Chapter 150 Father and Son Class
The young man's eyes sharpened, and he gripped the curved sword held horizontally on his arm, about to exert force, when he heard a whooshing sound as it flew by, bringing with it a burst of bright red blood.
The bandit who had been grinning and smug about his successful sneak attack suddenly opened his eyes wide, stiffened, and looked down in disbelief at the arrowhead protruding from his chest.
Not far away, Qin Shaozong released an arrow, then expressionlessly drew his bow again, aiming the second arrow at Wang Hu, who was hiding in the tall grass and trees.
Wang Hu had just fired an arrow, and now half of his body was exposed. Seeing that his shot had missed, he quickly hid in the dense grass.
The man nocked the arrow and drew the bow in one fluid motion, his long, thick fingers loosening the tendon-like string.
Another arrow flew out like a meteor.
This arrow was even more powerful than the one before. As it entered the grass, it swept across like a sickle, cutting off a handful of green, withered leaves before plunging deep into the grass, eliciting a scream.
Qin Yanzhou glanced at the imposing man not far away, said nothing, and turned to help Xun He, who was fighting two against one behind him.
The two bandits fell one after the other.
Xun He was aware of the danger he had just faced, but he genuinely couldn't spare a hand. After the near-death experience, he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly thanked Qin Yanzhou, "Thank you, Second Young Master, for saving me from this perilous situation."
Qin Yanzhou nodded slightly, saying nothing. He lowered his dark eyelashes slightly and looked down at his right arm.
Today, everyone who came to suppress the bandits was dressed differently from their usual casual attire, including him and Qin Qinian, who were all wearing black armor. However, in order to facilitate climbing mountains and pursuing the enemy on foot, they were not wearing heavy armor from head to toe.
Xuanjia, also known as black iron armor, is more defensive than cloth armor and leather armor, but because it contains iron, it is much heavier than the latter two.
Like other northern armies, Qin Yanzhou's black armor only covered the upper body, with an additional piece of trousers to protect the groin. Apart from the breastplate protecting vital areas such as the chest, the upper body only had shoulder guards to protect the upper arms.
The robe barely reached his upper arm, beneath which lay Qin Yanzhou's black robe. At this moment, a tear about a finger's length long appeared in the side of his black robe.
The dark robes concealed everything, making it impossible to tell whether there was blood.
The young man dejectedly lowered his hand, and after a long while, he picked up his knife and continued forward. Qin Shaozong, who was a few feet away, took in his expression.
Attacked from both the east and west, the bandits were like sheep being herded, forced to flee through a small path at the rear. Meanwhile, the northern army, after initially converging, launched an even fiercer offensive.
When Qin Qinian saw Qin Yanzhou, he excitedly went up to him and asked, "Second brother, how many bandit leaders did you capture?"
Qin Yanzhou said he didn't remember.
"How could I forget something so important?" Qin Qinian frowned, then saw the other person looking him up and down as if searching for something, so he smiled and patted his chest. "I'm not injured. The amulet my mother gave me is very effective."
Of course, another reason was that he was worried about accidentally breaking his skin and having to bury himself in reading and writing when he got back, so he was particularly careful.
"How are things on your end?" the boy asked.
Qin Yanzhou casually flicked the blood off his knife. "Not bad."
The den of thieves not only housed bandits, but also some young women abducted from elsewhere, some young and some old, who were specifically responsible for cooking.
The girls had heard the fighting when it first started, but none of them dared to come out. Now that the battle was basically over, some of them started to peek out.
Upon seeing the bandits' corpses scattered on the ground, some wept with joy, while others were numb and bewildered. It wasn't until someone shouted, "It seems the government has come to suppress the bandits," that the girls erupted in excitement and rushed out in a swarm.
Qin Shaozong appointed Wei Qing, instructing him to lead a few soldiers to temporarily settle the young women, while he led the rest of the men to continue pursuing the remaining enemy.
The Qin brothers went with Qin Shaozong.
They chased for a while, when suddenly they heard sounds of fighting coming from ahead.
"Oh, it seems Uncle Feng and the others have made their move." Qin Qinian rubbed his hands together, eager to get started, and then said to Qin Shaozong, "Father, let's hurry over there and attack them from both sides, then crush them!"
Qin Shaozong: "Qin San, you and Bai Jianping lead the men there quickly. Qin Er and I will be there shortly."
