Tangli Fried Snow

Tie Dan was originally an ordinary miner on Babaoshan Mountain. At fifteen years old, he had already been working in the mine for three or four years. His grandfather, father, uncles, and other relatives were all miners. His grandmother, mother, and sister also worked in the mine. The women in the family either cooked for the workers or went out to collect coal with baskets on their backs. For generations, his family had been begging for food on the coal mountain.

Last time, when people from the neighboring county came to seize the mine, these native miners' children fought a bloody battle with the enemy for a day and a night, defending their mine with their own flesh and blood. Although countless people were killed or wounded on both sides, and many lost the breadwinner of their families, they used their blood and bravery to defend their territory.

Fortune and misfortune are intertwined; their fearless bravery and strong physique actually moved the general who came to fight.

The young general personally assessed these miners.

The first test was to walk through the mountains carrying luggage. Everyone was puzzled, but happy to take it easy. After all, when they were mining, their baskets were full of coal and rocks, which were extremely heavy. Tie Dan could carry 100 jin (50 catties), and his uncle could carry 160 jin (80 catties). The men in the mine were all tough and strong. Now, carrying dozens of jin (10 kg) of stuff on their backs, everyone suspected that the general was deliberately going easy on them.

The second part of the assessment was crawling forward and overcoming obstacles. Miners spend all day crawling in the dark mine shafts. I've been doing this for three or four years, and my dad and uncle have been doing it for decades. This is child's play. Overcoming obstacles is even easier. They used to carry ore up the mine shafts every day. Now that they don't have those heavy baskets weighing over 100 pounds, they can climb like they're flying.

After several assessments, the general's mouth was wide open and his eyes were narrowed into slits with joy. The training program that was supposed to last a month was changed the very next day. The general was young, but his memory was terrible.

After trying many different training methods, the young general officially incorporated them into his unit and, in his crooked hand, wrote his name, Li Tie, on the roster.

General Duan immediately recruited 786 miners from the nearby mines. The miners, hearing that going to war would not only bring promotions and wealth, but also ensure mutual support between fellow villagers and clansmen in training and on the battlefield, were eager to join the army. How could they possibly refuse such a good opportunity? They went!

After everyone registered, they were given plenty of fragrant porridge and flatbread, military uniforms and shoes, and new weapons, with guns and spears gleaming.

Li Tie and his family excitedly held up their weapons, saying, "If we had these weapons when we fought a few days ago, those bastards from the neighboring county would have all died, they would have all died working as miners in Babaoshan."

Dad and Uncle touched the brand-new weapons and laughed heartily, saying, "Kid, from now on we're military households. We'll have military pay every month, army food every day, no land tax or grain to pay, no corvée labor, no worries about being crushed to death in a mine collapse, and Grandpa and Grandma can go home to enjoy their old age!" As everyone talked, they fell silent, and Li Tie secretly turned away to wipe his tears.

The next day, when the military commanders came to teach how to use the weapons, everyone studied very diligently. This recruit training lasted for a month, during which they learned battle formations, archery, military boxing, and swords and spears.

They get up to train before dawn and go to bed after dark. They have food and drink and don't have to climb into the dark mine. They are all very happy.

On the 18th of next month, they followed the young general to the battlefield for the first time.

Li Tie and four or five hundred men, armed with crossbows and spears, lay in ambush in a dense forest, watching the tranquil river flow slowly in the dim light of dawn. They had been lying in wait there all morning.

Half a day later, the sound of hooves and voices came from the riverbank at the same time, causing a commotion among the people on their side.

A group of nearly two thousand northern soldiers slowly approached from a nearby ferry crossing and entered the encirclement. The sounds of men and horses were constant, and the wagons carrying grain stretched as far as the eye could see. The enemy general was ordering his soldiers to put rafts into the river one by one and then directing people to load things across the river.

Xu Hu, the leader, glanced at his hundreds of greenhorns. The miners held their breath, remained calm and composed, and Xu Hu's satisfaction with them increased even more.

By the time the enemy had painstakingly transported people and supplies to the other side of the river, the sun was already high in the sky. There were only three or four hundred people left on this side of the river, completely unprepared, busy driving their horses to the side and lining them up to wait for the next transport.

Xu Hu gave a hand signal, and his men fired a volley of crossbow bolts from the dense forest, instantly felling a large number of the enemy and killing or wounding more than a hundred people on the ground.

The Northern Army was terrified. The people on the shore and on the sluice gates hurriedly fought back, but before they could nock their arrows, Xu Hu led his men out and another volley of arrows rained down on the unprotected enemy.

Li Tie and his father worked together to kill one Northern army soldier after another.

Seeing the enemy's heavy casualties and utter helplessness, Xu Hu immediately led his men to charge. The miners, using their brand-new weapons for the first time, displayed unparalleled bravery. Xu Hu and his men slaughtered the enemy, wiping out the enemy on the shore in no time. The survivors in the water were also shot dead on the spot. The battle ended, and the greenhorns were still reeling from the extreme excitement. Xu Hu ordered his men to seize all the enemy's weapons, food, horses, and other supplies, and then led them downstream back.

Most of the enemy on the opposite bank, numbering about a thousand, had already crossed the river. Seeing their rear army suddenly attacked, they were frantic but helpless. Suddenly, they were also attacked from behind by a volley of crossbow bolts. When they saw the Duan family army waiting in full battle array on the other side, they were caught in a dilemma. Duan Jingyu led his men, and the crossbows and powerful bows were fired at once, causing countless casualties. Duan Jingyu took the lead, holding a red-tasseled spear and leading a group of men to charge into the enemy's front line, fighting their way in and out seven times.

The remaining less than a hundred men fled, abandoning their horses and armor, and escaped into the water. This surprise attack was a resounding success. Duan Jingyu couldn't help but think to himself, "He's already earned back the recruits' pay he just collected. Jin Yan is such a good man."

Their side suffered only a few dozen casualties, all from arrows. No one died in close combat, at most sustaining minor injuries. The battle was a resounding success, and the newly joined miners cheered and reveled in the joy of victory.

The results were even more gratifying, with hundreds of excellent warhorses, hundreds of loads of grain, and weapons and supplies for thousands of people captured, making everyone cheer with joy.

These miners cleaned up the battlefield tirelessly, reaping considerable benefits from the dead.

Li Tie and his family also received a lot of money as a benefit, and they secretly hid it, intending to take it home for their relatives to spend.