Chapter 362: A Single Rider Like Bear and Tiger

No one questioned Liu Bei’s plan.

It was not that the Guandong lords present trusted this man so completely, believing he could truly slay Hua Xiong in a single day and take Hulao Pass, but rather that they generally considered Liu Xuande qualified to take such a gamble.

In terms of status, although Liu Bei was merely a self-appointed Commandant of Cavalry, he was still a two-thousand-dan official after all, and behind him loomed the indistinct figures of the various lords of Xu and Yang provinces, the political stance of He Jin’s former subordinates, and the identity of being the younger brother of a General of the Guards... just as Cao Cao was Yuan Shao’s childhood friend.

In terms of strength, whatever else one might say of Liu Xuande, he had several thousand troops of his own and a camp belonging to him here, not to mention that after months of military drilling under Chancellor Dong, the Guandong lords had come to place somewhat greater value on military talents from the border commanderies.

In summary, although Liu Bei was the lowest in status within this great camp, and although deep down everyone still vaguely looked down on him, they ultimately regarded him as a member on equal footing... in other words, in the eyes of the Guandong lords, Liu Bei still had some standing; he was not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.

That being the case, since this man had “standing,” what great matter was it, in this current situation where everyone was at their wits’ end, for him to step forward and borrow a few thousand troops plus a few generals?

Correspondingly, Liu Bei had not acted on a whim either... in truth, after days of waiting idly outside Hulao Pass, spending every day and night in close company, Liu Xuande had also begun to harbor some different thoughts about these Guandong lords. Of course, this is not to say that Liu Xuande was filled with righteous indignation; to be fair, he actually rather approved of these men. He knew very well in his heart that their family backgrounds, learning, and connections were not false, and that compared to them, he indeed lacked a great deal of foundation.

It was just that, as the chaotic times arrived and military affairs grew increasingly intense, Liu Bei suddenly discovered that those things about himself which originally counted for little had unexpectedly become extraordinarily valuable, and this gradually gave him confidence—he wanted to let all under Heaven know that he, Liu Bei of Zhuo Commandery, was not a useless man who could only live at the mercy of others!

The long night passed; Liu Bei made meticulous preparations in camp. He first earnestly discussed the next day’s tactical plan with Yu Jin and Yue Jin together, then personally saw the two generals off. After that, he personally led Jian Yong and Lu Dai to inspect the camp, comfort and reassure the troops, busying himself until the third watch before returning to the main tent and sharing a bed with Zhang Fei to sleep... of course, Zhang Yide had long since fallen asleep, which actually saved him some worry.

The night passed without a word. Early the next morning, Liu Bei made ready and once again led his own troops along with Zhang Fei, Jian Yong, and Lu Dai toward the central army. At the central army, from Yuan Shao on down, not a single person made trouble. Yuan Shao’s three hundred elite cavalry, Yu Jin’s three thousand Taishan infantry, and Yue Jin’s two thousand Chenliu infantry had long since been waiting in silence. Cao Mengde even acted as a liaison in the middle, requesting the various lords to send over some armor, blades, arrows, banners, and the like... Liu Bei naturally accepted these with a smile, and then went off on his own to act.

According to plan, just like the day before, after waiting until nearly noon, Yuan Shao suddenly sent a man to deliver a letter of challenge. Hua Xiong, strutting with arrogance, indeed summoned the messenger directly atop the gate tower of Hulao Pass and accepted on the spot. Both sides agreed to once again decide victory or defeat on the eastern bank of the Sishui River that afternoon!

“General.” Watching Yuan Shao’s messenger depart, with the spring breeze brushing his face, a military clerk at Hua Xiong’s side could not help but speak up in remonstration. “Our army has fought for five consecutive days. Although we have won repeatedly, we are inevitably fatigued. Why not rest and reorganize a little before issuing another challenge?”

“I naturally understand this reasoning.” Hua Xiong, powerfully built, though not yet in battle, was fully armored and imposing, cutting a majestic figure. Hearing this, he seemed rather dismissive. “But you only know one side, not the other... Our army may be weary, but how are the Guandong bandits not also defeated in battle after battle, their morale low?”

The military clerk looked somewhat bewildered for a moment: “If their morale is low, why do they keep issuing challenges?”

