The rest of the guards also immediately retreated and formed a defensive formation.
At the gorge ahead, dozens of ragged men with fierce looks jumped out from behind the rocks on the hillsides on both sides and were fighting fiercely with the scouts sent out!
These people were obviously not Tartars, but bandits who gathered in the mountains.
They are ruthless and their cooperation is quite methodical.
"Protect Marshal Yun!" Shen Qian shouted softly, and the Embroidered Spring Blade was already unsheathed.
Zhao Muyun's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes suddenly turned cold.
He didn't expect that he would encounter an obstacle before even reaching Shuozhou.
The number of bandits was about three times that of the scouts, and they quickly gained the upper hand. Several scouts fought and retreated, and their bodies were covered in blood.
"Get started! Quick and decisive!"
Zhao Muyun said coldly. He didn't want to delay here, and he didn't want to cause any big commotion.
Shen Qian received the order and immediately made a gesture.
Several guards quickly took out several black, fist-sized objects from their bags.
These were the first batch of "grenades" hastily produced in Yanzhou Valley!
Light the fuse and throw with all your might!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several explosions, slightly smaller than the "Sky-shaking Bombs" but still terrifying, rang out among the bandits!
Gravel and nails were flying everywhere, and the air was filled with smoke!
When had the bandits ever seen such a scene?
In an instant, people and horses were blown to the ground, screaming in pain, and the originally fierce momentum collapsed instantly!
"Witchcraft! It's witchcraft!"
The remaining bandits screamed in terror, leaving behind the bodies of their companions, and fled in a panic into the depths of the canyon.
The guards took the opportunity to step forward and, with their swords and knives, killed all the injured but not dead bandits.
The battle started suddenly and ended even faster.
Shen Qian examined the bodies of the bandits, his brows furrowed, "Marshal Yun, these are not ordinary bandits."
"Look at their boots and linings. Although they're camouflaged, they look like... military uniforms. Their swordplay also exudes a military air."
Zhao Muyun walked forward, his eyes sweeping over the corpses, finally landing on a burly man who looked like the leader.
He squatted down and took out a waist badge from his arms. There was a vague word "Jin" engraved on it, but the marks were very new, as if it was hastily imitated.
"Prince Jin's men?" Shen Qian was surprised.
"Definitely not."
Zhao Muyun weighed the waist badge, a sneer curling up at the corner of his mouth. "The workmanship is too crude, as if they are afraid that others can't see it."
"It seems someone is trying to frame Prince Jin."
He stood up and looked towards Shuozhou with a deep look in his eyes: "It seems that someone doesn't want me to return to Shuozhou smoothly."
"Or rather, I don't want anyone to disrupt the current balance."
Were the Tartars deliberately creating confusion? Was one of the Prince of Jin's subordinates acting on his own initiative? Or... was it someone else?
Several thoughts flashed through Zhao Muyun's mind.
The water in this northern border seems to be very deep.
"Clean up the scene and get through the canyon as quickly as possible."
Zhao Muyun gave the order and stopped dwelling on it.
No matter who is behind it, his goal remains unchanged.
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