The Bride Kidnapping (Part 9)
Yan Han scratched his head and replied, "There were six or seven people, on horseback, carrying bows and arrows, and knives... The one in the lead, they called him Young Master, Young Chieftain..."
I asked again, "This young chieftain injured you and kidnapped Luo Erying, didn't he?"
Yan Han sobbed, "Yes."
Huai Xu spat at him and cursed, "Useless thing! You still have the nerve to cry?"
At that time, Lin Zhong returned from the western front, led his horse over and said, "Master, I'm going to Conglian Village to ask for people."
Huai Xu hurriedly said, "Uncle Lin, I'll go too!"
"No need." Lin Zhong mounted his horse and tossed the reins of the other horse to Huai Xu. "You stay here with the master and wait for the Changning army."
"Wait!" I called to Lin Zhong, then approached Yan Han and asked, "They're at Conglian Village. Are you coming with us?"
Yan Han shrank back half a step, his eyes darting away as he said, "I...I'm badly injured..."
Enraged, Huai Xu rushed over and kicked him to the ground, yelling, "Coward! I'm going to kill you today!" With that, he lashed out with his whip and swung it at Yan Han's head and face.
Yan Han cried out, "Please! Stop hitting them! Go and save them first!"
"I'll beat you to death before you go again!" Huai Xu kicked and shoved him all the way to the river before stopping. "Godmother, let's go!"
Lin Zhong looked at me, hesitating to speak: "Master—"
"No need to say anything more." I leaped onto my horse. "We are sisters, I must grant her wish."
The night breeze is cool, and the past seems like yesterday.
Conglian Village is located deep in the mountains at the border of Nanguang and Shimen Fan, and was originally a Liao people tribe. In earlier years, there were constant border conflicts, and the tribesmen either died or fled. Due to the treacherous terrain, fugitives often fled here to hide, and over time, the village became a den of bandits, making a living by harassing border residents and passing caravans.
After the establishment of the Changning Army in Luzhou, Xiong Tu frequently sent troops to suppress them. Although the bandits were greatly reduced as a result, the bandits would flee to Shimenfan as soon as the government troops arrived, because Shimenfan was not under the control of the Song Dynasty. Despite repeated suppression efforts, the bandits remained like centipedes, dying but not dying.
Seven years ago, I was collecting herbs in the nearby mountains with Huai Xu when we ran into He Ping, the chieftain of Conglian Village.
At that time, his third wife had just passed away. Coincidentally, this woman was also a herb gatherer. When that scoundrel saw me, he exclaimed that it was fate. He kidnapped me and took me up the mountain. He immediately changed the white silk in his deceased wife's mourning hall to red silk, changed the word "funeral" to "happiness," and wanted to marry me that very evening.
I have no interest in fighting to the death with such a scoundrel. I plan in my heart that as long as he doesn't kill me after we get married, I will definitely have a chance to kill him. At that time, I will take over his brothers, seize his stronghold, and continue living my life as usual.
Unexpectedly, eleven-year-old Huai Xu, barefoot, crossed two mountains and chased after them all the way to Conglian Village. After figuring out the location, he ran back to the inn to report the news. Lin Zhong led Huai Xu to Conglian Village to demand the return of the person. I don't know what kind of fierce battle Lin Zhong went through. When I saw them again, Huai Xu, whose feet were raw from running, was holding Lin Zhong, who was covered in blood, and wailing.
Less than a year later, I carried the dying Lin Zhong home again. The town doctor said he had been seriously injured twice that year, and even if he survived, he would most likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
During Lin Zhong's recovery, I would say to him every day at his bedside: "If you never get up again, I will take care of you for the rest of your life; if I pass away before you, I will let your niece Huai Xu take care of you." Perhaps he found it annoying, because in less than two months, he was almost fully recovered and was able to cook and chop wood for me again.
Conglian Village is located halfway up the mountain. There is a natural stone chasm on the way up the mountain, which is connected by a bamboo suspension bridge. There is a sentry post on one side of the suspension bridge, and villagers are stationed there day and night.
At the distant Guangliang Gate, several people were carrying lanterns and hanging red silk ribbons. It seems that the young chieftain's behavior is exactly like that of his despicable father.
The two sentries, looking down at us, shouted, "Who goes there?"
I leaped off my horse and said, "Qing Niangzi of Qingcheng Inn on Bating Road, I need to speak with your chieftain. Go and inform him!"
An older village guard looked me over and said, “So you’re Qing Niangzi, who has a sworn brotherhood with the seventeen caravans of Wumeng Mountain. It’s not that we didn’t want to announce your arrival, but the chieftain just gave the order that tonight is his ‘newlywed’s wedding’ and no outside guests will be seen. We hope Qing Niangzi will understand.”
I said sternly, "They are not outsiders! Go tell He Ping that the girl his son snatched up the mountain is my Qing Niangzi's niece."
"Please wait a moment, you three." The old guard hurriedly left, but soon returned to the sentry post and said to another guard, "The chieftain said to let them in."
The two of them worked together to turn the wheel, lowering the suspension bridge. After we crossed, they put the bridge back up.
The old village head led the way, and after passing through a passageway, they were suddenly greeted by a brightly lit scene.
He Ping clasped his hands in greeting, his gaze sweeping over the three of us. He sighed deeply, "Qing Niangzi, it's been seven years since we last met. You've aged quite a bit. Tsk tsk, back then I told you to stay in the village and enjoy your life, but you insisted on being tough and dealing with those roughnecks from the caravan. It must have been tough for you, right?"
