Wei Xiaobao's Three Kingdoms Adventure

Chapter 166 Gunpowder
Upon hearing the sounds coming from the mountaintop, Wei Xiaobao decisively ordered a retreat, refusing to engage Zhang Wei in any further conflict.

Although Zhang Wei's army had the advantage of being on higher ground, Wei Xiaobao was fast enough that he had already created distance between them before Zhang Wei even reached the halfway point of the mountain.

Seeing the bandit group fleeing towards the valley entrance, Zhang Wei almost laughed himself off his horse.

"Quickly chase after them and tie the bags!"

Just as he was about to catch up with the bandits ahead, Zhang Wei realized that he had already chased them out of the valley. But why hadn't the ambush troops that had been arranged here made their move yet?

"Alas! I, Zhang Wei, am a brilliant strategist, but my deputy general is incompetent and has yet to complete the ambush."

Before he could finish expressing his feelings, a tsunami of shouts of battle erupted from both sides.

Zhang Wei's spirits lifted, and he pointed his riding whip forward, shouting, "Thieves, don't run!"

"Zhang Wei, dismount and surrender immediately!"

Upon hearing the shouts of battle and Zhang Wei's cries, Wei Xiaobao, who was ahead, turned around and immediately yelled at Zhang Wei.

This round left Zhang Wei completely stunned.

Before Zhang Wei could react, the troops on both sides had already charged in front of him.

Only then did Zhang Wei realize that although these people were all wearing Hanzhong military uniforms, he did not recognize the leader.

The man had a handsome face with sharp, chiseled features, and he looked majestic as he rode a white steed.

Zhang Wei's voice began to tremble: "Who are you?"

"Changshan Zhao Zilong!"

Zhao Yun's loud shout startled Zhang Wei so much that he fell off his horse.

Four thousand soldiers were surrounded by Zhao Yun's army. When they saw their commander fall from his horse, not one of them dared to step forward to help him up.

Wei Xiaobao rode his Zhahuang Feidian into the formation and shouted to the Hanzhong soldiers, "Quickly lay down your weapons and surrender! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!"

As he spoke, Wei Xiaobao threw the round object in his hand in front of Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei was lying on the ground when he saw something roll to his side. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the head of his deputy general.

The soldiers of Hanzhong saw the faces of the heads on the ground and threw down their spears and halberds to surrender.

Wei Xiaobao rode up to Zhang Wei and said, "You little brat, you actually wanted to ambush me in the valley? Your men were captured alive by my wife as soon as they arrived. This deputy general dared to resist, and my wife chopped off his head with one stroke."

Zhang Wei trembled instantly, his previous arrogance completely gone, and he regretted coming to annihilate these so-called mountain bandits.

Zhao Yun said, "Take off the prisoners' uniforms and then tie Zhang Wei up."

Zhang Wei was tied up tightly and thrown into the prisoner-of-war camp, only to find that his nearly ten thousand soldiers were all huddled together like hairless pigs.

Zhao Yun ordered Ma Tie to escort the prisoners back to Chencang first, and then he, Ma Yunlu, and Wei Xiaobao led 10,000 soldiers disguised as soldiers from Hanzhong to Yangping Pass.

Seeing that Zhang Wei had not returned for a long time, Zhang Lu sent scouts to urge him on.

When Zhao Yun and his men arrived at Yangping Pass, they disguised themselves as soldiers from Hanzhong and infiltrated the pass. After killing the three thousand soldiers left to guard Yangping Pass, they began to pour oil and bury gunpowder in various places.

This was the first time Ma Yunlu had ever seen gunpowder, so she asked Wei Xiaobao, who was standing next to her, about it.

This was the first time Wei Xiaobao had ever seen gunpowder in the late Han Dynasty, and he quickly asked Zhao Yun, "Brother, where does this gunpowder come from?"

Zhao Yun said, "Jiangdong has had this for a long time. The strategist has improved upon it. This is the first time we've used it on a large scale." After everything was prepared, Zhao Yun led his army out of Yangping Pass.

Upon learning of Zhang Wei's defeat, Zhang Lu dared not attack Tianshui any further and hurriedly returned to defend Yangping Pass, just as Zhao Yun was withdrawing from Yangping Pass.

