Chapter 093

Qiao Changshun tucked the official document into his chest, dismounted from the city wall, mounted his steed, and galloped through the crowd of onlookers at the city gate, heading straight for Huai County.

A man in his twenties with a tall and dashing figure.

But everyone in Wei County who witnessed this scene knew the great danger Qiao Changshun was facing.

Qiao Changshun was well aware of it too. Having trained in the military for six years, he knew that the unwritten rule of "no killing of messengers during warfare" wasn't always effective. If they encountered an unreasonable and tyrannical general, any number of envoys could be killed on a whim.

But he was the most suitable person to undertake this mission for his grandfather.

Others feared the rebel king and were hesitant to send anyone, but within the family, his second brother had talents and insights equal to his own. However, his second brother's imposing demeanor made him more suited to leading troops. Both he and his younger brother came from merchant families and had learned from their father since childhood how to interact with people, cultivating a friendly demeanor that would lower the rebels' guard and hostility more easily.

Wei County was over three hundred miles away from Huai County, with Ding County and Cheng County lying between them from east to west.

According to scouts, because the magistrate of Cheng County had fled, the rebel king had smoothly occupied Cheng County two days ago and quickly conscripted soldiers both inside and outside the county, expanding his forces to twenty-five thousand.

Qiao Changshun guessed that the rebel army was still in Cheng County.

Cheng County was two hundred miles from Wei County. Qiao Changshun set out early in the morning, riding hard and taking breaks, arriving at the outskirts of Cheng County by noon.

From a distance, Qiao Changshun saw a large flag hanging on the city walls, red with golden edges, embroidered with a powerful "Xing" character in black thread.

Qiao Changshun dismounted and stopped a peddler leaving the city, asking, "May I ask, brother, what is the situation inside the city now?"

The peddler didn't want to talk, but after Qiao Changshun slipped him two copper coins, he cautiously replied, "The rebel king's army is inside, and it's chaos. Wealthy households are being killed, women are being abducted. If not for the soldiers guarding the gates, the citizens inside would have fled. Are you visiting relatives or something? Listen to me, go back first and come again later."

After saying this, the peddler hurried away.

Qiao Changshun stood there for a moment before mounting his horse and heading towards the city gate.

Two teams of guards raised their spears, blocking his path and shouting, "Who are you? Dismount!"

Qiao Changshun jumped down, smiling, "I am the envoy sent by the Wei County garrison with documents to present to King Xing."

The Wei County garrison?

Seeing that Qiao Changshun was unarmed and his horse carried only a saddle and a water bag, the guards assigned two men to escort him inside.

Rebel leader Li Gang and his brothers were drinking and eating meat in the county office when they heard about Qiao Changshun's identity. Li Gang raised his thick eyebrows.

His brother Li Zhen said, "Brother, someone informed us on the third night that the Xiao family in Wei County was organizing troops. They also mentioned how formidable that Xiao commander was. We didn't expect that by the fifth day, they would actually muster their troops."

Li Gang frowned, "If they follow our methods and mobilize the entire county, they should have over ten thousand soldiers by now."

Their strategist, Mr. Fan, the former magistrate of Huai County, stroked his beard and said, "Let's bring this person in and see what his intentions are. We can also ask him about the situation in Wei County."

Li Gang nodded and ordered someone to bring Qiao Changshun in.

Qiao Changshun went through another search, then entered with the documents in his hands. Seeing six burly men and a slender scholar inside, he quickly assessed the situation and addressed the one in the main seat, "This humble citizen greets King Xing."

Li Gang smiled; ever since the uprising, he loved hearing others call him "king."

He also observed Qiao Changshun, noting his handsome face and sharp eyes, which were quite likable. His attitude relaxed as he asked, "I heard that the Xiao family in Wei County is now led by an old patriarch. Why did he send you here?"

Qiao Changshun handed over the documents, "Your Highness will understand upon reading these."

Li Gang could read, but only basic words. After glancing at the documents and finding them filled with formal language, he immediately passed them to Mr. Fan, "Read it aloud, Mr. Fan."

Mr. Fan took the documents, quickly scanned them, frowned, glanced at Qiao Changshun, and began translating them into simpler terms while explaining to his companions.

The eloquent scholar Shen laoshi cited classics and displayed remarkable literary talent, impressing the people of Wei County. To the rebels, however, it conveyed a different message.

After listening, Li Gang slammed the table, glaring at Qiao Changshun, "Is that Xiao trying to threaten me?"

Even if Wei County had recruited over ten thousand soldiers, he had twenty-five thousand. A seventy-year-old man refusing to submit and warning him not to attack Wei County was audacious!

Qiao Changshun slightly bowed, quickly clarifying, "Your Highness has misunderstood. The people of Wei County are terrified of Your Highness's reputation. They fear both Your Highness's conscription and any misunderstanding that might hinder your grand cause. Therefore, they sent this letter to declare their neutrality and seek peaceful coexistence."

Li Gang grunted, staring at him, "Our uprising is for the people, who are suffering due to the oppressive government. While war is deadly, if we unite and overthrow the government, the future belongs to us, and the people can live better lives."

"Tell the old patriarch this: we give you three days to consider. If he submits his troops to me, I'll appoint him as my general, and the soldiers he has recruited will remain under his command."

Qiao Changshun, acting like a simple messenger, responded, "Understood, I will convey Your Highness's message verbatim to Commander Xiao."

Mr. Fan suddenly asked, "How many soldiers have you recruited so far?"

