The Red Mansion

Chapter 121 Swords and Arrows in Action
The spring rain that day didn't stop until late afternoon.

The clouds dispersed and the sky cleared, the bright sunlight shining obliquely, making the dripping water from the eaves of the Jiang family's new house look like pearls and jade.

Jiang Nian did not have dinner with Yuan Chun and Xue Baochai that day. Instead, she prepared a table of food and wine in the east wing where He Yun and Meng Shi lived, and drank with He Yun and Meng Xiong.

Jiang Nian dislikes drinking and rarely drinks.

He had decided to leave the capital tomorrow with Meng Xiong to deal with Zhou Sankui, the salt smuggler from Laizhou, instead of taking He Yun. Leaving He Yun to look after the house would put his mind at ease. This meant that Meng Xiong had gained a golden opportunity to make a name for himself, while He Yun had lost it. Therefore, he specially drank with He Yun and Meng Xiong, both to comfort He Yun and to encourage Meng Xiong.

After several rounds of drinks, He Yun said to Jiang Nian, "Master, you've entrusted me with guarding the house this time because you trust me, and I will do my best. Please rest assured, Master, as long as I have a breath left, I will ensure the safety of the household. As for making meritorious contributions, there will be plenty of time in the future. Following you, Master, how could there be a shortage of opportunities to make meritorious contributions in the future? If Meng Xiong can make meritorious contributions and be granted an official position this time, I will be happy for him."

Having said that, he poured himself a cup and raised it to Meng Xiong: "You must be careful on this journey and protect the master!"

Meng Xiong quickly raised his glass in response.

Jiang Nian nodded.

He trusted He Yun in this matter and knew that He Yun was skilled in martial arts and steady and reliable. If trouble arose, he could go to Ma Peicheng, the Left Battalion Commander of the Patrol, or even the Thirteenth Prince and Emperor Taishun. It was most appropriate to leave him to guard the house.

After a few more rounds of drinks, Jiang Nian was a little drunk, her cheeks flushed. She suddenly smiled at Meng Xiong and said, "You're twenty-three years old this year, it's time for you to get married."

Meng Xiong was a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist. He usually didn't flinch when injured while practicing martial arts. But now, hearing Jiang Nian's words, he was a little embarrassed and rubbed his hands together, saying, "This matter... is not urgent."

He Yun laughed and said, "How can I not be in a hurry? You're already twenty-three years old, aren't you in a hurry? Do you want to wait until you're seventy or eighty to become a groom?"

In this era, even servants in wealthy and powerful families were considered old bachelors if they were still unmarried at the age of twenty-three.

Meng Xiong lowered his head and said, "I am your servant, Master. This matter should be decided by you."

Jiang Nian asked with a smile, "Between Qi'er and Qin'er at home, do you have a favorite?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Xiong quickly looked up and said frankly, "Since you ask, sir, I will speak my mind. I... I want to find a beautiful wife."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian and He Yun exchanged a smile.

Qi'er and Qin'er were both plain-looking, lowly maids.

After laughing, Jiang Nian said seriously, "A good man should be matched with a good wife. How about this, if you can help me complete this task well, when I return, I will find you a beautiful wife with Steward He."

He knew that Meng Xiong was not a womanizer, otherwise he wouldn't have said that.

A glint flashed in Meng Xiong's eyes: "Sir, are you serious?"

Jiang Nian did not answer, but simply extended her right fist.

Meng Xiong understood and then extended his fist, which was as big as an iron bowl.

Upon seeing this, He Yun also raised his fist.

The three fists collided.

……

……

The next day was February 22nd.

The spring weather is fine and sunny, perfect for traveling.

As dawn broke and the first hint of light appeared in the east, the Jiang residence was already brightly lit.

Yuan Chun had already gotten up to prepare Jiang Nian's wedding ceremony. Although it was a newlywed farewell, she held back her tears and tied her personal sachet to Jiang Nian's waist, which contained a peace charm and a lock of her hair.

