Cheng Susu had no idea what had transpired the night before with the two women and one man. The tension among the family members made her sense that something was amiss. “Zhao Qian, what’s going on? Has something major happened?”

I replied, “It’s nothing, just a minor situation at the Imperial Stables outside the city. Susu, you and Zhou Ni stay home; we’ll rush over to check things out immediately. Don’t go out for any reason unless we tell you to.”

Zhou Ni objected, “We’re coming with you. We’ll only worry if we stay behind.”

I shut her down immediately. “No! If the Imperial Stables are already besieged, it will be too dangerous for you to follow. Linglong, Yun Yao, and I are enough to go reinforce them.”

Linglong was thrilled. She wasn't afraid of danger; being close to the man she loved was a delightful thing. Moreover, the fact that he disregarded his own wife to keep her company made her feel exceptionally special to him.

Leaving five personal guards to protect Zhou Ni and Cheng Susu, we spurred our horses and raced toward the Imperial Stables. Along the way, we saw nothing amiss. Even as the Stables came into view, we couldn't spot the rebels wearing the red headscarves Zhou Ni had described. Could the garrison have mistakenly fired the warning beacon?

The five personal guards forced open the first stockade gate, only to find the men inside braced with swords and arrows—not the sign of a false alarm. “My Lord, you’ve finally arrived.” Ah San rushed out to greet us.

I asked, “What’s going on? We got the invasion signal, but there are no enemies.”

Ah San reported, “My Lord, scouts we sent around report that a rebel force of about thirty thousand is gathering toward the Imperial Stables. Fearing we might lose control, we hastily sent the invasion beacon to notify you.”

So there really were Red Turban rebels, and quite a large number of them at that. We were able to detect them before they launched a full siege on the Imperial Stables, a credit that belonged to Ah Mao and Ah Gou’s intelligence network.

Seeing Ah Gou standing nearby, I asked, “What about their weaponry and equipment? Do they possess any large siege weapons?”

Ah Gou replied, “Replying to My Lord, according to my spies, these people, called the Red Turbans, carry nothing but sacks of earth on their backs and possess no large siege weaponry. They are using swords, bows and arrows, and cudgels. Based on my humble assessment, those swords and bows might belong to the garrison of Huyang Prefecture, which suggests the security of Huyang Prefecture is severely compromised.”

Ah San added, “My Lord, the intelligence work of the Court is too slow. As far as we know, this rebel force has been forming for over ten days, yet the Court seems completely unaware of them. Huyang Prefecture is the gateway to Shuangcheng. If Huyang Prefecture falls, both the Wanma Kingdom and the Jin Kingdom could directly threaten Shuangcheng.”

I couldn’t concern myself with the situation in Huyang Prefecture right now. Thirty thousand men attacking the twenty-five hundred stationed at the Imperial Stables was no trivial matter. Furthermore, these Red Turbans seemed intent on building earthworks for a siege. The gates of the Imperial Stables weren't built excessively high; thirty thousand men each throwing one handful of dirt could easily pile up an earthen ramp to breach the first gate.

“We cannot worry about the affairs of the Court. Notify the Stone Thunder factory immediately to load Stone Thunders, including the large ones, and transport them here. Dispatch men at once to scout the Red Turban army’s progress and organize everyone to mine the ground outside the stockade gates. We must act proactively to defend the Imperial Stables.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Ah San and Ah Gou accepted the orders and left. Shortly after, Ah Mao returned. “My Lord, the Red Turbans are still ten li away from the Imperial Stables. Should we request support from the Imperial Guards within the city? They number thirty thousand; the disparity in strength for this battle is immense. If the base we’ve worked hard to establish is destroyed, everything will be lost.”

I recalled the scene in the Hall of Civil and Military Virtue when the ministers vehemently opposed letting Ma Da take the Imperial Guards out. I feared that asking them for reinforcements at a time like this would be impossible. So I told Ah Mao, “Even if the Emperor wished to reinforce the Imperial Stables, I fear those cowardly ministers would strongly block any troop deployment. The Stables are only ten li from Shuangcheng’s outer wall. Who knows if the Red Turbans might suddenly pivot and attack Shuangcheng? Besides, fifty thousand Imperial Guards have already broken formation from their original garrisons and are preparing to move to the border. Drawing more Imperial Guards now would likely be harder than demanding those ministers’ lives.”

Ah Mao countered, “My Lord, the Red Turbans certainly aren't foolish enough to attack the heavily fortified Shuangcheng. Even if they could breach the outer city, they could never take the middle city. Therefore, their target must be our Imperial Stables. I suspect they aim to leverage capturing the Stables to build momentum, so Shuangcheng should not be in danger.”

