Chapter 42: Fat Meat
The situation before their eyes was truly absurd.
They were all mountain bandits who killed like flies, for whom burning, killing, looting, torturing for confessions, and demanding money and grain were routine. Yet now they were being pointed at by a long saber wielded by a girl who was not yet of age, forced to reveal where the money and grain in the mountain stronghold were hidden.
The bandit singled out tried to hold out a moment longer before yielding: “I don’t know…”
Pfft!
The long saber pierced through his chest.
The stubborn bandit let out a miserable cry and collapsed to the ground.
Pei Qinghe looked to the next one: “Do you know?”
This bandit was directly scared senseless, a wet patch spreading beneath him.
Pei Qinghe had no patience to wait long, raising her saber for a swing, followed by another miserable cry.
Then, Pei Qinghe’s gaze swept over the faces of the remaining five bandits. The five bandits were terrified out of their wits, not daring to hesitate for even a moment, shouting at the tops of their voices: “I know! Don’t kill me!”
“Some money and grain are in the storeroom of the mountain stronghold, and some are hidden in the mountain forest. Don’t kill me! I know where! I’ll lead the way for the female boss!”
“Spare me, female boss! I also know the Black Bear Boss has a house in the county town, and there’s lots of silver inside. I’ll take the female boss there!”
The bandits’ faces were flushed red, their foreheads covered in cold sweat, shouting themselves hoarse, fearing they would be too slow and taste the sharpness of a blade through the heart the next moment.
After listening, Pei Qinghe called Mao Hongling and Pei Yun over. Mao Hongling led a team, having the bandits lead the way to search for money and grain in the mountain forest. Pei Yun led people to the county town to bring back the gold and silver from the stockade.
Pei Yan was itching to go: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, there’s still lots of money and grain in the Black Bear Stockade. Let me take people to flatten the Black Bear Stockade… Ow!”
Pei Qinghe unceremoniously knocked Pei Yan on the forehead: “Tonight they were overconfident and advanced recklessly, while we were prepared in advance and had the geographical advantage, leading to this great victory. If the mountain stronghold were so easy to take, how could the imperial court have sent troops multiple times only to return defeated!”
“Being brave is good, but you also need to use your brain.”
“What we want is money and grain; annihilating mountain bandit strongholds is the imperial court’s business, not ours to fight to the death.”
Pei Yan rubbed her forehead and muttered: “How could I think of all that. The brain work, isn’t that what you’ve got!”
She had always been so hot-blooded, impulsive, and reckless.
Pei Qinghe had no time to scold her, instructing Pei Jia, Pei Yi, and the others to clean up the battlefield.
The bandits’ weapons were all spoils of war, and the arrows shot out had to be retrieved. Then dig a deep pit and bury all several dozen corpses.
Pei Family Village was close to the mountain forest, with wasteland for miles around and no sign of people. Such a huge commotion hadn’t attracted any passersby.
After daybreak, the group fetched well water and repeatedly washed the ground. The bloodstains soaked into the earth with the water, and after being evaporated by the blazing sun, the bloody smell quietly dissipated.
Several injured Pei Clan female dependents lay in a thatched hut recovering from injuries. Doctor Bao guarded them without leaving his side.
Three bandits had their hands and feet bound, mouths stuffed with rags, and were locked in a thatched hut. Pei Yan gripped a long sword to guard them, occasionally swinging it, clearly very eager to emulate Cousin Sister Qinghe’s calm and indifferent poise in killing as easily as cutting melons.
The bandits were so terrified they didn’t even dare twitch an eyebrow, inwardly praying that the people in the stockade would soon notice something amiss and all come down the mountain to rescue them… As for whether the people in the stockade could defeat the female boss, they hadn’t considered that yet. There was even a dark, obscure thought in their minds.
Why should only they suffer this ordeal?
The ones left in the stockade should also come to Pei Family Village!
……
In the evening, Pei Yun returned first with her group. There were five flatbed carts in total, all covered with thick cloth. When the cloth was lifted, four carts were full of grain, and the other held sturdy wooden boxes.
“Qinghe, the wooden boxes are all filled with silver.” Pei Yun, reserved by nature, had shining eyes, her voice trembling uncontrollably: “I didn’t have time to count them carefully, so I brought them all back. With so much silver, we could buy grain; even if we don’t farm, we won’t go hungry.”
Indeed a big piece of fat meat.
With food in the belly, all is secure.
Pei Qinghe smiled silently: “Such a windfall can’t be exposed. We still need to reclaim land and farm.”
Pei Yun nodded repeatedly.
After this incident, she was completely convinced by Pei Qinghe. In the face of survival, things like benevolence and morality could be set aside for now!
Moreover, it was the mountain bandits who came to attack Pei Family Village; they were just defending themselves. What they gained now was merely spoils of war.
Pei Yun easily convinced herself, whispering excitedly: “With so much money and grain, we need to hide it well. These thatched huts are too obvious. How about digging a cellar with a concealed entrance? Not too many people should know; only reliable, trustworthy ones.”
The implication in her words was quite veiled.
Only Pei Family Members who were wholeheartedly committed to sharing joys and sorrows could be trusted. Those with disloyalty who wanted to leave could not. Like Xu Shi, who had faked death and fled far away that day.
To put it bluntly, the young Pei Family Daughters-in-law all needed watching.
Pei Yun was meticulous and steady-tempered, a talent worth cultivating.
Pei Qinghe gave Pei Yun a deep look: “Second Sister-in-law and the others went into the mountains; it’ll be at least another day or two before they return. You first take people to dig the cellar.”
Pei Yun nodded and accepted the order, leading seven or eight cousin sisters to dig the cellar. They worked through a day and a night, digging a small cellar six feet square. The grain could stay in the thatched huts; the small cellar was perfect for the silver.
The cellar entrance was right in Pei Qinghe’s house.
Mao Hongling, who had gone into the mountains to search for money and grain, returned on the morning of the third day.
Mao Hongling was covered head to toe in dew, her eyes bloodshot from staying up late, her spirit unusually exhilarated. It was inconvenient to drag carts in the mountain forest, so they each led horses laden with things on their backs.
“Qinghe, the Black Bear Stockade is indeed a big piece of fat meat.” Mao Hongling excitedly grabbed Pei Qinghe’s sleeve and whispered with a laugh: “Ten horses are loaded with grain. Another two horses carry gold and silver. And there’s one good thing I brought back for you.”
The good thing Mao Hongling mentioned was a fine bow and arrow.
Pei Qinghe was skilled at archery, her archery exquisite and peerless. Ordinary bows and arrows became lethal weapons in her hands. This set was a sturdy hardwood long bow of superior craftsmanship, with thirty arrows in the quiver, all with fine iron arrowheads, extremely sharp. No one knew which unlucky soul the bandits had looted it from.
Pei Qinghe happily took it: “Second Sister-in-law, you’ve gone to trouble.”
Mao Hongling said softly: “The livelihood of our two hundred-plus people rests on you. As your Second Sister-in-law, I’m ashamed; I can’t be of much use. I can only follow behind you, waving flags and cheering.”
She paused, then lowered her voice further: “We haven’t even settled down yet, and mountain bandits came to attack Pei Family Village. Though we won this battle and seized quite a few good things, we still need to guard against anyone having second thoughts and sneaking away to leak our secrets.”
This was the second person after Pei Yun to remind and warn her.
Pei Qinghe’s heart warmed slightly, and she said softly: “Second Sister-in-law, rest assured; I have it in hand.”