I cursed inwardly, "You old rascal," but then smiled and said, "Old Chief He, you flatter me. With the reopening of the Yuezhou border market, caravans are coming and going on the Eight Pavilion Road, and our little shop is indeed a bit too busy. But no matter how hard I, Qing Niangzi, work, how can it compare to the hard work you've put in playing hide-and-seek with the soldiers all these years?"
"I'm used to it, I'm used to it." He Ping forced a smile. "Qing Niangzi, we are still destined to be together. Although we can't be husband and wife, my son has taken a liking to your niece. Can we still be in-laws?"
"Old Chief He, you are mistaken," I sneered. "Your son may have taken a liking to my niece, but my niece may not necessarily be interested in him."
"Wishful thinking is not a matter of fate, but a violation of morality; forcibly taking women is an act of bestiality! Our Nan Guang is under the control of the Great Song Dynasty and is not a lawless place."
"Does the old chieftain want your brothers to be wiped out by the Changning Army a few more times by allowing his son to commit such atrocities?"
He Ping's expression suddenly changed. From the crowd behind him, a burly young man suddenly appeared and shouted at me, "Hey woman, who are you trying to scare?"
"The custom of kidnapping brides is a tradition in our Liao village, a marriage blessed by the mountain god. That girl eloped with her lover, and I ran into them on the way. I chased her lover away and brought her back. I didn't kill anyone or bully anyone. How can this be considered an act of violence?"
"So what if it's the Changning Army? Even if they come, we'll still have to reason with them. At worst, we'll all go to the Yuezhou government office and have the prefect and judge decide! My wife, whom I, He Kuan, earned through my own abilities, is not someone anyone can take away!"
"Wedding snatching," also known as "bride kidnapping," is a bizarre wedding custom prevalent among various ethnic groups in Southwest China, especially among mountain people. On the day of the bride's wedding, several groups of people often arrive at the bride's home simultaneously to fetch her.
Among them are the groom chosen by the parents, the young lady's lover, and suitors who covet the bride. Each gathers their relatives, and battles break out along the way. The victorious group that arrives at the bride's home is often not the groom. At this point, the bride's relatives also join the fray, and the two sides fight again until the bride is abducted by the groom or the groom is driven out of the bride's family, only then is the matter considered closed.
"Bah!" Huai Xu roared, "What kind of skill is it to take advantage of someone in distress? I'm taking my sister away today!"
"Come on!" He Kuan stepped forward, thumping his chest loudly. "They're in the wedding hall, come and snatch it if you dare!"
With a sharp "whoosh," Lin Zhong flashed forward, snatching a long knife from the old village guard who was leading the way, and thrust it straight at He Kuan's brow.
"Wait!" He Ping shoved He Kuan behind him, facing the blade, and said in a deep voice, "Qing Niangzi, there are rules for breaking into a stronghold to demand someone. You are now a respected person in Ba Ting Dao, so there's no need to argue with a junior."
"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow and said, "Tell me your rules, and I'll see if I want to follow them."
He Ping said, “The old rule was that if you beat all twelve chairs in Conglian Village, you could take the person away. Since the current situation was caused by the kids, they should resolve it themselves. We, as elders, should just set the course. Why should we take matters into our own hands and hurt the harmony?”
I glanced at He Kuan: "Young Chief, your father has really gone to great lengths for you." I crossed my hands and looked at He Ping, then continued, "Old Chief He, just tell me how you want to draw the line. I'll just remind you one thing: if it's too crooked, it'll only hurt our harmony."
“Naturally, we’ll let the kids have a fair competition.” He Ping looked at Huai Xu and said, “If you win, you can take the person away; if we win, we’d like the three of you to stay and have a celebratory drink.”
"Let's compete!" Huai Xu strode to Lin Zhong's side. "Uncle Lin, give me the knife!"
Lin Zhong ignored her, glanced back at me, and threw the long knife back to the old village guard.
I understood and said to He Ping, "Old Chief He, weapons have no eyes. The kid is young and may not know his own strength. Let's just have a few punches and kicks."
He Ping was delighted: "Qing Niangzi is right. It is not auspicious to see weapons on such a joyous day." He turned to He Kuan and said in a pretentious manner, "You spar with this sister-in-law for a bit, but remember to stop when you've made your point. Don't bully a woman."
He Kuan glanced at Huai Xu with a disdainful expression and said, "Excuse me, please make your move!"
Huai Xu clenched his fist, bent his knees slightly, and stared intently at He Kuan, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.
After a brief standoff, He Kuan lost his temper and said, "Hey woman, I'm in a hurry to get to the wedding ceremony. If you don't make a move soon, I won't be polite!" With that, he threw a powerful straight punch at Huai Xu's face.
Huai Xu shifted his feet slightly, dodging the fierce attack to the side. At the same time, he kicked out a whip kick, which swept towards He Kuan's waist with lightning speed.
He Kuan bent his elbow to block, and with a muffled thud, Huai Xu kicked He Kuan's upper arm, and both of them were startled.
Taking advantage of the moment when Huai Xu pulled his leg back, He Kuan threw several more punches, each one aimed at a vital spot.
Huai Xu dodged and weaved with great agility. She seized the opportunity when He Kuan threw a punch, suddenly lunged forward, grabbed He Kuan's right arm with both hands, and twisted it upwards with force.
He Kuan roared in pain and punched Huai Xu hard in the back with his left hand.
Huai Xu neither dodged nor avoided the punch, and with a shout, he used the force to move forward and used an over-the-shoulder throw to bring He Kuan to the ground!
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