gnovel Chapter 63 A Clever Response to a Sudden Encounter with Rider Thieves
Chapter 63 A Clever Response to a Sudden Encounter with Rider Thieves
"I've made up my mind."
Gao Huaide seemed to have made a major decision, and said solemnly, "Let's call it Ruhua."
Ruhua was a one-and-a-half-year-old spotted dog, lazily following behind the horse with her tongue lolling out. When she heard the name Gao Huaide had given her, she barked, whether in agreement or disagreement was unclear.
Yang Chonggui felt that Gao Huaide's name was somewhat of a reference to his young wife Zhe Saihua, whom he had never met. However, it could also be a misunderstanding, stemming from his prejudice against Gao Yanei's character.
He asked Gao Huaide to change his name, but was met with a retort.
"You're overthinking it. Ru Hua is a male dog."
Gao Huaide chuckled, pointed to the burly red dog trotting alongside Yang Chonggui's horse, and asked, "What do you plan to name it?"
Yang Chonggui had also decided on a name: "Let's call him Chi Lin."
The dog had a bright red coat, as vibrant as scales, but the unicorn that Yang Chonggui spoke of was the unicorn of Linzhou.
Gao Huaide did not make fun of this; he understood Yang Chonggui's homesickness.
"Young master, something's not right."
Fu An spurred his horse forward, riding alongside Gao Huaide: "Ever since we left Bao'an Town, three riders have been trailing behind us."
Gao Huaide wanted to turn around to look, but Fu An said, "I have already checked, it is a Dangxiang Shengfan."
Three hundred years ago, the Tanguts were a lawless and uncultured barbarian tribe. Each clan was divided into tribes, the larger ones with more than five thousand cavalry and the smaller ones with more than a thousand cavalry. They made their own living and did not interact with each other, but they would gather together when there was a battle.
By the early Sui and Tang dynasties, the Dangxiang people had gradually submitted to the Tang dynasty. Notable among them were Xifeng, Feiting, Wangli, Pochao, Yeli, Miqin, Fangdang, and Tuoba, collectively known as the Eight Tribes of Dangxiang. Based on their location, they were also known as the Blackwater Dangxiang, the Snow Mountain Dangxiang, and so on.
The Li clan of Xia Prefecture originated from the Tuoba tribe and was the most powerful among all the tribes. They were not only distributed in Xia Prefecture, but also in the vast area of Ling Prefecture and even Hexi.
The Tangut people were further divided into uninhabited and settled groups.
Those who entered the city from the border with the Han people were called "familiar households." They lived among the Han people, obeyed government laws, and were no different from ordinary people.
Those who live deep in the mountains and remain unincorporated are called "untamed barbarians." They usually live by nomadic herding, but when they venture into the wilderness, they sometimes take on the role of bandits—today, unfortunately, Gao Yanei has encountered them. (Note 1)
"Why are you targeting us?"
Gao Huaide felt underestimated; the two sides were evenly matched in numbers, so how dare they make a move?
"It's not necessarily just these three riders."
Fu An couldn't resist adding a compliment: "Young master, you have an outstanding presence, riding a horse and leading a dog—you're clearly from a wealthy family. This is a lucrative deal; we must make a move!"
Gao Huaide felt something was off about the entourage's flattery.
Lu Qian reassured him, "Young master, don't be anxious. It's possible that you've just happened to be traveling the same route as us. If you harbor ill intentions, there will definitely be more to the story ahead."
Fu An spat: "Even if they are innocent, the spies from the caravan shop should be killed. It must have been one of those spies who leaked our information."
"Is that necessarily true?"
Gao Huaide was not very knowledgeable about worldly affairs. He felt that the broker who had just brokered the transaction was all smiles and very kind and approachable, and did not seem like a villain.
"You can't judge a book by its cover."
Lu Qian was about to explain the difficulties people faced on their journeys, and the various tricks and schemes employed by the aforementioned five types of people, including treachery, deception, and even murder for money, when he saw three more riders appear in the distance ahead, heading in this direction.
