In the dead of night, when all was quiet, the sound of bells rang out one after another near the camp.
The sound was particularly jarring in the silent night, like a death knell from hell.
The villagers were awakened from their sleep, and before they could react, the bandits appeared in their sight like ghosts.
They sat astride their horses, their faces contorted in grotesque expressions, and occasionally let out chilling roars.
The sound echoed in the night sky, like the whispers of a demon from the depths of hell, sending chills down one's spine.
The bandits didn't say anything extra, nor did they threaten or entice the villagers to hand over their valuables and food. They simply brandished their knives and swords, mercilessly hacking and slashing!
In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, screams filled the air, and the entire camp instantly turned into a scene of carnage.
The villagers, who were already terrified, were even more frightened after witnessing this bloody and cruel scene.
Their eyes widened in shock as they stared at the ruthless killers before them, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
By the time they realized what was happening, they had already unconsciously let go of the weapon they were holding, and were only focused on desperately trying to escape this land of death.
But how could they possibly outrun the bandits on horseback?
The bandit swung his knife suddenly, a flash of cold light, and blood gushed out like a fountain. The person who was slashed didn't even have time to groan before falling straight to the ground.
The bandits' laughter echoed in the night sky, as if mocking the powerless villagers.
Not all villagers chose to sit idly by and wait for their fate; some villagers displayed astonishing courage in the face of life and death.
They resolutely picked up the weapons scattered around them and pounced on the rampaging bandits, swinging them wildly in attack.
But given the disparity in strength, they were easily knocked to the ground by the bandits as soon as they raised their weapons.
Seeing that the villagers dared to fight back, the bandits were enraged.
---
In front of Wang Xiuxiu, a burly bandit with a fierce face was approaching her step by step, holding a large knife.
The blade gleamed coldly in the moonlight, as if it would cleave her in two at any moment.
Wang Xiuxiu's heart was pounding like a drum. She had nowhere to retreat and could only watch helplessly as the bandit approached step by step.
Just when Wang Xiuxiu thought she was doomed, she heard a sharp, piercing horse neighing.
A squad of black-armored soldiers sliced through the boundless darkness like sharp swords.
The sound of horses' hooves was deafening, and the soldiers' shouts of battle roared like thunder in the night sky.
At this critical moment, Wang Xiuxiu seized the opportunity when the bandit was momentarily stunned.
He used all his strength, gripped the hairpin tightly, and thrust it forward with all his might!
With a "poof" sound, the bandit's body instantly froze.
His face was filled with shock and fear as he stared in disbelief at the seemingly frail woman before him, his eyes revealing despair and resentment.
He tried to struggle, but it was too late.
He could only stare wide-eyed as Wang Xiuxiu raised the hairpin again and plunged it fiercely into his heart.
Wang Xiuxiu's movements were clean and efficient, without the slightest hesitation.
As the hairpin pierced through, a gushing stream of blood spurted out like a fountain, splattering all over her face.
But Wang Xiuxiu didn't care, she didn't even blink, and just kicked the lifeless body away.
The bandit landed, raising a cloud of dust.
Meanwhile, the entire battlefield remained in chaos and turmoil.
Shouts of battle and the clash of weapons echoed through the sky, and the stench of blood filled the air.
Amidst this chaos, the cold-faced general at the head of the group stood out.
He was clad in heavy armor, his posture upright like a pine tree, his face cold and stern, exuding an imposing aura even without anger.
The general rode a mighty steed, his long sword gleaming coldly in the moonlight. Wherever he went, the bandits screamed and fell to the ground, utterly powerless to fight back.
Before long, the once arrogant and domineering bandits were routed.
They fled in all directions, looking utterly disheveled.
In an instant, blood flowed everywhere, even pooling into a long trail in low-lying areas.
The air was filled with a nauseating, pungent smell of blood.
The cold-faced general immediately ordered his soldiers to bury the bandits' corpses on the spot.
Before their departure, the general informed everyone that the bandits of Wadang Mountain had been completely wiped out, and the imperial court had dispatched officials to Yazhou and Pingzhou to provide disaster relief, who would arrive soon.
Upon hearing this, all the villagers raised their heads.
At this moment, it would be no exaggeration to say that their feelings were a mixture of emotions.
A complex mix of emotions mingled together, and for a moment, the faces of the crowd reflected a mixture of sorrow, confusion, and joy.
