“What should we do next…”
Guan Xiaorou pondered for a moment. Instead of answering directly, she turned to Xiaoyu and asked, “Has Zhong Ling’er returned yet?”
Guangyuan was one of the important strongholds arranged by Jin Feng. It also served as the external headquarters of the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
If Zhong Ling’er brought back the escorts from Guangyuan, that would add a fresh combat force.
“The suspension bridge at Black Wind Ridge was burned down. With bandit troubles spreading across Jinchuan now, she probably won’t get back until tomorrow morning,” Xiaoyu replied.
“Damn spies!” Guan Xiaorou gritted her teeth.
The suspension bridge could cut the journey from Jinchuan to Guangyuan in half. If the bridge were still there, Zhong Ling’er could have returned to West River Bay yesterday.
Now that the bridge was destroyed, they had to detour through Jinchuan. Not only was the distance doubled, but they also had to stay alert for bandits constantly appearing along the way. It wasted far too much time.
“Has Tie Niu returned?” Guan Xiaorou asked again.
“He’s on his way back. By my estimate, he should arrive soon.”
“Then once Tie Niu and Zhong Ling’er are both back, we’ll proceed according to what the master instructed.”
Guan Xiaorou continued, “Brother Tiezi, Yuer, we’ll hold the fort here. Tie Niu will form a cavalry unit to suppress the bandits!”
“Tie Niu has a heavy killing nature. Sending him to wipe out bandits is indeed the most suitable choice,” Liu Tie nodded.
All three of them thought Zhong Ling’er would not return until the next day. However, Zhong Ling’er was worried about West River Bay. She did not set up camp at night and travelled through the darkness, arriving in the latter half of the night.
Returning with her were dozens of Chamber of Commerce clerks and more than a hundred escorts.
Adding the eighty men Liu Tie had brought back, Guan Xiaorou instructed Tie Niu to form four cavalry squads of fifty men each.
Each squad had seventy-five warhorses. Fifty were for riding, while the remaining twenty-five served as remounts and for carrying supplies.
Although each squad had only fifty escorts, every one wore black armour and was a seasoned veteran of many battles. Even if they encountered bandits ten times their number, the escorts would still dare to fight.
Most importantly, they all had warhorses, which allowed rapid movement. The four cavalry squads could patrol more than half of Jinchuan County in a single day.
The bandits were already a disorganised rabble. Now, without Chen Shiye’s coordination and guidance, they had become completely scattered. Tie Niu, that ruthless man, slaughtered them until men and horses were thrown into chaos and blood flowed everywhere!
Combined with the propaganda efforts Xiaoyu sent people to spread, the bandit chaos plaguing Jinchuan was finally suppressed.
Although Tie Niu had a heavy killing nature, he also knew that killing more at this point would force the bandits into desperate resistance. He therefore stopped the slaughter and began rounding up prisoners.
Worried that some of these bandits might be spies left behind by Chen Shiye, Tie Niu did not send them to Black Water Ditch. Instead, he locked them up at Cat Mountain and waited for Jin Feng to return and decide their fate.
The chaotic Jinchuan gradually returned to calm. Merchant caravans heading to Iron Jar Mountain, Twin Camel Peak, and other places once again appeared on the official roads.
During this recent period, Guan Xiaorou had barely eaten or slept peacefully. Now she could finally feel a little more at ease.
However, fearing that the bandits might rise again and worried that if they returned to Guangyuan, Xie Xiguang would cause more trouble, Guan Xiaorou did not let Zhong Ling’er go back to reopen the Chamber of Commerce. Instead, she focused on holding their ground, maintaining the current calm, and waiting for Jin Feng to return before making any further plans.
Meanwhile, the Jin Feng whom Guan Xiaorou worried about day and night had not dared to delay. He kept pushing forward against the cold wind at the fastest possible speed.
While feeding the warhorses, Tang Xiaobei draped a large cloak over Jin Feng’s shoulders and sighed, “In another two days, we should reach the border of Chuan Shu territory. These past two days we’ve already started seeing refugees fleeing from Chuan Shu.”
“Those who can escape this far are the ones with some family resources. If we go further ahead, the number of refugees will only increase.”
Jin Feng also sighed along with her.
Tang Xiaobei was about to speak when Monkey came running over.
“Sir, five li ahead someone has spotted bandits.”
“Are there so many that we can’t avoid them?” Jin Feng asked.
To travel as quickly as possible, whenever they encountered bandits along the way, Monkey would handle them differently depending on their numbers.
Normally, as long as they revealed their identity as the Zhenyuan Escort Agency and showed off the strength of their cavalry, the bandits would step aside.
If the bandits were too numerous and fighting them would be troublesome, the group would choose to detour or yield the road.
Only when they really could not avoid them, or when avoiding them would require a very long detour and the bandits were quite numerous, would Monkey come back to report.
“They aren’t many. If I take two squads, one charge would wipe them out.”
Monkey blinked and said, “But I saw a familiar face…”
“You saw someone you know here?” Tang Xiaobei asked curiously. “Who?”
“Miss Bei Qianxun.”
“She went to Jiangnan, didn’t she? How could she be here?” Tang Xiaobei became even more curious.
“I don’t know about that…” Monkey scratched his head. “Madam had better go ask her herself.”
“Actually, this place also counts as part of Jiangnan,” Jin Feng said with a smile. “The ones blocking the road and trying to rob us aren’t her, are they?”
He had seen Bei Qianxun’s file back in Western Sichuan. He knew she had once been a bandit in the Central Plains before heading to Western Sichuan to pursue Xue Henglu.
For someone like her, returning to a life of banditry would not be surprising at all.
“Where is Sister Qianxun? Hurry and take me to see her.”
The thought that Bei Qianxun might be trying to rob them made Tang Xiaobei feel playful. She smiled mischievously and said, “I’d like to ask her how much silver she plans to demand.”
“Miss Qianxun isn’t the one robbing. She’s the one being chased…”
Monkey scratched his head and explained.
“Sister Qianxun has such excellent skills. If bandits are chasing her, they’re just courting death.”
Tang Xiaobei did not take it seriously. “She’s probably just toying with the bandits. Back when she saved me, she did the same thing.”
“This time it doesn’t seem like it. Miss Qianxun is injured, and she’s also carrying a child,” Monkey added.
“You could have said everything at once! Were you trying to kill me with suspense?”
Tang Xiaobei angrily kicked Monkey. “Why are you still standing here? Hurry up and go save her!”
“Enough. This kid dared to joke around here, which means he’s already rescued her!”
Jin Feng laughed and pulled Tang Xiaobei back.
“Haha, Sir really understands me.”
Monkey was amused by Tang Xiaobei and burst out laughing.
“Damn monkey, just you wait. I’ll deal with you when we get back!”
Tang Xiaobei pointed at Monkey, then turned and ran towards the official road.
“Monkey, you’re finished!”
Jin Feng turned to look at Monkey with full sympathy. “Your wages for next month might disappear.”
“Uh…”
The monkey, who had been grinning cheekily just moments ago, suddenly could not laugh anymore.
Tang Xiaobei not only managed the Jinchuan Chamber of Commerce, but she also controlled the financial authority of West River Bay.
No factory could pay wages without her signature and seal.
Dealing with Monkey would be far too easy for her.
“Sir, you have to help me! I still have an eighty-year-old mother at home…”
“Get lost. Since when do I know you have an eighty-year-old mother?”
Jin Feng kicked Monkey’s backside as well. “Don’t tell me you also have a three-year-old child to support?”
“Uh… it just slipped out.”
Monkey actually blushed for once. “But I still need my wages to get married, Sir. You can’t just watch me die!”
