gnovel Chapter 64 Joining Forces to Defeat the Enemy Reveals True Character
Chapter 64 Joining Forces to Defeat the Enemy Reveals True Character
Gao Huaide dashed off and hadn't gone far when he slammed his horse back into control.
He was wondering whether to go back to help or go find Yang Chonggui, but unexpectedly Yang Chonggui had already turned back.
"I didn't abandon you and run away first."
Yang Chonggui blushed, afraid that Gao Huaide would misunderstand: "It was your attendant who patted my horse's rump."
Gao Huaide waved his hand, indicating that he was fine.
The two looked back at the road they had come from, where shadowy figures of people and horses could be seen, indicating that they were engaged in a fierce battle.
Gao Huaide tentatively asked, "Should we go take a look? Maybe we can lend a hand in a pinch."
If he were alone, he would have already charged off on horseback. But with life and death at stake, he at least remembered to consult Yang Chonggui.
"Go ahead, who's afraid of us!"
Yang Chonggui inherited his father's boldness and courage; both of them were like newborn calves unafraid of tigers. They immediately turned their horses around and galloped back the way they came.
They hadn't gone far when a rider came galloping towards them—it was an unfamiliar face!
Could it be that Lu Qian and Fu An were defeated and killed, and the Tanguts have come after them?
If the enemy is powerful and friendly forces have been eliminated, is there any point in going to their aid?
To flee or to fight? The choice was immediately presented.
The two exchanged a glance, and, true to their nature as born generals, instantly made up their minds: "Fight!"
The two teenagers were so excited that they didn't see the fearful expression on Laiqi's face, as if he had been greatly frightened.
Just moments before, the enemy had dealt a very difficult blow, swiftly killing three of their clansmen with a single stroke. The remaining three riders dared not advance rashly, reining in their horses and hesitating whether to go forward or retreat.
Unexpectedly, that person charged towards them, completely disregarding the disadvantage of being outnumbered three to one. His companion simply watched from the sidelines without offering any assistance.
They were used to robbing and had never encountered such a tough opponent. Their targets usually gave up resistance once intimidated and obediently handed over their valuables. Even the few who dared to resist were dealt with in no time.
But this man was different; he was ruthless and efficient in his actions, each move swift and decisive. Although the Tangut bandits didn't know this was the killing method of a seasoned soldier, they could at least tell that things were going badly, and they had bitten off more than they could chew.
Fu An rushed over quickly, slashing down one of his men with his knife. While Fu An was chasing another accomplice, the last man hurriedly made his escape.
Seeing the two children who had just escaped right in front of him, he no longer had the idea of catching them and extorting money; he only wanted to escape as much as possible—it was better to go back empty-handed and lose face than to lose his life.
If they were to die, it would be alright if their father, brother, or nephew remarried. However, if they were taken in by another clan, their children would be adopted and called "father," effectively making them no different from slaves—this was the fate that the families of several deceased companions were about to face. (Note 1)
Unexpectedly, while he was focused on escaping, the two children wouldn't let him go, brandishing knives and guns and attacking him.
At first, the man found it amusing, thinking the two kids were just playing around, but then a violent rage rose within him.
"Going out is unlucky; let's see some blood to wash away the bad luck!"
He raised his spear and chose the younger child, thinking that if he couldn't handle that man, taking down this little brat would be easy.
Gao Huaide was furious. He glared at the enemy cavalry that had abandoned him and were attacking Yang Chonggui, filled with indignation.
"How dare you, you scoundrel, look down on me!"
He immediately pulled on the reins, grabbed his gun, and gave chase.
As the two horses were about to pass each other, the Tangut man, looking down at Yang Chonggui, who was a head shorter than him, thrust out his spear fiercely.
chap!
With a flash of the golden blade, a section of the bone spear was severed.
"What happened?"
Cutting a spear in one move may seem simple, but it actually requires keen eyesight, arm strength, mindset, and quick reflexes.
The Tangut bandits felt a lightness in their hands, and before they could figure out how one child had managed to do it, another child's mount was already close in!
Facing an opponent taller than himself, Gao Huaide adopted the Gao Siping spear stance, raising his silver spear above his head and twirling it in a flurry of motion before charging straight at the rider.
The Tangut bandits caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of their eyes and were startled. It seemed that this kid really knew how to use a gun.
His mount picked up speed and charged forward. Without thinking, he dropped the broken spear and reached for the shaft.
If that child could do it, there's no reason why I can't.
Once he had a firm grip, he figured that a mere child couldn't possibly contend with him and would surely be dragged off his horse.
"Drink it!"
Gao Huaide exhaled and spoke, and the white horse beneath him spurred its horse forward. As the feeling of leaping and undulating traveled from his waist and back to his shoulders, he channeled his strength into his arms and with a flick of his wrist, a proud flower of spear blossomed forth!
The Tangut man felt a blur before his eyes, the red tassels blurring his vision, and a cold glint appeared in the center.
Before he could even touch the gun barrel, his body jolted and he fell backward.
The silver spear shattered the bridge of his nose, pierced straight into his face, and emerged from the back of his head, killing the enemy in one clean and swift move!
