Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 42 Fatty Meat (Part Two)

The current situation is truly absurd.

They were all ruthless bandits, who routinely burned, killed, looted, tortured, and demanded money and provisions. Now, however, a young girl, not yet an adult, was pointing a long knife at them, demanding to know where the mountain stronghold's money and provisions were.

The bandit who was called out tried to hold out for a moment before giving in: "I don't know..."

puff!
A long knife pierced his chest.

The stubborn bandit screamed and fell to the ground.

Pei Qinghe looked at the next person: "Do you know?"

The bandit was completely terrified, and the area beneath him was soaked.

Pei Qinghe couldn't wait any longer, so she raised her knife and swung it, resulting in another scream.

Then, Pei Qinghe's gaze swept over the faces of the remaining five bandits. The five bandits were terrified, not daring to hesitate for a moment, and screamed, "I know! Don't kill me!"

"Some of the money and grain are in the stronghold's warehouse, and some are hidden in the mountains. Don't kill me! I know where they are! I'll lead the way for the Queen!"

"Your Majesty, spare me! I also know that Boss Black Bear has a house in the county town, and there's a lot of silver in it. I'll take you there!"

The bandits' faces were flushed, their foreheads covered in cold sweat, and they shouted hoarsely, afraid they would speak too slowly. The next moment, they tasted the pain of a sharp blade piercing their hearts.

After listening, Pei Qinghe summoned Mao Hongling and Pei Yun. Mao Hongling led a group of people, having the bandits guide them, to search the mountains for money and provisions. Pei Yun led her men to the county town and brought back the gold and silver from the village.

Pei Yan was itching to act: "Cousin Qinghe, there's still a lot of money and grain in Black Bear Stronghold. I'll lead some men to wipe it out... Oh dear!"

Pei Qinghe gave Pei Yan a light tap on the forehead: "Tonight they underestimated us and advanced recklessly, while we were well-prepared and had the advantage of terrain, which is why we won such a great victory. If the mountain stronghold were so easy to attack, why would the imperial court have repeatedly sent troops only to suffer defeats!"

"Being brave is a good thing, but you also have to use your brain."

"What we need is money and supplies. Suppressing the bandit strongholds is the government's business; it's not our place to risk our lives."

Pei Yan covered her forehead and muttered, "How could I have thought of so much? You're the one who uses your brain for this!"

I've always been this hot-blooded, impulsive, and reckless.

Pei Qinghe didn't have time to scold her. She ordered Pei Jia, Pei Yi, and the others to clean up the battlefield.

The bandits' weapons were all spoils of war, and all the arrows they had fired had to be retrieved. Then, a deep pit was dug, and the dozens of corpses were buried.

Peijia Village is located near the mountains and forests, and the surrounding area for miles is all wasteland with no human habitation. Such a commotion did not attract any passersby.

After daybreak, the group drew water from the well and repeatedly washed the ground. The bloodstains seeped into the ground with the water, and the stench of blood quietly dissipated after being evaporated by the blazing sun.

Several injured women of the Pei family lay recuperating in a thatched hut. Doctor Bao stayed by their side without leaving their side.

The three bandits were bound hand and foot, gagged with rags, and locked in a thatched hut. Pei Yan guarded them, holding a long sword, occasionally brandishing it, clearly wanting to emulate her cousin Qinghe's calm and indifferent killing style, as if slicing melons and chopping vegetables.

The bandits were so terrified they didn't dare twitch an eyebrow, secretly praying that the people in the stronghold would quickly realize something was wrong and come down to rescue them... As for whether the people in the stronghold could defeat the female bandit leader, they hadn't considered that yet. A dark and veiled thought even lingered in their minds.

Why should they be the ones to suffer this?

Those who remained in the mountain stronghold should also make a trip to Pei Family Village! ...

In the evening, Pei Yun returned with her entourage. There were five flatbed carts in total, all covered with thick cloth. When the cloth was lifted, four of the carts were filled with grain, and the other cart was filled with sturdy wooden crates.

"Qinghe, the wooden box is full of silver." Pei Yun, who was usually reserved, had a glint in her eyes and her voice trembled uncontrollably. "I didn't have time to count it all, so I brought it all back. With so much silver, if we buy grain, we won't go hungry even if we don't farm."

It was indeed a large piece of fat.

It's good to be safe once it's gone.

Pei Qinghe smiled silently: "Such a large sum of unexpected wealth cannot be flaunted. We still need to cultivate the land and farm it."

Pei Yun nodded repeatedly.

After this incident, she was completely convinced of Pei Qinghe's abilities. When survival is at stake, all notions of morality and ethics can be temporarily set aside!
Furthermore, it was bandits who attacked Pei Family Village, and they were acting in self-defense. What they have now is merely spoils of war.

Pei Yun easily convinced herself and whispered enthusiastically, "So much money and grain must be hidden properly. These thatched huts are too obvious. It would be better to dig a cellar with a more concealed entrance. Not many people should know about it; they should all be reliable and trustworthy people."

The implication was rather cryptic.

They're all members of the Pei family; only those who are loyal and share joys and sorrows can be trusted. Those who have ulterior motives and want to leave are unreliable. Take, for example, the Xu family member who faked her death and ran away that day.

To put it bluntly, the young wives of the Pei family should all be wary of this.

Pei Yun is meticulous and calm, a promising talent.

Pei Qinghe gave Pei Yun a deep look: "Second sister-in-law and the others have gone into the mountains and won't be back for at least another day or two. You take some people to dig a cellar first."

Pei Yun nodded in agreement and led seven or eight of her cousins ​​to dig a cellar. After working for a day and a half, they dug a small cellar, about six feet square. Grain could be stored in the thatched hut, but the small cellar was just right for storing silver.

The cellar entrance was inside Pei Qinghe's house.

Mao Hongling, who went into the mountains to look for money and food, returned on the morning of the third day.

Mao Hongling's face and head were covered in dew, her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, but she was unusually energetic. Since it was inconvenient to pull a cart in the mountains, they each led a horse, which was loaded with goods.

"Qinghe, Black Bear Village is indeed a tempting target." Mao Hongling excitedly grabbed Pei Qinghe's sleeve and whispered with a smile, "Ten horses are carrying grain. Two other horses have gold and silver on their backs. And there's something else I brought back for you."

The good thing that Mao Hongling mentioned was a fine bow and arrow.

Pei Qinghe was a skilled archer, her archery techniques exquisite. Ordinary bows and arrows became deadly weapons in her hands. The bow and arrow she held now was a sturdy longbow made of superior wood, and the thirty arrows in her quiver all had arrowheads forged from fine iron, exceptionally sharp. It was a prized possession that the bandits had stolen from some unfortunate soul.

Pei Qinghe gladly accepted it: "Second sister-in-law, you're so kind."

Mao Hongling said softly, "The livelihoods of more than two hundred of us depend on you. I, as your second sister-in-law, am ashamed to say that I am of no use. I can only follow behind you and cheer you on."

He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "Before we could even settle down, bandits attacked Pei Family Village. Although we won the battle and seized a lot of good stuff, we must be wary of someone having ulterior motives who might secretly escape and leak our secrets."

This is the second person, after Pei Yun, to warn her.

Pei Qinghe felt a warmth in her heart and said softly, "Second Sister-in-law, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

(End of this chapter)