Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 19 Zhang Shiping, the Horse Merchant

The main task of the Xianbei cavalry was to hunt down Zou Jing, but Zou Jing had already disappeared, so there was no need to fight to the death with the executioners.

As a result, the Xianbei cavalrymen scattered and retreated, avoiding the attack of the executioners.

The executioners, shouting "Kill the Hu!", chased after the Xianbei cavalry and fought wildly.

This kind of chaotic battle is the environment the bandits are most familiar with, and it actually looks quite impressive.

Of course, the actual results were pitifully small.

However, judging from the situation alone, it was as if the executioners had defeated the Xianbei cavalry by 'blossoming from the center'.

The bandits were quite experienced in robbery, but this was their first time fighting, and they felt as if they had won.

After all, it looks like the enemy is scattering and fleeing.

Based on their experience from previous raids, they knew that if they won, they should give chase, so they followed the Xianbei people, making a ruckus and engaging in a noisy pursuit.

This wasn't a coordinated pursuit; rather, each team split up and chased the closest target.

When chasing after a fat sheep, they only chase it if it's close by, and leave it at that if it gets too far away. That's how they do it when they rob people.

Although it was chaotic, the morale was indeed incredibly high.

As a result, the Xianbei cavalry retreated even faster, disappearing from sight in no time, and appearing even more like a rout.

Of course, they couldn't catch up. Seeing the Xianbei people run far away, the executioners returned, their faces flushed and breathless, and began to boast.

The Xianbei cavalry came to hunt down Zou Jing, not to fight. Naturally, they didn't want to be bogged down here. If they were to fight a real battle, these ragtag troops would probably be wiped out.

But the executioners probably didn't think that way. They only felt that this was a glorious victory, and they were all extremely excited. They wished that another group of barbarians would come so that they could show off their power again.

"My lord, it's just that we have too few horses, otherwise we could have wiped out the barbarians!"

A clueless executioner was grinning and bragging.

"Yes, yes, if we could catch up, we wouldn't have let them get away."

Zhangba nodded in agreement: "These barbarians are nothing special, they crumble at the first touch! I think I could take on ten of them!"

This guy even knows how to use idioms, like counting on his fingers to reach ten—in Zhangba's eyes, ten is the largest number.

Liu Bei and Jiu Chi exchanged a speechless glance, and then both sighed.

"Hurry up and clean up the battlefield...see if there's any loot, there should be a few horses by the river."

Liu Bei waved his hand to send Zhangba off to work, to stop him from rambling on.

Since the Xianbei people retreated in a hurry, those unclaimed warhorses must have been left behind here, so they should have at least gained something.

Zhangba is quite suitable for cleaning up the battlefield, not because he is strong, but mainly because he does not hoard spoils.

The spoils were not many; the Xianbei left behind seven corpses and five warhorses.

Of these seven Xianbei people, five were initially caught in ropes and died from being trampled by galloping horses. They looked tattered and miserable.

Only two were killed by the executioners; one died at the hands of Jiu Chi, and the other was beaten by mounted executioners. The causes of their deaths were both clear.

But how come there are only five horses for seven people?
The Xianbei people were being chased and forced to retreat, so they couldn't lead their horses away after losing their owners.

Liu Bei ordered his executioners to search the area thoroughly, as the warhorses were very valuable and could not be lost.

"My lord, I've found the Hu people's cavalry I saw before! I think they might have taken those two horses."

Nine-foot was indeed the most meticulous of all the executioners, and he was the first to find the traces: "They are in the river not far downstream, crossing the river... Thirty people, hundreds of horses, I swear I'm not mistaken this time!"

"You mean, they stole our spoils?"

Liu Bei looked puzzled: "They dare to steal horses on the battlefield? Besides, we were just fighting the Hu people..." "My lord, that cavalry is not Xianbei. Xianbei people shave their heads and wear queues, but they wear their hair in a topknot."

Jiu Chi said, "That's probably the Wuhuan who have submitted to the Han Dynasty. The Wuhuan people are enemies with the Xianbei, and they're not exactly close to our Han..."

Liu Bei thought about it and felt that if he were a Wuhuan cavalryman, seeing the Xianbei people fighting with a group of 'bandits,' he probably wouldn't bother with them and might even steal their horses.

But whoever it is, we have to get the spoils back!
More than a hundred horses...

The executioners, who were eager to show off their prowess once again, were thrilled to hear that another Hu cavalry force had been discovered. They all rushed to claim the credit and quickly arrived at the place Jiu Chi had mentioned.

Not far downstream from the Juma River, about seven or eight miles from the battlefield, a group of men with topknots were trying to cross the river.

But they were clearly not very familiar with the river.

The Juma River is a seasonal river, with very shallow water during the dry season and very deep water during the flood season, showing significant variations between different seasons.

It's springtime now, not the season when the water is plentiful. The Juma River is only up to chest and waist level, so it does seem easy to cross.

But in fact, the name of the river already indicates that this place can be used as a 'barrier'.

Because the bottom of the river is full of silt.

Because the river is slow-moving, silt has accumulated, forming deep pools at the bottom of the river.

If the water were deeper, the horse could actually float and swim across, but unfortunately the water wasn't deep enough, so once it entered the river, it would only sink.

Of course, people can get caught up in it.

When Liu Bei arrived with his men, part of the cavalry was frantically trying to pull themselves along...

The other group was trying to rescue the horses that had gotten stuck.

"Go! Go! Surround them first... Don't kill them!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Bei quickly ordered his men to surround the area. However, considering that the victims might be Wuhuan people who had submitted to the Chinese, he instructed the executioners not to be too ruthless.

These Hu people were indeed not Xianbei; seeing that they were surrounded, they showed no sign of resistance.

Of course, they couldn't resist; most of them were stuck in the river.

"Sir, we are the Zhang family's horse caravan from Yuyang, transporting horses and passing through this area. May I ask your honorable name?"

Although the leader was dressed in Donghu attire, he spoke like a scholar. He was not alarmed when Liu Bei ordered the encirclement, but instead took the initiative to speak with Liu Bei.

"The Zhang family of Yuyang?"

Liu Bei frowned, pondered for a moment, and instead of answering with his own name, asked, "What's your name? Why are you dressed as a barbarian?"

“Zhang He, courtesy name Shiping.”

Zhang Shiping bowed and explained, "We are buying horses in the land of the Hu people. If we dress them in Han clothing, the Hu people will ask for a high price."

Liu Bei nodded: "Where are these horses going?"

“These horses were privately purchased by my clan for their own use and sent to Lu Nu in Zhongshan; they were not traded horses.”

Zhang Shiping pulled a wooden plaque from his pocket: "This is the place to pass through."

The wooden plaque was stamped with two official seals: one from the Yuyang Household Department and the other from the Lunu Household Department.

The inscription reads: "He is Zhang Shiping from Yuyang. The reason for his trip is to transport goods."

This sign is called a 'pass' or 'transfer'. It was a pass for passing through a prefecture or county at that time. Otherwise, one would easily be regarded as a refugee or a bandit, and one's goods would easily be confiscated.

Liu Bei looked at the sign, then scoffed and shook his head: "You're currently within Zhuo County's territory, so why isn't there a Zhuo County seal on the pass? Zhang Shiping, you're bluffing me... You stole these horses!"

(End of this chapter)