I said, “Ah Mao, what use is it if you and I understand this? This world isn't ruled by us. Immediately send someone back to the city to report to the Emperor; what the Court decides is beyond our control. However, everyone need not be afraid. They have thirty thousand men, so what is there to fear? We are defending, not attacking; two thousand men are sufficient to deal with them! Order the Left and Right Horse Guard Camps to prepare rolling logs and heavy stones, gather all archers to man the battlements, send men to set up kettles and boil oil, and prepare a batch of jars. Then, order someone to fetch the trebuchets from the wood factory.”

The rolling logs, heavy stones, and oil had been prepared since the day the Imperial Stables were constructed. Ah San and the others had arranged these by referencing the methods used to defend against bandits in Feiyu County. The Stone Thunders and trebuchets were new products. Swift horses quickly delivered the Stone Thunders, and well-trained miners immediately exited the stockade to plant the mines. However, prototypes for the trebuchets had not been completed yesterday. Upon receiving the order, the carpenters immediately assembled two and pulled them to the first stockade gate. The power of these two units was far too little to deal with thirty thousand men, so I hadn't placed much importance on them.

Around noon, the scout sent back to the city returned, but he brought no news from the Court. This was all within my expectations; by the time they finished deliberating the matter, the chance would have long passed. However, the thirty thousand Red Turbans were moving quickly. After lunch, they completed their encirclement. The Imperial Stables, benefiting from their basin-like terrain, could be defended, but to truly blockade the area, the enemy only needed to block the exit of the river valley.

Standing on the battlements, I surveyed the thirty thousand Red Turbans. They were completely a ragtag force, lacking any formation or uniform clothing. Their weapons were a chaotic mix, but it was true that every man carried a large sack of earth on his back. They weren't in a hurry to attack the fortifications; instead, they began setting up camp.

“Brother Zhao, if the Red Turbans truly resort to piling earth to attack the gate, I fear we won't be able to defend it,” Yun Yao worriedly told me.

Linglong countered, “We have over a thousand archers, and a sufficient supply of wooden arrows. If they are tipped with anesthetic sap, they’ll be lethal poison arrows. Do they think they can march right up to the wall to pile earth?”

I replied, “We must guard against that possibility, but I have already ordered men to plant explosives beneath the city walls. If they successfully pile up earthworks, we will detonate them. Acquiring earth here is difficult; once they exhaust the soil they brought, this method will naturally solve the problem.”

Ah Mao stepped forward and said to me, “My Lord, look at the Red Turbans’ command camp. They have set it up directly over one of the large Stone Thunders we planted. I volunteer to go and ignite the mine.”

The area before the river valley was open ground. The Red Turbans set up their camp about an arrow’s flight away. A large tent, flying a triangular red banner, was positioned exactly over a Stone Thunder. The only issue was that these Stone Thunders lacked the necessary pressure release mechanisms; although planted, they required manual ignition or they were useless junk.

Although the Red Turban formation was disorganized, some were setting up camp while others cooked. Separate teams of soldiers maintained vigilance in two directions. While attacking the Imperial Stables, they also had to guard against reinforcements arriving from Shuangcheng. It seemed these Red Turbans were not acting blindly; they possessed a high degree of organization. If not eliminated quickly, they would surely become a major threat.

I told Ah Mao, “Absolutely not. The enemy camp is heavily guarded. Even if we want to ignite the mine, it should be done at night. Otherwise, we risk unnecessary casualties on our side.”

Boom! Before my words had even finished, a tremendous explosion echoed from the Red Turban camp. A group of soldiers huddled around a pot of congee was blasted into the sky, chunks of Vajra Stone flying everywhere with a whistling sound. Dozens of nearby soldiers were instantly wounded. To be struck by such an expensive weapon was truly their honor.

“What happened?” Linglong asked, startled.

Ah Mao and I exchanged a look and laughed. Ah Mao exclaimed, “They ignited the Stone Thunder themselves while cooking!”

This single blast had a huge effect. On the Twin Stars, apart from thunder, the Red Turbans had never heard such a sound of explosion. Even without horses, their camp was thrown into chaos. Soldiers near the blast site fled outwards, fearing further injury. Those outside thought enemies were attacking and rushed toward the sound. In an instant, over thirty thousand men were in disarray, stampeding in all directions. Some archers blindly fired arrows toward the first stockade gate, but the gate was far out of range, merely wasting ammunition.

Observing the chaos in the enemy camp from our high vantage point, I realized this was a golden opportunity. Attacking during this confusion could yield unexpected results. “Ah San! Ah Si! Are you two willing to lead troops down to slay the enemy?”

