175. Inside the Canyon

The young nobleman glanced at the soldiers remaining on his side. Earlier, there had been over a hundred men, but after subtracting the wounded and those trapped within the canyon, fewer than forty were left. However, a large portion of the horses had lingered outside the canyon. In this situation, one could only say that horses possessed a much stronger perception of danger than soldiers, or perhaps their ability to turn tail and run the moment things looked ominous was simply superior—after all, they had four legs.

It was likely the first time the young nobleman had witnessed such a spectacle, especially the bloody scene at the canyon entrance, and a wave of nausea gripped his heart. Yet, he forced himself to regain his composure and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Listen up, everyone! We are going to clear these trees and boulders immediately. General Tian might be in danger, and we must rescue him at once!"

"My lord, this..." A soldier standing beside the nobleman wore a face of shifting expressions, stammering and hesitating. In his heart, he desperately wished to simply leave! The bandits had already made their intentions clear, and staying alive was the ultimate truth, after all. Yet, he did not dare voice these thoughts.

"What? Do you dare disobey an order?" The young nobleman's face darkened as he drew the sword from his waist. "There cannot be many bandits here; otherwise, why would they merely block us outside? If there were many, they would have come over to surround and slaughter us directly! They are nothing more than a mob of rabble. Look at the weapons in their hands—nothing more than wooden clubs or firewood choppers. And you are all well-trained soldiers of the Great Han! What are they compared to you? Facing such a rabble, are you truly afraid? Do you really wish to cower and retreat?"

In truth, the bandits hiding here were far more numerous than the few the soldiers had spotted on the hillside; another faction was concealed deep within the canyon. The bandits on the slope had pushed down trees and stones, shouting threats to intimidate the soldiers outside the canyon and force them into retreat. Once the soldiers withdrew, the bandits planned to descend and unite with their comrades inside the ravine, finish off those trapped within, and then tally their loot. Previously, this method had proven successful time and time again.

"That's right, brothers! I think the young lord is right. They're just trying to scare us, and we mustn't let this mob—yes, this mere rabble—frighten us! Brothers, follow me to clear away the trees and boulders and rescue General Tian!" Another soldier near the nobleman shouted to the surrounding men. To Zhang Xuan's eyes, however, this looked entirely like a two-man cross-talk act, playing off each other to hoodwink the simple-minded soldiers. If this double act proved insufficient, the next step would likely be executing someone to establish authority—specifically, one of the more obstinate and higher-ranking dissenters, for had he been in that position, he would likely have done the same. Fortunately, the effect of this performance was remarkably pronounced, sparing them the need for Plan B.

"Understood!" shouted the thirty-odd soldiers, including the wounded, in unison. They then rushed toward the canyon entrance and set to work clearing the debris.

General Tian, spear in hand, had charged at the very front. No sooner had he dashed past the canyon entrance than he heard a tremendous crash behind him. He immediately reined in his horse and looked back to see massive trees and boulders tumbling down the slopes. Within moments, the mouth of the ravine was sealed off by timber and rocks. "Damn it, it's an ambush!" General Tian looked behind him to find only fifteen or six soldiers remaining, with several others crushed beneath the trees and stones, letting out heart-wrenching screams. Surveying the surrounding terrain, he realized this narrow space was hardly conducive to wielding his long spear—it placed him at a severe disadvantage.

Just as General Tian was assessing the terrain, fifty or sixty figures appeared on the far side of the canyon, their numbers still growing. Each wore a fierce and malevolent expression, though their weapons varied wildly. The leader alone possessed a broad chest and a thick waist, gripping a heavy, broad-backed saber. That man looked back at the rear of General Tian's group, shook his head, and beckoned one of his subordinates over, striking him fiercely across the head. "What is the meaning of this? Weren't you told to wait until nearly all the horses had entered the canyon before pushing down the trees and stones?! Look at this mess—just this handful of horses! How do you do your job?!" With that, he delivered another harsh blow.

The man who had been struck stood there motionlessly, not daring to utter a sound, forced to endure the beating in silence.

Observing the beaten man's aggrieved expression, the leader realized that what was done could not be undone. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed him, then turned around to glare fiercely at General Tian and his men, shouting, "Hear me, you wretches on the other side! This canyon is my territory. If you wish to pass, leave behind your toll money; otherwise, I'll hack off every last one of your heads and toss them into the mountains to feed the wolves!"

"Audacious bandit! I am Tian Lin, the Xiaowei of Julu! You outlaws have some nerve to waylay me! You truly do not know whether you are living or dying!" Having recovered from his initial panic, Tian Lin glared at the bandits before him. They were nothing more than a band of displaced refugees; apart from their leader, not a single one possessed a proper weapon. Although this narrow gorge was unfavorable for the deployment of his long spear, Tian Lin held no respect for a rabble of refugees so long as no further ambushes awaited him. Pointing his right-hand spear forward, he roared, "You bandits dare to act presumptuously before this general? Come and court your death! I shall slaughter you until not a single piece of armor remains!"

"Tian Lin, I originally intended to spare your life, but since you are courting death, let me teach you a taste of your Grandfather Zhang's prowess!" With that, the bandit leader raised his heavy saber and strode forward with giant steps, charging fiercely toward Tian Lin.