Qiao Changshun tilted his head, thinking, and casually replied, "We recruited over five thousand yesterday. With some effort today, we should reach six thousand."

Li Gang was surprised, "Only that many?"

Qiao Changshun explained, "Commander Xiao said no young ones, no elderly, only those between eighteen and forty years old."

Li Gang sneered; in the early stages of the uprising, more people meant greater strength. Twenty-five thousand against six thousand seemed overwhelmingly favorable.

Mr. Fan asked a few more questions about the Xiao family's actions in the city, and Qiao Changshun answered truthfully.

The food had cooled, and after exchanging glances, Mr. Fan and Li Gang dismissed Qiao Changshun.

Once he left, Li Gang asked Mr. Fan, "Why did you ask such detailed questions? Is the Xiao family a formidable enemy?"

Mr. Fan nodded gravely, "They know how to win hearts and train soldiers. Given time, the Xiao family will become a significant obstacle to our expansion."

Li Gang said, "Then why wait? Let's attack them while they're still weak!"

Mr. Fan waved his hand, "Indeed, we cannot give them more time, but we don't need to rush. I suggest we first march to Ding County, pretending to besiege it, and secretly move to Wei County tonight, attacking the Xiao family at dawn."

Li Zhen laughed, "That's a brilliant idea! We just gave them three days, so they won't suspect our attack tomorrow night."

Mr. Fan: "This plan should only be known by us few. When we muster the troops later, just say we're going to attack Ding County."

---

The rebel king's army mobilized quickly, and by the afternoon of the sixth day, twenty-five thousand troops had set up camp outside Ding County.

The magistrate of Ding County didn't flee. He hastily gathered two thousand local militia, closed the city gates, and prepared for a siege.

Li Gang led a small squad to make a feigned attack, shouting for Ding County to open its gates and surrender. As night fell, they withdrew, and the main force rested for the afternoon before heading straight for Wei County under the cover of darkness.

From Ding County to Wei County, the shortest route passed through a mountainous area. Fortunately, it wasn't particularly rugged or dangerous, and even bandits avoided this region.

Li Gang, confident with his twenty-thousand-strong army, believed he was the dominant force in the area. Since they were on a surprise attack, how could they possibly encounter an ambush?

Mr. Fan shared this confidence and was still basking in the glory of his brilliant plan.

However, as the twenty-thousand troops entered the dirt road trodden by merchants in the mountains, the leading cavalry suddenly fell into traps. Amidst the chaos, a flaming arrow shot out of nowhere, igniting a fierce fire in the traps, causing the horses behind to instinctively gallop backward.

As the front fell into disarray, fires also erupted at the rear, cutting off their retreat.

Simultaneously, logs and boulders rolled down from both sides of the hills, crushing and injuring many.

Li Gang shouted in anger, "Charge up the hill and kill them!"

Even if all five or six thousand troops from Wei County were here, they only had the advantage of surprise. How could they stand against his twenty thousand men?

Li Gang abandoned his horse, which was afraid of fire, and led the charge up the hill.

The hillside was covered with dense trees. Xiao Zhen led five hundred young men from the northern part of the city to hide on the left side of the path, while Xiao Yan led another five hundred veterans on the right. Familiar with the terrain, they killed any enemy that came up, then immediately retreated into the shadows. The rebels, climbing uphill, were fully exposed to Xiao Zhen and his men, and many were either shot dead by arrows or cut down by sudden sword strikes.

Cries of agony filled the air. Mr. Fan, hiding among a few soldiers, seeing the failed counterattack, immediately shouted, "Your Highness, stop! Let's retreat!"

Li Gang, unwilling to give up, was about to object when a sharp arrow flew out of the darkness, striking his left arm!

Li Gang cursed loudly, breaking the arrow shaft and leading the nearby soldiers back down the hill.

The fires at both ends of the mountain path continued to burn fiercely. The horses kicked and refused to move, and the logs and boulders kept rolling down. Li Gang and his men had no choice but to abandon their horses and flee.

Xiao Zhen and Xiao Yan did not pursue.

Li Gang and Mr. Fan breathed a sigh of relief. Mr. Fan said, "They only have the advantage of darkness and terrain. Let's regroup tonight and attack them openly tomorrow. We'll see what tricks they have left."

Li Gang agreed.

After escaping the mountain path, Li Gang was about to count the remaining troops when the sound of hooves approached from the direction they had come.

Li Gang exclaimed, "Could it be the troops from Ding County?"

Mr. Fan: "Impossible. We left five thousand men outside Ding County. They wouldn't dare come out."

Li Gang: "Then it must be our own people? No, we didn't leave many horses there."

Mr. Fan: "Regardless, form ranks!"

The twenty-thousand-strong rebel army had already suffered casualties. Those who remained held makeshift weapons like axes, sickles, and kitchen knives. Many of these men, forced to join the rebellion, had never killed before and trembled at the thought of real combat.

Xiao Ye and Sun Dian each led eighty cavalrymen from Lingshui Village, who had been training for five months on Imprisoned Dragon Ridge. Wielding large swords, they charged in on their horses, instantly shattering the morale of the rebel forces. Men scattered in fear, trying to avoid death.

Xiao Ye shouted, "Those who kneel and surrender will not be killed; only the stubborn ones will die!"

Li Gang and other leaders, known for their toughness, were terrified by the sudden cavalry charge. The disciplined and formidable presence of these riders made them realize they were no match.

Li Gang: "Run! Scatter and run!"

One side fled while the other chased on horseback. In the darkness, it was like wolves attacking a flock of sheep, with the weak falling one after another.