Upon hearing this, Hua Xiong leaned on the brickwork of the mighty Hulao Pass and laughed loudly. His laughter continuing, he pointed at the allied camp stretching over twenty li to the east and asked: “Do you think they are doing this willingly, seeking battle of their own accord? That they have something to rely on, and that is why they repeatedly challenge me? I’ll tell you the truth: they are doing this because they have no choice... Think about it. They are all from famous Guandong families, having raised a host of a hundred thousand, yet they have long been unable to suppress our three thousand Xiliang cavalry. If word spreads, how will all under Heaven view them? They have mounted the tiger and cannot dismount!”

The military clerk was momentarily full of admiration.

“However, what you said is also correct.” Hua Xiong then straightened his expression. “The Chancellor’s troop disposition this time was fundamentally based on the natural barrier of the Yellow River and the mighty Hulao Pass—defending on the northern and eastern fronts, attacking on the southern front. That is why Yingchuan and Nanyang have many troops, while my force has few. If we fight for too long and become exhausted, a mishap might occur... Very well then, we will fight one more battle tomorrow, winning seven bouts in a row to make a nice tally to report to the Chancellor, and then we shall continue to guard Hulao Pass in peace!”

The military clerk had nothing more to say.

Having gradually settled his mind, Hua Xiong paid no more heed. He returned inside the pass to rest and reorganize briefly, then mustered his three thousand iron cavalry and crossed the Sishui River directly to give battle.

War drums rumbled, banners fluttered. From the great camp of the Guandong coalition, a force of three thousand men, in strict formation and high spirits, marched out to meet them—it was none other than Yu Jin and his three thousand Taishan troops.

It must be said, Taishan had always been one of the Han dynasty’s primary sources of soldiers. This was because the region was rich in crossbowmen. Although the powerful crossbows of Taishan were not as renowned as the long spears and great crossbows of Jizhou, they were widely used because of the ample local supply of soldiers, making recruitment easy... In fact, the reason Wang Kuang, now dead, and Bao Xin, the master of the force before them, had been able to return to Luoyang first in the past was partly due to the ease of recruiting Taishan troops.

Returning to the matter at hand, Yu Jin’s force included a full thousand powerful crossbowmen, equipped with long spears and large shields, presenting a most formidable sight. Moreover, their formation was tight and disciplined, which made Hua Xiong considerably more vigilant... After all, this unit was clearly different from the previous ones; it was an elite force specifically tailored to counter cavalry.

At the same time, although they were infantry, their number was not the agreed five thousand but three thousand. The enemy’s tactic thus seemed almost obvious—first, use three thousand infantry in a formation designed against cavalry to wear down and tie up Hua Xiong’s forces. Once Hua Xiong grew slack, suddenly dispatch a small force to strike from the rear, aiming for a pincer attack and catching him off guard!

“Do you think the ambush force is cavalry or infantry?” Hua Xiong watched coldly as that three-thousand-strong force ahead rushed to seize the Sishui River bank and then formed up with their backs to the water, yet he did not exploit his cavalry advantage to launch a preemptive strike.

The deputy general beside him was briefly taken aback but quickly caught on: “General, you mean that because they did not come out at full strength as agreed, they intend to send troops to flank us when the battle reaches its height?”

“Correct.”

“Then it must be cavalry.” The deputy general reached this conclusion after a moment’s thought. “Otherwise, it could not achieve a sudden effect.”

“I think so too.” Hua Xiong remained composed and confident. “And it should be three to five hundred in number. Too many would inevitably be cumbersome and fail to achieve a surprise attack; too few could not inflict enough damage... But do you recall which of the Guandong bandits has any notable cavalry at hand?”

The deputy general immediately thought of the answer: “Only the few cavalry Yuan Shao brought from Hebei have some reputation. As for the other lords of the Central Plains, what notable cavalry do they have? They are merely infantrymen riding horses!”

“Even the so-called famous cavalry of Hebei are nothing but empty names.” Hua Xiong sneered again. “Otherwise, how could they have been so easily routed by that Bingzhou barbarian Lu Bu? In my view, this is precisely the opportunity for victory today!”

The deputy general suddenly saw the light: “General, you mean we should deliberately expose a weakness, but actually be fully prepared, lure this cavalry force out, then first encircle and annihilate them to shock and awe the bandit army?”