The men who were called out were confused, but they still did as they were told, and the group rushed forward to chase the enemy. Soon, only Qin Shaozong and Qin Yanzhou remained on the path leading to the back mountain.
After the menacing group left, the birds that had been startled earlier landed back on the treetops, tilting their heads to examine the remaining father and son who were walking side by side.
Qin Shaozong walked to the young man's right, and could see his torn sleeve by looking down slightly. "Were you injured just now? Is it serious?"
Qin Yanzhou froze, shaking his head without speaking. A thick, dark cloud seemed to hang over him, and his mood was much lower than before.
"Qin Er, putting the agreement aside, do you still want to go into battle after this?" Qin Shaozong asked again.
"I did think about it." Qin Yanzhou replied without hesitation. He tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if he wanted to say something else, but in the end, he only showed a bitter and helpless smile.
The agreement is unavoidable. My mother is so perceptive; she will surely know everything once he returns. So what's the use of just thinking about it?
He could no longer...
"Just think about it. I think you're only slightly injured. In that case, secretly sew up this tear in your sleeve, and then you can pretend nothing happened," Qin Shaozong said with a smile.
Qin Yanzhou stood frozen in astonishment.
"Why are you so surprised? Is what I said unworkable? Although Madam loves you, you are an adult now, and a grown son should avoid his mother. She would never order you to strip naked for her to examine you. When she asks, just insist that you are not injured." Qin Shaozong's smile deepened.
Qin Yanzhou's eyes widened slightly, "But..."
"Today I'll teach you a lesson: the wise adapt to changing circumstances, the foolish stick to old ways, and those who achieve great things don't concern themselves with trifles." Qin Shaozong pulled out a purse embroidered with small flowers from somewhere.
He no longer looked at the young man beside him, his gaze fixed on the purse. "You want to make a name for yourself, and besides realizing your own ambitions, I think your wife is also a major reason. Her desire to prevent you from taking risks is a mother's heart full of love, which is completely understandable. After all, getting something back after losing it is far more precious than having it by your side all the time. But are you really willing to live a mediocre life and be unable to repay your mother's kindness?"
Qin Yanzhou unconsciously pursed his lips.
Qin Shaozong did not hear a response, nor did he urge him.
The man's long, calloused fingers stroked the small flower on the purse. There was no amulet inside, but it wasn't flat and empty; instead, it bulged with a distinct curve.
Pinch the opening of the purse open with your fingers, and you can vaguely see a small jade pendant inside, long and narrow in shape, resembling a pen rest.
"I have said all I have to say. You can consider the rest yourself." Qin Shaozong suddenly tightened his grip on the small purse, holding it firmly in his hand.
As if remembering something, he added with a smile, "If you are willing to do as I say, find a trustworthy woman and have her sew your outer robe quickly."
After speaking, Qin Shaozong stopped walking leisurely and picked up the pace to catch up with the main group ahead.
Qin Yanzhou followed.
*
"Achoo!" Dai Li suddenly sneezed.
Nianxia said nervously, "Madam, let me put some clothes on you. There's a saying that you should cover yourself up in spring and stay cool in autumn, so please don't catch a cold."
Dai Li rubbed her nose. "I don't feel cold."
But Nianxia still took a piece of clothing back.
Dai Li looked in the direction of Chunmiao Mountain and murmured, "It's already the end of the morning. They should be in the second half of the race by now. I hope everything goes smoothly."
Whether it was Dai Li's imagination or not, she seemed to hear the clanging of weapons. Just as she was about to concentrate and listen, she saw someone rushing in from outside the courtyard.
"Madam, the village has been attacked by bandits. Please stay with Miss Shi and do not wander around." It was Hu Bao who came.
Dai Li was extremely shocked. "Bandits attacked the end of the village? But the end of the village and Chunmiao Mountain are in opposite directions and not close to each other. How could those bandits..."
She suddenly paused, recalling the attack that had occurred about two weeks prior.
After that night raid, the "bandits" never appeared again. Now it seems they didn't flee, but rather hid and waited for an opportunity to strike.
Qin Shaozong's leadership in suppressing the bandits was precisely that "opportunity".
After the initial shock, she quickly regained her composure. "It's alright. I heard that the initial raid last time involved only about a hundred people, and more than half of them were killed by you. If it's the same group that came this time, then they probably only have less than fifty left. We, on the other hand, have a hundred people, giving us a numerical advantage. However, their purpose in this attack should be the same as before. Hu Bao, those people from the imperial court must be taken care of; we can't let them get killed again."
