Chapter 111: Aftermath

Looking at the bandits lying haphazardly on the ground, some had already stopped breathing, while others were gravely injured and unable to move.

Pear Blossom quickly called out to the villagers around her: “Everyone, leave the rest to us! Check yourselves for injuries and see if your family members are still here!”

Only then did the crowd snap out of their fear and anger, raising their heads in a daze. They turned to call out for their loved ones.

“Sanwa—”

“His mother—Sanwa’s mother—”

“Father—Father—”

Some had held on until their last breath before collapsing.

“Quick, carry them over there! A doctor, get a doctor—”

“The medical team—”

The crowd instantly fell into chaos again.

Pear Blossom hurriedly shouted, “Aunt Pomegranate—lead your second team to assist the villagers of He Village in rescuing people. Stop the bleeding first!”

“A Nian, ride quickly back to our village and bring the medical team over.”

“Changmao, go to town and get Doctor Zhang, hurry!”

“Daniu, you and Zhang He take the assault team, divide into groups of six, and patrol the entire village inside and out. If you see any bandits fleeing alone, capture them immediately. If they resist, kill them on the spot.”

If there were still people who doubted this young captain before, after this battle, all skepticism was completely wiped away.

In the face of absolute strength, any dissent would be crushed to pieces.

The crowd responded to their orders and dispersed to carry out their tasks.

After finishing these arrangements, Pear Blossom called out loudly, “Is the village chief of He Village here?”

She called several times, but no one answered.

The surroundings were a mess, and the villagers were still immersed in terror.

Pear Blossom called out again.

This time, a man in his twenties staggered over, leaning against a wall, limping as he walked, and said, “My father—my father is the village chief—he tried to save those children who were about to be cooked, but the bandits stabbed him to death—”

Hearing this, Pear Blossom’s heart clenched.

She gritted her teeth, swallowed her anger, and asked the man, “What’s your name? Are you injured?”

The man replied, “My name is Qin Zheng. My leg was slashed, but it’s not serious.”

“Qin Zheng,” Pear Blossom said, “we’re from Daliushu Village. We saw bandits entering your village and came to help. Since your father is no longer here, the village needs a leader. Why don’t you temporarily take on the role of village chief and organize the situation? That way, we can assist better. What do you think?”

Qin Zheng, hearing this, burst into tears. He choked out, “So you’re from Daliushu Village… If not for you, our entire village might have been slaughtered…”

The surrounding villagers all wept bitterly, kneeling down to bow repeatedly to their rescuers.

Dagen quickly led his team to help the villagers up and comforted them, “We’re all neighbors; it’s only right to help each other. Please get up—”

Qin Zheng wiped his tears and asked, still choking with emotion, “You were so brave today, truly admirable. May I ask your name?”

Compared to the usual farmers, Qin Zheng seemed a bit more refined.

“My name is Pear Blossom. I’m the leader of the anti-bandit assault team from our village. Don’t worry, our people will patrol the area around the village for the next few days. For now, you need to find a way to settle the villagers.”

Qin Zheng quickly nodded. The courage Pear Blossom had displayed today, along with her composed and decisive post-battle arrangements, exuded such authority and competence that he hadn’t even realized she was just a young girl in her teens. He followed her orders without question.

Pear Blossom added, “There are traitors in your village who colluded with the bandits. Find a few trustworthy villagers to assist my father in searching every household. Arrest those people so they don’t continue harming others after we leave.”

When Qin Zheng and the surrounding villagers heard this, they were overcome with emotion, tears welling up again as they remembered the suffering they had endured.

Pear Blossom said, “Go quickly. Don’t let them escape.”

“Father, divide the team into five groups of ten. Let Qin Zheng pick five people to guide them, and search every house thoroughly. Don’t let a single one of those scoundrels get away.”

Dagen responded quickly, “Got it, girl.”

With that, he waved his hand and led his team off with Qin Zheng.

The medical team arrived soon after. Although they could only perform basic wound care, at this moment, they were as crucial as lifesaving rain.

Fortunately, Doctor Zhang also arrived, carrying his medicine box and following Changmao. When he saw the tragic scene before him, he quickly dismounted, said nothing, and immediately began treating the wounded.

Seeing the busy medical team and Doctor Zhang, Pear Blossom felt slightly relieved.

However, with so many injured and only one doctor, it was impossible to manage. She instructed Changmao to go back to town for reinforcements. “Doctor Zhang can’t handle this alone. Go ask Daniu for a team and bring more doctors from the city.”

