Chapter Nine: Defending the City (Part One)

You should quickly go to the mountain pass and assist Brother Wen in guarding it. With your marksmanship, it is a trivial matter for you to take on ten opponents single-handedly

It is still that archer! He shot two arrows in succession, both piercing through the gaps in the antlers and shield, striking the axe wielder's vital points. His archery skills are indeed remarkable

Zhao Wu sat back down on the ground, his right foot pressing against the stirrup, and with both hands gripping the crossbow string, he was about to draw the divine bowstring. Just as he exerted force, there was a sudden 'snap' sound, and the string broke unexpectedly. The bent bow arms snapped straight, pulling the bowstring out of his hands at high speed. Zhao Wu let out a cry of pain and hurriedly discarded the crossbow. He opened his hands to take a look; his right hand was fine, but the pad of his left finger had been scraped raw by the rough bowstring, dark red blood flowing continuously from the wound.

Chen Wu at

A dozen or so henchmen forcibly removed the door panels from nearby houses, using them as shields in front. More than twenty pirate archers formed an arrow formation, arranged behind, listening to Zhao Wen's commands, adjusting their shooting targets and rhythm. Each archer had only twenty arrows; if they did not choose the right moment to concentrate their fire, even if they exhausted all their arrows, they would hardly injure a few of the government troops

At this moment, there was another commotion in front of the antlers, and the soldier who had just picked up the axe collapsed to the ground, motionless, and was dead. Fei Liguo looked over, and the dead soldier had no visible wounds, except for a stream of blood flowing from his right eye. It was evident that a crossbow bolt had pierced directly into his brain, completely concealed. Given the force, it must undoubtedly have been a military crossbow of over 4 stones.

After listening to Xiao Bailang's advice, Wang Qinian's anger subsided somewhat. He cleared his throat a few times and asked, "Since there are already precautions in the city, what should we do? Should we recall Fei Liguo?"

How could it possibly come to an end without reason

Gently placing down the damaged crossbow, Zhao Wu picked up the battle axe that was leaning against the door after entering the room. Since the crossbow bolts could no longer be used, he decided to use the axe instead.

He drew the bow and nocked the arrow, and the fourth arrow was shot forth with great speed.

The pirates across the way unleashed another volley of arrows, and this time, a axeman fell to the ground with a thud. He clutched his neck, his mouth agape but unable to utter a sound; after struggling a few times, he breathed his last. However, at this moment, no one had the time to mourn for him. A soldier was ordered to step forward and drag the corpse away from the battlefield, while another bent down to pick up the sharp axe and continued to swing it.

Brotherhood of Warriors

The corpse was thrown beside the official road, lying on its back facing the sky. Fei Liguo glanced sideways and surprisingly did not see any wounds on the axeman's body. Intrigued, he focused his gaze again, only to discover that between the fingers of the right hand, which was covering the neck, a segment of a wooden feather tail, about one finger long, was protruding.

Watching the target fall to the ground, Zhao Wu satisfactorily stepped back from the window

Inspection, Wang Qinian pointed at the mountain top and asked: "Who lit that fire?"

Zhao Wu gasped in shock, the hairs on his back standing on end. He hurriedly moved away from the window, as another sharp arrow followed closely behind, grazing the back of his neck as it flew into the room

Zhao Yu couldn't help but smile bitterly at herself: "You are only fit to be an armchair strategist! At first, I was cautious, but once things got chaotic, I completely forgot everything. It's simply foolish to the extreme"

... ... cannot be retained

Zhao Yu took a deep breath and laughed heartily towards the sky. He pointed at the mountain peak and exclaimed, "Do you see that? That is the signal sent to us by Brother Chengye!" Although Zhao Yu did not understand why the fireworks, which should have been ignited on the beacon tower, were rising in the forest, he still attributed the credit to Zhang Chengye.

Others, your enemies are in the south, not in the north. Turn around and look ahead

Xiao Bailang gave a wry smile and nodded, saying, "I fear they are already aware!" He looked at the city wall, where the number of bandits above had already decreased significantly

Everyone followed Zhao Yu's指指 and looked towards the Bell and Drum Tower, where the reserve team led by Zhao Wen had already rushed swiftly towards the mountain pass

This is a small hut for the local soldiers guarding the mountain pass. It is not large, consisting of only two rooms, one in the front and one in the back. However, the back bedroom has a window facing the mountain pass, through which everything happening at the pass can be clearly observed. Originally, this was set up by the gatekeeping soldiers for their convenience, but it has now become a platform for Zhao Wu to ambush the enemy troops.

