Daily life of farming and supporting a family on the ancient Loess Plateau

Chapter 602 The Bandit's Wife

"Hey, what's going on! It was agreed that a girl named Ji would come to treat our second-in-command today. Where is she? Has she been brought here? She's not so scared that she wets her pants, is she?" The bandits on the wall shouted loudly, interrupting Ji Yongling's thoughts and also interrupting Huo Zhenglian's reprimand of Lin Shengwen.

Huo Zhenglian had received a letter from the capital a few days ago, informing him that Lin Shengwen had come to the Northwest again and was passing through Ningping County. However, he waited and waited but Lin Shengwen never showed up. Before he could even go looking for him, Ma Chenfang and his gang of bandits reappeared. Since he had run into Lin Shengwen from Niujiazhuang today, as an elder, he couldn't help but give him a few words of reprimand.

Lin Shengwen smiled and said many kind words to Huo Zhenglian, but he couldn't make Huo Zhenglian's expression any better.

"Knowing this is a bandit's den, why did you still come here! If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to explain to... your father!" Huo Zhenglian was scolding Lin Shengwen with a face full of anger. Hearing the bandit's shout, he temporarily suppressed his anger and looked at Ji Yongling beside him.

In truth, Huo Zhenglian felt somewhat sorry for Ji Yongling. It was really unreasonable that he, a county magistrate, couldn't even take down a bandit's den and needed a young girl to help him.

Besides, he was also a father with a daughter. If it were bandits using the lives of ordinary people as leverage to blackmail him into sending his daughter to their den, he really didn't know if he could be so magnanimous as to agree.

Therefore, the Ji family has a really good family tradition. Everyone, young and old, is reasonable and considerate of the big picture. They are truly admirable and praiseworthy!

“Girl, these bandits are vulgar and uncouth, please don’t be angry. It was a last resort to send you to treat their second-in-command, I hope you understand! Don’t worry, with me here, I will make sure nothing happens to you!” Huo Zhenglian said sincerely to Ji Yongling.

Ji Yongling and Huo Zhenglian bowed and said, "Your Excellency is too kind. It is my honor to be able to do my part to protect Ningping County. I will do my utmost to help you wipe out this band of bandits!"

"Uncle, it's like this..." Lin Shengwen excitedly told Huo Zhenglian Ji Yongling's plan in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Huo Zhenglian's eyes lit up, and he praised it three times, nodding and saying, "This plan is brilliant! In this way, we can not only successfully wipe out the bandits, but also minimize casualties. It is truly an excellent strategy!"

Lin Shengwen grinned, his eyes shining as he looked at Ji Yongling.

Huo Zhenglian exclaimed, "Yongling, you are so young, yet you possess such magnanimity and courage. It is truly admirable. Rest assured, if this matter succeeds, you will be a great hero of Ningping County, and I will definitely petition the imperial court for your commendation!"

Ji Yongling shook his head calmly and said, "Sir, I don't want any credit or anything. I'll be content as long as we can wipe out the bandits as soon as possible and let everyone live a peaceful life."

Huo Zhenglian admired her even more for her indifference to fame and fortune.

At this moment, the bandits on the wall shouted again: "What, are all the people down here cowards? No one came, and not a single one said anything? You even said that your Ningping County magistrate loves the people like his own children, but I think you're nothing special! You're not planning to redeem the people on this wall, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Manqing looked at the people tied up on the wall and was so angry that he wanted to rush forward, but Ji Yongling stopped him.

Ji Yongling stepped forward, crossed his arms, raised his head, and shouted loudly at the wall: "My surname is Ji. Whoever wants me to treat them, tell them to step forward! Medical treatment requires observation, listening, questioning, and palpation. I have to see the person in person! I can't treat the patient if I can't see the person!"

Ma Chenfang, standing on the wall, narrowed her eyes. Seeing the woman in the distance so calm and composed, and even daring to speak loudly back, she sneered, "What courage! And quite a looker too!"

The surrounding bandits immediately erupted in lewd laughter, mixed with a few sarcastic remarks and teasing: "This woman is fearless, probably a fiery one, just what our leader likes! Perfect, we're still missing a wife, she'll do!"

"She's way too young! If she becomes the bandit's wife, then I, a grown man in my thirties, would have to call a little girl my sister-in-law! Oh, I got the generational order wrong!"

"Hahaha! Boss, can you handle this tender grass? If not, give it to me!"

"Get lost!" A hint of disdain flashed in Ma Chenfang's eyes. Then she waved her hand, signaling the henchmen beside her to bring someone over.

The third leader, standing to the side, grabbed Ji Bawa, who had been brought out, and asked, "Come here, open your eyes wide and take a good look. Is that girl down there your good niece?"

Ji Bawa has suffered all the hardships of his life in the past few days. His upper body is tied up and he can't move. He can only stretch his neck and open his eyes to look into the distance.

After a moment, he nodded and said, "Yes, yes, the person down there is my niece who is skilled in medicine. It's true, absolutely no lie! My niece's medical skills are famous for miles around. The stranger and more difficult the illness, the better she can treat it! No other girl could possibly impersonate her!"

"You talk too much! I only asked you one question, is she your niece? What's with all this nonsense!" The third leader kicked Ji Bawa and said, "Come on, shout it out, tell your niece to save you! Louder!"

Eighth Brother stumbled from the kick and almost fell off the wall, but luckily he had some physical strength and quickly regained his balance. He stood on tiptoe and shouted, "Yonglingwa, I'm your Eighth Uncle! I'm your Eighth Uncle! You must take good care of... Master Ma! Only if you cure Master Ma can I and the others in the village go home. You mustn't do anything reckless! Your Fourth Uncle and your old lady are waiting for me to come back and take care of them!"

Upon hearing this from a distance, Ji Manqing spat and angrily cursed, "Eighth Brother was indeed captured by bandits! He's not ashamed at all. Even though he was captured, he still calls him Master Ma as if he were born of someone surnamed Ma!"

What a coward, a wimp! He's nothing like a member of the Ji family; he's a complete spineless coward! No wonder the villagers said that Eighth Brother would lead the bandits to our Niu Family Village; they weren't exaggerating!"

Ji Manchuan shook his head and said, "Alright, alright! When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Bawa's in a bandit's den, it's not shameful to say a few nice words, saving your life is the most important thing!"