Volume 1 Nightfall Border City Chapter 34 Road Open (Part 1)

  It's been seven or eight days since New Year's Eve, and the mountain area with Lin Ge is quiet.

  Winter is a season for rest and recuperation, and on the grasslands, herdsmen and their horses, livestock and wild animals all huddle in their nests waiting for the warmth of spring.

  It was like this at the same time last year with Lingle, but this year something unexpected happened. A merchant caravan set out from the Tokto Grassland and headed towards that business road which had been deserted for half a year.

  More than 30 porters were driving a pack horse team, with goods loaded on the horses' backs. Ning Sheng was walking at the front of the team, wearing a leather hat. He was now the leader of this merchant team. The team had more than ten guards, dressed in leather clothes and carrying bows, arrows, and long knives. The mountain road to the pass was rugged and winding, with a thick layer of snow on the ground, making it slippery and difficult to walk quickly. At this speed, it would take the team at least five or six days to reach the Kill Huo Pass.

  Since winter began, Lao Ya Mountain's Zhongshan Wolves have rarely been quiet. In the past few days, some refugees have been begging for shelter in front of the mountain stronghold.

  After killing a few useless people who didn't know better, no one dared to make any more noise. I guess they're all dead by now, either frozen or starved to death. Zhongshan Wolf couldn't be bothered with this matter anymore.

  Last year's great war between the Chahar and Tumed people doubled his mountain stronghold's manpower. The initial joy has now turned into worry, as he heard that Cao Bao was defeated at the Tuoketuo Grassland.

  Ma Zhan, the great leader of the horse thieves, was certainly not a fool. Since the city of Guihua was occupied by the Chahar people in June, no merchant caravans had ventured out of the pass again. Without merchant caravans, the horse thieves could only resort to raiding the Mongols. The Chahar people deliberately allowed the horse thieves to attack the Tumet herders, who had all obtained enough food for the winter, but what about next year? Regardless of how Cao Cao died, it was clear that the Tokto Grassland was no longer safe for the horse thieves. Without merchant caravans and without Han people venturing out of the pass, Lin'er was a dead end.

  "It seems that the only way to make a fortune is to enter the pass!" Zhongshan Lang secretly made up his mind, hearing that the refugees in Shaanxi were rising, it was a good time to muddy the waters and catch fish, many old friends were making a name for themselves over there.

  Just as he was thinking, a guard came in to report: "Two men have arrived at the gate and want to see the master of the house."

  Zhongshan Lang cursed irritably: "How can there be so many who don't know life or death? Get out of here!"

  "He didn't come for food, but said he had news to tell the master of the house."

  Zhongshan Wolf plucked the knife from the wall with ease and walked towards the gate of the village, muttering to himself as he went: "I'd better not be cheated!"

  At the entrance of the village, a carriage is waiting with an attendant who knows the way.

  "You're a Mongolian!" Zhongshan Lang was somewhat surprised, coldly sizing up Che Feng.

  "Not bad, these few months the great Khan hasn't caused much trouble for us Tumet people!"

  Zhongshan Wolf sneered and said, "Tumet people? You still think it's the past!"

  Che Feng's face was frosty, saying: "The news that flew on the grass must have been heard by you too. That is the fate of offending our Tumet people. You are limited to three days to surrender and come down from the mountain. Otherwise, after breaking the stronghold, not a single chicken or dog will be left."

  Zhongshan Lang burst out laughing and said: "Unfortunately, the Mongolian steppe is now under the rule of Chahar people. Do you still have this skill?"

  "Have you forgotten that Chahar and Tumed are Mongolians?" Che Feng threw out this sentence and turned to leave with big strides.

  Zhongshan Lang stretched out his hand as if he wanted to give an order to seize him, but in the end, he didn't say a word. With a belly full of doubts, he watched as Che Feng left.

  In the afternoon, a sentry who was on patrol outside rushed back to the camp and reported: "Cavalry, Mongolian cavalry, many Mongolian cavalry at the foot of the mountain!"

  Zhongshan Wolf was shocked and went to the high place of Lao Ya Mountain to observe.

  On the mountain path between the two mountains, there were more than 300 Mongolian cavalrymen galloping on horseback, their iron hooves kicking up snowflakes flying everywhere, heading towards the direction of Lao Ya Mountain Pass.

  "It's really the Mongolian cavalry!" Zhongshan Wolf's head buzzed. In the past, bandits on the grasslands only dared to steal from the Tumet people, and any bandits who dared to rob the Mongolians openly were exterminated. This grassland was ultimately the Mongolians' territory. The reason he had become bolder over the past few months was also justified.

  "Have the Tumet people reconciled with Chahar?" Zhongshan's mind was a jumbled mess.

  Never surrender when going down the mountain, until there is no way out. Zhongshan Wolf will never hand over his own life to others.

  Three hundred Mongolian cavalrymen camped in the woods at the foot of Lao Ya Mountain, and after settling down, they cut down many large trees with branches to block the road down the mountain, as if preparing to seal off the mountain. The outermost sentries had all retreated back to the stronghold.