Zhao Yu looked around, and all he could see were faces filled with panic. Even Chen Wu, who was usually the calmest, wore an expression of anxiety. Only the archers in the front row continued to shoot at the government troops charging up with bamboo poles below; they had no time to pay attention to what was happening behind them.

Wiping the bloodstains from his face with his sleeve, Zhao Wu took out a roll of white fine linen and a small packet of wound medicine from the dark pouch in his bosom. The fine linen, boiled in alkaline water, combined with the official wound medicine from the Bureau of Medicinal Preparations, was perfect for dressing wounds. Before going to the island, Zhao Yu had personally distributed these supplies, with each member of the surprise attack team receiving a portion.

From behind the wooden fence spanning the mountain pass, Zhao Wen directed his subordinates to launch waves of arrows at the enemy.

The bandits in that city ... ...

The inspection troops are coming to attack the south gate, not because of the oil cauldron at the west gate, but clearly to divert the attention within the city to the south gate, allowing the ambush forces to take advantage of the situation and capture the mountain pass in the northwest, directly entering the city

Skillfully bandaging the wound on his head, Zhao Wu casually removed his brown outer robe, using the divine bow to create a human silhouette, and slowly leaned out of the window. In just a breath, another sharp arrow whistled through the air, piercing the outer robe and embedding itself deeply into the corner of the wall. Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Wu darted to the window and looked towards the mountain pass, determined to see clearly who had shot him with three arrows.

Fei Liguo was very surprised. The wooden feather crossbow arrows were only five or six inches long, making it impossible to be placed on the bow. However, he did not see any crossbowmen in the opposing formation: 'Where did they come from'

Zhao Wu extended his tongue and licked it, a salty and fishy sensation spreading at the tip of his tongue. His blood-stained lips revealed a sinister smile; it was a give-and-take, and he was determined to return this arrow without fail

In front of Zhen'ao Mountain Pass, located in the northwest of Changguo County, the officials of the Inspection Department and the pirates from Langgangzhai have already engaged in a fierce battle of offense and defense

The wooden fence at the foot of Zhen'ao Mountain stretches for two miles, with a gap over ten feet wide left at this small path leading into the mountain for entry and exit. This gap is sealed by two sets of deer antlers, one inside and one outside. The two sets of antlers are as tall as a person and two zhang long, entwined with thorns and securely locked to the wooden fence with iron chains. The iron chains are as thick as a wrist, and the copper lock is the size of a basin, making it impossible to open with a steel saw or iron axe in half a day's time.

He pulled out a piece of cloth for bandaging, wrapped it up in a few motions, and tried bending it a couple of times. It was somewhat painful, but quite flexible, fortunately not injuring any tendons. He reached down to pull the divine arm bow that had fallen to the ground closer and picked up the broken bowstring to examine it closely. Indeed, the break in the bowstring was half smooth and half rough. This was because the third arrow shot by that military officer had sliced through it halfway while he was using the divine arm bow to support his clothing. When Zhao Wu drew the bowstring again, it snapped completely. However, it was fortunate that it broke just as he was drawing it; had it broken after being fully drawn, the force of the bow arm rebounding could have shattered the entire divine arm bow.

I have been deceived

Seeing the rising smoke column on the mountain, Zhao Yu felt a chill in her hands and feet, followed by a wave of dizziness.

Upon seeing the imperial troops begin to dismantle the barricades, the pirate archers immediately shifted their aim to the heads of several axemen. A volley of arrows descended, but the majority were blocked by the antlers, and the remaining ones were deflected by shields, with not a single arrow landing on the axemen. Witnessing this scene, the axemen felt invigorated; they swung their axes with greater speed, wood chips flying everywhere, causing the iron chains on the antlers to clatter loudly.

Fei Liguo raised his left hand and pressed it forward, directing the entire army formation to advance slowly while keeping his gaze fixed on the gestures of the two officers. The mountain path was narrow, requiring a halt to regroup every ten steps to avoid falling into the bamboo stakes on either side. After two such pauses, several soldiers were injured as the pirates seized the opportunity. However, at this moment, the front line of the army, armed with swords and shields, had already reached the stag's horns that blocked the mountain pass.

Oh no! If he becomes the backbone of the troops, once he is thrown into chaos, everyone will be thrown into disarray

Zhao Wu stepped forward, cupped his fists and bowed, saying: "Please give your orders, Erlang"

Xiao Bailang stood resolutely, pointing his long spear at the city above. The young envoy, in his thirties, possessed the boldness of a general: "Do you really think I cannot ascend the city?"

