Chapter 107 Killing the Chicken to Frighten the Monkey
After signing the peace agreement, the Xia army withdrew from Changping Pass.
At the same time, officials of the Great Qi also left the five southwestern cities with their families.
Before the officials appointed by the imperial court arrived, the civil servants of Loushan Pass were temporarily responsible for all local affairs and to appease the people.
After returning to Loushan Pass, all the soldiers gathered together, drank fine wine, and celebrated Daxia's great victory.
General Tian did not attend the meeting on the grounds that he was guilty.
Princess Zhaoyang went to the posthouse, and the third prince went to the mansion arranged for him by General Tian.
In the military camp, the firearms troops fought with the soldiers of Loushan Pass.
The two armies had fought before. Although they had fought against the Qi army together, they were just acquaintances and had rarely spoken to each other. They were either in training or on the way to battle.
Now that the war has ended and their long-tense nerves have relaxed, the soldiers at Loushan Pass are completely curious about the firearms army.
"I heard the musket is made of copper and iron. Is it heavy to hold?"
"That's nothing. The commander makes us train with weights exceeding 160 kilograms every day."
Everyone exclaimed: "One hundred and sixty pounds?"
Firearms: "Two people form a team and carry their companions around the firearms camp ten times."
Everyone at Loushan Pass was stunned and gave thumbs up.
Deputy Commander Lu drank a few glasses of wine with Du Qingtang, and was then dragged away by the generals of Loushan Pass to play drinking games.
Du Qingtang sat on the ground, holding a glass of wine and watching the bonfire burning. The dancing flames dispelled the darkness.
I raised my wrist and took a sip of the wine. As the strong liquor entered my throat, the spicy and burning sensation exploded, leaving a long aftertaste.
Du Qingtang was chewing peanuts when he suddenly felt a dark shadow falling beside him.
The young man with green eyes and curly hair bent his long legs and rested his elbows on them. The orange-red firelight fell on his honey-colored skin, just like flowing honey, sweet and warm.
Du Qingtang's fingertips moved slightly: "General Pei."
Pei Yuchun pursed his lips and smiled, a very shallow dimple appearing on his left cheek. Before Du Qingtang could get a closer look, he disappeared. "When does Commander Du plan to leave?"
Du Qingtang pondered: "After arranging the firearms battalion, I have to go to Shaoqing Mansion to take up my post."
The appointment, which was supposed to be made in late January, has been delayed for three months.
The previous prefect died on the eve of the bandit suppression campaign. If she didn't go, Shaoqing Prefecture would be in chaos.
Although it was already a mess with all kinds of monsters and demons.
Pei Yuchun slowly turned his wine glass, his deep voice penetrating the clamor, reaching his ears clearly: "Shaoqing Prefecture is in great chaos. Commander Du must take good care of himself. If you need anything, feel free to send someone to Loushan Pass to let us know. We will be happy to assist you."
Apart from the deep-seated feelings in his heart, Yu Gong believed that if the Firearm Battalion had not provided assistance, it would have been difficult for Daxia to repel the 100,000-strong Qi army.
The arrival of the Firearms Battalion saved Daxia from many unnecessary casualties, and Pei Yuchun was grateful from the bottom of his heart.
Du Qingtang knew that if he wanted to rectify Shaoqing Prefecture, he would need external help, so he raised his glass and said sincerely, "Thank you, General Pei."
The two glasses clinked together, the wine rippled, and reflected two pairs of smiling eyes.
Pei Yuchun looked at Du Qingtang intently for a few times, and felt that her smile was like melting ice and snow, and his heart softened like a pool of spring water.
Heat surged to my cheeks, and the tips of my ears and neck turned red in an instant.
Fortunately, it was dark at night and no one noticed the throbbing in his heart.
"Commander Du, there's no need to thank me." Pei Yuchun poured wine for Du Qingtang, his green eyes bright as the distant bonfire. "Just say a word, Commander Du, and I'll be at your service, even if it means risking my life."
The two raised their glasses again.
In this joyful night, we quietly made a vow.
......
Before Pei Yuchun could say a few more words to Du Qingtang, he was dragged away by his colleagues to play drinking games.
"Good boy, so you were hiding here! Let's go have a drink!"
The general, with a thick waist and big arms, as strong as a brown bear, grabbed Pei Yuchun's throat from behind, pulled him up, and dragged him into the crowd.