Gao Huaide tucked his spear and flicked it, the red tassel fluttering, blood dripping, and the enemy rider's corpse fell from his horse.
When Lu Qian and Fu An arrived on horseback, they witnessed this scene.
The red sun in the sky and the yellow earth on the ground set off the figure of a young man holding a silver spear and sitting upright on a white horse.
……
"Young master is amazing! He killed the thief in a one-on-one fight."
Gao Huaide wanted to say that Yang Chonggui had also contributed, so it could be considered that the two of them had joined forces, but Fu An seemed to think it was him and flattered him excessively.
Looking at that obsequious, sycophantic demeanor, Gao Huaide found it hard to believe that just a short while ago, this was the same guy who had fiercely killed several enemies.
While Fu An was flattering and fawning, his hands were also busy. He took out a knife and cut off the right ear of the Tangut man, wiped the blood off with the corpse's clothes, and finally, feeling embarrassed to take credit from the young master, asked Gao Huaide if he wanted it.
"What would I do with this thing?"
Since Gao Huaide didn't want it, Fu An didn't stand on ceremony and stuffed it into the satchel wrapped around his belly, beaming with joy.
Killing six thieves, the reward is enough for a hearty meal and a night of passion.
He went back to cut off the ears of several other Tanguts, muttering to himself as he did so: "I was ordered to be a hanger-on, thinking it would be like teasing a cat, but who knew it would turn out to be a tiger cub."
Gao Huaide asked, "You don't want Lu Qian either?"
Lu Qian smiled slightly: "Fu An took them all down by himself. I am weak and have no ability to kill enemies."
Fu An fought six opponents single-handedly, killing five and scaring away one.
Gao Huaide had heard his father tell the story of Xia Luqi dealing with seven Weibo soldiers, and knew that there were indeed fierce generals in the world who could kill a hundred men.
Although the Tangut bandits were far inferior to regular soldiers, Gao Huaide was still surprised when his usually shady follower suddenly transformed into a warrior who could fight against many.
Lu Qian remained calm and composed, creating opportunities to kill the enemy, which was equally remarkable.
After careful consideration, Gao Huaide realized that it made perfect sense; the person his father had placed by his side could not be an ordinary person.
"Fu An used to have a nickname in the army: Nine-Headed Bird. It was said that he fought like a madman, as if he had nine heads."
Lu Qian calmly summarized, "When facing a stronger enemy with a weaker opponent, one cannot be overly conservative. Only by seizing an opening and striking first can one turn the tide and survive."
The battle itself was insignificant; what was remarkable was experiencing it firsthand. Gao Huaide found it far more memorable than observing it from the sidelines.
He recalled the events and found them to be consistent with military strategy: dismounting and slowly advancing to lull the enemy into a false sense of security, using weaker troops to hold back a portion of the enemy, and concentrating elite forces to defeat the remaining enemy. He suddenly felt he had gained a lot of insights.
"So, was letting Gui-ge go in the first place intentional?"
Gao Huaide recalled the incident, noting that Lu Qian released the two of them briefly, one after the other. At first glance, this seemed innocuous, but upon closer examination, did it contain a deeper meaning?
"That was a brilliant shot, killing the enemy with a single shot."
Yang Chonggui interrupted his thoughts, and a sincere compliment made Gao Huaide feel embarrassed.
"I was a little worried when he attacked you, but I didn't expect you to cut his spear in half with one stroke."
"That's because the Tanguts' weapons were crude, not because I'm powerful."
Gao Huaide thought to himself, "What an honest guy. If it were me, I would have to brag about it."
"Don't be modest. Also, don't tell your sister about the incident with the bandits when you get back."
"Yeah, I won't tell anyone."
They didn't realize it at the time, but after the brief battle ended, their hearts were still pounding, and they couldn't help but say something to calm themselves down.
This time, when Gao Huaide killed the Tangut bandits, he didn't feel the same discomfort he had when he killed civilians last time. This was probably because the bandits were of a different race and were his enemies.
His thoughts drifted elsewhere, and he temporarily forgot to consider Lu Qian's actions.
After cutting off his ear, Fu An turned around and, while the two were comforting each other and not paying attention to what was happening, quietly asked Lu Qian, "You used that kid from the Yang family as bait to divert the Dangxiang people's attention. What if he got hurt?"
"The commander entrusted his son to us, so our first priority is to ensure his safety; we can't worry about anyone else."
Lu Qian remained expressionless: "If the Yang family's child is unfortunately injured or even dies, it is not impossible to explain it in a good way, so that the Yang family of Linzhou can turn their hatred towards the Dangxiang tribe. This may not be unfavorable to the military commander's plan."
He stroked his beard and chuckled, "I didn't expect him and the young master to turn back and actually join forces to kill the enemy cavalry. That's beyond my expectations."
Seeing his unmoved expression, Fu An couldn't help but curse, "You, Lu Qian, Lu Yuhou, you've got a good plan! Scholars are always cunning!"
Chi Lin and Ru Hua did not get separated; they returned to their respective masters, wagging their tails happily and barking, thus bringing this adventure to a close.