Chapter 16: Die, Yesu

Shiniu stood at the gorge mouth, Double Hammers hammered into the ground, watching the corpses strewn everywhere.

Lan Yu spurred his horse forward, sized him up from head to toe, and after a moment said, "You, damn it, really are a monster."

Shiniu wiped the blood from his face and asked innocently, "General, still not chasing?"

"Chase! Yesu set an ambush here, indicating the Yuan Emperor is not far ahead! The whole army rests for a quarter hour, drinks water, feeds the horses, then continues the pursuit!" Lan Yu said, looking toward the northwest.

Wang Gui dismounted, ran over, grabbed Shiniu's shoulder and said, "Simpleton! Are you alright?"

"It's fine, just my clothes are dirty," Shiniu looked at himself and chuckled innocently.

Wang Gui looked at his blood‑soaked body and couldn't help a wry smile, "That's not just dirty… you look like you were fished out of a blood pool."

An Imperial Troop handed him a Water Bag; Shiniu took it, took a few sips, then poured some onto his hands and washed his face.

The water mixed with blood ran down, dripping onto the grassland.

After tallying the casualties, Lan Yu walked over and patted Shiniu's shoulder: "When we return this time, General Chang will at least promote you to Thousand Household."

Shiniu didn't know what Thousand Household meant, and asked, "Does it cover meals?"

"It does! A Thousand Household receives fifteen shi of monthly salary, enough for you to eat!"

"That's great then." Shiniu's goal remained unchanged.

A quarter hour later, the force set out again.

This time they were more cautious; scouts were sent out five li.

But they encountered no more ambushes; Yesu had already used all usable troops in the previous trap.

At noon, a forward scout galloped back reporting, "General! We've spotted the Yuan Emperor's carriage, just ten li ahead!"

Lan Yu's spirits surged, and he hurriedly said, "All troops, accelerate!"

Eight Hundred Cavalry surged forward again.

Ten li away, a vast expanse of grassland.

Dozens of Golden‑topped Carriages and hundreds of cavalry trudged forward with difficulty; it was Yuan Shun Di's fleeing convoy.

They clearly hadn't expected the Ming Cavalry to break through Yesu's ambush so quickly.

When they saw the Ming Cavalry appearing on the horizon, the convoy instantly fell into chaos.

"Protect the carriage! Protect the carriage!" a Yuan General shouted.

Yuan Cavalry turned their horses, preparing to meet the fight.

On horseback, Lan Yu raised his Long Sword and shouted, "Charge! Target the Golden‑topped Carriage!"

Eight Hundred Cavalry shot forward like arrows.

Shiniu led the charge on his horse.

This time he stayed mounted; the open ground was perfect for a cavalry charge.

Double Hammers gripped in his hands, his dark‑red horse galloped at full speed.

Yuan Cavalry came to meet them.

The distance between the two sides closed rapidly.

Three hundred steps… one hundred steps.

Shiniu raised his left hammer, shielding with the right.

The first Yuan soldier charged to his front, his horseman's saber slashing down.

Shiniu swung his left hammer horizontally.

"Bang!"

Both man and sword were flung away.

The second… and the third rushed in simultaneously.

Shiniu spread his Double Hammers left and right.

"Bang…"

Two horses fell to the ground.

His momentum didn't wane, he kept pressing forward.

Yuan Cavalry tried to block, but no one could stop his hammer.

He kept smashing forward, like a red‑hot blade cutting into beef tallow.

Behind him, Lan Yu led the main force to catch up, scattering the Yuan Cavalry.

The target was clear: that Golden‑topped Carriage.

Around the carriage were dozens of elite guards; seeing Shiniu charge, they formed a defensive line to die.

Shiniu's horse kept its speed, crashing straight into it.

The Double Hammers came down.

"Boom!"

The shield formation shattered.

He surged into the guard group, Double Hammers turning like wheels.

One hammer, three or four people flew up.

Another swing, flesh and blood flew everywhere.

In ten breaths, more than half the guards were dead or wounded.

The Carriage Curtain was lifted, and a richly dressed elder was helped out, intending to change horses and flee.

It was Yuan Shun Di.

Shiniu saw him, urged his horse and charged forward.

Two guards fought to the death to block, each was smashed down by his hammer.

It seemed they were about to catch the Yuan Emperor.

From the flank, a rider suddenly burst out, instantly a senior general, wielding a Wolf Fang Club, slammed it straight at Shiniu's head.

"Yesu!" someone shouted in alarm.

It was Yesu, who hadn't died twice, yet had actually been protecting the Yuan Emperor the whole time.

The swing of the club was massive and heavy, raising a howling wind.

Shiniu's right hammer met it.

"Clang..."

A deafening crash rang out.

The Wolf Fang Club slipped from his hand and flew up.

Yesu's tiger‑mouth guard cracked, and he was startled, his face paling.

Shiniu's left hammer followed, smashing toward his chest.

Yesu sidestepped, the hammer scraped his armor, and with a "screech" the armor split.

He used the momentum to roll off his horse and shouted, "His Majesty, hurry away!"

Yuan Shun Di had already mounted his horse and, under his bodyguards' protection, fled north at a gallop.

Shiniu intended to pursue; Yesu sprang up, drew his Waist Knife, and lunged again.

Shiniu frowned, and with his right hammer gave a casual strike.

Yesu raised his knife to block.

"Clang!"

The knife shattered.