“Exactly that!” Hua Xiong’s expression immediately turned solemn. “The world thinks I am merely a brave fool, relying on the Chancellor’s trust to suddenly shoulder such a heavy responsibility from being a mere attendant, but they do not know that I have long followed the Chancellor and am well-versed in military strategy. How could I not understand military planning? Take this unit before us, for example. Although they are infantry, their discipline is clear, their crossbows and shields are strict and orderly. Their commander is likely no ordinary man. If they defend with all their might, even if we win by luck, our casualties will be heavy. However, the Guandong rabble think themselves clever, not realizing that they have reversed strength and weakness, using their shortcoming to strike at our strength, thereby exposing a flaw... In my view, the key to breaking the enemy today lies with those cavalry preparing to ambush us. If we can annihilate those cavalry, behead their leader, terrify the enemy masses, and then turn to attack this infantry unit in unison, then this battle can be a complete victory!”

“General, you are truly a divine being!” The deputy general could not help but be utterly convinced, and cupped his hands in flattery from horseback. “Think of Lu Bu, merely a brave fool, relying entirely on the planning of our Liangzhou wise man Jia Gong to achieve great victories. How can he compare to the General, who single-handedly directs the battle?”

“Why flatter?” Hua Xiong, holding his long lance, was unimpressed. “A general should study the art of war to be a match for ten thousand, not merely a brave fool. This is common sense. When I read the histories, the fact that the hegemon Xiang Yu, with all his valor, still needed to study military tactics is clear proof... It is only a pity for this General Yu. He is truly a fine leader of troops, yet he is to die here innocently because he followed the wrong man!”

Those around him were about to flatter further, but unexpectedly Hua Xiong suddenly turned stern. Holding his long lance, he issued orders with a solemn expression directly from horseback: “Enough! Commandants Zhang, Li, and Wang, each lead three companies of six hundred men, totaling one thousand eight hundred, to attack this General Yu in waves. But only feign a siege; do not close in. Simply use archery to inflict casualties and intimidate them... Make a great clamor!”

The three officers around him immediately understood and accepted the order.

“Then, Deputy Generals Wang and Geng, each take... five hundred men, positioned on the left and right flanks. Also feign a siege, but do not truly engage. Instead, constantly observe the Guandong army’s formation and keep your own units detached from the fray... I myself will lead two hundred trusted cavalry here, pretending to be unprepared. The enemy has at most five hundred cavalry, and mere showpieces at that. They will inevitably fail to take me down in haste. When they close in to fight me at close quarters, you are to immediately pull back and outflank them, ensuring total annihilation. Then our entire army will turn and exploit the momentum for complete victory!”

The generals roared their assent.

“Gentlemen.” Hua Xiong called them back again, speaking earnestly. “I know today’s battle will be arduous, but please rest assured. I have already thought it through before coming. Tomorrow we will fight one more battle, and then I will bypass Niu and Li of Hongnong and send a man directly to report victory to the Chancellor in person. When that time comes, I will take not a single iota of credit. All merits for slaying generals, capturing banners, and breaking formations will be distributed entirely among you. I hope you will all fight with utmost effort.”

The generals were all the more roused.

Let us not speak of how brilliant and divinely martial Hua Xiong was, how well he grasped the essence of generalship. Nor shall we speak of the full-scale battle, with arrows falling like rain from both sides and iron cavalry galloping back and forth, a magnificent spectacle, or how the Guandong lords watched from their ramparts and platforms, utterly entranced... Let us only speak of within the Guandong coalition’s formation, atop the rammed-earth high platform of the central army, beside Yuan Shao, where Zhang Fei was actually drinking and eating before the battle, showing not the slightest trace of nervousness.

“Yide, what do you think of General Yu Jin?” Cao Cao, standing on tiptoe and watching for a while, could not help but turn his head back curiously to ask.

“He has somewhat the air of a famous general of old.” Zhang Fei set down his chopsticks and answered politely. “In my opinion, if he had been sent out earlier with his own troops to fight, although infantry would still struggle to defeat cavalry, we would not have suffered defeat after defeat.”

Bao Xin stroked his beard smugly, looking around at those beside him.

“Then in Commander Zhang’s view, does General Yu Jin currently have the upper hand?” Zhang Chao, who had some ties with Liu Bei because of Lu Dai, asked casually. “The battle looks fierce to me.”

