As Dazhuang gave the order, the veteran soldiers and female soldiers sprang into action.
Second emergency march readiness meant each person was equipped with two horses: one for riding, one for carrying supplies.
Soon, the two platoons of veteran soldiers and the two squads of female soldiers were fully prepared and mounted their horses.
After all, people had to be left to guard the home. Mobilising this many was already the limit Zhang Liang could bear.
Just as Zhang Liang was about to order departure, Guan Xiaorou and Tang Xiaobei ran over hand in hand.
He had returned this time but had not even had time to go home and see them. Jin Feng said to Zhang Liang, “Brother Liang, you go ahead. I will catch up later.”
“Alright.”
Zhang Liang agreed and led the team away.
“My husband, you just came back, and now you have to leave again?”
Tang Xiaobei asked breathlessly, “Can’t you not go?”
Guan Xiaorou said nothing but looked at Jin Feng with pleading eyes.
They had heard earlier a report that Jin Feng had returned. They went to the village entrance but did not find him, then met Zhao Laoshan.
Hearing that Jin Feng had gone to the medical room, they went there and saw Axia. They also learned that Qing Munlan was surrounded by bandits.
Upon hearing that the bandits surrounding Qing Munlan numbered over four thousand, both were terrified and ran to the back mountain at once.
They finally arrived at the back mountain camp just before Jin Feng set off.
People are selfish. Although the two usually had a good relationship with Qing Munlan, at this moment, they did not want Jin Feng to risk himself to save her.
“No, Munlan is in trouble. I must go rescue her.”
Jin Feng said helplessly.
Whether because of Qing Munlan’s status or the friendship with Qing Huai, he had to do his utmost to rescue her.
“I know we must save Sister Munlan, but my husband, can you not go?”
Tang Xiaobei clung tightly to Jin Feng’s arm.
“Xiaobei, let go. The master is determined to go.”
Guan Xiaorou understood Jin Feng better. Seeing his expression, she knew he could not be persuaded and gently pulled Tang Xiaobei away.
“Master, you are a man. What you want to do, I as a woman cannot control. But I beg the master to think more of me and Xiaobei. If something happens to you, our family’s sky will collapse.”
“You can rest assured. I am wearing golden silk soft armour. Nothing will happen.
Alright, Brother Liang and the others have gone far. If I do not leave now, I will not catch up.”
Jin Feng reached out and rubbed Tang Xiaobei’s head, smiled at Guan Xiaorou, mounted his horse, and galloped out of the back mountain camp with his personal guard.
All along the way, Jin Feng and the others travelled very quickly. By evening, the dozens of men arrived at Guangyuan Prefecture City.
Dazhuang led the veteran and female soldiers to wait outside the city. Jin Feng and Zhang Liang rode straight into the city and headed directly to the prefecture governor’s mansion.
The bandits numbered over four thousand and had occupied favourable terrain in advance. Their dozens of men going would be suicide. The other four bandit suppression teams were scattered across various counties. With Da Kang’s communication level, even if Jin Feng sent people immediately to summon them, by the time they rushed from everywhere to Wulang Mountain, Qing Munlan’s body would probably have gone cold.
So the only one Jin Feng could seek help from now was the Guangyuan prefecture governor.
Guangyuan was the prefecture city with three thousand stationed prefecture soldiers. Adding Jin Feng’s portable heavy crossbows and trebuchets, there was hope of rescuing Qing Munlan.
Actually, mobilising several thousand prefecture soldiers required reporting to the court. But when the prefecture governor heard that Qing Munlan’s identity was the younger sister of the Xichuan provincial governor, he immediately decided to send troops in the name of bandit suppression, so there was no need to report to the court.
Lieutenant Xiao had long seen that Qing Munlan’s identity was not simple. Now with the prefecture governor’s order, he naturally did not dare delay and immediately assembled the prefecture soldiers.
Early the next morning, except for five hundred left to guard the city, the remaining two thousand five hundred prefecture soldiers were all led out of the city by Lieutenant Xiao and joined Zhang Liang and the others.
With the army moving, speed naturally could not compare to Jin Feng and Zhang Liang riding horses. Even though Lieutenant Xiao ordered emergency march, they only travelled over forty li in a day.
Jin Feng had no choice. After all, mountain roads were difficult, and the prefecture soldiers’ usual food was poor. Forty li a day, and still many prefecture soldiers complained bitterly. If they accelerated more, some would probably fall behind.
When they reached a place called Huilong Mountain, Zhang Liang found Lieutenant Xiao and, using the excuse that it was getting dark, requested to camp.
Lieutenant Xiao looked up at the sky and said, “Brother Zhang Liang, there is still some time before dark. Shall we go a bit further and camp after passing Tiger Howl Ridge?”
“This afternoon, the gentleman had a bit of stomach ache and has been holding it until now. He is almost unable to hold it.”
Zhang Liang said quietly, “You cannot abandon the gentleman and go alone, right?”
“That cannot be.”
Lieutenant Xiao immediately shouted for his adjutant and ordered to camp on the spot.
The stomach ache excuse was something Jin Feng had helped Zhang Liang come up with. Since they were acting, they had to play the full part.
After the team stopped, Jin Feng slipped into the woods.
Returning from the woods, he found Zhang Liang standing at the tent entrance, looking up at the sky motionless. Curious, he asked, “Brother Liang, what are you looking at?”
“Watching the clouds,” Zhang Liang said. “At this speed, I am afraid the earliest we can arrive at Wulang Mountain is the afternoon of the day after tomorrow. Then we do not know how many days it will take to break the bandits or if Miss Munlan can hold on.
I noticed today that the clouds in the sky are very thick. It would be good if it rained in these two days.”
“Yes, it would be good if it rained.”
Jin Feng sighed along, “Heaven’s matters, we cannot control. Still hope Dazhuang’s side goes smoothly. By the time, Dazhuang should have reached Tiger Howl Ridge.”
Saying that, he walked to a cliff at the edge of the camp and looked into the distance.
…
Tiger Howl Ridge was only a few li from where Jin Feng and the others were camped. It was a necessary passage from Guangyuan to Wulang Mountain.
It was called Tiger Howl Ridge because fierce tigers often appeared here. Passing merchant caravans had to travel in large groups to dare pass, and hunters did not easily enter the mountain.
But at this time, in the woods on one side of Tiger Howl Ridge, hundreds of men were hidden.
They were precisely the Double Camel Peak bandits who had escaped from Long Snake Gully.
A small bandit ran along the mountain gully to the head bandit Lu and whispered, “Big chief, Jin Feng and the prefecture soldiers have camped at Huilong Mountain.”
“Damn it, that Jin Feng is a coward too. Just a few more li forward would do. Why camp at Huilong Mountain? Making me squat in the mountain another night.”
Head bandit Lu cursed angrily, then turned to the second chief. “Second brother, arrange for the brothers to eat and rest in shifts quickly. There is a tough battle tomorrow morning.”
“Big chief, Jin Feng brought prefecture soldiers, over two thousand men. We only have a few hundred. Can we fight them?”
The second chief asked worriedly.
“Before we came, Mr Feng predicted that Jin Feng would seek the Guangyuan prefecture soldiers, which is why he gave us so many heavy crossbows and trebuchets!”
Head bandit Lu said, then turned to look behind him.
Behind him, more than a dozen trebuchets were staggered in place. A bit further, heavy crossbows gleamed coldly, their arrowheads all aimed at the official road.
