Chen Qiyu was not completely without troops.
The former Yansui Commander, Wu Zimian—the infamously corrupt official who had once sold horses to Gao Family Village—had fallen ill and died shortly after Hong Chengchou took office, before the court could even move against him.
In his place, Wang Cheng'en, the Shaanxi Commander, was transferred to assume the role of Yansui Commander.
Since then, Chen Qiyu had worked closely with Wang Cheng'en to suppress banditry. Unfortunately, not long ago, Mongol tribes from the Hetao region launched a westward incursion, striking Yansui's border camps and plundering Lingzhou, Hengcheng, Yansui, Xichuan, and surrounding areas.
Supreme Commander Hong Chengchou personally went to repel the invasion—and took Wang Cheng'en with him.
With Wang Cheng'en gone, Chen Qiyu was left with only his personal guards and a ragtag collection of garrison troops.
In the early years of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, such garrisons could still suppress peasant rebels. But now, in Chongzhen's sixth year, the bandits had grown hardened and experienced. The garrison troops were clearly no longer a match.
Chen Qiyu was in a cold sweat, his mind blank.
At that moment, a subordinate stepped forward.
"Governor, there is still one person we can call upon."
Chen Qiyu looked up sharply. "Who?"
"Commander Shi Jian," the subordinate replied. "A trusted general under Wang Cheng'en. He is currently stationed at Dragon Gate Ferry on the Yellow River, under direct orders from the Ministry of War. I hear he earned great merit there and was appointed Hejin Garrison Commander."
The subordinate continued, "We can hold the bandits temporarily with the garrison troops, while dispatching a fast messenger to summon Commander Shi. If he moves immediately from Dragon Gate Ferry, he may yet reach Yanchuan County in time."
Chen Qiyu frowned. "He belongs to the Shaanxi army. How can he intervene in Yansui?"
The subordinate answered calmly, "Supreme Commander Hong Chengchou oversees military affairs in Shaanxi, Gansu, Yansui, and Ningxia. Shaanxi is within his jurisdiction. As long as he later confirms this was his direct order, there will be no trouble."
Chen Qiyu's thoughts raced.
Hong Chengchou would not only agree—he would be obligated to. Yansui was also under his command.
"…Very well," Chen Qiyu said firmly.
"Send the messenger immediately. Summon Commander Shi at once!"
A courier was dispatched without delay, galloping toward Dragon Gate Ferry.
From their current location, the shortest route passed straight through Huanglong Mountain.
The messenger glanced up at the towering peaks, a flicker of unease tightening his chest. But then his gaze fell upon the long, winding gray road that cut cleanly through the mountains.
For some reason, confidence returned.
With such a road, crossing Huanglong Mountain shouldn't take long.
Still… the surface looked a bit harsh on hooves.
Eh?
Beside the cement road, a dirt path had been deliberately preserved—clearly meant for horses.
Delighted, the messenger urged his mount forward, galloping along the dirt path parallel to the road.
In the blink of an eye, he covered over ten li.
Ahead, a strange little building stood by the roadside. Three characters were written on it:
Yangou Station.
The messenger had never seen such a structure erected in the mountains. But what truly stunned him was the bizarre vehicle parked beside it, bearing two large characters:
"86."
Inside sat a driver and several passengers, all staring wide-eyed at the galloping horse.
Both sides were equally curious—but the messenger had no time to stop. With a whoosh, he shot past the vehicle.
The driver slapped the steering wheel.
"Whoa! That horse looks like it's challenging us!"
The passengers—labor-reform prisoners who often rode this route and knew the driver well—burst into laughter.
"He's mocking you! Saying your "86" solar bus can't even outrun a horse!"
The driver's temper flared instantly.
"Damn it! Fine! Let's see how fast he really is!"
Gao Family Village's solar buses had long been upgraded for single-person operation. The driver flipped a switch; the sunshades retracted, fully exposing the solar panels.
Power surged.
The brake released. The wheel turned.
The Eighty-Six roared forward.
The prisoners cheered wildly.
"86 takes the heights!"
The driver glanced at the water cup on the dashboard, smirked coldly, and stomped the accelerator.
Charge.
The familiar racing anthem blared:
"Déjà vu—I've just been in this place before…"
The race was on.
At first, the warhorse held the advantage. A trained mount's burst speed was terrifying, while the bus had to slow on turns to avoid flipping.
But stamina told a different story.
Horses tired.
86 did not.
And whenever Déjà vu played, defeat had never been recorded.
The bus caught up.
The driver deliberately slowed, running parallel—bus on cement, horse on dirt.
A prisoner leaned out the window, grinning.
"Well? Running out of steam? You dared race an immortal vehicle? Don't you know who bestowed it upon us?"
He puffed out his chest.
"This is the Solar Divine Vehicle, a gift from Dao Xuan Tianzun himself! Showing off in front of it is disrespecting Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
The messenger was panting.
"I… I have an urgent mission… no time to argue…"
"Urgent?" the prisoner blinked. "Do tell."
"Xue Hongqi, Yizuo Cheng, and Yizi Wang," the messenger gasped. "They're attacking Yanchuan County… I must reach Dragon Gate Ferry… seek Commander Shi Jian…"
The prisoners exchanged looks.
"…Who?"
"Never heard of them," one muttered. "Back in our bandit days, these nobodies wouldn't even qualify as foot soldiers."
The messenger: "???"
At that moment, the Cotton-Thread Dao Xuan Tianzun figurine on the driver's chest suddenly spoke:
"So trouble has cropped up right next to our territory again."
The driver nearly jumped.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun has arrived!"
The prisoners straightened instantly, all trace of levity gone.
Outside, the messenger could see none of this—only hearing a commanding voice emerge from the strange vehicle.
Dao Xuan Tianzun spoke calmly:
"Invite the messenger aboard. Carry him for a stretch."