Taiping Dao at the end of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 59 Ambush from Three Sides, Li's Burial Here!
The spring sun shines brightly on the grass and trees. The Si River flows across the river, eventually joining the Ji River. It is the dry season, and the water at this shallow ferry crossing is no more than a meter deep, enough for both people and horses to swim across.

"Cang! Cang!"

One hundred soldiers from the Li clan, fully armed and carrying swords and bows, were ready for battle. Li Zheng, on horseback and sword in hand, stood behind his father, Li Qian, coldly watching the river mouth.

At this moment, what blocked their crossing of the river were only sixty boats full of pirates. Compared to their well-trained tribal soldiers, what were these loosely organized pirates carrying knives and darts?

In terms of long-range shooting, the enemy was no match for them; going ashore would be suicide! Add to that the usual conflicts and grudges… If the Duan family's crisis hadn't been so imminent, Li Zheng wouldn't have done what his father did—paying for passage. He would have led his clansmen, chopped off all their heads, piled them onto a small boat, and floated it towards the Great Wild Marsh!
"boom!…"

Two soldiers from the Li clan carried a wooden box and tossed it heavily in front of the small boat closest to the riverbank. Then, the box suddenly opened, revealing bright orange and green five-zhu coins. Onozawa Pengui opened his eyes wide, looked at the box for a while, then at the eight heavy carriages, and said with a smile.

"Brother Li, you're carrying so many boxes of money; crossing the river won't be easy! Don't you really need our boat to help you?"

"Brother Peng! My Li family was prepared. The water is shallow now, so we won't trouble you. Please take the money and leave now!"

Li Qian of the Li family wore a smile on his face, but there was no real joy in his eyes. Peng Gui sent two men to load the box of copper coins onto the ship. Then, with a half-smile, he spoke again.

"Brother Li, you brought eight carriages, but you're only willing to give me a box of copper coins? Why not add another box?"

"clang!"

Upon hearing this, Li Qian's face turned cold. He drew his fine iron longsword and pointed it at the small boat in the Great Wild Marsh. Following his movement, thirty or forty well-trained archers of the Li clan stepped forward in unison. They nocked their arrows and assumed firing stances, ready to act at the clan leader's command!

"Peng Gui, I've paid the toll and given you face! If you don't back down, then we'll have no choice but to fight to the death!"

"Hmm? Li Qian, do you think we, the men of Dayeze, are afraid of you on this river? However, since you have paid the toll for the wine... we brothers will let you go this time."

"Hmph! Go to the Duan family manor to apologize? If you cross the river now, you will surely be punished by heaven, and it will be too late for regrets!"

On the Sishui River, facing Li's archers, Peng Kui was clearly outwardly fierce but inwardly weak. He shouted a few harsh words and then waved his hand. Suddenly, a dozen or twenty small boats split into two groups, one to the east and one to the west, paddling out a mile or two in each direction to clear the ferry crossing.

But these swarming pirates, like flies, refused to leave completely. They kept watching from a distance, like the "Duan family cavalry" trailing far behind, causing unease and anxiety!

"Damn it! We need to cross the river quickly! Once we're across, these river pirates will be no longer a threat. The caravan behind us is smaller, and if they try to cross, they might be targeted by these greedy pirates. If these two groups were to fight, that would be even better!..."

More and more people followed the Li family's group, seemingly attracted by the wealth in the carriages, yet an ominous feeling lingered. The family head, Li Qian, frowned, assessing the situation as he saw it, and decisively offered the "best" solution.

"Li Hu, Li Xiong! Each of you take twelve archers and head to both sides of the riverbank to keep an eye on these river pirates!"

"only!"

"Li Bao, you're a good rider. Take three scouts and keep an eye on the cavalry behind you!"

"only!"

"Zheng'er! You stay here and watch the carriage cross the river!"

"promise!"

"Li Ying, you come with me and lead the team to the other side to hold the riverbank!"

"only!"