Hu Bao solemnly said, "Please rest assured, Madam, we will not let those villains succeed."
Dai Li smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work."
After Hu Bao left, Shi Rongyue and her personal maid quickly arrived at the courtyard where Dai Li lived and gathered together.
At that moment, Dai Li was talking to the owner of the courtyard. She and Qin Shaozong were staying at the village chief's house, and the person she was talking to was the old village chief's daughter-in-law.
"...Yes, there's only one bandit gang around here, and it only started two years ago. At first, there were only about ten of them. I heard they were fugitives who fled to Chunmiao Mountain and became outlaws. They often robbed passing merchants. Later, the news of bandits spread, and somehow, more and more people became outlaws here," the village woman said.
Dai Li seemed to understand something. "There was only a band of mountain bandits, so it really was them who came."
The village woman couldn't understand who "they" referred to, and she was filled with worry. "My lord, there are bandits on the east and on the west. It's hard to keep up with both sides... what if..."
If they can't hold them off and the bandits really get into the village, the first to be hit will definitely be the defenseless villagers.
Dai Li looked up at the sky.
It was the end of the Mao hour, just one hour after the end of the Yin hour. One hour is two hours.
It's too early to completely eradicate the thieves' den.
Dai Li pressed her temples.
She appeared calm in front of Hu Bao, but only Dai Li herself knew that she was still somewhat worried.
Her statement that "nothing's wrong" was based on her assumption that the other side only had fifty people. If there were more than fifty...
Dai Li looked at the village woman and asked, "Do you have a drum here?"
*
On Chunmiao Mountain.
In large-scale wars, the defeated side is unlikely to lose its head if it surrenders in time.
Captives, representing human resources, are undoubtedly a valuable asset. Just like in the Battle of Yanzhou last year, the defeated Yanzhou army, after being reorganized by Qin Shaozong, was entirely transformed into laborers for cultivating the land.
However, this time is an exception.
Firstly, the bandits committed numerous atrocities; secondly, Qin Shaozong harbored certain ulterior motives. In any case, he did not order anyone to be spared.
By the time the father and son arrived, the one-sided, crushing battle was almost over.
The bandits' corpses lay scattered about, blood flowing continuously from their severed necks or chests, pooling into shallow puddles on the ground, which were then splattered outwards by those who came later.
When Bai Jianping saw Qin Shaozong arrive, he reported, "My lord, all the bandits have been wiped out, and a total of fifty-two bandits attempted to escape down the mountain."
"Fifty-two, plus the corpses on the mountain, this den of thieves must have a hundred people." Qin Qinian clicked his tongue twice, "I didn't expect it to be such a big den of thieves."
Just as Qin Shaozong was about to speak, he suddenly heard the sound of drums coming from afar. The man's face instantly turned cold, and he turned to look in the direction of the village.
Among the many musical instruments, the drum has one of the strongest penetrating power, so it is often used to transmit messages or cheer during military marches and sacrificial ceremonies.
The others were stunned, incredulous.
"Was that the sound of drums just now? Who was playing the drums?"
"Wait, that's not ordinary drumming, it's bugle call!"
"It seems to be heading towards the village. How could that be? We raided the bandits' den at night. Logically, the bandits should be fast asleep at dawn. Why would they be coming down the mountain?"
Qin Shaozong: "Bai Jianping and Qin San, you two lead twenty men to clean up the battlefield. The rest of you will come back with me."
Qin Qinian, who was called out, subconsciously responded, and after answering, he went to look at Qin Yanzhou.
Father didn't mention his second brother's name, so his second brother was also going back with Father to fight the enemy? Normally, he would have tried his best to persuade him, but today…
Sigh, never mind, I'll just obey orders for now.
Qin Qinian, whose sleeve had been torn by the bandits' blades but whose skin had not been broken, was still shaken.
*
A small mountain village.
Deng Qianfeng's eyes were bloodshot with rage as he fought Hu Bao, but after a fierce back-and-forth battle, he belatedly realized that his battle lines hadn't advanced much.
Suddenly, the sound of drums erupted in the village.
Being soldiers, Deng Qianfeng immediately recognized the bugle call. His face turned grim as he blocked Hu Bao's attacks, shouting, "Time is running out, disperse and enter the village!"
