Liu Tie’s valiant troops were so fierce that even in a head-on clash with Dangxiang or Tubo cavalry, they would not fall behind, let alone deal with a rabble of opportunistic looters.
The combat power, battle awareness, and fighting methods of the two sides were simply not on the same level.
Wherever the unit passed, blood sprayed and corpses littered the ground!
The bandits, who had earlier been full of aggression, were now scattered and fleeing in all directions after being slaughtered by just a few dozen cavalrymen!
Liu Tie was not satisfied with that. He split his force into two groups. One group continued the pursuit and slaughter, while the other rode swiftly around the village to drive away and kill bandits in other positions.
Liu Tie rode into the village and happened to meet Xiaoyu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
“Brother, why did it take you so long to come back!”
Xiaoyu looked at the bandits desperately fleeing from the village entrance, then at Liu Tie on horseback. Her eyes instantly turned red.
As the person in charge of intelligence in West River Bay, Xiaoyu knew the village’s situation very well.
It had been hanging by a thread, on the verge of being overrun by bandits at any moment.
She did not even need to imagine what would happen if the bandits broke into the village.
Liu Tie looked around, his expression filled with extreme anger.
As soon as he received Xiaoyu’s message, he had led his men rushing back. Moreover, each man brought not only his own mount but also three to four spare horses.
Worried that something might happen to the village, Liu Tie had his cavalry change horses without changing riders and galloped back without a single stop.
Yet he still arrived too late.
Although the earlier corpses had already been collected, the bloodstains on the ground, the sword marks on trees, and the arrow holes in walls all showed that a ferocious battle had erupted in the village before!
Liu Tie was about to speak when he saw Guan Xiaorou rushing out from an alley.
Seeing the scene at the village entrance, Guan Xiaorou stopped in her tracks, slowly leaned against the wall, and her legs felt a little weak.
Two lines of clear tears flowed down from the corners of her eyes.
They were not tears of fear, but of overwhelming emotion.
After so many days of constant worry, the heavy stone in her heart had finally dropped!
The bandit siege had finally been temporarily lifted!
The village was saved!
“Madam, I came back late!”
Liu Tie jumped down from his warhorse, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed his head to Guan Xiaorou.
Guan Xiaorou reached out to wipe away her tears. Her face regained its calm, and her back straightened once more. She asked, “Brother Tie, now that you are back, has everything been arranged properly at Jianmen Pass?”
“Madam, rest assured. Mister Tian is at Jianmen Pass. He has always handled the handover matters. Whether I am there or not makes little difference.”
Mister Tian was a middle-aged scholar from Tianjiawan. After Jin Feng rose to prominence, he came to West River Bay to seek a living and had always helped Jin Feng manage paperwork. He was quite experienced in human relations and worldly affairs, so he was indeed more suitable than the illiterate Liu Tie for handling handover affairs.
Guan Xiaorou nodded and then asked, “How many men and horses did you bring back, Brother Tie?”
“Eighty cavalrymen and three hundred warhorses!”
“Where are the men?” Guan Xiaorou looked behind Liu Tie.
The cavalry had been split into two teams by Liu Tie to kill bandits. Right now, Liu Tie only had two men with him.
“I sent Fang Zhou to pursue the fleeing bandits, and Old Lei took people to clear the areas around the village.”
“Fang Zhou, Old Lei?” Guan Xiaorou looked puzzled.
She had rarely concerned herself with escort bureau matters before. She had no impression of the two names Liu Tie mentioned.
“Oh, Fang Zhou and Old Lei were recruited from other villages. They were only recently promoted to platoon leaders.”
Liu Tie quickly explained.
“Send someone to pass them a message. Give them the time it takes to burn one stick of incense. Tell them not to show any mercy. Kill as hard as they can. Kill as many as possible!”
Guan Xiaorou spoke with murderous intent, “After one stick of incense, they must return!”
“Yes!”
In Liu Tie’s memory, Guan Xiaorou had always been gentle and delicate. This was the first time he saw her expression so serious and the first time he heard such ruthless words from her.
He quickly sent someone to notify the platoon leaders in charge of the pursuit.
