I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 420: Grand Opening Statement
To date, the rebels can mobilize as many as 30,000 to 40,000 troops for combat.

Ma Qin's bold words are not groundless.

Although many of these troops were able-bodied men who could only fight in favorable battles, at least they were numerous and powerful! Moreover, Ma Qin had another advantage - he knew that Gan Ning, the former governor of Shu County, had brought 5,000 men as the vanguard.

This was his chance.

Ren Qi also had 5,000 men at the beginning, but wasn't he easily defeated?
This time, he planned to use the same trick again.

The one who led the troops to bypass him was a clan member he trusted. If Gan Ning were here, he would definitely recognize that this man was Ma Ming, who had hastily brought people to intercept him.

It’s just that Ma Ming has changed his name now.

In order to remind himself that he let Gan Ning go because he was afraid at the time, when he gathered people to hunt down Gan Ning later, Gan Ning and his men had disappeared like a soaring cloud. Therefore, Ma Ming now has only one name - Ma Fei.

After knowing that it was Gan Ning who led the vanguard army, Ma Fei vowed to avenge his previous humiliation!
Contrary to what outsiders thought, although Ma Fei had never been to Zizhong County, he was familiar with the terrain here. The reason was very simple: someone led the way.

Ma Fei looked at the map and said, "I know Gan Ning best. He may seem rough, but he is actually very meticulous. He may have scouts within a ten-mile radius of the official road... Therefore, we must stay at least fifteen miles away from the main road... No, sixteen miles!"

"He is as cunning as a devil. He never thought that I had it all under my control as soon as he made a move. He also never thought that I would kick his ass from such a distance!"

Thinking of Gan Ning's possible reaction when his divine soldier descended from the sky, Ma Fei couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"General... We are so far away, and there are no passable paths in the mountains and forests..." the local man who was responsible for leading the way reminded carefully.

Ma Fei was not angry, but explained confidently: "That's why I was able to deceive Gan Ning! And I have so many people under my command, so why should I be afraid of having no way out?"

Afterwards, Ma Fei led his 5,000 men and began the arduous journey of clearing the way. Fortunately, with the help of local guides, they did not get lost in the forest.

However, there were many mosquitoes in the forests at this time of year, and not all of Ma Fei's men were good at surviving in the forests. When they arrived at the designated location, they had lost fifty or sixty men on the road alone because of snakes, insects, rats and ants.

But Ma Fei didn't care. He was calculating the time and imagining how he would look like when he descended from the sky like a god later in the future.

Gan Ning is different from Ren Qi, as he has the army led by Xun You as his backup. Therefore, according to the plan, Ma Qin should take the lead in launching the attack this time, while Ma Fei will rush out from behind Gan Ning at the critical moment.

According to their plan, they will be able to defeat the powerful enemy in one fell swoop!
When the agreed time came, Ma Fei immediately led the rebels, who had rested for several hours, and headed towards the official road.

When there was still seven or eight miles to go, the scouts he sent out reported back that they had not only encountered Gan Ning's scouts, but also heard the sounds of fighting on the official road.

Ma Fei was overjoyed and immediately led his men to speed up.

When he got closer, he could already hear the sound of fighting with his own ears.

He could not wait to shout to the rebels: "Kill one person today and you will get 2,000 coins!"

When word of Ma Fei's bounty spread, the rebels were all excited - it was worth half a cow!
It has to be the best looking oxen of its age.

For a moment, everyone swept away the fatigue of rushing through the mountains and forests, and followed Ma Fei onto the official road, ready to join the battlefield and kick their general's old friend's ass.

but……

After arriving at the official road with a wide view, Ma Fei felt a little dazed.

There were indeed sounds of fighting, but why did it seem like there were only sounds and no fighting?
After being stunned for a moment, Ma Fei finally reacted - he had fallen into a trap!

But it was too late.

Not only was there part of Gan Ning's front army, but also the central army where Xun You was.

Ma Fei only saw that among the county soldiers who were pretending to fight in front of him, suddenly a strong man in armor rode out on a horse, holding a lance and running straight towards him.

He shouted, "Yan Liang is here, I'm here to die!" There was a shortage of war horses in Shu, and Ma Fei had crossed mountains and ridges without bringing any horses with him. But now he saw that the man who called himself Yan Liang had no martial ethics at all. It would have been fine if he had charged alone, but there were at least twenty or thirty armored cavalrymen following him, charging together on the official road.

Ma Fei's legs felt a little weak when facing this scene.

He wanted to run back to the forest, but many of the soldiers who were inspired by him to fight were still in the forest. They didn't understand the current situation and were rushing forward in a swarm. How could they retreat?
The rebels near him also lost all will to fight and fled in all directions under the pressure of the cavalry.

Afterwards, several members of the Yuan family who followed him never left him.

Ma Fei gritted his teeth and shouted, "You guys go first!"

Then he ran away.

But before he had run a few steps, Ma Fei suddenly found that he seemed to be flying.

My sight also began to swirl rapidly... Eh? Wait, that headless body looks so familiar...

Yan Liang chopped off the head of the bandit leader, but did not waste time picking up the heads. He thought that no one would dare to steal his military achievements, so he continued to lead his cavalry on the official road and gallop back and forth while the rebels had not yet reacted, in order to expand the results of the battle.

When the rebels in the forest finally realized that something was wrong and retreated, Yan Liang picked up Ma Fei's head and led the remaining troops who had entered the forest to support Gan Ning who was not far away.

……

Ma Qin was very anxious.

He knew he shouldn't be anxious, but he was anxious anyway.

Especially when he heard the sounds of fighting coming from behind Gan Ning, he became even more anxious.

Gan Ning was like a slippery loach and did not fight him for long.

Gan Ning seemed to have been prepared. He temporarily destroyed the most convenient official road with wood and earth pits, and had crossbowmen guard the official road, fighting and retreating. In the mountains and forests on both sides of the official road, there were many traps for hunting.

If they took their time, they could naturally dismantle it, but if they did, how long would it take for the battle to begin? Gan Ning only used bows, crossbows and traps to fight, and he retreated while fighting, so Ma Qin had no way to stop him.

Ma Qin had thought about sending someone to look for Ma Fei, but all the people he sent disappeared without a single response.

Finally, Ma Qin saw Gan Ning stop and seemed to be organizing the battle formation.

The anger that had been accumulating for half a day finally found an object to vent, and he immediately led his troops to reorganize their formation.

However, suddenly a knight came alone with something in his hand. He waited until he was within an arrow's reach of the formation and then threw the thing in his hand towards the formation.

Although Ma Qin already had a bad premonition in his heart, he still ordered someone to bring it.

Looking at Ma Ming's head with his eyes open after death, Ma Qin, who used to be full of lofty words, fell silent for a moment.

When the tribesmen who had promised him that they would return victoriously met again, they were already confused.

……

Ma Fei knew that he should take people who were familiar with the forest through the forest, but he forgot to consider that the forest here was as easy as walking on flat ground for the Bandun barbarians.

Since Gan Ning already knew how Ren Qi was defeated, how could he not take more precautions?
When Gan Ning was a thief of Jinfan, he would always check the surrounding situation before he went to a place, especially before he robbed. How could he not keep this good habit?
As early as when he first entered Jianwei County, Gan Ning had divided the Bantun Barbarian Soldiers into groups and spread them out as scouts, covering an area of ​​twenty miles around.

Even if the enemy surrounded him from twenty miles away, he would have enough time to react.

However, Gan Ning would naturally not explain the whole story to the rebels. He even hoped that Ma Qin would never figure it out!

(End of this chapter)