Chapter 43 Not Modest at All

The matchlocks and three-eyed fire-lances made it extremely difficult for the members of the Fire Lotus Cult to advance, inflicting heavy casualties upon them.

Furious and grinding his teeth, the commander of the Fire Lotus Cult was determined to kill Jiang Yi and his companions.

Cult members carrying shields rushed forward quickly to provide cover for those behind them.

However, the shields were no match for the penetrating power of the lead pellets, and they were soon riddled with holes like sieves.

"These fire-lances are even more formidable than bows and crossbows. We must not let the officials get their hands on this technology."

Pang Xiong's biggest worry was that the government would buy out the manufacturing technology of the fire-lances cheaply and then forbid ordinary citizens from using them.

"Even if they master the manufacturing technology, they won't be able to use them in the short term."

The most crucial point was that the gunpowder formula remained in Jiang Yi's hands, and he had no intention of selling it to the government for a pittance.

Had the situation not been so critical, he would not have resorted to using the fire-lances now.

The number of arrows allotted to each person was limited, while the enemy forces were simply too numerous.

This time, the deployment was also meant to test the fire-lances' power, and it was clear they still required further improvement.

Hundreds of Fire Lotus Cult members surrounded the house, keeping their distance and advancing no further.

"You have some capability. Why not join the Fire Lotus Cult and enjoy endless wealth and glory?"

Attempting to persuade Jiang Yi and the others to surrender, the cult commander hoped to acquire the manufacturing technology of the fire-lances they held.

"I advise you to clear out of Funiu Village immediately. Otherwise, we will kill every single one of you, no matter how many come."

The house still contained a large stockpile of gunpowder and lead pellets, enough to fire several hundred more rounds.

If the cult members maintained a prolonged siege, however, Jiang Yi and his men would eventually run out of water and food.

Without external reinforcement for three days, they risked dying of dehydration.

The Fire Lotus Cult commander ordered a tactical retreat to encircle the house, intending to starve and thirst the occupants to death.

Should any rescue party arrive, they would simply beat them back.

"They've fallen back. Our fire-lances and bows can no longer reach them. They want to trap us here until we perish."

Having overheard the commander's orders to withdraw and surround the building, Jiang Yi noted that a detachment was also carefully searching the village for any valuables.

After a thorough search, however, they failed to find a single grain of food or a single copper coin.

"Once Captain Qin and his men reach Niutou Mountain, we will break out."

Pang Xiong believed they should not sit passively waiting for death, especially since they possessed the fire-lances.

"That's my thought as well. By evening, we will launch a breakout from this side together."

Tracing an attack route on the ground with a stick, Jiang Yi was confident that the cult members could never block them.

Inside the house, some men sat down to rest while others stood guard.

As the sun sank in the west, Qin Lu and Chang Youliang arrived with fifty men at Funiu Village to help Jiang Yi and his group break the siege.

Spotting hundreds of Fire Lotus Cult members surrounding the nearly completed workshop, they guessed that Jiang Yi and the others were trapped inside.

Qin Lu and Chang Youliang crept closer stealthily, then signaled for an attack.

Dozens of arrows rained down upon the Fire Lotus Cult members, catching them completely off guard.

Seeing the cult members outside falling one after another, Jiang Yi and his men realized that reinforcements had arrived.

"They're here to support us! Let's charge out together and cut down a few more of these bandits."

Jiang Yi led the way out of the house. Although there was some danger involved, he could not simply stand by and watch Qin Lu's force get surrounded.

Upon seeing Jiang Yi emerge, the Fire Lotus Cult commander wore a sinister smile.

"You've finally come out. With a mere handful of people, you actually think you can break through the encirclement? Utterly delusional."

Drawing his bow, Jiang Yi loosed an arrow. In a flash, the cult commander took a direct hit to the chest.

"How is this possible? From such a distance, he could still hit me!"

Struck by the arrow, the commander tumbled from his horse and perished shortly after.

"The commander has been shot and killed!"

Seeing their leader gunned down by a single arrow, the cultists plunged into utter chaos.

Instead of seeking revenge for their commander, many scattered in all directions.

The commander's personal guards had no desire to throw their lives away either, and fled eastward.