Pei Yuchun looked helpless. He waved at Du Qingtang and went to the other side.
That night, many people came to toast Du Qingtang.
The soldiers of Loushan Pass were drunk and staggered as they approached.
"Commander Du, I, Old Liu, am extremely grateful to you. If it weren't for you, this war would have taken forever to end."
"Commander Du, I was wrong before. I looked down on you. You are... hiccup... you are truly amazing. You are a heroine. I, Old Ma, admire you. I'll drink this glass of wine first as a token of my respect!"
"Commander Du, please don't take what I said that day to heart..."
People came and went around Du Qingtang, some simply expressed their gratitude, while others came to apologize.
We're leaving soon, there's no need to hold grudges.
What's more, we may need these people in the future.
Du Qingtang generously forgave them and drank the apology wine they handed him.
There were so many people apologizing that Du Qingtang accidentally got drunk and slept until noon the next day.
Du Qingtang: “…”
After getting dressed, Du Qingtang called Du Liu to Du Shiwu and instructed them, "Go to Shaoqing Mansion..."
Du Liuwu and his men took their orders and left. Du Yi came over with a food box and said, "Master, you drank quite a bit last night. I'll ask the fireman to make some hangover soup. Drink it while it's hot."
After drinking a bowl of hangover soup, the discomfort of hangover is relieved.
Du Qingtang read a few pages of the book, ate two buns, and went to find Deputy Commander Lu.
Deputy Commander Lu was watching the firearms troops train. Seeing Du Qingtang coming, he saluted and said, "Commander."
The rest of the firearms troops also stopped training and greeted in unison.
Du Qingtang waved his hand and asked them to continue: "Lü Ping, follow me."
Deputy Commander Lu had no suspicion and ordered the officers to keep an eye on the firearms training and not to slack off. He strode after Du Qingtang.
The two men came to the tent, Du Qingtang sat down behind the long desk, and Deputy Commander Lu stood respectfully with his hands hanging down.
Du Qingtang handed over a booklet. "This contains a list of firearm types and their corresponding production methods. The steps are very detailed, and a craftsman proficient in mechanical engineering should be able to make them easily. Please give it to His Majesty after we return to the capital."
Deputy Commander Lu was stunned for a moment and took the booklet with both hands.
"The Firearms Battalion currently has five types of muskets. You can copy them exactly as they are in the brochure, or you can improve them on your own."
"Besides firearms, the second half of the booklet also contains some other uses for gunpowder. You can also try to make them. Daxia has more firearms, so the surrounding countries dare not invade rashly."
"Tell His Majesty that the firearms must be under his sole control. All the soldiers and craftsmen involved in the production of the firearms should be closely monitored. We must be wary of others. Other countries will resort to any means necessary to obtain firearms."
Du Qingtang thought for a moment, then crossed his fingers, gently rested his chin on them, and nodded seriously, "That's about it. Have you written it all down?"
Deputy Commander Lu lowered his head. The book in his hand was thick and heavy, containing the commander's countless efforts.
He stood straighter, head held high and chest puffed out, and said in a voice as resounding as a bell: "Commander, rest assured, I have remembered every word you said. I will convey every word to Your Majesty upon our return to the capital."
Du Qingtang took out another wooden box and pushed it towards Deputy Commander Lu: "There are four thousand taels in it."
Deputy Commander Lu was puzzled. "The Firearm Battalion has sufficient food and pay. You don't need to pay out of pocket."
Du Qingtang shook his head: "It's for the twenty firearms soldiers."
Deputy Commander Lu realized which twenty people they were and his eyes dimmed.
Although life and death are unpredictable on the battlefield, they were prepared to die on the battlefield when they left Beijing and rushed to Loushan Pass, but they still felt very uncomfortable when they saw their colleagues die and turned into ashes lying in a small jar.
Du Qingtang opened the wooden box, and inside was a neat stack of silver notes with a face value of one hundred taels. "Two notes for each family, that's two hundred taels, just consider it my little compensation to them."
Most of these people came from poor backgrounds. After careful consideration, Du Qingtang decided to compensate them materially.
"Commander, you are so righteous." Deputy Commander Lu sighed, feeling inferior to him. "I don't have that much money, so I'll give each family 20 taels."
"It's good that the thought is there." Du Qingtang paused and explained casually, "This money is earned by my sisters in the family through business."
