Chapter 068

Chapter 068

This counterattack on Imprisoned Dragon Ridge must include Xiao Yan and his three brothers. Sun Wei also insisted on accompanying Sun Dian, making it six people in total.

Xiao Mu personally selected another one hundred ninety-three villagers from the rest, all of whom were familiar faces from Lingshui Village.

Pan Yong glanced at his son who had also stepped forward and said to Xiao Mu, "Thousandhouseholder Xiao, let Pan Dai go. I am still young and don't need him to support me. He has no wife or children, so he is perfectly suited for this."

Since Lingshui Village had chosen new households with families when accepting newcomers, there were not many eligible individuals this time. Including Pan Dai, there were only seven.

After Pan Yong spoke, the families of the other six people also expressed their wishes, hoping that their sons and nephews could contribute to Lingshui Village.

Xiao Mu bowed and said, "We deeply appreciate your enthusiasm, but since you have just moved here from the west, your accents differ from ours. Although this is a night raid and we may not need to speak, this mission is crucial. We must be cautious, and caution cannot be overemphasized. It's not that we don't trust you."

This explanation successfully dispelled any suspicions the new households might have had.

Xiao Mu then turned to Xiao Ye and said, "Go to Pine Village and ask if Zhang Wengong is willing to join us."

Xiao Ye immediately set off on his mule.

Xiao Mu gave the selected villagers two quarters of an hour to bid farewell to their family and friends. He then instructed the unselected villagers to drive the bandits' mules to the river to dig sand and fill bags as a substitute for grain.

Sun Xinghai asked, "Will there be enough time?"

Xiao Mu replied, "Imprisoned Dragon Ridge is fifty miles away. Even if the mules can't run at full speed at night, an hour should be sufficient for them to get there. It’s not even midnight yet, and even if it takes another hour to enter the mountains, it will still be dark when they arrive."

He had reserved at least two quarters of an hour as a buffer, believing that even if some unexpected events occurred, his grandson could handle them.

Even if they couldn’t make it, they could always retreat; there was always a fallback plan.

After reassuring Sun Xinghai, Xiao Mu walked to Xiao Zhen and whispered, "The bandits won’t leave without taking women. Bring Xiaoman along."

It wasn’t that he was being heartless towards Tong Sui, but she was the only one who could assist these villagers. Bringing any other woman would only be a burden.

Xiao Zhen remained silent for a moment before heading to his courtyard.

Tong Sui and the others were still in the ancestral hall. When Tong Sui first entered, her face was pale, but after Mianmian hugged her tightly, seeing those familiar concerned faces and hearing their anxious questions, her cold bones gradually warmed up.

"It’s fine. Grandfather and the others are very capable; the bandits barely had a chance to jump onto our roofs."

Tong Sui summarized it in a way that would reassure them.

"Have all the bandits been caught?"

"Yes, none escaped."

"Then why haven’t they called us out yet?"

"They’re still counting casualties on both sides. It’s chaotic over there, so they probably don’t want us to get distracted."

"Right, no rush. I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway if I went back now."

As they were talking, Xiao Zhen knocked on the door: "Xiaoman, come out for a moment. Bring your bow and arrows."

Everyone looked at Tong Sui.

Tong Sui patted Mianmian’s head and picked up the bow and quivers she had dropped earlier. Xiao Yuchan followed her to the door, intending to ask her brother something, but before she could speak, Xiao Zhen gave her a stern look: "Close the door. No one comes out unless Grandfather calls."

Xiao Yuchan was startled and obediently closed and locked the door.

In fact, the Xiao family compound was quiet at that moment. Tong Sui noticed someone on the roof of the main house. Just as she looked up, Xiao Zhen explained, "It’s Third Younger Brother and Fifth Younger Brother. They need to fill four bags with wheat."

Tong Sui asked, "Why fill bags with wheat?"

Xiao Zhen didn’t answer. Suddenly, he lifted her up.

A low whistle came from the roof. Without needing to guess, she knew it was Xiao Yan. Tong Sui felt embarrassed and tried to wriggle free but couldn’t, so she buried her face in his chest.

As she did, she smelled blood.

Instinctively, she touched his clothes. "Are you hurt?"

Xiao Zhen replied, "No, it’s just bandit blood."

Relieved, Tong Sui didn’t want to lean against him anymore.

Soon, Xiao Zhen carried her into the east wing.

With no one around to see, he pressed her against the inner wall of the room, lifting her up with one hand and cupping her face with the other. "Scared?"

Those three words brought tears to Tong Sui’s eyes.

She didn’t want to kill, even if the bandits were vicious. She didn’t regret shooting those arrows, but she didn’t want to kill.