Ah San and Ah Si had weathered great storms; compared to other soldiers, they were much steadier. “My Lord, please give the orders!”

I commanded, “Good. You two take two hundred swordsmen, two hundred archers, and five hundred spearmen to attack them in their confusion. Pay close attention to the flag signals from the walls. No one is to seek personal glory or prolong the fight.”

Ah San and Ah Si accepted the order, rallied their nine hundred Horse Guards, opened the gates, and advanced in three battle formations. The Red Turbans quickly noticed the force exiting the gate. Though their formation corners were chaotic, they rapidly mustered a force of over three thousand to meet them. This group was interspersed with archers who fired haphazardly upon command. However, the incoming arrows were blocked by the wooden shields held by the swordsmen at the front of our ranks. Both formations advanced steadily, the distance between them rapidly shrinking.

Ah San and Ah Si rode their strong horses back and forth along the flanks of the formation. Judging the enemy line to be within effective range of their archers, they gave a synchronized command. Two hundred standard bows fired simultaneously—a spectacular sight compared to the enemy's sporadic volley.

The three-thousand-man Red Turban line barely registered these arrows. What puzzled them, however, was why their comrades fell twitching and unconscious immediately upon being hit. But rear guard centurions, wielding knives, forced them to continue advancing, leaving them no time to ponder.

After three rounds of archery, the Red Turban formation entered the range of the spearmen. Ah San and Ah Si gave the order again. Five hundred heavy javelins soared into the sky, embedding themselves with a whoosh into the enemy ranks. If the earlier arrows were gentle, the javelins, capable of piercing bellies and heads, were brutal and unforgiving.

The archers continued to shoot arrows dipped in anesthetic sap, and the five hundred spearmen systematically continued to reap the lives of Red Turban soldiers. After throwing all five of their javelins, fewer than a thousand Red Turbans remained, and most were wounded. The centurions guarding the rear were all dead. The surviving Red Turban soldiers, having narrowly escaped death, completely lost control and fled back to the main camp in a rout. This sudden flight only plunged the already chaotic main camp into deeper disorder.

The five hundred spearmen immediately drew their Xiuchun Sabers and converted to swordsmen. Upon receiving the flag signal from the walls, Ah San and Ah Si led the nine hundred men charging into the enemy camp. This force of less than a thousand turned the Red Turban camp upside down, preventing any effective resistance. In the confusion, more of the previously planted Stone Thunders were ignited. The Red Turbans, believing heavenly thunder had arrived, were terrified and fled for their lives. The nine hundred men managed to kill at least five thousand Red Turbans, giving them virtually no chance to fight back against the thirty thousand.

The drums and flags from the wall recalled the nine hundred soldiers, their killing intent at its peak. Having slain so many, most of their blades were blunted; every man was drenched in blood. Counting losses, our side suffered fifty casualties, while the preliminary estimate showed at least five thousand Red Turbans killed—meaning each of our men killed an average of five enemy soldiers.

Ah San and Ah Si, their eyes red, rushed to the battlements. “My Lord, we should pursue the advantage and chase them further!”

I pointed into the distance. “No. The Red Turban units guarding the direction of Shuangcheng have already returned to secure their formation corners. We only have a mere thousand men; if they counterattack, we will suffer a huge loss. The opportunistic strike during their chaos has already yielded excellent results. You two have worked hard; go down, change your clothes, and wash your faces.”

Indeed, the panicked Red Turban ranks were quickly stabilized. It seemed they hadn't planned to attack the walls that evening, but the previous turmoil had severely damaged morale. Their leaders hastily changed their minds and ordered over ten thousand peasant soldiers, carrying earth sacks, to attack the Imperial Stables.

The siege force stopped about an arrow’s flight away. Then, layers of water-soaked quilts were moved to the front lines. The Red Turban peasant soldiers hid behind the quilts and rushed toward the base of the city walls.

I ordered the archers on the wall to fire two volleys, but every arrow was blocked by the wet quilts; not a single man was hit. Unexpectedly, this crude form of makeshift armor rendered our arrows useless. Since the quilts were wet, even fire attacks might not have been effective. Only when the Red Turbans reached the base of the wall did we manage to injure many of them with rolling logs and stones.

However, they quickly built a sloping ramp, about ten meters wide, right against the wall beneath the stockade gate, sustaining only minimal casualties. Then, several thousand Red Turban warriors armed with miscellaneous weapons scrambled up the ramp toward the battlements. Because they were covered with wet quilts, arrows were completely ineffective against them. The slope created by the earthworks was very gradual, rendering rolling logs and stones useless as well. Soon, the Red Turbans were climbing onto the wall.

