The splendor of the Red Chamber, the power that reigns supreme.

Chapter 169 All preparations were made, and it all came down to one day.

Lord Shi glanced briefly at a burly man among the group led by the man with the bald head, and casually asked, "Who is that man?"

The man with the bald head hurriedly lowered himself, his face beaming with a smile that could have drawn two ounces of honey: "Replying to Godfather, those were hired by the client as temporary porters and guards to handle the handover and escort the thank-you money."

Lord Shi's gaze lingered on Wu Song for a moment. The man stood there like a half-built iron tower, his demeanor calm and composed, which made Lord Shi glance at him a few more times and nod slightly: "Hmm, he has a good build, his hands and feet must be quite strong."

The bald man's smile lines deepened even more, and he bowed even lower, saying in a fawning voice:
"Father, you have a keen eye! You truly have discerning eyes! But... hehe, even the most nimble grasshopper is nothing but a clay chicken or a clay dog ​​in front of you. Its meager skills, the faint glow of a firefly's tail, how dare it compete with your bright moon? It's too clumsy to even tie your shoelaces!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of reserved smugness appeared on Lord Shi's lips. His inherent arrogance could no longer be concealed, and he let out a snort.
"Of course. Let alone anything else, you don't even have a proper horse spear. What do you have to compete with me with?" He glanced sideways at the dozens of cavalrymen behind him, their guards spread out like a goose's wings. His tone suddenly rose, carrying an arrogant air of dominance. "In this whole world, those who can beat me, Shi, on horseback can be counted on your fingers!"

Before he finished speaking, Lord Shi ignored the bald man and his gang and suddenly pulled on the reins.

The jet-black horse beneath him neighed loudly and reared up! Taking advantage of the momentum, Lord Shi spurred the horse's head and stomped its flanks hard, shouting like thunder, "Go!"

"Yes, sir!" Dozens of elite guards in full armor responded in unison, their movements as synchronized as a single person. They pulled on their reins and raised their heads, and the clatter of hooves instantly subsided, turning into a low, rolling rumble of thunder.

The ranks unfolded in the blink of an eye, forming an incomparably sharp wedge-shaped formation—Lord Shi was the gleaming tip of the wedge, the two on his left and right were like the wings of an arrowhead, and behind them were layers of iron cavalry, clearly separated to the left and right, with the spacing as precise as if a craftsman had drawn an ink line.

Horses surged forward, their heads seemingly forming a straight line, their iron hooves flying, kicking up a cloud of dust like a yellow dragon galloping along the ground, carrying a chilling aura of slaughter as they charged forward.

The sun shone on the tip of the musket, reflecting a blinding white light, and a stern military might pressed down on us!

Looking at the dozens of ruffians and scoundrels under the three rascals, although they were also riding horses, they were already in complete chaos.

Some horses frantically kicked their bellies, trying to move forward, while others remained rooted to the spot, turning their heads around in disarray. The horses moved at varying speeds, jostling and pushing each other. In an instant, the procession stretched into a crooked, loose, long snake, and even broke into several pieces.

The sound of hooves clattered like popping beans, kicking up a smoky, scattered cloud of dust. This group, resembling withered leaves and fallen grass torn apart by a fierce wind, trailed haphazardly behind the imposing "Yellow Dragon," making Lord Shi's army appear all the more unstoppable and arrogant!

The bald man watched with bated breath as Lord Shi's well-ordered cavalry galloped away, a complex look flashing across his eyes before being replaced by a fawning smile. He bowed repeatedly to the departing dust and followed after them.

Wu Song rode on the back of an inconspicuous dappled gelding, his body rising and falling with the horse's gait, yet he remained as steady as Mount Tai.

His face was like a wooden or clay sculpture, showing no joy or anger. Only his pair of sharp, restrained eyes seemed to lock onto the dust-swept cavalry ahead, pausing for a moment, especially on the menacing tips of the lances pointing towards the sky.