Nightmares haunted her, filled with the faces of the dying, their terrified and painful eyes. She dreamed of digging graves and the buried suddenly rising to demand vengeance.

Tong Sui wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in his shoulder, her tears flowing into his collar.

Xiao Zhen, having returned from the battlefield, understood the reactions of a kind-hearted person forced to kill.

He stroked her hair until she had cried herself out, then began explaining the plan for tonight’s counterattack.

Tong Sui raised her tear-filled eyes in disbelief.

Xiao Zhen looked into her eyes. "Do you want to continue living in fear?"

Tong Sui didn’t. She knew tonight was a good opportunity, but she worried about Xiao Zhen and his brothers, and whether the villagers who joined them would return safely.

Xiao Zhen wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Bandits love to take women. You are the best choice."

She brought few, which could be explained by the urgency of the situation, only managing to snatch a few beauties from the Xiao family. It could also be said that the others were too stubborn and would rather die than comply, but there should always be at least one alive.

Xiao Zhen: "If you're afraid, I'll go get Yuchan."

She was the best choice, but Xiao Zhen wouldn't force her.

Tong Sui's hands and feet started to feel cold again. Imprisoned Dragon Ridge, that was the bandits' stronghold. Lingshui Village was attacking with fewer numbers this time.

"Let me do it. Yuchan has never been in the mountains."

No matter how scared she was, Tong Sui always had a fallback plan—run if she couldn't fight. She wasn't familiar with other places, but Longxing Mountain, whether Eastern Ridge or Western Ridge, should have similar conditions. She knew which wild grasses and fruits could sustain her, how to find water, and where she could sleep safely.

Xiao Zhen pressed her back onto his shoulder.

Tong Sui could feel his chest rising and falling. She didn't know if he was relieved that she dared to go or was feeling something else.

Time was pressing, so Xiao Zhen made her change back into women's clothing.

Tong Sui wanted to comb her hair, but Xiao Zhen said, "Leave it loose."

Tong Sui then remembered the scenes during the war when some women in Taohuagou were seized by bandits. When women struggled, their hairpins fell out, leaving their long hair loose.

She put down the comb.

Xiao Zhen held her hand: "Everyone must kill the bandits. Once we're inside, I might not be able to protect you. Act according to the situation."

Tong Sui understood.

—

When the old man's designated assembly time arrived, Xiao Zhen and the two hundred men stood on the western martial arts training ground, including Zhang Wengong from Pine Village and Tong Sui with her loose hair.

When Kong San saw Tong Sui, he spat viciously: "Your village is truly kind-hearted. I couldn't seize your women, but you're rushing to send them over..."

Xiao Ye kicked him in the chest, sending him flying backward.

Kong San lay face down, still cursing.

Xiao Mu had listened to Kong San's insults for a long time. He picked a tall man named Gao from the two hundred and had him mimic Kong San's curses.

People can look alike, and voices can sound similar. Xiao Mu had deliberately chosen a few who sounded like Kong San earlier, and now he selected the most similar one.

As soon as the man named Gao started cursing, Kong San realized what was happening. Unfortunately, he had already been knocked unconscious by Xiao Ye and had a rag stuffed in his mouth, rendering him silent.

Sun Xinghai took out a large piece of paper and asked Xiao Zhen and the others to put their fingerprints on it: "This is a righteous act to eliminate bandits for the people. If anyone doesn't return, I will bring coffins to the government office to demand compensation. Our village's hundreds of men will be witnesses, making it impossible for the government to deny responsibility!"

This was one concern. Sun Xinghai and Xiao Mu were more worried that if these two hundred men were lost in Imprisoned Dragon Ridge, County Magistrate Liu, the corrupt official, might accuse the Xiao and Sun families of inciting the people and seize their property.

In short, Lingshui Village didn't expect any help from the government and certainly didn't want to give them any reason to punish them.

Both those going to counterattack and those staying behind all came forward to put their fingerprints on the document.

Xiao Mu: "Alright, no time to waste. Let's go!"

The village boys were mischievous when they were young; anyone with horses or mules would try riding them. Once they learned the basics, riding wasn't difficult; it was all about courage. The villagers quickly got the hang of it. Most rode horses or mules, while those who couldn't ride sat in the carts, watching the bound survivors of the bandits.

Tong Sui rode a big black mule from the Xiao family, riding alongside Xiao Zhen at the front.

After traveling dozens of miles, the villagers couldn't help but talk. Someone praised Tong Sui: "Second Lady is impressive. Not only did she dare to join us in the bandit's lair, but she rides a mule just as well as any man."

Xiao Ye laughed: "That's not even the most impressive part. Did you forget the archer on the roof tonight? That was my sister-in-law."

