Chapter 365: Enemy Flanking Maneuver

Ground Rabbit’s stunt truly sparked the militia’s creativity.

Zheng Gouzi and others hastily grabbed pre-measured bombs, inserted fuses, lit them, and recklessly hurled them toward the riverbank halfway through burning. Continuous explosions boomed as bandit troops on the shore writhed in agony.

The physical damage was minimal, but the psychological impact proved devastating. Bandit vessels hesitated to approach shore, isolating border army soldiers who’d charged ashore earlier. Bombarded by explosives and arrows, the border troops faltered, retreating until waist-deep in water. Some clung to boat rails with only shielded heads above the surface, bodies submerged.

The bandit assault briefly stalled.

Bai Yuan inwardly sighed witnessing this.

Rule-following soldiers would never consider manually hurling cannon gunpowder. Only an eccentric like Ground Rabbit possessed such unorthodox tactics.

That fellow always delivered unexpected results at critical moments.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, a retainer handed him a rifled firearm: “Master, your firearm is loaded.”

Bai Yuan’s firearm squad operated uniquely worldwide—while other firearm soldiers reloaded themselves, he’d advanced to delegating reloading duties. With a grin, he accepted the weapon, aimed at a border army captain’s exposed head in the water, and fired. Gracefully returning the firearm, he ordered: “Reload.”

Retainer: “Master, that shot missed. Should I scratch your marksmanship record?”

Bai Yuan rolled his eyes: “Did I not skillfully mask the miss with my dashing turn? Must you expose me?”

Retainer: “…”

Mid-conversation, a frantic shout came from Feng Jun atop the watchtower: “Trouble! Look north! NORTH!”

Bai Yuan spun toward the voice. A group of bandits scaled undefended cliffs along the unguarded riverbank—a steep, treacherous stretch considered unassailable due to raging currents below. Unexpectedly, they’d breached it.

Bai Yuzhu hadn’t been reckless. While assaulting Qiachuan Port, he’d dispatched elite climbers to scale distant northern cliffs. These fierce bandits ascended at great peril.

Few could complete such an ascent. Lightly equipped, they carried only blades, perhaps small leather shields or pot lids—no armor. Such lightly armed flankers posed zero threat to Ming or Qing regulars but shattered the Heyang County Militia’s morale.

Heyang Militia’s training paled compared to Gaojia Village Militia’s. Sheltered behind the port’s wooden walls, they fought passably. But discovering enemies breaching defenses from the flank sent panic through their ranks.

Formations dissolved.

Militia soldiers froze—should they face the beach or the cliff-top bandits?

Arrow volleys toward the shore diminished sharply. Bandit forces seized the opening, swarming shoreward again with shielded boats disgorging invaders.

Feng Jun urgently pleaded: “Mr. Bai! Do something!”

Bai Yuan flicked open his fan with a smirk: “Calm yourself, Lord Feng.”

Hoofbeats thundered. One li away, the idle cavalry camp sprang into action.

Zao Ying led the charge.

Her gear now differed vastly from her Gaojia Village entry days. Mountain-patterned armor draped her form, Kaiyuan Bow slung on her back, spear gripped firmly. Galloping reins in left hand, weapon in right, she radiated unparalleled fierceness—”awe-inspiring” fit better than “beautiful.”

“Drive them back to the river!” she roared, charging the light bandit contingent.

Hearing cavalry, the bandits whirled—then recoiled in terror. Three hundred horsemen bore down. Damnation! How could tiny Heyang County field artillery, bombs, and cavalry? What accursed place was this?

Thoughts barely formed before Zao Ying reached them. Her spear lanced through the lead bandit’s heart. Thud!

Her veteran subordinates followed with equal precision—

One soldier bellowed: “Shit! My spear!”

Impaling a bandit, he failed to retract his weapon before momentum tore it from his grasp.

Zao Ying wheeled, livid: “What was that?”

The soldier stammered: “Used to sabers… first spear combat… slipped.” He drew his gleaming waist knife—his preferred tool.

Zao Ying: “…”

Sabers reduced them to ordinary bandit cavalry, forfeiting lances’ charge-range advantage. Furiously, she commanded: “Ten thousand drills when we return!”

Despite the mishap, cavalry dominated light infantry brutally. The cavalry camp swept through bandits like stormwind—spears and blades butchering mercilessly.

Outnumbered by horsemen before engagement began, the cliff-scaling bandits stood zero chance.

Survivors shrieked, leaping back into the churning yellow river. Splash! Yellow sprays erupted until heads bobbed up downstream. Bandit boats rushed for rescue.

Zao Ying reined in at the cliff edge. Her original one hundred twenty raiders lined the precipice, spears leveled, jeering at bandits below.

Mid-laugh, she realized something amiss—where were the others?

She turned. Thirty meters back lingered 180 horsemen—new recruits post-Gaojia. Fearing cliffside proximity, they hovered nervously.

Zao Ying demanded: “Standing around after victory? Join the taunting!”

They shuffled awkwardly: “…horsemanship’s lacking. What if our mounts bolt over the edge?”

Zao Ying glowered: “Good-for-nothings! Upon return, you’ll eat and sleep saddled.”