Chapter 28: Arrow Rain

The next day, Tian Mi instructed everyone to prepare. It was almost certain that a great battle was imminent, so everyone stood watch at the valley entrance, including the women, who were positioned at the back to assist. The old village chief of Fengqiu Village also carried a large staff to lend his support.

Tian Mi told them that if the fighting broke out, they should retreat into the valley where they would be safe. She had arranged for wooden and bamboo arrows to be delivered, as weapons would quickly be consumed in battle.

The old village chief nodded resolutely.

Tian Mi then spoke to Tian Dabiao: “Father, take five people and go to the mountaintop at the back to guard it. We don’t want them to scale the mountain and attack us from above. We’ll handle the front with Uncle Xu. Don’t worry, we’re fully prepared.”

Tian Dabiao nodded in agreement, “Got it, Father knows what to do.”

After saying goodbye to Uncle Xu, they set off with Menglin, and Maolin toward the mountain summit to set an ambush.

The back mountain had a significant geographical advantage. The road leading up was surrounded by a defensive wall, so if they secured the high ground first, the enemy would have to risk climbing up from lower ground. Tian Dabiao and the five others were confident they could hold their position. With no worries at their backs, they could focus on the battle in front.

Tian Mi and Uncle Xu, along with the rest of the group, climbed to the top of the wall. Xu Feiyan followed closely, her bow in hand, standing guard beside Tian Mi. Zuo Zhengfeng also carried a large bow, and everyone settled quietly, waiting.

They say that calm precedes a storm, and right now, the valley was eerily quiet, as if holding its breath.

At exactly the second hour of the day, the ground began to tremble. Tian Mi snapped her eyes open, exchanging a glance with the others. Everyone drew their bows, ready to shoot.

From her position on the right side of the wall, Tian Mi peered out and observed the enemy. They were still in the forest, several hundred meters away from the valley entrance. Once they emerged, they would be within her firing range.

Tian Mi focused on the forest. She could already hear the sound of hooves, and then glanced at the wall where everyone was crouched, awaiting her command. Each person’s expression was solemn, their eyes full of resolve.

Inside the wall, some had already started making wooden and bamboo arrows. The others, regardless of gender, were armed with large staffs, waiting outside the buildings at the valley entrance to engage anyone who tried to break in. Even Huang Yuanying and Huang Minghui, who had integrated into the group quickly, were holding large staffs, prepared for battle. Tian Mi had told everyone that once the fighting started, the enemy would surely shoot arrows, and they should hide inside the houses.

The enemy slowly emerged from the forest. The first to appear were the mounted soldiers, followed by those carrying long ladders. As soon as they stepped out of the woods, Dong Haibo shouted, “Charge!”

The soldiers rushed toward the valley entrance without hesitation. Dong Haibo, however, remained at the edge of the forest, directing the assault. Tian Mi could shoot him, but the trees would obstruct her aim, and he was quick to hide—truly a fox in the woods.

Tian Mi sneered. She aimed her arrow at the fastest soldier carrying a ladder, and another group, holding long wooden beams, was clearly preparing to ram the gate. Tian Mi waited for them to charge forward, watching the dust rising from the ground as they drew nearer: fifty meters, twenty meters, ten meters, five meters.

At forty meters, Tian Mi shouted, “Fire!” Her arrow flew, and the soldier dropped to the ground, dead.

The battle erupted instantly.

Everyone on the wall sprang to their feet, aiming and firing. A group of soldiers fell, and the long wooden beams tumbled to the ground.

An arrow volley soared through the air, and the defenders immediately pressed themselves against the wall. The arrows came from the front, but the angle was a blind spot.

Tian Mi signaled for them to stay low. She observed another wave of soldiers charging forward, with more arrows flying through the sky. After dodging two waves of arrows, the soldiers had moved within forty meters of the wall. Tian Mi seized the opportunity, shouting, “Fire!”

