Chapter 069

Chapter 069

Before leaving Lingshui Village, Xiao Zhen and his group had already made a captive bandit draw a rough map of the terrain inside Imprisoned Dragon Ridge, knowing that it was surrounded by steep cliffs with only one exit through the stone gate.

After entering the stone gate, they had to continue along a narrow canyon barely wide enough for a mule cart for several dozen paces before reaching an open area.

After killing all the leading bandits, Xiao Zhen instructed Xiao Yan and Sun Dian to lead everyone forward, pretending to be returning bandits, chatting and laughing. The mule carts followed at the back, while he kept only Tong Sui and Xiao She by his side.

Xiao She was eager to join the fight: "Second Brother, what do you want me to do?"

Xiao Zhen pointed at the stone gate: "Once our people are all inside, you activate the mechanism and guard this place. If any bandits try to escape, kill them on sight. If our people need to go out, don't let them pass without my permission."

Xiao She: "Why do I have to guard? Can't they do it? I can kill more inside."

Xiao Zhen: "I don't trust anyone else. If they get scared and open the gate to escape, even if one bandit gets out, they could ambush us near our village or take over the gate when we retreat, trapping us in the canyon."

Xiao She, understanding the gravity, immediately said: "Got it, Second Brother. With me here, not even an ant will get out."

Xiao Zhen then turned to Tong Sui: "Go up to the cave above and coordinate with Fifth Younger Brother."

He would never leave her behind, and she trusted him implicitly. This unspoken understanding was clear in his eyes.

She nodded and prepared to climb the wooden ladder leading to the cave.

Suddenly, Xiao Zhen grabbed her wrist.

Tong Sui held onto the ladder and looked back, but only saw him release her and ride away toward the front of the group.

The night grew darker in the canyon. Tong Sui paused for a moment before quickly climbing into the cave.

The mechanism to close the gate was obvious. Once the last mule cart entered, Tong Sui activated it.

The two stone doors slowly slid together, finally closing with a click, leaving only a thin gap for the wind.

From ahead in the canyon, a man imitating Kong San's voice called out: "Brother, we're back! The Xiao family isn't as tough as you said. Look at the little beauty I brought back!"

Villagers responded with cheers and whistles, sounding just like real bandits.

If Kong Da had any worries about his brothers' mission, they vanished upon hearing the news of their safe return. As he hurried out, he heard his Third Younger Brother's loud voice and felt immense joy, instructing: "Get good food and wine ready to reward the brothers!"

Everyone was happy. Brothers returning with loot was akin to a grand celebration in Imprisoned Dragon Ridge.

Hearing the commotion, the bandits dressed and ran out to greet them, gathering behind Kong Da.

Since they were welcoming their own, none of them carried weapons.

In contrast, the Xiao and Sun brothers led villagers on mules and horses, each armed with a sword.

As nearly two hundred people emerged from the canyon, Kong Da and his men were still some distance away, making it hard to see their faces clearly even with the light.

Sun Dian tightened his reins and asked Xiao Zhen: "Now?"

Xiao Zhen shook his head and whispered: "Third and Fourth, take your men and flank from the left. Sun Dian and Sun Wei, flank from the right. I'll lead the charge from the front. Leave no adult bandit alive."

While people might turn to banditry due to desperation, those who prey on innocent villagers after establishing themselves deserve no mercy.

These people, even if they surrendered, would eventually cause trouble. It was better to eliminate them completely.

Xiao Yan and others each led a group of villagers behind them.

When Kong Da finally recognized the unfamiliar faces, Xiao Zhen gave the order: "Kill!"

He charged straight for Kong Da.

Kong Da turned to flee, urging his men to grab their weapons, but their swords were in their rooms, and the remaining mules were tied up in the stables. Surrounded by the villagers, there was nowhere to run.

Led by Xiao Yan, Xiao Ye, and Sun Dian, the villagers fought fiercely, cutting down nearby bandits and chasing those who fled.

The bandits scattered, trying to support each other, but soon realized they were no match and fled instead.

Knowing the only escape was through the stone gate, they all headed that way.

Xiao She heard footsteps and walked a few paces forward, telling Tong Sui standing at the edge of the cave: "Second Sister-in-Law, don't worry. I'll handle them all."

Tong Sui worried: "Stay back; it's too dark for me to see clearly!"

There was no moonlight, and the canyon was pitch black. One lantern was useless.

Xiao She had already engaged in battle.

Tong Sui could barely make out the shadows moving and hear the bandits' cries as Xiao She struck them.

When things quieted momentarily, Tong Sui urged Xiao She: "Stay closer to me, or I'll come down."

Xiao She retreated within Tong Sui's view.

When more bandits approached, Tong Sui did not intervene unless their numbers grew, then she would shoot arrows to help Xiao She.

As time passed, fewer bandits reached this side, and the sounds of fighting in the valley diminished.

A villager rode over and reported: "Fifth Master, Second Lady, most of the bandits are dead. We're searching inch by inch to ensure none are hiding."

Xiao She: "Good job! How many casualties did we have?"

The villager laughed: "No deaths, just a few injuries. You wouldn't believe it—Second Master led us to surround them, and he beheaded Kong Da in three moves. The other bandits were terrified and couldn't fight back."

Initially, they relied on their swords, but later it became a few villagers against one bandit. If they still lost, it would be humiliating.

Xiao She: "That's good. You continue searching, and we'll keep guarding!"

The villagers turned their horses around and headed back.

Xiao She, holding his knife, sat below the cliff opposite the cave and looked up at Tong Sui. "Second Sister-in-Law, I told you that Second Brother and Third Brother are very capable. They've led many night raids on enemy camps with the army over the years. Dealing with a gang of three hundred bandits is nothing. If it were truly dangerous, Grandfather wouldn't have let so many village brothers come along to risk their lives."

