Chapter 112 Zhou Congxian, Time to Take Your Medicine
Zhou Congxian woke up.
But his hands could no longer hold a sword.
Dr. Tang shook his head. "He can move, but he can't lift anything heavy, let alone hold a knife or sword."
Yao Shisan paused for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, thank you for your hard work, Dr. Tang."
After Dr. Tang left, she stood in the courtyard for a long time.
Her face was calm and devoid of any emotion.
Nobody knows what she's thinking.
She hadn't seen Jiang Xingyao and Wei Xun for several days.
People get injured and die every day.
She couldn't help in any way, so she could only quietly guard the rear.
Shuang'er carried the brewed herbal medicine from the kitchen.
"Sister's medicine is ready."
"elder sister?"
Yao Shisan turned his head and realized that his eyes were a little sore.
She rubbed her eyes with a smile, "I guess it's because I haven't rested well these past few days, my eyes are a bit dry."
Shuang'er pretended not to know, "We're short-handed right now, so please continue to work hard, sister."
Then, she added angrily, "Is the prefecture government really ignoring Dingxian's current predicament? Dingxian may be a small county, but it still has more than 8,000 people!"
"If the bandits really slaughtered an entire county, would Lord Liu really have any pride?"
Yao Shisan remained silent.
According to Wei Xun, there are 10,000 soldiers training in the mountains, so it would be too easy for them to conquer a small county.
But now they're like a cat toying with a mouse, neither launching a major attack nor plundering and amassing wealth.
It's as if they're still waiting for something.
She took the medicine bowl from Shuang'er's hands, "Don't worry, you'll definitely get better."
Zhou Congxian sat alone by the bed. In the two days since he woke up, he seemed unaware of how serious his injuries were.
I asked nothing and said nothing.
When Yao Shisan came in, he could still exchange a few words with him.
But if no one is around, he won't say a word, nor will he leave the house.
Sometimes, Yao Shisan could see him staring blankly at his right hand through the crack in the door.
Only after she pushed open the door did he immediately revert to his usual expression.
"Zhou Congxian, take your medicine."
Yao Shisan has been deliberately provoked by him these past few days to the point that he has started calling him by his full name.
Zhou Congxian put down the jade whistle in his hand.
"I told you to change your temperament, not to be reckless."
She placed the medicine bowl on a small table beside her. "If you're unhappy, go back to the capital. No one in the county government will stop you."
Zhou Congxian was taken aback. He reached out to pick up the medicine bowl, only to realize halfway through that it was his weak right hand.
His expression stiffened slightly; his hand was now trembling even when he held the bowl.
Yao Shisan picked up the bowl before him, saying, "I'll feed you for another day since your injury hasn't healed yet."
His expression relaxed, and he naturally switched to his left hand, saying, "No need to trouble Madam Yao, I will do it myself."
He drank the medicine in one gulp.
He then handed the jade whistle to Yao Shisan, saying, "The message I conveyed should have received a response."
"If you see any birds hovering around, blow this jade whistle."
Yao Shisan did not take the jade whistle from his hand, but instead pulled him up by the hand that was outstretched.
"I don't know how to use this jade whistle, Lord Zhou, you should do it yourself."
Zhou Congxian resisted instinctively, and when he was pushed to the door, the emotions that had been pent up inside him suddenly erupted.
"I'm useless!"
Yao Shisan's fingertips trembled, but then, as if he hadn't heard him, he continued to push him out.
“I saw birds circling around this morning, go and take a look.”
Hearing the commotion, Fu'er ran over from next door.
As soon as she arrived, she saw her parents arguing at the door. She thought it was something fun and tugged at her father's clothes as well.
"Daddy, look at me riding a monkey cart!"
Zhou Congxian looked at her with slightly red eyes, "Do you have to humiliate me like this?"
Yao Shisan gritted his teeth and pushed him out of the room.
"Who said you're useless?"
She picked up the jade whistle that had fallen to the ground and put it into his right hand.
Then, she slowly lifted his right hand.
She looked into his eyes and said slowly, word by word, "You're not useless."
She lowered her head and blew a clear and melodious whistle from the jade whistle in his hand.
A gray pigeon landed on his shoulder at the sound of the jade whistle.
Fu'er exclaimed in amazement, "Wow! The little birds are here! Daddy and Mommy are so amazing!"
Yao Shisan touched his daughter's little face.
He then reached out and caught the carrier pigeon, handing it to him. "Lord Zhou, there are still so many people waiting inside and outside the city."
Zhou Congxian looked at the calm-looking woman in front of him.
After a long pause, he whispered, "I can't wield a sword..."
"So what?" Yao Shisan interrupted him.
“I have no martial arts skills, no money, and no status or power, but I wanted to escape the capital, so I did.”
"When I had no money, I stole a large pearl from the old lady's birthday gift and exchanged it for travel expenses. I also..."
She paused, but still didn't mention the matter in the bamboo grove of the Duke's mansion.
"The body was bought, the identity was faked, and the person on the road was taken by someone else."
She tucked the carrier pigeon into his arms, saying, "The journey was long, but I not only survived with Fu'er, I also gave birth to Pangxi safely!"
“You are Lord Zhou, not Guard Zhou.”
Whether or not I can wield a sword is no longer important!
