“Since I’m telling you this, sir, I’m naturally confident.”
Qing Mulang winked smugly, “My brother has informants around Master Zhou, and of course, around Zhou Changlin too.”
“I need to be more careful in the future,” Jin Feng thought to himself.
Dakang may seem corrupt, but the government’s control is still strong.
Amei’s quick return meant she didn’t stay long in Jinchuan, yet the intelligence she brought back was so detailed, showing that Qing Xinyao, Qing Mulang’s brother, had woven a vast and intricate intelligence network in Xichuan.
Jin Feng didn’t believe Qing Xinyao was the only one doing this; other officials surely had their own channels.
“Sir, from your expression, are you planning to move against Master Zhou?” Qing Mulang asked tentatively, sizing up Jin Feng.
“Yes,” Jin Feng nodded, “but not Master Zhou, the Iron Can Mountain bandits.”
“Iron Can Mountain bandits?” Qing Mulang jumped up in shock. “Sir, do you know how many bandits are on Iron Can Mountain?”
She had assumed Jin Feng would send people to gather evidence of Master Zhou’s collusion with the bandits, then have her deliver it to her brother to use his influence to take down Master Zhou.
That would be the safest approach.
Who knew Jin Feng would choose to confront the Iron Can Mountain bandits head-on?
“Since I was born, Iron Can Mountain has been coming to Xihewan to collect tribute grain. Of course, I know how many they are,” Jin Feng said, sipping his tea calmly.
“Knowing that, you still plan to fight them?” Qing Mulang looked at Jin Feng as if he were mad.
“The Iron Can Mountain bandits are like a ticking… like a rock hanging over our heads. If Xihewan is to develop, a fight with them is inevitable, sooner or later,” Jin Feng said.
“That makes sense, but to be blunt, even Brother Qing Huai couldn’t handle the Iron Can Mountain bandits. What makes you think you can take them on, sir? Just with the thirty-odd old soldiers in the back hills?” Qing Mulang asked. “Or have you secretly trained more soldiers elsewhere?”
“Just the thirty-odd old soldiers in the back hills,” Jin Feng said calmly.
“I know your battle at Qingshui Valley was brilliant. Despite being at a complete disadvantage, you led a few thousand Iron Forest troops to defeat several times as many Dangxiang cavalry. There have been many battles in history where the few defeated the many, the weak overcame the strong, but I believe none compare to Qingshui Valley,” Qing Mulang said with admiration. “That’s why my brother agreed to let me come to Xihewan to learn from you.”
“Next, you’re going to say ‘but,’ aren’t you?” Jin Feng asked with a smile.
“Yes,” Qing Mulang said. “Sir, the bandits now hold the advantageous terrain on Iron Can Mountain. Your tactics from Qingshui Valley won’t work here. Iron Can Mountain’s terrain is like Qingshui Mountain, easy to defend, hard to attack, with only one path up. With just thirty men, you can’t charge up there.”
“Why would I charge up?” Jin Feng countered. “If I make it so they can’t come down and starve them out, won’t that work?”
“Starve them out?” Qing Mulang’s eyes widened, and she slapped her thigh. “Right, why didn’t I think of that?”
“Mulang, remember this: in war, it’s life or death. You must use every condition available, turn disadvantages into advantages, and maximize your chances of victory, got it?”
“Thank you for your guidance, sir!” Qing Mulang stood and bowed to Jin Feng, not doubting whether thirty-odd soldiers could trap Iron Can Mountain.
She had studied the Qingshui Valley battle deeply. If Jin Feng built a few catapults or rapid-fire heavy crossbows to block the only path up Iron Can Mountain, no number of bandits could break through.
“Sir, your plan is good, but Iron Can Mountain collects tribute grain every year. They must have a large stockpile of food, so it would take too long,” Qing Mulang said. “Besides, Master Zhou won’t just sit by and watch you besiege Iron Can Mountain. He’ll surely interfere, creating too many variables.”
“Sieging Iron Can Mountain was just a casual remark. I don’t plan to use that method,” Jin Feng said with a smile.
“Then what do you plan to do, sir?” Qing Mulang asked excitedly, grabbing Jin Feng’s arm.
In her view, with only thirty-odd soldiers against hundreds of bandits, Jin Feng had almost no chance of winning.
Yet, not only did he have a way to win, he had more than one.
This made Qing Mulang feel the gap between herself and Jin Feng was vast.
“You’ll find out later,” Jin Feng said, dodging her question with a smile and changing the subject. “Mulang, have you ever killed anyone?”
“No…” Qing Mulang shook her head, puzzled by the sudden question.
“Have any of the female soldiers under you killed?” Jin Feng asked.
“We grew up in a big compound. Where would we go to kill anyone?” Qing Mulang shook her head awkwardly, then turned to Amei standing nearby. “Amei, you’ve killed, right?”
She had guessed why Jin Feng asked.
Talking big about fighting enemies but never having killed anyone made her feel embarrassed.
Amei, trained as a death warrior by her father to protect her, might have killed.
“Thirteen,” Amei nodded calmly.
Qing Mulang lifted her head proudly; Amei had salvaged some of her dignity.
“On the battlefield, you’re a team. Relying on Amei alone won’t do,” Jin Feng said. “Many people train well but freeze when they see blood on the battlefield. Such people not only fail to help their comrades but drag everyone down. So, before going to battle, it’s best if you all see some blood and get used to it.”
Jin Feng thought for a moment and said, “Here’s the plan: this time, when we fight the bandits, you and your team will go too, to get some experience. If anyone is truly afraid of blood, let them step back.”
“Sir, when?” Qing Mulang’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, her hands trembling with excitement.
Leading troops into battle was her greatest wish. If she couldn’t go to war yet, killing some bandits would be a good start.
The Iron Can Mountain bandits had set up a checkpoint at Copper Mountain targeting Xihewan’s convoys. When Qing Mulang arrived, the bandits saw her armored cavalry and knew she was someone important, hiding in the grass without showing their faces.
Otherwise, a fight might have broken out then.
“Don’t rush. Let the arrows fly a bit first,” Jin Feng said with a smile. “Go prepare, and I’ll notify you when the time comes.”
“Alright, I’ll wait for your word, sir,” Qing Mulang said, running out excitedly.
But she waited five or six days, growing anxious and not daring to press Jin Feng, so she held back.
As anxious as Qing Mulang were the Iron Can Mountain bandits.
They thought robbing Xihewan’s convoy would prompt Jin Feng to send someone to negotiate quickly, but after waiting and waiting, no one came. Losing patience, the bandits decided to send people directly to Xihewan.