“Not necessarily.” Zhang Fei set down his wine cup again, still speaking frankly. “The scene before us certainly looks impressive, but in truth, neither side is inflicting casualties. It is all just probing and play-acting...”

“Why do you say that?” Cao Cao was suddenly startled.

“Brother Mengde, look carefully.” Zhang Fei did not rise, nor did he look himself, but told Cao Cao to look. “Formed with their backs to the river, although Commander Yu’s force has powerful crossbows, they can only hide behind the shield wall and cannot fire in volleys. Arcing shots also suffer from delayed range. And while the Xiliang bandits have the advantage of charging cavalry and can shoot arrows with the momentum of their horses, firstly their bows are small, and secondly, General Yu has large shields... Therefore, although the shouting and killing at the Sishui River shakes the heavens, there are not many casualties. If there are no casualties, how can it be called fierce?”

“That is indeed the case.” Cao Cao stood on tiptoe and watched for a long while again, finally nodding helplessly. “But no matter, as long as we can weary the bandit army and make it convenient for Yide to charge and kill Hua Xiong, that will suffice.”

“Brother Mengde thinks too much.” Zhang Fei sat there and finally drained a cup of wine, but then shook his head again in response. “The enemy general is no mere brave fool. Look carefully at his use of troops. Is his main cavalry force not slightly loose, while nearly a thousand riders on the left and right seem to be fighting fiercely but are actually conserving their strength?”

Cao Cao watched for another spell, then was suddenly horrified: “Has our army’s stratagem been seen through?!”

“Indeed.” Zhang Fei answered calmly. “The enemy general is no ordinary commander either.”

Upon the high platform, the various lords all looked helpless upon hearing this, but there was not much disappointment on their faces... After all, they had suffered defeat after defeat many times already; one more seemed to make little difference.

“What is to be done then?” Cao Cao alone remained somewhat anxious.

“Nothing can be done.” Zhang Fei was unhurried. “Let us wait a while. It is also possible that they will lose patience and launch a fierce assault on Commander Yu’s force.”

“But what if Hua Xiong never falls for the ruse?” Cao Cao was still anxious.

“Then let him not fall for it.” Zhang Fei was unconcerned. “Can we control what Hua Xiong does?”

Cao Cao fell silent for a moment, then slumped back down to his original seat.

A moment later, it was Zhang Chao who could not help but ask: “Commander Zhang, regardless of whether he falls for the ruse or not, just speaking of facing Hua Xiong directly, how much confidence do you truly have?”

“I do not know.” Zhang Fei had already finished his meal and was now slowly pouring and sipping wine. His expression unchanged upon hearing this, he merely shook his head repeatedly. “As for what kind of man Hua Xiong truly is, I have never crossed hands with him either.”

"Wasn't it said that the Guard General himself called you a match for ten thousand?" Yuan Shao, who had barely spoken, not watching the battle but simply staring down lost in thought, suddenly spoke up. "Does a so-called match for ten thousand lack the courage to slay an enemy commander in the field?"

"May I ask the General of Chariots and Cavalry, what is a match for ten thousand?" Zhang Fei raised his cup and asked politely in return.

Yuan Shao looked slightly puzzled, then suddenly enlightened: "Could it be that 'match for ten thousand' means Colonel Zhang is a commander who understands warfare, a leader of talent, rather than a mere brave warrior? Did Liu Xuande misunderstand the Guard General's meaning, or has it been distorted in the telling?"

Zhang Fei finally laughed in spite of himself: "I wouldn't know either. After all, my ability to command troops is no more than a few thousand, and I just happen to have some strength when facing battle... But the Guard General did indeed say it plainly after drinking, that I am a match for ten thousand."

"That is rather strange," Yuan Shao grew more puzzled.

"But whatever the case," Zhang Fei set down his wine cup and spoke with a solemn expression, "A true man, entrusted by others, is loyal to their cause. Since I have already given my word to Brother Xuande, and to all of you gentlemen, then I must disregard life and death and decide it on the field... All this talk is really of no use. Nothing remains but to fight."

Yuan Shao could not help but be filled with solemn respect: "General Zhang truly deserves to be called a fierce tiger of Youzhou... Will you drink more? I still have fine wine in my camp!"

"Since it is mounted battle, strong liquor cannot be drunk in excess," Zhang Fei said dismissively. "I merely drink wine daily in place of water. If there is fine wine, let us await a great victory in this campaign, and drink it then."