“Ignite!” I ordered the soldiers beside me holding torches. Thick fuses, smoking ominously, shot down from the battlements. Just as several hundred Red Turbans were about to reach the wall by the stockade gate, Boom! Boom! Consecutive explosions roared. The earthen ramp they had just piled up, ten meters wide, was blown away by gunpowder. The Red Turban soldiers standing on it vanished along with it. The smoke filled the area below the wall, so much so that not a single figure could be discerned.

The first gate of the Imperial Stables was a protective wall constructed of gray-cemented stone blocks over a meter thick, built across the river valley. Behind the stone blocks was a thick earth wall for troop circulation and placement of rolling logs and stones during wartime. Although the amount of explosive planted at the base of the wall was large, it couldn't damage the meter-thick granite structure. The explosion blasted out several large pits and completely scattered the piled earthworks. Fortunately, Linglong, Yun Yao, and I had retreated beforehand, or we would have been covered in dust and grime.

The earth-shattering explosions stunned the attacking Red Turbans. Then, dust rained down from above, mixed with the shattered remains of their own soldiers. These peasant soldiers, unfamiliar with such things, were terrified and scattered in a rout, abandoning hundreds of corpses until they were two arrows' flight away before finally stopping.

The initial use of gunpowder demonstrated its immense power. The people of Shuangcheng, who had only known swords, bows, and arrows, were frightened. The Red Turbans were scared because they didn't understand what had happened, thinking they had offended the gods. The Horse Guards were afraid because they hadn't taken the garrison officer’s talk about this powder seriously, thinking he was joking.

Ah San, having changed his clothes, stepped forward and asked, “My Lord, should we press our advantage and pursue them again?”

I pointed into the distance. “No. Although the Red Turban forces scattered, their formation corners remain intact. We must maintain strict defense. We only have a mere thousand men; if they counterattack, we will suffer a great loss. The opportunistic attack during their chaos was already very effective. You two have worked hard; go down and clean up.”

As expected, the chaotic Red Turban ranks were soon brought under control. They likely hadn't intended to attack the walls by evening, but the recent confusion had severely impacted their morale. Therefore, their leaders made a last-minute change, directing over ten thousand peasant soldiers carrying earth sacks to attack the Imperial Stables.

The siege force stopped an arrow’s flight away. Then, mattresses soaked in water were moved to the front lines. The Red Turban peasants hid behind the quilts and rushed toward the base of the city walls.

I ordered the archers on the wall to fire two volleys, but every arrow was blocked by the wet quilts; not a single man was hit. Unexpectedly, this crude form of makeshift armor rendered our arrows useless. Since the quilts were wet, even fire attacks might not have been effective. Only when the Red Turbans reached the base of the wall did we manage to injure many of them with rolling logs and stones.

However, they quickly built a sloping ramp, about ten meters wide, right against the wall beneath the stockade gate, sustaining only minimal casualties. Then, several thousand Red Turban warriors armed with miscellaneous weapons scrambled up the ramp toward the battlements. Because they were covered with wet quilts, arrows were completely ineffective against them. The slope created by the earthworks was very gradual, rendering rolling logs and stones useless as well. Soon, the Red Turbans were climbing onto the wall.

“Ignite!” I ordered the soldiers beside me holding torches. Thick fuses, smoking ominously, shot down from the battlements. Just as several hundred Red Turbans were about to reach the wall by the stockade gate, Boom! Boom! Consecutive explosions roared. The earthen ramp they had just piled up, ten meters wide, was blown away by gunpowder. The Red Turban soldiers standing on it vanished along with it. The smoke filled the area below the wall, so much so that not a single figure could be discerned.

The first gate of the Imperial Stables was a protective wall constructed of gray-cemented stone blocks over a meter thick, built across the river valley. Behind the stone blocks was a thick earth wall for troop circulation and placement of rolling logs and stones during wartime. Although the amount of explosive planted at the base of the wall was large, it couldn't damage the meter-thick granite structure. The explosion blasted out several large pits and completely scattered the piled earthworks. Fortunately, Linglong, Yun Yao, and I had retreated beforehand, or we would have been covered in dust and grime.

The earth-shattering explosions stunned the attacking Red Turbans. Then, dust rained down from above, mixed with the shattered remains of their own soldiers. These peasant soldiers, unfamiliar with such things, were terrified and scattered in a rout, abandoning hundreds of corpses until they were two arrows' flight away before finally stopping.

The initial use of gunpowder demonstrated its immense power. The people of Shuangcheng, who had only known swords, bows, and arrows, were frightened. The Red Turbans were scared because they didn't understand what had happened, thinking they had offended the gods. The Horse Guards were afraid because they hadn't taken the garrison officer’s talk about this powder seriously, thinking he was joking.