"They're almost certainly in cahoots."
Six Tangut cavalrymen, lined up in an inverted triangular formation, approached slowly and deliberately, like two wine cups gently closing together.
In their eyes, it was a six-on-two situation, with the other side being just as unarmored as they were, and also having two children who needed protection. This trip was going to be very easy.
Lu Qian winked at Fu An, who patted his broadsword and made a throat-slitting gesture, so Lu Qian made up his mind.
……
The figures of the three riders in front of them gradually became clear. At first glance, they were no different from ordinary herdsmen. However, the bows and arrows on their horses and the spears in their hands betrayed their identities.
Upon closer inspection, the tip of the spear is not made of iron, but rather a sharpened piece of bone.
Chi Lin seemed to sense the malice carried on the wind, and made a gurgling sound in its throat; Ru Hua simply jumped onto the white horse and squatted behind her master.
Lu Qian dismounted and grabbed the reins of Gao Huaide and Yang Chonggui's horses: "Young Master, Young Master Yang, you must not run around in a panic."
When suddenly encountered by thieves in the wild, running away is the natural reaction of an ordinary person. At this time, it is only twenty or thirty miles away from Bao'an Town. Turning around and running back at full speed, it will take no time at all.
With four riders working together, the chances of breaking through the enemy's blockade are quite high, which is a great temptation.
It's also a trap.
This might be the moment the other side has been waiting for: the group of people who have given up resistance and exposed their backs are perfect targets.
"The Tanguts are waiting for us to lose our composure so they can pursue us at their leisure and capture us within a few miles; if we do nothing, they will surround us from both sides, and outnumbered, we will find it equally difficult to resist."
Gao Huaide wasn't afraid; he listened with interest as Lu Qian analyzed the situation: "So what should we do?"
"It is when the encirclement is about to be completed that people are most likely to become complacent."
Lu Qian's calm words carried a calming power: "A simple trick is all it takes to break this deadlock. Young Master, Young Master Yang, please do as I say."
Fu An dismounted to show that he had no intention of fleeing, and took the initiative to meet the three riders ahead.
Lu Qian led a horse slowly forward, one in each hand.
"Once Fu An makes his move, while the other side is distracted, Young Master and Young Master Yang should ride at full speed without hesitation."
"How can the sons of the Yang family flee without a fight? If you find me a hindrance, then you may go and fight yourselves."
Yang Chonggui's face turned even redder, and Gao Huaide chimed in, "That's right, we're skilled in martial arts, why are we running away?"
Lu Qian, unusually serious, said, "There is no room for sentimentality on the battlefield. Whether to fight, defend, retreat, or surrender, it is not shameful to make any choice, depending on the situation."
In an instant, Gao Huaide felt that this usually obedient follower was somewhat similar to the words his father used to reprimand him.
The next moment, Lu Qian resumed his smiling face: "If the young master and Young Master Yang suffer even the slightest injury, Fu An and I will inevitably be held responsible. It's best to be careful."
As soon as they finished speaking, and they were almost upon each other, the Tangut man's face became vaguely visible. He had a round face and yellow skin, not much different from the Han people, except that his eye sockets were deeper, his nose bridge was slightly higher, and his messy hair was haphazardly spread out. (Note 2)
"Later, your life will be in danger. Young master, do not hesitate, and absolutely do not concern yourself with my affairs."
Lu Qian lowered his voice to give instructions, then raised his voice and shouted in Tibetan.
Judging from his smiling expression, Gao Huaide guessed that it was probably because the weather was nice, whether he had eaten, or if he was out and about and needed a favor.
The three riders were used to robbing and pillaging. Seeing that the men did not flee but instead moved forward, they did not immediately turn on them. They planned to wait for their accomplices to arrive so that they could easily capture them.
The two children each held a silver spear and a gold knife; they looked quite impressive and would surely be worth a lot of money if taken home.
