4 Mountain People

We had made it to the summer getaway location built by the Qin King 400 years prior, having rested a few days we silently waited for the rest of Zheng's men to arrive.

During the wait Shin and I learned how bravely Hyou (Piao) fought, rallying the men he had bravely charged against the enemy allowing Zheng to escape.

Shin was motivated by the brave actions of Piao and started to train to become an even greater general in the future. I was just saddened by Piao's death, having often visited him growing up I felt that I should have warned him in some way.

While Shin was motivated to become stronger, Piao's death did the opposite for me, I would rather flee and live than stay and die bravely. How many thousands of brave men in this era would be trying to seek out fame and glory! only to end up as another corpse in a pile of bodies littered across some unknown battlefield.

I knew that another opportunity to increase my chances of survival would be happening soon, the assassin should have found us by now and will soon be making a move.

Sure enough, a day later the assassin and Shin could be heard fighting outside, we all rushed outside and found Shin in a heated battle against the ax-wielding assassin, Shin was more rested compared to the manga, having taken less damage and had more time to rest.

Still, the assassin was skilled and there were moments when it looked like he would win against Shin. Zheng wanted me to help but he was clearly hesitant to ask, he knew I would want something in return. It wasn't long before he caved in and asked for my help, Shin had come close to death many times in this fight and if Shin died he knew that he might soon follow after.

I of course not wasting this time only asked to be made a Three Man Commander in his Army in the future, but I only wanted to lead Cavalry with the freedom to train and lead them as I saw fit.

Zheng hesitated at first and was clearly not too thrilled with the thought of me leading three hundred men, he tried to talk me down to leading a ten-man squad but I stubbornly refused. Shin the whole time we were having our little discussion, was fighting a life and death battle with the assassin.

Zheng conceded a bit and raised it to a one hundred man commander but I refused, a three hundred man commander was the price and I wouldn't budge on it.

For what I had planned in the future I wouldn't feel safe unless I had three hundred men I could command to die bravely for me.

Zheng reluctantly agreed, and I quickly rushed to go help, Shin.

The assassin seeing how I was rushing over to help hesitated and was about to pull out his blow dart until he heard what I said next.

"Shin! hurry up and lose! after you die I want a shot at him!", I yelled.

Shin looked upset that I said he would lose and the assassin didn't look as worried.

"SHIN! YOU BETTER NOT LOSE", I shouted.

"HOW WILL YOU FACE HYOU IN NEXT LIFE! IF YOU LOSE AN HONORABLE ONE VS ONE DUEL", I shouted out.

I then started to cheer Shin on as they continued their fight.

Eventually, the assassin made the mistake of turning his back to me, quickly I drew my bow and shot an arrow into the back of his head!

An awkward silence filled the area, a few moments earlier I was shamelessly talking about an honorable one-on-one duel and the next moment I was sneak attacking the assassin!

I didn't care about their reactions, we had the advantage in numbers here so why shouldn't we use it? I went over to the assassin and quickly slit his throat, next I rummaged through his pockets and found a large purse filled with money, and a vile of poison. Seems like the assassin wasn't dumb and knew to accept payment in advance. It was a nice little bonus for me, it was a shame that the army caught up too quickly at the village, I wondered if that last assassin also had money that was left on his corpse.

I grabbed his blow dart and poison darts and tossed them to Ten, I had my bow and Ten needed a way to defender herself (rest still think she a boy at moment)

It wasn't long after the fight ended that the rest of Zheng's loyal retainers arrived, the survivors of the battle during Zheng's escape, then told us more about the bravery Hyou displayed on the battlefield.

Shin made a comment to me, somewhere along the lines of that's how real warriors fight. I don't know I wasn't really paying attention, he was clearly still upset I ruined his sacred duel against the assassin.

I didn't mind, I had gotten myself a secure position in the military now, I wouldn't have to start off as a basic footsoldier once a large war broke out. I would have three hundred cavalry fighting alongside me.

I wasn't the crazy brave type that liked fighting up close to my opponents, so instead of having a shock cavalry I intended to train my three hundred men into mounted archers.