Ah San, having changed his clothes, stepped forward and asked, “My Lord, should we press our advantage and pursue them again?”

I pointed into the distance. “No. Although the Red Turban forces scattered, their formation corners remain intact. We must maintain strict defense. We only have a mere thousand men; if they counterattack, we will suffer a huge loss. The opportunistic strike during their chaos has already yielded excellent results. You two have worked hard; go down, and clean up.”

As expected, the panicked Red Turban ranks were quickly brought under control. It seemed they hadn't intended to attack the walls that evening, but the previous turmoil had severely damaged morale. Therefore, their leaders made a last-minute change, directing over ten thousand peasant soldiers carrying earth sacks to attack the Imperial Stables.

The siege force stopped an arrow’s flight away. Then, layers of water-soaked quilts were moved to the front lines. The Red Turban peasant soldiers hid behind the quilts and rushed toward the base of the city walls.

I ordered the archers on the wall to fire two volleys, but every arrow was blocked by the wet quilts; not a single man was hit. Unexpectedly, this crude form of makeshift armor rendered our arrows useless. Since the quilts were wet, even fire attacks might not have been effective. Only when the Red Turbans reached the base of the wall did we manage to injure many of them with rolling logs and stones.

However, they quickly built a sloping ramp, about ten meters wide, right against the wall beneath the stockade gate, sustaining only minimal casualties. Then, several thousand Red Turban warriors armed with miscellaneous weapons scrambled up the ramp toward the battlements. Because they were covered with wet quilts, arrows were completely ineffective against them. The slope created by the earthworks was very gradual, rendering rolling logs and stones useless as well. Soon, the Red Turbans were climbing onto the wall.

“Ignite!” I ordered the soldiers beside me holding torches. Thick fuses, smoking ominously, shot down from the battlements. Just as several hundred Red Turbans were about to reach the wall by the stockade gate, Boom! Boom! Consecutive explosions roared. The earthen ramp they had just piled up, ten meters wide, was blown away by gunpowder. The Red Turban soldiers standing on it vanished along with it. The smoke filled the area below the wall, so much so that not a single figure could be discerned.

The first gate of the Imperial Stables was a protective wall constructed of gray-cemented stone blocks over a meter thick, built across the river valley. Behind the stone blocks was a thick earth wall for troop circulation and placement of rolling logs and stones during wartime. Although the amount of explosive planted at the base of the wall was large, it couldn't damage the meter-thick granite structure. The explosion blasted out several large pits and completely scattered the piled earthworks. Fortunately, Linglong, Yun Yao, and I had retreated beforehand, or we would have been covered in dust and grime.

The earth-shattering explosions stunned the attacking Red Turbans. Then, dust rained down from above, mixed with the shattered remains of their own soldiers. These peasant soldiers, unfamiliar with such things, were terrified and scattered in a rout, abandoning hundreds of corpses until they were two arrows' flight away before finally stopping.

The initial use of gunpowder demonstrated its immense power. The people of Shuangcheng, who had only known swords, bows, and arrows, were frightened. The Red Turbans were scared because they didn't understand what had happened, thinking they had offended the gods. The Horse Guards were afraid because they hadn't taken the garrison officer’s talk about this powder seriously, thinking he was joking.

Ah San, having changed his clothes, stepped forward and asked, “My Lord, should we press our advantage and pursue them again.”

I pointed into the distance. “No. Although the Red Turban forces scattered, their formation corners remain intact. We must maintain strict defense. We only have a mere thousand men; if they counterattack, we will suffer a huge loss. The opportunistic strike during their chaos has already yielded excellent results. You two have worked hard; go down, and clean up.”

After dinner, the few of us discussed the day’s battle. Since the Red Turbans used earthworks for defense, our attacks had difficulty succeeding. However, operating under wet quilts severely restricted their mobility. If the Red Turbans wanted to fight, they had to abandon this protection. If they couldn't pile earth against the walls, they couldn't bring the earth-defense quilts to the ramparts. Therefore, we only needed to plant explosives at the base of the wall when they weren't expecting it. If they wished to wear those things, let them!

The power of gunpowder fully displayed solidified everyone’s confidence in defending the Imperial Stables. Thanks to the preparatory work done earlier, the gunpowder supply from the factory would last us a long time. The next question was how to maximize the gunpowder’s destructive power to repel the twenty-odd thousand Red Turbans outside.