His broad, calloused hand was habitually resting on the hilt of the broadsword at his waist. His fingers were slightly curled, and the veins on the back of his hand were faintly bulging, exuding a power that was as solid as a mountain yet ready to be unleashed.

Meanwhile, as they raced after the Laibao caravan, not far ahead of them, in a forest...

A mountain breeze swept through the treetops, causing the clothes of the two men to flutter in the wind. Standing side by side, the wealthy and noble Ximen and Lord He, one a warrior and the other a scholar, were dressed and exuded completely different airs.

For this important matter, Master Ximen specially changed into a set of clothes that were both presentable and easy to ride.

He wore a warm black felt hat with a gold top, the brim pulled down slightly.

The inner lining consisted of two layers of fine chainmail for protection, which made the person look rather bulky.

He wore a tight-fitting, arrow-sleeved robe made of agarwood-colored satin with gold brocade. The fabric was of the finest quality from Suzhou and Hangzhou, with gold threads subtly flowing in the autumn sun, exuding extraordinary luxury. Over the robe was a vest lined with oily goose-yellow silk and made of black fox fur with sharp edges. The fox fur was glossy and rippled like water in the wind, truly worth a fortune.

Lord He, standing nearby, was filled with envy and kept glancing at him with his eyes.

Although Lord He was not fully armed, he wore a dark blue narrow-sleeved battle jacket underneath and a blue lacquered scale iron armor that represented his status as a commander of a thousand.

This armor is made of fine iron plates, each about an inch square, tightly woven together with tanned cowhide ropes. It has shiny breastplates embedded in the front and back, animal head shoulder guards on the shoulders, and the skirt is divided into several layers to protect the waist and hips.

The surface of the armor plates was specially coated with blue lacquer to prevent rust, and now it gleamed with a cold, hard, and dark luster under the dappled sunlight.

He wore a wide, thick leather belt around his waist, adorned with bronze cloud-shaped ornaments. On his left hung a standard-issue sword over three feet long, its scabbard made of black sharkskin with brass bands. On his right hung a leather quiver containing several command arrows.

He wore dark gray cotton combat trousers, a travel bag, and a pair of leather military boots with felt lining.

He habitually placed his hands on his hips, his thumbs on the hilt of his sword, his posture upright like a pine tree. Although his armor was not as bulky as heavy armor, it exuded a chilling aura and official demeanor honed on the battlefield.

Beneath their feet lay a broad-leaved forest, half-withered in late autumn, with yellow leaves falling in layers, covering the ground completely.

Not far below, on a gentle slope in the dense forest, more than a hundred Qinghe Garrison cavalrymen were vaguely hidden. These cavalrymen were clearly the result of careful planning by veteran soldiers: their warhorses had gags in their mouths and their hooves were wrapped in thick linen, and they were scattered and concealed behind large elm and locust trees.

Unlike the local militia and cavalry, these soldiers were dressed in the uniforms of regular government troops.

They wore thick, earth-yellow or brown battle coats underneath, and a layer of "leather armor" made of tanned cowhide on top.

This leather armor is not a single piece, but rather a square block of tanned cowhide, about a foot in size, soaked in oil and hardened, tightly strung together with cowhide rope to form the armor body, shoulder cape, and skirt.

In preparation for the ambush, the leather armor was carefully coated with yellow mud to cover the leather's natural shine. Mixed in with the withered grass and fallen leaves, it looked as if it had been dug out of the ground.

Most of them wore a felt hat from Fanyang on their heads. Some of the more particular military leaders or Lord He's close attendants wore "phoenix-winged helmets" on their heads, with soft cloths underneath, all of which were covered in mud and ash.

Those without helmets wrapped their heads tightly with cloths to cover their sideburns.

The leather belt around his waist was tightly fastened, and a foot-and-a-half-long "hand knife" hung on his left side. The blade was broad and straight, with a slanted tip, making it extremely effective for chopping.