Just as Zhao Wen saw the fire break out on the mountain, he immediately knew that enemy troops were attacking. Zhao Yu ordered Zhang Chengye, who happened to be by his side, to go to the mountain pass with his reserve team without waiting to consult Zhao Yu. The small group stationed there had only four or five bows, which would certainly be insufficient to withstand the assault of the government troops

Unexpectedly, just as I spotted the fence at the mountain pass, the government troops on the mountain rushed down like a torrent. Zhao Wen made a swift decision, ordering his archers to form ranks and shoot immediately, delivering a fierce counterattack against the government soldiers. In the blink of an eye, four or five enemy soldiers were shot down, resulting in a casualty rate of ten percent for the small group of fewer than fifty on the opposite side

Chen Wu was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly realized: "Chen Wu understands!" He quickly assembled a team and hurried away

Forget it, Zhao Wu shook his head, if something is unclear, then do not think about it, just kill him.

Zhao Wu looked at the wound on his hand, and a fierce nature surged within him. The silk and hemp twisted into a bowstring was as thick as a little finger, incredibly resilient; otherwise, it could not withstand the hundreds of pounds of tension from the drawn bow. Yet, this bowstring had snapped just like that.

However, the commander of the government troops reacted swiftly. Under his command, the government forces withdrew from the pirates' line of sight before the next wave of arrows arrived, taking refuge in the wooded mountain path. By the time they emerged again, they had already formed their battle array. More than twenty archers were divided into three ranks, shooting in perfect unison along the mountain path. In front of the archers, spears, axes, swords, and shields were also arranged in an orderly manner. A mere few dozen men gave an impression of being as solid as a rock. In front of the archers, spears, axes, swords, and shields were also arranged in an orderly manner. A mere few dozen men gave an impression of being as solid as a rock.

Note 2: The Song government office was known as the Huimin Bureau during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, and was renamed the Heji Bureau during the Chongning period of Emperor Huizong. After the Southern Song dynasty, it was again renamed the Taiping Huimin Bureau. It was under the jurisdiction of the Taifu Temple, responsible for the preparation and sale of medicinal products, while also compiling folk prescriptions, known as the "Heji Bureau Formulas." It can be said to be a state-owned monopoly pharmaceutical enterprise of the Song dynasty

Why not simply go to the eastern gate, which is farthest from the mountain pass? That would be too deliberate and would arouse suspicion.

Fei Liguo, however, does not exert that effort; the iron chain cannot be cut, but can the antlers below not be severed? Spend a quarter of an hour to split the antlers, and the iron chain will naturally fall away.

Nuo! Zhao Yu was publicly praised, and Zhao Wu was naturally invigorated. Without further ado, he took up his axe and crossbow, and turned to descend the city.

This time, having made preparations, Zhao Wu easily dodged. Avoiding the window, he leaned his head against the wall, frowning as he searched his memory. Yet, he could not recall when and where he had seen that somewhat familiar-looking officer.

Xiao Bailang's expression was extremely unpleasant: "It must be the lookout of the pirates from the mountain."

Zhao Wu sat on the ground, his feet resting on the stirrups, drawing the bowstring of the divine arm bow. If one disregards appearance, sitting while drawing the bowstring is indeed much easier than standing. Since he would soon be using this powerful crossbow that could shoot four stones and six dou, Zhao Wu naturally chose the more relaxed method to conserve energy

However, the leader must be kept alive, as Zhao Wu still wants to know who he really is

Three quarters past the hour of Shen

Note 1: Junior Envoy: Refers to the junior envoys of the three classes. They are low-ranking military officials serving under the rank of the eighth grade.

With his right hand gripping the axe handle, he smeared the blood from his left palm onto the blade. Zhao Wu's expression remained unchanged. Although the broken string of the divine bow was due to his lack of foresight, he had no habit of directing his anger inward. At this moment, all he wanted was to chop that military leader into minced fish.

Why abandon Ximen? Because Shankou is too close to Ximen, making it easy to provide support

Zhao Wen was leading his troops in battle, but Zhao Wu did not intend to join him. His speed in firing crossbow bolts could not keep up with the rhythm of the longbows, and the formation required the archers to be closely aligned. If he insisted on remaining in the formation, he would disrupt the alignment while drawing his bow.

Instruct the two officers to continue overseeing the battle, while Fei Liguo nocks an arrow, his gaze scanning the various hiding spots across the wooden fence... Archery skills, wielding a crossbow, this crossbowman...

Why are there still nearly two hundred government troops under the city after the division of forces? Because from Sanguzhai to the county town, there are five beacon towers nearby, with a total of forty guards.

Carefully placing the wooden crossbow bolt into the notch, Zhao Wu stood up and returned to the window. The divine bow rested on the window ledge, aiming once more at the axe-wielding soldier in front of the deer antlers with another arrow.

