Qing Huai was utterly disappointed with the dandies in Weizhou City.
Relying on them to rescue the Iron Forest Army was simply impossible.
The only ones he could count on were his own people.
That afternoon, Liu Yang, the lieutenant of the armoury camp’s garrison, arrived at Qing Huai’s residence with his men.
“Liu Qiong, take this letter to Longyou Prefecture and find Commander Zhao of the Linghuai Army. Ask him to send troops to rescue us,” Qing Huai said, handing a letter to Liu Qiong.
“Yes, sir!” Liu Qiong took the letter, kneeling on one knee. “I’ll deliver it even if it costs my life.”
“Liu Yang, you were once my personal guard. You know about that cave, right?” Qing Huai asked.
“I do,” Liu Yang nodded quickly.
“And the small path on the west side of Qingshui Mountain?”
“I know that too, sir.”
“Good. Take the men to Qingshui Mountain and deliver this letter to Mr. Jin. Tell him not to worry, to hold on, and that I’ll find a way to rescue them from outside,” Qing Huai said, handing another letter to Liu Yang.
“Yes, sir!” Liu Yang knelt on one knee and took the letter.
“Alright, Liu Qiong, take the men and go,” Qing Huai waved, signalling for Liu Qiong and the others to leave.
“Take care, Marquis,” Liu Qiong saluted Qing Huai, then led Liu Yang and the others to the back courtyard.
They took not only the armoury camp’s garrison but also the few remaining personal guards Qing Huai had left.
In the large meeting hall, only Qing Huai and his injured guard, Zheng Fang, remained.
With Dangxiang scouts swarming outside Weizhou City, slipping past their eyes to leave the city was nearly impossible.
But Qing Huai, who had been fighting the Dangxiang since he joined the army, had spent more time in Weizhou than in his fief at Jinchuan Prefecture.
After so many years, he naturally had a backup plan.
This residence was deliberately chosen because it was close enough to the city walls.
In the back courtyard, there was a secret tunnel leading directly outside Weizhou City.
After leaving the city through the tunnel, the group split up.
Liu Qiong headed south alone to deliver the letter to Longyou Prefecture, while Liu Yang led the rest into the mountains west of Weizhou City.
After crossing two ridges, they found a hidden cave concealed by thorny bushes.
The cave’s entrance was small, requiring them to stoop to enter.
But after a dozen steps, it opened into a vast space, over ten metres high and spanning more than a thousand square metres.
A small stream ran through the cave, pooling into a clear pond in a low-lying area.
Along the cave’s edges were stacks of grain and bundles of swords.
This was one of Qing Huai’s secret bases.
If Weizhou City fell, this cave could easily hide hundreds of people without fear of hunger or thirst.
After resting briefly in the cave, Liu Yang led his men onward.
This time, each man carried a large sack on their back.
…
On Qingshui Mountain, Jin Feng sat cross-legged on a large rock, silently gazing south.
At first, the Iron Forest Army soldiers were curious about what Mr. Jin was doing, but after several days of this, their curiosity faded.
Only Old Zhao vaguely guessed that Mr. Jin might be waiting for a signal.
What signal, he didn’t know, nor did he ask. Instead, he focused on his strengths, keeping the Iron Forest Army’s temporary camp in perfect order.
That morning, after breakfast, Jin Feng returned to his rock.
But shortly after sitting down, Zhong Wu came running over in a hurry.
“Mr. Jin, Liu Yang is here!”
“Liu Yang? Which Liu Yang?” Jin Feng was momentarily puzzled, unable to recall who Liu Yang was.
“The lieutenant from the armoury camp,” Zhong Wu explained.
“Wasn’t he in Weizhou City? How did he get here?” Jin Feng, now remembering Liu Yang, asked in surprise. “Besides, Qingshui Mountain is surrounded by the Dangxiang. How did he make it up?”
“Sir, you don’t know, but there’s a hidden path on the west side that leads up the mountain,” Zhong Wu said. “Marquis Qing found it while hunting. All his personal guards know about it.”
Qingshui Mountain had steep cliffs on three sides, with only one gentler slope, which was the focus of the Dangxiang encirclement. The other three sides were patrolled only by scouts.
A large force would struggle to pass unnoticed, but Liu Yang’s group of a few dozen could slip through easily.
“I see,” Jin Feng nodded. “Is that path sealed now? Could the Dangxiang attack from there?”
“No need to worry, sir. The path is very remote, and some sections are so steep that even skilled climbers struggle. Large groups can’t make it,” Zhong Wu said with a smile. “Half of Liu Yang’s men couldn’t even climb up. I had to send people to pull them.”
“Still, we can’t be careless. From today, increase the defences there,” Jin Feng cautioned.
“Yes, sir, I’ll arrange it right away,” Zhong Wu said, taking Jin Feng’s words seriously.
“Let’s go see what Liu Yang wants,” Jin Feng said, following Zhong Wu to the west side of the camp, into a small grove.
At the edge of the mountaintop, Liu Yang and his men sat panting heavily, with a pile of sacks on the ground.
Nearby, a few Iron Forest soldiers were coiling ropes.
“Gr… greetings, sir!” Liu Yang struggled to his feet to salute Jin Feng.
He was clearly exhausted, barely able to speak a full sentence.
“Old Liu, your stamina’s gone, hasn’t it? Just climbing a mountain, and you’re panting like a dog,” Zhong Wu teased his former comrade without mercy.
“Let’s see you… climb it, you bastard… If you don’t pant or blush… I’ll take your surname,” Liu Yang retorted, kicking Zhong Wu in irritation.
“Alright, sit and rest,” Jin Feng said, peering down the path.
The so-called path had slopes mostly exceeding sixty degrees.
One section was almost vertical.
Climbing such a path was no easy feat.
And Liu Yang’s men had done it carrying sacks.
“What’s in the sacks?” Jin Feng asked, nudging one with his foot.
“Grain,” Liu Yang said. “The Marquis… was worried… you’d run out of food up here… so he sent me… with some grain to tide you over.”
“You carried grain all the way from Weizhou City?” Jin Feng looked at the sacks, then at Liu Yang and his men, his heart aching.
Each sack weighed nearly a hundred jin.
They couldn’t have taken the main roads, only mountain paths.
Carrying such heavy loads over mountains was unimaginably gruelling.
Several soldiers’ straw shoes were worn through, their feet bloody and mangled.
“You’ve worked hard. Zhong Wu, get some men to move the grain back,” Jin Feng said.
“Not hard, it’s our duty,” Liu Yang said with a simple smile, then pulled a carefully wrapped oilpaper envelope from his chest. “Sir, the Marquis sent you a letter.”
