64 Wildfires
"Come back alive."
As she spoke, she squatted down, used the hem of her clothes as a pocket, and picked them up one by one and put them inside.
Xiao Pingchuan looked down and thought she looked cute curled up in a small ball, so he couldn't help but reach out and press his hand on the top of her head.
Shen Suqin remained silent for a moment, letting him press down on her without saying a word.
After a while, she picked up a small bag, stood up and said, "Okay, let's keep going."
Xiao Pingchuan nodded.
Today's meeting point is in a mountain valley on the other side of the mountain.
The mountains on both sides are the testing ground for the scout camp these days. In addition to hunting, they also have to survive by running through the mountains, and in the end, they will see who hunts the most prey.
This mountain forest is clearly sparsely populated on ordinary days. Even though it is winter and there has been heavy snowfall, it cannot conceal the rich resources within the forest.
As she ventured deeper into the area, Shen Suqin saw dried pine cones, various wild fruits, and even lingzhi mushrooms almost every few steps.
At first, Xiao Pingchuan tried to stop her from picking it up, but later he let her do as she pleased.
Anyway, he'd be the one carrying it if he picked it up, so Shen Suqin didn't have to lift a finger.
"Do you know what this is?" She showed Xiao Pingchuan a dried-up wood ear mushroom.
Xiao Pingchuan shook his head.
"Wood ear fungus can be eaten after soaking in water until soft. And this, pine nuts, once you crack open the hard shell, the kernel inside is very fragrant."
Xiao Pingchuan watched her handle the object like a precious treasure and asked with a smile, "How do you know so much?"
Shen Suqin raised an eyebrow: "Naturally, it's because I've read a lot."
Xiao Pingchuan loved seeing her slightly proud yet adorable appearance, and he really wanted to reach out and ruffle her hair, but he didn't dare.
Regardless, bringing her along on this trip was definitely a win-win situation.
It was almost noon, and the two hadn't even reached halfway down the mountain; they were still lingering there.
"Take a break, eat something before you go." Xiao Pingchuan handed her the water pouch he carried with him. "Are you alright?"
He always kept the water pouch close to his body. The leather pouch was warm. Shen Suqin rubbed it with his fingers before bringing the water pouch to his lips.
“It’s okay, I can walk,” she said, taking a sip and handing it back to him. “Keep walking after you finish eating.”
"No need to rush, you can take your time."
Shen Suqin shook her head; she didn't want to affect Xiao Pingchuan's original plan.
"I originally brought you out to relax. They know what they're supposed to do, so I don't need to tell them what to do. So just have fun and don't worry about anything else."
Shen Suqin finally felt at ease.
In the latter half of the journey, the two of them did not rush. They walked along, helping Shen Suqin with her fiddling around, until they finally arrived at the campsite near dusk.
There was a large, flat area in the valley with three or five sturdy-looking wooden houses. Next to the houses was a spring that hadn't frozen over. It was a nice place; no wonder people traveled so far into the mountains.
Xiao Pingchuan led the people into one of the wooden houses, which must have been cleaned in advance, as the house was very clean.
"Did you build this wooden house too?" Shen Suqin asked.
Inside the house were some tables, benches, and bed boards made of wood, roughly crafted but practical.
"Yes, the surrounding mountains are complex and can be very good for training people. Every winter I would bring them here to stay for a while, and later I simply built these houses."
"That's a good place."
"Take a break. Don't go too far when you go out to play. Remember to come back. I'm going to check if they're slacking off."
"Um."
As evening approached, hunters returned in twos and threes, each with a bountiful harvest.
Xiao Pingchuan was dragging a black-haired wild boar, which was half the height of a person, behind him. The strength of the boar was terrifying.
Shen Suqin ran out of the house to see him, her eyes full of admiration.
Xiao Pingchuan laughed: "Aren't you cold?"
Shen Suqin shook her head: "Are we going to eat this meat tonight?"
Xiao Pingchuan shook his head: "I'll only eat a portion; I'll take the rest back for the New Year."
"oh."
Which one would you like to eat?