Deputy Commander Lu understood the deeper meaning behind these words and said in a resounding voice, "The Commander is upright and honest, and is definitely not one of those corrupt officials who abuse their power and take bribes!"
Finally, Du Qingtang said, "I will set off for Shaoqing Prefecture tomorrow and need 1,500 firearms soldiers to accompany me. I will reward you handsomely later."
Deputy Commander Lu shook his head repeatedly: "No need to thank us generously, just tell us where you want us to go!"
Du Qingtang smiled and said, "Thank you so much."
Deputy Commander Lu repeatedly said he didn't dare and walked out with the wooden box and the booklet.
-
On the other side, Du Liuwu and his men rode at full speed and arrived at Shaoqing Prefecture at noon that day.
Although they had heard about the chaos and disorder in Shaoqing Prefecture before, seeing is believing. Now that they saw it with their own eyes, they were deeply shocked.
From the time they entered Shaoqing Prefecture until they entered the city, they encountered more than ten bandits who blocked their way and robbed them.
Fortunately, they were skilled in martial arts and beat up the bandits, otherwise they would have been stripped naked and thrown on the roadside.
Along the way, in addition to robbing people on the road, they also encountered fierce fights between bandit camps several times. The scene was covered with blood and many people died.
Not only were there fighting among the bandits, but there were also fighting among the refugees. The weapons included but were not limited to bamboo sticks, swords, guns, bows and arrows. Shouts and screams were heard everywhere.
Ordinary people were also full of anger. They cursed while working and kicked the dogs on the roadside before leaving.
Du Liuwu and his companions who were watching the whole process said: "......"
"That person in the palace really caused a lot of trouble for the master."
"Hey, don't be so pessimistic. I've been following you for so long, and I've never seen anything that could stump you."
"That's true, but it's too chaotic here. Killing and fighting are as easy as eating and drinking. Did you see those refugees just now? With one knife strike, half of their heads were cut off, and red and white blood flowed all over the ground."
"Stop talking. I want to have a meal before going into town."
Du Qi patted his stomach and chuckled, "It just so happens that I'm hungry too."
So the five of them had lunch at a roadside noodle stall.
Before leaving, the fat-faced noodle stall owner said in a gruff voice, "Five guests, take care."
Next to the man's hand, a large machete flashed with a cold light.
Who knows whether this knife is used for chopping meat or something else.
When setting up a stall in the wilderness, you always need something to protect yourself.
Before entering the city, Du Liuwu and his men changed into tattered clothes, made their hair greasy and piled on their heads like weeds, painted their faces black with coal ash, and ripped open their shoes, revealing two pitch-black toes.
The five brothers looked at each other, laughing and having a great time.
"You stink."
"Thank you, you too."
After a lot of nonsense, the five of them cleared their throats, hunched their backs, and leaned on a branch, staggering towards the city.
The city had four gates, east, west, south and north, and the five soldiers entered the city in four directions.
Logically, every city gate should be strictly guarded by soldiers to check the identity and pass of passers-by.
But there is none in Shaoqing Prefecture.
The city gates were wide open, and there was not even a shadow of a soldier guarding the city, let alone checking for passes.
Du Liuwu and his companions sighed in admiration, gaining a new understanding of the chaos and laxity in the administration of Shaoqing Prefecture.
If there is no one guarding the city gate, it means anyone can enter the city.
No wonder there are refugees everywhere and armed conflicts are everywhere.
Du Qi hunched over, his voice hoarse, "I think that over the years, the surrounding countries have never attacked Shaoqing Prefecture. It's not that they can't take it, but they think it's too chaotic and they're worried that a bad apple will spoil the whole bunch."
Du Jiu, who was traveling with him: "......"
Although, it seems to make some sense.
After entering the city, the five people acted separately and easily blended into the lower nine classes.
"Hey, have you heard? The battle at Loushan Pass is over."
"It's over so soon?"
"It's said that the imperial court sent a firearms battalion. Each firearms soldier there is worth hundreds or even thousands of Qi bandits. They beat them to a pulp and made them cry for their parents."
"Is it really that powerful?"
"I came from Loushan Pass. When the battle started, I hid in a nearby valley. The rumbling noise was like thunder, it was really loud."
Du Shiyi slapped his thigh and said in a hoarse voice, "I also heard that the commander of the firearms battalion will come to Shaoqing Prefecture in a few days."