A quiver hung on the right, containing a dozen or so eagle-feathered arrows with neatly trimmed tail feathers.

The long weapon in his hand, which he was holding and sticking against the tree, was a white ash wood "horse spear." The spearhead was over a foot long, with a three-edged, armor-piercing cone or a willow leaf shape, and a blood groove. Its cold light would occasionally flash through the gaps in the leaves, but it would be immediately pressed down by its owner.

The short bow was the "riding bow," its arms made of mulberry wood or composite horn, the bowstring taut and half-drawn, the arrow already loosely nocked.

Some of the more valiant ones even had a thick-backed, thin-bladed "curved knife" or "moon-covering knife" hanging on the side of their saddles, ready to fight to the death in close combat.

Wearing leather combat boots with iron soles, they crunched softly on the fallen leaves as he stepped on them, so he was very careful.

The soldiers crouched or lay prone, like stone puppets, tightly gripping the reins to restrain the somewhat agitated animals that were pawing at the ground.

Dozens of eyes peered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, fixated on the gray-white official road below the mountain.

The entire ambush area was eerily quiet. The only sounds were the wind whistling through the treetops and the occasional snort of a horse, which the groom had tightly covered, sounding like someone holding in a fart.

A mixture of sweaty odors, horse urine, leather armor, and the faint scent of tung oil used for rust prevention on iron permeated the deathly silence. Even the occasional, slight scraping sounds of the leather armor against the metal plates were remarkably distinct.

Lord He shaded his eyes with his hand, squinting as he watched the plume of dust rising in the distance along the official road. The dust moved extremely fast, condensing and refusing to disperse, carrying a sharp, galloping momentum straight towards them.

He said in a deep voice, "My lord, please look. The dust in the distance is gathering but not chaotic, condensing but not dispersing, clearly indicating the momentum of an elite cavalry charging at full speed! Although the sound of hooves is still not clear, the momentum is already extraordinary. Judging from what you said earlier, my lord, it is most likely that it is that group of local militia and security forces from the capital who have become so bold as to impersonate bandits and rob merchants!"

After speaking, Lord He sighed heavily, his face showing a mixture of helplessness at being unable to manage his own territory and resentment towards those people's audacity.
"What a pity, what a pity! I have been away from the north for many years and have not raised an army. This area is far from the border of my Qinghe County and is no longer within my jurisdiction. If it were still in my Qinghe territory, given the behavior of these scoundrels, I would definitely muster all my guards and bring out some brave young men to teach them a lesson they won't be able to leave, and I would have dealt with them like cutting melons and vegetables!"

Upon hearing this, Ximen Da Guanren concealed his left hand within his wide sleeve, his wrist and fingers twirling a few pieces of silver, making a rustling sound.

With a "whoosh," he unfolded the gold-flecked fan in his right hand, and, using the breeze to gently sway it, continued:
"Lord He's insight is brilliant! Every word makes sense! However, the hundred or so strong men under your command are all incredibly brave and fierce, already the elite of Qinghe! Why should you mobilize such a large force to deal with those few dozen ignorant and arrogant militiamen who only know how to show off their skills in the capital region? Wouldn't that be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

"With Your Excellency personally overseeing the operation today, it's the perfect opportunity to show them what real power is! These ignorant fools will be dealt with as easily as slicing melons and vegetables when they run into Your Excellency's hands, and the victory will be achieved in no time!"

Despite the flattery, Lord He showed little joy; instead, a bitter smile flickered across his face.

He leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "My lord, we've been friends for ages, practically family, so I'll be frank with you. That phrase you used about 'a hundred brave cavalrymen'... sigh!"

He shook his head heavily and said self-deprecatingly, "My garrison looks full on the roster, but in reality, the only soldiers we can actually muster are these hundred or so cavalrymen and a few hundred infantrymen!"

"The other few hundred positions? Heh, they're nothing but empty promises, used to draw salaries without working and to fulfill the duties of superiors! Not just here, but throughout the entire Jingdong Road and even the garrisons across the country, the number of vacant positions is already nine out of ten empty!"