Xiao Pingchuan pointed to the snow rabbits, wild boars, pheasants, and other animals on the ground.
"Let's eat snow rabbit, roasted."
"Okay, go back inside and wait. I'll call you when it's ready."
"Um."
A charcoal fire burned in the wooden house, and Xiao Pingchuan's wolfskin rug was spread on the chair, making it very warm.
Shen Suqin leaned back in her chair, watching through the window as Xiao Pingchuan skinned the snow rabbit. With a few rips of his hands, the skin came off as easily as tearing paper, without even a drop of blood. It seemed he had done this job many times before.
"They're going to open her up, it'll be bloody, don't look," Xiao Pingchuan warned.
Shen Suqin remained unmoved: "Go ahead and drive, I'm not afraid."
She's driven people before, let alone a rabbit.
Xiao Pingchuan smiled and continued working, but still turned the machine slightly so she couldn't see it clearly.
Suddenly, a faint smell of smoke wafted over, followed by a loud rumbling sound.
Xiao Pingchuan dropped the rabbit he was holding and cautiously got up. Shen Suqin also frowned and came to the window. The two of them listened intently.
"Oh no, it's a wildfire."
Xiao Pingchuan recognized the voice first, "Everyone, be alert! On alert!"
"Zhao Chengchun, take some men and see where the fire is."
"Yes, General."
After giving his instructions, Xiao Pingchuan scooped up a handful of snow from the ground, wiped his hands, and told Shen Suqin, "Don't be afraid, nothing will happen. Don't come out yet."
"good."
Soon, Zhao Chengchun returned.
"General, a fire has broken out on the other side of the mountain. Judging from the wind direction, it's only a matter of time before it spreads over. What should we do? Run?"
As they were talking, they saw thick smoke billowing out from the other side of the mountain, followed by birds flying around in all directions.
In the dead of winter, a fire on a barren mountain can quickly spread like wildfire and is very difficult to extinguish.
Xiao Pingchuan looked in the direction of the wildfire, thought for a moment and said, "We can't run. There are villages and towns not far from the foot of the mountain. We can't let the fire spread here."
Not far from their camp at the foot of Yucui Mountain, there is a village built against the mountain.
"Then, what should we do?" Zhao Chengchun's voice trembled slightly.
"Put out the fire!" Xiao Pingchuan said in a deep voice.
Shen Suqin's heart tightened. What could she use to extinguish it? The water was frozen solid; she couldn't very well use snow to put it out.
Zhao Chengchun had obviously thought of this problem as well, and his face turned somewhat ugly. However, because he never contradicted the general's opinions, he couldn't say anything in opposition.
Shen Suqin, however, held down Xiao Pingchuan's arm and said, "If there's nothing to destroy, going up there will only be a waste of your life."
Zhao Chengchun nodded repeatedly.
"But the Black Flag Army exists to protect the people, and I can't just abandon them."
“I didn’t tell you to ignore it,” Shen Suqin pointed to the mountains in front of her. “I don’t think the wind direction will change anytime soon. Here, from here to here, burn a path.” Originally, she wanted to say to cut down all the trees, but it was obviously too late.
"You mean we should set the mountain fire ourselves?"
"Yes, control it well, build a burned mountain road, so that when the fire comes here, it will stop because there is nothing to burn. This is called a firebreak."
Zhao Chengchun suddenly understood and clapped his hands repeatedly, saying, "This is a good idea, before the fire spreads."
Xiao Pingchuan also said, "Then let's make arrangements immediately."
Zhao Chengchun: "Yes."
Since the wildfires have started, training has to be suspended.
Zhao Chengchun gathered everyone together, briefly explained the situation, and then assigned tasks.
"General, that's enough. You take your wife and head out of the mountain first. I'll bring the brothers to meet you after things are settled here," Zhao Chengchun said.
Xiao Pingchuan hesitated. On the one hand, he didn't want Shen Suqin to take the risk, and on the other hand, as a general, he couldn't let his brothers take risks while he went first.