You take a team from here. Do not go to the mountain pass, but exit through the hidden door behind the Guanyin Temple. As long as you launch a surprise attack from the rear and encircle them from both sides, those fools are bound to die without a doubt! ... ..." Zhao Yu stepped forward and whispered in Chen Wu's ear: "Remember, wait until the imperial troops open the barricade before taking action! Do you understand?"

It is a wooden feather arrow

Hiding in the corner of the room, Zhao Wu was drenched in cold sweat. A warm, damp sensation slid down his cheek; when he touched it, his hand was covered in bright red. It turned out that the first arrow had grazed his scalp, yet he had not noticed it at all

He scanned the area across the wooden fence with his eyes but still did not find any trace of the crossbowman. Retracting his gaze, he refocused his attention on the command, as that was the main priority

The distance between both sides' archery formations was reduced to thirty paces, resulting in a rapid increase in both the accuracy and lethality of the arrows. The number of injured individuals on both sides began to rise. At Fei Liguo's command, several axemen, shielded by their shields, started to chop at the obstructing antlers.

Well, let's see who can outlast whom, he thought

The battle at the mountain pass raged on, with both sides' archers continuing to exchange fire. Only behind the ranks of the imperial troops, a man dressed as an officer, holding a longbow, was watching this way. Zhao Wu glanced over, and their eyes met. For some unknown reason, the military leader suddenly revealed a murderous intent and let out a roar that shook the entire area: "Zhao Wu!"

With no other options, the archers under Fei Liguo began to exchange fire with the pirates across the wooden fence. After more than a dozen exchanges, both the imperial troops and the pirates had fallen a few. However, the remaining arrows of the imperial troops were insufficient to last for another dozen exchanges

Wang Qinian said resentfully: "How can Fei Liguo be so careless in his duties and still hold the position of chief? If we lose this battle because of this, I will certainly not spare him"

Zhao Wu licked his lips, having killed three people as if they were mere appetizers before a meal, which only heightened his thirst. Just as he was admiring the chaotic scene of the official army in front of him, Zhao Wu suddenly felt a pang of anxiety; he saw a glimmering arrow heading straight for his face. Instinctively, he lowered his head, and a feathered arrow passed through the spot where his head had just been, embedding itself deeply into the ground not far away.

However, Zhao Wen knew that the predicament of the imperial army was quite similar to his own. The archers of the imperial army were less than fifty paces away from him, and Zhao Wen could see clearly that they were also carrying only a single quiver of arrows. At the current rate of consumption, the imperial army's arrows would soon be exhausted as well

Seeing that the fire on the mountain was beyond control, he quickly led his men down the mountain, only to find that he was still a step too late. After losing several subordinates who had charged ahead, Fei Liguo had no choice but to withdraw and regroup. By the time he formed his ranks and descended again, the pirates within the city had already established their positions.

Brother Chengye is informing us that enemies are planning to launch a surprise attack from behind the mountain Those foolish officials are unaware that we entered the city from that very route How could they not be on guard Brother Chengye at the mountain top serves as a line of defense and Brother Wen's troops are another line of defense

Did you see? With these precautions in place, those foolish intruders attempting a sneak attack will only end up with their heads bloodied against the mountain gate fence. They cannot break through! Fifth Brother! Zhao Yu shouted.

The third

The fourth quarter of the Shen hour

Xiao Bailang frowned inwardly, thinking, "These civil officials, when there is a mistake, it is the military's fault, yet they want to take credit for any achievements. I initially thought that Wang County Lieutenant was a good person, but it turns out he is just the same." He harbored these thoughts in his heart, but on the surface, he had to smile and explain, "Your Excellency, please do not be angry. Since that thief launched a surprise attack from the Zhen'ao Mountain Pass to enter the city, it is only reasonable for them to be more vigilant there and to send one or two people to keep watch in secret. This, however, does not concern Captain Fei."

No longer can it be prolonged. Fei Liguo pondered within his heart.

Outside the South Gate, Wang Qinian and Xiao Bailang were also gazing at the thick smoke rising slowly from the top of Zhen'ao Mountain. This smoke was not a good sign for them either

Do not worry, Minister Shaofu. At the outset, I had no expectation that the route through Fei Dutu would allow us to smoothly breach the gates and enter the city; I merely hoped to prevent the bandits within the city from coordinating with each other. The bandits stationed at the southern gate were already few in number, and now many have been reassigned. With only about forty to fifty ruffians remaining...

However, taking advantage of the opportunity when the imperial troops were regrouping, Zhao Wen also made his preparations