bullyxtreme Chapter 334 Ambush
Chapter 334 Ambush
“My lord, although we Rongdi are a nomadic people, we return to our tribes in the winter. Our tribes are all built next to water sources so that we can get water.” A Rongdi merchant pointed to the water flowing at dusk and said, “Just follow the water westward and you will find one tribe after another.”
The merchant followed Shen Li's horse, explaining in great detail.
"May I ask the name of this brave man?" Shen Li asked.
"My lord, I am from Balu. I am the largest merchant among the Rongdi people. I sell furs and breeding horses to the Zhao Kingdom, and rice, flour, grain, jewelry, and fine wine to the Rongdi people," the man named Balu replied with a smile.
"So it seems you're not short of money, sir. Are you interested in an official position in the Great Zhao?" Shen Li asked.
Balu's eyes lit up. He spoke fluent Chinese and was able to express his excitement: "If that's the case, I will be very grateful for your kindness and will do anything for you."
He realized that Shen Li's status was extraordinary; having such a powerful backer to become an official was far more lucrative than working hard in business.
Moreover, it would be so much better to stay in Dazhao, where one would no longer have to endure the desert sandstorms.
"Alright, if we can find the tribe, I will certainly go back and ask for an official position for you." After promising, Shen Li took out a jade ring from her body and threw it down: "It's just a small token of my appreciation, please don't find it offensive, brave warrior."
Balu stared wide-eyed at the emerald ring in his hand, his pupils almost turning green. This quality was more than just an ornament; it was a treasure.
Seeing this, the other Rong and Di merchants also felt their blood boil, staring intently at the ring. Many regretted not speaking up sooner.
"Thank you, sir. I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability," Balu said, expressing his loyalty.
A fleeting smile crossed Shen Li's eyes. She spurred her horse, and Zhuiye galloped swiftly into the distance.
Galloping across the desert filled her with joy. Although she had entered enemy territory, she felt no tension whatsoever, as if she should have been here long ago.
Leading troops into battle might be more suitable for her than engaging in court intrigues.
A thousand people appear very small in the vast desert, often disappearing after just a hillside, let alone the fact that no one would notice them in the desolate surroundings.
From dusk till night, the soldiers ate their dry rations on horseback to keep moving quickly, covering more than fifty miles in just one afternoon.
The night was pitch black, with a few stars in the sky. The wind was stronger and colder than during the day, and even though the soldiers were dressed warmly and didn't feel the cold, they still felt chilly.
Shen Li did not order a rest. The essence of a surprise attack is speed; otherwise, all previous efforts would be in vain.
Ma Zheng stepped forward to say something, but Shen Li raised her hand to stop him. Her ears twitched, and she immediately whispered, "Hide on all sides and prepare to make your move."
Ma Zheng knew that Lord Shen had exceptional hearing, after all, he was able to hear the sounds of a valley across a mountain back then, so he immediately waved the command flag.
The men and horses had just taken cover at the foot of a nearby hillside when they heard the sound of hooves, accompanied by laughter and chatter in the Rongdi language.
Shen Li pulled Balu aside and asked in a low voice, "What were they saying?"
"We must plunder the counties east of Mokou Pass, kill all the men, and seize the women and food," Balu immediately ordered.
Shen Li didn't completely believe him, but the most likely explanation was that he was going in this direction at this time.
"Sir, it sounds like there are over a thousand people. When do we make our move?" Ma Zheng held a bone whistle in his hand, ready to blow it at any moment.
"Operate as soon as we're within the encirclement." Shen Li waved her hand: "Prepare firearms."
Ma Zheng then waved the command flag.
The faint sound of gunpowder being loaded could be heard from all around.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh..." The Rongdi people rode closer, whistling excitedly, their semi-circular sabers flashing in the moonlight, their blades gleaming and exuding a chilling aura.
When Shen Li saw the saber, she thought of the people who were massacred on the border. Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, but she didn't rush. Instead, she waited until everyone was inside the encirclement before waving.
Ma Zheng blew the whistle.
In an instant, five hundred dark gun barrels and five hundred arrows appeared all around, and they opened fire on the thousand men on horseback.
"Bang bang bang!"
"Shhhhhh!"
After a round of shooting, half of the Rongdi people fell. The Rongdi people were thrown off balance and panicked, running in all directions.
What awaited them was a second round of shooting.
Another round of musket fire and arrows left only a few dozen men who managed to escape from their horses and survive, only to be surrounded by the swarming soldiers.
Shen Li gestured for Ma Zheng to lift up a man who looked like a general, and then asked Balu to translate, "Which tribe are you from? What are you doing here?"
The young general's leather helmet was knocked off. He hadn't even recovered from the sudden turn of events. He had just led thousands of men into battle, and now he had been captured in the blink of an eye.
Did someone fall from the sky?
"Grass...the god of the grasslands?" he stammered.
Shen Li rubbed her temples: "Rest where you are. Interrogate these people separately."
Ma Zheng, Chen Su, and some centurions each took people away for interrogation, while the soldiers were counting the captured horses and arrows. As for food, there wasn't even a day's worth.
It seems they're planning to have breakfast in the territory of Dazhao tomorrow morning.
"Miss, would you like some water?" Peony stepped over several corpses and handed over a water bag.