"Halt! The entire army, rest where you are!" Lu Ming suddenly shouted, taking a swig from a water pouch on his horse and gazing at the distant mountain peaks.
A mountain only five hundred meters high, its slopes covered in dense vegetation—ordinary trees, weeds, vines, and palm trees weaving a green tapestry that could easily disorient a rider and make it difficult to spot any ambushes.
"My lord, is something the matter?" Jiang Qin rode closer, asking softly. He keenly sensed something amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Lu Ming gestured towards the distance with his lip. "Gongyi, do you sense anything amiss ahead? Look, above the forest, birds are perched, not entering. There's only one possibility: a flood or a ferocious beast! What could frighten birds so much that they wouldn't enter the forest? Heh, there's an ambush ahead! It seems someone leaked our marching route; someone's prepared a great gift for us!"
"It was my oversight! Please punish me, my lord!" Jiang Qin exclaimed in alarm. He had clearly sent out scouts, yet they hadn't detected it. If Lu Ming hadn't pointed it out, their army would likely have suffered a severe defeat!
These new recruits, caught in an ambush, would surely be thrown into chaos!
"Gongyi, there's no need for that. You've just joined the army and haven't experienced the cruelty of war yet. Observe and learn more. A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days' absence. I look forward to seeing you write your own military treatise after a hundred battles." Lu Ming was still lenient with his subordinates, patting him on the shoulder. "Self-criticism can wait until after the battle. Be patient in teaching them. There's no need to be harsh on the soldiers. This is your first time, and it's theirs too; it's inevitable. Alright, now take two hundred men and quietly follow behind, circling around. When the fighting starts on my side, you launch a surprise attack from behind the enemy lines, a pincer movement that will surely throw them into chaos."
"Yes, my lord." Jiang Qin felt ashamed, but also more grateful and loyal to Lu Ming.
To have a righteous and discerning lord was an extremely fortunate thing for a subordinate.
After Jiang Qin left, Lu Ming's eyes gradually turned cold. He had only just left Mengjin Pass.
There was an enemy ambush; he absolutely refused to believe there wasn't a traitor!
Since they were here, he'd keep them all; he was just looking for some amusement.
He'd keep them alive, continue questioning them, find clues, and track them down to find the mastermind.
Meanwhile, on the low hill, two bearded, fierce-looking men were watching the Han army resting in the distance. Both were members of the White Turban Yellow Turbans.
A few days ago, someone tipped them off that a small Han army, carrying gold and silver treasures, was passing through here. They were only five or six hundred men, mostly new recruits.
They wanted them to rob this army, offering a small reward afterward.
If they had nothing to gain, they wouldn't rob a government army. This place was only a short distance from Mengjin Port, still within Luoyang's borders. Only after crossing the Yellow River did they realize the natural barrier of the Yellow River and Mengjin Pass; the Yellow Turban rebels had absolutely no chance of threatening Luoyang from here!
The reliability of this information has now been verified. As for the reward?
That depends on their mood.
"Heh, what a fat sheep! Look at those guys, so lax, they don't even deserve to be called officers," Hu Long sneered, licking his lips. After this job, he'd go back to his stronghold and have some fun. What kind of government soldiers are they? They're just trash that can be killed with a single blow!
"They stopped. Won't they think we're lying in ambush?" another burly man asked, sounding suspicious. A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of? Pang Bo, after this job, we'll recruit more soldiers and become our own leaders. Do we still need to be controlled by others?" Hu Long wasn't willing to let this fat sheep go. He didn't care if they were government soldiers or not.
He was targeting government soldiers. They were already Yellow Turban rebels anyway; the strong fear the weak. Just do it!
The two were of one mind, clearly determined to rob Lu Ming. However, if someone told them that the leader of this army was the one who had killed Bian Zhang amidst a flurry of battle, would they still dare to ambush them?
After waiting for half an hour, seeing that Jiang Qin had already circled around to the designated position,
Lu Ming shouted loudly, "Everyone stand up! Prepare for battle! Grab your weapons! Auxiliary soldiers, retreat! Form ranks! Brothers, the time to make your mark has come! Ten coins per head! Kill ten, and you'll be promoted to squad leader; kill a hundred, and you'll be promoted to platoon leader! If you want wealth and glory, follow me!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
Lu Ming's roar ignited a surge of courage in the previously tense recruits. The fear and tension vanished after the roar.
One by one, they rubbed their hands together, picked up their spears and shields, and pressed forward step by step.
The bandits on the low hill panicked; the Han army had clearly spotted them.
"Damn it! We've been discovered!"
"They've discovered us! Who made that noise! Damn it!"
"At this point, we have no choice but to fight, or we won't escape." Pang Bo knew something was wrong, but he'd been blinded by greed and wanted to make a quick buck. Now he'd lost everything.
"What's there to be afraid of! There are only a little over three hundred of them. If we all attack together, we could drown them with a single spit! A thousand men against three hundred and they can't even win? What's the point of this game!" Hu Long cursed as he jumped out, brandishing his broadsword. "Brothers, charge! Kill them all! Loot all their silver! After this battle, I'll give you rewards and women! Charge!"
Money and women are always the best way to boost morale.
The previously hesitant bandits immediately roared and charged down the mountain!
Charging downhill, the momentum of the charge could even cleave shields in two with a single blow!
Lu Ming took the lead, knowing he was key to boosting morale, and this was a crucial period, a fledgling stage where he needed to be hands-on.
"Insects, you dare to fight me? Your courage is commendable! But courage won't save you! Die!"
*Thud!*
His spear pierced through a charging bandit soldier, the tip going through his throat, then sent him flying. He charged into the ranks like a tiger among sheep, and with the help of his personal guards, he was like a sharp sword breaking through the enemy formation.
"Kill!" Behind the bandits, Jiang Qin, also seething with anger, led two hundred soldiers out.
Faced with a pincer attack, the already weak-willed bandits immediately showed signs of collapse.