The roads were still full of bandits, making it dangerous for anyone to travel alone.

Changmao acknowledged the order and rushed off.

Meanwhile, the others carried out their tasks methodically.

The tormented villagers of He Village seemed to have found a sense of stability and couldn’t hold back their sobs any longer.

After Pear Blossom finished arranging the emergency tasks, she called for a few people from Qin Zheng to deal with the piles of corpses littering the ground.

When she turned around, she noticed a group of about a dozen teenage boys, standing neatly in formation on the outskirts of the crowd, looking over in her direction. In front of them were about ten prisoners, barely alive.

Her heart stirred, and she hurriedly approached them.

During the intense battle earlier, everyone had been consumed by the chaos and bloodlust, with no one paying attention to reinforcements. But Pear Blossom remembered.

Without the timely support of this small group of fresh fighters, the casualties among the villagers of He Village would have been far worse—at least another dozen lives lost.

“Young gentlemen, may I ask where you’re from?”

The boy at the front, about sixteen years old, looked at Pear Blossom with excitement and said, “We—we’re from Fuping Village—”

The young man, whose mind was filled with images of Pear Blossom cutting down bandits like slicing through melons, couldn’t help but admire her immensely, as if a dam of respect had burst in his heart.

Beside him, an older youth with a similar appearance explained, “Recently, bandits have been coming down the mountain more frequently to cause trouble. Our village organized a patrol team. Around noon, we spotted bandits heading this way, so we ambushed them in the hills and came down to help when we saw the fierce fighting.”

The other youths chimed in:
“Are you from Daliushu Village? How do you have so many horses and weapons?”

“How did you know the bandits would come today and manage to gather so many people to help?”

“You’re amazing! Have you trained before?”

“Can we join you in fighting bandits in the future?”

Pear Blossom, seeing so many peers full of energy and passion, felt her heavy heart ease slightly. She replied, “The world hasn’t been peaceful lately, with constant news of bandits slaughtering villages. Our village organized a special training group to resist them. This morning, while we were training, the bandits suddenly attacked. We were preparing to fight back, but those beasts unexpectedly turned toward He Village instead.”

Hearing that Daliushu Village had conducted specialized bandit resistance training, the youths immediately looked eager and enthusiastic.

“Earlier, they called you the leader. Are you someone who makes decisions?”

“I just counted—you killed eighteen people by yourself! That’s incredible!”

“Can we join your raid team?”

Among the group, the most excited and talkative was a young boy at the front, who bombarded Pear Blossom with endless questions.

The older youth behind him grabbed his collar and pulled him back, apologizing to Pear Blossom. “Please don’t mind him—my brother’s a chatterbox and doesn’t know when to stop. Is there anything else you need help with?”

Pear Blossom appreciated people who could assess situations but didn’t dislike the younger brother’s lively energy either. Smiling, she glanced around the scene.

She then raised her voice and said, “Everyone! Today’s victory against the bandits is thanks to the thirteen young men from Fuping Village who came to our aid. Without them, we might have suffered even more casualties. Let’s not forget the debt of gratitude we owe them for saving our lives.”

When the villagers of He Village heard that Fuping villagers had also come to their aid, they were overcome with emotion and gratitude, surrounding the young men and kneeling to thank them profusely.

The youths, unaccustomed to such overwhelming gestures, appeared flustered.

They hadn’t come to help for recognition, but being thanked so sincerely in front of hundreds of people—with eyes full of admiration, gratitude, and respect—made them feel a rush of pride, their chests swelling like proud roosters.

This young woman didn’t take all the credit for herself and generously acknowledged their contributions—how admirable.

The older youth hurriedly said, “There’s no need to thank us. If it weren’t for the villagers of Daliushu taking the lead, the few of us wouldn’t have dared to face them alone. Helping you is like helping ourselves. We’re all in this together.”

Pear Blossom nodded in agreement. “Exactly! Strength lies in unity. Only by joining forces can we resist the bandits’ threats.”

The youth replied, “Leader Pear Blossom, if there’s anything else you need, just tell us. The dozen of us are at your service. If manpower is insufficient, we can go back and bring more.”

Pear Blossom asked, “May I know your name?”

The youth replied, “I’m Lin Ping, but everyone calls me Da Linzi. This chatterbox is my brother Lin An; people call him Xiao Linzi.”