"It's just that Qinghe County is closer to the capital, and officials from the capital often come down from there to take advantage of the inspection as an excuse to extort money. So the armor and weapons we are issued are barely enough to make a living, and our training is better than those military prefectures that are far from the capital. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be able to put on this show today."

Ximen Da Guanren sighed, "It's hard on you, Lord He. People from above come to beg for money every few days. Isn't this like a locust plague? No wonder you were so worried about raising that little bit of grain in the granary before."

"Who says otherwise! Master Ximen! Sigh!" Lord He slapped his thigh with a worried look: "These living ancestors! Investigating this and investigating that, it's all just to make more money. Other garrisons have already sold off all their belongings, but my garrison has to pay out of our own pockets to maintain the military equipment in order to deal with them!"

“My sister-in-law at home has scolded me a lot about this. She grumbles every day: ‘What’s the use of being a poor official? It’s not as good as those lucrative jobs at the docks, where they make so much money from serving merchants!’”

Ximen Da Guanren smiled and said, "Lord He, don't worry. After we deal with these scoundrels who have cut off my supply, I will give you a share of my silk shop. You can just sit back and wait for the profits at the end of the year. If your sister-in-law likes the fabrics in my shop, just bring someone over to take her measurements and have them made! As for the Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shu brocades and exotic woolens in the store, your sister-in-law can choose whatever she likes. I won't charge you a penny."

Upon hearing this, Lord He's eyes lit up as if two oil lamps had been suddenly turned on!
He first gasped, then every crease on his face relaxed, and he rubbed his hands together with delight, his voice rising eight octaves: "Oh my! My lord! This... this is unacceptable! A share of the profits is already an immense favor, and you've even... even thought of my wife's dignity in tailoring clothes! This... this will allow me to finally stand tall and show off my power in front of my wife when I get back!"

"If she dares to criticize me, a poor official, again, I'll shut her up with my shares in this silk shop and a whole cabinet full of fine silks and satins! Hahaha!"

He was overjoyed, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said in a loud voice, "My lord! I must have something to say about this! Why do you keep calling me 'Lord He'? Do you think I'm too old and uncouth to deserve being called 'brother' by a nobleman like yourself from Qinghe?"

"Not at all, I am indebted to Lord He for his care!" Master Ximen swiftly put away his gold-flecked fan, clasped his hands in a fist and laughed, "In that case, it is my fault! I will humbly ask for your help, Brother He!"

"Brother Ximen!!" Lord He hurriedly returned the greeting, bowing even deeper than usual, his face plastered with an almost fawning smile, his voice filled with utmost intimacy and flattery:
"My dear brother! What do you mean by 'not worthy of my favor'? You flatter me! When it comes to brothers, I, as the older brother, am the one who has benefited from your good fortune!"

He became more and more agitated as he spoke, spittle flying everywhere: "You have no idea, these days in Qinghe County, those arrogant, pedantic scoundrels, if I ever bumped into them, they would even dare to spit on me, a roughneck with a knife. It made me so angry that I really wanted to draw my knife and stab them two holes in the ground!"

"But those pedantic people. Now, in front of you, my brother, hey! Which one of them isn't shrinking their necks, fawning over you as 'Master Ximen Xianmo'? Their backs are bowed lower than shrimp's! I see it all, and it's so satisfying, more comfortable than drinking a bowl of ice-cold plum juice on a sweltering summer day!"

"Another day! Another day I'll definitely treat you! At that newly opened Drunken Spring Pavilion! I've heard they've recently hired many foreign women, all robust, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and their musky scent is even better than a wet nurse's!"

"Brother, you must call me 'Brother He' loudly and warmly in front of those pedantic scholars! Let them see that I, He, am someone who can be on friendly terms with you, Master Ximen Xianmo! This face-saving is all thanks to you, brother!"

