Chapter 102: The Great Battle Approaches

“Make way! Everyone, clear the path!” Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves thundered from behind the county soldiers. The men chasing the bandits swiftly scattered to the sides of the street as a carriage sped toward the city gate.

Qi Jun paused in surprise. In the brief instant the carriage passed before him, he recognized the driver—it was Ma San.

“Ma San! What are you trying to do?” Qi Jun hesitated, sensing a resolute, almost suicidal determination emanating from the carriage.

“I’m going to block them! Brothers, kill the bandits!” Ma San cracked his whip fiercely, urging the carriage straight into the throng of bandits crowding the gate.

In a flash, the carriage charged into the bandit horde like a sharp blade slicing through tofu. Hooves and wheels crushed more than a dozen bandits who failed to dodge in time, their anguished screams piercing the air. The carriage halted only when the horses stumbled and crashed headlong into the city gate.

The carriage overturned violently, blocking the escape route entirely.

Ma San, drenched in blood, leaned against the corpse of his dead horse, a victorious smile playing on his lips as he watched the bandits scramble in confusion.

“Where did this damned soldier come from? Cut him down! Get up, all of you! Move this broken carriage out of the way!” The bandit leader staggered to his feet, gripping his blade, fury contorting his face as he glared at the carriage and Ma San’s fallen form.

The bandits who could still stand surged toward Ma San, raising their blades to unleash their despair, terror, and boundless rage upon him.

“Ma San! Hurry, save him!” Qi Jun’s eyes brimmed with tears as he dashed to the gate, wielding his sword to strike at the bandits.

Zhao Gui and the others rushed in after him. After a brief but fierce battle, the remaining bandits lost all hope of escape. One by one, they dropped their weapons and knelt before the county soldiers.

Qi Jun hurriedly pushed aside the kneeling bandits to look toward the gate. The gruesome scene before him broke him down, and he wept aloud.

Ma San and the half-broken corpse of his horse had been hacked into scattered chunks of flesh by the bandits’ frenzied blades.

“Who’s the bandit leader? Step forward!” Qi Jun’s bloodshot eyes swept over the kneeling bandits, a fierce light blazing in his gaze as if he could tear them to shreds.

The bandits trembled like stalks of grain in the wind. Though silent, their eyes all fixed on the same figure.

“What… what are you all looking at me for?” The bandit leader blinked, realizing things had taken a dire turn. Seeing all eyes on him, he panicked and denied everything repeatedly.

“You’re their leader, aren’t you?” Qi Jun pushed aside the kneeling men and stood before him, his face dark with anger.

“No… I’m not. Our boss is still at Jiguang Ridge…” The bandit leader sensed a grim fate awaiting him. Though terrified to the point of trembling, he dared not admit to ordering Ma San’s death.

“Take the rest of the bandits back to the county barracks, and hang this leader from the city gate!” Qi Jun kicked the bandit leader to the ground with fury, issuing a cold command.

“P-please! Spare me! I know my mistake! Have mercy!” Two county soldiers dragged the man away, tightly bound, then dragged and hoisted him onto the city wall.

“Captain Xiao, some county soldiers guarding the gate fled. They should be your men, right?” Qi Jun turned and asked coldly.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Qi. I will report this to Lord Feng and ensure they are severely punished. No favors.” Xiao Ming’s face darkened. He knew Qi Jun was questioning his men’s cowardice in the heat of battle.

The truth was clear: if the soldiers on the wall had fired arrows sooner to repel the bandits, Ma San might not have had to risk his life blocking the gate.

The rebellion in Anqiang and the bandit uprising were finally quelled.

Yet, looking at the bloodied mass of flesh and the overturned carriage at the gate, Qi Jun felt no joy in victory.

He recalled the day Ma San drove this carriage to the county seat and the night they fought side by side. Though they had only known each other for a few days, shared a meal and a drink, and he had given Ma San a jar of Drunken Western Wind wine as thanks, those small gestures had bound Ma San to him with deadly loyalty.

Though merely a carriage driver in the second squad of county soldiers, Ma San had shone brilliantly in this fierce battle.

Qi Jun wiped his tears, knowing this was no time for sorrow.

He and the county soldiers bowed solemnly before Ma San’s remains, then ordered his body respectfully gathered and the city gate reopened.

Within Anqiang City, the remaining county soldiers searched somberly for the bodies of their fallen comrades. After placing them in the mortuary, they notified families to come identify and bury their kin.

Surviving relatives of the bandit victims wept while gathering their loved ones’ remains.

A heavy grief hung over all of Anqiang.

Qi Jun glanced skyward. The horizon was dark and overcast; no dawn sun rose in the east.

Yet from the eastern road’s end, he spotted a group hastening this way.

Startled, he climbed the city wall and shaded his eyes to get a better look. Their clothing and marching style suggested they were the anti-bandit squad from Dongling Village. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Biao had taken Xiao Ming’s message and rushed out of the city overnight. Upon reaching the mountain behind Dongling Village, he informed Liu Kui of the city’s dire situation. Liu Kui, sensing the urgency, immediately gathered the anti-bandit squad. After a half-night’s hurried march, they arrived by dawn.

“Jun Ge, you’re here!” Deng Fang, panting heavily, found Qi Jun atop the city wall and said, “I’ve searched the city thoroughly. There shouldn’t be any bandits left. My uncle asked me to tell you to return to the county magistrate’s office quickly. He has urgent matters to discuss with you.”

Qi Jun nodded but frowned deeply. “I’ll go soon. Right now, I’m not worried about bandits, but the west.”

“The west?” Deng Fang paused, then realization dawned, and he sensed a greater crisis approaching.

According to He Wenxing, the Qiang army should be nearing the Daliang border. Entering from the west, they must pass through Red Clay Valley.

No warnings have come from the valley’s outposts, and villagers to the west have yet to flee with their families. But this is only a brief calm before the storm.

At present, the Ding’an Commandery and the Western Garrison remain unaware of the impending threat. If the Qiang soldiers seize Anqiang, Ding’an’s city will be in grave danger.

If Ding’an falls, the western flank of Daliang will be wide open to the Qiang. Beyond lies the prosperous Central Plains with no natural defenses. The Daliang court would then face military threats from both north and west simultaneously.

The consequences would be catastrophic.

Qi Jun shook his head, quickly weighing countermeasures.

By now, the villagers he sent to the commandery through Liu Biao should be returning. If he can secure reinforcements from the commandery commander, combined with the anti-bandit squad, remaining county soldiers, and the city’s populace, they might hold the Qiang at bay for several days.

At that moment, Liu Kui and the anti-bandit squad arrived at the city gates. Seeing the bandit bodies hanging and Qi Jun on the wall, they knew the situation was under control.

Liu Kui, exhausted, waved at Qi Jun. Qi Jun nodded, signaling them to enter, then descended the wall to greet them.

“Uncle Kui, thank you for bringing the anti-bandit squad to aid us. You should rest at the county barracks first. I have more to discuss later.” Qi Jun patted Liu Kui’s shoulder gratefully. The redness in his eyes betrayed their sleepless night, and Qi Jun felt a pang of compassion.

“No need for formalities, sir. Without you, we wouldn’t be here now.” Liu Kui bowed and led his squad away.

As the saying goes, a storm is brewing in the mountains. The darkening sky foretells an even bloodier battle looming on the horizon.