Capítulo 1487: Chapter 1487: Battle of Wits
“Just like that, throw, everyone throw accurately,” Ye Shikai shouted loudly. The group imdiately reacted, mimicking his actions by lighting the cloth at the bottle’s mouth and tossing it toward the haystack. The bottles shattered, spilling the liquor inside onto the ground and igniting it instantly. These robbers, who usually preyed on defenseless commoners, had never encountered such a commanding figure. They had thought they could snatch a massive haul of grain, but were unexpectedly caught off guard as the fire claid more than a dozen of their comrades and their path was blocked by the burning pile.
“Understood.”
Ye Shikai did not hastily command them to throw the incendiary bottles; instead, he had them throw one by one to conserve resources as much as possible since there was no more wine left. Ye Shikai’s use of fire barriers and incendiary bottles was not ant to defeat the robbers but to delay them for as long as possible until Man Cang arrived with reinforcents. In essence, everything was within his grasp, and the timing was exceptionally well-managed. It had been nearly two hours; if the calculations were correct, they should already be on their way. If they were fast, they would arrive in another hour.
“Everyone, hold on; the reinforcents will arrive in an hour,” Ye Shikai shouted. Upon hearing this, the group felt like they had taken a calming pill. If they had already endured two hours, another hour was nothing. However, Ye Shikai truly had so concerns—there were only a little over twenty incendiary bottles left, insufficient to hold out for much longer. Once they were used up, the robbers would surely resu shooting arrows, disperse the bonfire, and charge for an attack. Incited by Ye Shikai’s fiery stratagem, they would undoubtedly be furious and relentless.
Ye Shikai had no other strategies left. At that point, his only option would be to use cover for a defensive last stand, engaging in lee combat, where the outco would be swiftly determined. Right now, he could only hope that the reinforcents would arrive quickly.
“My Lord, let us take a few brothers to stoke the fire,” several soldiers from the guard suggested, pulling out straw from grain sacks, holding it in front of them. This allowed them to approach the fire, with the straw acting as a “shield.” However, upon returning, they would inevitably beco target practice.
“Are you crazy? Everyone, crouch down! Are you trying to get yourselves killed?” Ye Shikai, unwilling to send his brothers to their deaths, imdiately rejected their request for combat.
“My Lord, if we cannot hold the bonfire, they will charge over. We have long since put life and death aside, swearing to protect you unto death.”
“Sworn to protect the General.”
“Sworn to protect the General.”
Ye Shikai could see that they were resolved to face death. These brothers had followed him since the expedition against the Wolf Clan, battle-hardened, and even in the face of the fierce Wolf Clan, they showed no fear. Otherwise, they would not be Ye Shikai’s personal soldiers.
“I’ve got a plan,” Ye Shikai suddenly thought of a way to defeat the enemy, looking at the cart behind him. He took a leap onto it, grabbing a bunch of straw and several grain sacks to shield himself.
“Quick, push over,” Ye Shikai shouted, and the soldiers imdiately understood his intention. They picked up grain sacks for cover and pushed the cart like a chariot directly to the bonfire. Arrows rained down but were all blocked by the sacks. The cart reached the bonfire’s edge, and Ye Shikai threw the straw and sacks into the fire before using two more sacks to protect himself as the soldiers pulled the cart back.
“General, are you alright?” As soon as Ye Shikai stepped down from the cart, a group of soldiers surrounded him. The grain sacks on him were bristling with arrows, yet he was unhard.
“Did you see that? Do it just like that,” Ye Shikai shouted. The guard soldiers followed suit, using this thod to stoke the fire—harrowing but effective.
“Villagers, gather the arrows,” Ye Shikai instructed the laborers to collect the arrows from the grain sacks and have the archers return fire, as they also needed to take the initiative in the fight.
After about an incense stick’s ti, people gradually noticed that there was no longer any activity on the opposite side, not even a single arrow.
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“General, it’s been so long without any movent. Could they have withdrawn?” a soldier asked.
“I don’t know either; the fire burns too fiercely, and with so much smoke, I can’t see clearly,” Ye Shikai dared not relax for a mont. Having held out for this long, he could not let one mistake nullify all their efforts.
“So, what do we do now?”
“Sa as before, keep waiting. As long as we hold our ground, they can’t do anything to us,” Ye Shikai’s plan was simply to hold on; reinforcents would arrive in half an hour.
“Archers, fire,” Ye Shikai ordered. Perhaps they were planning sothing. An arrow volley went over, but no sound was heard—could it be… they had really withdrawn?
“My Lord, look, our people are here,” at this mont, several laborers shouted. Ye Shikai turned around towards the hill and indeed saw a cloud of dust. Upon a closer look, a large cavalry team was approaching. The robbers couldn’t have had so many horses, and they were all in military uniform—it must be reinforcents.
“Everyone get ready, stay vigilant,” Ye Shikai was still not entirely at ease and signaled everyone to remain calm.
“My Lord, it’s , Man Cang. I’ve brought reinforcents!”
Amidst the clattering hooves, Man Cang’s voice echoed through the woods, clearly heard by all.
“It’s General Man who’s back.”
“Yes, it’s General Man. I recognized his voice.”
Ye Shikai naturally recognized Man Cang’s voice and finally breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn’t returned, the situation might have beco dire. Hearing that governnt soldiers had co to rescue them, the civilians shed tears of joy. After battling for an hour and a half, they would never forget. Soon, Man Cang and the reinforcents opened a road through the bonfire, and Ye Shikai led the guards over.
“My Lord, are you alright?” Man Cang quickly ran over. Seeing Ye Shikai unhard, he felt at ease, fulfilling his duty to protect his commander.
“Rest assured, we’re all fine, just lost so wine and grain,” Ye Shikai replied with a wry smile. If not for these resources, their fate today might have been grim. It seed his wedding banquet would have to substitute tea for wine…
“Ye, are you alright?” To Ye Shikai’s surprise, it was Han Hao, the Commander, who had co to his aid.
“Upon hearing you were in trouble, Lord Han imdiately led the city’s cavalry out, rushing here without delay,” Man Cang explained.
“If any harm had befallen you, Ye, I’d be at fault. Then both Miss He and your Commander Ma would hold accountable.”
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