MLMD -Chapter 50 Dai Shan Arrives

Udamu was a middle-aged man, short but solidly built, with a round, broad face and rough skin—a typical Mongolian appearance.

He had dealt with Li Yuan multiple times before, and after hearing Li Yuan’s explanation, he said begrudgingly, “So that’s how it is. Since you say so, we’ll let it slide this time. But if it happens again, we won’t be so polite. Go back and tell that reckless boy: when he goes in later, make sure his subordinates behave. These few days are not ordinary; our tribe is receiving some very distinguished guests. Do not disturb them, or I cannot guarantee your safety.”

“All right. Then thank you, brother Udamu.” Li Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief now that the matter was resolved. After all, harmony brings profit—a principle any traveling merchant valued. No merchant would welcome an opponent who immediately flexes and acts ready to fight, as Yue Yang’s opponent had.

Li Yuan’s intentions were good, but events rarely unfold as expected. Just as both sides were about to stand down, a commotion erupted behind Udamu. The sound of urgent hoofbeats followed, and a squad of cavalry charged from the rear at full speed.

Yue Yang, standing beside the formation, furrowed his brow at the approaching riders.

At first, he had felt tense—it would have been a lie to say otherwise. He knew these Mongol cavalry were nothing like the scattered bandits outside Yingzhou.

If a fight broke out, his thousand-strong merchant escort could be wiped out. Even though his soldiers wore the finest armor available in the world, they were still infantry. Against cavalry, they were at a natural disadvantage.

The Mongol riders could strike and retreat at will, exhausting Yue Yang’s forces. While he had confidence that his soldiers, armed with repeating crossbows, could inflict heavy losses before falling, no one wants to die if they can avoid it.

But when this new cavalry appeared, Yue Yang sensed a strikingly different aura from the previous Mongols.

The difference was clear even in their attire. The first group of Mongols wore mismatched sheepskin coats, some with armor, most without. Their weapons were varied: curved swords, long swords, spiked clubs—an unmistakable hodgepodge of a makeshift army.

This second group, however, was uniform. Through his telescope, Yue Yang could clearly see that the cavalry wore bright red armor, bordered with white silk. Each armor plate was studded with shiny copper rivets the size of chess pieces. Their helmets had long spikes with white plumes fluttering above.

Most strikingly, their presence was oppressive. Their gaze carried a sense of bloodlust and killing intent.

“They’re a battle-hardened army!” Yue Yang’s first impression was clear. He also noticed a slight stir among his own troops, quickly quelled by junior officers, which heightened his vigilance.

“These aren’t Mongol cavalry!”

Just then, Li Yuan rode up to him, shouting as he ran, “Nephew Yue, quick… quick, come with me to see Chief Zaisang and the esteemed guests from Later Jin!”

“Guests from Later Jin?” Yue Yang murmured, then slapped his thigh in realization. “So that’s why this army is so different from the Mongols—they’re Jianzhou (Later Jin) troops…”

“Shh… do you want to die? How dare you call them that!” Li Yuan cut him off, covering Yue Yang’s mouth.

Li Yuan’s face was pale as he glared. “If you want to die, fine. But don’t drag me into it. Look around—this is someone else’s territory! Didn’t I warn you earlier? Have you already forgotten?”

“Alright, I was wrong! I won’t say anything more, okay?” Yue Yang quickly apologized, realizing his slip. This habit came from his old days lurking on military forums in the modern era.

Now he understood the unease he had felt earlier—the new cavalry were Later Jin troops, explaining the overwhelming sense of pressure.

Seeing Yue Yang still stunned, Li Yuan shook his shoulder. “Stop dazing off. Come with me to meet Chief Zaisang and the esteemed guests from Later Jin!”

“All right.”

Yue Yang nodded, calling over Shunbao and Hu Laosan, who led the rear troops. He lowered his voice and instructed, “Shunbao, Hu Laosan, remember this: when the young master meets those Mongol and Later Jin troops, stay alert. If anything goes wrong, don’t hesitate—act decisively with your men. Understood?”

“Yes, young master!” Shunbao and Hu Laosan answered in unison. Shunbao had grown up with Yue Yang, and Hu Laosan was a loyal head of the family guard. Their devotion was unquestionable. Even knowing the odds were against them, neither hesitated.

Meanwhile, a few men in the Later Jin ranks were observing Yue Yang’s merchant convoy.

An older man in his fifties, riding a sturdy horse and wearing a sheepskin coat, spoke with a smile to a middle-aged man in his mid-forties, who had a friendly face and held a golden rattan whip: “Grand Beile, it’s just a merchant convoy. Why take such interest in them?”

The older man was Zaisang-Buhe, chief of the Khorchin tribe, and the middle-aged man was Dai Shan, the Grand Beile of Later Jin. Dai Shan had come on the order of Huang Taiji to negotiate another marital alliance with the Khorchin tribe. Unexpectedly, he arrived just as news of a potential skirmish reached them. Curious, he and Zaisang-Buhe rushed forward with their guards.

Hearing Zaisang’s words, Dai Shan gestured forward. “Chief Zaisang, look carefully. Don’t you find the escort of these Ming merchants quite interesting?”

Zaisang squinted, observing the convoy. “Too far to see clearly, but I can tell their equipment is well-made.”

Dai Shan nodded. “Yes, that’s what I think too. When the leader of this convoy comes, we’ll ask him directly.” He then subtly signaled a nearby officer, who nodded in acknowledgment.

Soon, a Mongol general arrived, leading two merchants dressed in Ming attire—Yue Yang and Li Yuan.

As they approached Dai Shan and Zaisang, a wave of pressure radiated from the mounted troops. The closer they got, the heavier the intensity, especially from the riders behind Dai Shan, who stared at Yue Yang and Li Yuan with murderous eyes.

Yue Yang wasn’t fazed. In modern terms, he thought, “Stop glaring! If looks could kill, why bother making weapons?”

Li Yuan, however, was sweating profusely under such vicious glares…