Jiang Yi and his men joined forces with Qin Lu, choosing not to pursue the fleeing remnants.

With their small numbers, chasing hundreds of routed enemies might result in a counter-encirclement.

"Are you all alright? We're late."

Looking apologetic, Chang Youliang explained that they had escorted the wounded to the mountain and stayed there for a while.

Growing truly concerned about Jiang Yi's group, he had ultimately led men down to check on them.

"We're fine. Thanks to your timely support, the bandits were beaten back."

Qin Lu noticed the strange iron rods in Jiang Yi's group's hands, having never seen such weapons used before.

"They use these to deal with bandits. They used them to fight a tiger previously."

Recognizing the three-eyed fire-lances, Chang Youliang recalled witnessing Jiang Yi injure a tiger with one firsthand.

"Our arrows ran out, so we had no choice but to use these against the bandits."

Qin Lu grew deeply interested in the three-eyed fire-lances, thinking they might yield unexpected results if adopted by the military.

Chang Youliang described the weapon's combat performance to Qin Lu, noting that while its individual power fell short of bows and crossbows, it could be used in tandem with archers; deployed in sufficient numbers, it could inflict substantial damage on the enemy.

Tempered with temptation by the three-eyed fire-lances and matchlocks, Qin Lu asked, "Would you be willing to give us the manufacturing blueprints for this item? We will definitely compensate you handsomely."

"These are just tools for hunting. If you're interested, I can sell you some finished pieces. Don't blame me if they prove difficult to use, though."

The slightest carelessness could cause the barrel to burst. Still, if the Hanyang garrison insisted on having three-eyed fire-lances and matchlocks, selling them the blueprints was an option.

After all, these weapons were merely somewhat crudely crafted firearms, provided the gunpowder formula was withheld.

Before Jiang Yi could put the weapons away, Chang Youliang and the others had arrived.

Assailed by hundreds of cultists, they had had no choice but to use the matchlocks and fire-lances in self-defense to stay alive.

"These iron rods are hollow in the middle. How do you operate them?"

"I use this one. Fire ignites it, which propels the projectile outward."

Refusing to admit that he had formulated the gunpowder himself, Jiang Yi claimed he had purchased it at a high price from foreign merchants.

"This black powder is running low; I doubt I'll be able to buy any more for quite some time."

Gunpowder ratios were strictly guarded secrets, though Qin Lu intended to take a sample back for his men to study.

Even if they managed to reverse-engineer the formula, it would take a considerable amount of time.

"Even if they figure out the gunpowder, they won't pose a threat to me in the future. I can always formulate even more powerful gunpowder and manufacture deadlier firearms."

A secret sense of triumph washed over Jiang Yi; given sufficient time, producing simply crafted firearms would be a breeze.

"If you run into those merchants again, recommend them to us. The rewards for you will certainly be generous."

Qin Lu remained utterly captivated by the firearms in Jiang Yi's possession, especially the propellant used to launch the projectiles.

"If I cross paths with those merchants again, I'll definitely refer them to you. Since we've rendered a meritorious service this time, we hope the government will grant us a bounty."

Jiang Yi had no intention of standing on ceremony; whatever rewards were due must not be shortchanged.

A cash bounty from the government was the most practical option; useless written praises held no appeal.

"Captain Qin need not laugh; I am quite short on money lately. Since we helped the government wipe out some bandits, receiving a bounty is only fair, isn't it?"

Steering the conversation back to the point, Jiang Yi figured that having accomplished a major feat, he needed to secure benefits not just for himself, but for everyone involved—a win-win for all.

The government would stamp out the Fire Lotus rebellion, while the local populace would receive bounties.

"Once the Fire Lotus rebellion is quelled, the regional inspector and the prefect will surely bestow bounties upon you. Your contributions this time are immense; your names might even go down in history."

Even if they failed to enter the national annals, they would undoubtedly be recorded in the local gazetteers.

"Whether our names go down in history matters little; we simply wish to receive our due rewards."

Abandoning false modesty, Jiang Yi intended to squeeze every possible benefit from the government, both to recoup his losses and to lower the vigilance of the local officials against him.