"What are you doing in Shaoqing Mansion?"
"Come and be an official."
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten. The prefect in front has been dead for four or five months."
"The imperial court is truly deplorable. They send either short-lived ghosts or man-eating beasts. The former die within six months, while the latter live longer. It's a shame they don't treat us ordinary people as human beings. They team up with those bandits to bully us."
Du Shi crossed his legs and picked his teeth, "Oh, it seems she won't live long."
"What do you mean?"
"How do you know she's a good official?"
Du Shi rolled his eyes. "Of course I asked around. This person is quite impressive. She's accomplished a lot at such a young age. It's said that many corrupt officials died at her hands in the past two years. She also cured people of smallpox and beat back kidnappers. She's done so many good things!"
"Smallpox? The smallpox I know?"
Du Shi shook his legs: "Hmm, that's it."
The refugees squatting at the foot of the wall to bask in the sun looked at each other in confusion.
Although even dogs didn't come to Shaoqing Prefecture, smallpox was as vicious as a dog and once raged in Shaoqing Prefecture. The government did not care about it and only cared about protecting itself, and thousands of people died because of it.
"Then she really has some skills."
"What a pity, good people don't live long in Shaoqing Mansion."
Du Shi snorted twice, not wanting to agree: "You can't say that. Who can predict what will happen in the future?"
After saying that, he stretched, leaned on a branch and staggered away.
Du Shi left, but the topic about the new prefect did not end.
"The imperial court is truly despicable. They only know how to shove people in here, but those people either die quickly or collude with the Zhao, Qian, Sun, and Li families and bandits, sucking the blood of the common people and then running away with the money after two or three years. Shaoqing Prefecture is still the same as it was before."
"It's clearly more chaotic than before, isn't it?"
"Alas, it would be better to send troops directly to raid all the bandit camps, and raid the corrupt officials and the four major families as well."
"That person just now praised the new prefect to the skies. Maybe she has a plan?"
"It's hard to fight alone. How can she fight so many people alone?"
Everyone's eyes met, and there was numbness in their eyes.
It is true that they are refugees, but there are different types of refugees.
Some people committed crimes and didn't want to go to jail, let alone die, so they ran to Shaoqing Prefecture to avoid disaster.
Some were forced into a desperate situation and had no choice but to come to Shaoqing Prefecture.
These people belong to the latter.
They still have a conscience and are incompatible with the violent Shaoqing Prefecture. However, the world is so big that there is no place for them outside of Shaoqing Prefecture.
They can't leave Shaoqing Mansion, so they can only live like this numbly.
But as a human being, who doesn’t want to live a bright and comfortable life without having to worry day and night, fearing that one day someone will stab you and kill you on the spot.
Du Shiyi's words ignited the gleam of hope that was about to die out in their hearts.
Maybe, they mean maybe—
Perhaps the new prefect can really make Shaoqing Prefecture a better place. I don't ask for it to be as stable and peaceful as other prefectures, but at least it shouldn't be like it is now, where there are fights every day in and outside the city and people die every day.
One of them sighed, "If this continues, the mass graves outside the city will soon be full."
......
Similar situations occurred simultaneously in many places in the capital.
In just two or three hours, the news that the new prefect was about to take office spread.
The officials in the government office had also heard about it, and they gathered together, holding teacups, and chatting.
"It seems that this new prefect is a powerful man with ruthless and resourceful tactics."
"Tsk—no matter how powerful she is, she is still a woman. Fighting is a man's job. She can only talk in the rear."
As early as the beginning of March, they received news that the court had sent a new prefect.
Since he was the new prefect, he must understand her specific situation so that he could make a decision as soon as possible: should he let her die quietly or drag her down with him and become a traitor to her?
This investigation is very serious.
The new magistrate is not only young, she is also a woman.
He was originally the Minister of Works, but his identity was later exposed by his biological mother. He was sent to the Ministry of Justice's prison, but was pardoned from the death penalty and appointed as the commander of the Firearm Battalion, concurrently serving as the prefect of Shaoqing Prefecture.
Ever since they knew the new magistrate was a woman, everyone let down their guard and didn't take Du Qingtang seriously at all. They continued to embezzle as they pleased and enjoy themselves as they pleased.
You say the new magistrate is an honest official?
So what?
She was just a weak woman, and she was killed if she didn't obey.
