Flower Stealing Master

With a single command, the northern cavalry, who had been eyeing the situation menacingly, finally moved. 

Like a dark tide, they surged down the mountain, their thundering iron hooves striking fear into the hearts of the retreating members of the Golden Serpent Camp. Despairing, they looked up at the figure on the watchtower.

“Great wind, rise!” Song Qingshu raised his hands again, as if some divine power had heard his call. No sooner had he spoken than the gentle breeze in the valley turned into a fierce gale. Sand and rocks flew everywhere, making it difficult for anyone to keep their eyes open. The charging Qing cavalry, heading directly into the wind, were hit the hardest. The formation quickly became disordered.

The members of the Golden Serpent Camp had already received orders and promptly took out their weapons, forming a defensive line. Unlike before, they seemed as if they had been injected with adrenaline; some even let out excited howls, their morale suddenly soaring to its peak.

“How is this possible!” Sa Bu Su cursed under his breath. Could someone really control the forces of nature? But he quickly pushed aside the sudden fear and weakness. He knew that once cavalry had started their charge, if they were suddenly ordered to stop, the rear would crash into the front, leading to their own defeat without even engaging in battle.

At this point, the arrow was already on the string, and despite the wind, Sa Bu Su had no choice but to order the cavalry to continue their charge, hoping to crush the ragtag group below in one fell swoop.

The northern army, known for their years of defending the northern borders, quickly overcame their initial panic under Sa Bu Su’s command. Despite squinting against the wind, they continued their charge down the mountain.

“Lightning strike!” 

Song Qingshu’s mysterious voice rang out again. 

Soon, a thick bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. Under its blinding light, the figure on the watchtower suddenly appeared like a god or demon.

“Thunder roar!” 

Song Qingshu quickly uttered two more words, and deafening thunder echoed through the valley, drowning out the sound of the Qing soldiers’ charge.

The Qing soldiers finally panicked. In this era, Song Qingshu’s display was utterly terrifying. Controlling wind, fire, lightning, and thunder with his own power—what else could he be if not a god or demon?

Coupled with the fierce winds, lightning, and thunder in the valley, many warhorses were also frightened and became uncontrollable. Once the front line was in disarray, the entire charging formation fell into chaos.

Watching his cavalry fall into a chaotic mess, Sa Bu Su felt as if his heart was bleeding. After decades in the military, he had never encountered such a humiliating situation. Despite holding the upper hand, he had lost half of his men before the two armies had even clashed!

Surveying the surroundings, Sa Bu Su found a small comfort in the fact that nearly half of his cavalry had managed to skillfully avoid the chaos ahead.

“Whether you’re a god or a demon, this time I’ll make sure you become a ghost under my iron hooves.” 

Song Qingshu’s near-divine performance had shaken even Sa Bu Su, but his years of battlefield experience quickly steeled his resolve. He ordered the remaining cavalry to continue their charge down the mountain.

Although his troops were terrified, Sa Bu Su was known for his strict discipline. Moreover, they were charging downhill, and once the momentum started, it was impossible to stop. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and follow their commander down the mountain.

As they drew closer to the Golden Serpent Camp, Sa Bu Su licked his lips and shouted, “Raise your guns! Prepare to fire!”

Seeing the distant Qing cavalry raise their ominous three-barreled muskets, the Golden Serpent Camp, despite their high morale, began to stir uneasily.

Song Qingshu noticed the Qing cavalry’s movements. He knew that once they were within range, a few rounds of volley fire from their muskets could cause severe losses to the Golden Serpent Camp.

But he was prepared. Once again, he raised his hands to the sky and shouted, “Rain, come!”

If Song Qingshu had shouted like this earlier, both the Golden Serpent Camp and the Qing cavalry would have mocked him as a madman. But after witnessing the series of near-miraculous events, no one dared to dismiss his words lightly.

Sa Bu Su’s heart sank, turning cold. If Song Qingshu indeed summoned rain, the cavalry’s prized three-barreled muskets would become useless, and the muddy terrain in the valley would turn into a death trap for the charging cavalry.

“God, please, don’t let it rain,” Sa Bu Su, normally irreverent, couldn’t help but pray.

But it seemed the heavens were on Song Qingshu’s side today. 

Sa Bu Su soon felt a cold raindrop hit his cheek.

“It’s over. It’s all over,” Sa Bu Su muttered in despair. Frenzied, he ordered his men to fire, regardless of whether they were within range: “Shoot! Shoot!”

But the rain came faster than expected. What started as sparse, large raindrops quickly turned into a torrential downpour. The Qing cavalry managed to fire a few shots before their muskets were drenched, rendering them useless.

Worse still, the heavy rain quickly softened the ground, turning it into a muddy quagmire. Row after row of cavalry began to stumble, with horses losing their footing and toppling over.

At this point, the Qing soldiers finally broke. No one wanted to continue charging. Those who fell from their horses fled on foot, while the few lucky ones who remained mounted quickly turned their horses around to retreat, only to crash into those behind them who couldn’t stop in time.

The once formidable cavalry unit, brimming with murderous intent, turned into a chaotic mess, losing all combat effectiveness in an instant.

‘This performance of mine rivals that of Zhuge Liang or Guan Yu, right?’ 

Song Qingshu finally breathed a sigh of relief, unable to resist a self-satisfied thought. But he quickly noticed that the Golden Serpent Camp below seemed stunned by the unfolding scene. He couldn’t help but laugh and shout, “What are you all standing there for? Charge!”

To the Golden Serpent Camp, Song Qingshu now appeared as a deity reborn. His shout reignited their morale.

Everyone, whether from his loyal troops, the subordinates of other leaders, Yang Miaozhen’s Red Coat Army, or the allied martial sects, charged at the disordered Qing cavalry with fervor.

“General, we must leave now, or it will be too late,” Sa Bu Su’s personal guards urgently urged him, pulling at him halfway up the mountain.

“To think that my eight thousand elite soldiers would be defeated by a single man!” Sa Bu Su’s face was ashen as he looked down at the man below. Gripping his waist blade in fury, he cut down a few guards who urged him to flee.

“Anyone who dares to mention retreat will be executed!” Sa Bu Su snarled. Though his forces were in chaos, they still had strength left. If he could stabilize the situation quickly and take advantage of their elevated position, there might still be a chance for victory.

Below, Song Qingshu keenly noticed that the soldiers around Sa Bu Su were beginning to regroup. He couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “I’ve long heard of King Xiao’s prowess in taking the head of the King of Chu from within an army of thousands. Today, I, Song Qingshu, will follow suit!”

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HELP: 

During the recent unrest in the country I am from, our family hardware store was broken into and looted by thugs. I don’t know why they did it, since my family has always been minding our own business, without bothering anyone else. I’m guessing some people are taking advantage of the current lawless and chaotic state of the country. 

Anyways, the incident now leaves me as the only earning member of my family. Long time readers know that I was already dealing with a mountain of trouble (that I inherited from my father), and was already struggling. I had created a plan of action, and was steadily moving forward. But this incident destroyed whatever plans I had, again. I don’t know why bad things keep happening to me again and again. I might as well be cursed or something.

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