Zhao Qinghe suddenly pointed toward the lake below. “Lu Yao’s trying to escape by boat!”0

Everyone looked down. Sure enough, Lu Yao was gathering what remained of his men, fighting as they retreated, untying the skiffs moored to the wooden pier. It was clear that he intended to flee into the heart of the lake.0

But by now, he had barely thirty or forty men left, their numbers thinning by the moment. With seven or eight boats on hand, it was more than enough for them.2

All pretense cast aside, Lu Yao leaped aboard the foremost skiff and shoved off toward deeper waters.0

Wu Shaoyi cut down two men in fury and bellowed, “Seize the boats! Don’t let him get away!”0

The fight on the shore turned into a vicious tug-of-war over the vessels. Meanwhile, Wu Shaoyi’s men, who had just fallen back from the western mountain, loosed...0