Tian Shenglan and the Mongols met at last.
The two sides approached one another without the slightest hint of hostility. Instead, they exchanged the customary greetings of the steppe, raising their arms and calling out a rough "hooh-uh," then stepping forward to embrace, their gestures warm and familiar, as though they were old friends reunited rather than partners in treachery. Tian Shenglan's men brought forward one hundred shi of grain, the sacks stacked neatly on the ground, while the Mongols responded by producing a large handful of gold and silver ornaments, their surfaces dulled and darkened, still bearing unmistakable traces of dried blood.
Both sides were thoroughly immersed in the satisfaction of the exchange.
Then, without warning, the earth began to tremble.
A thunderous rumble of hooves rolled across the grasslands.
From the east, Brigade General Hu Dawei of Shanxi charged in at the head of a cavalry force, banners snapping violently in the wind. From the west, Brigade General Li Bei led another contingent, their formation tight and disciplined. From the south, Zuo Liangyu, Commander of the Right Flank Camp, swept forward with his own cavalry, sealing off the open ground.
The moment these forces appeared, the entire scene changed.
These were not ordinary horsemen. Every one of them was an elite frontier cavalryman, hardened by years of fighting along the borders, the kind of troops who could make even seasoned Mongol riders feel a chill in their spines.
The Mongol who had been trading with Tian Shenglan reacted instantly, drawing his saber as fury twisted his face. "Tian Shenglan," he roared, "have you betrayed us?"
Tian Shenglan's heart lurched violently. "No, no!" he cried, his voice shaking. "I arranged nothing of this. Our private dealings must have been exposed. We have no choice but to fight our way out together."
The Mongols mounted their horses in one fluid motion, movements swift and practiced.
Tian Shenglan, pale with fear, hurriedly ordered his own men to mount as well.
With enemy cavalry closing in from the east, west, and south, there was only one direction left.
"North!" someone shouted. "Ride north!"
The combined force of Mongols and Tian Shenglan's men spurred their horses and fled toward the open steppes.
Yet waiting for them there, concealed within the tall northern grass, were Bai Yuan and Tie Niaofei.
As the fleeing riders surged closer, Bai Yuan burst out from concealment and roared, "Fire!"
In an instant, countless heads rose from the grass. Elite frontier archers and crossbowmen revealed themselves, bows already drawn, strings pulled taut. A storm of arrows and bolts flew forth, aimed squarely at the leading Mongol riders.
Screams ripped through the air, mingling with the terrified neighing of wounded horses.
Even so, the Mongols pressed forward, driven by desperation. They had no path of retreat. If they could not break through the northern line, there would be no escape at all.
Just as they closed the distance, something even more terrifying emerged.
From within the tall grass, a dense formation of Three-Eyed Arquebuses was raised.
A deafening chorus of gunfire erupted.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
The shots rang out in rapid succession, and the charging Mongol cavalry collapsed almost instantly. Horses and riders fell together in tangled heaps, none managing to force their way through.
Not a single one escaped.
Tian Shenglan, who had lagged behind the Mongols, remained alive by sheer misfortune.
But as he looked around and saw elite frontier cavalry converging from every direction, he understood with chilling clarity that escape was impossible. Even if he had grown wings, he would not have made it out alive.
All strength drained from his body. He pulled hard on the reins, forcing his horse to halt, and then threw back his head and roared hoarsely, "You can't kill me. You can't kill me. If I die, who will supply you with goods? Small Jin merchants can't even reach Datong. The bandits block the roads. Only influential Jin merchants like me can make it through. You can't kill me. You can't kill me!"
His voice cracked as he shouted, desperation spilling out with every word.
At that moment, a figure stepped out from the tall grass ahead.
It was Tie Niaofei.
He laughed heartily as he walked forward. "Tian Shenglan, I've just delivered fifty cartloads of grain to Datong Prefecture. Fifty full carts."
Tian Shenglan froze, his face draining of all color.
Tie Niaofei's smile turned sharp. "Now then, say it with me. Can we kill you, or can't we?"
Tian Shenglan's eyes burned with hatred. "Tie Niaofei, you bastard. Even if I die, I'll drag you down with me."
With a furious cry, he spurred his horse and charged straight toward Tie Niaofei.
Tie Niaofei did not move.
