Chapter 002: Sudden Change

In fact, there is no need for him to say anything; the tremors of the earth speak for themselves

The earthquake trembled increasingly violently, and the thunderous sound of hooves was distinctly clear, almost allowing one to hear the snorting of the horses. From the moment the noise was detected to the arrival of the Mongolian cavalry, it was almost a matter of an instant.

This mountain village, like all the nearby settlements, is very close to the Great Wall. Since the Jiajing period, when various Tatar tribes frequently invaded the borders, this area has also been invaded multiple times by the Mongolian Chahan tribe. At this point, even the dullest person would know that the Mongolian Tatars were coming to kill.

The people of the entire village also fled out simultaneously. Under the moonlight, Zhang Weigong saw countless familiar figures rushing out from the farmhouses, their hair disheveled and barefoot. Each person's face bore an unmistakable expression of panic.

Upon hearing the call, the Mongolians became even more excited, letting out bursts of strange laughter, while continuing to ride and chase, incessantly shooting arrows.

From a distance of several hundred steps, he clearly saw the grotesque faces of those on horseback... The Tatars wore iron helmets or felt hats, most of them dressed in leather coats, with a few wearing leather armor studded with bright copper nails. Each person held a spear or a small riding bow in their hands. As they drew closer, these Mongols emitted a series of strange howls, in the deep of night, resembling packs of ferocious beasts. Most were dressed in leather coats, with a few in leather armor studded with bright copper nails, each holding a spear or a small riding bow. As they approached, these Mongols let out a series of strange howls, in the dead of night, like groups of fierce wild animals.

He coughed up blood, yet at the last moment, he was still comforting Weigong and Xu Su'e, fearing that the two of them might be too frightened. This man from Yanshan, though not married to his first wife and his son not his biological child, remained steadfast from beginning to end. In the final moments, he died like a true man, embodying the image of a father.

Behind the crowd, several Mongolians dismounted from their horses and began to capture the women and children who could not run fast. They wanted all of them; the children could be made into slaves, growing up to tend horses and sheep, while the women could be kept in the yurts, subjected to their abuse and humiliation

Yet tonight, the moonlight is bright, marking an ordinary day in the middle of the month. However, such moonlight has also become the best accomplice for the marauding foreign bandits to display their ferocity

Zhang Shouda did not respond at first, lying flat on the ground. It was a cool night in late spring, and being in the mountains, yet beads of sweat the size of mung beans rolled down his forehead

It seems that the Tartars have arrived

Once the initial shock subsided, Zhang Shouda began to cough, and under the moonlight, it was evident that he was spitting blood

More than one hundred households were affected, with around twenty people shot dead on the spot. Only one person, like Xiang Weigong's father, ran out and died. Approximately thirty women and children were taken away, and nearly every household suffered hardship. The men wore grim expressions, lamenting and sighing, while the women cried out incessantly. In families with deceased members, many fainted from grief.

This loss is undoubtedly severe for this small village, and the villagers are continuously cursing in anger

A villager was shot and let out a horrifying scream

Robber, dog robber

Iron pots, furniture, farming tools, and any items they could find were placed onto their horses, all the while laughing heartily. After more than a century of warfare with the Ming Dynasty and under strict trade prohibitions, the Mongols had rapidly regressed to the miserable state of several hundred years ago. An iron pot was considered a significant treasure to them

Swish ... ... swish swish swish ... ...

Cough, cough...

Everyone screamed and began to run around aimlessly

After a heavy blow from the iron spear, a gaping wound appeared between Xu Guangyuan's chest and the back of the book, continuously oozing blood.

In their words, Wei Gongcai gradually understood that several decades ago, the Chahan tribe was relatively honest. At that time, the Tatar from the west was causing significant disturbances. During the Jiajing and Longqing periods, they broke through the borders and advanced right to the foot of the capital, leading to a state of martial law in the capital. It is said that in a fit of anger, Emperor Jiajing executed the Minister of War. Who would have known that decades later, the situation would reverse, and now the Tatars have become docile while the Chahan tribe has started to stir up trouble.

What happened? Although Wei Gongniang had been busy all day and was startled awake, she felt somewhat dazed and confused

After dawn, villagers who had escaped began to appear one after another. From the mountains, they looked down at the village and saw fires breaking out everywhere, with smoke rising high into the sky. Upon witnessing such a scene, everyone began to curse loudly.

After climbing over a hill and entering the depths of the dense forest, the family of three finally let out a sigh of relief

A powerful arrow struck directly into the chest of a bearded Mongolian man, who let out a muffled groan and fell to the ground. Zhang Weigong and many villagers erupted in cheers.

Kneel down, kneel down

Crouched on Zhang Shouda's chest, he kept shouting and cursing, yet tears flowed continuously from his eyes, and his face felt cold.

The number of cavalry is approximately three hundred, yet when they stretch across the horizon, they appear like a vast army, delivering a powerful visual impact

When the villagers returned to the village, the Ming cavalry also arrived. The leading general, holding a lance, was clad in silver-scaled iron armor and wore a large red cloak behind him. His personal guards, seeing the villagers rushing over, approached with whips in hand, striking and shouting: "Scoundrels, how dare you stand before our general's horse? All of you kneel down!"

Father

Those who intrude into others' homes in the dead of night, whether through force or deception, are no different from beasts

This arrow was shot by Xu Guangyuan, the most skilled archer in the village. He is very friendly towards Zhang Weigong and often praises Zhang Weigong for his extraordinary talent in archery.

