Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhang Ying saw the ghostly ships approaching from afar, and his heart skipped a beat. He couldn't help but mutter a curse. The sails of the approaching ships were all made of gorgeous brocade, gleaming in the sunlight with a dazzling brilliance that stung his eyes. The approaching ships were none other than the notorious brocade thieves who roamed the river.

Zhang Ying instantly misunderstood. His gaze flickered between Ma Chao and the others and the uninvited guests, and he instantly assumed they were a team, bound to escort Ma Chao and his companions. After all, Ma Chao favored wearing brocade robes, and this detail was magnified in Zhang Ying's mind, making him think he had grasped the key. His face flushed with anger, his eyes widened, and he cursed loudly with gritted teeth, "Hmph, no wonder these guys are so brave and skilled in fighting! They're the Brocade Sail Bandits! Brothers!" He whipped his head around and urgently ordered his deputy, "Immediately divide half of the troops to encircle and suppress them. We must not let them join forces! We must capture this group of rebels in one fell swoop!"

The imposing figure, standing at the bow, broadsword in hand, led his comrades across the river with a commanding presence. Their banner, a brocade sail, earned them the nickname "Brilliant Sail Knights," though officials preferred to call them "Brilliant Sail Bandits." For a long time, they had plundered merchant caravans and even defied the military. Their mastery of naval warfare and fearless courage had unleashed victory wherever they ventured, their unparalleled bravery infuriating the common people along the river and passing merchants.

At this moment, before their leader, Gan Ning, and his companions could fully grasp the situation, they were suddenly attacked by what was clearly a military attack. First, a hail of arrows descended like a swarm of locusts, its whirring sounds piercing the air. The dense stream of arrows gleamed coldly in the sunlight, seemingly engulfing the entire river. Then, Zhang Ying's warships pounced like wolves, their bows splitting the river water, stirring up huge waves over two meters high, and surging towards Gan Ning's fleet.

Gan Ning was stunned at first, then seethed with rage. He swung his broadsword fiercely, the blade hissing as it sliced ​​through the air. He shouted, "Brothers, fear not! These bastards dared to provoke us. Deploy your formations and give them a duel. Let's show them the might of our Jinfan warriors!" Hearing their leader's command, the Jinfan troops sprang into action. With expert naval warfare skills, they deployed their forces with unwavering grace. Some maneuvered the boats, nimbly navigating the river, dodging the enemy's attacks. They skillfully maneuvered their vessels, sending arrows careening into the water with a shower of spray. Others, armed with powerful bows and crossbows, fiercely retaliated against Zhang Ying's troops. Bang, bang, bang! The crossbow strings vibrated, sending sharp arrows whistling into the enemy formation. Enemy soldiers fell to the ground, their screams echoing in agony. Others, blades in hand, stood at the bow, ready to engage the enemy in close combat. Their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, as if they couldn't wait to engage in a life-or-death struggle. For a moment, the river was filled with shouts of killing and the clash of weapons, splashing water and blood gushing into the sky.

Gan Ning was even more valiant. Like a furious lion, wielding his broadsword, he charged left and right through the enemy lines. He leaped aboard an enemy ship, brandishing his sword with unbridled force, each swing unleashing a hail of blood. In a flash of blade, Zhang Ying's soldiers fell, their blood staining the decks. As he slashed and slaughtered, he shouted to boost morale: "Brothers, kill! Show these cowards how powerful we are!" Under Gan Ning's leadership, the Jinfan bandits, with one against ten, engaged in a desperate battle with Zhang Ying's troops.

Although Zhang Ying's men were outnumbered, the Jinfan pirates were experienced in river warfare and fearless. The battle raged for a long time, intensifying. One of the Jinfan pirates' ships was rammed by an enemy warship, rocking violently and nearly capsizing. Undeterred, the Jinfan pirates clung to the side and continued to fight. Some even leaped onto the enemy ship, engaging in close combat. Not to be outdone, Zhang Ying's soldiers formed a shield formation, attempting to repel the Jinfan pirates' attacks. However, the Jinfan pirates were agile and maneuverable. They swerved from the sides, piercing the gaps between the enemy soldiers with their spears, instantly crumbling the enemy's shield formation.

At this moment, Gan Ning seized an opportunity. He zeroed in on Zhang Ying's command ship and shouted, "Follow me!" Leading a group of elite Jinfan pirates, he sailed a fast boat and, like an arrow from a bow, charged towards Zhang Ying's ship. Zhang Ying's face darkened as he saw this, and he quickly ordered his soldiers to block the attack. Arrows rained down like rain, but Gan Ning and his men remained undaunted, shielding themselves from the volleys while rowing vigorously. Just as they were about to approach the command ship, Gan Ning soared into the air like a flash of black lightning, leaping through the gap between the two ships and landing directly on Zhang Ying's ship. With a single swing of his broadsword, he cut down several soldiers who tried to stop him. Immediately afterwards, the rest of the Jinfan bandits followed suit, engaging in a fierce battle with the soldiers on the command ship.

Finally, under the fierce attacks of Gan Ning and his men, Zhang Ying's troops gradually overwhelmed and began to collapse. Soldiers leaped overboard to escape, and the warships collided in the chaos, leaving a mess. Zhang Ying, realizing the situation was hopeless, had no choice but to flee in disgrace with his remaining troops.

