The soldiers of Tuningwei guarded the frontier. Due to the long border with Beiqi, there were many large and small tribes in the enemy country, and they invaded in various ways, which was difficult to defend against. They were never able to completely extinguish the flames of war.
Therefore, soldiers patrol each fortress twelve hours a day.
In the middle of the night, the sound of a horn suddenly rang through the barracks, waking Guo Honglei up. As soon as he opened his eyes, he quickly jumped out of bed, dressed himself quickly, grabbed his sword, and opened the door. His well-trained guards were already waiting, and they all rushed to the general's tent.
"General!"
Song Jikun, the commander of the guards, sat at the head of the table. Due to the heavy burdens he shouldered and the constant toil and effort, his hair had turned gray and his eyes were often bloodshot. "Honglei is here, sit down."
Guo Honglei sat down as instructed and asked directly, "I heard the horn sound, the enemy is attacking again. I wonder where they are? I am willing to lead the troops to kill them." After saying this, he glanced around and was surprised to see a familiar face standing in the corner. He asked:
"Why are you here?"
Zou Gui stepped forward and was about to answer, but someone else spoke first! Li Qigong rushed forward, bowed, and replied respectfully: "Captain Guo, it's been a long time since we last met. We are here on the orders of the county magistrate to ask for your help."
"Ask for help?" Guo Honglei was stunned. His face changed. He stood up involuntarily and walked towards the servant who had grown up with him. "Where's your wife? Is she... okay?"
Zou Gui arrived in the rain, soaking wet and covered in mud. He replied anxiously, "When we left the village, we didn't see any Beiqi people, but now, it's hard to say."
Guo Honglei gripped his sword tightly. "What on earth is going on?"
"Alas," Zou Gui explained briefly, "it rained heavily that evening, and everyone decided it wasn't advisable to travel in the rain, so they stayed overnight in a village at the foot of Sang Mountain. Just as we were falling asleep, a villager reported that his hunting dog had found a quiver shaped like a northern ape." He then looked upwards and said, "The item has been handed over to the general."
Guo Honglei was caught off guard and immediately became deeply worried. "You didn't return to the city?"
"It's raining too hard," Li Qigong interrupted. "There's lightning and thunder, and the sky is pitch black. Many horses are reluctant to move. We have no choice but to rest in a nearby village."
Guo Honglei gritted his teeth and was about to ask in detail, but he saw the commander above him shaking a cowhide map.
Song Jikun called out, "Come and take a look, and think about it."
Guo Honglei calmed himself down and, along with several colleagues, quickly approached to examine the quiver, arrows, and map.
The next moment, Tong Jing hurried over, adjusting his helmet as he walked. "General!" He panted slightly and shouted, "Where are the enemies? Hey, I live far away and am a little late. I must find a barracks closer to you next time!"
Song Jikun had been on the garrison for years and was accustomed to enemy attacks. With his back to the door, facing the large hanging map, without turning his head, he instructed his trusted general, "Tong Jing is here? It's okay, you're not too late. Take a look at the things first."
"yes!"
Tong Jing pulled up his trousers, quickly pushed aside his colleagues, and shouted, "What is that? Let me see." He picked up the quiver, examined it, curled his lips in disdain, and said firmly, "This thing belongs to the Beiqi people." Immediately, he took Guo Honglei's hand and leaned in to look at the map. "Huh? A map?"
Guo Honglei's expression was solemn. "It's from Tu Ning."
A general examined the single arrow and nodded, saying, "Jiang Zhixian's speculation is correct. This arrow is indeed new. If it had been dropped during the enemy's defeat a few years ago, it would have rusted long ago due to exposure to the sun and rain."
Tong Jing was stunned. "County Magistrate Jiang?" He looked at Guo Honglei and asked in confusion, "What does this have to do with your wife?"
Guo Honglei frowned, feeling uneasy. He whispered, "Her itinerary was disrupted by the heavy rain. She didn't return to the government office and took shelter in the village at the foot of Sangshan Mountain."
"Tsk." Tong Jing frowned, rubbed his chin, and speculated, "Could it be that... the enemy soldiers knew in advance that the county magistrate was staying in the village and deliberately murdered him? No! If the weather was clear, the county magistrate would have returned to the city. The enemy soldiers shouldn't have the ability to control the wind and rain? I can't figure it out."
"Besides, why would you want to assassinate the magistrate?"
Guo Honglei was filled with doubts. "I can't figure it out either. We've recaptured Yongzhou for several years now. Although the enemy soldiers have been making surprise attacks, they're no longer as rampant as they were during the period of our loss, sneaking into villages and committing murder and violence. But these three things—the quiver, the arrows, and the map—make me suspicious."
Song Jikun, who was at the top, tapped the map with his fingers, turned around, and said seriously, "That's right, I have to be suspicious."
"General..." Tong Jing opened his mouth, but his voice was drowned out by his colleagues. Guo Honglei was worried about his wife encountering the enemy, and he was naturally anxious. He wanted to take wings and fly to the foot of Sangshan Mountain. He pleaded again: "General, I am willing to lead the troops to deal with the enemy!"
