Chapter 116 Second Room Questioning
Everyone nodded frequently as they listened, still somewhat shaken by what had happened in the afternoon.
"Yeah, I was really scared at that time. I really thought we were going to die in Ye County."
"Who could have imagined that such a large county like Ye would be occupied by a group of vagrant bandits? And the county magistrate was killed by Li Datou?"
"Looking at the situation, he either ran away with his wife and children a long time ago. Or he was really killed like Li Datou said."
Old Master Fang had no choice but to say, "There are no garrisons in the county. If the Ye County Magistrate hadn't sent reinforcements to the Jinzhou Prefecture Garrison, the county's garrison wouldn't have been able to hold off two thousand bandits. It's only natural that Ye County was occupied. I just wonder if the court is aware of the situation in Jinzhou. They should have sent troops to suppress it promptly."
Xu Qingying concluded, "In short, this is the situation. I see chaos everywhere in Jinzhou, with refugees running rampant. This year, there's been a lot of rain in the south and heavy snow in the north, and there's also a war coming up. I'm afraid the court is focusing on the situation and not the consequences. The chaos in Jinzhou may continue for a long time. I just don't know what the situation is like in Qianzhou."
"It should be okay. There's an old saying that half of the world's mountains are in central Guizhou and Qinghai. Qianzhou has a complex terrain, and it's full of miasma-filled mountains and forests. The refugees shouldn't be able to get through."
"The refugees can't get through, but neither can we."
"Hey, what's the point of saying all this? Aunt Xu... Young Master Xu said that he summoned us so that we can come up with a solution. We can't really become rebels, right?"
"If you ask me, I'd rather become a bandit. At least I got to eat a hot meal at night."
"This isn't even banditry, this is rebellion! Old Master Fang said it's a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of the clan!"
"No matter how much I talk about it, it's not working. Anyway, I'm at my wit's end. Why not just listen to Aunt Xu... no, let's just listen to Young Master Xu. We'll just follow whatever Young Master Xu says. Anyway, I can't make the decision!"
"Yes, Master Xu, we really don't know what to do. Why don't you just discuss the outcome and we'll just follow you!"
"You definitely can't be a traitor!" Xu Qingying smiled slightly and glanced at Zhao Bantou beside her. "How dare you say you want to rebel in front of Zhao Bantou?"
The man knew he had said something wrong and quickly touched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"It's because Zhao Bantou and his men are treating us well and don't bother with us. We can't make things difficult for Zhao Bantou."
"Yes, yes, that's for sure. We were just saying it out of anger. We wouldn't dare to actually rebel. That would be like risking our lives!"
"Honestly, joining the bandits now is just a delaying tactic. The best approach is to find a place to settle down and wait until spring comes and the snow melts, or when there are no more bandits on the road. Then we can go to Qianzhou." Xu Qingying tilted her head to look at Zhao Bantou, asking for his opinion. "Brother Zhao, what do you think?"
The escort team, which had just saved their lives, now had no choice but to follow Xu Qingying's lead.
They almost lost their heads in the afternoon. If Miss Xu hadn't taken the risk and made up a story to deceive Li Datou, they would have been beheaded long ago.
Therefore, Zhao Bantou and the others became more polite to Xu Qingying, and there was even a hint of respect in their politeness.
This is their lifesaver! The one who saved them from the brink of death!
"Sister Xu... well, I can't change my ways, so I'll just call you Brother Xu from now on." Zhao Bantou no longer had the airs of a bailiff. After this incident, he became more approachable and genuinely concerned for everyone's future. "Miss Xu's method is certainly good. Whether it's you or us, we all hope to reach Qianzhou safely. But now we've entered Li Datou's bandit army. How are we going to escape?"
"I see that Big Head Li isn't a bad guy, except for his fierce appearance. He's the one who provided us with our food tonight, and we haven't had a full meal in ages. How about we send someone to negotiate with him, saying we're not interested in this, and asking them to let us go?"
"No," Old Master Fang said. "The ground in this city is covered in blood. It's obvious they've been burning, killing, and looting their way here. If we rashly ask to leave, I'm afraid it will anger Li Datou and he'll kill us to silence us."
Xu Qingying also chimed in, "I agree. Li Datou is definitely worried that we might report them to the authorities and leak secrets after we leave, so he probably won't let us go just like that. And I have a feeling that Li Datou isn't someone who's easy to talk to. Even if they're just a makeshift group, being able to put together a group of over 2,000 people shouldn't be underestimated."
The person who spoke obviously didn't expect this to happen.