“No need, I’m right here,” Shen Suqin said decisively. “I am the general’s wife, and I cannot desert my post. The general cannot either. You all go about your business, don’t worry about me.”
Xiao Pingchuan turned around abruptly and looked at her intently.
Shen Suqin smiled, straightened his clothes, and said, "Go on, be careful."
Xiao Pingchuan nodded emphatically: "Zhao Chengchun!"
"have!"
"Walk."
The three main peaks of Jade Green Mountain rise in succession. With this kind of mountain terrain, once a fire gets big, it is easy to burn several peaks at once. So what Shen Suqin was referring to just now was the ridge of the second main peak, which is the peak of the mountain opposite her.
Xiao Pingchuan and his men had to climb to the top of the mountain first, and then carefully set the fire.
Soon, Xiao Pingchuan and his group disappeared into the mountains and forests.
"Isn't Madam going inside?" Zhou Kang was left behind by Xiao Pingchuan to protect Shen Suqin.
Shen Suqin shook her head: "I'm not at ease."
"Um."
On the other side, Xiao Pingchuan and his group strode through the mountains and forests, and soon reached the top of the mountain.
Xiao Pingchuan looked into the distance and breathed a sigh of relief; the fire was smaller than he had expected.
"Get to work, line them up in a row, and be careful not to let the fire spread," he ordered.
"Yes, General."
Xiao Pingchuan trampled down the weeds at his feet, then plucked a few branches from the tree and tied them together to serve as a broom for extinguishing the fire. He then carefully lit the fire with a tinderbox.
With a loud bang, flames exploded, and a wave of heat rushed in. He blinked, enduring the burning sensation, and tried his best to keep the fire line around himself.
The other guys next to me did the same thing, not daring to click too big at once, but just shuffling forward little by little.
Overall, the situation is still under control.
In about half an hour, dozens of people burned a gray isolation zone on the small area.
"General, do you think this is acceptable?" Zhao Chengchun asked.
Xiao Pingchuan rubbed the gray-black soil on the ground with his foot, then looked up at the towering withered tree and said, "We still have some time, let's widen it a bit more."
"yes."
As the wildfire drew ever closer, Xiao Pingchuan prepared to order a retreat.
But suddenly, the wind direction changed.
The wind that was originally blowing in their face turned into a westerly wind, blowing from their side. Then sparks flew everywhere, and with a loud bang, the firebreak shifted and slowly surrounded them.
Meanwhile, the wildfire opposite also changed direction with the wind, pressing in diagonally, as if it intended to encircle it from the side.
Xiao Pingchuan's face turned ashen: "Withdraw!"
They've done their best; it's just that fate is against them.
Zhao Chengchun shouted, "Everyone, retreat!"
The group was well-trained and quickly assembled into a team, heading down the mountain.
When Shen Suqin, who was in the ravine, saw the thick smoke change direction, she knew that the firefighting efforts had failed.
Fortunately, there was no fire behind them, so Xiao Pingchuan and the others could retreat.
She stared intently at the dark forest. Suddenly, perhaps a spark drifted over, smoke rose from the mountainside opposite her, and soon crimson flames burst into flame.
Oh no!
Xiao Pingchuan and his group's escape route was blocked.
Zhou Kang had obviously figured it out as well, and hurriedly said, "What should we do, Madam? Let me take you out first. The general and the others are skilled and won't get into trouble."
Shen Suqin gritted her teeth and shook her head, saying, "Let's wait a little longer."
"But the wildfire will come very soon, and I'm afraid we won't be able to outrun it."
Shen Suqin remained silent.
She was betting that the wind direction was now the opposite of before, so the wildfire was rapidly burning back in the opposite direction.
If two fire lines collide, a vacuum high-pressure zone will appear in the middle, instantly extinguishing the fire.
Of course, this is all predicated on the fact that Xiao Pingchuan and the others trapped in the middle can get out alive.
Shen Suqin stared intently, her feet firmly planted.
Zhou Kang panicked. The general had ordered him to protect the lady. If anything happened to her while he was in charge, he would die a thousand times over.
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