Ah Mao suggested, “My Lord, the enemy’s command camp is still situated over that large Stone Thunder. I propose I sneak into the enemy camp and ignite that Stone Thunder. Killing their leader will surely cause chaos among them, and then we can take the opportunity to send troops to strike the Red Turbans.”

I replied, “This method is feasible. The Red Turbans lack unified command and training; they fall into chaos at the slightest disturbance. We can fully exploit this weakness. However, the chaos caused by a single Stone Thunder will surely be insufficient. I think we should air-drop a few more over them.”

“Air-drop?” everyone asked in confusion.

I said, “Didn’t we assemble two trebuchets today? Let’s test their effectiveness.”

The camps of the more than twenty thousand Red Turbans stretched for several li, but to command the battle more effectively, the general’s headquarters was set up at the very front. This Red Turban force was the vanguard attacking Shuangcheng from Huyang Prefecture. According to their original plan, capturing the strategic stronghold of the Imperial Stables served two purposes: first, to build momentum for the rebellion, and second, to use it as a rear base for their assault on Shuangcheng.

Their original plan was well-laid. They had scouted that the garrison numbered fewer than three thousand. Attacking the Imperial Stables with ten times the enemy force was already overkill. But they ran into a tough obstacle, losing over eight thousand men in a single afternoon.

However, these losses were negligible to the Red Turbans. The territory of Shuangcheng State had suffered severe losses, and too many peasants had been forced into slavery. Recruiting soldiers was too easy for them; as long as there was food, these peasants and slaves were willing to sell their lives to them.

Having finalized the encirclement plan for the next day, the deeply shaken Red Turban generals returned to their camps to sleep. The guard torches illuminated the entire camp as bright as day, but behind some of the areas unreachable by the torchlight, secrets remained hidden.

Several figures evaded the patrolling Red Turban guards and snuck into the general’s headquarters. Soon, a spark flashed, and those figures swiftly vanished into stealth. A patrolling Red Turban guard reached the front of the general’s tent and caught a strange smell lingering in the air.

“What is that smell?” the man asked suspiciously.

Another replied, “Something’s wrong. This smell is the same as the one we smelled during the huge noise today.”

“Quickly notify the General!”

Boom! It was too late. The fuse of the Stone Thunder had reached its end. The General’s tent, situated directly over the Stone Thunder, was obliterated, taking the sleeping general inside to his end without him even feeling the slightest pain. This Stone Thunder was massive, containing no less than several hundred Vajra Stones. The hard stones were scattered everywhere by the gunpowder explosion, and even Red Turbans a hundred meters away were struck. While the wounds weren't instantly fatal, those struck in the head immediately lost combat capability.

Following the great explosion at the general’s camp, two streaks of light shot across the night sky. These two meteors flew out from the Imperial Stables, heading straight for the Red Turban camp. Less than fifty meters above the camp, the meteors suddenly erupted with tremendous noise, scattering the Vajra Stones like rain onto the Red Turbans below.

Whoosh! Like a surging tide, streams of people scattered from the general’s camp where the explosion had just occurred. The Red Turbans, already terrified by the daytime explosion, were awakened from their sleep by the surprise attack. Their fragile nerves could no longer bear it. Some ran, some scattered, and others frantically drew their swords and began hacking wildly. The camp erupted in chaos! One explosion triggered a chain reaction throughout the entire camp, and a melee of self-slaughter began.

Monsters exploded overhead, and the shrapnel and Vajra Stones from the blasts injured countless Red Turbans. The wounded became even more terrifying than the chaos itself; they obeyed no command, fleeing randomly and hacking at anyone they encountered.

The Red Turban Army, numbering thirty thousand yesterday, was reduced to fewer than five thousand by dawn. Accounting for the five thousand slain by our forces during the day and the hundreds lost during the siege, a staggering twenty thousand Red Turban soldiers had perished in the previous night's chaotic breakout—either blasted by Shi Lei devices or trampled to death by their own comrades. Not a few were suffocated in their sleep. The encampment, stretching for miles, was utterly shattered. The remaining five thousand Red Turban survivors, rallied under a single Qianhu, fled without a backward glance, never wishing to return to the nightmare that was the Imperial Stables again.

We witnessed the carnage from the city walls. Twenty thousand lives lost to mutual slaughter in a single night. Though Ah San and Ah Si initially wanted to seize the opportunity and attack, I held them back. A rout (zayíng) is not the same as a raid. Soldiers in the throes of a breakout fight with manic, indiscriminate fury, attacking friend and foe alike with suicidal abandon. To engage them then would have been sheer folly.

"Congratulations, Lord," a group approached me, offering congratulations. "The Red Turbans have retreated."

I replied, "This is the result of our collective defense. Let us return to the camp to discuss rewards and merits."

