Chapter Fifteen: Night Raid on the Camp, As Expected
Inside the Wang family refugee camp, the candlelight flickered wildly, tossed about by the draft sweeping through the hall. The face of Wang Kui, head of the Wang clan, flickered between light and shadow, etched with anxiety.
The county magistrate of Huyang Pass, Shao Qiang, sat upright at the head of the table, his fingers drumming a heavy, dull beat on the surface—each tap striking Wang Kui’s heart like a hammer.
“Wang Kui, I’m beginning to wonder if your head’s been screwed on backward!” Shao Qiang’s voice was laden with reproach, his gaze sharp as a blade. “First, you botched the raid on the tribute supplies, and now you’ve failed at seizing grain! Looks like it’s time I find a new partner. The Wang family can just fend for yourselves!”
Wang Kui broke into a cold sweat, bowing repeatedly. “County Magistrate, please temper your anger. This is my failure alone. I never imagined the Li family could have found such formidable experts!”
“Don’t feed me excuses!” Shao Qiang slammed his hand on the table, splashing tea everywhere. “Now that Zhao Qingshan and Wu Ping are dead, Chancellor Wei is deeply displeased. Tonight, this must be settled once and for all, or the Wang clan can prepare to be erased from Huyang Pass.”
“Taking weapons without permission...”
“What’s there to fear? I’m the county magistrate; if I don’t report it, who else would know?”
“But...”
“No buts! Remember, this is your final chance.”
With that, Shao Qiang rose and swept from the room, leaving Wang Kui and Wang Meng staring at each other in silence.
After Shao Qiang’s figure disappeared into the night, Wang Meng couldn’t help but speak. “Father, Shao Qiang is far too aggressive.”
Wang Kui was silent a moment, a glint of ruthless resolve flashing in his eyes. “At this point, there’s no turning back. Tonight, we must muster the full strength of the clan and launch a night raid on the Li family. We must reclaim the tribute women!”
Meanwhile, at the Li family refugee camp, Chen An had gathered everyone together. Although Li Xiang was somewhat puzzled, he kept his doubts to himself.
“Young Master Chen, you’ve gathered everyone here—do you have instructions?” he asked quietly.
Chen An replied softly, “We sound the drums early to rally, and be on guard for an attack from the Wang family.”
“The Wang family attacking?”
“Ha! How could that be?”
Chen An’s words were met with waves of disdain.
“Young Master Chen, do you really have proof of this?” Even Li Xiang could not help but feel skeptical.
“The Wang family’s mistakes have to be avenged—strike hard at first, weaken the second time, and be exhausted by the third.” A spark gleamed in Chen An’s eyes. “War leaves no room for luck. Or do you wish to be crushed under the Wang family forever?”
“But the Wang family has numbers and power. How can we possibly stand against them?” Li Duo asked in doubt.
Chen An smiled faintly. “Who says we can’t? I’m about to teach you a formation called the Mandarin Duck Formation.”
“The Mandarin Duck Formation?”
The curious name left the Li family folk baffled.
This formation was unheard of.
“The so-called Mandarin Duck Formation groups twelve men into a team, providing cross-cover and each with their own role—using fewer numbers to overcome many, supporting each other like horns of a crescent, with balanced offense and defense, advancing and retreating smoothly.”
Though time was short, under Chen An’s guidance, the Li family quickly grasped the general concept of the formation.
What surprised them even more was that Chen An seemed almost clairvoyant.
As dusk fell, many dark figures emerged like a storm over the hills outside the Li refugee camp.
While everyone praised Chen An’s foresight, he still wore a troubled expression.
“You really are a seer, to have guessed all this?” Li Duo gushed like a little fan.
“Not guessed—deduced,” Chen An replied, brow furrowed. “But I didn’t expect the Wang family to bring so many back.”
“What should we do?”
“Charging headlong won’t work—I must go down first.”
“But outside are all Wang family men. Why would you go down?”
“The enemy’s momentum is strong now. If we don’t act soon, we won’t hold.”
Just as Chen An turned to leave, Li Duo called out anxiously.
“Anything else?”
“Nothing... just—please be careful.”
The camp gates opened slowly, and Chen An rode in alone, his face relaxed and at ease—quite unlike what Wang Meng had expected.
“Don’t put on a show, brat. One last warning: stop struggling in vain!” Wang Meng sneered coldly. “My Wang family’s thousands have surrounded the Li camp, sealing it tight.”
“If you know what’s good for you, surrender now. Otherwise, after the city falls, none will be spared.”
Suddenly, Chen An shouted, “Dismount, and I’ll spare your life!”
The thunderous voice sent a chill down Wang Meng’s spine.
By his logic, Chen An should have come to beg for mercy.
But the decisive tone unnerved him.
“Archers, ready!” Chen An raised his hand sharply.
Instantly, dozens leapt from the Li camp’s walls. Unlike ordinary bows and arrows, these weapons were unlike anything Wang Meng had ever seen.
“These are repeating crossbows, capable of firing twelve bolts in the blink of an eye,” Chen An pressed.
“Impossible! Such weapons don’t exist!” Wang Meng was unnerved.
“Arrogant fool! You, a mere refugee, dare to boast so?” Chen An’s voice was cold.
“I didn’t kill you the last time, yet here you come with your troops!”
“Do you think I fear you because you come from a general’s line?”
“Do you think that because you’ve allied with a minor eighth-rank official, you can roam freely in the Huyang Mountains, slaughtering hundreds without punishment?”
“Do you think your thousand-odd ragtag refugees can wield power here?”
Chen An’s words rang with conviction and strength, a formidable psychological pressure that left Wang Meng unsure who truly held the upper hand.
Even Wang Meng’s soldiers felt their morale waver.
Seeing this, Wang Meng refused to let Chen An succeed.
“Brothers, kill! Leave none alive after we take the city!”
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