Ximen Da Guanren clapped his hands and laughed loudly, his voice shaking Lin Yue: "Brother He! Don't worry! I will definitely save face for you, even more than the upturned eaves of the Drunken Spring Pavilion! If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I would have to go to the capital to file a complaint with the emperor."

The official's seemingly casual boast was caught by Lord He. Upon hearing the words "appeal to the emperor," Lord He secretly gasped, quickly waving his hand, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Good brother, no need to be so polite! We are brothers, it is our duty to help each other!"

"What's more, these local militia members from the capital dared to be so lawless, robbing merchants disguised as bandits! They've been caught red-handed! This is a golden opportunity! They've run right into the line of fire of my Qinghe Guard, which is a great opportunity for me to establish merit, report to the court, and bring peace to the people!"

"It's almost time. I'll go down and give instructions. Brother Ximen, just follow at a distance and be careful not to get hurt by stray arrows!"

Lord He descended the hill and his gaze swept over several composed veterans: "Wang Laoliu! Take your men and continue to hide here! Keep a close watch on them! Once they've all passed through and the vanguard approaches the caravan, that's the signal!"

He turned his head sharply to look at his deputy Zhao Si, his eyes flashing with cold light: "Zhao Si! Qian Wu! Sun Qi!" The three of them immediately straightened their backs.

"You three, each lead your elite cavalry, and immediately, through the paths in the dense forest on the left and right, stealthily circle around behind them!"

"Remember! Take a detour, and don't alert them! Once you see the red flag rising over Wang Laoliu's side and hear the three long blasts of the bugle from my side, all three of your teams must immediately launch a simultaneous attack, using the fastest speed and the strongest momentum to completely block their retreat!"

"Zhao Si's team, block their rear! Qian Wu's team, deploy to the left flank to prevent them from entering the woods! Sun Qi's team, deploy to the right flank to block any possible escape routes! Prepare your bows and crossbows, and long weapons! Anyone who dares to charge the line, pin them to the ground with a hail of arrows and spears! Kill them on the spot!"

Lord He looked at the last twenty fierce guards beside him, and then pointed to a denser thicket of bushes near the road at the bottom of the hillside: "The rest of the brothers, move there with Jiang Datou and wait until Zhao Si and his men block the retreat route. The bandits will surely be thrown into chaos!"
"At that time, listen to my command! Jiang Datou's twenty riders, plus Wang Laoliu's thirty riders, fifty riders in total, go out together and press them down from the front and flanks!"

His eyes flashed with a fierce light: "Don't rush to kill them! Use your horses and your momentum, along with your crossbows, to herd them like sheep into the pocket that Zhao Si and his men have blocked, into the woods! Let them trample each other! Complete the encirclement!"

Lord He himself was stationed at the core of the reserve team, with two flag officers by his side responsible for relaying orders and waving flags.

He added in a deep and authoritative voice: "In this battle, our army has an absolute advantage in strength, and we must strive for a complete victory! All units must strictly abide by orders and cooperate in combat! Anyone who acts without authorization, seeks personal gain, or advances recklessly will be dealt with according to military law! Anyone who shrinks back will be beheaded! Anyone who lets a single person escape will have their skin ripped off!"

Ximen Qing listened solemnly to Commander He's military orders as he stood on the slope.

Lord He's troop deployment was methodical and ruthless, revealing a chilling bloodlust; he was clearly a man who had been through countless battles and bloodshed!

My brother-in-law, Commander Wu, is a military officer of the same rank, but it's just a nominal position inherited from his ancestors. How can he compare to a commander who fought his way out of the north with such military merit?
On second thought, even such ruthless and cunning individuals have to scheme for money and shamelessly befriend merchants like myself in order to live comfortably in this Qinghe region.
Under the prevailing circumstances, dragons must coil up and tigers must lie low! One can't help but sigh!
Meanwhile, at the Laibao caravan's encampment.

"They're here! They're here!" Dai'an rode his horse at breakneck speed, kicking up clouds of dust as he rushed toward the caravan, his voice hoarse from shouting!

