Chapter 89: Iron-blooded
“The six groups of mountain bandits in the Yan Mountains, Black Bear Stockade and Wolf Fang Stockade have already been wiped out, leaving four groups of mountain bandits: White Tiger Stockade, Clear Wind Stockade, Fierce Dragon Stockade, and Eagle Stockade.”
“White Tiger Stockade has the most people, about five or six hundred. The location of the mountain stronghold is also the most dangerous, backed by cliffs, with a waterfall on the left side, easy to defend and hard to attack.”
“The Great Chieftain of White Tiger Stockade, whose real name is Luo Hu, was originally a small leader in the border army. Five years ago, during the war, he fled in disorder, leading a group of deserters into the mountains and establishing White Tiger Stockade.”
“This Luo Hu has read military books and knows some military strategy. He’s no good at fighting wars, but he has capability as a mountain bandit. In a few years, he gathered quite a lot of personnel, robbing magnates and merchants. Now, they’ve even robbed the Shi Family.”
Pei Qinghe paused, her gaze sweeping over the eager Pei Yan, the calm Pei Yun, and finally landing on Mao Hongling’s face with slightly furrowed brows: “Second Sister-in-law, do you have anything to say?”
Mao Hongling steadied her mind: “Qinghe, why are you so familiar with White Tiger Stockade?”
As if she knew it like the back of her hand.
How could she not be familiar? In her previous life, she wiped out all the mountain bandits in the Yan Mountains, and White Tiger Stockade held out until the end.
Pei Qinghe said: “Among the recent batch of refugees we recruited, there was one who escaped from White Tiger Stockade. He told me about the terrain and personnel of White Tiger Stockade.”
Mao Hongling felt much more reassured: “Then when we enter the mountains to attack White Tiger Stockade, let this person lead the way.”
“I’ve already driven this person away.” Pei Qinghe said lightly: “However, I’ve drawn a simple terrain map. Everyone, come take a look.”
The crowd gathered around.
Pei Qinghe took out a scroll of paper and opened it, revealing the Yan Mountain Range with a few simple strokes, vividly on the paper.
Pei Qinghe pointed to a black dot: “This is White Tiger Stockade. We enter the mountains from outside the village and can reach it after about five days of mountain roads.”
“I’ll lead two hundred people into the mountains to take the stronghold. Pei Yun, you lead the rest and stay in the village.”
Over the past year or so, more than a thousand refugees had been gathered successively; some were loyal, others still harbored watchful thoughts and needed to be guarded against.
Pei Family Village was the main base and could not be lost; it needed reliable personnel to stay behind. Pei Yun was the most suitable choice.
Pei Yun did not show humility or decline., nodding and accepting the order.
Pei Qinghe gave low instructions to make the arrangements.
That evening, two hundred Pei Clan women, carrying bows and arrows, holding long sabers, and bringing half a month’s dry rations, entered the mountains.
This was Pei Qinghe’s first time leading people on an active expedition.
White Tiger Stockade had over five hundred people and occupied the geographical advantage, easy to defend and hard to attack. Could Pei Qinghe successfully take White Tiger Stockade with only two hundred people?
With so many people entering the mountains, how many would be buried deep in the mountains, and how many could return safely?
Pei Yun suppressed her inner worries and said softly: “Qinghe, just go take the stronghold with peace of mind. I will definitely guard Pei Family Village well.”
Pei Qinghe smiled: “Don’t worry, at most half a month, and I’ll be back.”
Madam Feng held back her tears and waved vigorously to bid farewell to her daughter.
Only after Pei Qinghe’s figure disappeared into the distance did tears roll down Madam Feng’s eyes.
Pei Yun comforted her softly: “Aunt, don’t cry. Cousin Sister Qinghe is confident and must have full assurance.”
Madam Lu, who did not get along with her daughter-in-law, also awkwardly spoke up: “Good people don’t live long, but harms last a thousand years. This Qinghe girl is
No one said anything like they shouldn’t enter the mountains to suppress the White Tiger Stockade. Taking someone’s personnel makes one feel short-handed, eating someone’s food makes one feel soft-mouthed. Young Master Shi had placed a heavy bet in Pei Family Village; now, it was time for the Pei Family to put in effort—they absolutely could not retreat.