This is incredibly extravagant. Here, people treat even a piece of scrap metal as a treasure, while the sons of the Han people treat exquisite weapons as toys.
The three riders looked at the bone spear in their hands, thinking of the children in their family who had helped herd livestock since they were young, and felt more and more that fate was unfair.
They didn't think there was anything wrong with their actions; on the contrary, they were quite self-righteous: "What's good for the Han people is ours to take."
One rider brandished his spear and mumbled a few words, while the other two riders took out their bows and arrows, no longer bothering to conceal their actions.
The three riders behind them spurred their horses to speed up, aiming to surround the four men in the center.
Lu Qian spoke with a forced smile, distracting the rider.
Fu An pretended not to understand the Tibetan language, smiled and kept walking, as if he couldn't see the spear, and ran straight into it.
They were almost within spear's reach, the spear tip just touching Fu An's chest. Two horsemen with bows nocked their arrows, one aiming at Lu Qian, the other at Fu An, preparing to kill the two adults first. How could the two younger ones escape?
A sudden change!
Lu Qian loosened the reins and slapped Yang Chonggui's horse, which immediately bolted forward.
The rider opposite was slightly distracted. The runaway child must be the young master. He couldn't let the most valuable goods get away.
Just as he was hesitating whether to chase after Yang Chonggui or stay behind to keep an eye on Lu Qian and Gao Huaide, something unexpected happened to his two companions.
Fu An grabbed his opponent's spear and pulled it back. In the instant he thrust it out, he crashed into the enemy cavalry!
The bone spear grazed past his chest, and his cloth shirt ripped open with a tear.
Is this guy crazy?
The Tangut man was shocked. He missed his attack, and his spear blocked the outer edge. Suddenly, he felt a coolness in his chest and abdomen, which then turned into a burning sensation. His internal organs felt like they were on fire.
He instinctively reached out to touch it, grabbing a thin but hard object. Immediately, his palm went numb, and several of his fingers lost sensation.
Fu An brandished his gleaming broadsword and began stabbing the rider indiscriminately.
The blade pierced the flesh as easily as a fish entering water.
The rider watched helplessly as his abdomen was stabbed into a bloody mess, accompanied by excruciating pain, and all his strength seemed to have vanished.
Another rider drew his bow and nocked an arrow; at such close range, it should have missed.
But the Han man was extremely cunning; his horse and companions conveniently concealed him.
It must just be a coincidence.
The rider quickly weighed the pros and cons, put down his bow and arrows, picked up his spear, and decided to assassinate instead.
His companions were most likely dead, and if that Han Chinese man attacked him, a spear would be better than a horn bow.
Even if they can't defeat them, they only need to stall for a while until their other companions arrive. With five against two, they will still be guaranteed to win.
Unfortunately, Fu An didn't give him a chance to fight. He abandoned the half-dead man, leaned out from under the horse's belly, and swung his sword in a sweeping motion!
The blade flashed past the ankle, then ripped open the horse's belly, spilling out a bloody mass of internal organs.
The rider on horseback had one leg cut off, lost his footing in the stirrups and lost his balance, his body immediately tilting to the other side.
The injured horse, in pain, went berserk and bolted away.
In the blink of an eye, Fu An seized the opportunity and slashed again, the blade cutting across the neck of the fallen rider, and blood gushed out immediately.
Two people were killed in an instant; what ruthless methods!
The horse dragged the rider, whose fate was unknown, leaving a trail of blood as it ran for a distance before collapsing to the ground, its belly ripped open and its intestines spilling out.
The three riders behind had not yet arrived, and two of the three riders in front had already been killed, leaving Lu Qian and Fu An in a two-on-one situation.
Lu Qian then released the reins of Gao Huaide's horse and patted its rump lightly: "Young Master, go."
Fu An licked his lips, still savoring the taste of blood and spittle as he killed his opponent.
The next moment, seeing Gao Huaide riding his white horse far away, he suddenly attacked the remaining rider!