Lai Bao, already tense, sprang up like a spring at the sound, shouting like thunder: "Robbers! Get up! Lift the tarpaulins! Show your weapons! Use chevaux-de-frise to cut off their path!"

Although the guards were somewhat bewildered, they were all seasoned veterans who had seen their share of storms. The thunderous roar jolted them awake instantly!
The crowd used both hands and feet to frantically tear off the heavy tarpaulins covering the trucks.

A collective gasp suddenly rang out!
Inside the large box, a cold glint shone brightly; there were more than a dozen detachable chevaux-de-frise! The frames were made of hardwood as thick as a bowl, with three-foot-long barbs of fine iron on them, as menacing as wolf fangs. It only took two people to set them up quickly.

There were also several boxes of black caltrop chains specifically designed to trip horses; they were dark and could be used to trap horses deadly when spread out!
Everyone felt their scalp tingle and no longer cared about their weak legs and panicked hearts!

Hearing Lai Bao, Lai Xin and others urging them on, even though they didn't know what was going on, they figured it was always better to be quick! They rushed forward, lifted the heavy barricade parts and charged into the middle of the road!

"Bang! Bang!" The iron and wood parts slammed to the ground with a series of dull thuds, the barbs scraping against the soil and rocks with a teeth-grinding "crackling" sound.

Without hesitation, Lai Bao, Lai Xin, and the others each dragged a chain of iron caltrops and swung it like a venomous snake into the open space in front of the barricade formation!
With a clang, the iron chains crashed down, instantly creating a trap for horses to fall!
far away.

Lord Shi led the way, with dozens of elite cavalrymen and a dozen or so ruffians following behind, galloping all the way.

The sound of horses' hooves rolled like muffled thunder, and the dust they kicked up shot straight up to the treetops.

Just as they were about to rush into the area between two mountains, where the forests were getting denser, a glint flashed in Master Shi's eyes, and he suddenly tightened the reins!

"Whoa—!" His magnificent black horse neighed, its front hooves raised high, and it stood firmly rooted to the spot!

The well-trained cavalry following closely behind reined in their horses and stopped almost simultaneously, their movements perfectly synchronized, punctuated only by a few low neighs and the soft scraping of armor.

Caught off guard, the hooligans behind them shouted and neighed, and only managed to stop in a chaotic jumble before finally coming to a stop. Horses collided with people, causing them to stumble and fall, creating a scene resembling an anthill that had been boiled over.

It forms a stark contrast to the orderly formation in front.

The bald man hurriedly spurred his horse to squeeze next to Lord Shi, his face full of flattery and doubt: "Godfather? What's wrong? Why did you suddenly stop?"

Lord Shi did not answer immediately. His sharp gaze swept across the deep forest on both sides and the narrow valley ahead like that of a hawk.

A mountain breeze rustled through the trees, the leaves seeming to conceal countless eyes. He frowned and said in a deep voice, "Look at this place. It's a narrow passage between two mountains, with dense forests and tall grass, limiting our visibility. If someone were to ambush and surround us here, we would all be cavalrymen, trapped like turtles in a jar in this confined space, unable to maneuver or dodge. Even with the courage of ten thousand men, we would find it difficult to maneuver!"

He pointed his riding whip at the treacherous terrain ahead, "This place is truly an excellent ambush site!"

Lazi San glanced at Master Shi's riding whip, then chuckled dismissively, "Godfather, you've fallen into that military 'habit' again! Too cautious! Wasn't the terrain similar when we robbed that silk merchant caravan last time?"

"Those cowardly guards were so scared of their name that they ran away and begged for mercy on their knees! This time, the number of guards has only doubled, but my godfather's cavalry has also doubled. Even if they set up an ambush here, with my godfather's abilities, it would be nothing more than a matter of a single charge!"