Tong Jing was competitive by nature. In the past, he wouldn't have given in to anyone, unwilling to appear timid or lazy. He would have fought tooth and nail. But this time, since it was Jiang Yushu who had sent someone asking for help, he couldn't afford to argue. He curled his lips, dusted off the cowhide map, and fell into a rare silence.
It was human nature, and the other generals had the same idea as Tong Jing, and no one wanted to fight.
Zou Gui and Li Qigong were standing in a corner, the former was worried and looked anxiously; the latter, however, was no longer afraid because he had reached a safe place, and took the opportunity to observe the general's tent curiously.
Song Jikun glanced at his subordinates, raised his hand to signal his capable subordinates to calm down, and told the outsiders: "You go out and wait."
The guards immediately followed the order, "Go out and wait!"
"Oh, yes." The commander spoke. Zou Gui and Li Qigong lowered their heads, not daring to say a word, and respectfully left the general's tent.
Song Jikun, upon learning of the enemy's situation, pondered for a moment before making a quick decision. He picked up a cowhide map and said gravely, "The enemy, having dared to infiltrate Dagan with weapons and a map, must be numerous. The key question is: Why are they here? Are they scouting the way? Or are they making a feint to the east and attacking in the west? Where is the enemy's main force located? We must consider these questions and plan ahead to avoid being led by the nose by the enemy."
Guo Honglei looked at the commander, knowing that his superiors were cautious. He was extremely anxious but could only endure it, waiting for orders intently.
"This guard shoulders the heavy responsibility of defending Tuning, and we must prioritize the overall interests in everything we do." Song Jikun spoke with dignity and composure. "Therefore, this time, the troops will be split into two groups. Tong Jing?"
"Huh?" Tong Jing was stunned. He subconsciously glanced at Guo Honglei and replied hastily, "I am here!"
"You've always been in charge of patrols in the Runhe area. You're very familiar with the villages, mountains, forests, and rivers." Song Jikun refused to allow any further comment. He ordered, "Immediately take a thousand men and rush to the area reported by the magistrate to rescue the civilians. If you find you're short on manpower, return to camp and request reinforcements."
Send Tong Jing? The other generals were either surprised or not surprised at all, waiting for orders.
Guo Honglei lost consciousness for a moment, gripping his sword tightly until his knuckles turned white. He took a step forward involuntarily and said anxiously, "General—"
Song Jikun raised his hand again, signaling his capable subordinate to calm down. He frowned and stared at Tong Jing, "What? Don't you understand?"
"Ah, I understand!" Tong Jing came back to his senses and accepted the order, saying, "I will immediately take a thousand men out of the camp to rescue the people."
Song Jikun waved his hand and said, "Hurry up, saving people is like putting out a fire!"
"Yes!" Tong Jing turned around and glanced at Guo Honglei before leaving. Guo Honglei also turned his head away. The two people who had never disliked each other looked at each other silently... In the end, Tong Jing was inexplicably proud. He raised his head and said with a sidelong glance: "I will take people to rescue the people. Don't worry, I will save your wife by the way."
Guo Honglei straightened his back, feeling a strange feeling in his heart. He sighed secretly and said solemnly, "Please."
"Well, no problem, it's a small matter." Tong Jing was so proud that he thought to himself: Hehe, kid, are you going to ask me for help one day?
"Cough cough!" Song Jikun coughed unhappily.
Tong Jing immediately broke into a run when he heard it, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. As soon as he left the general's tent, he shouted, "Who's here to report this? Follow me, follow me. You lead the way!"
"Huh? This..." Zou Gui and Li Qigong looked at each other in confusion, assuming that they would see Guo Honglei. Before they could come to their senses, they were pushed away by the soldiers.
Song Jikun then calmly continued his instructions, "The terrain around Luanshigou is extremely complex and difficult to defend, and the Beijiao often exploits loopholes. Honglei, Zuo Zhen, you are familiar with the terrain. Each of you will take a thousand men and head to Luanshigou immediately. First, cut off the retreat routes of any enemy who may have invaded Tuning. Second, observe the enemy situation and keep a close eye on the border to prevent a surprise attack by the main enemy force."
"I obey your command!" The general named Zuo Zhen said without hesitation.
Military orders are as heavy as a mountain and cannot be disobeyed. Guo Honglei took a deep breath, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. He forced himself to cheer up and clasped his fists, saying, "I obey your orders."
Song Jikun said calmly, "The rest of the generals will stay in the camp and await orders."
"yes."
The commander waved his hand, Guo Honglei was startled and strode forward.
Song Jikun spoke earnestly, whispering, "When facing the enemy, send the most suitable person. For soldiers guarding the border, country comes first, family comes second. Today, let alone your wife asking for help, even if it's my wife asking for help, Tong Jing must be sent. When Tong Jing was in the southwest, he fought against the barbarians in the deep mountains and old forests for many years. He has the most experience in dealing with the hills and villages on both sides of the Run River."