Even the Xu family members were anxious. They looked at Xu Qingying and said, "Qingying, what do you think we should do?"
"I haven't figured out a solution yet. From what I've seen of their men, they're mostly just scrappy soldiers, probably just a bunch of refugees. They don't have much fighting power on their own, but they're outnumbered, over two thousand strong. So a head-on fight is definitely unrealistic. We can only outsmart them."
Everyone nodded, feeling that what Xu Qingying said made sense.
"We're new here and unfamiliar with the situation, so we can only hold our ground for now. I suggest you go back and have your wives and children hang out with these people and gather some information. The children, have them roam around and see if there's anything hidden within the small paths. We'll act accordingly then."
Master Fang frowned, "Zhenying, I heard Li Datou say just now that they will send troops to attack the next county in a few days?"
This was the first time Xu Qingying had heard someone call her by that name in all the time she had been in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Old Master Fang remained calm, taking her words so seriously.
She was a little dazed for a moment.
Then I felt some surge of emotion again.
"Yes, I heard it just now. They brought over two thousand refugees, and food is a big problem. I don't think they have any combat strategy, just robbing a city, and when they run out of food, they go to rob again. I guess they only know how to rob, but not how to defend. This is also an idea. Let's see if they can suggest that we defend the city-"
"That makes sense." Old Master Fang nodded frequently, and was very appreciative of Xu Qingying's attitude.
Although Xu Qingying's previous attitude of serving the thief was too diligent, he was not a pedantic and old-fashioned person, and he did not advocate behavior that put reputation above everything else, such as avoiding things because of good or bad fortune, and not caring about life and death.
Being able to save your life is more important than anything else.
Seeing that Old Master Fang also agreed, Xu Qingying made a final decision and concluded, "Okay, let's leave it at that for now. Go back and reassure your wife and children. We'll act accordingly when the time comes. Don't panic, don't be anxious. There will always be a way out. At least we're still alive, right?"
Everyone did as they were told and gradually dispersed back to their houses.
Elder Fang stayed alone, waiting for everyone in the room to leave until only Xu Qingying and Zhao Bantou remained. Then he quietly dropped a bombshell, "Hu Wei knows who we are."
ah?
Zhao Bantou's eyes widened in shock.
Xu Qingying was a little shocked at first, but then she calmed down and said, "I saw him secretly observing us."
Old Master Fang glanced at her and said word by word, "I mean, Hu Wei knows my identity. He just came to see me. He claimed that he had met me three years ago when I was the Censor of Jinzhou Prefecture."
Xu Qingying was really surprised this time. Looking at Old Master Fang's calm expression, she thought that Hu Wei had no ill intentions in finding him, otherwise Old Master Fang would not be so calm and composed at this moment.
Furthermore, since Hu Wei decided to help them hide their identities, does it mean that this person is useful?
Seeing Xu Qingying's thoughtful look, Mr. Fang knew that Xu Qingying had figured out the key points and couldn't help but admire her flexible mind.
Xu Qingying looked at Mr. Fang with a smile, and without further ado, she asked directly, "Then Mr. Fang must have tried his best to persuade him to help us escape?"
Old Master Fang coughed softly, "I've observed that although this man is a scholar, his thinking is erratic, his behavior and actions are unconventional, and he doesn't take ethics and moral principles seriously. Would you dare to employ such a person, Zhenying?"
Xu Qingying also said, "Yes, I see that although he is a scholar, he can put aside his scholarly status and kowtow to a commoner. This kind of person regards rules and imperial power as nothing. I'm afraid he is very arrogant and difficult to tame. If Li Datou is a knife, then Hu Wei may be the one wielding the knife."
"That's right." Old Master Fang nodded repeatedly. "But I also asked him how he ended up in Li Datou's hands. He just said that his hometown had also suffered a disaster, and he had originally planned to seek refuge with his relatives in Ye County. However, he couldn't find his relatives, and instead was dragged away to a banquet by a bunch of his cronies. When he woke up from his drunken stupor the next day, the city had been breached, and all his friends had fled. He had no way to hide, so he had to serve the bandits and find another way out."
Xu Qingying laughed, "How many truths does Hu Military Advisor say?"
"I can't say for sure. I think that guy is quite slippery. If two or three out of ten of his words are true, it will be a big deal. I'm afraid he will be difficult to deal with."
Zhao Bantou finally came to his senses. "Are you talking about that dog-headed military advisor? Does he know our identities?"
"Not only do they know our identities, I'm afraid they've even figured out our background."
Zhao Bantou looked anxious, "What should I do?"
