Chapter 295: Come Be Our Guest
Chapter 291 of "The Great Ming in the Box" opens showing developments: An arrow tore through the air, heading straight for Zao Yingâs back.It turned out Big... Keep reading!
An arrow tore through the air, heading straight for Zao Yingâs back.It turned out Big Honglang had fired this arrow.
Knocked off her horse and robbed of her steed by Zao Ying earlier, she burned with humiliation. Yet fearing the militiaâs firearms, she dared not approach and shot from afar instead.
Her archery was usually poor, missing more often than not. But today, fortune favored herâthis shot flew unerringly toward Zao Yingâs spine.
The sun had nearly set, light was fading, and the arrow arrived with such speed that almost no one noticed. In a blink, it reached between Zao Yingâs shoulders. By the time she heard its whistle, it was too late to dodge.
Just then, a massive iron figure lunged closer.
A huge arm reached out and yanked Zao Ying clean off her horse.
Though Zao Ying was powerfully builtâa female gorilla among women, comparable even to Xing Honglangâwho could barely be shifted by two or three ordinary men, the iron giant flung her down effortlessly.
Mid-tumble, two massive hands caught and scooped her sideways.
Big Honglangâs ambush strike harmlessly pierced empty air.
Heart racing, Zao Ying glared at the iron man: âWho are you?â Instantly regretting her harsh tone toward her rescuer, she added: âMy thanks.â
The iron man chuckled. âZhengâŚcoughâŚReckless Bull of Guyuan.â
Reckless Bull? Zao Ying thought. A nicknameâs understandable for rebels, but this fits his enormous build too well!
Reckless Bull was Zheng Daniu. Setting Zao Ying on her feet, he grinned. âCaptain Ghost, we were fixing to pull out. Getting shot atâleaving without paying them back? Ainât sitting right with me.â
Cheng Xu nodded. âItâs impolite not to reciprocate, Reckless Bull. Toss them a grenade.â
âRight!â
Zheng Daniu roared with laughter, pulling out a Fuse Hand Grenade.
Up close now, Zao Ying studied it clearly. Was this the thing that exploded so fiercely? Looks unremarkableâjust a small objectâŚ
Before she finished pondering, Zheng Daniu lit the fuse. When half burned, he charged forward, whipped his arm, and hurled it far into the distance.
Just from his explosive stride and throw, Zao Ying jolted: Monstrous strength! So thatâs why he hauled me off my horse so easily. Against this creature? Pure force is useless.
The grenade flew impossibly far, arching eighty meters before landing near Big Honglang. Boom! Big Honglang dropped fast, escaping death once more, while her fighters crumpled instantly.
So, Zao Ying realized, this terrifying device that mows men down is thrown by this iron beast! Extraordinary.
âMove out!â Cheng Xu signaled.
The militia prepared to retreat. But most couldnât ride; they shuffled uselessly around seized horses. Meanwhile, Xing Honglangâs salt smugglers expertly mounted newly claimed steeds, galloping south as their vanguard.
A rush of riderless horses thundered after them southwardâgone like mist. The militia now trudged slowly on footâŚ
Zao Ying yearned to follow, but abruptly saw no path open.
North and west were Huanglong Mountainânow Wang Zuoguaâs territory.
East? Impossible. Hong Chengchouâs men had driven her east into these mountains. Facing him outside again? No.
Canât winâsimply canât win.
What now?
Only south remained.
Facing Cheng Xu and Xing Honglang, she stated: âIâll withdraw south too. Thatâs⌠Chengcheng County, right?â
Cheng Xu hesitated inwardly: This fake Guyuan rebel act must switch back to the Gaojia Village Militia after. A horse thief like her? Makes that switcheroo messy.
He glanced at Xing Honglang. She leaned near, whispering: âZao Yingâs known honor. Wonât betray us. Might as well tell her. BesidesâGaojiaâs militia lack equestrian skills. Integrating five hundred horses? Nearly impossible. Better lure Zao Ying into our village. Skilled with mounts? Put her in charge; make these steeds useful.â
Cheng Xu pausedâit made sense.
He peered upward at the low cloud. The Deity offered no signâclearly not opposed.
Since the Deity stayed mute, Cheng Xuâs doubts vanished.
A sly grin spread as he addressed Zao Ying. âBoss Zao, why not spend a few days⌠at our stronghold?â
Zao Ying: âAm I intruding?â
Cheng Xu: âNonsense. You helped us win back five hundred warhorses! That kindness is worth tens of thousands of silver taels. Repaymentâs due. Come feast properly at our place! Several good mealsâthatâs least we can do!â
Zao Ying began protestingâBut you saved me!âwhen desperate gulp noises echoed behind. The great disaster made starvation chronic nationwide. âSeveral good mealsâ struck like thunderâa hundred twenty bandits instantly flooded mouths with saliva.
Politeness dissolved. For her people, sheâd swallow mortification and feast.
âIâll impose⌠gratefully.â
Watching below, Li Daoxuan beamed, delighted. Perfect! A hundred twenty horsemen. Cavalry was our biggest vacancy.
Heâd worried endlessly about training riders from scratch after inheriting hundreds of warhorses. Training nonriders? Headache incarnate. Yet Zao Ying crystallized solutions vividly.
To lure them inâfoodâs the gateway. Their starvation-despair glared obvious. Feed them well.
But what to serve?
Li Daoxuan frowned at the âWestin Chinese Burgerâ clutched in his handâThis shoddy trapâno, treat!âwonât shake anybody.
He opened the takeout app, hunting culinary treasuresâimpressive yet approachable, soul-rumbling meals.
His search hit paydirt: A Qin Feng Restaurant sold Xiâan cuisine nearby.
Xiâanâs Eight Great Bowls!
Perfection. Majestic yet intimately Shaanxiânothing better. Quick clickâarrival: one hour.