The river gradually calmed down, with only the floating corpses and shattered warships bearing witness to the fierce battle. Gan Ning watched Zhang Ying and his companions retreat with a scornful smile, then turned back to Ma Chao and his companions' boats. He wondered who these people were, and why they had provoked Zhang Ying to such a rage.

Having just escaped death, Ma Chao and his companions gazed upon the army, which had appeared as if by divine intervention, filled with relief and gratitude for their survival. Ma Chao immediately ordered the boatman to steer closer to the Jinfan pirates' vessel. However, the boatman, already trembling with fear from the previous fierce naval battle, was so weak in the water that he could barely move, let alone steer the boat. Despite their martial prowess, Ma Chao and his companions were unskilled in rowing, leaving them helpless to move.

The Jinfan pirates' boat was slowly approaching them. As it drew closer, several hooks shot out like black pythons, firmly snagging Ma Chao and his companions' boat. With a powerful tug, the boat was drawn closer. Then, a fan board was securely placed between the two boats. A group of Jinfan soldiers, dressed in brocade robes and with feathers in their hair, leaped from the boats like nimble monkeys, their bows and crossbows trained firmly on Ma Chao and his companions. The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Gan Ning stood majestically atop the large ship, his gaze piercing, as he shouted, "Who's in charge on the boat over there? Come aboard for a moment!" Upon hearing this, Wu Anguo and Pan Feng panicked and simultaneously turned their gazes to Ma Chao. Ma Chao remained calm, waved his hand slightly to indicate it was all right, and prepared to move forward. Seeing this, Lu Su hurried forward, grasping Ma Chao's robe and whispering urgently, "My lord, this is the Jinfan bandit. He's a reckless thief on the Yangtze River, specializing in robbing and killing merchant caravans. He even dares to openly confront the army. His strength should not be underestimated!" Ma Chao nodded slightly, indicating that he was aware of the matter.

At this time, Gan Ning was already a little impatient, and shouted loudly: "What do you two have to say? Come on, both of you get on the big ship, and if you have anything to say, say it clearly in front of me!" As he spoke, his tone was rude and arrogant. As soon as he finished speaking, his men, holding long swords, rushed forward aggressively, surrounding Ma Chao and Lu Su and rushing to the big ship. Seeing this, and seeing the swords approaching Ma Chao, Pan Feng and Wu Anguo were anxious and about to explode. Ma Chao once again signaled them to be patient and said: "It's okay, you can count our casualties first, I'll be back soon."

The Jinfan troops beside him, with their faces full of arrogance, reached out like eagle claws to grab the longsword at Ma Chao's waist. Ma Chao's expression was stern, his eyes blazing, and he showed no fear. His lips curled slightly with a hint of disdain as he calmly unsheathed his longsword. With a flick of his arm, the longsword slammed down with a sharp whistling sound as it flew towards the enemy. Then, he slowly raised his hand and methodically adjusted his slightly disheveled clothing. With a calm and composed expression, he followed the set planks and took steady steps towards the ship.

Gan Ning, standing atop the large ship, spotted the approaching figure from afar, clad in a brocade robe. His posture, erect as a pine tree, and his air of extraordinary heroism, instantly delighted him. He already had a special fondness for brocade robes, always enjoying the finery of brocade. Seeing Ma Chao dressed this way, his eyes lit up, and he felt a certain admiration for him. Gan Ning reached out to take the robe his brothers offered him, draping it gracefully and elegantly, casually tossing the hem of the robe before sitting down with his legs wide open, displaying a bold and uninhibited air.

The troops on the side swarmed around Ma Chao and Lu Su like wolves and tigers, surrounding them tightly. Lu Su's heart tightened, a hint of nervousness flashed in his eyes. He unconsciously leaned back behind Ma Chao, his hands slightly clenched. Ma Chao looked calm, his eyes calmly scanning the Jinfan troops who surrounded him as if they were facing a great enemy. He frowned slightly, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes, and said loudly: "We have no weapons, so why should we act like we are facing a great enemy?"

Upon hearing this, Gan Ning threw back his head and roared with laughter, a hearty laugh that shook the river. He leaned forward, hands on his knees, narrowed his eyes, and looked at Ma Chao with interest. He said, "Well, well, well! You're quite brave! But then again, we just saved your lives. Shouldn't you kowtow and express your gratitude for this life-saving grace?" A playful smile played at the corner of his mouth, and a hint of provocation lingered in his eyes.

Ma Chao's expression froze, his gaze firm and imbued with dignity. He held his head high and spoke with righteous indignation, "I am the Marquis of the Great Han, serving the imperial court wholeheartedly. I aspire to eradicate treacherous officials, uphold the Han dynasty, and ensure peace for the people of the land. How could I, like you, sail under your banners, roam the rivers, plundering like petty thieves? We act in accordance with the greater good, for the peace of our country and the well-being of the people. Our actions are completely different from yours!"

These words sent the Jinfan troops frantically into a frenzy, as if they had suffered a monstrous insult. Their eyes widened, glaring, their glares blazing with rage, as if they were about to devour Ma Chao alive. With a series of piercing swishes, they drew their swords from their waists, their gleaming blades gleaming coldly in the sunlight. They gripped their weapons tightly, their knuckles white with the effort, their bodies leaning forward slightly, like a pack of wolves poised for attack, glaring angrily at Ma Chao, waiting only for their leader, Gan Ning, to give the order to pounce like hungry tigers and chop the two men into a pulp.