Yuan Shao sighed with even greater admiration, and had men bring the fine wine from the camp, arranging it in a row upon the high platform. Then he spoke no more, nor did he permit the various lords on the platform to converse freely with Zhang Fei.

And so, seeing that the sun had set halfway down the west, and that Hua Xiong still showed no sign of abandoning his provocations, Zhang Fei hesitated no longer.

He bid farewell to no one, nor spoke any heroic words. He simply rose on his own, donned his armor, then directly picked up the eight-foot tempered-steel serpent spear gifted by Lady Gongsun during his tenure in Qinghe, descended from the high platform, mounted his horse among the troops outside the camp gate, and led the three hundred cavalry behind him out in formation.

Hua Xiong's men had long since spotted this clearly and hurriedly reported it. Hua Xiong sneered inwardly, but merely feigned ignorance, only ordering his attendants to raise small signal flags and have both flanks make ready.

And Zhang Fei, arriving in the formation, remained silent as before. He gave no tactical instructions to his subordinates, nor raised any banner, but merely glanced back at the central-army high platform behind him.

Cao Mengde understood, and immediately ordered the drums beaten to bolster morale.

As the drums sounded, Zhang Fei spurred his horse forward, spear in hand, charging straight for Hua Xiong's position. The three hundred Hebei cavalry behind him were caught unprepared and could only hurriedly follow, so that for a moment their formation became disjointed.

Because he had deliberately exposed a weakness, revealing his position and figure to the Guandong army's formation, Hua Xiong could correspondingly glimpse that side clearly as well. Now seeing their formation break apart, he found it all the more laughable, and again signaled orders to his left and right... The meaning was clear: do not frighten these comical Hebei cavalry too soon, lest they rout too quickly to be fully encircled and annihilated.

Yet how swift are cavalry upon the battlefield? Before Hua Xiong's inward sneer had faded, he saw that fair-skinned, powerfully built giant of a man already charging to within a few dozen paces. Not daring to be negligent, he hurriedly composed his expression, gripped the long lance in his hand, and waited in tight formation. Several personal guards, seeing this, spurred their horses forward to obstruct.

Who could have expected that, amid the drumbeats, Zhang Fei's speed was extreme? Ignoring the encirclement and blocking of several Xiliang riders, in an instant he had charged alone to within ten-odd paces of Hua Xiong, with only a single Xiliang rider still obstructing his path ahead.

The surrounding Xiliang riders, seeing this, immediately closed in, and Hua Xiong, his anger roused, prepared to personally advance and join the attack on this man.

But just at that moment, Zhang Yide, in mid-charge, suddenly let out a great roar, the sound shaking the ears and startling all the surrounding Xiliang soldiers into terror. Immediately, Hua Xiong watched in shock as the personal guard before him was lifted whole into the air, then hurled directly at him!

He hurriedly reined his horse aside to dodge, but had barely evaded the corpse when a steel spear with a curved head and astonishing length was already thrust before his eyes.

Up to this point, in the very first exchange, Hua Xiong was already utterly discomfited in the saddle, cold sweat pouring forth, and already regretting having made himself the bait.

But on the battlefield, where was the time for such thoughts? Besides, the steel spear was already before him!

Hua Xiong struggled to back his horse away while raising his long lance one-handed to block, but to his shock, upon impact the web of his hand was violently shaken, his right hand nearly losing all strength. And that long spear, like a spirit serpent, pressed down on the lance and continued thrusting forward relentlessly.

Hua Xiong, terrified nearly to death, hastily relied on his superb horsemanship to lean backward in the saddle and dodge again. But as he leaned back, he could no longer keep hold of his weapon, and it nearly slipped from his grasp.

Zhang Fei's horse was about to pass; he had thought this pass had failed to score a hit and prepared to wheel around and charge again. But from the corner of his eye he caught this scene, and a thought stirred in his mind. In that split second, he suddenly clamped the horse's belly, turned his mount, and thrust backward with a reverse spear-hand!

This was the so-called 'turning-back spear'! Moreover, the spear Zhang Fei wielded was exceptionally long, so the effect was exceptionally brilliant!

Hua Xiong, still leaning back, never even saw this coming—how could he dodge or parry? In a single instant, the long spear pierced through his abdomen and embedded into the horse's back, skewering the two together. He perished on the spot!