Soon, the Li clan's soldiers sprang into action, displaying a disciplined and efficient fighting spirit. Twenty-four archers went to both sides, each about half a mile away, to guard the river with their bows drawn. Birds circled leisurely over the river, dropping droppings as they emitted short, bright cries.

"Yo! Yo!~"

Li Qian led his horse across the river, keeping an eye on the movements of the river pirates, and personally led twenty men across. The river wasn't deep, only up to his chest, and the horse could also peek out. Once he reached the riverbank, soaking wet, he arranged for his twenty men to spread out and stand guard, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Phew! This journey has been truly arduous! May our ancestors' blessings protect us!"

Li Qian let out a long sigh and recited a sentence. Unfortunately, given the ruthless methods by which the powerful Li family amassed their fortunes through consolidation, such a legacy of virtue is probably nonexistent. Li Qian glanced at the empty tall grass and earthen slope to the south, then his attention returned to the river pirates to the east and west, the cavalry to the north, and most importantly, the carriage.

"Unload the copper coins, and move them over here box by box! Once you've emptied a carriage, ferry it over as well!"

"Six men escort the carriage across the river! Two men lead the horses, and the others push and lift it from behind! Don't rush, the river is shallow and the mud at the bottom isn't deep, just follow the path we've waded through!"

"Okay! Okay! One's coming! Keep going, next one!"

The clan head, Li Qian, was on the south bank of the river to receive the goods, while Li Zheng was on the north bank to make arrangements. Cart after cart of money was carried across the river by the people, both by hand and on horseback, which truly exhausted the clan members.

Even if he was exhausted, Li Qian would choose to swim across; he would never entrust these valuables to the pirates of Onozawa. For a powerful figure like him, only things he could control and do himself were reliable!
As for the ferry boats that originally lined the river, now that these river pirates have appeared, the boatmen have undoubtedly been driven away. Even if a boatman were to reappear, Li wouldn't dare to board!

"Huff! Huff! Master, there are only three carriages left!"

"Yes, well done! After you've finished transporting the wagons, rest for a while on this bank and feed the horses. Then load these wooden crates back into the wagons. It's getting late, and we still have a long way to go today. It would be best if we could find a safe temple to spend the night!"

"Yes! Patriarch!"

Li Qian counted the number of people and saw that about 50-60% of his clansmen had come over, with the remaining archers on the opposite bank still on guard. His tense expression relaxed considerably, and he gave a few instructions in a deep voice before taking his nephew Li Ying and mounting his horse again.

"Let's go! Li Ying, let's scout south again!"

This time, Li went to great lengths, managing to gather a total of 23 horses. Sixteen were used to pull carts, and seven were used for scouting. To keep an eye on the cavalry behind them, he sent four riders, while his eldest son, Li Zheng, rode one horse to direct operations from the riverbank. At this moment, he could only personally lead his nephew to scout southwards along the road ahead.

"Yo! Yo!~"

The melodious birdsong rang out again. Li Qian looked up, watching the birds flying south, a hint of disorientation on his tired face. These birds circled over the river for a long time before finally heading south, just like his Li family's flock, though their destination remained unknown.

"The universe and humanity are in harmony, and all things in the world have their own omens. What kind of future does this bird, circling and not landing, calling out towards the south, foretell for us?"

Li Qian's thoughts wandered as he swayed on horseback. The unpredictable road ahead and the numerous distractions pulling at his attention made him unconsciously sluggish.

The reeds along the riverbank were tall and dense, obscuring everything. A few hundred paces beyond the bank was a low, gently sloping earthen hill, not very high, but it did somewhat block the view.

"Patriarch! Something's not right!" "Hmm? Li Ying, what's wrong?"

The two had just finished scouting and were almost at the earthen slope when their nephew, Li Ying, suddenly reined in his horse. His expression was grave as he looked around, then, seeing his uncle's weary face, he spoke in a deep voice.

"Master! Something's wrong. It's too quiet here! Not even the chirping of insects or birds! Those birds circled for so long, but not a single one landed; they just flew south..."

"?! Quiet? Birds are circling south?...Wait! The birds haven't landed yet?!"