The hammer struck his shoulder.

Yesu was hammered down to his knees, his left shoulder caved in, and blood spurted from his mouth.

Yet he hadn't died; propping himself up with his right hand, he stared intently at Shiniu, "You… what… is your name…"

"Shiniu."

"Shiniu… I'll remember… next time… I'll finish you…"

Before the words were finished, Shiniu's left hammer came down.

Yesu, a famed late‑Yuan general, died.

Shiniu didn't even glance at the corpse, urging his horse onward to continue the chase after the Yuan Emperor.

But with that brief delay, the Yuan Emperor had already fled a hundred zhang away, still guarded by over twenty cavalry.

Lan Yu led his troops to catch up and, seeing the situation, shouted urgently, "Loose the arrows!"

Arrow Rain shot forth, bringing down several riders, but the Yuan Emperor was shielded by his bodyguards and kept fleeing.

"Charge!" Lan Yu gritted his teeth.

But at that moment, on the northern horizon, a massive cloud of dust suddenly appeared.

"General! Yuan Reinforcements!" the scout shouted.

Lan Yu reined his horse and squinted to look.

The dust rolled, at least several thousand cavalry.

The Yuan Emperor fled toward the reinforcements.

"Damn… just missed…" Lan Yu muttered through clenched teeth.

Shiniu still wanted to pursue, but Lan Yu called out, "Shiniu! Return, the reinforcements have arrived; chasing further would be dangerous!"

Shiniu reined his horse, watching the Yuan Emperor run farther away, disappearing into the reinforcement ranks.

He scratched his head, "He ran again."

Lan Yu rode forward, seeing the Northern Yuan reinforcements drawing nearer, and ordered, "Retreat! Return to Kaiping!"

Eight Hundred Cavalry turned their horses and withdrew southward.

The Yuan Reinforcements did not give chase; their mission was to receive the Yuan Emperor, not to pursue.

On the way back, the atmosphere was somewhat heavy.

Just a little more, and they could have caught Yuan Shun Di.

Wang Gui rode up to Shiniu, patted his shoulder and said, "Don't dwell on it, you've done your best; one person broke through three thousand ambushes, smashed Yesu, that's enough."

Shiniu nodded, "Hmm."

He hadn't thought much; if they caught him, they caught him, if not, that's that.

What he was now wondering was whether they could have a good meal on the way back.

Lan Yu was ahead, turned back to glance at Shiniu, his eyes complex.

That simpleton… this battle alone will make his name resound throughout the world.

One man broke the ambushes, another scattered the Yuan Emperor's guards, another smashed Yesu.

Is this something a human can accomplish?

He shook his head and couldn't help but smile.

General Chang truly hit the jackpot this time.

As the sun set in the west, the force returned to Kaiping City, thirty li north, and linked up with the main body led by Chang Yuchun.

Chang Yuchun listened to the battle report and remained silent for a long while.

Then he laughed loudly, "Good! Good! Shiniu! You've brought honor to Great Ming!"

He pounded Shiniu's shoulder hard, "Yesu was a famed Northern Yuan general; you cutting him down in battle is a great merit! Though the Yuan Emperor escaped, this fight will greatly weaken Northern Yuan's vitality!"

Shiniu, shaken by the pat, asked naively, "General, then… can we have an extra chicken leg tonight?"

Chang Yuchun was startled, then laughed even harder: "Add! Add ten more!"

That night, inside Kaiping City, a victory banquet.

In front of Shiniu were ten chicken legs; he ate them heartily.

The surrounding soldiers were discussing today's battle.

"Did you hear? Shiniu alone killed over three hundred…"

"Not even close! I saw with my own eyes him smash five with a single hammer strike…"

"Yesu, you all know, right? A Northern Yuan fierce general was killed by Shiniu's hammer strike…"

"That simpleton… truly a deity descended to earth…"

"...."

Shiniu didn't hear; he was focused on eating the chicken legs.

After finishing the tenth leg, he wiped his mouth, looked at Wang Gui and said, "Wang Ge, any more?"

Wang Gui twitched the corner of his mouth and said, "…None left; the Firehead Soldier said they killed ten chickens today."

"Oh." Shiniu felt a bit regretful.

Chang Yuchun brought a wine bowl over, sat beside him and said, "Shiniu, do you want to become an official?"

Shiniu shook his head and said, "Why become an official! Can it get more food?"

"Yes! As a Thousand Household, the monthly stipend is fifteen stones, enough for you to eat!" Chang Yuchun laughed loudly.

"Then I'll take it."

"Good! When we return I'll have you granted the merit, at least a Thousand Household!"

Shiniu nodded, continuing to gnaw the last chicken bone in his hand.

After finishing, he stood up and said, "General, I'm tired, going to sleep."

Chang Yuchun watched his departing back, and said to Lan Yu beside him, "That kid… truly a raw jade."

Lan Yu nodded, "He's just too simple‑minded."

"Simple‑minded is good! Simple people are honest, don't scheme, and Great Ming needs such sincere folk." Chang Yuchun said, drinking his wine.

Night deepened.

Shiniu lay on the barracks bunk, listening to the rise‑and‑fall of snores around him.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly.

In his dream there were no chicken legs, no battlefield.

Only a blank void.

He slept very deeply.

Outside the camp tent, the moon rose.

On Kaiping City's city wall, the Ming Dragon Flag fluttered in the night wind.