Chapter 54: A Single Arrow Slays the Foe; A Fierce General Guards the Pass

"General, if the feigned surrender fails... or if there are spies in the army who report this to the Dashing King's bandits, would this not be inviting a wolf into the house? It would be safer to proceed cautiously."

As Assistant Regional Military Commissioner Wang Yunmao spoke, his eyes flicked toward the newly arrived generals from Datong. Zhou Yuji naturally understood the implication, and first gave him a reassuring look before speaking:

"I too understand this reasoning, but the Son of Heaven has blamed himself, which makes our guilt even greater! Both our armies are composed of loyal and righteous men—how could there be any spies?"

As he spoke, Zhou Yuji angrily slapped the city wall bricks, pointing toward the direction of the capital, and roared:

"Your parents spared no effort in raising you all to adulthood, all so that one day you could repay the emperor's grace and serve the court."

"The emperor's grace is vast as the sea. His Majesty holds great hopes for the Battle of Ningwu and is willing to take the lead of the realm. You all have received the nation's profound kindness—if you do not resolve to repay it, how can you call yourselves ministers, and how could you face your parents again!?"

"At this time of great crisis for our country, those who dare to fight are all true brothers whom I, Zhou Yuji, admire. Those who dare to speak of retreat or surrender shall be treated as enemies and beheaded before the banners as a warning to others!"

Bai Guangen's expression shifted with emotion, and he instinctively looked toward Wang Yunmao, only to find that he too was looking at him, admiration in his eyes. The two then stepped forward together and shouted loudly:

"Resolved to serve the nation, fight to the death!"

"Resolved to serve the nation, fight to the death!"

Three days later, upon hearing the news of Zhou Yuji's surrender, Li Zicheng was overjoyed and suspected nothing. He quickly ordered his vanguard forces to enter the pass and seize key positions first.

Within the Dashun army, Zhou Yuji's kneeling surrender was also seen as a natural development. Historically, at this point Li Yan would have seen through the ruse and strongly urged against it, and Li Zicheng would have hesitated for a long time before making his decision.

But now, without Li Yan, there was no dissenting voice in the Dashun army. Niu Jinxing and Song Xiance only flattered and fawned, saying things like "the Dashing King's fortune is as vast as heaven," and would never oppose Li Zicheng.

Li Zicheng gathered his generals for discussion while gleefully thinking that Zhou Yuji must be a sensible man—knowing that the Dashun army was invincible and that replacing the Ming dynasty was the inevitable trend of the times, he had stopped resisting and surrendered directly.

To compete for the merit of being first through the pass, everyone in the Dashing King's camp was extremely eager. In the end, Li Zicheng selected a bandit chieftain called Cuan Tianhou to lead his men to take over the pass.

This Cuan Tianhou had been in the Dashing King's camp since the era of Gao Yingxiang, and was one of the few figures with prestige among the remaining roving bandit factions. As for others like Yuan Shizhong, Luo Rucai, and Chuang Tatan, they had either already surrendered to the Ming or been swallowed up by Li Zicheng in internal purges.

Cuan Tianhou seized this merit, thinking he had curried favor with the Dashing King. He immediately left the tent, mustered his several thousand camp soldiers, raised the Yongchang banner, and headed straight for Ningwu Pass.

Looking from afar, the roving bandits indeed saw that the court's Dark Bird banner on the pass walls was gone, and their hearts were immediately put at ease.

Zhou Yuji and several trusted confidants stood atop the gate tower, while beneath the crenellations around them crouched an entire ring of archers and arquebusiers. Seeing that the one leading the bandits was a lean man with sharp eyes, he said angrily:

"Fine Li Zicheng—he actually only sent a monkey."

The situation had changed, and the confidant beside him panicked, quickly asking:

"General, what do we do?"

Zhou Yuji pointed at that monkey leading the Dashun army and said viciously:

"Don't worry. This time the bandits have sent at least several thousand men, so it seems Li the bandit has no suspicions. This man is called Cuan Tianhou, and he holds no small prestige in the bandit camp. Killing him counts as a gain."

"Pass the order—all generals act according to the plan!"

Zhou Yuji's final words were directed at the battalion commander hidden beneath the crenellations. Hearing this, the battalion commander dared not delay, and crouching low, ran from beneath the crenellations to the parapet wall, ordering his subordinate soldiers to immediately carry out the military command.

Cuan Tianhou chewed on a stalk of dog-tail grass he'd found somewhere, slouching lazily with a mouthful of yellowed teeth. Just as one foot was about to step into the barbican, he suddenly raised his hand and listened carefully.