  That night, Lao Ya Mountain was heavily guarded and uneasy. Zhong Shan Lang personally patrolled the camp twice, worried that the Tumet people would launch a surprise attack at night.

  The next day at noon, Zhongshan Lang's heart was uneasy again when he heard the scout from the top of the mountain come to report: "Master, the Mongolian cavalry has arrived again!"

  Zhongshan wolf climbed to the top of the mountain, still on the road where the Mongolian cavalry came yesterday, a team of cavalry slowly and leisurely came towards Laoyashan, with more than two hundred people.

  "It's all over!" Zhongshan Lang's heart turned cold, the Tumet people must have made their move.

  In the mountains behind Lao Ya Mountain, about seven or eight miles away, Di Zhe and Xiao Zhongyan were gnawing on dry rations. They had been lying in ambush here since last night.

  For so many days, the most energy-consuming thing for Di Zhe was the terrain with Lin Ge. Those refugees who were lured out of the mountains had been wandering here for half a year, familiar with most of the mountain ranges and roads, and also had a close connection with the new recruits from Zhongshan Wolf and Gengguang Mountain Stronghold. With these people, Di Zhe got to know the terrain of Zhongshan Wolf and Gengguang Mountain Stronghold clearly. The old camp of the horse bandits usually has multiple roads, one is the main gate, and the other is a small path. Di Zhe was guarding at the must-pass point on the small path behind Lao Ya Mountain.

  "You said Zhongshan Wolf will escape tonight or tomorrow night?" Zhai Zhexin was excited and ready to make a bet with Xiao Zhishen.

  Xiao Zhiyan didn't even lift an eyebrow and said, "Tonight!"

  "Are you sure?"

  "Have you forgotten what I used to do?" Xiao Zhiyan gave Di Zhe a white eye, and then poured another mouthful of wine, saying: "This trick of yours is really ruthless, if I were the wolf of Zhongshan, I would also fall into the pit you dug!"

  "On this prairie, the bold and daring horse thieves have all been killed off. Those who can survive in the turbulent world are none other than the cautious and timid ones, who are as jumpy as a startled bird! You scared off Zhongshan Lang like that, how could he possibly stay?"

  Di Zhe burst out laughing and said: "Thanks for your auspicious words!"

  The sky gradually darkened, and after the sun set, the wind picked up, unusually cold. In the mountains, the sound of breaking branches occasionally echoed. Di Zhe crouched on the snowy ground, beside him the big black horse's belly rose and fell with its breathing. At midnight, urgent footsteps came from the ground, Di Zhe signaled to Che Feng not far away, telling him not to make any sudden moves.

  The cold wind howled through the forest, and Zhongshan Lang walked at the front of the group, covering his head with a fur hat. After thinking for half a day, he still decided to escape, as more than 500 Mongolian cavalrymen were not something that bandits like him could match. He wanted to take advantage of the cold weather and the frozen Yellow River to lead his troops out of Helingeer, cross the Yellow River, and head towards Shanxi via the Hetao region. It was said that in Shanxi, the border military and civilians had rebelled and occupied the city of Hexi at the intersection of Shanxi and Gansu provinces. Among the rebels were many knife-wielding bandits from Ningxia and Shaanxi, including his acquaintance Gao Yingxian, who had become a big leader.

  The grasslands can't squeeze out oil and water anymore, so go to the Great Ming. Isn't it more enjoyable to burn, kill, loot, and plunder there? Zhongshan Lang secretly persuaded himself that since the Great Ming is in chaos, why bother staying on the grasslands to play?

  The Zhongshan wolf on horseback is heavy with thoughts, urging the warhorse to hurry, but on the snowy road, it's impossible to hurry, just wait until after a few more mountains and there will be a big way.

  After turning around a mountain foot, Zhongshan Lang saw that two big trees had fallen across the road in front of him, blocking the way.

  "What bad luck!" He cursed under his breath, thinking it was the strong wind that had blown down the trees. As he walked closer to take a better look, he felt something was off. The roots of the trees that were blown down by the wind would still be stuck in the mud, but these two trees in front of him were clearly cut down and placed here.

  As he was looking around, the sound of bowstrings echoed from both sides of the mountain forest, arrows rained down, and the horse thieves behind him cried out in disarray, with those hit by arrows falling off their horses incessantly.

  "Ambush! Charge!" Zhongshan Lang made a swift decision and urged his horse to jump over the big tree, rushing wildly towards the outside of the mountain.

  "Kill!" Hundreds of cavalrymen who had been hiding in ambush in the mountains on both sides rushed out, their swords and arrows striking simultaneously.

  "Han people! Han ambush!" Zhongshan Lang urged his horse to gallop, his mind a mess. The Mongols and Hans had different ways of fighting, he knew it was the Hans who were ambushing, what he couldn't understand was when did the Tumote people start recruiting Han cavalry?

  In the narrow mountain path, war horses could not gallop at all. The anxious bandits kicked their horses to run wildly and were crowded together, with people and horses falling over each other.

  On the spacious road ahead, Meng Kang had been waiting with his board axe for a long time.