*
Without reinforcements, Dingxian was left in a passive position.
Now, not only are they anxious, but the bandits outside the city are also getting impatient.
"Brother Dao, when are we going to break in?"
"Kill that new magistrate as a sacrifice!"
The bandits of Jichi Mountain in Ding County were originally just a small group of about a hundred people.
However, being located in the mountains year-round, the roads are difficult to navigate, and it's easy to lose one's way.
Therefore, thanks to the advantages of the mountains and forests, former magistrate Qin Daolin had no way to deal with them.
Until last year, a group of people suddenly arrived and subdued them within a few days.
Only then did they realize that this group had crossed several prefectures and recaptured dozens of mountain strongholds, large and small.
The leader is not only skilled in martial arts, but his methods are also terrifying.
These bandits, each ruling their own mountain stronghold, gathered together and all submitted to them.
They've been bandits for so many years, and every time they've been chased by government troops, they've had to flee in terror.
He couldn't participate in the last attack on Yuzhou City, but this time, he finally got to hold his head high in his hometown of Dingxian.
As a result, after squatting outside the city for so long, all they've managed is small-scale fighting.
With their current numbers, killing him seven times in and out would be a piece of cake!
"Kill whom?!"
Brother Dao turned around and looked at him.
Shanmazi was unaware that he had said the wrong thing.
He immediately puffed out his chest, "Kill a county magistrate, let them know about Chicken Wing Mountain..."
He paused for a moment, explaining that Chicken Wing Mountain was the former name of their small village.
Now that the Chicken Wing Mountain stronghold team has been absorbed, he still doesn't know the name of the new stronghold.
Forget it, the name doesn't matter. Anyway, he heard from his brothers that their goal now is to let the imperial court know how powerful they are, so that they can be recruited and given more official positions.
"Let them know how powerful we are!"
Brother Dao kicked him in the butt, sending him flying a long way!
"You dare kill the county magistrate! I'll hang you up as a sacrifice to the flag first!"
He only learned a few days ago that the magistrate of Ding County was actually Brother Yao's son!
A bandit actually has a son who is an official!
It was at this moment that he suddenly realized why Brother Yao, who had stayed in Panyishan for so many years and never left the mountain, had suddenly started sweeping across other mountain strongholds and expanding all the way to Yuzhou City.
It turns out it was all for her son!
The sons are all officials, how can the father be a bandit!
Shanmazi was stunned by the kick. Had he said something wrong?
The person next to him pulled him away, saying, "You've gotten carried away again? With a brain like yours, you think you can be a commander? Go be a head cook!"
This immediately drew a burst of laughter.
Shanmazi wanted to say something, but Dao Ge ignored him.
The situation was deadlocked, especially given the significant difference in numbers between those inside and outside the city.
It felt as if a knife was hanging over the heads of the people in the city, ready to fall at any moment.
The number of patrol troops is severely insufficient.
Especially since the militia members were just recruited and had no combat experience whatsoever, they would only be cannon fodder sent to their deaths if they were sent out.
"Master Jiang."
Wei Xun dismounted. "If we keep dragging this out, we'll just die."
“Those guys in Yuzhou are unreliable. You take them and retreat to Ling County. I'll stay behind.”
“No way.” Jiang Xingyao refused without even thinking. “I am the magistrate of Ding County. If I leave, what will happen to Ding County?”
“Your kung fu is good. My sister has two nephews and nieces, who are all women and children. It would be more appropriate for you to take them with you.”
“Lord Jiang, you are just a scholar, staying here will only lead to your death. You should retreat with them.”
It looked like the two were about to start arguing.
The two men rode up at breakneck speed.
The two men on horseback each held one of the reins.
Yao Shisan helped Zhou Congxian dismount by holding his left hand, and then Zhou Congxian grabbed the saddle with his left hand and nimbly dismounted.
The entire movement was fluid, as if no one was watching his left and right.
No one could tell that his right hand was now weak.
"None of us need to leave."
Yao Shisan's face was full of smiles.
Zhou Congxian showed Wei Xun the small note he had taken from the carrier pigeon.
"His Majesty has ordered General He of the Southwest Camp to dispatch 5,000 troops to support the suppression of the bandits!"
"Based on the time the transfer order was issued, we should hold out for another three days, and General He's reinforcements will arrive!"
*
"Your Highness, General He has led his troops!"
Steward Qing rushed in, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Liu Minghan really managed to get me to come." Xiao Shu turned to look at him. "Good wine and food have been prepared in advance. General He has come from afar, so we should treat him well."
"yes."
Chief Steward Qing hesitated for a moment, "His Highness has requested the assistance of the Prince of Han, and the Prince of Han's troops have also set out. Then there will be a three-way battle..."
He chuckled. "A three-way war? Where's the war? Aren't these all here to offer amnesty?"
Chief Steward Qing said, "Lord Zhou is still in Ding County."
Xiao Shu's lips curled up slightly, "To recruit a force of 20,000 men without losing a single soldier, such a great achievement is right before our eyes."
"Can Zhou Congxian persuade General He or the Prince of Han?"
His eyes flickered slightly. "Your Majesty is catching cicadas, but unfortunately, I am the one unaware of the oriole behind you."
"Since I dared to leave the capital to take up my fief, I will not leave empty-handed!"
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