“Big boss, are trebuchets really that effective?”
The second boss was still a bit scared.
Jin Feng had already left a psychological shadow on them.
Back then, there were dozens of large and small bandit gangs in Jinchuan County. Now, among the four major gangs that collected annual grain taxes, only their Double Camel Peak was barely surviving. The other three had either been captured and handed over to the yamen for rewards or sent to Black Water Ditch as forced labourers.
As for those smaller bandit groups, there was no need to mention them. They had either scattered like birds and beasts or been wiped out by the bandit-suppression squad from Xihe Bay.
If bandits were the scourge in the hearts of ordinary people, then Jin Feng was the king of hell in the hearts of Jinchuan bandits.
“Look at you, such a coward!”
Boss Lu kicked the second boss in annoyance. “Back then Jin Feng only had a few dozen escort masters, yet how did he destroy Iron Jar Mountain? Wasn’t it all thanks to trebuchets and heavy crossbows? Now we have several hundred men and we’ve occupied Tiger Roar Ridge in advance, so why can’t we finish them off?
Besides, Mr Feng’s task for us is to kill Jin Feng, not to wipe out all the prefectural soldiers. When the time comes, we’ll use several trebuchets and heavy crossbows to target Jin Feng directly. Even if he has a hundred lives, he’ll still be smashed into mincemeat!”
Mr Feng chose Tiger Roar Ridge because the official road becomes extremely narrow there, making it one of the best ambush spots between Guangyuan and Wulang Mountain.
To the south was a sheer cliff dozens of zhang high, while to the north of the official road was a steep slope. The bandits were hiding in the woods on that steep slope.
The night passed without incident. Before dawn the next day, the prefectural soldiers began cooking under the urging of Captain Xiao.
Other soldiers started packing tents and loading the carts.
As a noble with a title, Jin Feng was naturally allowed to wear armour, and according to the rites ministry regulations of the Great Kang Dynasty, he could also select two personal guards from his retinue to wear armour.
However, Jin Feng found armour uncomfortable and never wore it normally.
But this morning, when Jin Feng stepped out of his tent, he was wearing a full set of armour.
Not only him, Zhang Liang and Big Liu behind him were the same.
This suit of armour had been designed by Jin Feng himself. It was completely black, with more flexible joints, and it looked much more form-fitting.
Apart from the standard helmet and breastplate, Jin Feng also wore leg guards and war boots. In terms of appearance, it completely outclassed the standard prefectural army armour worn by Captain Xiao.
Not only was the appearance outstanding, these three suits also incorporated the highest craftsmanship currently available from the Xihe Bay ironworks. They were light yet extremely hard, and even sharp black blades found it difficult to pierce them.
After breakfast, the sky had begun to lighten, and the army set off.
Although the army moved slowly, the distance from Huilong Mountain to Tiger Roar Ridge was only a few li. In less than half an hour, the bandits hiding in the mountain forest caught sight of the prefectural troops from afar.
The official road was narrow, and the column of over two thousand men stretched for hundreds of metres, too long to see the end at a glance.
“Jin Feng is here. Everyone stay sharp!”
Boss Lu lowered his head to look at the scout. “Where in the column is Jin Feng?”
“Right at the front under the Zhenyuan Escort Agency flag. The ones wearing black armour are Jin Feng and his two subordinates.”
The bandit pointed down the mountain as he spoke.
Boss Lu narrowed his eyes and looked eastward. Sure enough, he saw a black escort flag of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
Beneath the flag, three figures in black armour rode tall war horses.
“Get everyone at the back ready. The moment Jin Feng reaches that crooked-neck tree down there, take him out immediately!”
As Boss Lu spoke, he glanced back at the heavy crossbows and trebuchets behind him.
At that very moment, a volley of arrows suddenly shot out from the bushes beside the heavy crossbows and trebuchets.
The bandits guarding the heavy crossbows and trebuchets were hit one after another and collapsed.
Then Boss Lu saw a group of strange figures covered in branches and weeds rush out from the bushes and seize control of the heavy crossbow and trebuchet positions.
Everything happened far too quickly. From the arrows flying out of the bushes to the strange figures capturing the heavy crossbows, it took no more than a dozen seconds.
Many bandits had not even realised what was happening when they saw one of the strange figures raise a crossbow, aim into the sky, and pull the trigger.
Whoosh!
A signal arrow shot into the air with a sharp whistle.
“That’s the Zhenyuan Escort Agency’s signal arrow! How can there be Zhenyuan Escort Agency people here?”
Boss Lu felt his scalp explode. Without time to think, he roared at the top of his voice, “Quick, retake the heavy crossbows and trebuchets, or we’re all dead!”
The bandits finally snapped out of their daze and charged towards the heavy crossbows and trebuchets.
These strange figures were none other than a group of veteran soldiers led by Da Zhuang.
Ever since they learned that the mastermind behind this operation was Mr Feng, Zhang Liang immediately realised that Mr Feng would very likely set an ambush on the road while Jin Feng was heading to rescue Qing Muluan.
After asking the hunter Da Qiang, they learned that Tiger Roar Ridge was the best ambush spot between Xihe Bay and Wulang Mountain. Zhang Liang sent Zhong Ming’s team ahead to visit the villagers around Tiger Roar Ridge and quickly confirmed that a large group of bandits had recently entered the ridge.
After discussing with Jin Feng, they decided to turn the enemy’s plan against them. While Jin Feng went to the prefectural city to pay respects to the prefect, Da Zhuang mixed in with a merchant caravan and entered the city. He drew several dozen veteran soldiers from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency branch in the prefectural city, disguised them, and had them leave through another gate.
While Jin Feng and the main prefectural army advanced slowly, these several dozen veterans, guided by local hunters, took mountain paths through the old forest, circled behind Tiger Roar Ridge, and even climbed to the very top of the ridge via a small trail.
To buy time for Da Zhuang’s group, Jin Feng had deliberately made the excuse of a stomach ache and camped at Huilong Mountain, just a few li away.
As expected, the bandits’ attention was completely drawn to the large prefectural army a few li away, and no one noticed the movement behind them.
Under the cover of night, Da Zhuang’s group spent the entire night quietly creeping close to the bandits’ heavy crossbows and trebuchets.
And that was how the earlier scene came about.
“First and second squads, hold them back. Third squad, disable the equipment!”
At Da Zhuang’s command, the veterans immediately split into two groups.
The trebuchets and heavy crossbows were all aimed at the official road. Of the twenty-odd veterans who seized the heavy crossbows, some turned the weapons around to face the main bandit concentration, while others raised hand crossbows and fired at the scattered bandits charging up the hill.
The veterans were far more skilled with heavy crossbows than the bandits. With each twang of the bowstring, bandits were killed by the huge heavy crossbow bolts or the sharp hand crossbow arrows.
The heavy crossbows had rotating bases, so turning them was easy. The trebuchets, however, were much more cumbersome and difficult to re-aim.
Since they could not readjust the direction, the third squad veterans rushed beneath the trebuchets and began dismantling key components.
These trebuchets had all been manufactured in Xihe Bay, and the veterans had practised this exact procedure countless times. Without even looking, they reached under the base and pried out a small cogwheel.
The cogwheel was tiny, but it was absolutely vital. Without it, the trebuchet became nothing more than decoration.
Having neutralised the trebuchet threat, the third squad veterans withdrew to the heavy crossbow position to help the first and second squads use the heavy crossbows to hold back the enemy.