After one stick of incense had burned, the two escort platoon leaders returned one after another with their teams.
Blood dripped steadily from the warhorses under every escort guard.
It was not the blood of the escorts or their horses, but the blood of the bandits!
While the escorts were pursuing the bandits, Guan Xiaorou had taken Ajú to the rear mountain storehouse to fetch the black armour.
“Brothers, I know everyone is very tired, but the situation is critical now. There is no time for rest!”
Liu Tie pointed at the large wooden crates on the ground and shouted, “Here is the black armour. You have the time it takes to drink one cup of tea to change into it. After one cup of tea, we set out for Yangjuan Ridge!”
He had already heard about the situation at Yangjuan Ridge from Xiaoyu just now.
Knowing how serious it was, Liu Tie wished he could sprout wings and fly to Yangjuan Ridge right away.
Although the escort guards did not know what had happened at Yangjuan Ridge, their strict training meant they asked no questions. They did not even bother to remove their outer clothes and simply began putting on the black armour.
Xiaoyu also knew time was short. She led a group of women to help the escorts fasten the armour buckles.
Tang Dongdong took the female workers to fill the cavalrymen’s water flasks and stuff steamed buns into their ration bags.
In less than half a cup of tea, all the escort guards had finished changing.
Liu Tie was about to give the order to set out when Guan Xiaorou approached.
She had changed out of her long skirt and was now wearing black armour just like the escorts.
Clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse. Guan Xiaorou’s black armour had been specially custom-made for her by Jin Feng. It fitted her perfectly.
The usually delicate Guan Xiaorou now looked valiant and heroic in the black armour.
Paired with her serious expression, she carried the air of a female general.
Tang Dongdong, who was still adding water to the escorts’ flasks, saw Guan Xiaorou in armour and her face changed at once.
Others might not know, but she understood clearly. This set of armour had been made because Tang Xiaobei saw how good the female escorts looked in black armour and begged Jin Feng to make one.
Jin Feng had no choice but to make one set for Tang Xiaobei and another for Guan Xiaorou.
Tang Xiaobei loved it and would wear it from time to time to show off. Guan Xiaorou, however, had never liked it. She only wore it once when it was newly made, then put it away in a box and never touched it again.
Now that she had put it on, the meaning was obvious.
“Xiaorou, what are you doing?”
Tang Dongdong threw down the water ladle, ran over, and grabbed Guan Xiaorou’s arm.
“Dongdong, I am going to Yangjuan Ridge to take a look. While I am away, the household is entrusted to you!”
Guan Xiaorou said calmly.
“You do not know how to kill. What are you going to Yangjuan Ridge for?”
“Zuo Feifei led the sisters from Tieguan Mountain to risk their lives blocking the bandits. With the boss away, I have to go and see. Otherwise, their hearts will turn cold!”
Guan Xiaorou continued, “When the boss left, he told me to take good care of the family. I cannot let the people of Tieguan Mountain lose heart!”
“Then can you wait until the fighting is over before going?”
Tang Dongdong held Guan Xiaorou’s arm tightly and refused to let go, “On the battlefield, swords and arrows have no eyes. If something happens to you, how can I explain it to Brother Feng?”
“I am wearing armour, so it will be fine.”
Guan Xiaorou pulled her arm free. Seeing that Tang Dongdong still wanted to speak, she waved her hand and said, “Dongdong, there is no time left. Do not try to persuade me. I have already thought it through. Your words will not change my mind!”
With that, without waiting for Tang Dongdong to say more, she mounted her warhorse with Ajú’s help.
Liu Tie actually did not want Guan Xiaorou to go either, but since even Tang Dongdong could not persuade her, he had no choice but to give up the idea.
“Everyone, mount up and move out!”
At Liu Tie’s command, all the escort guards climbed onto their horses and galloped towards the village entrance.
Guan Xiaorou was still not very skilled at riding, but she gripped the saddle tightly and followed closely behind with Ajú and several female escort guards.
When Liu Tie saw that Guan Xiaorou could keep up, he ordered the cavalry to increase speed.
The cavalry unit moved faster and faster, charging straight towards Yangjuan Ridge!