At dawn, Yuan Chun, along with Xue Baochai, He Yun, Meng Shi, and the rest of the family, saw Jiang Nian and Meng Xiong off at the gate of the house.

Outside the gate, willows sway gently, and swallows murmur softly.

There were three people waiting: Chang Ye, Qi Jianyu, and Dai Shijiao.

Chang Ye is nearly forty years old and is a civil official. He is now taking up his post as the new prefect of Laizhou.

Qi Jianyu and Dai Shijiao were both third-class imperial guards of the fifth rank. Emperor Taishun specially assigned them to accompany and protect Jiang Nian on this occasion.

All three were dressed in casual clothes, not in official robes.

The five people then rode in two horse-drawn carriages, their wheels creaking as they gradually moved further and further away.

Yuan Chun stood there for a long time, and finally couldn't hold back her tears, which soaked her handkerchief.

Xue Baochai advised from the side, "Sister, take care of yourself. Master will surely succeed on this journey."

There are two routes from Shenjing City to Laizhou, Shandong.

First, there is a combination of waterway and land route.

They took a boat from Luhe Post Station in Tongzhou, traveled south along the Grand Canal, and then transferred to land routes in Linqing Prefecture, Shandong Province, passing through Gaotang Prefecture, Jinan Prefecture, and Qingzhou Prefecture before arriving at Laizhou Prefecture.

Jiang Nian and her group of five chose a different route this time.

That means taking the overland post road.

Starting from Shenjing City, the route passes through Tongzhou, Tianjin, and Cangzhou, enters Shandong Province, then passes through Dezhou, Jinan, Qingzhou, and Changyi County, before finally arriving at Laizhou Prefecture.

The total distance is over 600 kilometers.

Pear blossoms along the post road flutter like white snow.
A green horse is tethered to willows by the official bridge.

Because they were not in a hurry and did not change horses at the post stations along the way, Jiang Nian and his party spent more than ten days and finally arrived in Laizhou Prefecture in early March.

……

……

Laizhou Prefecture governed two prefectures and five counties: Yexian County, Pingdu Prefecture, Jiaozhou Prefecture, Changyi County, Gaomi County, Jimo County, and Weixian County.

Yexian County was an attached county of Laizhou Prefecture, which was the seat of the prefecture and also the location of the Denglaiqing Circuit.

This means that Yexian County had the magistrate's office, the prefect's office, and the Dengzhou-Laizhou-Qingzhou circuit intendant's office, with three levels of government offices in one city, making it a very important location.

At noon that day, Jiang Nian and his group of five had reached the border of Changyi County. Instead of entering the county town, they found a teahouse by the post road outside the town to rest.

This teahouse is open-air, with a shed, three sets of tables and chairs, and a fence around it.

Teahouses and tea shops in Laizhou mainly sell jasmine tea, Longjing tea, and Songluo tea from the south. Although they primarily sell tea, they also often sell simple noodles, pastries, and side dishes to satisfy the hunger of passing merchants.

At this moment, Jiang Nian and the other four were eating pancakes with dried tofu and sipping Longjing tea. Although this Longjing tea was not of the highest quality, it still had a clear and bright color and a rich aroma.

Meng Xiong drank three bowls in a row, still not satisfied. Chang Ye laughed and said, "You're drinking tea like it's wine again!"

Just as they were talking and laughing, they suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves on the post road.

A horse-drawn carriage came galloping by, followed closely by a dozen or so fierce-looking men on horseback. Each of the men held a short-handled knife, which gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

Seeing this, several customers in the teahouse were so frightened that they hurriedly hid, some even crawling under the table. The teahouse owner and his staff also rushed into the kitchen, even knocking over the copper kettle used for boiling water, which spilled steam all over the floor.

Meng Xiong, Chang Ye, Qi Jianyu, and Dai Shijiao all turned to look at Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nianjian's eyebrows furrowed, and he shouted in a low voice, "Take your weapons!"

Upon hearing this, the four hurriedly went to the carriage parked nearby to retrieve weapons, including bows and arrows, long-handled broadswords, long iron rods, and short-handled knives.

