At the end of the fifth watch, daybreak was approaching, but the night was as dark as ink because of the continuous drizzle, and one could not see one's hand in front of one's face.
With the first barking of a dog, the originally quiet mountain village quickly became noisy:
Dogs barking, chickens crowing, cows mooing, pigs howling, horses neighing...it was a mess and noisy.
Children cried, adults urged them to go, young people carried their valuables that had been packed long ago, held their children in their arms and supported the elderly, closed the windows and locked the doors, and quickly went into the mountains to take refuge.
Jiang Yushu rushed to the gate of the courtyard, stood on the high ridge, and looked down at the twinkling lights of fire below. She wanted to kill the enemy, but she was just a weak woman.
After a while, the guards and yamen runners who had been scattered around to scout out the enemy returned one after another, panting, reporting and admonishing: "Sir, the Bei, Bei Yao people!"
"We were right. The enemy has indeed sneaked in."
"I saw it with my own eyes. They rushed into the village like a swarm of bees, holding long knives in their hands, mumbling something incomprehensible."
…
Jiang Yushu suppressed her pounding heart and asked with bated breath, "How many people are there on the other side?"
The guard leader Luo Chen replied: "The vanguard is about fifty or sixty people, and the backup is unclear."
As the county magistrate, Jiang Yushu had an unshirkable responsibility and could not afford to save herself first. She asked with concern, "Have the villagers gone into the mountains?"
Several yamen runners' hands trembled as they gripped their swords. They nodded vigorously, "According to your wishes, we issued orders last night. If there is any unusual noise, every household is to take action immediately. You can hear the noise, and they are all rushing to the mountains for shelter."
"Shall we leave soon too?"
"If the enemy comes, I'm afraid we won't be able to escape. County Master, are you going?"
Jiang Yushu listened attentively, and after confirming that the villagers had escaped danger in time, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Old man, don't sit there anymore, let's go up the mountain to take shelter." After she finished speaking, she took the lead and walked towards the back mountain.
"Oh, yes!" The old man had just experienced many storms and was not afraid of danger. He waved his hand, took his grandson's hand, and led his family to follow, happily enjoying the protection of the county magistrate's guards, which was safer than anywhere else.
So, the group had torches but couldn't use them, so they climbed the mountain in the dark, and the sound of people falling and screaming in pain was heard frequently.
"Madam, be careful." Led by two strong men who had retired from the army and were hired as guards, they surrounded the magistrate on the left and right, intending to support him, but it was inconvenient.
"It's okay, I can walk by myself." Jiang Yushu was not always pampered. She had experienced exile and farming. Her physical strength was no worse than that of the headman's daughter-in-law, and she walked more steadily than his subordinates.
After hurrying along, they soon reached the halfway point of the mountain. Standing outside the woods, they rested for a while and looked down at the village.
In the space of two cups of tea, the village was in chaos. First, a group of Beijiao people rushed around shouting in Jiao language, and then another group appeared, yelling and scolding:
"stop!"
"Don't even think about escaping!"
"You bold thief, how dare you sneak into Tuning and run wild? You're simply courting death!"
…
Jiang Yushu's eyes lit up and she smiled, "Listen, it's one of us!"
“Hahaha, that’s great!”
The others listened attentively, and suddenly felt as if they had been pardoned. Some wiped their sweat, some patted their chests, and said happily: "Oh, the people from the Tuning Guard? They're finally here!"
"Of course!"
"Haha, Lao Ma and I left the camp two years ago. Now we're going down the mountain. Maybe we can run into old friends."
"From the noise, a lot of brothers have arrived."
"I guess the higher-ups thought there were too many enemies."
…
Jiang Yushu observed the firelight below. After a night of anxiety, she finally let go and said happily, "Since the army has arrived, we don't need to continue climbing the mountain. Let's wait a while and don't go down the mountain yet. Let the soldiers focus on killing the enemy."
"clear!"
At this moment, in the village
The road was muddy. Zou Gui and Li Qigong held torches and dismounted at the village entrance. They pointed and reported, "Sir, the headman's house is at the foot of that mountain!"
"Oh?" Tong Jing, riding a tall horse, looked up at the foot of the mountain, frowned and ordered: "Officials of the court, saving her is urgent. The rest of you, go up and investigate immediately."
"yes!"
Zou Gui and Li Qigong trotted to lead the way, "Everyone, please follow us."