Shock Calvery was powerful but I knew that mounted archers were also formidable, Genghis Khan had used them well and they helped him create one of the largest ancient empires in Meng's past life. The Persians had also made great use of them as well from what he had remembered.

Mounted archers fought far away from the enemy firing arrows and were quickly able to flee the battle if needed. He wouldn't be one of those foolish people who sought out great deeds on the front lines of the battle, no he would rake up kills safely from a far distance.

If he was lucky he might even be able to pick off a few one hundred man commanders from a distance. He wouldn't be insane as the other men in this era, he would gladly pick off the enemy squad leaders and let others aim for the heads of the enemy generals! those guys had inhuman strength and skill, without Shins plot armor, he doubted that he would last very long in a fight against opponents like that.

He had already trained while growing up and knew that he wasn't blessed with inhuman strength and skill, he was sadly just a normal guy, destined to be a normal mob that dies at the start of the battle against other mobs.

Even if he trained harder, he knew that he would only become a slightly stronger mob, he would never become a heaven-defying fighter unless he got lucky with a system or some plot armor, sadly he got nothing.

Luckily he started in the MC village but was an orphan who had almost starved to death many times growing up. The MC had an adult to take care of him while Meng had nobody, and had taken upon himself to take care of other homeless children, many of whom he had never seen in the manga, with them likely having died of starvation or disease.

The Zheng men were now on move, they had learned that the prime minister was planning on seizing the throne for himself, Zheng now had no loyal men besides this handful of retainers here.

Qin had a few good Generals and Commanders but many had never even met Zheng, they would allow the power struggle to play out in the capital and then serve whoever was left standing, the most important thing was holding their section of the border, they couldn't allow the other counties to invade and slaughter the people and pillage the area.

With no choice left, Zheng was forced to turn to the Mountain dwellers, in the past Zheng's ancestors had built a good relationship with the people living in the mountains. Zheng hoped to secure their help, if he could raise an army he would be able to fight for the throne, if he beat his brother and the prime minister he was sure that the border generals would support him.

So here they were, with just a handful of men, Zheng had traveled deep into the mountains, many of the soldiers exhausted from the many battles up to this point and fallen behind and returned to the vacation home.

Meng now a three hundred man commander serving under Zheng was forced to make the long trek through the mountains. Having traveled deep into the mountains they suddenly found themselves surrounded by a large force of mountain people.

Meng making a dramatic show of loyalty positioned himself in front of Zheng, appearing to be ready to block any blow directed toward the young king. In reality, if anything changed from the manga, and if one of the mountain dwellers did throw a spear or shoot an arrow at the young king, then Meng would swiftly jump out of the way and allow the young Zheng to die, using the opportunity to run down the mountain.

For now, he would bravely face the mountain warriors, appearing to be a brave loyal commander serving under Zheng. He could see that his fake act of loyalty and bravery had touched the young king and the others, they rallied near him and bravely faced the mountain warriors.

Soon the events in the manga played out just like they had in the story, except this time when the mountain warriors demanded that Zheng come with them, Meng was the first to draw his sword in a fake act of bravery, declaring that if they wanted the king they would have to kill him first.

The few soldiers left and Shin soon readied themselves for battle, the mountain dwellers also prepared themselves for a fight. Lucky for Meng, Zheng stopped the fighting and ordered that everyone would return back down the mountain, he would go on ahead alone.

Of course, soon after they left Shin, Ten, and Heki decided to follow them, I have pretended to be a loyal soldier now had to follow as well. It had only been about half a day before we found ourselves captured by the mountain people.

The next day we were brought before Zheng as he talked with Yo Tan Wa, there thanks to Shin's efforts and Zhengs resolve to end the warring states era, Yo Tan Wa agreed to ally with Zheng.

Zheng would have his army and in exchange, he would renew the alliance of old, the mountain people would be allowed to come down from the mountains if they wished, Qin would start up trade with them, and Zheng would reward them ranks and treasure for their efforts.

It wasn't long before a large force of mountain warriors could be seen heading down the mountain being led by Yo Tan Wa and Zheng.