“I… I…”
Guan Xiaorou opened her mouth but did not know what to say.
She could still think of ways and offer advice on matters related to the chamber of commerce.
But when it came to fighting a war, she understood nothing at all and had no idea what to do.
If Xie Xiguang and Cai Liuyang caused trouble, at most they could shut down the escort agency, the chamber of commerce, and the factories for a while, then reopen them after Jin Feng returned.
But bandits attacking Shuangtuo Peak was far too serious. If handled poorly, people would die.
And not just one or two people. Once fighting broke out, it could mean the deaths of over a hundred, or even more.
How could Guan Xiaorou dare to make such a decision lightly?
She could only look towards Tang Dongdong with a pleading expression.
Guan Xiaorou knew nothing about marching or warfare, and neither did Tang Dongdong.
The two of them turned to look at Zheng Fang together.
“Brother Zheng, I understand nothing about matters of war. When the head left, he entrusted the escort agency to you. You should make the decision.”
Guan Xiaorou spoke with sincerity.
Tie Niu and Tie Chui also looked towards Zheng Fang.
“Very well!” Zheng Fang did not hold back. He cupped his hands towards Guan Xiaorou. “Then I will accept with respect rather than refuse.”
War was a matter of life and death. Earlier he had been extremely worried that Guan Xiaorou might take up Tie Chui’s suggestion.
Now that she had handed command to him, Zheng Fang naturally did not dare to be polite.
If Guan Xiaorou really gave random orders, it would be the escort fighters who died.
“If the bandits dare to cause trouble here, they must have some backing, and very likely more than the ones we have seen. So I think Tie Niu’s approach is better.”
Zheng Fang continued, “Right now we do not have enough manpower, so we must strike hard, make them afraid, make them tremble in fear. Only then can we deter those petty villains!”
“But if we send everyone, including the new recruits and female soldiers, we only have a few hundred in total. Tie Niu is taking them all to Shuangtuo Peak. What if someone attacks the village while we are gone?”
Tie Chui objected.
This was also the main reason they had been arguing without resolution earlier.
Escort fighters were not divine soldiers from heaven. Without terrain advantage or armour protection, facing bandits head-on in close combat meant their numbers could not be too small, or they would simply be offering themselves up.
The bandits surrounding Shuangtuo Peak numbered in the hundreds. To achieve the kind of deterrence Tie Niu described, they would need to deploy at least several hundred escort fighters.
Yet in the entire Xhe River Bay right now, the total number of escort fighters added up to only a few hundred.
If they all went to Shuangtuo Peak, what would happen if someone attacked their main base?
Zheng Fang glanced at Tie Chui and shook his head. “Actually we do not need that many. One hundred and fifty will be enough.”
“Old Zheng, are you joking?” Tie Chui glared. “The bandits have several hundred. Are one hundred and fifty just going to their deaths?”
Guan Xiaorou, Tang Dongdong, and Xiao Yu also looked at Zheng Fang in confusion.
Even Tie Niu, who had made the suggestion, could not understand what Zheng Fang was planning. He frowned and said, “Old Zheng, one hundred and fifty really is not enough…”
“If I give you fifty sets of black armour, two repeating crossbows, and three crates of hand grenades, would that be enough?” Zheng Fang asked in return.
“If that is the case, I guarantee I will wipe out this group of bandits!”
Tie Niu’s face lit up with wild joy and he nodded quickly.
As the wounded veterans returned, detailed accounts of the battle in Xichuan had spread throughout Xhe River Bay.
Zhang Liang leading the black-armour team to break through the encirclement, and Jin Feng using repeating crossbows and hand grenades to turn the tide, were the two stories the veterans loved to tell most.
Tie Niu had long been envious of the black armour and hand grenades.
“There are still black armour and hand grenades in the village?” Tang Dongdong, Xiao Yu, and Tie Chui were all stunned.
“There are still some!” Zheng Fang nodded.
“Xiaorou, you knew?” Tang Dongdong noticed Guan Xiaorou’s calm expression and asked tentatively.