---
The next morning, sunlight shone on the earth.
However, for all the surviving villagers of Stone Village, the warm sunshine could not dispel the gloom that lingered over them.
A night of busyness and grief, those once vibrant lives are now buried deep in the cold ground.
The once large and bustling procession is now unusually quiet and deserted.
The once bustling crowd now numbers less than half of what it was at the start.
The pain of losing a loved one is ever-present, and the agonizing agony makes their steps heavier and heavier, as if each step exhausts all their strength.
Even with endless pain in their hearts, life goes on, and no one dares to stop.
The village chief was about to gather everyone together to discuss the upcoming itinerary.
Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the brief silence.
A young woman, her face ashen white, suddenly cried out, "Master!"
Before anyone could react, he went berserk and sped toward a large tree not far away.
In an instant, a muffled thud was heard, blood splattered everywhere, and scarlet liquid sprayed out several meters away.
Everyone present was stunned by the bloody and horrific scene before them, and for a moment, there was complete silence...
Seeing this, Wang Xiuxiu seemed to have her soul ripped out, her eyes empty and lifeless, as if she had become numb to everything that was happening before her.
So she only closed her eyes slightly before turning her head to the side.
In stark contrast to her was Wang Chengwen, who stood beside her.
The moment he realized what was happening, he immediately stood on tiptoe and stretched out his hands to try to cover Wang Xiuxiu's eyes.
However, when he met Wang Xiuxiu's gaze, he lowered his hand in embarrassment.
Wang Xiuxiu watched helplessly as he hurried away like a frightened rabbit, keeping a considerable distance from her.
---
The woman who attempted suicide had recently lost her young son.
Yesterday's bandit raid took away her only hope in this world, which is why she couldn't bear it and sought death.
Knowing that she had no one to help with household affairs, the village chief begged everyone to lend a hand.
After everyone was laid to rest, the surviving villagers of Stone Village were finally able to sit together and discuss their future.
"Village chief, the imperial court has already sent people to provide disaster relief. Should we still go to Jinzhou?" one of the villagers asked.
After yesterday's events, the village chief looked dejected.
But everyone is still waiting for him to make a decision, so the village chief has no choice but to pull himself together.
He said slowly, "This matter is both good and bad. Judging from the tone and demeanor of that general yesterday, he is definitely not a low-ranking official. His words should be credible. We peasants have been building our land and property at home for generations. It's good to go back."
At this point, the village chief paused slightly, then added, "There are downsides too. You know, even in the most difficult times over the years, the Sangshui River has never completely dried up. Therefore, it's reasonable to assume that the drought in Yazhou can't be resolved in just a day or two. No matter how much grain the imperial court has, it can't support us for a lifetime. If one day it can't supply us anymore, we'll still have to relocate and find another way..."
If we can move to another place smoothly by then, that would be the best possible outcome.
However, if they were unlucky enough to encounter an official as greedy and oppressive as the prefect of Yangzhou, they would probably have an even harder time getting by.
The village chief's words were quite apt.
The villagers weren't stupid; they understood his concerns.
“Village chief, you are knowledgeable and thoughtful. You just said what you plan to do with your family. If we have the same idea, we will continue to travel together so that we can look out for each other!”
The villagers' trust in the village chief had reached its peak during their time on the run. At this moment, everyone was looking at the village chief with expectant eyes.
The village chief sighed and said slowly, "I'm old, but the younger generation in my family is in the prime of their youth. Jinzhou is wealthy, and I'd like to let my children go and try their luck."
At this moment, the village chief was unwilling to talk about the current predicament, and only dreamed about the future.
After speaking, the village chief walked away with his hands behind his back.
Seeing that everyone was deep in thought, Wang Xiuxiu, who had been silent all along, finally had a chance to calm down and carefully wipe the hairpin hidden deep in the bundle.
At first glance, this wooden hairpin appears plain and unremarkable; it's an ordinary wooden hair accessory.
But in reality, it was carved from the incredibly hard ironwood.
Yesterday, in a critical moment, Wang Xiuxiu used this hairpin to stab the neck of the bandit who was lunging at her, thus narrowly escaping death.
Wang Xiuxiu didn't know anything about others, but she was determined to go to Jinzhou.
Even if the Wang family didn't go, she would secretly follow behind the village chief's family and never look back!
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