At that moment, Li Qian shuddered, and alarm bells rang in his dazed mind! He abruptly pulled on the reins, about to say something. But suddenly, a boy of medium build, holding a large bow, appeared on the earthen slope fifty paces ahead!
The young man, expressionless, nocked an armor-piercing iron arrow and, seemingly slowly but actually swiftly, drew his bow. Then, calmly and deliberately, he aimed at Li Qian, who was rapidly turning his horse, and without hesitation, fired a fierce arrow!
"middle!!"

"Whoosh!!"

The ambush arrow arrived like lightning, whistling with death! In just two breaths, it was upon him, striking Li Qian precisely in the chest, piercing through his armor!

"what!"

Li Qian, on horseback, was struck as if by a heavy blow, his upper body jerking backward. The arrow had such force, and it had struck so suddenly! He could no longer maintain his balance, let out a scream, and fell heavily backward, his fate unknown!
“Patriarch!!”

Cousin Li Ying cried out in alarm, about to dismount to save the man, when he saw the boy swiftly nock another arrow. Then, dozens of archers lying in ambush emerged from behind the grassy slope, drew their bows, aimed at him, and fired their arrows in unison!
“Swish swish!!”

"Ah! Uh! Hehe!..."

These dozen or so arrows came flying, riddling Li Ying and his horse with holes, and his screams came to an abrupt end!

"Lyric! Hiss!!"

The horse, in pain, did not die immediately. It suddenly stomped on Li Qian, who was lying on the ground, threw off Li Ying's still-warm, gushing corpse, and ran towards the river.

"Master! Thief! Save the master!!"

A startling turn of events occurred suddenly. The fifty or sixty Li clan soldiers on the riverbank, after just one glance, instantly turned bloodshot. The blood ties of the Li clan, the shared fate of their family, made it impossible for them to abandon their patriarch and flee. They no longer cared about the carriages on the bank, and, swords and shields in hand, charged towards the grassy slope a little over two hundred paces away!
"Hmm? That middle-aged scout on horseback is actually the head of the Li family?"

Zhang Chengfu, carrying a heavy bow, stood on the grassy slope and glanced in surprise at the middle-aged man who had fallen from his horse. The man had been hit by Zhang Chengfu's heavy arrow, tumbled from his horse, and then trampled by it, yet he was still alive. He struggled to crawl in the grass, trying to stand up, but it seemed he had broken his leg and couldn't move at all.

"What a fine patriarch of the Li family! What a fine Li Qian!"

Zhang Chengfu secretly praised him. This tough man acted with impenetrable secrecy; even with the involvement of cavalry and river pirates, he still didn't neglect scouting on the south bank. What was originally an ambush had thus turned into a battle, and the biggest gain was this "big fish" he had personally scouted, which would serve as bait for the Li clan's soldiers!
"Prepare for battle!"

At a command, the 31 archers of the Taiping Dao stepped forward more than twenty paces and stood in a row on the grassy slope, seemingly waiting for something. Just seven or eight breaths later, 42 Taishan warriors, clad in armor and carrying swords and spears, emerged from behind the grassy slope and advanced past the archers to form a battle line.

"Array up!"

Yu Jin shouted, and the Taishan men quickly formed two ranks, not far from the still-alive Li Qian. The front rank wore wooden shields and iron armor, while the rear rank held long spears at an angle. Meanwhile, fifty or sixty Li clan soldiers, shouting angrily and anxiously, were about to charge in.

"Go! Don't come any closer! This is... a conspiracy by the Duan family! To the north, the cavalry... are coming!"

Li Qian, the head of the Li family, struggled on the grass, blood streaming from his chest, before rolling over. Looking at the rows of soldiers behind him, his heart filled with despair and pain. In almost a split second, he guessed the most likely truth and cried out in a hoarse, blood-filled voice.

"The Duan family...ambush...pirates...cavalry!...Go! Everyone go! Escape..."

