Chapter Ninety: Drawing the Bow
The hidden sentry of Well Family Ravine crawled out from the earth pit, hopping as he shook the yellow dust from his body, heading toward the visible sentry.
The visible sentry was on the rooftop at the entrance to the village, seemingly absorbed in pacing the tiles, but his mind had already drifted away, following his nose into the village to savor the aroma of stewing meat.
He didn’t even notice when the hidden sentry walked right beneath him.
“Hey, whose wife are you thinking about!”
The hidden sentry ambled over, tossed his crossbow under the wall, took a few steps back, and climbed up the corner of the roof.
Suddenly hearing a voice beside him, the visible sentry was so startled he nearly tumbled off the roof; he stuffed the half-drawn waist knife back in and cursed, “Why aren’t you at your post, coming over here to scare your old man half to death?”
“I’m at my post in the pit so you can sit up here thinking about women?”
The hidden sentry ignored him, walked over, sat on the ridge of the roof, sniffed the air, and shook his head. “There’s not a damn thing on the main road, what’s there to watch? When do we eat?”
“I’m thinking the same—haven’t eaten for a whole day and night. The fire’s so slow.”
The visible sentry glanced toward the village, then sat down on the roof ridge himself, facing the village with a sigh. “Look at that courtyard, looks like a rich family’s place. A two-tiered courtyard, well built, just a bit old.”
“Exactly, this place doesn’t look worse than Jingbian. Where’d they get the money to build a two-tiered compound?”
The visible sentry stood up, paced a few steps along the roof, kicked off a couple of tiles, stretched his neck and peered into the village, distractedly saying, “Maybe their ancestors built it. I heard there used to be a coal mine here.
Hey, tell me, why would a rich family build a two-tiered courtyard? Marry a fine woman, lock her up young in the inner house—neither let her be seen nor let her see anyone else. What’s the point of living like that?”
The hidden sentry snorted, “What do you know? Your woman could go anywhere—pull the plow in the fields or push the millstone in the workshop. She’s full of life, stronger than a donkey.”
“Hey, damn you… curse your mother!”
The hidden sentry watched his comrade turn to curse, about to dodge with a laugh, when he noticed the visible sentry’s gaze had shifted past him, his face frozen with a mix of emotions—something terrifying had caught his eye.
“Bandits, bandits are coming!”
Spinning hurriedly, he saw the once-empty mountain pass at the village entrance suddenly filled with figures.
They seemed to have emerged from the cracked earth like ghosts, already pressing close to the fields.
Almost as soon as the visible sentry shouted, the infantry spread out like a tide to either side, clearing the main road. Down the road, two columns of cavalry abruptly accelerated, galloping forward.
The horsemen wore various arrow-embroidered jackets and felt hats, wielding spears, sabers, shields, and bows with arrows, each with bells at their waists.
From a distance, the sound was lost, but as the horses charged, the piercing clarity of the bells was enough to scare the sentries out of their wits.
The hidden sentry wanted to leap down and grab his crossbow, but the cavalry moved too fast—before he could descend, they were already within a hundred paces.
He was about to turn and ask the visible sentry what to do when he saw his comrade misstep and fall from the roof with a scream.
As the cavalry was about to storm the village, the hidden sentry was frozen, unsure whether to stay on the roof or jump down.
When he finally decided to jump, the sound of hooves was already at the courtyard gate. The leading rider swept past, and all the hidden sentry saw was a streak of red in the horse’s mane.
But before he could relax, just as the cavalry was about to pass the courtyard, the rider suddenly twisted, drew his bow, and loosed an arrow.
The arrow struck the hidden sentry’s shoulder—he cried out, and fell from the roof.
Liu Chengzong turned back, his expression tinged with displeasure.
He’d changed bows, and still missed his mark.
He’d aimed for the head, but hit the shoulder.
His seventy-pound war bow had been lost fleeing from the western slopes of Cool Mountain. Guo Zashi found it while clearing the battlefield, but it was trampled by the enemy cavalry.
Now, he used a sixty-pound war bow that once belonged to a garrison soldier—slightly less powerful, but very handy. Maybe it was because he’d been eating well lately, or maybe lighter weapons felt easier in hand.
He could fire four arrows in rapid succession without a miss.
Whistling arrows!
Dozens of warhorses thundered into formation. The government troops waiting for their meal in the village ran from the courtyard in terror, only to be greeted by a hail of sharp arrows.
Several officers with sabers rushed out and were shot down before they even reached the entrance, terrifying the others who shouted for armor as they hid behind walls.
The captain in the courtyard kept his head, barking orders. A few armored soldiers dashed out to protect the cannons drying in the yard.
They became the focus of the attack; arrows flew, but none pierced their armor.
Braving the arrow storm and charging cavalry, they pushed toward the drying yard.
Liu Chengzong’s gaze was fixed on the large courtyard across the drying yard.
Earlier, from the mountain, he’d seen clearly it was the village’s heart, where the officers gathered—both captains and the bulk of their men.
If he could trap them inside, and wait for Cao Yao’s men to bring the pack mules with the artillery, victory would be theirs.
Now, he watched as the armored troops dashed forward, bristling with arrows like hedgehogs, limping toward the carts.
His eyes shone.
What fine armor!
He’d intended to have the cavalry circle the drying yard, using arrow fire to pin them down.
But this group blocked the path, so the dozen cavalry at the rear holstered their bows, pulled out red-tasseled spears slung under their left arms and saddles, and prepared to force a way through.
Liu Chengzong did the same, feeling a touch of urgency.
Such good armor—he hoped they wouldn’t ruin it with those spears.
Thinking this, Liu Chengzong pulled his reins and waved his red flag, charging out from the formation. Behind him, Wei Qian’er and others turned their mounts, puzzled, spears raised, and followed.
Twenty paces separated them.
Liu Chengzong seized several arrows from his quiver, gripped them in his hand, and galloped seven or eight steps closer. The officer with a waist saber was only three steps away from striking him.
He suddenly spun his horse to the right, drew his bow to full.
One arrow.
Two arrows.
Both struck faces.
The two armored officers clutched their faces in agony, rolling on the ground.
The following cavalry were stunned.
Wei Qian’er too was dumbstruck. Almost crashing into the crowd, he nearly struck a government soldier wielding a chain mace, hurriedly veered left, and glanced back.
What he saw shocked him even more.
Liu Chengzong, riding in circles, switched his bow to his right hand, nocked an arrow with his left, and shot backward over his shoulder.
Four arrows in succession.
Ambidextrous archery!
Same scene again!
Three government soldiers fell on their backs, convulsing and groaning.
Another man, feeling his bare head, let out a strange cry, dropped his saber, grabbed his arrow-struck helmet, and fled into the courtyard.
The three remaining, armed with axes and chain maces, lingered at the edge of the drying yard, glancing at each other in confusion.
In the end, someone took the lead—seeing Liu Chengzong circling around once more, charging in, they turned and fled.
“Hahahaha!”
Watching their panicked retreat toward the compound, Liu Chengzong reined in his horse, eyes gleaming, the red flag stood upright, his horse snorting sharply.
He pointed with his bow hand at Wei Qian’er, who was still astride his horse by the courtyard wall, mouth agape, dazed: “What are you standing around for? Get down and unload the cannons—aim at the compound… they dare to come for me!”