"What are you afraid of? Since he didn't expose our identities right away, it just proves that he has some plans for us. If he has plans for us, it's easy to act. He's not in a hurry, so why should we be in a hurry? It's better to be quiet now than to move. Let's play with him and see what tricks he plays. Tell all the brothers to sleep well these few nights and leave some people on guard."
Seeing Xu Qingying's confidence, Zhao Bantou finally calmed down. He even stood up and bowed unconsciously, "I'll do it now."
Only after I said it did I realize that it was wrong.
Why is he becoming more and more like Xu Qingying's servant now?
This isn't good... Although Zhao Qiaonian isn't as smart as Xu Qingying, doesn't make money like her, doesn't handle things like her, doesn't have her flexibility, and doesn't have her courage to fight and kill, but... but... but...
Zhao Qiaonian sighed, but what was the point? Compared with Xu Qingying, he was simply useless!
Forget it, since Xu Qingying saved his life several times, let her do it a few times.
After the meeting, Xu Qingying prepared to go home.
More than 20 people from the Xu family were crowded in this courtyard with three entrances and exits. Considering safety issues, Xu Qingying did not dare to let everyone disperse.
Huang and the eldest wife had one room, and the remaining two rooms were one for each of the man and woman.
A broken lantern was lit in the yard, illuminating the broken walls with a soft glow. When the wind blew, the shadows of the trees swayed, making people feel a little scared for no reason.
The snow has stopped.
But the air was still very cold. Xu Qingying rubbed her hands and unconsciously exhaled two puffs of white air.
As I walked up the stairs, a few people came towards me.
Xu Qingying took a look in the dim light and found that they were Xu Lezhi, Xu Fuwei, Xu Huizheng, Xu Minglu, Xu Huirong and others from the second house.
Almost all the women from the second house were present except Xu Yinxi.
They seemed to be waiting for Xu Qingying, standing on the steps with unfriendly expressions.
Xu Qingying looked up and looked at them.
According to common sense, Xu Qingying should be afraid of them, but they are all teenagers. The oldest is Xu Lezhi, who is only thirteen years old. In his previous life, he would be a first-grade student. It is really a bit ridiculous to see such a bunch of teenagers standing in front of her with sullen faces, looking like they are going to accuse her.
These guys are here to cause trouble.
Most likely it was because of what she did to Xu Deyuan during the day.
She looked up and asked knowingly, "Everyone, is there something wrong?"
"Sixth sister." Xu Lezhi finally called her "sister" this time, but he gritted his teeth, more of a hint of sarcasm. "You embarrassed my father in public today. Shouldn't you give our second wife an explanation?"
Xu Qingying covered her lips and smiled, her eyes moving. "If you don't embarrass him in public, are you going to embarrass him in private? Seventh sister, is that what you mean?"
"Nonsense! Don't try to change the subject. We are here today on behalf of the Second House to ask you: As a junior, what is your crime for assaulting an elder?"
Xu Hui, who prided himself on being the eldest son of the second branch, felt this was the perfect time to assert his authority. He shouted, "Sixth sister, don't think that just because you've earned a few bucks, you're above our second branch. Let me tell you, there's an order of seniority, and distinctions of high and low. Since you've violated the principles of family morality, don't blame me for punishing you according to family rules in my name as the future head of the Xu family."
This time Xu Qingying couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. She then looked Xu Huizheng up and down. Xu Huizheng was frightened by her gaze and scolded him, "How dare you! What are you looking at?!"
"My cousin wants to be the future head of the family, but he should wait until his hair grows out." Xu Qingying pushed everyone away without mercy, her voice getting colder, "Get out of the way!"
"I haven't finished talking yet, don't go!" Xu Lezhi was anxious to grab her, but as soon as he started, he accidentally grabbed Xu Qingying's hair.
Xu Qingying felt pain, and Xu Lezhi was a little scared. He instinctively wanted to let go, but Xu Qingying was faster. She waved her hand and grabbed her hair, then kicked her, hitting Xu Lezhi in the knee. Xu Lezhi screamed and half-knelt on the ground!
"You dare to hit me?!"
"I've already fought, so why shouldn't I be afraid?"
The noise woke up everyone in the house. At first, everyone in the Xu family thought they were just playing and fighting, but when they heard Xu Lezhi crying, they all pushed the door open and rushed out.
When the Xu family saw the children from the second branch surrounding Xu Qingying, they immediately knew that the second branch was seeking revenge for what happened during the day. Lian became furious and shouted, "Xu Lezhi, what are you doing?!"
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