Upon the high platform, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and the others, who had thought Zhang Fei's mission was merely a matter of fulfilling duty and leaving the rest to fate, suddenly came to a dawning realization—no matter how clever your stratagems, how disciplined your troops, how myriad your preparations and calculations, when the brave win in a narrow encounter, one strike brings death, and what more is there to say?

In this world, where are there so many principles?!

As for the saying that Zhang Fei was a match for ten thousand, it was absolutely no empty falsehood. Give this man three thousand fierce and wolf-like warriors, and he himself would be worth a full army.

And with Hua Xiong dead, his troops were terror-stricken and fled in disarray across the pontoon bridge back into Hulao Pass... Seeing this, Yuan Shao hesitated no longer, but immediately acted according to Liu Bei's earlier plan. The entire army beat drums, and over a hundred thousand troops poured out of camp, forming a battle line nearly twenty li long east of the Sishui River!

The great army's head and tail could not see each other; the clamor of drums shook heaven and earth.

Then, disregarding the fading daylight, he had dozens more pontoon bridges built across the Sishui and attempted to further pile up earthen mounds on the western bank, clearly preparing for a massive advance to try to suppress Hulao Pass.

It must be said, although there were still several thousand troops within Hulao Pass, and a formidable pass to rely on, and they also knew the enemy could not truly deploy their full strength... with Hua Xiong dead, the officers and soldiers in the pass were as if their very hearts and gallbladders had been torn out—how could they possibly remain calm?

The officers, in their terror, clamored for a moment like headless flies, then decided to immediately send for reinforcements from all directions to their rear, requesting that various places send relief troops and generals to take charge of the situation!

For a time, messengers were as thick as hemp, each heading westward.

That very evening, Chenggao City, just behind Hulao Pass, was the first to receive the plea for aid. The defender of Chenggao, fearing that Hulao might fall, personally led two thousand of the three thousand troops in Chenggao City to reinforce them, which somewhat settled the hearts of the soldiers within Hulao Pass.

However, that same night, the Xiliang troops in Hulao Pass discovered to their shock that flames had suddenly erupted in the now-empty Chenggao City behind them, the blaze lighting up the sky!

—————I am the dividing line of nighttime arson—————

"In the early first year of Chuping at the end of Han, there was a Commander Hua Xiong who guarded Hulao for Dong Zhuo, winning battle after battle. One day, another letter of challenge arrived, stating that Yu Jin of Taishan and Zhang Fei of Zhuojun sought battle, and Hua Xiong accepted. A military clerk at his side advised: 'General, you are divinely martial and have won successive victories, but the troops are weary and I fear some mishap. You may hold and defend.' Hua Xiong laughed scornfully: 'How very foolish you are! Are our troops alone in their weariness? The Guandong rebels, having lost battle after battle, are likewise dispirited.' The clerk did not understand: 'If they are dispirited, why seek battle again? Could it be they have something to rely on?' Hua Xiong replied: 'They are all of high houses, burdened by reputation. Having lost battle after battle, they are instead like one riding a tiger and finding it hard to dismount—thus they have no choice but to fight.' The clerk suddenly understood. When Hua Xiong went out to the field and the clerk returned to camp, he said to those around him: 'General Hua indeed knew the Guandong rebels were riding a tiger and could not dismount, but he did not know that he himself was also riding a tiger and could not dismount. This battle is surely lost!' He then changed his attire and fled in secret, and thus survived." — A New Account of the Tales of the World, Chapter on Admonitions

PS: Ten thousand thanks to the three patrons Maybe Future, Iniwicz, and sao Rui for their rewards... Iniwicz and sao Rui are both double allies, and Maybe Future is almost at triple alliance... I feel especially ashamed, especially at this juncture.

A bonus Easter egg: The Sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate, Alp Arslan, universally acknowledged as a great ruler of his generation, known as the Lion King.

How did he die?

A minor Khwarezmian lord. The Sultan promised him that if he surrendered he would receive amnesty, then changed his words to his face. So the minor lord drew his dagger and, before countless troops, charged forward alone. A group of guards moved to protect the ruler. Then the Sultan said, stand back, watch me display my archery skill (he was in fact a famously divine archer). So the guards parted to open a path, and the minor lord continued charging forward... The Sultan drew his bow and took aim... slipped... died...

(End of chapter)