"Han dog, hum, die, Han dog!"

Zhang Weigong's historical significance is generally limited, yet he was aware that at that time, the state was under the control of the treacherous official Yan Song, with Japanese pirates in the southeast and Altan Khan in the north, causing unrest in the Ming Dynasty.

... ...

In the face of a significant event, a man must have conviction. Zhang Shouda shouted sternly, hoisting the already awakened Wei Gong onto his shoulder, while pulling the frightened Xu Su'e, and together they hurriedly ran towards the door.

Xu Guangyuan looked at his chest with disbelief; the iron spear was cold, glinting with a chilling light, and blood continued to drip from the tip of the spear.

In the darkness of night, beneath the starlight, a mother and daughter kept vigil over a gradually cooling corpse, and no one was willing to utter a single word

When within approximately fifty paces, the Mongolians began to shoot arrows

The Mongols shouted insults in broken Chinese, slowly drawing out their iron spears

Upon witnessing such a situation, the villagers' last remnants of resistance vanished entirely. They are civilians; although many possess good archery skills, they have never experienced the chaos of battle. This slight courage pales in comparison to the wolf packs of the grasslands, rendering it utterly ineffective

Some young boys and youths who often hunt have begun to draw their bows in retaliation, and their archery skills are quite commendable. Under the bright and clear moonlight, arrows are also flying towards the enemy

The cavalry of the regiment appeared on the horizon, with red flags fluttering in the wind. The tips of their spears, lances, and long knives glimmered with a cold light. The warhorses leaped and galloped, while the cavalrymen were clad in scale armor or front-opening cotton armor, wearing either kettle helmets or long cherry helmets, exuding an imposing presence as they charged forward

However, it is now the time of Zhang Juzheng in power. He is well aware of this renowned historical figure. Historical records state that during Zhang Juzheng's governance, the country was prosperous and strong, and the borders were peaceful, marking the last period of tranquility in the Ming Dynasty. Who could have anticipated that this calamity would strike so suddenly

This arrow also caught a group of Mongolians by surprise, but soon one rider charged out at an angle, moving at an incredible speed, with an iron spear aimed directly at Xu Guangyuan. Seeing the fierce approach, a group of young archers began to evade on the spot. However, this Mongolian rider controlled his horse with remarkable skill, his body seemingly merging with the horse. He quickly closed in on his target, and with a gentle flick of his wrist, the spear, propelled by the horse's speed, became exceedingly heavy. The spearhead pierced through Xu Guangyuan's chest from behind, penetrating his front!

Zhang Weigong grew up in a stable society and has experienced peaceful days over the past few years. Witnessing such bloody slaughter and unabashed, naked plunder, he feels as though the entire world is twisting.

Arrows continuously shot past Zhang Weigong, knocking down familiar neighbors and friends one by one. At first, he felt somewhat like a spectator, experiencing a sense of absurdity and unreality. Over the past few years, apart from the sense of alienation from the time traveler, he had remained a cherished child. It was only upon witnessing the death of a close friend that he felt a genuine pain and an uncontrollable rage.

Go, hurry up

This was the first time Zhang Weigong had encountered such a scene, and for a moment, he was left in a daze

Yet this seemingly toy-like bone arrow claimed the life of Zhang Shouda

Zhang Weigong was greatly shocked; he saw a feathered arrow embedded in his father's back. The arrow-making technique of the Mongols was immediately recognizable. Behind his father, a small portion of the arrowhead was protruding, seemingly crafted from animal bone.

Only focus on your achievements, listen to your mother, do not panic, do not make noise

In the midst of the chaos, Wei Gongniang hurriedly stuffed a small cloth pouch into Wei Gong's bosom, containing a few taels of scattered silver and several hundred copper coins, which constituted their entire fortune

Upon seeing the officials and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty approaching, the villagers were filled with tears of joy, no longer hiding, and all emerged from the valley.

The moonlight aided them; these Mongolian knights, with their round faces and stout builds, could shoot arrows from both sides while on horseback. Utilizing the moonlight, they continuously released arrows with their mounted bows.

Upon seeing this arrow, Zhang Weigong could not help but clench his fists and swung them vigorously in the air

In the dead of night, Zhang Shouda, who was usually dull and honest and slept soundly, suddenly threw off the covers and jumped down from the bed.

The rain of arrows continued to shoot towards the fleeing people, shattering their insignificant resistance, after which the Mongols began their slaughter with even greater ease and composure

Suddenly, someone shouted: "The officials and soldiers are coming, it is the officials and soldiers"

Zhang Weigong was held in his father's arms, embracing Zhang Shouda's neck, with his eyes looking back.

Everyone is running towards the mountains, where the Yanshan mountain range is located. This mountain, stretching over a thousand miles, serves as a supplement to the Great Wall defense line and is the only chance for the mountain dwellers to save their lives

Zhang Shouda comforted the frightened Weigong, smiling as he said to Weigong's mother: "Unfortunately, I can no longer take care of you..."

Only achievements matter, the situation is not right

Zhang Shouda's footsteps were unceasing, swift as the wind, yet Gong Niang, despite having small feet, was determined to keep up.

The soldiers, fierce as wolves and tigers, began to shout in unison. Each shout resonated like a thunderclap in the hearts of the people, causing their hearts to tremble. All the villagers were initially bewildered, and then they knelt in the center of the village, bowing their heads.