The group immediately sprang into action, shooting arrows down at the enemy. Again and again, they charged and shot with precision, and when enemies reached the wall, they quickly lifted stones to hurl down at them.

Liu Yirui and Chen Jiancheng were both hit by arrows while throwing stones, each injured in the shoulder. The eldest brother hurried to support them and took them down for treatment, using the special medicine Tian Mi had prepared—far superior to what she had sold to Master Feng.

Dong Haibo realized the direct assault wasn’t yielding results, so he quickly changed tactics. He sent five squads carrying long wooden beams to charge at the gates while archers in the distance formed three groups, continuously supporting the assault.

Now, Tian Mi’s side found themselves under relentless pressure from the archers, unable to raise their heads. Everyone anxiously looked at Tian Mi, but she remained calm. From her position just above the valley entrance, she waited for the five squads carrying long wooden beams to get close. As soon as they were in range, she took a jar of sesame oil from behind, threw it onto the beams, and it splattered everywhere. Immediately, Tian Mi fired a flaming arrow.

In an instant, the area below erupted into flames! Over thirty soldiers from the three squads were set alight, screaming as they burned. The remaining two squads dropped their wooden beams and scrambled back in panic.

Dong Haibo frowned, realizing he had underestimated them. He hadn’t expected the defenders to be so well-prepared.

He ordered the remaining troops to retreat into the woods. Riding his horse, he circled the valley and, after two hours, returned to his troops. He had misjudged the situation, assuming this place was just a refuge for villagers, not realizing it was a stronghold of skilled fighters.

Now he was torn. To take this valley, he would need at least three thousand men, but how many defenders were there? And what about their supplies?

Should he just give up? But what would that mean for his reputation?

On Tian Mi’s side, the defenders were still holding the wall. Aunt Feng sent people up with steamed buns and water for them, and the old village chief also sent up more arrows. Huang Yuanying organized people below to collect the arrows fired by the enemy and sent them up to the wall. After three hours of fighting, both the people’s strength and the supplies were wearing thin.

Tian Mi couldn’t understand why the enemy had paused so soon. Was it a sign of contempt? Were they underestimating them?

Dong Haibo, after thinking for a while, decided to retreat to the village at the foot of the mountain. There, only the elderly and weak remained. He gathered his forces in one place, took two teams with him, and returned to Qinghe County. He couldn’t let it get out that as a capable general under Bai Dongyuan, he couldn’t even capture a small stronghold. That would be a blow to his pride.

Seeing that there was no further movement, Tian Mi quickly went down to check on the two wounded men. Their injuries weren’t serious, as the enemy hadn’t dared get too close, so the arrows weren’t as powerful. The two uncles had applied medicine and stitched them up, but the two men still wanted to return to the wall to fight. However, the uncles refused to let them.

Tian Mi reassured them, “Take care of your wounds, big brothers. We’ll still be able to fight.”

On the mountain, Tian Dabiao saw that the enemy had retreated. Three men came down, leaving two behind to keep watch.

Tian Dabiao said, “Daughter, no one is coming to the back mountain. We’re so bored up here.”

Tian Mi replied, “Father, bring more food up soon. No one fights for half a day and loses over a hundred men only to give up. They might still launch a night raid.”

After some thought, everyone agreed, and they resumed their tasks. Those who cooked continued cooking, and those who made weapons kept at it. Tian Mi ordered that half of the people on the wall rest on the spot, while the other half came down to rest. Everyone took turns resting, with one person staying on the wall at all times to keep watch for a surprise attack.

Zuo Zhengfeng and Huang Yuanying were deeply moved by the unity and enthusiasm of the group. These weren’t just ordinary villagers—they were fighters working together seamlessly. And the calm, commanding woman leading them was undoubtedly a great general.

Zuo Zhengfeng also noticed the dry hay spread across the defensive wall and the reserves of sesame oil in the valley. If the enemy did manage to breach the stronghold, it would be a miserable sight for them. He couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for them.