“When did the Marquis wake up, and how’s his recovery going?”
Jin Feng took the envelope but didn’t open it immediately.
He could roughly guess what Qing Huai would say.
“The Marquis woke up a few days ago. He can get out of bed, but his complexion still isn’t great,” Liu Yang said. “I heard that a few days ago, he went to the commander’s residence to ask for help and was so angry his wound reopened.”
He added, “Actually, the Marquis wanted to come to you himself this time, but Liu Qiong and I stopped him.”
The last part was clearly said to put in a good word for Qing Huai.
But Jin Feng chose to believe it.
He knew too well how much the Iron Forest Army meant to Qing Huai.
If not for his injury, it would have been Qing Huai leading the team to Qingshui Mountain, not Liu Yang.
“Did the Marquis ask General Fan for help?” Jin Feng asked. “Did anyone agree to send troops?”
“Yes, the Ansu and Yong’an armies went out, but they were ambushed by the Dangxiang before reaching Qingshui Valley. Of over five thousand men, only a few hundred made it back,” Liu Yang sighed.
“They were broken by siege carts, weren’t they?” Jin Feng asked.
“How did you know, sir?” Liu Yang asked curiously.
Jin Feng smiled but didn’t answer.
From the top of Qingshui Mountain, he could see the entire Dangxiang camp. When they were building siege carts, Jin Feng had guessed their plan.
When Zhuo Ban led his troops away a few days ago, Jin Feng had seen it too.
He had a rough idea then.
He just didn’t expect the rescue force to be so weak.
Back in his tent, Jin Feng opened the letter.
As he expected, Qing Huai believed the Iron Forest Army’s retreat to Qingshui Mountain was a last resort. In the letter, he repeatedly urged Jin Feng to hold firm, promising to send help as soon as possible.
The tone was deeply sincere.
Jin Feng thought for a moment, wrote a reply, and called for Zhong Wu to fetch Liu Yang.
“You just arrived, and I should let you rest a few days, but this letter is urgent. Please deliver it to the Marquis as quickly as possible.”
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll get it to the Marquis as fast as I can,” Liu Yang said without hesitation, taking the letter and running off.
He didn’t stop once on the way down the mountain and returned to Qing Huai’s residence through the secret tunnel that afternoon.
“You’re back so soon? Did you deliver the grain?” Qing Huai asked, worried, seeing only Liu Yang return so quickly.
“Reporting to the Marquis, mission accomplished. The grain was delivered,” Liu Yang said, wiping sweat and smiling. “But when I got to Qingshui Mountain, I learned Mr. Jin had Xu Xiao move all the grain up the mountain before the battle. They’re not short on food. During the retreat, he even had the rear camp’s tents burned to make the Dangxiang think the supplies were gone. They’re still foolishly surrounding the mountain, trying to starve our brothers out.”
“Mr. Jin is truly remarkable!” Qing Huai let out a long sigh of relief.
Qingshui Mountain was easy to defend and hard to attack. With enough grain, Qing Huai was confident Jin Feng could hold it.
This gave him time to calmly seek reinforcements.
“Did Mr. Jin say how long the grain on the mountain will last?”
“He didn’t say, but when we delivered grain to the storehouse, I heard Zhong Wu mention it’s enough for three months without issue. If they ration, it could last even longer,” Liu Yang replied.
“Three months…” Qing Huai frowned slightly.
Before he fell unconscious, the Iron Forest Army had barely over a month’s worth of grain left.
How could it have grown?
The only explanation was a significant loss of men during the Dangxiang attack that night.
Thinking of this, Qing Huai quickly asked, “Did Zhong Wu say how many brothers we lost the night the Dangxiang attacked?”
“He said we lost a dozen or so, with thirty-odd injured,” Liu Yang replied. “But I noticed fewer men training on the mountain. Could Old Zhong have lied to me?”
“Probably not,” Qing Huai shook his head, then suddenly recalled Jin Feng moving the grain to the mountain early. His eyes lit up. “Did Mr. Jin mention any plans to you?”
“No…” Liu Yang shook his head, then slapped his forehead and pulled out a letter. “Oh, right, Mr. Jin asked me to bring you this.”
“You had a letter and didn’t give it to me sooner?” Qing Huai kicked Liu Yang and snatched the envelope.
“I was answering your questions…” Liu Yang muttered.
Qing Huai heard but ignored him, quickly opening the letter.
Knowing Qing Huai’s anxiety, Jin Feng was upfront in the letter, explaining his plan.
After reading it in one go, the worries Qing Huai had carried for days vanished, and he burst into laughter.
The laughter tugged at his wound, causing a violent cough.
Liu Yang rushed to support him but was pushed away.
“Prepare yourself. We’re heading to Grey Wolf Mountain immediately,” Qing Huai said excitedly.
Jin Feng’s letter revealed that Xu Xiao was leading the Iron Forest Army’s main force, hiding at Grey Wolf Mountain on a mission.
Though it didn’t say Qing Huai should take command, how could he stay put?
“Marquis, just tell me what needs doing, and I’ll handle it,” Liu Yang said. “If you leave, what happens when General Fan looks for you? Besides, Grey Wolf Mountain is far, and your condition…”
Before he could finish, Qing Huai cut him off. “What, now that you’re with the armoury camp, my orders don’t count?”
“That’s not what I meant, Marquis.”
“Then follow orders and come with me to Grey Wolf Mountain.”
“Yes, sir!” Liu Yang had no choice but to agree.
“If General Fan comes looking, give him this letter,” Qing Huai said, leaving a letter with the old gatekeeper before departing with Liu Yang through the tunnel.
It was dark by then, and under cover of night, they hurried toward Grey Wolf Mountain.
Injured, Qing Huai moved slowly, only reaching their destination by dawn.
Meanwhile, Jin Feng, as usual, sat on the large rock atop Qingshui Mountain, gazing south.
Around eight in the morning, two columns of smoke rose six li to the south.
Jin Feng, expressionless until now, leapt to his feet, a sharp glint in his eyes.
This was the signal he and Xu Xiao had agreed upon.
“Zhong Wu, Zhong Wu!” Jin Feng jumped down from the rock. “Get all the heavy crossbowmen here. Tell them, it’s time to act!”
“Yes, sir!” Zhong Wu didn’t understand but immediately went to gather the men.
In Qingshui Valley, a Dangxiang grain convoy was passing through, escorted by a hundred cavalry.
As they reached the valley’s centre, a sharp whistle sounded from above.
The centurion leading the group looked up just as a massive arrow hurtled toward him.
Before he could react, he felt his body lift, and he was flung into the air.
