A long, stretched-out convoy was, by its very nature, a nightmare to defend.
Yet if they panicked and hastily compressed their formation, bunching all the carts together at once, that single action would be tantamount to hanging a sign for the enemy that read: We've noticed you.
Once that happened, the ambushers would strike immediately, and the convoy would be caught in an even worse predicament, unable to properly defend either its front or its rear, pulled apart under pressure from both sides.
Zao Ying lowered her voice, her gaze sweeping over the distant village ahead. "If they plan to ambush us, they'll wait until we're right next to the village before making their move. We need to pull the convoy together into a defensive formation while we're still some distance away."
Tie Niaofei curled his lips into a grin. "Heh. I might have an idea."
He turned his head toward Zheng Daniu and said, "Pretend you're starving. Go to the front cart, rummage around looking for food, and then 'accidentally' knock it over."
Zheng Daniu was not known for his sharp mind, but this time, understanding dawned quickly on his face. "Huh? If the first cart tips over, the ones behind will rush up to see what happened, and they'll all bunch together!"
Zao Ying let out a quiet laugh. "Exactly, Daniu. Go on, hurry up. Pretend you're hungry and search for something to eat."
Zheng Daniu rubbed his stomach and grinned broadly. "No need to pretend. I really am hungry."
Before long, Zheng Daniu shuffled toward the lead cart, one hand constantly pressed against his rumbling belly. Saliva dribbled from the corner of his mouth, his expression the very picture of a man driven half-mad by hunger.
There was, indeed, no acting required.
He rummaged loudly through the cart for a good while, making a great show of searching, then grabbed hold of a large sack and gave it a forceful yank. The sudden shift in weight threw the load off balance, and with a violent lurch, the cart tipped over, crashing heavily to the ground.
The horses pulling it reared and neighed in alarm.
The second cart, which had been following close behind, failed to stop in time and slammed straight into the overturned vehicle. The third cart collided with the second, then the fourth with the third, one after another in rapid succession.
In the blink of an eye, the gaps between the carts vanished entirely.
Fifty carts were pressed together nose to tail, their long formation collapsing inward like a massive caterpillar curling into itself.
Just as they had predicted, the bandits hiding in ambush within the village remained perfectly still, not making a sound.
That was the moment Tie Niaofei and Zao Ying shouted almost simultaneously, their voices ringing out across the convoy. "Convoy leaders, link the front and rear! Form a circular defensive array!"
Zheng Daniu let out a ferocious howl, gripping the overturned cart with both hands. With a single explosive exertion of strength, he hauled the massive vehicle upright, slamming it back onto its wheels as if it weighed nothing at all.
The sheer display of brute force stunned the bandits watching from afar, leaving them momentarily speechless.
At the same time, the lead cart and the final cart began to move, circling inward and closing the gap between them at remarkable speed.
In that instant, the bandits finally understood.
They had been played from the very beginning.
Cao Cao burst from his hiding place, shouting at the top of his lungs, "The ambush has failed! Prepare for a frontal assault!"
His trusted lieutenant, Dongshan Hu, leapt out from one of the village houses, rallying his men as he charged straight toward Tie Niaofei.
Another fierce bandit leader, Chuang Tatian, erupted from the small woods outside the village, likewise leading his own group as they surged forward to join the attack.
But their timing was already fatally late.
The first and last carts of the convoy had completed their maneuver, linking together in a seamless loop. In the span of a few breaths, the entire convoy transformed into a massive defensive ring.
The draft horses were quickly led into the center of the circle, while the infantry assigned to guard the carts withdrew into the protected interior as well.
Tie Niaofei and Zheng Daniu retreated inside the ring, taking their positions.
The towering carts, arranged wheel to wheel, now formed a makeshift wall, a solid barrier shielding everyone within.
Zao Ying, however, did not lead her three hundred cavalry into the circle. Instead, she raised a hand and let out a sharp, piercing whistle. "We charge. No need to crowd the infantry here."
"All right!"