Tong Jing was worried about innocent people being killed, but also quite impatient. He reined in his bridle and walked slowly, surrounded by his personal guards. He sneered, "Tsk, this time, they really are the 'Northern Bandits'! Less than a hundred people, sneaked into Tu Ning, didn't steal the gold and silver treasures, and actually planned to kidnap the son of a wealthy businessman? Haha, this really opened my eyes."
The enemy was too few, so the soldiers showed no signs of nervousness. They all said in unison, "I heard that the man surnamed Mei is the only son of the richest man in Qinzhou."
"A thief never leaves empty-handed. By kidnapping a wealthy businessman's son, you might be able to extort a large sum of money."
"There were thousands of brothers here this time, but when the little thief saw us, he didn't dare to fight at all and just turned around and ran away. How cowardly."
Tong Jing curled his lips and ordered sternly: "Don't let a single enemy escape! We are carrying a butcher knife to kill a chicken. If the chicken escapes, we will be too embarrassed to return to the camp to see the general."
"Yes!" The soldiers were full of vigor and unstoppable. They raised their swords and slashed, chasing and intercepting the enemy all over the village, fighting bravely.
Tong Jing was methodical, sitting in the rear giving orders. He looked around and said happily, "Haha, interesting! Did that female magistrate really order the people to take refuge in the mountains? Look, it's pitch dark, not a single villager can be seen."
The followers sighed, "She has no soldiers, and the villagers don't have the ability to kill the enemy. It's best to hide away to avoid innocent deaths. We can save our lives and take revenge in the future."
Amidst the noise and chaos, we were busy killing the enemy. Gradually, the rain stopped and day broke.
When Tong Jing walked into the courtyard of the headman's house with his hands behind his back, Jiang Yushu was sitting in the hall, listening to his subordinates report the situation.
Tong Jing stopped and looked across the courtyard with squinted eyes:
After the rain, the sky cleared up. In the morning light, the female official had a simple bun on. She was not wearing an official robe, but a wide frost-colored cloak with many mud spots on it. She wore a blue cloth skirt inside. She was tall, fair and beautiful, with bright eyes, a dignified demeanor, and a majestic presence without being angry.
"Ahem!" Tong Jing cleared his throat.
Li Qigong turned his head and hurriedly reminded: "County Master, Master Tong is here!"
Jiang Yushu glanced at him and instantly recalled the horse-scarce incident yesterday, feeling somewhat uneasy. She pulled herself together, stood up, and walked out of the hall, as if nothing had happened. She raised her voice and asked, "Master Tong, are you done?"
Tong Jing held his head high and chest puffed out, walking with his usual swagger. He stopped a few feet away, raised his chin slightly, and replied with a smile, "After working all night, we finally eliminated all the thieves in the village."
"Total annihilation?"
"Oh, we left two alive and brought them back to the camp for a thorough interrogation."
Jiang Yushu nodded and smiled in thanks, "Thank you for your hard work. Luckily you guys arrived in time last night, otherwise the consequences would be disastrous."
Tong Jing was quite impressed. "We are ordered to go to war, kill the enemy and defend our country. This is our duty."
"What are your plans now?" Jiang Yushu said politely and seriously, "If you need any help from the government, please let us know. The government will definitely provide you with all its assistance!"
Tong Jing answered slowly: "No, I, ahem, we will be back to the camp soon and report back."
Jiang Yushu nodded in understanding, raised her hand and gestured for the other party to do as he pleased.
However, Tong Jing was silent for a moment, his expression awkward for a moment, and he asked in a serious tone, "Master Jiang, what about you? What are your plans?"
Jiang Yushu was stunned. "I heard that the enemy soldiers are not coming for this village, but for several merchants in the neighboring village. I have to go and see the casualties."
"Casualties? Not too serious. Most of the common people avoided it, and the wealthy merchants all kept servants, barely holding on until rescue arrived." Tong Jing revealed, "The thieves last night were from a small tribe in Beijiao. They were driven mad by poverty. They heard from somewhere that a group of wealthy merchants who were exploring the mountains and planting mulberry trees had settled in a neighboring village, so they came here specifically to make money."
Was it a collusion between the inside and outside forces? A traitor? Who leaked the information to the enemy? Jiang Yushu was filled with doubts and felt a headache. "This is a serious matter. I must go and take a look."
