Chapter 766 Hostages
The two sides were locked in a standoff, and a fierce battle was about to break out.
Hong Niangzi couldn't persuade Yu Qiuniang, and Yu Qiuniang was determined to die rather than submit, on the verge of risking her life.
Do you think the First Stronghold has a chance of winning?
Lin Yuesha was closest to Lian Qiao. She asked Lian Qiao, saying that talking nonsense would only delay things for a while. Hong Niangzi said that the other forty-three villages should either go to besiege the three female village leaders or chase and intercept Yang Qing. The difference in strength between the two sides was too great, and they could not wait for reinforcements.
"There is no chance of winning."
Lian Qiao understood this clearly, but what she understood even more was that once the sisters submitted, they would become the captives of Hong Niangzi, like walking corpses, never to be themselves again.
They struggled to get to where they are today, enduring hardship in the mines of the Northwest, barely managing to live like human beings. They are no longer willing to be treated like slaves, even if it means death.
So what are they afraid of? They are not afraid.
The sisters of the First Village will not back down, nor will they be cowards!
In the firelight, the resolute faces on each person deeply moved Lin Yuesha.
"Miss, would you like to stay?"
Bai Cha held a dagger in her hand, biting her lip as she asked. Just now, inspired by Lian Qiao's words, she even wanted to join them and fight alongside the sisters of the First Village!
"Look at those ugly, deformed people from Shibazhai. Hundreds of them are blocking the mountain gate. Do you think we can leave?"
Leaving is out of the question. Lin Yuesha was still shouting about joining the First Stronghold last night. It wouldn't be good to run away in the face of crisis and make herself look bad. She has to put on a brave face and go for it!
However, she had other thoughts in mind.
What are your thoughts?
With the guards as solid as an impregnable fortress, protecting the young lady's safety, Bai Cha wasn't so nervous.
Lin Yuesha didn't reply to Bai Cha, but asked the guard beside her, "Hong Niangzi just said that all his men have gone down the mountain, including the other forty or so people from the mountain stronghold. So there must be no one left in the stronghold."
"yes."
The guards were confused. According to the information they had received, the chieftains that Hong Niangzi had persuaded were not far down the mountain, waiting for Hong Niangzi to destroy the first stronghold. These people would then mingle together and formally form an alliance, with everything revolving around Hong Niangzi.
After tonight, the forty-eight villages will experience earth-shattering tremors, which will very likely disrupt the existing order.
"Let's not beat around the bush, how many men has your young master left behind?"
After considering it for a moment, Lin Yuesha said seriously.
The pockmarked man had said that Qincheng was already his territory, so he must have left a lot of people behind to deal with the Wei family.
The Wei family probably knew this too, so they cleverly started with the Forty-Eight Villages and secretly used underhanded tactics.
The people of the forty-eight villages each have a village chief occupying a mountain peak, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Trying to swallow this tough nut would surely result in heavy losses, which is why the government has been hesitant to take action.
In a battle between the two sides, each side would suffer heavy losses, but as long as the people of the Forty-Eight Villages didn't cause any trouble, the relationship between the two sides could be maintained.
Are you trying to meddle in other people's business?
The guards were only responsible for protecting Lin Yuesha's safety; the master did not give any further instructions.
"No, this is no small matter."
Lin Yuesha pressed on relentlessly, "How many people exactly were left behind?"
"About a hundred people are waiting nearby, but we must obey the Lord's command."
The hidden guards implied that they would not get involved in the internal strife among the forty-eight strongholds; this was the rule, and the rule could not be broken.
"We have enough manpower."
Lin Yuesha called the guards aside and whispered a few words to them.
Bai Cha couldn't hear what the two were saying, but she saw a crack appear on the face of the usually expressionless, puppet-like guard, who remained with his jaw agape.
After considering it, the guards decided not to disobey their lord's orders and did not object.
Nevertheless, he couldn't help but want to curse: "Shameless, utterly shameless!"
"Miss, I'm curious, what did you and the guards talk about?"
Bai Cha leaned closer, his eyes darting around furtively, and asked.
"Curiosity killed the cat."
Lin Yuesha looked at Bai Cha with a mysterious expression, squinting her eyes. "Do you want to know more?"
"I don't want to think about it anymore."
Despite what Bai Cha said, she became even more curious.
On Hong Niangzi's side, several of her subordinates huddled together and whispered among themselves. Finally, Hong Niangzi nodded and asked again, "This is your last chance, Yu Qiuniang. Are you willing to submit to this chieftain?"
If you agree, then the forty-eight villages will be one family from now on. If you don't agree, those who obey me will prosper, and those who oppose me will perish. There's no room for discussion.
"Don't waste your breath. Even if you ask a thousand times, ten thousand times, I'll still say three words: I don't want to!"
Yu Qiuniang brandished the machete in her hand, recalling how she had killed the rabble and wiped out hundreds of people, and tonight the same thing was happening again.
"Fine, you're still being stubborn. Bring him up to me, the chieftain!"
Hong Niangzi raised her hand, thinking to herself, "Yu Qiuniang is too fierce. If they start fighting, even if our side has the advantage, we will still suffer heavy casualties in the end."
The main reason he only brought people from the eighteen villages was because he had a trump card up his sleeve.
Otherwise, he would only instigate other chieftains to bring their men up, and the casualties would be suffered by outsiders!
After Hong Niangzi finished speaking, the people behind her made way for her, and two henchmen pushed her forward.
"Qiu Niang, Qiu Niang, my good daughter!"
An elderly couple with a boy who was just over ten years old were forced up the mountain by the people of the Eighteen Villages.
When Yu Qiuniang saw the person who came, she visibly swayed. Lin Yuesha, who was on the side, saw that Yu Qiuniang's eyes were filled with tears, but she still gritted her teeth and persevered.
"Mother, Mother, please save me!"
The boy struggled fiercely, but was pinned to the ground by Hong Niangzi's men. Unable to break free, he was kicked twice and then became obedient.
The situation changed once again. Lin Yuesha looked at the scene before her and estimated the chances of things turning around.
"Hmph, that's funny."
Lian Qiao snorted a few times and said, "Hong Niangzi is also a smart person. She went to great lengths to bring the chieftain's parents and son as hostages. She also inquired and found out that the chieftain's parents-in-law were not brought."
Otherwise, those two unworthy old geezers would definitely be the first to be killed.
Even if they were her own parents, what difference did it make? Back then, the two of them sold Yu Qiuniang to someone else just for a dowry.
While Yu Qiuniang was suffering all kinds of grievances, these two were still eating and drinking well, telling her to endure it and persevere. Living in the cowshed at least provided shelter from the wind and rain, and she should just treat herself as livestock.
Look, is this something a human would say?
Now that they're being brought here by force, they'll probably start bringing up the debt of gratitude for giving birth to them again.
"Is that kid really the chieftain's son?"
Lin Yuesha looked closely and found that the boy was so fat that he had three chins, and he didn't resemble Yu Qiuniang at all.
"It might not be a son, but an ancestor."
Lian Qiao curled her lips. This kid is no good either. He was corrupted by Yu Qiu Niang's in-laws. Ever since he was old enough to understand, he has been whipping his own mother and hurling all sorts of nasty insults at her.
He even watched and laughed heartily when Yu Qiuniang was forced to entertain customers.
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