall to the ground and kick up a cloud of dust.

The warhorses were startled and completely uncontrollable, causing the entire Imperial Guard formation to collapse completely. In their panic, they accelerated their escape.

Dust billowed on the official road, leaving only the wounded warhorses and bruised cavalrymen.

Their leader lay dead in a pool of blood, his eyes wide open in death.

A moment later, Shen Daohong stared at this incredible scene, his longsword drooping slightly.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, turned to the hillside, and saw through the gaps in the branches and leaves several figures turning to leave.

"Have a moment, brave warriors!" Shen Daohong shouted, cupping his hands to his mouth. His voice was exceptionally clear on the suddenly quiet official road. "I, Shen, thank you all for saving my life!"

On the hillside, Da Jiu stopped and looked back.

The two faced each other from a distance of over a hundred meters, their gazes meeting in the dusty air.

The brothers in the Big Character Team tossed their M16s behind their backs and put away their walkie-talkies.

The walkie-talkies they had just used were very useful; when they shouted "Charge!", they all pressed the talk button.

The shouts coming from the walkie-talkie and their own shouts blended together, making it seem as if many more people had suddenly appeared; their bluff was truly impressive.

"Ninth Brother, Marshal Shen is thanking us. Should we go down and say hello?" Sixteenth Brother asked with a beaming smile.

Da Jiu thought for a moment, then said, "Let's go downstairs."

After a day's rest, I'm fully recharged and ready to ask for comments, favorites, and votes!