Chapter 79: Provocation
Three li west of Pei Family Village, under a crooked-neck tree, a hemp rope was hanging.
Under the tree north of the village, Old Fan’s corpse swayed gently in the wind.
The mountain bandits hidden in the dark sneaked back to Wolf Fang Stockade with pounding hearts, trembling as they reported to the boss: “…Old Fan was discovered and killed, hung under the tree north of Pei Family Village. It’s the same spot where Black Bear was hanged that day.”
“Our agreed spot, and the hemp rope is hanging down. Boss, this is clearly the women of Pei Family Village provoking us, trying to enrage us and lure us over. We can’t fall for this trick!”
A man with a ferocious knife scar on his forehead and a face full of ferocity snorted coldly: “What? This little show of force scared you witless?”
“Being mountain bandits means living with your head on the line. With such a fat meat right at our mouths, how can we not eat it?”
The other mountain bandits chimed in: “Boss is right! Let’s go rob them!”
“Grab all the women into the mountains. Pei Family Village has so much grain—take it all.”
“Whatever benefits they got from Black Bear Stockade are all ours.”
The mountain bandits actually knew Pei Family Village was a tough nut, not to be trifled with. They had held back for over half a year. Seeing Pei Family Village grow in scale with large numbers of refugees seeking refuge, they finally could not restrain themselves.
Old Fan was the scout. Once Old Fan figured out the situation in Pei Family Village, they would secretly turn some refugees and strike from inside and out.
Who would have thought that useless Old Fan would be discovered so quickly, hanged north of the village as bait.
Scarred Wolf licked his lips, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes: “Go spread my order, summon everyone in the stockade here.”
……
“Will the people from Wolf Fang Stockade really come?”
Under the moonlight, Pei Qinghe patrolled inside and outside the village, with Pei Yan following closely behind, muttering softly: “It’s obviously bait—they’re not stupid, why would they come?”
Pei Qinghe smiled mockingly: “Scarred Wolf is a famous mountain bandit in the Yan Mountains. If he swallows this provocation and humiliation, how can he mix on the roads afterward? How can he deter his men?”
“Not only will he come, he’ll bring plenty of personnel and weapons, aiming to breach Pei Family Village in the shortest time. Grab the grain and people, then hide in the mountain stronghold before the Beiping Army gets the news and comes to rescue.”
Pei Yan gripped the sword hilt tightly and snorted coldly: “If they dare come, make sure they don’t go back.”
Pei Qinghe glanced over with a smile: “You’re not afraid?”
Pei Yan straightened her chest: “We’ve trained hard every day, our combat power far surpasses before. With Cousin Sister Qinghe here, we’re not afraid of anyone.”
Pei Qinghe smiled silently.
Five lookout points were set up outside the village, with five Pei Clan women hiding separately in trees eight or nine meters high. Using the branches and leaves to conceal themselves, they closely watched the surroundings. At any sign of movement, they would immediately blow the bamboo whistle to warn.
After the third watch, someone came to replace them.
The village was on even stricter alert, with people patrolling all night.
The Pei Clan women slept in their clothes, with weapons under their pillows.
The refugees were also given wooden sticks and such for self-defense.
From the day the inside man was hanged, it had been nearly half a month. Calculating the time—from someone discovering Old Fan hanged and reporting back to Wolf Fang Stockade, to the mountain bandits from Wolf Fang Stockade attacking Pei Family Village—it was about right. When they would attack depended on Scarred Wolf’s patience.
During the day, Pei Family Village went on as usual: land reclamation, farming, martial training, the sound of reading aloud, and the mud-and-wattlers building the new village hammering away. After nightfall, the whole village was silent.
Scarred Wolf, who had waited a whole day in the mountain forest, led the fierce bandits out of the mountain forest at the third watch, advancing quickly toward Pei Family Village.
Scarred Wolf had been a mountain bandit for over a decade, with rich experience in killing and robbing magnates, and far more cautious than Black Bear. He spoke contemptuously, but actually harbored great wariness toward Pei Family Village. This time he brought two hundred mountain bandits, all the usable weapons from the stockade. Before descending the mountain, he had made a detailed plan.
Set fires first, then charge. They had over ten bows and arrows and such sharp weapons in the stockade, all brought along.
They hadn’t even gotten close to Pei Family Village when the sharp bamboo whistle sounded.
The knife scar on Scarred Wolf’s forehead twitched, and he shouted: “Loose arrows!”
Over ten men behind him drew their bows one after another, firing wildly toward the direction of the bamboo whistle. The other mountain bandits raised their blades and charged forward.
Swoosh!
An arrow came from who-knows-where and hit the fastest-running mountain bandit. The arrow’s force was tremendous, piercing straight through the bandit’s throat. The bandit didn’t even have time to cry out before falling straight down.
Immediately after, dozens of arrows came like heavy rain.
Scarred Wolf’s expression turned grave. This unassuming Pei Family Village actually had so many bows and arrows! A group of women, and so many could shoot arrows!
More critically, the enemy had the geographical advantage from higher ground, with precise archery, completely suppressing their side’s bows and arrows.
At a time like this, they absolutely could not turn and flee in disorder— they had to keep charging forward.
Scarred Wolf suppressed his inner shock and shouted: “Charge through!”
There weren’t many archers in the mountain forest. After enduring three or four volleys of arrows and leaving behind over twenty corpses, the mountain bandits rushed into the village.
Pei Yun, who had just loosed four arrows, didn’t move and continued hiding among the trees. That first arrow had come from her hand.
The mountain bandits thought surviving the arrow rain meant they were safe—they were gravely mistaken. The real divine archers were hiding in the village!
“Women are naturally a bit weaker in stamina than men; on the battlefield, make full use of the bow and arrow’s advantage for long-range kills.” This was what Pei Qinghe often said to everyone. The women of Pei Family Village spent a lot of time practicing archery every day, and everyone’s skills improved astonishingly.
Now Pei Yun could hit unerringly from a hundred paces away, her archery second only to Pei Qinghe. That was why Pei Qinghe had specially assigned her to guard the night.
Swoosh!
An arrow shot from the village killed the lead mountain bandit with astonishing and terrifying power and accuracy.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh! The sounds of arrows continued without end; arrows flying out in the darkness were like a storm. Ruthlessly harvesting the mountain bandits’ lives.
The mountain bandits fell amid screams. Some missed vital spots and could still run, but scared witless, they closed their eyes and played dead on the ground.
Scarred Wolf’s expression completely changed.
He had underestimated them!
Why did this group of women in Pei Family Village have so many killing weapons! Did the Imperial Court not care?
Turning to run would mean dying faster; he could only grit his teeth and keep charging.
Scarred Wolf gritted his teeth, gripping his long saber and shouting from the rear: “Their arrows are running out! Everyone, don’t be afraid—keep charging!”
So many already shot dead—charge what?!
People’s psychological defenses often collapse in a fatal instant.
A delicate and pretty girl with an ice-cold face and piercing killing intent suddenly appeared, waving her long saber like a god of slaughter, harvesting lives. Familiar figures fell one by one, heads flying.
“It’s the female Rakshasa! Run!”
One mountain bandit suddenly screamed, threw down his weapon, and turned to flee.
The terrified mountain bandits all shouted and fled in panic.
