Chapter 46: Bandit Suppression
The wood was placed in the open ground to dry in the sun, to be kept for making beams when building the house later.
There were four live wild rabbits, put into cages to raise. The roe deer meat was roasted until it sizzled with oil, fragrant aroma overflowing. Everyone ate the roast meat by the bonfire, eyes shining with longing and expectation for future life.
“Cousin Sister Qinghe, that Meng Liulang leading people into the mountains for bandit suppression, can he really succeed?” Pei Yan habitually stuck close to Pei Qinghe, muttering nonstop: “No matter how I look at him, he doesn’t seem very reliable.”
Pei Qinghe stretched lazily in comfort: “Most of the mountain bandits have been killed, only about ten people left in Black Bear Stockade. Over a hundred elite Beiping Army soldiers entered the mountains, with someone guiding the way, they surely won’t fail to take even a mountain bandit stockade. No need to worry about this.”
“Even if worst comes to worst, if they have any mishap, General Meng will surely be furious and send troops for bandit suppression. In any case, Black Bear Stockade must be destroyed.”
Pei Yan nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, face full of admiration: “Cousin Sister Qinghe, how do you know everything.”
Pei Qinghe smiled leisurely, accepting her cousin sister’s praise without the slightest guilt: “Think more, and naturally you’ll figure it out. In the future, don’t be too reckless, use your brain more when something happens.”
Pei Yan grinned, responding boldly: “You kill, I draw a knife; you shoot an arrow, I pull a bow. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. Thinking things over is enough with you.”
Pei Qinghe was both annoyed and amused, giving Pei Yan a glance: “Now with only over two hundred people, you follow me all day. When we have more people later, there will be times when you have to take charge of a sector. You can’t follow me all day!”
“I’m just following you!” Pei Yan argued righteously: “I don’t want to take charge of a sector, no matter when, I’ll follow you.”
A scene flashed in Pei Qinghe’s mind of Pei Yan dying while blocking an arrow for her, her nose suddenly souring. She turned her head aside, and after a moment, turned back: “It’s late, everyone go rest…”
“Quick, look over there!” A cry of surprise suddenly rang out.
Everyone was startled.
Pei Qinghe abruptly stood up, gazing intently into the distance.
A faint red glow emerged from the mountain forest. Soon, the red glow became more obvious, accompanied by thick black smoke.
“Black Bear Stockade has been burned!”
Pei Qinghe’s brows relaxed, a smile flashing in her eyes: “Looks like Meng Liulang’s bandit suppression went very smoothly.”
The Pei Clan female dependents all smiled happily.
They and Black Bear Stockade were already in a situation of no life or death reconciliation. Naturally, it was best if everyone in Black Bear Stockade died off. Now that Black Bear Stockade’s old nest had been burned clean, it was even better.
Wu Xiuniang felt a bit regretful: “There must be plenty of good things in Black Bear Stockade, burned up in one fire like this, too much of a pity.”
Pei Qinghe raised her brow with a smile: “The soldiers go into the mountains for bandit suppression, they have to get some benefit. We’ve gotten so much money and grain, that’s enough. Don’t be too greedy.”
That was true.
Wu Xiuniang thought of the grain filling three thatched huts and the gold and silver in one cellar, couldn’t help grinning.
Thick smoke obscured the bright moon, flames soared to the sky.
That night, who knows how many people tossed and turned sleeplessly because of this big fire.
Secretary Li was on edge, worried: “County Magistrate, a big fire has started in the mountain forest, burning all night. Shouldn’t we send someone to check?”
County Magistrate Wang drank wine all day, only slightly sober in the early morning. His small eyes narrowed, he said unhurriedly: “Hasn’t the fire died down gradually? As long as it doesn’t burn to the county town, what’s there to be anxious about.”
Secretary Li was at a loss for words, coughed, and reminded in a low voice: “That’s the direction of Black Bear Stockade. Every year, Black Bear Stockade secretly sends silver and wine.”
“So what?” When County Magistrate Wang put on a stern face, he had quite some official authority: “Does this county magistrate have to back a mountain bandit stockade?”
Secretary Li quickly smiled obsequiously: “This lowly one misspoke, please don’t be angry, sir.”
A young woman with a seductive face carried food and drink, swaying gracefully over.
County Magistrate Wang tossed back a cup of fine wine poured by the beauty, in a good mood, casually said: “Wait in the county office! Such a big fire, surely someone will come to the county office to give this county magistrate an explanation.”
Sure enough, after waiting half a day, in the afternoon, two fast horses rushed to outside the county office.
The two rough soldiers who came to the county office both had bloodstains on them, their arrogant looks when glancing at people no different from their own sixth young master: “We are from the Beiping Army.”
“General Meng sent us to Pei Family Village to deliver grain, and we happened to encounter a group of mountain bandits, so sixth young master conveniently suppressed Black Bear Stockade.”
County Magistrate Wang, who was drunk and hazy all day, struggled to open his eyes wide, praised the peerlessly heroic Meng sixth young master to the skies, and immediately wrote a memorial to report to the Imperial Court, requesting merit for the Beiping Army.
Under County Magistrate Wang’s clever pen, all the mountain bandits of Black Bear Stockade fell under the blades of the Beiping Army heroes.
As for the villagers of Pei Family Village, they were all delicate, helpless, pitiful women! The mountain bandits actually dared to have ideas about them, they really deserved to die!
……
“The stockade has been burned clean by a fire.”
“The guiding mountain bandit has already been killed by me.”
“The gold and silver was divided by the soldiers, the grain brought down the mountain, all given to you.” Meng Liulang, who hadn’t slept for two days and nights, had red eyes, clothes stained with quite a bit of blood, but his posture was still upright, face still handsome and shining: “I’ve sent someone to the county office to deliver the message.”
“The following matters, I’ll take responsibility, you don’t need to worry.”
The young man stood tall, unconsciously imitating his father’s usual majestic, unquestionable domineering air.
Just like a leopard not yet grown up, straining to show its sharp claws and fangs.
Pei Qinghe laughed inwardly, showing a grateful, tearful expression on her face: “Many thanks to Young General Meng. Fortunately you came in time, otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to handle the aftermath.”
Meng Ling completely forgot the shock from two days ago seeing corpses hanging everywhere under the trees, said proudly: “Trivial matter, done casually, no need for thanks.”
Pei Qinghe’s gaze swept over the distant crying women and children: “These people, what does Young General Meng plan to do with them?”
Meng Ling was also having a headache over these “captives”!
The Beiping Army never left live ones on the battlefield. These women were all pitiful people captured into the stockade by mountain bandits, among the children those who resisted fiercely were killed, now only a few-year-old young children remained. Kill them, it would harm one’s virtue. Not kill, take them back to the barracks?
Fortunately, Sixth Sister Pei was very understanding and proactively helped Young General Meng: “Pei Family Village is short on personnel for farming labor, why not leave them all in Pei Family Village.”
Meng Ling’s brows relaxed: “You’d better think it through. They all came from the mountain bandit stockade, maybe their husbands and sons died by your hand. If they harbor resentment against you, it will be a big hidden danger later.”
Pei Qinghe smiled: “Young General Meng, rest assured, if they behave, I’ll give them a way to survive. If they harbor resentment in their hearts, I’ll send them underground to reunite with the mountain bandits.”
Meng Ling: “……”