Madam Feng wiped her tears with her sleeve and held Little Doggy, who had just turned two. Mao Hongling trained every day, and Little Doggy was always with Madam Feng. Today Mao Hongling went into the mountains with Pei Qinghe, and Little Doggy did not cry or fuss, being very well-behaved.
Little Yu’er, who was three, tugged at the other side of Madam Feng’s sleeve and asked in a tender voice: “Where did Aunt go?”
Madam Feng sniffed, pulled Little Yu’er back to the house: “Your Aunt Qinghe went to fight bad people and will be back in a few days.”
Little Yu’er laughed innocently: “When I grow up, I’ll go kill bad people with Aunt too.”
Little Doggy followed along, shouting indistinctly: “Me too.”
Madam Feng’s nose soured, but she smiled on her face: “That’s for the future. You’re still little now. Go eat and sleep.”
Madam Lu also silently returned to the house and sewed shoe soles under the oil lamp.
Madam Fang slept a while, and upon opening her eyes, saw Madam Lu still sewing shoe soles. Zhang Kou advised: “Don’t fuss anymore, go to sleep quickly! Daylight has plenty of light, sewing shoe soles at night hurts the eyes. Don’t go blind early and truly become burdensome.”
Madam Lu didn’t lift her head: “On that day, I’ll hang myself and not burden you all.”
Madam Fang couldn’t persuade Madam Lu and could only close her eyes to continue sleeping.
Madam Lu rubbed her reddened eyes with her hand and cursed softly in hatred: “Acting like a hero all day, you’ll regret it someday.”
……
Once Pei Qinghe left, sure enough, someone among the refugees became restless. That night, someone sneaked into the women’s house.
This woman was called Jiao Niang, from Wolf Fang Stockade, with a good figure and pretty looks. Before being taken up the mountain, Jiao Niang was a courtesan from a brothel in Yan Prefecture. Later she followed the Scarred Wolf.
After Wolf Fang Stockade was destroyed, Jiao Niang entered Pei Family Village with the other women. She couldn’t do heavy labor, knew nothing of cooking or embroidery, but could play the qin, dance, and was literate. Pei Qinghe had her teach literacy to the refugees.
The ten or so refugees who had already married into families were mostly put to good use, and at worst became small leaders. With wives, children, warm kang beds, and being trusted and valued, the refugees were all envious, and several were secretly eyeing Jiao Niang.
However, marrying into a family was not easy; it required the woman’s agreement, and she had to take the initiative to ask Pei Qinghe.
Tonight, the one who sneaked into Jiao Niang’s house had dirty thoughts of cooking rice from raw.
Jiao Niang was pinned down and struggled in anger.
That refugee panted roughly while laughing lewdly: “What are you pretending for? You’ve slept with how many men. I don’t mind you, I’ll marry you as my wife…”
Ah~
A miserable scream.
People in nearby houses were startled awake and rushed over.
The refugee rolled under the wooden bed, not knowing where he was injured, crying out miserably without end.
Jiao Niang’s long hair was disheveled and her clothes disarrayed, the dagger in her hand spotted with blood. She cursed through gritted teeth: “On my third day here, Sixth Sister gave me this dagger.”
“Sixth Sister said, whoever dares bully me, I’ll castrate him with this dagger. Sixth Sister will stand up for me.”
Looking at the refugee wailing endlessly and bleeding nonstop from below, everyone felt a chill between their legs.
Pei Yun came over with a cold face and coldly instructed: “Pei Jia, Pei Yi, Feng Chang, hang this man from the tree north of the village. No water for three days. If he survives, consider it his good fortune.”
The refugee’s cries and pleas for mercy continued day and night, lingering in the ears of the other refugees. Until the third night, when there was completely no sound.
After that, Pei Yun caught two who stole grain and directly chopped off their hands and feet, hanging them from the tree.
The group of refugees was thoroughly intimidated by Pei Yun’s iron-blooded methods, and the restlessness caused by Pei Qinghe’s departure quickly settled down.