Everyone knows that Shaoqing Prefecture is dangerous. Isn't it normal for a prefect to die?
"But the rumors outside are so incredible..."
"You believe this? It's clearly Du Qingtang trying to build momentum for himself."
After some pointers from Zhou Tongzhi, Wu Tongpan and Xue Tongpan suddenly understood and breathed a sigh of relief.
Fang Tongzhi, who was standing by, skimmed off the foam with the lid of his cup and said leisurely, "She's just a woman. She can't cause any trouble. Lord Xue, send someone to Black Bear Village to tell them to teach that woman a lesson."
When she comes to Shaoqing Mansion, she has to coil up like a dragon or lie down like a tiger, otherwise they have plenty of ways to make her live a life worse than death.
Judge Xue was cheered up and immediately put down his teacup: "Okay, I'll arrange it right away!"
The remaining two associate magistrates and one assistant judge looked at each other and smiled.
"The Sun family sent over some beauties yesterday. I'll give them to the three of you later."
"Lord Zhou is very lucky, and I would be disrespectful to refuse."
-
At the hour of Mao the next day, Du Qingtang left Loushan Pass and headed for Shaoqing Prefecture.
All the soldiers at Loushan Pass came out of the camp to see him off.
General Tian used the excuse that his old injury had relapsed and did not see him off.
Du Qingtang knew what was going on. She had humiliated him in public last time, and General Tian was still holding a grudge against her, so he deliberately didn't come to see her off.
Du Qingtang didn't care at all, and she didn't want to see General Tian's bitter and resentful face.
At this moment, Du Qingtang stood facing the general of Loushan Pass.
"Commander Du, see you later."
"Shaoqing Prefecture is a poor and remote place. Commander Du must protect himself."
"If you encounter any difficulties, just tell us. Shaoqing Prefecture is only two or three hours away from Loushan Pass. We will definitely rush over with our men and horses to support Commander Du!"
Du Qingtang smiled, and didn't bother to be polite with them: "I will tell you if there is any need."
The generals laughed with satisfaction, their laughter shook the sky and startled the birds perched on the branches.
Du Qingtang jumped on his horse, and Du Yishi followed closely behind.
"Everyone, goodbye."
After saying this, he flicked the whip and galloped away.
"Commander Du, have a bon voyage!"
The breeze blew the blessings behind him into his ears. Du Qingtang smiled and drove north.
The soldiers of Loushan Pass did not turn back until the figures of Du Qingtang and his group condensed into several small black dots and completely disappeared.
"Commander Du has left like this. I don't know when I will see him again."
"Commander Du is going to do great things. He can't stay in Loushan Pass forever."
"Hey, do you think Commander Du can govern Shaoqing Prefecture well?"
"How would I know? There are all kinds of monsters and demons in that place. I'm afraid of getting contaminated by something unclean if I go there."
"Alas, I hope Commander Du is doing well."
General Feng walked beside Pei Yuchun, his eyes darting around and constantly glancing at Pei Yuchun's face.
Pei Yuchun seemed unaware of anything and strode forward.
General Feng scratched his head: "General Pei."
Pei Yuchun tilted his head and asked, "What can I do for you, General Feng?"
General Feng scratched his head again, as he often did when nervous, and said in a very low voice, "Commander Du is gone. You must be very sad, right?"
There's nothing to be sad about.
Everyone has their own future, and they are all rational people.
He would not give up guarding Loushan Pass, which had been guarded by the Pei family for generations, for Du Qingtang, and Du Qingtang would not give up his official career for him.
Maybe one day he will die in the battlefield. Instead of being obsessed with love and leaving the other person alone in the end, it is better to come alone and leave alone.
Pei Yuchun couldn't help but feel fortunate that General Feng suddenly appeared at the shooting range that day and stopped him from confessing his feelings.
Du Qingtang would never know that someone had fallen in love with her at first sight.
This is his secret alone.
Pei Yuchun was filled with a multitude of emotions, but his face remained expressionless as he spoke sternly, "General Feng, be careful what you say. Commander Du and I have a clean record, so why should I be sad? I can only wish her the best and hope she rises to the top."
General Feng looked into Pei Yuchun's eyes, which were nothing but serious. He chuckled dryly and slapped his own lips. "It seems I misunderstood. I deserve a beating! I deserve a beating!"
