You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 47 Beheading
Ma Hong picked up a skewer of grilled meat, sprinkled it with salt, and handed it to his trusted confidant, Zhen Qi.

The two sat facing each other and started eating.

After Zhen Qi finished eating one skewer, he saw that there were still a few skewers left on the shelf, but his older brother didn't seem to want to give them to him.

He could only stand up reluctantly, wipe his mouth, and say, "Brother, I've thought about it a lot, but something doesn't feel quite right. How about we don't go?"

"Not going?" Ma Hong laughed. "Why wouldn't we go? We're hoping he can get armor and food for the brothers from Tong Guan."

"I've never seen you so fussy before."

Zhen Qi said, "Brother, you don't know, Chen Shao is not to be feared. What's scary is the fat guy next to him named Dong Dahu. That guy is incredibly strong. I saw it with my own eyes when he was throwing stones up the wall while it was being built."

He made a hugging motion with an exaggerated expression, "Brother, such a big rock, that guy swung it with both hands and threw it without even breaking a sweat."

Ma Hong stood up in dissatisfaction, took the roasted meat off the plate, put it on a plate, and covered it with a cloth.

"What you've said has made me a little unsure. Let's go take a look."

The two men slung their knives over their shoulders, went outside the room, and walked toward the leather-making workshop.

From afar, I could see a man slaughtering a sheep.

The man was large and tall, and it was easy to tell at a glance that he was Dong Dahu, who was always by Commander Chen Shao's side.

Ma Hong reached out to stop Zhen Qi, and the two of them stood aside, staring at him for a long time.

Finally, Ma Hong sneered and left with Zhen Qi.

"Big brother?"

Ma Hong said, "You don't need to worry. Tonight, we can eat and drink as much as we want. This guy didn't dare to harm us."

"Why?" Zhen Qi asked, puzzled.

“If he had set up a trap, Dong Dahu would definitely be the one to make the final move. He must have been arranged by Chen Shao. But look, this guy is happily slaughtering a sheep. The joy on his face is not an act at all.”

Ma Hong's analysis was very logical. Zhen Qi thought about it and realized that Dong Dahu's behavior just now did not seem like he knew that he was going to make a move.

Who would be so cheerful and not nervous at all when doing something so important at night?

The two brothers went to check on Chen Shao again and found that he was still learning how to peel skin from a Tibetan woman.

Ma Hong and Zhen Qi exchanged a glance and then nodded, their wariness vanishing.

With these two scoundrels, are you afraid they'll set up a trap?
If you give them a knife and stretch out your neck, would they dare to cut you?
-
The chaotic and dilapidated state of Xingqing Fort Village, including the two surrounding villages, is gone.

In the past few days, things have gradually become more orderly.

The debris and garbage on the streets were all swept away, and the checkpoints were all neatly arranged.

The soldiers no longer wore civilian clothes, but instead donned red battle jackets, the iron plates on their leather armor gleaming brightly.

He would walk around the neighborhood all day with his sword at his waist, shouting at people who urinated or defecated indiscriminately.

The large groups of laborers who used to pass through the city without any restrictions now had rules and worked hard every day to repair the village.

The new commander would send someone to tally their workload every day, a process called "recording work points".

No one knew whether there was real compensation or just a charade, but anyway, after the repairs were completed, when the Xia thieves came, it was good that they could put up some resistance.

Moreover, people also harbored a sliver of hope, thinking, "What if?"
In this way, the post-war fortress, which was originally a hell on earth, suddenly seemed to have some life.

The villagers inside the fort gradually opened their doors, and some even set up stalls and started business.

Everyone was poor, but they still had something to exchange to make a living.

Unlike previous dynasties, the markets of the Song Dynasty were not concentrated in one place. They naturally formed in the most prosperous and bustling areas, regardless of whether it was in the city or the countryside.

Because of the Song people, the vitality of these fortified villages naturally flowed.

Actually, it was because Chen Shao had restrained his soldiers during his stay in the past few days, preventing them from oppressing the people.

Ma Hong and his gang no longer dared to abuse the people. Although they walked on the road, other people who saw them were still trembling with fear.

This is the reality for the Han people. No matter how difficult, how bitter, or how terrible the disasters they have experienced, if given a little time to catch their breath, these people will still use their inherent diligence, their vitality, and their morality, which far exceeds the world's average level, to restore civilization to the land beneath their feet.

It got dark very quickly.

Winter days are short and nights are long, and since the villagers have no means of keeping warm, they huddle together to sleep early in the morning.

They also ate meals exceptionally early.

Chen Shao and Dong Dahu were already standing at the door waiting for guests.

He deliberately had people remove everything in the room that could conceal or hide people, and then replaced it with several stone benches.

Chen Shao grinned, keeping his eyes straight ahead, and whispered, "Big Tiger, remember this? I'll smash the cup as a signal later."

"Got it, boss," Da Hu said sullenly. "Why aren't these people here yet!"

He smelled the aroma of the meat on the table and couldn't wait any longer.

A scream came from not far away. Chen Shao and Dong Dahu went forward and saw that Ma Hong and his group consisted of nine people, all of whom were his confidants.

Nine men were surrounding a middle-aged woman who looked like a village girl, and they were touching her inappropriately.

Chen Shao coughed lightly, and when the others turned around and saw it was him, they stopped.

The woman took the opportunity to escape.

Chen Shaodao said, "I have already given orders not to oppress the people. What are you doing?"

Ma Hong said with a forced smile, "Commander, you don't know, these cunning people are the most treacherous. Just now, this woman was seducing my brother."

"Let it go this time, but don't let it happen again! Our villages must hold off the Xia bandits, and we can't afford to lose the hearts of the people."

Chen Shao looked like he had no choice but to compromise because he saw that they outnumbered him, which made Ma Hong's group even more contemptuous of him.

As he entered the room, Ma Hong looked around and found no place for anyone to hide.

Besides themselves and a few others, only Chen Shao, Dong Dahu, and Zhao He, who was standing behind Chen Shao, remained.

These three men combined have only six arms, while our side has three times the number of them.

Most importantly, none of Chen Shao and the other two were carrying weapons, which made Ma Hong feel even more at ease.

Several bowls of mutton and a pot of wine were laid out on the table.

"I've invited everyone here today for two reasons. First, to thank you for protecting the village and for gathering so many people to fill it. Second, to make friends so we can stand together, work together, and defend the village against enemies."

"Come, come, brothers, sit down, sit down. Today, our commander is treating us, so please don't stand on ceremony!"

Ma Hong invited them to sit down.

These men were all defeated soldiers, and they rarely had the chance to eat meat.

After sitting down, they began to eat. Chen Shao sat at the head of the table, smiling and saying some polite things.

Just as Chen Shao was observing the situation and preparing to smash the cup at any moment, Da Hu suddenly stepped past him and punched Ma Hong on the head.

Ma Hong's head slumped downwards, black blood gushing from his mouth, before he slowly collapsed.

It happened so suddenly that no one had time to react.

Da Hu picked up the stone bench that had been prepared for him and swung it around violently, instantly killing three more people.

This horrifying scene terrified the remaining people, who knelt down and begged for mercy.

Another person got up to run away, but was hit in the back by a flying stone bench and fell down.

"I haven't even smashed the cup yet!" Chen Shao was also startled and shouted, "Zhao He, tie him up!"

Dong Dahu scratched his forehead. "Boss, we have to take action. They're eating too fast and too much!"

(End of this chapter)