Chapter 1558: Chapter 1558: Seizing Military Provisions

Nanyang County, thirty li west of Wan City.

"Quickly, move fast, these two thousand dan of military grain must not suffer any mishap."

"Yes."

On the plains, a squad of Qin Army is escorting a batch of grain. There are many villages near Wan City, with numerous people and vast lands. Nanyang County has always been a "heavy tax area" for the court, but two thousand dan of grain is not a small amount, so there are hundreds of Qin Army accompanying the convoy.

"Brothers at the back, move faster, don’t fall behind." A mounted officer swung his horsewhip and shouted loudly. Besides the hundreds of Qin Army, there were several hundred civilian laborers assisting in escorting the grain.

"Report to the Five Hundred Master, there is a cavalry approaching us from the rear." Suddenly, a soldier came running to report.

"What, who are they?"

"I don’t know, they are not many, wearing our army’s uniforms, they should be Qin Army too."

"What’s their status?"

"Fully armed, but not moving quickly, they don’t seem to be in a hurry."

"Have the brothers get ready, be on alert."

"Yes."

Hundreds of Qin soldiers took up weapons, all gathered at the rear, forming two rows, and in the distance, dust was raised, with the silhouettes of warhorses visible far away.

"Five Hundred Master, judging from the scale, there are about one or two hundred people."

"One or two hundred people, we can’t be careless, let’s see what they want to do."

"Yes."

Soon, Wan Qi Yuan led the cavalry over, but he was not in a hurry. Seeing this, the officer escorting the grain was slightly relieved.

"Stop, who are you?" The commanding officer of the Qin Army drew his sword and walked up, stopping everyone.

"Can’t you see these clothes?" Wan Qi Yuan looked disdainful, dismounted and walked up to the officer.

"No one has dared to point a sword at me, who do you think you are?" In a blink, Wan Qi Yuan drew his sword, and the two swords collided, strong force instantly numbing the officer’s arm, his hand loosened, and the sword fell to the ground.

Looking at the sharp sword at his neck, the grain convoy officer became "intimidated", even though it was just one move, it was enough to know Wan Qi Yuan’s martial ability was extraordinary.

"Cough cough, brother, my apologies for earlier, my eyes failed to recognize Mount Tai. Considering we’re fellow soldiers, please show mercy." Saying this, the officer took a liang of silver from his pocket and handed it over.

"Alright, seeing your sincerity, I won’t hold a grudge." Wan Qi Yuan sheathed his sword and glanced at the grain bags on the cart.

"I’m here just to remind you, there are many rebel armies lately, specialized in intercepting military grain, you must be careful." Wan Qi Yuan said indifferently.

"Yes, yes, I will certainly keep it in mind."

"Alright, I won’t hold you up."

"Okay then, we’re leaving, brothers prepare to depart." The officer exhaled deeply and turned loudly to speak.

Slaaaaughter.

Slaaay.

Suddenly, a thousand cavalrymen appeared ahead, charging forward, and in an instant reached the front of the grain convoy.

"Five Hundred Master, a large cavalry is charging at us."

"What’s going on..."

Before the officer had time to react, a blood stain appeared on his neck, and painfully he couldn’t make a sound. The one who acted was Wan Qi Yuan behind him.

"Attack." At the command, Wan Qi Yuan’s cavalry pounced at the front and rear, launching a surprise attack. The relaxed Qin soldiers escorting the grain fell in a pool of blood before even realizing it.

"Move quickly."

Wan Qi Yuan first led a small portion of the cavalry to draw all the Qin soldiers escorting grain to the rear of the convoy, then taking advantage of the complacency of the Qin soldiers, attacked from both fronts, catching them off guard. In the time of one incense stick, wiped out the Qin Army completely.

"Commander, what should we do with these people?" A soldier pointed at the trembling civilians and asked Wan Qi Yuan.

"Rest assured, we’re only after the grain, we won’t harm the innocents. We’re leaving now, please hurry back to your village, and we kindly ask villagers not to report to the authorities, thank you very much."

Wan Qi Yuan clasped his hands together, mounted the war horse, and led the cavalry to load the grain onto horsebacks and sped away, leaving the dumbfounded civilian laborers and a ground full of Qin soldiers’ bodies.

One incense stick time later.

"Reporting to General Ye, I have accomplished my mission, a total of two thousand dan of grain is all here." Wan Qi Yuan led the team to the agreed location, Ye Shikai had been waiting here for a long time.

"Good, that’s excellent."

"Additionally, the transporting Qin soldiers were all annihilated without exception."

"Very good, but the Qin Army in Wan City will soon come to their senses, we must retreat immediately, not a moment can be delayed."

"Yes."

............................

Meanwhile, ten li north of Wan City.

"General Shangguan, there are too many Qin Army behind us."

Shangguan Jian led the team north, turned his head to look, thousands of Qin cavalry were closely following, covering the sky with dust, there were over two thousand cavalry, while Shangguan Jian only had a mere hundred cavalry by his side.

"Quick, don’t look back, everyone follow me."

Before the operation, Shangguan Jian "implored" in the barracks for half a day, only then Ye Shikai entrusted him with the heavy task of diverting the Qin Army.

The whole army endured several fierce battles, each camp suffered heavy losses, now only a third of the original numbers remain. Ye Shikai intended to draw two hundred cavalry to reinforce Shangguan Jian’s personal guard, but he refused. This mission to divert the Qin Army nearby was perilous; more people wouldn’t help, therefore Shangguan Jian insisted on leading only the guard.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Behind, the Qin Army fired crossbow arrows, Shangguan Jian drew his sword to block the arrows, but several guards beside him were hit.

"General, we’re now within crossbow arrow range. This is all plains; if this continues, we’ll die here."

"Damn, there’s a hill not far ahead, our horses are fast, charge to shake them off, brothers follow me." Shangguan Jian shouted loudly.

"Yes."

"Yes."

The team sped on for more than ten li, sure enough, not far ahead there was a hill. Though not tall like a mountain, dense forest could obstruct large cavalry pursuers. Shangguan Jian was eager to shake off the Qin Army; once in the hills, he would have ways.

"Brothers, into the mountains."

Shangguan Jian led the team into the woods, turned his head, and the Qin Army hadn’t rushed in, instead stopped outside the hills.

"General, they seem to have stopped," a soldier said.

"Indeed." Shangguan Jian turned, somewhat puzzled. The Qin Army had thousands of cavalry, why dare not enter, could there be something dangerous in these mountains?

"Never mind, let’s escape first and talk later."