Pei Yuchun smiled without saying a word and walked into the military camp with his hands behind his back.
The time is right, it's time to go to practice.
......
After leaving Loushan Pass, heading north, you can reach Shaoqing Prefecture in two and a half hours.
It was noon. Passing by a roadside wonton stall, Du Qingtang pulled the reins: "Hey - let's eat first, then we can continue on our journey."
The eleven people dismounted and sat at two tables.
"Eleven bowls of wonton noodles, I want the big bowls."
"Okay, sir, please wait a moment!"
The wonton stall was doing very little business. Apart from Du Qingtang and his group, there were only two tall and strong men, their faces buried in their bowls, slurping noodles.
Beside their legs stood two long swords half the height of a person, which made them look very tough to deal with.
Seeing Du Qingtang dressed in luxurious clothes and accompanied by guards, the burly man asked in a hoarse voice, "Miss, where are you going?"
Du Qingtang drank the water slowly: "Shaoqing Mansion."
Not only the two strong men, but also the couple who ran the wonton stall were stunned.
"Miss, do you know where Shaoqing Mansion is?"
"Don't be so petty, go back quickly. Even if you have guards, you can't return once you enter Shaoqing Mansion."
This is like treating yourself as a little girl who is angry with her parents.
Du Qingtang laughed: "I went to Shaoqing Mansion for important matters."
The sturdy man glanced at Du Qingtang's thin arms and legs, curled his lips and muttered, "With someone like her, if she goes to Shaoqing Mansion, she will be eaten until not even a bone is left."
The wonton stall owner was kind-hearted and kindly reminded her, "Young lady, there's a Black Bear Village at the border of Jingdong Prefecture and Shaoqing Prefecture. They specialize in robbing houses and robbing decent women, especially pretty girls like you. You don't want to be captured by them and become their wife, do you?"
She originally thought that after she said this, Du Qingtang would give up, but in the end—
"The wife of a bandit? That's interesting."
The couple at the wonton stall: “???”
Strong man: “???”
The boss's wife wanted to persuade him again, but was stopped by the boss.
The boss shook his head. They had already done their best and there was nothing they could do if she refused to listen.
The proprietress sighed and stopped persuading him.
The wonton noodles were served one after another. Du Qingtang filled his stomach, put a grain of barley on the table, and the group set off again.
Not long after they left, the two strong men also got up and left.
"Are you sure he has escaped to Shaoqing Prefecture?"
"No mistake."
"Then hurry up, so you can go back and get the money after you finish the work."
As for the young woman whom they had just met, they did not intend to meddle in her affairs.
They are just gangsters who do things for money. They are used to seeing life and death, and they firmly believe that life and death are determined by heaven.
If she died in Shaoqing Mansion, it would be her fate.
If she survived by chance, it meant that she was not destined to die.
......
Du Qingtang walked north for more than half an hour, and a stone tablet as tall as a person came into view on the side of the road ahead.
In just a moment, they arrived in front of the stone tablet.
Du Qingtang looked closely and saw the three words "Shaoqing Prefecture" engraved in a flamboyant style on the stone tablet.
The stone tablet is quite old. After countless times of wind and rain, it is covered with mud and dirt, and there are mottled red marks on it.
If I'm not mistaken, it should be blood spots.
It's also splash type.
Du Qingtang: “…”
As expected of Shaoqing Prefecture, it’s really wild.
Even the rain couldn't wash it away, which shows how bloody the scene was.
"master?"
Du Qingtang came to his senses and looked into the distance at the official road ahead.
There was no one on the official road, and the trees on both sides stood still, making the silence seem a little eerie.
"Walk."
Du Qingtang shook the reins and rode his horse into the territory of Shaoqing Prefecture.
Just after driving a mile, a burst of hurried and chaotic footsteps came from the mountains and forests on both sides.
A group of bandits came out in a huge crowd, all of them had thick flesh on their faces and carried machetes, looking very tough to deal with.
"I built this road, I planted this tree. If you want to pass through here, you have to pay me money!"
Du Qingtang: “…”
The true story shines into reality.
"Stop! Robbery!"
"Brother, the one in the middle is a woman!"
"Ah? Then rob her of her money and body!"
The leading bandit waved his hand and announced loudly.
Du Qingtang: "...Are you from Black Bear Village?"
The bandits were stunned.
"Is our Black Bear Village so famous?"
