Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 41 Fatty Meat (Part 1)

Having killed, seen blood, and endured life-or-death battles, their courage far surpassed what it once was. Upon hearing of killing mountain bandits, few showed any fear.

Of course, it's rare to see someone as eager to try as Pei Yan.

Mao Hongling is cautious by nature: "We need to plan how to fight in advance, so as to reduce casualties."

Pei Qinghe nodded slightly and gave instructions: "We have thirty bows and arrows. First, select thirty people who are good at archery."

These bows and arrows were left behind by Commandant Sun before he left. Most of his men had died, and he had a surplus of bows, arrows, and weapons, which he gave to the Pei family. After returning to the camp, he reported that the weapons had been damaged while fighting the bandits.

For the Pei family, this was a great favor. Bows and arrows are excellent long-range weapons, very suitable for women with slightly weaker physical strength.

Most importantly, the imperial court maintained the strictest control over bows and arrows. Ordinary people had absolutely no access to such weapons. For military families, possessing bows and arrows was considered treason and punishable by severe penalties. For example, the Pei family was convicted of treason after over a hundred bows and arrows were found in their possession.

When Captain Sun left the bow and arrows, he subtly hinted that if Pei Family Village were ever found with the bow and arrows in the future, they should not implicate him.

Pei Qinghe readily nodded in agreement.

The bandits of Black Bear Stronghold would never have imagined that so many bows and arrows were hidden in this inconspicuous, desolate village.

Pei Qinghe used charcoal to draw a simplified village layout, marking the locations where the archers would ambush the village. The rest of the group chose suitable weapons, forming groups of five, and acted according to the commands given by the bamboo whistles.

After cooking and filling their stomachs, everyone took their weapons and went to their positions. Some held swords and knives, silently praying that the bandits wouldn't come, while others held bows and arrows, their hearts filled with excitement.

Pei Qinghe lay quietly on the roof, conserving his energy and waiting for the bandits.

She was absolutely certain that the black bear would come tonight.

Peijia Village is incredibly close to Black Bear Village, only a day's journey away. When such a tempting prey is within reach, why wouldn't the black bear take it?

Little did she know, she was secretly setting a trap, waiting for the easy prey to come to her.

The sky was pitch black, and thick clouds obscured the bright moon and sparse stars.

Birdsong could be heard coming from the tall trees outside the village.

This was a pre-arranged code. Hidden in the tree, keeping watch, was Pei Yan, the boldest among them, her eyes fixed intently on the dark forest. Upon spotting any unusual movement, she would immediately signal with bird calls.

Pei Qinghe quickly adjusted his posture, drew back the bow and arrow, and blew the bamboo whistle in his mouth.

The archers in the darkness, like taut bowstrings, drew their bows and shot their arrows.

Pei Qinghe stared for a moment, then suddenly fired the first arrow.

The arrow pierced the air with a whoosh, striking a rapidly moving dark figure. The figure didn't even have time to scream before collapsing to the ground.

As Pei Qinghe fired her second arrow, the archers followed suit, unleashing dozens of arrows that pierced the dark night sky. Instantly, five or six figures were struck by the arrows, letting out shrill screams.

If anyone were standing next to Pei Qinghe, they would surely be stunned by her appearance at this moment.

Pei Qinghe's gaze was as cold as ice, her face expressionless, and she made no unnecessary movements. Her right hand moved with the grace of plucking a flower, effortlessly drawing arrows, nocking them on the bowstring, and then releasing them—the entire process was as fluid as flowing water. With each arrow released, a dark figure fell.

Even the most ruthless devils in hell are no more formidable than this.

Before the bandits even stormed into the village, they had already suffered heavy losses, with at least a dozen dead.

Black Bear, the bandit leader, was a tall and burly man, easily spotted. An arrow had shot into his left arm, and blood was gushing out. Enraged, Black Bear raised his thick-backed long axe and roared, "Charge in and kill them all!"

Unfortunately, the bandits weren't as ferocious as the black bear. Their courage had been shattered by the rain of arrows; they were terrified, their legs weak, and their steps hesitant. Some of the dark clouds in the sky had parted, and the bright moon pushed through, revealing half its profile.

Suddenly, a lithe young girl leaped down from the roof of a thatched house.

The girl, wielding a long knife, headed straight for Black Bear, the bandit leader.

The black bear grinned maliciously, raising its thick-backed long axe and bringing it down like a thunderclap. With the black bear's strength, this axe blow would be enough to cleave the girl in two.

The girl neither dodged nor yielded, but instead parried with her sword. The longsword clashed with the long axe, producing an ear-piercing sound. The black bear was actually jolted back a step; before it could even be shocked, the gleaming blade was already before it. A flash of cold light, a chill on its neck.

Warm blood splattered.

The girl's cold cheeks were stained red with blood.

The black bear's head flew off, rolled twice on the ground, and its eyes were wide open. It seemed that even in its final moments, it was still in shock at how easily it had died.

The boss is dead?!
Just die? !

After killing the black bear, Pei Qinghe did not hesitate and swung his long sword to cut down another one.

The bandits were horrified, and one of them suddenly turned and ran. Pei Yan jumped down from the tree, stopped the bandit who was trying to escape, and stabbed him several times, leaving bloody holes in his body.

The Pei women, grouped into pairs of five, silently approached. They lacked skill and courage, but their numbers gave them the advantage; five against one, they could manage. Some were injured, and some died in battle. However, with Pei Qinghe, this ruthless killer, present, the outcome of this battle was no longer in doubt.

The young doctor was hiding in the corner of the thatched hut. The hut was exceptionally clean, with two oil lamps burning inside, and several large basins of hot water. The scissors, needles, and thread had all been boiled.

Shouts of battle echoed outside the thatched hut. Doctor Bao's hands trembled with tension, his eyes fixed on the wooden door, as if it would be kicked open at any moment, and a bandit would rush in to take his life.

He was just an ordinary apprentice doctor, how could he possibly shoulder the heavy responsibility of saving lives! But he was already on the ship, and there was no way to escape, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and become a miracle doctor.

Boom!
The door was pushed open with a thud.

Dr. Bao reflexively jumped up and picked up the wooden box to shield his chest.

"Auntie is injured, quick, help her!" Pei Yun frowned, helped a blood-soaked woman into the house, and then hurriedly closed the door and left.

Doctor Bao breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly stepped forward to treat the woman's wounds.

Soon, one injured woman after another entered the thatched hut.

The fighting outside is also nearing its end.

Pei Qinghe did not kill all the bandits, but left seven alive.

Seven burly men with fierce faces and menacing features were terrified by the bloodstains on the ground. Usually, they were the ones killing and robbing; tonight, the tables had turned, and they were the ones being slaughtered like lambs.

A girl covered in blood walked over, carrying a knife, drops of blood dripping from the blade.

The girl's gaze swept across the faces of the seven bandits.

The bandits were terrified, and none of them dared to look the girl in the eye.

The girl casually brandished her knife, pointing it at one of them: "You tell me, where is the money and grain hidden in Black Bear Stronghold?"

(End of this chapter)