Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 177 Yamaguchi Ambush
"Well done!" Zhu Wen praised, giving a thumbs-up.

Zhu Wen had already promised on the spot that You Di would leave safely. But with a wicked woman like You Di, there was no need to be trustworthy; otherwise, wouldn't he be just like Duke Xiang of Song?

Back then, Yang Xingmi intervened on Mount Tai, persuading her not to make things difficult for the Cao army. Before her injuries had fully healed, You Di helped Pei Qu, the military governor of Zhenhai, take Cao Shixiong's head.

Zhu Wen let her leave safely at the village fair, so he could be considered to have kept his promise.

"This vixen is like a rat in a vat of boiling oil; she's doomed!" Huo Cun exclaimed excitedly.

You Di's cunning and treacherous nature is truly terrifying. It would be best if we could eliminate this woman in one fell swoop this time.

Zhu Wen did not answer, knowing that while Zhu Zhen's command was commendable, its execution might not be so smooth.

“Let’s go and see what’s going on. Maybe we’ll run into Zhu Zhen and the others bringing Hua Wang up as a prisoner.”

Huo Cun, oblivious to the doubt in Zhu Wen's words, laughed and said, "That would be great. If we could just chop this crazy woman down in battle, it would be a good thing for her."

He was already thinking about capturing this woman; he was determined to have his fill of pleasure. Such a fine golden cat should be shared among the meritorious soldiers.

He pondered further, having followed Zhu Wen for two or three years, he had never seen the boss indulge in any taste of meat. A woman like Hua Wang was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; he wondered if the others might be unable to resist and decide to try it themselves.

Zhu Wen glanced at Huo Cunyi's eyes darting around and guessed what he was thinking.

Use people like tools, making use of their strengths. There's no reason to expect every trusted confidant to be a great general.

Huo Cun was a talent discovered by Zhu Wen and served him the longest. Although this young man was fond of women, he did not harm women in ordinary families. On the battlefield, he was brave and efficient, skilled in both spear and horsemanship, and was ultimately a promising talent. Even if he had some shortcomings, he could simply play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.

New Year's Eve marked the end of winter, and the deepest snowfall on the ground had passed. The bandits drove their sturdy horses at breakneck speed across the snow, stirring up snow dust that stung their eyes but did little to hinder their progress.

Based on the distance, the heavy snow would block the mountain passes, and You Di and the others would have to leave the Quzhou area controlled by the Cao army as soon as possible by passing through the Zuo Jin mountain pass.

Huang Chao had already set up sentry posts at the mountain pass, not only to guard against government troops, but also to act as tax checkpoints.

Huang Chao couldn't really trust the tax officials in Quzhou.

As for the bandits who packed some things into their bags...

An army without funds will not attract soldiers. An army without rewards will not serve. In snowy weather, without some benefit, who would willingly spend the whole year standing guard in the cold wind and freezing temperatures?

As the saying goes, "One cannot be a father-in-law without being foolish or deaf." As long as they don't go too far, Huang Chao can just consider it a gift to his soldiers.

You Di and his group had originally infiltrated by spreading out and traversing mountains and valleys via small paths. Now, with manpower concentrated and time running out, they could only retreat on horses and mules they had bought locally in Quzhou.

Although the sentry did not recognize them, seeing a group of young women riding horses, he naturally had to question them.

You Di spoke in a mournful tone, putting on a pitiful act: "My sisters and I were all maids of the Lu family in Wu County. Because our master was tyrannical, we could not bear it any longer, so we stole horses and ran away..."

As she spoke, she picked a small piece of gold from between her fingers, her words sweet and seductive, making the leading captain feel as if his soul was about to be intoxicated: "I hope you, sir, will have pity on me..."

Huang Chao would spare some of the wealthy and powerful families who were willing to pay exorbitant prices. However, if they couldn't keep an eye on their servants and they ran away, his army would have no choice but to release them on their behalf.

It's perfectly reasonable for someone who works as a slave to hoard a little gold under their fingernails.

Furthermore, captivated by You Di's alluring charm and sweet voice, the captain and his soldiers failed to notice any flaws for the time being—if she were a runaway maid, they could simply throw her into the army camp, and the head of the household would certainly not dare to come and demand her back, so why bother going outside Quzhou?

Color is a bone-scraping steel knife. The captain was still intoxicated, when the soft sword, like a silver snake, was already unleashed from You Diluo's sleeve, severing the captain's throat with a single stroke.

The women behind them attacked simultaneously, brandishing their swords and spears.

Some quick-witted warriors mounted their horses and charged into battle. But the women under Youdi's command were mostly barbarian maids recruited from the mountains of the southeast. They moved through the mountains like monkeys and fought like demons; they also wore hidden armor beneath their clothing. The few dozen sentries, hastily engaged in battle, were no match for them.

Before long, the sentries who had been suddenly attacked were utterly routed. Two or three quick-witted ones managed to ride back and report the news.

"Men, line up and let's go over the mountain," You Di commanded her subordinates, abandoning her fawning demeanor.

If she were to act, would she address her subordinates and maids as sisters?

The maids on horseback bowed respectfully, responded in unison, and spurred their horses forward.

Suddenly, the sound of crossbows rang out. The women hurriedly swerved to avoid the arrows, but two barbarian women were still shot through the back of their horses and fell to their deaths.