Villages are different from cities; the former are built in places with easy access in all directions, while the latter are protected by city walls. To enter a village, in addition to the two mountain roads that can be traveled by carriage and horse, one can also enter through the grass or woods.
Upon hearing the order, the others immediately scattered.
A vein throbbed on Hu Bao's forehead.
The lord left a hundred men to protect the mistress. A hundred men was one-third of the total force, which was already quite a lot. However, it was quite difficult for a hundred men to protect the entire village of a thousand people while also trying their best to kill the "mountain bandits" who scurried around like eels.
In particular, the troops stationed in the main courtyard are fixed and must not be redeployed.
The village was in chaos, and Guo Nai and Shen Tianming, who lived elsewhere, could not possibly miss the commotion.
Guo Nai was visibly astonished. "Didn't Marquis Wu'an lead his men to suppress the bandits? How could bandits have entered the village? Could it be that the remaining rebels were forced down the mountain and stumbled into the village?"
Shen Tianming, being a military officer, had more experience in this area than Guo Nai. He frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't seem like it to me. Chunmiao Mountain is to the east, and the sound came from the west. Besides, if the remaining bandits wanted to escape, why would they flee to a crowded place?"
Guo Nai's face turned grim. "Could it be...?"
At this moment, soldiers from the north arrived.
After bowing, the visitor got straight to the point: "General Shen, Attendant Guo, the village has been attacked. The bandits are coming in strong, and our forces are limited. I hope that you two and the other court soldiers will not leave the courtyard."
It was just a message; the person left as soon as they finished speaking.
After Guo Nai's expression changed several times, he suddenly looked at Shen Tianming beside him and asked, "General Shen, do you think this calamity was staged?"
Shen Tianming stroked his chin: "It's hard to say."
Guo Nai chuckled sinisterly, "General Shen, the safest place in this village is not where we are standing now."
Shen Tianming sensed a hidden meaning in his words, "What do you mean?"
“How about we go find the Lady of the Marquis?” Guo Nai’s eyes flashed with ruthlessness. “If this is the Marquis of Wu’an using bandits as a cover, we’ll take his wife and niece as hostages. If I’m wrong, that’s fine too; we’ll just borrow the troops around her to protect ourselves.”
"Excellent!"
*
When Qin Shaozong led his men back to the village in a hurry, the main road in the village was already covered in bloodstains, and the sound of clashing blades could be heard in the distance.
The imposing man coldly raised his hand and pressed it down. Without saying a word, the northern soldiers behind him instantly charged into the small battlefields scattered in all directions like tigers released from their cages.
Qin Shaozong walked straight toward the village chief's house, and dealt with all the bandits he encountered along the way.
The closer one gets, the more dead and wounded people appear on both sides. The thick stench of blood wafts in the wind, making one feel as if a wet, blood-stained handkerchief is pressed against their nose.
"My Lord!" The guards standing in front of the courtyard were all extremely excited to see Qin Shaozong return.
The wooden gate was mostly broken, with only half of it crooked and creaking in the wind.
His gaze traveled through the space, and only when he saw the woman in the courtyard wearing a smoky purple ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) did the tension suddenly ease.
Qin Shaozong exhaled a breath of stale air.
He then turned his attention to the others and saw that Dai Li and Shi Rongyue were both in the courtyard and not inside the house: "Why aren't Madam and Rongrong coming inside?"
When Dai Li saw him return and a group of Northern Army soldiers waiting outside the courtyard, she was quite relieved. "General Shen and Attendant Guo are inside. The situation... is a bit special."
Qin Shaozong frowned upon hearing this. "Why don't they stay in their own rooms and instead take over someone else's place?"
Dai Li explained, “Guo Changshi said he was worried that I would be harmed by the bandits, so he rushed over to help me. As a result, he was ambushed by bandits on his way here and had his arm cut off. Mr. Ding and General Shen are now taking care of him in the house.”
Everyone was surprised.
Qin Shaozong laughed out loud without any attempt to hide his sneer, "Tsk, it's because God couldn't stand his lack of harmony, so He simply sent someone to cut off his other arm as well."
Dai Li: "...Keep your voice down."
As if remembering something, Qin Shaozong turned to Qin Yanzhou beside him and said, "Qin Er, this place is filthy. Take Shi Rongrong to the next room."
Author's Note: Here I am! [droopy-eared rabbit head]
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