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

Chapter 50 The Meaning of Self-Destruction
Actually, the way Duan Jiong waited for Zhang Sheng was nothing special.

As long as Zou Jing's flag and camp are placed in a location that is easily spied on, Zhang Sheng will naturally come.

Especially at night.

Therefore, he set up his main camp at the top of the most conspicuous hillside.

During this period, Duan Jiong held emergency drills every night, which was also part of the recruit training.

To be fair, Zhang Sheng was actually quite cautious. He probably observed Zou Jing's camp for a long time before launching his night raid on the Juma River.

Previously, there were many refugees logging and building houses in the Juma River area, and various families were recruiting tenants. The place was full of people, and Zhang Sheng was probably spying on it from afar at that time.

After the refugees were settled in various villages, only the military camp remained here. Zhang Sheng's troops arrived immediately, probably confirming that there were only a group of greenhorns here.

In Zhang Sheng's view, if he didn't take action before these new recruits were properly trained, he might not have the chance to do so later.

Therefore, launching a night raid by cavalry as soon as possible became the best option.

Zhang Sheng launched his attack at 3 a.m., which is when most people are asleep the most.

In fact, Zhang Sheng's troops had a very high level of counter-reconnaissance capabilities. Most of the new recruit scouts that Duan Jiong had placed five miles outside the camp were unable to detect them.

But a hidden sentry spotted them.

The sentry was Qian Zhao—because there were emergency drills every day during this period, Qian Zhao simply took on the nighttime outer perimeter sentry duty himself, and went to sleep only after the emergency drills were over, so as not to be woken up in the middle of the night.

Qian Zhao is an extremely meticulous person. Whether it is accounting or managing military supplies, she has never made a mistake. Her observation and memory are far beyond those of ordinary people.

Although he doesn't have much experience in things like being an official or leading troops, his meticulousness alone is enough to foresee his future achievements.

When Zhang Sheng led his cavalry in a night raid, Duan Jiong, Qian Zhao, and others were already waiting at the main camp.

Moreover—the sound of horses' hooves was the drumbeat for an emergency assembly.

So when Zhang Sheng led his cavalry into Zou Jing's main camp, he saw an old general in armor with a sword, a young general with a bow and arrow, a burly young cook, and a handsome man with big ears who was still half asleep, each leading a large group of spearmen.

The army was divided into three sides, arranged in four formations...

Three of the groups came from different barracks to assemble, plus one group that was already on duty at the main camp, making a total of two hundred people in each group.

Zhang Sheng's cavalry had just charged into the camp when they were surrounded on three sides.

In a single exchange, after the first cavalryman to charge into the camp was dismounted by Zhang Fei's spear, the vanguard was forced to abruptly halt—before them stood a neat array of spears, flanked by formations on both sides, forming a '匚' shape…

Emergency assemblies had to be conducted in formation at the small drill ground in front of the main camp. Zhang Sheng's troops were positioned right in the middle of the '匚' (fang) formation, where Duan Jiong would ride his horses after getting up at night to take a walk.

The cavalry in front were forced to stop, and those charging into the camp behind them had no choice but to stop as well, and they ended up crammed together.

Then, a forest of spears converged from three directions, with arrows raining down from behind the spear formation.

Of course, the recruits were still recruits; their training time was not long enough, and the emergency assembly at night left most of them somewhat bewildered. The encirclement was not fast, giving a small group of cavalrymen at the rear room to turn around.

The last dozen or so cavalrymen turned around to run away, but in this situation, turning around would only make them targets for arrows.

The archers were led by Qian Zhao, the one on duty, and were all arranged on both sides of the camp gate. Although the new recruits' archery skills were not very good, it was not difficult for them to form a blockade.

Most of the cavalrymen began to put up a desperate resistance, many of them muttering incomprehensible gibberish.

Half of these cavalrymen were Xianbei, and the other half were Han Chinese.

The Xianbei people were likely the same Xianbei cavalry that Liu Bei encountered, while the Han Chinese were Zhang Sheng's personal guards, numbering approximately two hundred, all truly elite.

In a direct confrontation, it's really hard to say who would win between 800 new recruits and 200 elite cavalry.

If ordinary recruits were attacked by these elite cavalry at night, they would certainly be powerless to resist.

But Duan Jiong knew his old subordinates too well. Although Zhang Sheng led elite cavalry, he was in dire straits from the very beginning.

Liu Bei didn't even have a chance to make a move in this battle.

Duan Jiong was in charge of command from the center, Qian Zhao was in charge of blocking and coordinating, Zhang Fei was in charge of the front-line engagement, Liu Bei...

All we can do is cheer and shout.

There's nothing I can do; there's no work left.