Their old man was once a legitimate fifth-rank military officer, and his three sons had earned various military honors on the battlefield. Would they be afraid of a small place like Imprisoned Dragon Ridge?

Tong Sui had personally witnessed how Xiao Zhen motivated the villagers of Taohuagou to help manufacture guns and experienced the confrontation with the bandits that night. She knew that what Xiao She said was true.

She looked into the valley.

Knowing that the villagers had already won, this night's intense ordeal could finally end. Once Xiao Zhen returned with the villagers, everyone could head back to Lingshui Village and resume their peaceful farming lives.

---

As dawn approached, within the valley, the villagers of Lingshui Village had gathered all the bandits in an open area. Most of the adult bandits were dead, leaving only a dozen or so who had been caught hiding, along with twenty children under five and forty young women.

In Kong Da's house, there was a roster of bandits. Xiao Zhen combined the list of dead bandits from Lingshui Village with those captured here, and after interrogating a few survivors, confirmed that no one had escaped.

The women and children were temporarily locked in a room, while the surviving bandits were executed and placed with the other corpses.

With this, it seemed that the villagers of Lingshui Village could now withdraw successfully.

However, amidst everyone's expectant gazes, Xiao Zhen signaled for Xiao Ye and others to bring out the gold, silver, grain, and weapons they had found in various rooms, including the two hundred plus mules and horses and hundreds of large knives and other weapons.

Xiao Zhen asked the villagers, "Do you want to divide it?"

The honest villagers grinned, while the more astute ones said that all the credit belonged to the Xiao family and the Sun brothers, and they should decide the distribution.

Xiao Zhen looked at Sun Dian.

Sun Dian also wanted to divide it but, having dealt with several county magistrates, he said dejectedly, "Don't dream about it. If we take these things back, Magistrate Liu will surely send people to confiscate everything. If you try to hide anything, he'll even count your own hidden silver and grain as belonging to the bandits and seize them too."

The villagers, who had been dreaming of wealth, were speechless.

Someone suggested, "Why don't we leave the things in the mountains and hide them? We can come back whenever we need them."

Xiao Ye: "No, if we return safely, the government will know the bandits are gone and will send people to search for the money and grain."

The villagers: "...So, we'll have worked for nothing?"

Initially, the goal was just to protect their village; the night raid on Imprisoned Dragon Ridge was to eliminate the bandits and prevent revenge. Now, seeing so much wealth and weapons that they couldn't use and would have to hand over to the corrupt officials, who could be content?

Amidst the murmurs, Xiao Zhen finally spoke again, addressing the faces before him. "I have a plan that can protect this wealth and prevent the government from taking it."

Sun Dian: "Well, if you have a plan, just say it. Why do you have to be like your old man and keep us in suspense?"

Xiao Zhen smiled and pointed to the surrounding cliffs. "This is indeed a good place. If you stay hidden here and I take a few people down the mountain, claiming that our villagers were defeated last night and everyone except those who escaped died in the mountains, then the nearby villagers and the government won't know whether the people guarding Imprisoned Dragon Ridge are civilians or bandits."

The villagers' eyes lit up, and they all supported the idea!

Xiao Zhen: "Everyone, don't rush. This concerns the lives of our entire village. To ensure that the news doesn't leak, I will only take Xiao Yan, Xiao She, Sun Wei, and Second Madam down the mountain. The rest must stay here and follow the orders of my Xiao family. If everyone agrees, we'll proceed with this plan. If anyone disagrees, we'll go down the mountain immediately and hand everything over to the government."

Sun Dian's eyes widened. "Xiao Er, do you want to become the leader of the bandits?"

Xiao Zhen: "I will never be a bandit and will never harm the common people."

Sun Dian: "Are you asking us to spend our whole lives in these mountains because of some money we can't spend?"

Xiao Zhen: "I want to train you into a special force to protect Lingshui Village. With the reputation of Imprisoned Dragon Ridge, other bandits won't dare occupy this area. If the government continues to increase taxes and leaves us starving, we can disguise ourselves as bandits and raid official granaries. Or do you believe the government will stabilize and send officials to improve our lives?"

Everyone fell silent.

Xiao Ye: "Since my Second Brother dares to say this, he trusts all of you. If you're willing to follow us, as long as the Xiao family has food, we won't let you or your families starve. But if you're unwilling, we'll have to move away from Lingshui Village to find a safer place, to prevent someone from exposing our plans to the government."

"That's impossible! There's no one like that among us!"

"Without your Xiao family leading us, our village would have been massacred by Imprisoned Dragon Ridge. How could we still be standing here?"

"I'm in! I have no elderly parents or young children, and not much land. Wherever I live is fine! Staying in the mountains saves me from dealing with the government!"

"Yes, although I have parents, my brother can take care of them. Last night, they were prepared for me not coming back!"

Zhang Wengong lowered his gaze for a moment, then stood up. "Whatever Second Brother says, I trust him and the old man."

He was the only outsider from another village.

Seeing all the villagers looking at him, Zhang Wengong gave a bitter smile, stood next to Xiao Zhen, and addressed everyone. "Our village almost got massacred by refugees. I fear refugees, bandits, and most of all, the corrupt government. Some of you might still have hope in the government, but I don't. I believe the two false emperors in the south will continue fighting, and that there will be more rebellions in the north. When that happens, we can join the most promising uprising and live openly again!"

Xiao Zhen firmly gripped his shoulder. "The old man shares this view. Before then, we must not die at the hands of the government or bandits."

Sun Dian looked at his brother, Sun Wei, who nodded.

Sun Dian then stood next to Xiao Zhen and extended his hand. "Alright, count me in!"