“When the head left, he left some hand grenades behind. But he said they are too dangerous and should not be used unless absolutely necessary. He also told me not to mention them to others.”
Guan Xiaorou nodded. “The black armour was made by Mancang and his men on the head’s orders. It was originally meant to be sent to support the front line in Xichuan, but after we won, there was no need to send them.”
“How many sets of black armour and how many hand grenades are there?” Tang Dongdong asked.
“The head said these are the village’s last-resort items. He told me not to reveal the exact number to anyone.”
Guan Xiaorou, who usually shared everything with Tang Dongdong, shook her head at this moment.
Tang Dongdong understood Jin Feng’s place in Guan Xiaorou’s heart and did not get upset. Instead she felt much more at ease.
Fortunately Jin Feng had left some precautions behind. Otherwise this time would have been truly dangerous.
Afterwards Guan Xiaorou opened the storehouse at the back of the mountain. She did not let outsiders enter. Instead she went in herself and used a small cart to pull out the hand grenades and armour.
Shuangtuo Peak was quite far from Xhe River Bay. Although the armour was not very heavy, travelling at full speed while wearing it would exhaust the escort fighters.
Moreover the bandits still did not know that Xhe River Bay had black armour. Tie Niu wanted to strike them by surprise, so he did not have the men put it on immediately. Instead they loaded it onto carts and hurried on their way.
The bandit attack on Shuangtuo Peak had been planned by Adviser Chen from behind the scenes.
As Adviser Chen had said, the bandits around Guangyuan truly hated Zhen Yuan Escort Agency deeply.
But the combat strength of Zhen Yuan Escort Agency was too great. None of them dared to step forward and provoke it. They could only stay alert and watch for any movement from Jin Chuan.
As soon as they heard Zhang Liang had started another bandit-suppression campaign, they would immediately flee with the grain from their lairs.
Such a life of constant fear and anxiety was not easy to endure.
Adviser Chen was eloquent and skilled at strategy. Stirring up a group of bandits who already harboured grudges against Zhen Yuan Escort Agency was not difficult for him.
Moreover Adviser Chen was not simply persuading them. For this operation the powerful families had invested heavily. Each one had contributed a considerable amount of silver.
The bandits’ resentment, the silver from the powerful families, and Adviser Chen’s own silver tongue soon gathered a large group of bandits, and they quickly launched the attack.
Adviser Chen was meticulous in his planning. Before attacking Shuangtuo Peak, he already knew Xhe River Bay would send reinforcements.
Not long after Tie Niu left the village with the escort fighters, Adviser Chen received the news.
When he learned Tie Niu had brought only a little over a hundred men, Adviser Chen immediately sensed something was wrong.
But for some reason Adviser Chen did not warn the bandits surrounding Shuangtuo Peak. He simply informed them that Xhe River Bay had sent reinforcements.
When the bandits heard the reinforcements numbered only a little over a hundred, they paid no attention at all. Several of the chief leaders even gathered to discuss a plan, intending to set an ambush along the way.
Unfortunately a rabble remained a rabble. None of the chief leaders wanted to suffer losses. Each one only wanted to wait until others had fought and then pick up the benefits afterwards.
Their discussion ended in discord, and as for the ambush, it was forgotten by the chief leaders long ago.
In this way Tie Niu openly led one hundred and fifty escort fighters and arrived at the outskirts of Tieguan Mountain.
All the way until they were less than two li from Shuangtuo Peak, they did not encounter a single sentry.
“Such a rabble dares to come to Jin Chuan and attack our Shuangtuo Peak. Are they tired of living?”
One of Tie Niu’s company commanders said with disdain, “Captain Tie, you do not need to trouble yourself. I can lead one company and flatten them!”
“The gentleman said that even when a lion fights a rabbit, it uses full strength. We must never underestimate any enemy. Even a desperate rabbit will bite, let alone desperate bandits like these. It is better to be cautious.”
Tie Niu looked around. “Moreover our journey here has been too smooth. I feel uneasy in my heart.”