A villager nearly fell off his horse in surprise: "Really? I thought it was a man?"

Xiao Ye: "She dressed as a man for convenience. Think about it, do we have any sons that skinny?"

After their shock, the villagers became very happy: "Great! With Second Lady's archery skills, our chances of winning are much higher."

Two hundred bandits, and Second Lady alone killed twenty or more. No one dared to underestimate her.

Listening to the laughter behind her, Tong Sui realized that everyone seemed fearless, truly understanding what it meant to be emboldened by numbers.

After traveling for over half an hour, they reached the mountainous area where Imprisoned Dragon Ridge was located.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Ye each grabbed a bandit to ask for directions. As soon as the two bandits tried to exchange glances, Xiao Yan directly cut off one's head.

The other froze in fear, kneeling and immediately confessing everything.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Ye brought over two more bandits, killing one and sparing the other, confirming that the surviving ones gave the correct route. They then told the remaining dozen bandits: "If you cooperate honestly, we'll set you free once we enter the bandit's lair. If you don't, even if we can't get in, you'll still die."

One bandit whimpered, seeming to have something to say.

Xiao Yan removed the rag from his mouth, and the man sneered: "If we lead you in and you can't defeat the chief, we'll still die. Either way, why betray our brothers?"

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Zhen.

Xiao Zhen gestured for Tong Sui to look ahead.

As soon as Tong Sui turned away, Xiao Yan cut off the bandit's head, smiling with blood on his face: "If you think like that, at least you have a chance to live if we go in. If we don't, you're dead for sure."

The remaining bandits: "..."

Xiao Ye: "Think about how your third leader sacrificed his subordinates. Is it worth being loyal to someone like that?"

The bandits remained silent.

With the bandits leading the way, the people of Lingshui Village quickly advanced toward the bandit's lair. They took two brief breaks along the way. By the time they finally saw the heavy stone gate between the two cliffs, the crescent moon had disappeared, and the deep forest was pitch black.

Above the inner side of the stone gate, a cave had been carved into the cliff wall, where two bandit guards kept watch every night.

Xiao Zhen led the mule cart carrying four bags of real wheat at the front and then took a wooden arrow from Tong Sui's quiver, directly stabbing it into Kong San's chest.

Kong San woke up from the pain, staring wide-eyed at Xiao Zhen, and soon after, he breathed his last.

Xiao Zhen broke the arrow shaft against Kong San's chest, moved Kong San onto the mule cart, and had Tong Sui lie down in Kong San's arms.

It looked as if Kong San was holding her and teasing her, but in reality, Tong Sui was maintaining a more natural lying position for Kong San.

Xiao Zhen then had a man surnamed Gao, whose voice resembled Kong San's, drive the cart.

Next, Xiao Zhen arranged for the surviving dozen or so bandits to follow behind this mule cart, with each one accompanied by one of their own, faces smeared with blood.

Everything prepared, they continued on, deliberately talking about how fearsome the Second and Third Heads were, or how the Xiao family men were overrated.

The commotion alerted the two bandits guarding the cave, who raised their lanterns to look out the stone door. They barely managed to see the Third Head on the mule cart, leaning down to tease a beauty, before he slightly lifted his head and glared at them, shouting, "Hurry up and open the door! The brothers have been through a lot and want to get back to sleep!"

The bandits did not suspect anything and bowed, operating a mechanism.

What else could they suspect?

The government did not take these small-time bandits seriously, preoccupied with external threats and internal strife, leaving no energy to mobilize troops. The magistrate in the county town, whether new or old, was still a weakling, leading a few hundred militia in mock raids that returned fruitless.

Tonight, the Second and Third Heads went down the mountain to seize grain; naturally, only they and their brothers could return safely in the dead of night.

With the mechanism activated, the heavy stone doors slowly opened to either side.

One bandit ran inside to report the good news to the First Head, while the other held up the lantern and joked with the Third Head below, "Third Head, didn't you kill someone? Why are they so quiet?"

The Third Head had already lowered his head, silent. However, the beauty in his arms slowly turned around, her face illuminated by the dim light from above, revealing a pale and timid face.

The bandit was mesmerized.

Tong Sui immediately recognized the strategic value of this lookout cave, high up for easy archery and close to the stone door for quick escape!

A hunter seizes fleeting opportunities, and as soon as she saw her chance, Tong Sui's hand gripped the bow hidden between her and Kong San's body. While the bandit above was still staring at her, Tong Sui drew the string and fired an arrow sideways.

Everyone heard a "whoosh," and the bandit peering out fell down.

At the same time, Xiao Zhen and the others also acted swiftly, efficiently dispatching the dozen or so bandits in front of them.

Keeping promises with bandits is just asking for trouble.