"Don't listen to her nonsense. She's just stalling for time, waiting for an opportunity to escape!"
The bandits' eyes became fierce and their expressions towards Du Qingtang became increasingly unfriendly.
Du Qingtang was calm and collected: "Are you going to take me up the mountain and make me your wife?"
Bandit: “???”
The strong man not far away: "......"
"No, this girl is stupid, isn't she?"
"Brother, should we help her?"
"...Let's take a look at the situation first."
The leading bandit was stunned. He had been robbing for many years, but this was the first time he heard a woman ask this question.
No wonder the court sent her to Shaoqing Prefecture to be the prefect, who was destined to have a short life.
However, considering that this woman is good-looking, let's take her back and make her the eighteenth concubine of the boss.
The boss will definitely be very happy, and once he is happy he will reward him with silver and fine wine.
It’s so cool!
"So what? Come on, brothers! Kill the men and take the women up the mountain to marry the boss!"
The bandits made monkey-like sounds of "ah ah oh oh".
Just as he was about to rush forward with his knife, the sound of hurried footsteps was heard again from the woods on both sides.
But compared to before, the footsteps this time were more uniform.
"What's going on? The boss sent someone again?"
"That shouldn't be the case. The boss has already sent us here, he won't send a second wave of troops."
Just as they were confused, the firearms soldiers wearing black and red armor emerged from the woods.
The fifteen hundred people were like thousands of horses galloping, raising dust everywhere.
The bandits were horrified.
"Why do they look like the imperial army?"
"The imperial court sent troops to encircle and suppress us?"
"This won't do. We have to go back and tell the boss!"
The bandits held their machetes tightly in their hands and slowly retreated.
"Bang!"
Accompanied by a loud bang, white smoke filled the air and a bullet was fired.
The leading bandit didn't even have time to utter a single syllable before a bullet hole appeared on his forehead, blood gushed out, and he fell headfirst, dying with his eyes open.
"ah!"
I don’t know which bandit was frightened by this scene and screamed.
This sound seemed to have opened a mechanism. Fifteen hundred firearms soldiers looked forward fiercely, took aim, and fired.
“Bang, bang, bang!”
White smoke rose up and blood and flesh flew everywhere.
The screams continued, scaring the birds and beasts in the forest so much that they screamed and fled in all directions.
The bandits fell one after another, piled up on top of each other.
The strong smell of rust and gunpowder mixed together and filled the air.
Du Qingtang watched the whole process expressionlessly until there were only ten people left alive, then he slowly raised his hand.
Upon receiving the order, the firearms troops immediately stopped and retreated behind and to the sides of Du Qingtang.
Deputy Commander Lu clasped his fists and said, "Commander!"
Du Qingtang nodded: "Thank you for your hard work."
All the firearms soldiers said in unison: "It's not hard!"
Du Qingtang's brows relaxed as he looked at the ten survivors standing in the sea of corpses and blood, trembling like chaff, and smiled slightly: "Didn't you say you would capture me and take me up the mountain to be your wife? Let's go."
The bandits were so frightened by what they saw that they fell to their knees like dumplings and kowtowed repeatedly.
"Sir, please spare me! Sir, please spare me!"
"We are just following orders. Please spare my life, sir!"
Du Qingtang's smile gradually faded, and he emphasized in a cold voice: "I said, go up the mountain."
The bandits were shocked and nodded their heads in agreement.
"Yes, yes, go up the mountain!"
"Sir, please! Sir, please first!"
Du Qingtang frowned: "Lead the way."
Bandit: "Yes, yes, lead the way!"
Du Qingtang and 1,500 firearms soldiers disappeared into the mountains and forests.
Everything returned to calm, and only the corpses on the ground reminded the strong man of what had just happened.
"Mother, mother!"
"She is not an ordinary girl at all, she is clearly a female Rakshasa!"
......
Half an hour later, inside the Black Bear Village.
The eldest and second-in-command Xiong were tied up by the firearms soldiers in the same way as they tied up pigs and thrown into the open space outside the Black Bear Village.
The two brothers stood back to back, shivering and crying.
Not long ago, the guys they sent to capture the new magistrate came back and said they had caught him.
Big Bear and Second Bear were overjoyed and asked the boys to bring the person in.
As a result, the man came in, without any rope tied around him, and he was strolling leisurely in the garden, not showing any fear at all.
