"My lord, what should we do? We only have two hundred guards with us, yet there are hundreds of carriages and four or five hundred workers here, but they are unard and cannot fight at all. What should we do?" Man Cang was sowhat anxious. They had managed to obtain this grain with great difficulty, and it was supposed to be taken back to the villagers. How could they let these robbers steal it? The escorting soldiers were indeed too few. In retrospect, they really should have brought more garrison along.
"How about I lead so people to break through and return to the county to ask Lord Han for reinforcents?" Man Cang suggested.
"We have already gone a hundred miles from the city. Even if you do manage to bring reinforcents, it will take at least several hours. By then, the grain will have been stolen." Ye Shikai said coldly.
"What if, my lord, I lead a team to launch a preemptive strike, scatter those people behind us, and you stay with the main force here. They are just rabble, while the guards are carefully selected, and each can fight ten at a ti—they can surely win."
"Although they are a chaotic army, their numbers are several tis ours, and they are ready and waiting. Besides, if you rush over, they will surely be prepared. Furthermore, the rear guards only reported visible enemies; how many others are lurking unseen? Can you defeat them?"
"This... What are your plans, my lord?"
"Everyone, get to that high slope." Ye Shikai pointed to the dirt mound beside them; although not towering, it was the only vantage point nearby where they could watch over the entire forest.
"Understood, have the workers at the back follow along." Man Cang commanded the workers to drive the carriages towards the hill and also tasked the rear guards with monitoring the situation behind.
"Order everyone to use the carriages to form a circle as a shelter, then use long spears and shields to defend the outer layer, with the archers inside." Ye Shikai commanded. With hundreds of grain transport carriages here, they could be made use of. Weapons were scarce, so workers’ hoes and rakes would have to suffice.
"My lord, we now have no retreat. If the robbers charge at us now, we might not be able to hold them off." Man Cang looked around; there was a cliff behind, a single road ahead. In terms of military tactics, placing a defensive position here was indeed a desperate situation. If they failed, not a blade of grass would remain...
"If we had chosen to flee earlier, dragging all this grain, we would soon be chased down, and the robbers several tis our number would surround and devour us. That would be the true desperate situation. In contrast, by arranging our forces here, using our weapon advantage, we are capable of resisting them." In the days since arriving in the Qin Dynasty, Ye Shikai had read many ’military books.’ Frankly, if these could be taken back to the modern era, they’d certainly be national treasures as antiques. Most crucially, many of them contained array diagrams.
Ye Shikai commanded the soldiers and workers to form a circular defense, like a hedgehog curled into a ball, even the strongest enemy couldn’t find a way in.
"Will we die?"
"I don’t know, it seems many people are chasing us from behind."
"What? I heard these robbers dare to kill even governnt troops, not to ntion us civilians."
"Then what should we do? Maybe we should just run, forget about the commission."
"But where can we run to now?"
The group of workers also felt the anomaly. The guards were on high alert, appearing as if facing a formidable enemy, yet they were honest farrs, frightened in the face of swords.
"Everyone, don’t panic. My General has fought against the Wolf Clan in the north; tens of thousands of them couldn’t do anything to him, and he even saved Great General ng Tian’s life amidst the chaos. With General Ye here, there’s no need to panic." Man Cang soothed their emotions upon seeing the situation.
"Since it’s the general who fought the Wolf Clan, there’s no need to worry."
"Indeed, I’ve heard of General Ye’s reputation. He used to be under Commander Han, undefeated in countless battles up north, even winning a few battles in East County."
"Everyone, don’t panic. With here, I assure you of everyone’s safety." Ye Shikai shouted to the crowd. Among the workers, so had heard of his fa, like taking a ’calming pill,’ suddenly finding a dependable backer. Ye Shikai knew well that back on the battlefield, when ng Tian shouted to the army, the tens of thousands of Qin Army soldiers seed injected with enthusiasm, instantly forgetting the fear of death.
"We trust General Ye."
"Villagers, these robbers usually steal your grain, set fire to your houses, even kill your relatives. How about we take revenge today?" Ye Shikai continued.
"These robbers have always been vicious, we are willing to follow General Ye."
"Indeed, in the worst case... we’ll fight them. My parents were killed by them."
"Right, if they want us dead, we’ll never be lambs to the slaughter. General Ye, give a weapon, the villagers are willing to follow you and fight these robbers to death."
Ye Shikai’s words struck the core of the crowd’s heart. The robbers usually treated the people poorly, yet due to weapons, the people were too angry to speak out, forced to swallow the bad luck. Now, with elite soldiers at their side, their hearts were steadied. Coupled with Ye Shikai’s words igniting their anger like a spark thrown into dry firewood, it imdiately roused their spirits.
.....................................
"Man Cang, while they haven’t reached us yet, imdiately take so people and rush out to the county for reinforcents." Ye Shikai ordered.
"No, my lord, I want to stay to protect you. Besides, as you said, by the ti reinforcents arrive in several hours, the grain will already have been robbed." Man Cang imdiately refused. He could not leave Ye Shikai in such a dangerous place. When leaving, he had promised He Linghan to protect Ye Shikai at all costs. If anything happened to him, how could Man Cang return and explain?
"It depends on who’s commanding. If it’s , holding out for a few hours isn’t an issue." Ye Shikai said coldly.
"No, even if we give up this grain, I must ensure my lord’s safety."
"If we don’t notify reinforcents, defending here is aningless." Ye Shikai’s tone turned sharply, shouting, "Man Cang, I order you to set out imdiately and seek reinforcents from the county."
"But..."
"Execute the order."
"Understood."
Man Cang, taking only two soldiers, rushed out on horseback. Ye Shikai estimated that he would reach the county within an hour, and reinforcents, from assembling to arriving, would take at least two hours. Considering the reserved ti, this ant Ye Shikai had to hold off the robbers for four hours to be rescued.
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