Even the new recruits didn't want Liu Bei to join the battle; they all kept him at the back. This wasn't to compete for credit, but mainly because Liu Bei was providing meals...

These days, the mess hall manager is the real boss. It doesn't matter whether Ji Mingjun lives or dies, but the brother Xuande who's in charge of the meals can't die.

"Ji Mingjun" is what the new recruits call Duan Jiming, which is equivalent to the King of Hell, but it sounds like a respectful title.

Cavalry would be useless if they lost their mobility. Although the slope was relatively gentle and the horses could run, they were surrounded by spears and lances, so the horses didn't dare to move much.

Although they were only 800 green recruits, the situation was so good that all they had to do was line up and push forward. Naturally, the outcome of the battle was a foregone conclusion.

However, it's inevitable that some cowards will appear among the new recruits, and several still died in battle under such circumstances. But those who died all deserved it—in this situation, as long as you don't turn your back to the enemy, you certainly won't die.

The battle did not last long. After Liu Bei, who had nothing to do, lit the braziers in the camp, Zhang Sheng saw what Duan Jiong looked like.

"My lord?! Stop! Stop! We surrender!"

Zhang Sheng threw down his spear, dismounted, and knelt on the ground.

The remaining half of the county soldiers and Xianbei cavalry ceased their resistance and dismounted, abandoning their weapons.

To be honest, Duan Jiong doesn't harbor much hatred towards Zhang Sheng right now.

He just felt sorry for the kid.

"Lord..."

Upon seeing Duan Jiong, Zhang Sheng's face contorted in shock: "What are you doing here?"

"You still recognize this old man..."

Duan Jiong stepped forward, holding a long sword, so that Zhang Sheng could see him more clearly: "Don't call me lord, you don't have a lord now."

Liu Bei thoughtfully lit more braziers, and the firelight illuminated Duan Jiong's appearance, as well as Zhang Sheng's.

The man's deep scars made him look extremely sinister, and even though he was currently in a state of panic, his face still looked like he was grinning maliciously.

"My lord, Sheng was forced into this situation..."

Despite his sinister appearance, Zhang Sheng became extremely obedient upon seeing Duan Jiong, kneeling on the ground and performing a deep bow: "I have implicated my lord..."

"So you realize you've dragged me into this?"

Duan Jiong shook his head, but his face remained calm: "I've been to your house... I know you were forced into this situation, but you should also know what the consequences of your actions will be."

"My lord, Sheng only wants to find a way to survive for his parents, wife, and children."

Tears welled up in Zhang Sheng's eyes: "When they took Yu'er away, Yu'er was already pregnant, and I could only obey their orders..."

“Alas… but your collusion with the Xianbei is an unforgivable crime.”

Duan Jiong sighed and turned to look at Qian Zhao: "Qian Lang, since you want revenge, then you can do it."

"Did you ever lead the soldiers of Gu County to rob the horse merchants of Anping?"

Qian Zhao came out with his sword, but did not make a move immediately. He wanted to confirm whether it was the right person.

"Heh... I'm not a bandit, but you can put the blame on me. All the crimes of the soldiers of Shanggu County can be attributed to me."

Zhang Sheng was quite the bachelor, accepting everything.

"Since you've admitted it, then I will definitely take your life... But if you weren't the one who hijacked the horse team, then who was it?"

Qian Zhao continued to press, demanding the head of his enemy, not just any name on anyone's head.

"I truly do not know... but as I said, it is all Zhang's fault!"

“Zhang confesses his guilt! But the crime is solely Zhang’s. I beg my lord and the young master to spare the lives of my brothers… They were once my lord’s comrades, but they were only acting on Zhang’s orders.”

Zhang Sheng pulled off the neck guard, removed the collar armor, and exposed his neck: "Young man, let's get started."

Duan Jiong turned his face to the side.

Qian Zhao stepped forward with her sword, looking at Duan Jiong, but hesitated.

"Please, Your Majesty, take our lives and spare Zhang Sima!!"

Just then, several of Zhang Sheng's personal guards suddenly turned to face Duan Jiong, knelt down, picked up the knives on the ground, and slit their own throats!
Fresh blood spurted out like a fountain.

They... killed themselves!

Qian Zhao, Duan Jiong, and the others were all stunned.

Liu Bei was also stunned.

Even the Xianbei cavalrymen kneeling beside them were dumbfounded.

"Please, Your Majesty, take..."

The other Han cavalrymen also turned to Duan Jiong, knelt up, picked up their swords, and removed the armor plates protecting their collars.

Zhang Sheng's eyes widened, bloodshot, as he frantically shouted, interrupting his men: "Stop! Stop it all!!"

Then, he threw himself on the corpse of his brother beside him and wailed, "It is Zhang who is guilty! Why did you do this? Why did you do this..."

(End of this chapter)