Guo Honglei's eyes were deep, his jaw set tight, and he forcibly suppressed the urge to protect his wife. He said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you for your guidance, General. I understand."
"Go, be careful."
"Yes!" Guo Honglei felt helpless. He clenched his sword in his right hand, held his head high and chest out, and left side by side with his colleagues. He quickly led his men and horses, holding torches to protect them from the rain, and rushed to the rocky gully overnight.
At the same time, at the foot of Mt.
No one dares to close their eyes until the enemy is eliminated.
The candlelight flickered as Jiang Yushu sat upright, expressionless, concentrating on wiping a dagger. The tea had cooled down, but she didn't even take a sip.
The village head had moved a stool and was sitting outside the courtyard gate, waiting for reinforcements. Several petty officials were pacing anxiously, looking out the door repeatedly and asking anxiously, "What's going on? Why is there no sign of reinforcements?"
"Could it be that the person sent to deliver the letter encountered the Northern Ao bandits along the way?"
"It's possible."
"Don't worry, it's a long way there and back."
"What should we do?"
"Let it be."
"Ah, if I had known earlier, I would have followed the magistrate's example and carried a dagger."
…
Jiang Yushu raised her eyes and swung the dagger in her hand. The sharp blade flashed with a cold light. After a long moment of nervous panic, she gradually calmed down, weighed the dagger, and said slowly, "I don't know martial arts. This small dagger can only scare people. From what I know, the Beiqi people are good at riding and shooting, and are accustomed to using sabers. The chances of winning with a short dagger against a long sword are too small."
A petty official couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid?"
Jiang Yushu stood up, sighed, and walked out of the courtyard in the drizzle. "What's the point of being afraid? I've tried my best to arrange a way to deal with the enemy. The rest is up to fate."
A few clerks pushed each other for a while, and then cautiously suggested, "Since we've made all the arrangements, Your Excellency, why don't we go up the mountain to take shelter? Once the crisis is over, we can go down the mountain and return to the government office. How about that?"
The old man overheard it and turned to say, "Go out the courtyard and walk back. Behind the house is a mountain. However, you have to climb above the mountainside to find the forest where you can hide."
"Oh, then we should leave as soon as possible!"
"Yes, once the enemy soldiers break into the village, it will be too late to escape."
Jiang Yushu stood still, gazing at the dark night sky. She glanced at her subordinates and said calmly, "Don't be impatient. We can't run away yet. Listen, the village is very quiet. If the enemy soldiers come in, the dogs will give us a warning."
"Yes!" The old village head smiled. "My home is located on a high ground. Since ancient times, every time the enemy soldiers came to the village to commit evil, they had to work hard to find us."
Jiang Yushu looked at the old man and praised him, "Old man, you remain calm in the face of danger. You have great courage!"
"Your Excellency is too kind. Alas, there is nothing we can do. We have lived in this village for generations, and the timid ones have been scared to death long ago, leaving only a bunch of foolish and brave ones. It is not impossible to escape now, but I am afraid of bad luck. As soon as I go up the mountain, I will run into the Beiqi people. Those cruel beasts usually hide in the woods, come down the mountain at night to burn, kill, and loot, and then sneak back to the grassland in the chaos." The old man muttered, squinting his eyes, pricked up his ears, and was alert and vigilant.
The slanting wind and drizzle wet Jiang Yushu's eyelashes. She pulled back her hand, put on her cape and hat, and asked softly, "Are there any able-bodied men in the village willing to volunteer to register as militiamen?"
The village head frowned, avoiding the question, but instead began to reminisce about the past: "Back then, during the chaotic war, Yongzhou was occupied by bandits, who slaughtered people madly. The militia bravely went into battle, giving the elderly, the weak, women, and children a chance to escape. Alas, eighty percent of the able-bodied men in the village died in the battle, leaving only thirty or forty left. If they had faced the bandits, they would have been almost certain to die."
Jiang Yushu understood and said calmly, "Don't worry. The government won't send unarmed civilians into battle unless it's absolutely necessary. That's why I asked you to pass on the message, reminding everyone to take refuge in time to avoid being killed or taken hostage, which would only cause trouble for the soldiers."
"Yes, yes, sir, you are right!" The old villager was very relieved, but he was afraid that the magistrate would force the militia to fight.
In fact, even if the county magistrate gave the order, the untrained militia would not dare to go into battle, and if they encountered the enemy, eight out of ten would be sacrificed in vain.
When Jiang Yushu was thinking about how to train militia, a dog barking suddenly sounded from the direction of the village entrance. Then, the dogs of the neighbors responded, and then all the dogs in the village were frightened and barked wildly.
In the middle of the night, almost at the same time, the sounds of people shouting and doors and windows slamming shut came into my ears.
Jiang Yushu's face suddenly changed and she subconsciously clenched the dagger.
"Oh no! The enemy soldiers have entered the village!"
"Sir, go, run away!"
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