The surrounding soldiers did not loose arrows, nor did they raise their arquebuses. They simply watched, their expressions cold and unmoved, as though observing a final, meaningless struggle.
Tian Shenglan closed the distance rapidly. When he was still five or six paces away, he drew his curved saber, planning to rush in a little closer before bringing it down in a killing arc.
But before he could take another stride, Tie Niaofei suddenly raised his hand.
A short pistol appeared in his grip, compact and refined, no longer than a man's forearm.
With a flick of his wrist, he fired.
Bang.
Tian Shenglan was thrown from his saddle.
His horse, freed of its rider, veered sharply and thundered past Tie Niaofei, hooves pounding the earth as it fled.
Tie Niaofei casually blew away the thin wisp of white smoke curling from the pistol's muzzle and snorted. "Times have changed."
He turned, intending to leave.
Then he noticed movement on the ground.
Tian Shenglan was still alive, writhing weakly.
"One shot wasn't enough?" Tie Niaofei muttered, surprised.
He walked closer and saw Tian Shenglan clutching his abdomen, blood pouring out between his fingers like a gushing spring. The bullet had struck his belly rather than his heart, leaving him to linger in agony rather than die at once.
Tie Niaofei hesitated for a brief moment. Should he finish the man quickly, or simply stand back and let him bleed out?
At that instant, the Dao Xuan Tianzun statue resting against his chest spoke calmly, "All men must die. Some merely need a little assistance. Tie Niaofei, light a hand grenade and stuff it into his mouth."
The hesitation vanished.
Under Tian Shenglan's terrified gaze, Tie Niaofei calmly lit the fuse of a hand grenade, then forced it into the man's mouth.
He dusted his hands together and turned away.
After walking several paces, he crouched down and covered his ears.
A thunderous boom echoed behind him.
Only then did Tie Niaofei rise, a strange, satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Brothers, half of our vengeance is settled. Kill Zhai Tang, and the blood feud will be fully repaid."
The Dao Xuan Tianzun spoke again, its voice steady and grave. "Personal grudges may be settled, but there remains a national grudge. If all Jin merchants who collude with the enemy and betray the nation are not eradicated, this hatred will never truly be avenged."
Tie Niaofei nodded firmly. "That's right. There's still a national grudge to settle."
—
In the fifth year of the Chongzhen era, in the eighth month, the bandits attacked Xizhou.
Gao Yi, Commander of the Xizhou Garrison, opened the north gate and fled in panic. Yang Wei, the Prefect of Xizhou, held out stubbornly, personally wounding many bandits, but was ultimately struck by a stray arrow and fell from the east wall. Xizhou City was breached, and the bandits occupied it for three days.
Afterward, the bandits successively captured Qingshui, Yangcheng County, Gaoping, Lingchuan, Lu'an, Changzi, and other areas. In an instant, the situation in Shanxi deteriorated once again.
"Report!"
A lone rider galloped at full speed into Hedong City, reins slick with sweat, heading straight for Xing Honglang and Gao Chuwu. The messenger barely managed to catch his breath before blurting out, "The bandits have captured Shouyang, just outside Taiyuan City. Governor Xu Dingchen led his army to relieve it, but the bandits abandoned Shouyang, moved south at full speed, and breached Zezhou."
Upon hearing this report, Xing Honglang felt her heart tighten.
Shouyang lay extremely close to Taiyuan.
Xu Dingchen was stationed within Taiyuan City itself, yet the bandits had still managed to seize Shouyang before relief could arrive. That alone spoke volumes about the terrifying speed of their operations.
In the early years of the Chongzhen era, the bandits had merely harassed villages, attacked small towns, and raided minor counties. Now, they were capable of swiftly breaching satellite towns adjacent to Taiyuan, withdrawing before government forces could respond, then racing south to strike again.
They were no longer the crude rabble they once had been.
"Zezhou is only about two hundred li from Hedong City," Xing Honglang said grimly, her brow deeply furrowed. "At their current pace, two hundred li is only a matter of days. That means our position here is no longer safe."
The messenger nodded. "Yes. The Governor will soon lead his army south to pursue and annihilate the bandits. Before that, he commands you to hold Hedong City at all costs, to defend this vital salt-producing region, and under no circumstances allow it to fall."