Chief Armaments Master of the Ming Dynasty

"Brother Lin, it seems that General Li is indeed active in that area." Han Jinhu was both excited and worried.

"Yes. Let's hurry on our way and try to reach the Zhou River by tomorrow," Lin Fan said in a deep voice.

He knew that the closer he got to the target area, the more likely he was to encounter various forces, and he had to be even more careful.

On the fifth day at dusk, they finally saw Zhou He.

It was a large river with a rapid current and a wide channel. Although it was early spring, the ice and snow upstream had melted, and the river water was turbid and yellowish, carrying a chill in the air.

There was no bridge across the river; only an abandoned ferry crossing could be vaguely seen in the distance, with two dilapidated boats moored on the bank.

Just as they were worrying about how to cross the river, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats and shouts from upstream!

A dozen or so riders came galloping along the riverbank. The riders were dressed in a jumble of clothes, but they all carried gleaming swords and spears. They shouted and charged toward another small group of people on the riverbank who were trying to tow a wrecked boat!

Bandits are robbing people crossing the river!

"Get down! Don't move!" Lin Fan roared, and the five men immediately lay down in the grass on the high bank of the river, not daring to breathe.

The bandits numbered about fifteen or sixteen and were extremely fierce. In the blink of an eye, they scattered the seven or eight people who were trying to cross the river (who looked like a group of small merchants with bodyguards). With a flash of knives, screams rang out.

The merchants' goods were looted, the bodyguards who resisted were cut down, and the rest knelt down and begged for mercy.

The bandits laughed wildly as they tied the loot to their horses and forced the prisoners to drag the two wrecked boats, seemingly trying to cross the river.

"It's Cao Bao's men from 'A Gust of Wind'!" Old Geng, lying beside Lin Fan, whispered, his teeth chattering. "These murderers specialize in robbing people crossing the river in this area. They're ruthless and leave no survivors!"

Lin Fan's heart sank.

A great river lies ahead, and ruthless bandits lurk behind.

Although their hiding place was well-hidden, it would be easy for the bandits to discover them if they crossed the river and searched in this direction.

The disparity in numbers and equipment is too great.

Run! The terrain is unfavorable, and a mule is too conspicuous.

Seeing that the bandits had barely managed to drag a wrecked boat into the water and that the prisoners were being forced onto the boat at knifepoint, Lin Fan was extremely anxious.

His gaze swept quickly across the surroundings, then suddenly landed on a shallow beach covered with withered yellow reeds on the riverbank, and he looked at the gunpowder pack hidden in his arms.

An adventurous plan took shape instantly.

"Brother Han, Lao Geng, Shuanzhu, you take the mules and most of the stuff and quietly retreat to that rocky gully to the east. Hide well and don't make a sound. Er Gou, you come with me, take this."

Lin Fan quickly untied a leather bag containing nearly a pound of gunpowder, and took out two small bamboo tubes filled with gravel and iron filings, which he then handed to Tian Ergou.

"Brother Lin, what are you doing?" Han Jinhu asked anxiously.

"Make some noise to distract them, or we're all doomed. You all stay hidden and don't come out no matter what happens. If we don't come back..." Lin Fan paused, "you'll have to find yourselves to cross the river and continue north to find Li Zicheng."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Han Jinhu grabbed him.

"No time! Listen to me!" Lin Fan broke free, his eyes resolute. "Er Gou, are you scared?"

Tian Ergou's face turned pale, but looking into Lin Fan's eyes, he shook his head vigorously:

"No, I'm not afraid! I'll work for Master Lin!"

Using the reeds and the terrain as cover, the two crouched low and moved quickly upstream from the ferry where the bandits were, getting as close to the riverbank as possible.

The bandits were focused on crossing the river and dividing the loot, and the sentry was also looking towards the opposite bank, so he didn't notice anything amiss.

We arrived at a spot where the riverbank jutted out and the current was quite swift, with a shallow reed bed right below.

Lin Fan signaled Tian Ergou to stop.

From here, you can see the bandits loading the second group of people and valuables onto another wrecked boat.

"Ergou, see that pile of bundles they looted but haven't had time to load onto the boat yet? It's about sixty paces, right at the edge of where you can throw with all your might. I'll count to three, then you throw this bamboo tube (a hand-thrown grenade) with all your might near that pile of bundles. Then immediately light this leather bag (a gunpowder pouch) and throw it into that patch of reeds below. After throwing it, run back immediately to meet up with Brother Han! Understand?"

Lin Fan spoke very quickly, and as he spoke, he used a tinderbox to light a nitrate-soaked fuse and inserted it into the fuse hole of a hand-thrown grenade.

Tian Ergou's hands were trembling violently, but he nodded with difficulty and took the grenade and gunpowder pack.

"One, two, three! Throw!"

With all his might, Tian Ergou threw the hissing, smoking hand grenade at the pile of bundles!

He was weak, and the grenade he threw drew an arc in the air, missing the pile of bundles, but landing at the feet of a bandit who was leading a horse not far away!

The bandit paused for a moment, then looked down.

boom--!!

An explosion rang out, a flash of fire followed, and shards of rock and iron flew everywhere!

The bandit screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his face. The horses beside him were startled, reared up, and neighed and ran wildly!

"What's going on?!"

"An ambush?!"

"Where?"

The bandits were thrown into chaos, drawing their swords and looking around.

Just then, Tian Ergou threw the gunpowder he had lit into the reeds below!

The gunpowder pack was not completely sealed; it was mainly burning.

But nearly a pound of gunpowder burned fiercely in the dry reeds, instantly igniting a large patch of withered reeds!

The fire, fueled by the wind (which was quite strong), roared up and billowed thick smoke, heading straight for the ferry crossing!

"Fire! Fire!"

"Fire! My horse! My horse!"

"Watch out, there might be arrows from the other side!"

The bandits were thrown into complete chaos.

Some people tried to put out the fire near the luggage and horses, while others looked uncertainly towards the opposite bank and the direction of the fire, fearing that arrows might be shot at them.

The bandits and prisoners on the two wrecked boats were also taken aback by the sudden explosion and fire.

In the chaos, no one noticed that two dark figures had already fled the scene swiftly along the riverbank, disappearing into the rocks and weeds downstream.

Lin Fan and Tian Ergou ran as fast as they could until they met up with Han Jinhu and the others who were anxiously waiting.

Behind them, flames soared into the sky, and the shouts and hooves of bandits could be faintly heard, but they seemed to be searching towards the fire and the opposite bank, not coming in their direction.

"Hurry! Before they can react, head downstream and find a place to cross the river!" Lin Fan gasped for breath, not daring to linger.

The five men, leading the frightened mule, galloped downstream for miles along the riverbank until it was completely dark and the firelight and noise could no longer be seen or heard. They finally stopped at a bend in the river where the current was relatively calm.

Everyone was exhausted, but they were finally out of danger for the time being.

"Brother Lin, that sound and the fire just now..." Han Jinhu said, still shaken.

"Just a little trick to scare people." Lin Fan waved his hand, looking at the still-shaken Tian Ergou, "Ergou, well done!"

Tian Ergou finally recovered, still feeling lingering fear, but a blush of excitement also appeared on his face.

In the darkness of night, the Zhou River gurgled and murmured.

On the opposite bank lie even more secluded mountains, where the legendary "Breakthrough" flag is said to have appeared.

A small, risky ambush, perhaps insignificant, but Lin Fan knew that they had crossed the first real obstacle.

We're one step closer to our goal.

However, the chaos at Lubao Ridge is far more complex and dangerous than that of the bandits along the Zhou River.