After hearing what Lai Tou San said, Lord Shi's tense nerves relaxed slightly. He examined the road ahead and the woods on both sides again, and apart from the sound of the wind and birdsong, he saw nothing unusual.

He shook his head self-deprecatingly, his tense jawline relaxing: "Hmm... perhaps I'm overthinking it. Oh well, I doubt that caravan can cause any trouble."

"Keep going!" Without further hesitation, Lord Shi lightly nudged his warhorse with his spurs and charged into the narrow forest path, with the militia cavalry following closely behind.

Not a moment.

A caravan of dozens of people was scattered about, seemingly taking a break, without making any unusual moves.

"Godfather! It's them!" The bald man was overjoyed, pointing ahead and shouting as if the silver was already his.

However, Master Shi's gaze, like that of a hawk, instantly locked onto the seemingly ordinary open space in front of the caravan! His pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints!

A hardwood chevaux-de-frise as thick as a bowl was conspicuously set up in the middle of the road!
The menacing barbs of refined iron gleamed with a deadly cold light in the dim light!
Even more terrifying, beneath the dust in front of the barricades, one could vaguely see twisted and coiled black shadows—the iron caltrop chains specifically designed to destroy cavalry!
A chilling cold instantly shot from the tailbone straight to the top of the head! All the instincts accumulated from the battlefield were screaming wildly!

"Ambushed! Turn the tide! Rear guard become front guard! Retreat! Retreat now!"

Lord Shi mustered all his strength and let out a roar that tore through the air!

This command is clear, concise, and precise; it is the standard tactical command in the army for cavalry to immediately escape danger and break out when ambushed!

But it's too late!
With a "whoosh," a twelve-foot-long blood-red flag unfurled in the dense forest atop the mountain, fluttering in the wind! The crimson satin surface crackled and snapped as the mountain breeze tore at it!

"Woo-woo-woo-woo!" Almost at the same time the red flag was raised, three shrill and penetrating bugle calls, like the death knell of hell, suddenly rang out from the hilltop behind where Lord Shi's troops had just passed!
In an instant, it drowned out all the hooves and voices, like a death warrant before the gates of hell, shaking people so much that their internal organs seemed to shift!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The ground behind Lord Shi's troops trembled violently!

The deafening sound of horses' hooves, accompanied by the clanging of metal, erupted from the dense forests on both sides of the valley entrance they had come from!

The three elite cavalry teams of Zhao Si, Qian Wu, and Sun Qi, like three torrents of steel, launched their attack simultaneously at the sound of bugles, strictly following Lord He's instructions!
Zhao Si's team crashed straight into the rear of Master Shi's team, their large hooves sending stones flying everywhere!
Dozens of riders formed a tight wedge formation, their lances like a forest, their spears forming a formidable iron wall, and their bows and crossbows in hand, instantly blocking the only escape route!
Qian Wu's team rapidly deployed from the left flank of Zhao Si's team, sweeping out like a scalpel scraping the ground. Like a sharp scraper, they sped along the treeline at the edge of the valley, their spears and crossbows densely blocking the gaps in the forest on the right!
Sun Qi's team deployed simultaneously from the right flank of Zhao Si's team, blocking the forest line on the left as well, completely cutting off Shi Daren's team's hope of escaping into the forest on both sides!

The three teams coordinated perfectly, their movements were as swift as lightning, and their retreat was instantly and completely blocked!
The three streams of iron collided, forming three impregnable barriers built of men, horses, guns, and crossbows!

The forest path was already sizzling with oil.

The militia cavalry and ruffians reined in their horses in terror and turned around, only to find that their retreat was cut off, and they were thrown into chaos!
The warhorse reared up in fright, its iron hooves pawing wildly as it knocked over three or four ruffians.

The three bald-headed scoundrels kicked their steeds, catching the ruffians behind them off guard. Seven or eight horses rolled into a heap, their legs twisted into a bloody mess, and screams of agony mingled with the cracking sounds of bones breaking!