The muffled shouts drifted on the wind, heading north towards the Sishui River, never to be heard again! Almost simultaneously, the Ono Sawa clans on both sides spotted the ambush to the south and let out excited shouts, rowing swiftly towards the enemy!
"Kill! Kill! Kill those Li family archers! Seize their carriages!"

"Ah! Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Pirates!"

"Beep! Beep! The cavalry! The cavalry is coming!"

The Li clan's troops split in two, and the river pirates attacked while they were crossing the river. The cavalry behind them suddenly accelerated, charging fiercely! Gao Daonu rode to the forefront, swiftly thrusting his spear forward and dismounting the enemy cavalry leader, Li Bao, who was blocking his path. He had borrowed a fine iron spear for this battle. Meanwhile, Guan Hai swung his iron-tipped club, smashing it so hard that it split one man's head open!

"Snap! Crash! Bang!"

Twenty-seven riders from Taiping Road charged forward, desperately trying to block Li Bao and his four men who were trying to warn them. Like clods of mud trying to hold back the tide, they were all killed or wounded in a single exchange. And as the dull thud of hooves approached from the north, the chaotic northern shore was plunged into utter despair!

"Father has been attacked? Father! Father! Quick, let me cross the river, let me cross the river!"

"No! Young master! Those pirates are attacking! We have no boats... Ah! The cavalry behind us is attacking too!"

"?! A cavalry?! The Duan family's cavalry? Could it be? How is that possible? No! It can't be! Impossible!!"

Li Zheng turned around in panic, only to see a cavalry force of nearly thirty riders had already overwhelmed Li's scouts and were charging menacingly towards the riverbank. Looking around, he saw forty or fifty men on the south bank, but most were archers. These archers were mostly scattered on both sides, entangled in a melee with the approaching river pirates in boats, and were no match for the cavalry!
"Whoosh whoosh!"

"Ah! Uh!..."

The sounds of battle cries carried on the wind, and Li Zheng anxiously looked towards the south bank. He saw archers on the grassy slope continuously firing arrows, felling the Li clan soldiers who were charging with bloodshot eyes. Meanwhile, the sword-wielding and spear-wielding soldiers, resembling government troops, had already formed ranks and were about to clash with the clan soldiers!
"Da da da! Ta ta ta! Ta!!"

The rapid hoofbeats thundered as the horses galloped towards them, covering a mile or two in the blink of an eye. The fierce faces of the cavalrymen were now clearly visible! On this open riverbank, Li's archers and infantry had no way to escape and could only struggle desperately amidst the pincer attack from the front and rear!
"Damn it! Damn it! They forced us to beg for mercy, then plotted and schemed, setting up such a vicious ambush! They even colluded with the river pirates and mobilized government troops!"

"That treacherous eunuch Duan is so vicious! He plotted to harm a virtuous man; Heaven will surely punish him!"

In this final moment, Li Zheng, the young master of the Li family, had bloodshot eyes and tears of grief and indignation streaming down his face. He raised his head and cursed loudly, uttering his last words before riding his horse and leading his remaining dozen or so swordsmen and shield bearers at the charging Taiping Dao cavalry!
"Kill! Kill! Ah! Ah..."

"Ha ha!"

Gao Daonu thrust his spear, piercing Li Zheng's side. Guan Hai smashed his iron cudgel, striking him squarely in the forehead. The two men, on horseback, coordinated their attacks, flanking Li Zheng as they charged past each other!

"Crack...bang!"

After their charge, the lone horse was empty. Only a young, blood-splattered corpse remained, trampled into the mud by the warhorse, staining the ground crimson. Then, more blood blossomed on the beach; the dozen or so swordsmen and shieldmen had only held out for a few breaths before being either killed, wounded, or forced to flee!
"Bang bang bang!"

"Keep charging! Charge at those archers! Don't let anyone escape!"

"Haha! Kill! Die!!"

Guan Hai burst into laughter, his iron-tipped staff stained with red and white ink, and swung it once more, knocking down a fleeing archer. He fought his way to the riverbank, glanced up, and saw the battle on the opposite bank, where the outcome was about to be decided!
(End of this chapter)