Chapter Sixty-Six: Making Dumplings

Cangshan Stronghold was not a particularly large fortress, nor was Cangshan itself a particularly imposing mountain. In fact, the last time the provincial troops came to suppress Cangshan Stronghold, had they pressed on for merely two more twists of the mountain path, they would have reached the stronghold itself. At that time, everyone in Cangshan Stronghold could only flee into the caves to seek refuge. If even the government soldiers found it so, how much less could these mountain bandits—who already lived on the mountain—rely on the stronghold for defense? It was hardly possible to claim any significant advantage—save perhaps for the element of ambush and surprise.

After evacuating the villagers from Li Family Village, Li Yun and his companions lay hidden within the estate, waiting an entire day until finally, the bandits from Ten Kings Stronghold arrived. By then, Li Yun was already armored, brandishing a long spear. In the sudden strike, he felled five or six men on his own. Zhang Hu, meanwhile, gravely wounded the third leader of Ten Kings Stronghold and instantly incapacitated four or five others. With the rest of Cangshan Stronghold’s bandits launching their attacks at the same moment, over twenty men from Ten Kings Stronghold fell within an instant—though not all dead, most were rendered powerless.

The leader, Old Tong, hearing the cries of agony, immediately sensed something amiss. He waved his hand sharply, ordering his men to retreat and regroup. At that moment, Li Yun, armored in black and carrying his blood-stained spear, stepped out from the house. Blood dripped from his weapon, and the black mask upon his face made him seem a god of slaughter.

Behind Li Yun, more than forty bandits from Cangshan Stronghold emerged, but instead of forming ranks, they spread out at the entrances of various houses, holding their ground.

Old Tong’s eyelid twitched. Though he still held a clear advantage in numbers, at that moment, he was utterly overwhelmed by Li Yun’s presence.

“You…” Old Tong stared at Li Yun and asked in a low voice, “You’re Little Ma?”

The stronghold master’s expression was hidden beneath his mask, but his voice was cold as frost. “And you’re the old beast from Ten Kings Stronghold?”

Old Tong spat, brandishing his broad blade. “You uncultured wretch! When your father, Old Ma, was alive, he called me ‘Brother.’ You should call your father ‘Master!’”

“I am your master!” Li Yun’s fury flared. He waved his hand and shouted, “Brothers, the fight has reached our doorstep. There’s nowhere left to retreat—let’s give them everything we’ve got!”

Without hesitation, he charged forward. Such a fierce leader stirred unimaginable courage; as Li Yun rushed ahead, all the bandits from Cangshan Stronghold surged after him toward Old Tong.

The bandits from Ten Kings Stronghold were not to be outdone—they raised their blades and met Li Yun’s group head-on.

Li Yun’s spear swept through the fray, and two more men fell beneath its tip. Old Tong, seeing Li Yun was no easy foe, signaled to his two apprentices, who immediately flanked Li Yun, surrounding him. Old Tong held his blade in one hand, and with the other, triggered a mechanism—two darting sleeve-arrows shot straight at Li Yun!

At the same time, Old Tong’s apprentices lunged at Li Yun from both sides.

Old Tong himself, blade in hand, charged forward with great strides. This was Ten Kings Stronghold’s usual tactic for dealing with tough opponents; over the years, many skilled fighters had fallen to their methods, including young heroes who had barely set foot into the world before perishing at the hands of these bandits.

With a metallic clang, Li Yun felt a sharp pain in his chest—the two arrows struck his breastplate and clattered to the ground.

Li Yun spun to glare at Old Tong. The three-man encirclement was in place! If it had been Old Ma before, he would have rushed straight at Old Tong. But Li Yun, more composed now, retreated ten paces, breaking free of the circle, then stepped forward again, thrusting his spear. When his attack missed, he immediately swept sideways, forcing Old Tong’s apprentices back.

Li Yun shouted, pressing forward, his spear aimed at one apprentice’s throat. The man, a skilled fighter, quickly intercepted the spear with his blade.

Li Yun raised his spear, gripped it with both hands, and brought it crashing down! The apprentice tried to block, but could not withstand the force—his blade flew from his grasp, and Li Yun’s spear struck his shoulder, the edge cutting deep. Nearly half the man’s arm was severed, and he collapsed, screaming.

Old Tong, who had been about to charge, hesitated, his eyelid twitching violently. Little Ma’s spear technique was uncanny—he wielded it almost like an axe! Ferocious indeed!

At that moment, Zhou Liang, the third leader of Cangshan Stronghold, came up with his blade to guard Li Yun’s flank. “Master, are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine,” Li Yun replied, touching his chest. “If not for my armor, those beasts might have caught me off guard!”

“Uncle, pay me no mind,” Li Yun said, catching his breath and raising his spear once more. “Go help elsewhere!”

Zhou Liang glanced at Li Yun’s back, sighed quietly, then charged at the nearest bandits from Ten Kings Stronghold with his blade.

By then, the advantage of surprise was lost. Though Ten Kings Stronghold still had more men, the morale of Cangshan Stronghold surged, and the battle became evenly matched.

…

On the other side of the village, Liu Bo led over a hundred hired hands toward the battlefield, anxious and hurried. “Faster, faster!” he urged. “Bandits are raiding the village—your master hired you for moments like this! When I give the command, charge forward; if you kill or wound anyone, your master will take responsibility—none of it falls on you! If you’re hurt, you’ll each get twenty strings of cash!”

These men had been hired by Liu Bo, prepared for the two main duties: fighting rival villages, and dealing with invading bandits.

With Liu Bo at the helm, the hired hands quickly entered the fray. The pressure on Ten Kings Stronghold’s bandits mounted, and they began to retreat in disorder.

Almost simultaneously, the master of these hired hands, Li Zheng, was leading a dozen or so constables toward Li Family Village at a brisk pace.

As they neared the village, Chen Da still looked confused. “Brother Li, you say two groups of bandits are fighting here?”

“Yes!” Li Zheng replied, pausing to catch his breath, then pointing toward the village. “The captain has been gathering information these past days—he’s hiding in the village now!”

“By the time we arrive, the bandits should have worn each other down. We’ll be just in time to seize them. Brothers, faster!” Li Zheng turned to the constables and called out, “Once this is over, drinks are on me—flower wine!”

His companions, long familiar with Li Zheng, laughed. “Have you ever even been with a woman, Li? Flower wine?”

Li Zheng responded boldly, “Never mind whether I have or not—I’ll take you all, just wait!”

He was about to say more when a voice called from the village entrance, “Retreat!”

Li Zheng looked up to see forty or fifty bandits fleeing Li Family Village in disarray. His eyes brightened and he waved his hand vigorously.

“Brothers, our chance for glory is here!”

Drawing his constable’s blade from his waist, Li Zheng shouted, “The captain said—kill a bandit, earn five strings of cash! Surrenders count too! With me—cut down the bandits!”