Ah San bowed. "My Lord, what merit do we claim? We didn't deploy a single soldier to repel the enemy this time; it was merely a few Shi Lei launched by the catapults. The credit belongs entirely to your invention."

"I only offered the suggestion," I countered. "It was everyone else who carried out the actual work. Come, arrange for patrols on the walls, and let us finalize our plans for the coming days."

In the Imperial Stables meeting room, Ah San, Ah Si, Ah Mao, Ah Gou, Tie Zhen, Shi Shan, Cui An (Director of the Wood Workshop), and the Wuzhang Ma Da and Ma Er from the Stables gathered. This victory was the occasion to issue bonuses and redefine the structure of the Horse Guard (Huma Bing).

The Horse Guard command was reorganized: Ah San to Right Qianhu and Ah Si to Left Qianhu, each commanding ten Baihu Zhang to secure the Imperial Stables against external threats. The Intelligence Department would see Ah Mao as Right Minister and Ah Gou as Left Minister, each overseeing three Baihu Zhang for all internal and external intelligence gathering and analysis. Tie Zhen would serve as Deputy Director of the Royal Ironworks, while Shi Shan would be the Director of the Imperial Stables Shi Lei Factory and the Gunpowder Factory. Cui An, Director of the Wood Workshop, would concurrently serve as Logistics Minister, as most repairs required skilled carpentry. Ma Da and Ma Er would continue their primary duty of horse maintenance; however, with Ma Chong's arrival imminent, I planned to train Ma Da through Ma Shi as qualified cavalry instructors to then teach horsemanship to the common soldiers.

Considering how easily the Red Turbans attempted to breach the outer defenses by piling earth against the walls, the next step would be to dig a three-meter-deep moat along the base of the outer stockade wall. If the Red Turbans attempted an earthwork assault again, they would first have to fill this deep trench. Even without earthworks, this moat would prevent infantry from reaching the base of the wall easily. A drawbridge would be installed at the gate; upon sighting the enemy, raising the bridge and using the water would buy us critical time.

The fifty handpicked personal guards were completely detached from the Imperial Stables registry and placed under the direct ownership of the Zhao Estate, led by Captains Ling Long and Yun Yao to protect key personnel. Da Li Wan was also removed from his Baihu Zhang position during this reorganization, becoming a guard amongst my personal guard.

After announcing the rewards and changes in assignment, I moved to outline the next phase of research and development. Without firearms, the most effective weapon for medium-to-long range engagement remains the bow and arrow. However, standard arrows have limited lethality, and even coated with anesthetics or poisons, their effective range is quite short. Furthermore, common arrows are easily stopped by shields—even a thin quilt soaked in water offers protection. Therefore, improving the bow and arrow was imperative.

The crossbow significantly increased the lethality of the bow as a personal weapon, but it still shared the bow's inherent limitations and could not be used as a large-scale area-of-effect weapon. In today's battle, the javelin throwers proved far more effective than the archers. Therefore, I decided to develop a spear-throwing machine, utilizing mechanical tension to hurl long spears at the enemy.

This task was assigned to Cui An of the Wood Workshop, with the additional instruction to improve the catapults to make them better suited for throwing Shi Lei. Since the blast radius of these devices far exceeded that of mere stones, they should be treated as large-scale grenades.

This engagement deeply affected Shi Shan. The factory director, originally a stonemason, conceived numerous methods to improve the Shi Lei. Combined with the steel wheel ignition mechanism Tie Zhen was finalizing, this would eventually lead to pressure-activated Shi Lei. Then, there would be no need to manually light the fuses, greatly enhancing the Shi Lei's destructive power and concealment.

Including support staff, the Imperial Stables numbered under three thousand. Yet, three thousand had repelled an attack by thirty thousand. This unprecedented achievement sent the morale of every member of the Stables soaring. They were well-fed, well-clothed, highly paid, and possessed limitless prospects. Everyone operated with the disciplined efficiency of a fully wound clockwork mechanism.

The Imperial Guards (Yulin Jun) recalled forty thousand regular soldiers from the Five Regional Commands (Front, Rear, Left, Right, and Central) to form the Frontier Reinforcement Army, accompanied by ten thousand logistical and support troops. The forty thousand regulars were placed under the command of two Generals and one Duweizhang. The two Generals were Zhang Guan, son of Zhang Shouren, and Du Cheng, a peer of Zhang Guan. Both had served as Generals in the Central Command and were direct adherents of the Pang faction.

The Duweizhang of the Reinforcement Army was a newcomer named Xin Cheng, hailing from a hereditary military family. The Xin Cheng family had long been overlooked by the Emperor. As Pang Hu’s influence grew, Xin Cheng had pledged allegiance to him for self-preservation and advancement and had gained Pang Hu's deep trust due to his unwavering loyalty.