Tong Jing suggested, "You're going to the neighboring village? What a coincidence! We're heading back to camp, so we're going the same distance. Why don't we go together?" He realized his words weren't quite right, and quickly explained, "Well, Guo Honglei asked me... to look after you. Last night, some enemies probably took advantage of the chaos and fled into the mountains. My men are searching for them. Since you don't have many men with you, for safety's sake, I'll send a few to escort you back to the city."
"Great!" The county clerks, still frightened, blurted out, "Thank you very much!"
So, Hong Lei asked him for help? Jiang Yushu paused for a moment and said, "In that case, thank you very much."
Tong Jing curled his lips for some unknown reason, "Just saying thank you with your mouth? It's not sincere."
This... The men on both sides looked at each other, wondering at the same time: Asking a woman for thanks? Is that appropriate?
Jiang Yushu remained calm and asked slowly, "I'll ask Honglei to treat you to a drink later. How about that? Is that sincere enough?"
"Hahaha, enough, enough!"
"Well, please?" Tong Jing turned sideways, raised his hand, and motioned the other party to go first. He thought to himself: I always keep my word. I promised Guo Honglei during the competition yesterday that I would definitely give way to his wife.
Actually, this person wasn't completely useless. At this point, Jiang Yushu quietly put the matter of the frightened horse aside and humbly said, "How dare I? Lord Tong, please."
"please."
"You first!" Jiang Yushu strictly abided by the etiquette of rank.
Tong Jing was in a good mood. He put his hands behind his back and took the lead. "Okay."
Jiang Yushu fell two steps behind and couldn't help asking, "Where's Honglei? What is he doing?"
"He's on another errand." Tong Jing glanced sideways, narrowing his eyes. "Are you angry that he didn't come to rescue you?"
Jiang Yushu noticed the man's tilted head and squinting eyes, and immediately averted her gaze, shaking her head seriously. "How is that possible? Military affairs are more important, and he has his own responsibilities. There's no reason for him to abandon his official duties to save me."
Tong Jingyi's expression was no longer tense, and he showed a frivolous and playful smile, "Oh, Mrs. Guo is really very understanding!"
"It's my duty." Who made me a military wife?
Jiang Yushu looked calm and thought helplessly: Besides, I also have my own responsibilities. When I am busy, I can't take care of my family. Why should I be angry with him?
In a blink of an eye, ten days passed.
As summer approaches, the weather gets hotter and the crops gradually mature.
meeting room
Jiang Yushu received a letter, opened it, and happily announced, "Everyone, there's good news! After the grain workshop is completed, the government will send someone to inspect it. I beg you all to do your job carefully and don't make any mistakes at this critical moment."
The clerks were discussing, "Who will be sent?"
"Just inspecting the grain workshop?"
"What about textiles? We in Tuning have pioneered the silkworm industry. What does the government think?"
…
Jiang Yushu took a sip of tea, read Pei Wenfeng's letter carefully, and replied seriously, "At present, only the schedule has been confirmed, and the specific requirements are still unclear. It rained a lot recently, and the workshop is not yet completed. The government officials will not arrive until the end of June at the earliest."
The chief clerk Wen Xi rubbed his hands and said apologetically, "Don't worry, Your Excellency. I am urging the craftsmen to hurry up. It will be completed in another two weeks!"
"No rush." Jiang Yushu, not yet having sufficient evidence, said amiably, "The original deadline was before the autumn harvest, so there's still plenty of time."
At the same time, Hou Ya
Cuimei was shocked. She leaned on the armrest and slowly sat down. She was six months pregnant, her belly bulging. Tears welled up in her eyes. She asked in a trembling voice, "They've been missing for ten days? And they haven't returned to the camp yet?"
Peng Changxing, his beard unshaven and his eyes bloodshot, replied gravely, "The general has repeatedly sent people out to search, but there's still no news. Military orders prohibit spreading the news, but you keep asking about Changrong's situation, and I, I... I can't hold it in any longer."
"Really?"
Peng Changxing replied anxiously, "How could it be false? How could I curse the Second Master and my own brother?"
"Brother Rong disappeared with the Second Master?" Cuimei's face turned pale and she began to cry.
Peng Changxing nodded, pounded his head hard, and choked with regret. "That night, I happened to be busy with other errands and didn't go to Luanshigou. No one could have predicted that such a big incident would happen."
Cuimei's eyes widened, her voice trembling, "How, how should I tell my wife about this?"
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