Zhu Zhen's head was wrapped in a large white cloth beneath his armor, and blood could be seen seeping from his shoulder through the seams. He was clearly badly injured, yet he still forced himself to ride after him, laughing heartily, "Flower King, I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon, the New Year isn't even over yet!" Each of Zhu Zhen's knights fired a crossbow bolt, then slung it at their waists, spurred their horses, and charged after him with their lances drawn.

A group of men emerged from behind the mountain ahead. Dong Hou, carrying a command flag, led the charge, followed closely by Ge Congzhou and the other Ming Cult knights.

Yu Di and his group were caught in a pincer movement at this narrow mountain pass, with no way to escape.

They couldn't buy a large number of warhorses in Quzhou, so they rode ordinary horses for transportation, and even mules and donkeys. It was really difficult for them to fight on horseback against proper cavalry.

After being given important responsibilities, Zhu Zhen couldn't help but feel smug as he devised his first scheme: "The Flower King always schemes against others, how come he's become the filling for the steamed bun today?"

As Youdi watched her subordinates and maids being wounded and thrown from their horses, or captured alive by the cavalry, she remained calm and said, "You are quite the man, your knowledge is enough to make me take a look."

“Now that we’ve got the Flower King under our control, he can’t keep his mouth shut anymore,” Zhu Zhen said coldly.

As Youdi's number of warriors dwindled, she showed no sorrow over the deaths of her subordinates. In her eyes, it was only natural for these maids to die for her.

Zhu Zhen saw that You Di was fighting a group of bandit knights while wielding a soft sword, and her smile was even more charming. He assumed that You Di was just putting on a show of composure.

Suddenly, a spirited song rang out from behind the snow-covered mountain, singing "The Song of Prince Lanling Entering the Battle".

"New generals join the battle, their songs and music resonating with many, a consensus shared by merchants of Lanling. They prepare a lively dance, a joyous feast, where guests' faces flush with delight!"

A mounted general in a royal blue battle robe, wearing a demon mask, rode a tall horse and charged out like lightning. In the flash of his spear, a Ming Cult knight was pierced in the throat, coughing up blood and falling from his horse.

Behind them, a long procession of mounted warriors filed out, each carrying a torch. The firelight reflected off the snow, illuminating it as if it were daytime.

In the south, Zhu Wen said to Huo Cun, who was riding side by side, "Zhu Zhen's plan is good, but there's one thing you haven't thought about."

"Even if the Flower King succeeds in killing me, he will still have to consider retreating. Why wouldn't he send someone to meet him on the outside?"

Huang Chao's sentry posts were very tight, making it impossible for large groups of cavalry to sneak in, but they could wait and ambush on the outer perimeter.

Huo Cun slapped his forehead, realizing that Zhu Zhen had miscalculated.

Seeing Gao Yan arrive with cavalry to provide reinforcements, You Di's smile grew even brighter. She wielded her soft sword like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, forcing Dong Hou and Ge Congzhou to retreat completely.

Unexpectedly, the tired horse beneath him was exhausted and could not withstand the drive. With a heavy sigh, it collapsed.

As Youdi fell from her horse, a hint of fear finally appeared on her face. Gao Yan, however, had already defeated his opponent and rode over to help Youdi up, placing her behind him.

"Zhang Gao, a subordinate of the Holy Church, pays respects to the Flower King." Gao Yan said this, but there was not a trace of respect in his words.

Zhang Gao was the alias that Gao Yan used when he infiltrated the Ming Cult.

You Di pressed her soft, delicate body against Gao Yan's back and said in a sweet voice, "Does someone as shrewish as Young Master Yanwei even have designs on a weak and unassuming person like me?"

Gao Yan removed his mask, revealing his handsome face, but he didn't turn around to look at her, continuing to fight the enemy with his gun.

"The Queen of Flowers is the most beautiful woman in the world, who wouldn't be tempted? But if a man is captivated by beauty, at least he has the potential to possess that beauty in the future. Otherwise, he's not even as good as a stupid pig kept in a latrine."

"Gao's current status is insufficient, so thinking about it is useless. If I achieve success and fame, and the Flower King offers himself to me, I will certainly welcome him with open arms."

You Di covered her mouth and giggled: "We're old acquaintances, after all, so we can talk so freely and without restraint."

Gao Yan did not reply.

He and Youdi are the same kind of people; the reason they cooperate is simply because they currently share the same interests.

Upon seeing Gao Yan, Dong Hou's brows furrowed in anger, and he gritted his teeth, shouting, "Gao Yan, you shameless scoundrel!"

He then said to Ge Congzhou, "The Ghost King was a hero for life. If he hadn't been instigated by this traitor who infiltrated my sect back then, would he have betrayed his brothers?"

"Most of you Ming Cult members are like this, so boring. Compared to you, Flower King is indeed to my liking." Gao Yan was not annoyed at all: "Pang Xun trusted me and promoted me to one of the 'Five Scattered Demons' in the cult. He misjudged people, so who can I blame? As for Ming Shiyin, he was always afraid of death. I just pointed out a path for him to preserve his life and wealth; wasn't it him who killed his own brothers?"

At this point, Gao Yan looked at Dong Hou with a mocking expression: "As for you, Dong Hou, you must have had your share of Ming Cult brothers' blood on your hands, right?"

(End of this chapter)