After much deliberation and finding no suitable candidate, Pang Hu decided to assign Xin Cheng command. Xin Cheng was in his early forties, an age that should be promising, but unfortunately, he was timid and risk-averse, having achieved nothing notable thus far. Logically, such a man was unsuited for leading troops into battle, but his loyalty reassured Pang Hu. With Zhang Guan and Du Cheng assisting him, Pang Hu trusted Xin Cheng would repel the border bandits.

After their official formation, the fifty thousand Imperial Guards encamped outside the city for training. This so-called training consisted merely of the flashy, superficial drills inherited over a thousand years. One morning, the Reinforcement Army suddenly received an urgent military dispatch from the capital: the four-thousand-strong Imperial Guard contingent was to immediately break camp and proceed to the Imperial Stables to assist the Horse Guards in eliminating the rampaging Red Turbans.

This was the first real combat experience for all three commanders, and their apprehension was immeasurable. They gathered to plan: five thousand spearmen would form the vanguard; the main force, ten thousand swordsmen, would follow; ten thousand archers would act as the rear guard; and the final fifteen thousand would protect the supplies and provide support.

The army had marched less than ten li when reports of disorder suddenly erupted ahead. Duweizhang Xin Cheng sent a messenger to investigate. Soon, the messenger returned, breathless, "Lord Duwei, bad news! The Red Turbans are attacking!"

Xin Cheng, Zhang Guan, and Du Cheng, who had been carried along by the army in chairs by their personal guards, immediately leaped down upon hearing the attack. Zhang Guan demanded, "What? Weren't the Red Turbans besieging the Imperial Stables? How did they divert to attack us?"

The messenger gasped, "I don't know, but this wave of Red Turbans is fierce; they have already broken through the five thousand spearmen and are charging!"

Xin Cheng shuddered and asked Zhang Guan and Du Cheng, "Gentlemen Generals, what should we do now? Perhaps we should retreat first—preserving our strength is paramount."

Zhang Guan frowned. "New Duwei, do not be afraid. Our central division of ten thousand swordsmen is currently holding them back. The critical issue now is that we know nothing of the enemy's disposition. How can we deploy troops?"

Xin Cheng ordered the messenger, "Hurry and scout how many enemies there are and what weapons they wield!"

The messenger dashed off, but moments later, he was back, panting. "Lord Duwei, more bad news!"

Xin Cheng's face paled. "What now? Did you ascertain the enemy's situation?"

The messenger sputtered, "My Lord Duwei, there's no time to scout! The Red Turbans are breaking through like shattered bamboo; our ten thousand swordsmen are retreating..."

Xin Cheng, Zhang Guan, and the others couldn't believe it, but the ten thousand swordsmen who followed the messenger confirmed the chaos—they were retreating like panicked, wild horses, a complete rout. As the swordsmen's formation dissolved, the archers behind them panicked as well. These Imperial Guards had never fought a real battle; hearing the front line had collapsed, shouts erupted, and morale instantly evaporated. Everyone scrambled backward, terrified of being the last to be cut down by the Red Turbans. The scene was no less chaotic than the Red Turbans' own breakout. Even with Zhang Guan and Du Cheng intending to fight, the situation was irretrievable.

Five thousand Red Turban survivors from last night’s massacre had managed to rout forty thousand Imperial Guards. This battle sounded the death knell for the thousand years of peace in the Twin Cities, and pushed the fate of the Royal Guard into an abyss. These pampered Imperial Guards proved utterly fragile; their skill at fleeing far surpassed their ability to fight. Sending these men to the border to fight bandits would surely result in their complete annihilation.

Xin Cheng was trampled into pulp by his own retreating men during the rout—a tragic end for this hereditary military officer. In truth, those five thousand Red Turbans had no intention of engaging in a prolonged fight; their leading Qianhu was merely greedy for merit, fearing severe punishment from the Red Turban leader in Huyang if he returned with news of a thirty-thousand-man defeat. He had hoped to bring back a few Imperial Guard heads as proof of action. Who knew that the Red Turbans who survived the previous night’s chaos were all desperate fighters? The moment they tasted blood, they became uncontrollable, hacking wildly without regard for their own lives. These pampered young soldiers had never witnessed such carnage, causing them to fall back rapidly—a retreat that quickly spiraled out of control.

Originally, thirty thousand lost to three thousand. Now, unexpectedly, five thousand had routed forty thousand. Instead of facing execution back in Huyang, this Qianhu would likely receive a promotion.