The two were feeling unhappy when suddenly there was a banging sound outside.
Before they could go out to find out what was going on, the new magistrate pulled out a palm-sized thing from his sleeve and hit their legs twice with it.
Big Bear and Second Bear knelt down on the spot, and were then dragged out by four ferocious-looking men.
When they got outside, they found the boys from Black Bear Village lying on the ground, all dead.
Through the conversation between the new magistrate and her accomplices, the eldest and second bosses Xiong realized that these people were the firearms army.
After realizing what was happening, they were both about to go crazy.
Damn it, why is the new prefect still looking for external help?!
Du Qingtang ignored the angry look from Xiong Dadang and walked away leisurely: "Let's go to the capital."
"yes!"
The firearms army escorted the hundred or so survivors from the Black Bear Village, and the group marched down the mountain and headed straight for the provincial capital.
From Black Bear Village to the provincial capital, the procession was so grand that it attracted countless people to watch.
"What's going on? Why do the two leaders look more and more like the Black Bear Village's first and second in command?"
"The people holding them look like government soldiers. Could it be that Black Bear Village has fallen out with the government?"
"Let's go! Let's go and see!"
So, Du Qingtang led the firearms army, the firearms army escorted the bandits, and behind the bandits followed the curious people who were watching the fun.
There were thousands of people, a huge crowd, which looked extremely intimidating.
And as we walked along, the number of people coming to watch the fun continued to increase.
On the other side, inside the government office.
The four big men in the government office were drinking and listening to music, while a beauty in the courtyard was dancing gracefully and beautifully.
Wu Tongpan admired the beauty and muttered, "I don't know when Du Qingtang will come. We should be prepared."
Judge Xue Tong shook his wine glass and said, "If she is a beauty, I'm afraid she won't be able to come."
Big Bear is the most lustful one, and there is a high probability that he will take her for himself.
The two looked at each other and laughed obscenely.
Just at this moment, there was a noise outside the government office.
Fang Tongzhi frowned: "Who dares to cause trouble at the gate of the government office?"
After saying this, he waved his hand and sent a bailiff to find out what was going on.
Not long after, the yamen runner came crawling in, his face filled with fear: "Master! Master! Master! Master! Master! Master!"
Zhou Tongzhi had an inexplicable ominous premonition, pushed the beauty in his arms away, and walked out with big strides.
The remaining three people looked at each other and followed.
This is an amazing sight!
Outside the government office, there was a huge crowd of people, including ragged civilians, soldiers in black and red armor, and—
A young woman with eyes as cold as the moon and as cold as ice.
And the bruised and battered Black Bear Village bandits!
The two associate magistrates and two assistant judges guessed the woman's identity almost immediately, their faces changed slightly, and they thought to themselves that something was wrong.
When Big Bear and Second Bear saw the four giants of the government office, their eyes lit up as if they had seen a savior, and they shouted for help at the top of their voices.
"Master Zhou, Master Fang, Master Xue, Master Wu, please save us!!"
"This fierce woman killed all the guys from Black Bear Village and captured us now!"
The other bandits also shouted: "Help, sir!"
The Big Four: “!!!”
Killed all the people in Black Bear Village?!
The four giants had frozen faces and their pupils were shaking.
Did they hear it wrong?
Du Qingtang is a woman, how could she do such a cruel thing?
Du Qingtang's ears hurt from the screams of Big Bear and Second Bear, so he raised his hand slightly.
Deputy Commander Lu immediately understood and shouted, "Silence!"
Then he raised his musket and fired at Big Bear and Second Bear.
“Bang, bang, bang!”
White smoke filled the air and bullets flew everywhere, scaring the bandits in Black Bear Village so much that they jumped up and down and screamed.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Du Qingtang decisively took out the musket and aimed at Xiong Erdangjia's forehead.
"Bang!"
There was a loud bang that shook the earth, and Xiong Erdangjia's body, as strong as a brown bear, flew backwards.
But in a moment, a pool of blood gathered under him.
There was total silence outside the government office, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Judge Xue shuddered and staggered two steps: "Hiccup——"
Wu Tongpan, who was standing by, saw that his face had turned pale and subconsciously asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Judge Xue shuddered and shook his head like a rattle: "I'm fine, I'm not scared, and my legs are not weak."
The Big Three: "......"
Du Qingtang: “…”
Judge Xue: “!!!”
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