Jiang Nian and Qi Jianyu are both skilled with bows and arrows.

Jiang Nian coldly observed the group of bandits, thinking to herself, "In broad daylight, on the official road, there are such arrogant thugs? What audacity! They must be either mountain bandits or the henchmen of salt smugglers!"

Just then, the carriage was surrounded by bandits outside the teahouse.

The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing a beautiful face. The woman was about twenty years old, and her beauty had faded.

She caught sight of Jiang Nian and his group of five inside the teahouse. They were all strong and imposing, especially Meng Xiong, who was broad-shouldered and burly. They were also armed. She shouted through the carriage window to Jiang Nian and his group, "Help! Thieves are abducting women!"

That cry was truly heart-wrenching, like a cuckoo's mournful cry, and as pitiful as a willow swaying in the breeze.

The leader of that gang of bandits was a burly man with a full beard, known as "Tall Beard."

The bearded man was tall and imposing, with a pair of fierce-looking eyes. He saw the beautiful woman calling for help from the window to Jiang Nian and the other four, and he also saw that the five men were all burly, with weapons that gleamed coldly, including bows, arrows, and long swords. He hesitated for a moment, thinking to himself, "These people don't look like ordinary merchants. They seem to have some kind of background. If I obstruct them, it will be troublesome."

Although Gao Hu Zi was wary, he refused to show his fear. He deliberately brandished his short-handled knife and shouted at the beauty inside the carriage window in a booming voice, "Girl, save your energy! In this Laizhou area, who dares to interfere with the affairs of our Master Zhou San Kui?" After speaking, he glanced sideways at Jiang Nian and the other five, intending to intimidate them.

Zhou Sankui was a notorious salt smuggler in Laizhou, and also the biggest local tyrant. He was so powerful that even the prefect of Laizhou had close ties with him. In Laizhou, ordinary people trembled at the mere mention of his name.

Gao Hu Zi thought that by bringing up Zhou San Kui's name, Jiang Nian and the other five would surely back down, but little did he know that Jiang Nian and the other five were here on imperial orders to deal with Zhou San Kui's affairs!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian rose from the long bench in the teahouse, holding a bow in her left hand and an arrow in her right, her expression calm and composed, like a still pool and a towering mountain. Meng Xiong carried a long-handled broadsword, Chang Ye held a short-handled knife, Qi Jianyu held a bow and arrow, and Dai Shijiao held an iron rod horizontally. The five of them stood in a row inside the teahouse fence.

The fence formed a circle, leaving only a narrow gate, making it difficult for Gao Huzi and his gang, even with horses, to charge and surround them.

The beautiful woman inside the carriage was very clever. Seeing that Jiang Nian and the other four seemed to be willing to help, she shouted through the window again, "Help! These thieves are abducting women!"

Her voice was like the warbling of a nightingale, mournful and plaintive.

Gao Hu Zi was furious. He raised his knife and pointed it at the car window, shouting, "Shut up!" Then he turned and glared at Jiang Nian and the other four, saying in a deep voice, "Don't meddle in other people's business! We are Master Zhou San Kui's men. You'd better think it over!"

Jiang Nian remained unfazed and said loudly, "Why are you abducting women in broad daylight?"

Gao Huzi said coldly, "This matter has nothing to do with you, and it's none of your business!"

Jiang Nian's eyes sharpened, and she said loudly, "What if we insist on interfering?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Huzi's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he sneered, "Judging from your accent, you seem to be from out of town? If you know what's good for you, get out of here! In Laizhou, even if we kill all of you outsiders, no official will come after us!"

Meng Xiong, Chang Ye, Qi Jianyu, and Dai Shijiao all looked at Jiang Nian, waiting for her instructions.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Nian issued a chilling order: "Form the formation and kill them all!"

The five of them traveled all the way from the capital city, and during their free time along the way, they specifically practiced battle formations.