"Kill them—!" Almost at the same instant the rear blockade was completed, the dense thicket below the hillside in front of the column was as if it had been blown apart by a gale!

Lord He personally led twenty of his most valiant personal guards, including Jiang Datou, to join forces with Wang Laoliu's thirty veterans who had been itching to join them!
Fifty elite cavalrymen roared with earth-shattering fury, like tigers descending the mountain, and pounced on Lord Shi's troops, who were blocked in the valley, from the front and flanks!
Lord He took the lead, raising his long sword high and shouting, "Drive them away!" This was the core tactic he had planned in advance!

These fifty fresh cavalrymen did not immediately launch a desperate charge, but instead maintained an oppressive formation, controlled their horse speed, and advanced like a moving city wall!

Meanwhile, the archers in the team mercilessly rained down arrows on the crowded and chaotic target!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!" "Thud! Ah—!" The sounds of arrows piercing the air, the screams of those struck by arrows, the neighing of frightened horses, and the desperate shouts of soldiers instantly filled the air!
However, the number of skilled archers in the team was quite limited, and only a few arrows flew out and pierced half an inch into the bark.

Of the ten arrows, seven or eight grazed past the roots of his ears, the torn strips of cloth hanging and swaying on the tree branches.

Occasionally, a piercing arrow would "plop" into the flesh, instantly bursting open a gourd of blood—not because of skillful archery, but because the passage was so crowded that even with your eyes closed, you could hit three or five fleshy targets!
The rain of arrows was quite a spectacle, and it seemed as if the King of Hell had casually pointed out a spot on the road to kill. In any case, there were a few people with shallow lives who had their heads caught by the ghostly official.

"Whoosh—thud!" A triangular arrow pierced the rogue's eye socket, the shaft still vibrating and humming; "Ouch!"

Then another cavalryman was shot in the face, blood gushing out of the hole!
The frightened warhorse leaped wildly, throwing its master off the saddle, its horseshoes crushing the breastplate with a "crack".

The forest path had become a bloodbath: ahead lay barbed wire and gleaming spikes, while Lord He's ironclad defenses pressed in relentlessly.

Following behind, Zhao Si's horse spear and Lin's crossbow were cocked, while Qian Wu and Sun Qi's two teams of cavalry patrolled the edge of the forest like poisonous dragons.

The old forest on both sides was covered with gnarled vines—truly a net of heaven and earth, surrounding them from three sides and forcibly pressing these hundred or so people into a red-hot iron coffin!
These militiamen were jostling each other, horses bumping into each other! Like a flock of sheep being driven, they frantically rushed left and right through the narrow forest path, only to find in despair:
Ahead lay menacing barricades and Lord He's main cavalry, poised and waiting, slowly advancing and pressing forward!
Behind them was an impregnable steel wall composed of Zhao Si, Qian Wu, and Sun Qi's three teams, with their bows and crossbows poised to fire!
To the left and right were dense, impenetrable jungles, and Qian Wu and Sun Qi's two teams patrolled like venomous snakes, ready to hunt down any fleeing cavalrymen who dared to approach the edge of the forest with spears and crossbows!

A perfect three-sided enclosure! The pockets are completely secured!

Lord Shi's eyes were bloodshot as he looked at his men, who were in complete chaos and trampling each other. Knowing that there was no hope of breaking through, he let out a desperate roar: "Form a circular formation! Hold the line to the death!"

However, in this narrow, desperate place and utter chaos, the order seemed to sink without a trace. A few militiamen still tried to rally their forces, but were immediately scattered by the runaway ruffians and frightened horses.

Lord He reined in his horse and stood at the very front of the pressing crowd, coldly watching his prey, now trapped and struggling in the valley.

He slowly drew his saber, its blade gleaming coldly in the dim light, its sharp edge clearly overwhelming the clamor of the battlefield: "Qinghe Garrison is suppressing bandits! Those who surrender will be spared! Those who resist to the bitter end—kill without mercy!"

(End of this chapter)