Upon seeing the soldiers from Hanzhong leaving the pass, Zhang Lu was puzzled and hurriedly sent someone forward to inquire.

Zhao Yun knew that if Zhang Lu discovered the truth and the two sides clashed, his side, being outnumbered, would certainly suffer a loss. Before the enemy could realize what was happening, he had already ordered a surprise attack.

Seeing that the other side had launched the first attack, Zhang Lu had already guessed most of the situation and determined that this group of people was in disguise, so he hurriedly ordered a retreat.

Zhao Yun's response was quick enough, but Zhang Lu still managed to push him back, and the two sides were temporarily locked in a stalemate.

Wei Xiaobao was somewhat flustered by this situation and asked, "Brother, if this continues, we'll definitely suffer losses. Is there any way we can fight our way out?"

Zhao Yun had already surveyed the surrounding terrain, and upon hearing Wei Xiaobao's question, he could only shake his head helplessly: "I originally thought Zhang Lu was just a Taoist priest, but I didn't expect him to be so skilled in military campaigns. Now that he has already seized the initiative, if we rashly advance, we will only be throwing our lives away."

Wei Xiaobao cautioned, "Zhang Wei is Zhang Lu's younger brother. What if we trade his life for him?"

Zhao Yun said, "That's the only way."

The messenger returned shortly afterward with Zhang Lu's reply: "Since Yangping Pass has not fallen, as long as General Zhao agrees to release Zhang Wei, this matter can be considered as if it never happened."

Wei Xiaobao laughed and said, "I didn't expect Zhang Lu to be so stubborn. Even if we didn't plant the gunpowder at Yangping Pass, isn't he afraid we'll go back on our word by letting us go back like this?"

Zhao Yun said, "A true man stands between heaven and earth by keeping his word. I promised to release Zhang Wei, so I will naturally release him. But how do we ignite the gunpowder in Yangping Pass?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "Brother, you lead the men to retreat first. I will infiltrate Zhang Lu's army and sneak into Yangping Pass, where I will take the opportunity to ignite the gunpowder."

Zhao Yun hurriedly stopped him: "This gunpowder is not like oil. If it comes into contact with a flame, it will destroy the entire Yangping Pass in an instant. You won't have any time to escape then."

Wei Xiaobao thought to himself, "I've even played with muskets, so how could I not know how powerful gunpowder is?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "If we go back like this, Zhang Lu will attack Tianshui again in less than a month. Wouldn't all our efforts have been in vain? If you have other ways to destroy Yangping Pass, I don't want to take the risk. But if we return empty-handed, we won't be able to solve Tianshui's predicament, and we won't be able to explain to the strategist and Brother Liu Bei."

Ma Yunlu said, "General Zhao, I'll stay here to protect Xiaobao. You all go first."

Helpless, Zhao Yun repeatedly instructed Wei Xiaobao to ignite the gunpowder only when it was safe to do so before leading his troops to leave through the gap opened by Zhang Lu.

Wei Xiaobao handed over the captured Huang Feidian to Zhao Yun to take back, while he and Ma Yunlu took the opportunity to blend into Zhang Lu's army.

Worried about the safety of the soldiers inside Yangping Pass, Zhang Lu hurriedly led his army into Yangping Pass.

When Zhang Lu saw that all the soldiers guarding the pass had been wiped out, he was shocked. He also remembered that he had just seen Zhao Yun hastily retreat from Yangping Pass, and he felt that something was wrong. He thought that Hanzhong had been looted. He left some soldiers to guard the pass and led the army to march towards Hanzhong.

Wei Xiaobao had already hidden himself away, and only after Zhang Lu led his troops far away did he and Ma Yunlu secretly slip out of Yangping Pass.

When Ma Yunlu saw Wei Xiaobao grab two horses as he escaped, she assumed he was about to run away.

"Are we leaving like this?"

Wei Xiaobao said, "You underestimate me too much."

"How was the gunpowder at Yangping Pass ignited?"

"Hehe, the mountain man has his own clever plan."

(End of this chapter)