This gesture from Cuan Tianhou made everyone, including Zhou Yuji, tense up. Fine sweat seeped from Zhou Yuji's forehead; he thought the other had discovered something amiss, and secretly placed his hand on his saber, ready to give the order at any moment.

After a moment, Cuan Tianhou heard nothing unusual. He looked carefully at the silent pass city—he didn't see the elite troops he'd expected, only scattered old, weak, sick, and disabled soldiers.

The pass gates had been opened early, and the drawbridge had already been lowered. Cuan Tianhou had no more doubts, and only then grinned, waving his hand and shouting:

"My boys, enter the city and take over the pass!"

Zhou Yuji secretly let out a breath of relief, and his expression immediately turned sinister.

When Cuan Tianhou walked inside and looked around at his surroundings, his face changed drastically—this was a barbican, not the pass city proper!

Zhou Yuji's surrender letter had not mentioned in the slightest that there was a barbican outside Ningwu Pass. Cuan Tianhou knew something was wrong, and turned back, shouting in panic and fury:

"It's a trap! It's a trap! Get back!!"

But it was too late. The Dashun soldiers were all eager to enter the pass to "open the granaries and divide the spoils of the wealthy households," and paid no heed to any orders. Those in front tried to stop, but those in the rear kept surging forward.

No matter how hoarsely Cuan Tianhou shouted, his voice was always drowned out by the cheers and footsteps of the Dashun soldiers. When the last man ran joyfully into the barbican, Zhou Yuji suddenly drew his saber and shouted:

"Soldiers! For the Great Ming, drop the gate and kill the bandits!!"

"Thud—"

The moment Zhou Yuji's words fell, a tremendous sound rang out at the gate of Ningwu Pass's barbican. A steel portcullis slid down rapidly, crushing several bandit soldiers who tried to flee into two halves, blood and entrails spilling all over the ground.

Immediately after, thunderous battle cries erupted from the gate towers around the barbican, and an entire ring of archers suddenly appeared with bows drawn and arrows nocked. In their earlier discussions, Zhou Yuji had already permitted them to loose arrows without discrimination.

The archers hesitated not at all—the moment they rose, they loosed the arrows in their hands. After all, the space below was packed full of roving bandits; how could they possibly miss?

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh..."

As the arrows tore through the air, countless shafts flew with fierce force among the flesh and blood of the several thousand bandits inside the barbican. Added to the scattered lead shot, the bandits suffered heavy losses, and cries of agony and pleas for mercy rang out without end.

Zhou Yuji planted one foot boldly on the crenellation, took a three-dan draw bow from the Assistant Regional Commander at his side, aimed at Cuan Tianhou, who was shouting and scrambling below in a desperate attempt to break out, gave a cold smile, and released his hand.

This arrow, carrying surging fury, spun through the air and shot straight toward Cuan Tianhou. To Cuan Tianhou, arrows were flying from all directions—how could he possibly keep track of any single one?

Without any reaction, Cuan Tianhou was struck in the face by Zhou Yuji's arrow and died on the spot.

"The general is divinely martial!"

Killing the bandit chieftain with a single arrow—Zhou Yuji's performance earned the admiration of all.

Hearing the cheers of the crowd, Zhou Yuji laughed heartily. Looking at the corpses piled into a small mound at his feet, he shouted to the last surviving Dashun soldier:

"Go back and tell Li Zicheng that I, Zhou Yuji, can also draw a three-dan bow—and all my men can draw one too. If you want to reach the capital, you'll have to get through me, Zhou Yuji, first!"

"Long live the Great Ming!"

"Long live the Great Ming! Long live the Great Ming!"

The soldiers of Ningwu Pass watched the bandit flee in panic, not even bothering to pick up his dropped weapon. The indignation and fear in their chests vanished in an instant, and they raised their blades and spears, shouting with voices that pierced the heavens.

About the time it takes to burn one stick of incense later, Li Zicheng had just broken camp with his main force and was passing through the Yangfang Fort area, some ten-plus li from Ningwu Pass, when he saw a soldier in Dashun army armor running toward him from afar in utter terror.

This soldier was covered in blood, his face bearing an indescribable fear. He threw himself directly to the ground and cried out:

"Dashing King, disaster! Zhou Yuji's surrender was a ruse! Cuan Tianhou was shot dead by his arrow—I'm the only one left!"

Hearing this, Li Zicheng's face was full of disbelief. He jumped off his horse and kicked the soldier flying, roaring in fury:

"Impossible! That was several thousand men—how could they be wiped out in such a short time? Zhou Yuji doesn't have that ability!"

"He doesn't have that ability!"