Chapter 26: Ambushing the Zhang Family Grain Convoy

Not long after, Zhao Mang received a letter from Jiang Wan.

This time, it was delivered by their specially trained messenger crow. Crows are among the most intelligent of all birds, possessing an intellect comparable to that of a young child. When Zhao Mang first proposed this idea to Jiang Wan, she had been extremely resistant. It was only after Zhao Mang explained the advantages in detail that she finally let go of her prejudice.

In ancient times, crows were often regarded as birds of ill omen, with some even believing they carried disease. It was said that wherever they went, a plague would follow. In reality, this was a misinterpretation. Their high intelligence was overshadowed by the stigma of being scavengers. Yet, this very stigma was their greatest advantage. Because of their reputation, few would covet a crow, and even fewer would suspect that one was being used to carry secret messages. This fact greatly enhanced the security of their communications.

Looking at the letter in his hand, Zhao Mang knew it was time to move. The letter stated that the Zhang family had begun transporting grain toward the Qianmang Mountain area again, and it included a map clearly marking their route.

A moment later, Zhao Mang gathered his men. They looked at him with eager, expectant eyes. For many of the new recruits, this was their first mission under his command, and their anticipation was palpable.

Observing their restless energy, Zhao Mang shouted in a resonant voice, "As you all know, our camp’s grain supplies are running low. We’ve just received intelligence that the Zhang family in the west of the city is shipping precious grain to the bandits at Qianmang Mountain."

"This is absolutely intolerable. If the grain is going to be wasted on bandits, it might as well benefit us instead, wouldn't you agree?"

A chorus of shouts erupted from the men below: "Agreed!"

"In this battle, we must wipe them out completely. Everyone, change into your gear; we’re going to pull a bait-and-switch. Who knows, there might be another haul next time!"

The soldiers prepared for departure. This time, everyone capable of riding a horse was mounted, making full use of the eighteen horses captured from the Tibetan raiders. In fact, there had even been a scuffle over the distribution of the mounts. Zhao Mang led his men to set an ambush early along the route, waiting patiently for the Zhang family's supply train to arrive.

Meanwhile, the Zhang family’s supply team was completely unaware. Their leader, Wang Wu, was chatting leisurely with his subordinates.

"Why do you think the boss gave us a job like this?"

"What else could it be? It’s to gain an advantage in business, obviously. The head of the house is collaborating with the local garrison. They’ve gathered a group of men on the western side of Qianmang Mountain—who knows what they’re plotting in there? The plan is for us to transport the grain, for the bandits to 'intercept' it, and then for the garrison to swoop in and 'save' the day."

"Once this process is complete, the grain just moves from the left pocket to the right. The garrison gets their merits, and they can demand more money and supplies from the imperial court. It’s killing two birds with one stone!"

"Isn't that just lying to ourselves?"

"Why worry about that? The master told us to do it, so we just do it."

"But it sounds like the garrison gets all the benefits, and the Zhang family gets nothing."

"That’s where you’re wrong. With the garrison as a backer, the Zhang family saves a fortune on business dealings and tax silver."

Wang Wu looked blankly at his men, looking completely bewildered. "How do you all know so much?"

A soldier below laughed. "We don't really know; it’s just what Master Jiang Shan used to tell us."

At the mention of Jiang Shan, Wang Wu scratched his head. He hadn't seen him since that last grain transport mission. The head of the house had claimed he was killed during a bandit suppression operation. Ever since Jiang Shan died, Wang Wu felt that staying with the Zhang family had lost all its meaning.

"They're probably waiting for us there already, so let's pick up the pace! I heard they even caught a group of refugees on that mountain. You have no idea how satisfying that is."

"Alright, stop daydreaming. That mountain pass ahead is the rendezvous point."

At a mountain pass on the north side of Qianmang Mountain, the terrain was steep, with only a narrow path winding through the center. When Wang Wu’s supply team reached the spot, they stopped and waited. The men grew bored and began to eat.

"Brother Wang, since they said to meet here, we just hand the grain over to them, right?"

Wang Wu replied, "What else would we do? You want us to fight a battle? Get ourselves hacked up and then give them the grain? Don't be ridiculous, we aren't actually fighting the bandits." The men burst into laughter.

At that moment, they had no idea that Zhao Mang and his men had been lying in wait for a long time. When the grain train finally came into view, Zhao Mang and his team were thrilled, yet they waited with discipline.

One hundred paces. Fifty paces. Thirty paces. When the supply team reached a point thirty paces from the ambush, they stopped. Zhao Mang was momentarily stunned—what was this? But he didn't hesitate; it was as if fate had ordained it.

"Fire!" Zhao Mang commanded.

The ten archers without horses, who were lying in ambush in the front, opened fire upon his order. Having practiced extensively, they shot with precision against these ordinary Han men. It took basically two arrows per person. The supply team had only thirty men in total, guarding three carts of grain. No doubt, they kept the force small to make it easier for the "bandits" to stage the handover.

On Wang Wu’s side, when the arrows struck, they initially thought it was part of the act. Some hadn't even fully reacted. In an instant, more than half of the Zhang family's men were dead. The survivors scrambled to hide behind the grain carts, shouting, "Brother Wang, you said it was fine! Why are they shooting as soon as they show up?"

"They aren't showing any mercy! What kind of fake bandits are these? These are real bandits!"

Wang Wu was just as confused. This wasn't his first time delivering grain. Every time, he would wait here, the bandits would appear, they would go through the motions, and then his work would be done. This was his first time encountering such a situation. Wang Wu wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, which was why he had been so close to Jiang Shan—he had essentially used Jiang Shan as his own brain. Now that Jiang Shan was gone, he was just a big man who knew how to fight. Facing such a barrage of arrows and a surprise attack, he was at a total loss.

Just then, a troop of cavalry charged out from behind them. They let out wild cries mimicking the Tibetan raiders and surged forward, full of momentum and kicking up clouds of dust.

The men in the supply team were terrified. "Brother Wang, these are Tibetan raiders! How could they be here?"

Wang Wu glared toward the rear, fuming with rage. "How the hell should I know why?"

Though he had no answer for the ranged assault, he knew how to handle a cavalry charge. He was extremely confident in his martial arts skills. The moment the cavalry arrived, he lunged forward.

The lead rider had his horse's head severed by Wang Wu's blade, and the beast collapsed, sending the rider tumbling. But before Wang Wu could finish him off, the momentum of the other riders broke his rhythm. The scene became incredibly bloody.

Seeing the carnage, Zhao Mang felt a pang of heartache, but he couldn't dwell on it. He charged into the fray.