"Let's ride!"
The cavalry picked a direction at random and surged forward as one.
By a twist of ironic fate, that direction led straight toward Chuang Tatian, who had only just emerged from the treeline.
Chuang Tatian, Cao Cao's second-in-command, was infamous for his ferocity and near-suicidal courage on the battlefield. Yet after charging only a few steps, he saw the enemy cavalry deliberately adjust their course, thundering directly toward him.
A chill shot through his spine, freezing him in place for a heartbeat.
No matter how brave he was, he was still infantry. How could flesh and bone stand against a cavalry charge?
To be trampled head-on by warhorses was certain death.
"Halt!" Chuang Tatian roared desperately. "Halt! Raise your spears!"
His men skidded to a stop. Those wielding short swords instinctively recoiled, while the spearmen surged forward, hundreds of long spears lifting in unison to form a dense, bristling wall, like the spines of a giant hedgehog.
Zao Ying nodded faintly to herself. These bandits really have improved after years of rebellion, she thought. The speed at which they formed that spear wall is nothing like the rabble they once were.
Unfortunately for them, it changed nothing.
After a single session of instruction under Lao Nanfeng, every rider in Zao Ying's cavalry had mastered the tactics of the border light cavalry. Their foremost command was simple.
Shoot.
Rather than crashing directly into the spear wall, the cavalry reined in their mounts and began to circle, bows and hand crossbows raised. Arrows flew in a dense volley, cutting through the air as the riders maintained their momentum.
Screams rang out immediately as several of Chuang Tatian's men were struck down, collapsing where they stood.
Chuang Tatian cursed loudly. "Damn it! Dongshan Hu, while I keep these riders busy, you useless bastard, go attack their convoy!"
Meanwhile, Dongshan Hu was already charging toward the circular formation of carts.
Fifty carts, each guarded by only two or three men, amounted to barely over a hundred defenders. Compared to the three hundred cavalry, their fighting strength seemed laughably weak.
Dongshan Hu did not even spare these supposed "Jin merchants" a second glance. In his mind, as long as he could close the distance, victory was assured.
Zheng Daniu bellowed from within the circle, his voice booming like thunder. "Don't let them get close!"
As his shout faded, Zheng Daniu swung his arm, hurling a hand grenade with a burning fuse toward the charging bandits.
This was Zheng Daniu, after all.
The silver medalist in the throwing events of the Gao Family Village militia competitions, and one of the earliest grenadiers of Gao Family Village.
The grenade arced through the air, flying both far and high, covering a staggering distance of eighty meters.
The dark iron sphere dropped squarely into the midst of Dongshan Hu's men.
Boom!
The explosion ripped through their ranks, and several bandits collapsed simultaneously, bodies flung aside like broken dolls.
The entire bandit force froze, staring in disbelief. "What in the devil was that?"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Musket fire erupted in a deafening chorus. The hundred-plus "cart drivers" were revealed for what they truly were, seasoned musketeers to a man.
Worse still, every single one carried the superior, rapid-firing Chassepot rifle.
Once those weapons began to roar, it was no longer a battle but a bonfire fueled by silver, with bullets burning through the air.
And with every shot, lives were extinguished.
Dongshan Hu's men fell in swathes, the devastation instant and horrifying. Compared to arrows, the killing power of musket fire was overwhelming. Those struck down died on the spot, and even the lucky few who survived were left grievously wounded.
Dongshan Hu stood rooted to the ground, his mind reeling, utterly unable to tell which way was up, much less which direction he should flee.
After a brief moment of stunned paralysis, one of his trusted subordinates lunged from behind and tackled him to the ground. "Third Master!" he shouted desperately. "Don't just stand there staring! Get down! Get down!"
Dongshan Hu finally came to his senses enough to press himself flat against the earth, not daring to lift his head. His voice shook as he blurted out in disbelief, "Are you kidding me? With this kind of firepower, why are they pretending to be Jin merchants? Wouldn't it be better if they just revolted outright?"