As soon as the words left his lips, Jiang Nian drew his bow with his left hand and nocked an arrow with his right. The bowstring twanged, and an arrow shot through the air, aimed directly at Gao Huzi, who was mounted on his horse. Gao Huzi was prepared; seeing Jiang Nian suddenly shoot an arrow at him, he hurriedly scrambled off his saddle. But just as he dodged the first arrow, the exceptionally skilled archer Jiang Nian drew his bow again and fired a second arrow, which pierced Gao Huzi's shoulder. Gao Huzi cried out in pain, struggling on the ground, unable to rise again.

When Meng Xiong, Chang Ye, Qi Jianyu, and Dai Shijiao heard Jiang Nian's order to "form a formation and kill them all," they were all taken aback. They never expected that Jiang Nian, who was usually calm and composed, would be so decisive and ruthless, directly ordering the killing of more than ten of the other party.

Meng Xiong was the first to obey, wielding a long-handled broadsword and blocking the narrow gate of the fence like an iron tower. The blade gleamed coldly, making his hair and beard stand on end, truly a man who could hold the pass alone.

Qi Jianyu and Dai Shijiao were not negligent either.

Qi Jianyu also drew his bow and shot an arrow with Jiang Nian.

Dai Shijiao swung his iron rod like a dragon emerging from the sea, and stood to Meng Xiong's right.

Although Chang Ye was a civil official, he was skilled in both literature and martial arts. At this moment, he also showed his courage. After a slight hesitation, he took out his short-handled knife and stepped forward, standing to Meng Xiong's left.

Jiang Nian drew his bow like a thunderclap, firing two arrows in quick succession at the bandits outside the fence, knocking both of them off their horses. He was particularly skilled at short-range archery because he often practiced at home.

Qi Jianyu also fired two arrows in succession, killing one bandit with one arrow and missing the target with the other.

This happened so fast. In the blink of an eye, Gao Huzi was hit by an arrow and struggled on the ground, unable to get up. Three other bandits were shot dead.

Although the other party was a ruthless salt smuggling gang, they were also frightened into panic by Jiang Nian's actions. This young man is ruthless!

Outside the fence, the bandits were in chaos. Some shouted, "Quickly protect Grandpa Gao!" while others, terrified, had already reined in their horses and tried to escape.

The tall bearded man, slammed to the ground with an arrow in his shoulder, was terrified. His earlier boast, "Even if we kill all of you outsiders, no official will hold us accountable," was nothing but a bluff. He didn't actually have the guts; five lives, and seemingly of considerable importance—how could he bear the consequences?

He never expected that this young man, Jiang Nian, would so decisively kill them all, showing an even more ruthless side than Zhou Sankui.

Gao Hu Zi secretly groaned, "Just who is this young man? Even government soldiers wouldn't dare to act like this. He's incredibly audacious! He's like a demon from the underworld!"

Gao Huzi didn't have time to think much at the moment. Seeing his men terrified and panicked, with some even running away on horseback, he endured the pain and shouted, "Kill them, or we'll all die!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Jiang Nian shot down a bandit who was fleeing on horseback with an arrow.

Upon seeing this, several ruthless bandits charged towards the teahouse.

Behind the fence, Meng Xiong raised his long-handled broadsword...

Meng Xiong possessed extraordinary strength, was tall and had long arms, making him well-suited to wielding a long-handled broadsword. He had trained with He Yun for a year, and the long-handled broadsword he was currently wielding was a gift from He Yun, measuring over two meters in length and weighing more than ten kilograms.

Meng Xiong first delivered a diagonal slash from above, cutting down the leading bandit; then, with a sweep of his blade, he severed the neck of another bandit, but strangely, the head did not fall off, making the scene even more terrifying.

Meanwhile, Jiang Nian and Qi Jianyu continued shooting arrows, each killing another bandit.

Nine thugs quickly fell to the ground, leaving only two remaining.

At this time, Chang Ye and Dai Shijiao, who were positioned to the left and right of Meng Xiong respectively, had not yet made a move.

The bright midday sun made the bloodstains on the corpses in front of the teahouse even more glaring and horrifying.

Gao Huzi's face was deathly pale, from both pain and terror...

(End of this chapter)