“Of course we have to save them!”
Guan Xiaorou answered instinctively, “You know how much the boss values Tieguan Mountain, and Zuo Feifei went down the mountain to help the village block the bandits. We cannot just watch Zuo Feifei and the others face danger and pretend we know nothing, can we?”
“But Yangjuan Ridge is quite far from the village. If we rashly take people there, it is too dangerous! We might fail to save them and end up getting ourselves trapped instead!”
Tang Dongdong immediately voiced her opposition.
“I know, I know!”
Guan Xiaorou, who had forced herself to stay calm these past two days, finally could not hold it together any longer. She paced back and forth anxiously, “The boss once said that as long as you are willing to think, there are always more solutions than difficulties! I can definitely find a way! I can definitely find a way!”
Yet at this moment, most of the usable weapons in West River Bay were already in use, and there were not enough people available. What could she possibly do?
Although there were quite a few male and female workers, none of them had received proper training. Even defending the village with its fortifications had already caused heavy casualties. Sending them out to rescue Zuo Feifei would simply be sending them to their deaths.
And those deaths would be completely meaningless.
The escort guards should be able to break through the bandit encirclement, but the remaining guards in the village were barely enough to protect it. If they were sent out, what would happen to the village?
Tieguan Mountain was important, but the workshops inside the village were even more important!
Guan Xiaorou even thought of the hot air balloon, but the escort guard in charge of it said the fog was too thick. Even if the balloon went up, they would not be able to see the enemy clearly. Sending it out would be pointless.
Jin Feng had instructed that the hot air balloon was West River Bay’s life-saving trump card. It must not be exposed unless absolutely necessary.
After thinking it over again and again, Guan Xiaorou finally decided not to use the hot air balloon for now.
“What should I do? What should I do!”
Guan Xiaorou’s mind was in chaos. She was so anxious that her lips were almost bleeding, yet she still could not come up with a good plan.
“The boss once said that many hands make light work. If one person cannot think of a solution, then get several people to think together!”
With this thought, Guan Xiaorou said, “Xiaoyu, send someone to check if the three village heads and Captain Fan have time. If they do, ask them to come for a meeting. Let everyone think of a way together!”
Xiaoyu was about to reply when another female escort guard came running over.
“Madam, team leader, a letter from the master has arrived!”
The female escort guard held up a small bamboo tube and shouted while running.
“Quick, bring it here for me to see!”
Guan Xiaorou stepped forward excitedly and took the bamboo tube.
Jin Feng did not have many carrier pigeons with him and was reluctant to use them lightly. Guan Xiaorou had not received any message from him for quite some time.
Although she did not yet know what was written inside the tube, just knowing that Jin Feng had sent a letter made Guan Xiaorou feel much calmer inside.
She quickly opened the small bamboo tube and pulled out a slip of paper covered in tiny, densely packed writing.
Only then did Guan Xiaorou remember that she could not read. Ignoring her embarrassment, she handed the slip to Tang Dongdong, “Quick, see what the boss said!”
Tang Dongdong took the slip and scanned it rapidly.
The icy worry on her face melted away like snow under sunlight, turning into surprise, shock, and a sudden moment of realisation.
When Guan Xiaorou saw Tang Dongdong’s expression, she became even more anxious. She grabbed Tang Dongdong’s sleeve and asked, “Where is the boss now?”
“Brother Feng says he and Little Bei have already reached Suizhou. They will be back very soon, and he already knows what is happening on our side.”
“What did the boss say?”
“Brother Feng says to have Brother Tie send back three hundred warhorses, then withdraw all the escort guards from Guangyuan County city and the surrounding counties. Form them into a cavalry unit and use the fastest speed to suppress the bandits. This will deter the surrounding areas and prevent more people from pretending to be bandits and taking advantage of the chaos to plunder!”
Tang Dongdong spoke quickly, “Brother Feng also said to tell Xiaoyu to mobilise the common people as soon as possible and launch a propaganda campaign. Inform the people that pretending to be bandits to rob and plunder in Jinchuan is a capital crime. Even if the government does not pursue it, the Zhen Yuan Escort Bureau will never show mercy!”
“Why did I not think of this method a few days ago?”
After hearing Tang Dongdong’s words, Guan Xiaorou slapped her own forehead several times in frustration.
Although carrier pigeons were fast, a round trip still took several days.
The information Jin Feng received in Suizhou was from several days earlier.
He had not expected the bandit problem to spread so quickly, and he had also underestimated Master Chen’s tactics.
If this plan had been used right when the bandit trouble first broke out, it would definitely have worked very well. But in these past few days, the village’s escort guards had already been drawn away by Master Chen’s schemes. Tieguan Mountain, Heishui Gully, Shuangtuo Peak, and other places had been separated by Master Chen. They could only fight on their own.
In fact, Guan Xiaorou had already sent messages to Liu Tie and Zhong Ling’er. Her actions matched Jin Feng’s plan without prior agreement, but she had reacted too slowly. The warhorses and escort guards had not yet arrived.
Guan Xiaorou knew clearly that Jin Feng’s method was very effective, yet she had the will but not the strength.
“Xiaorou, do not blame yourself. You have already done very well.”
Tang Dongdong comforted her and smoothly changed the subject, “I have not finished yet. Brother Feng also instructed other things.”
“Tell me quickly!” Guan Xiaorou’s attention was indeed diverted.
“Brother Feng said to tell Xiaoyu to inform the common people that West River Bay purchased grain from Jiangnan to prepare for disaster relief. But the powerful families in Xichuan wanted to sell grain at high prices to profit from the disaster, so they found excuses to seal our granaries.”
At this point, Tang Dongdong turned to look at Xiaoyu, “Brother Feng specially instructed that we must assure the people in advance. Once the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce’s granaries are unsealed, all the grain will be sold at last year’s prices at this time. There will be absolutely no price increase. Even for those who have no money, they can help us with work in exchange for grain!”
“I understand!” Xiaoyu nodded and noted it down, then frowned and said, “But if we do this, the master will completely offend those powerful families!”
“From the moment the boss started gathering grain, he knew he would offend many people.”
Guan Xiaorou recalled what Jin Feng had once told her. She shook her head and said, “Do not worry about those things. Just carry out the boss’s instructions!”
“Yes!”
Xiaoyu left together with Xiaotian and the female escort guard who delivered the letter.
The propaganda campaign involved many aspects. Xiaoyu had to arrange it personally.
Guan Xiaorou put away the slip of paper and was about to go back to wait for the village heads and Captain Fan. Suddenly, dense gong sounds came from outside.
“What is happening? Are the bandits attacking again?”
Guan Xiaorou’s expression changed at once.
“Sister-in-law, Brother Tie has returned with people, and he brought back a lot of warhorses!”
A villager rushed in, “The bandits at the village entrance have all been scattered by Brother Tie and his men!”
“Brother Tie has finally come back!”
Guan Xiaorou lifted her skirt and rushed out of the courtyard.
Ajú quickly followed with several female escort guards.
At the village entrance, Liu Tie led dozens of cavalrymen. They formed an arrowhead formation and charged back and forth through the bandit crowd!
Knowing the village was in a critical situation, all the men Liu Tie brought back were from the earliest batch of veteran escort guards. Not only had they taken part in multiple bandit suppressions, they had also fought in the Xichuan campaign. They were all battle-hardened veterans, truly the elite of the elite under Jin Feng’s command.
They were not only skilled with bows and horses, but also ruthless and merciless when they struck!
Although they did not wear black armour, every one of them carried a sharp black blade.