He then introduced the others before adding, “My father, Lin Mian, is the village chief of Fuping. He holds some authority there. If you need anything we can’t decide on, feel free to reach out to him.”

Hearing this, Pear Blossom was delighted. “Thank you for your assistance today. I indeed have matters regarding bandit resistance to discuss with Chief Lin. I’ll visit him soon.”

She paused before continuing, “But for now, the priority is to resettle the villagers of He Village and deal with the remaining bandits and corpses.”

Lin Ping and his companions responded in unison, “Leader Pear Blossom, just give the orders!”

Pear Blossom didn’t hold back and began delegating tasks.

Among the bandits, over fifty were dead, while another forty or so were tied up in neat rows, kneeling at the village entrance. The dozen or so He villagers who had previously aided the bandits were also captured and awaited judgment.

At that moment, Qin Xiaobao suddenly ran over, calling out, “Leader—”

Pear Blossom looked at him. “What is it?”

Qin Xiaobao hesitated. “You…you’d better come and see for yourself.”

Gripping her curved blade, Pear Blossom hurried after him.

At the drying yard of the village chief’s house, where the bandits had been cooking meat earlier, a horrifying scene was unfolding.

A disheveled man squatted on the ground, gnawing greedily on a bloody bone. He occasionally sliced off pieces of meat with a knife to feed another man beside him.

Pear Blossom’s stomach churned.

The man was none other than Liu Youtie. She had no idea when he had slipped away.

The man leaning against the wall, wailing pitifully, was Wei Gouzi. Below his knees, his legs were gone, leaving only bloodied stumps.

In a large iron pot, smoke billowed.

The broth inside boiled fiercely over a roaring fire, and amidst the bubbling liquid, a leg—still wearing a shoe—floated.

The bone in Liu Youtie’s hand was unmistakably Wei Gouzi’s other leg.

The aroma of cooking meat filled the air, mixed with a sickening stench.

Suppressing her disgust and grief, Pear Blossom stepped forward and slapped the bone from Liu Youtie’s hand. “Liu Youtie, are you insane? Do you even realize what you’re doing?”

Liu Youtie turned to her, his sinister expression quickly replaced with a sly grin. “Eating meat, of course! It’s delicious. Want to try some, niece?”

“What? You don’t believe me? This meat is tasty, really tasty. Ask Wei Gouzi—he’s eaten plenty of it.”

As he spoke, he gestured to the side, where Wei Gouzi lay in agonizing pain.

Wei Gouzi was in such pain that he was on the verge of fainting. He cursed, “Liu Youtie, you heartless dog! You actually hacked at my leg! Even as a ghost, I won’t let you off!”

His voice was filled with venomous hatred and fury.

Liu Youtie, unbothered, slapped him across the mouth and said, “Haven’t had enough yet? The other leg will be cooked soon. Once you’re full, you won’t be yelling anymore.”

Wei Gouzi howled in anguish, swearing all the while.

Liu Youtie laughed darkly, his laughter chilling to the bone. After a moment, he sneered at Wei Gouzi, “If you don’t like leg meat, tell me what you do like. I’ll cut it and cook it for you, make sure you eat your fill.”

“This spot… or maybe this one?”

He waved a kitchen knife he had found from somewhere over Wei Gouzi’s abdomen, leaving thin trails of blood wherever the blade passed.

Wei Gouzi screamed in heart-wrenching agony, “You bastard! May the heavens strike you dead—you’ll never die in peace!”

Before he could finish his words, Liu Youtie slapped him again. This time, Wei Gouzi saw him holding a furry piece of something, which he dangled in front of Wei Gouzi’s eyes before tossing it into the boiling pot nearby.

“See? I’m so good to you. Ears are tasty too, nice and chewy.”

Pear Blossom could no longer stand the sight. She grabbed Liu Youtie by the collar and hauled him up, shouting to Qin Xiaobao nearby, “Take him back to Old man Liu! Tell the Liu family to keep a tight rein on him and not let him cause trouble again!”

As Liu Youtie was dragged away, villagers began to gather around Wei Gouzi.

Their eyes burned with fury.

Terrified, Wei Gouzi wet his pants and begged Pear Blossom, “Kill me! Please, just kill me with one strike—”

A lifetime of wicked deeds had taught him what awaited him in the hands of these villagers. The easiest death he could hope for now was a swift stab to the throat.

But Pear Blossom wouldn’t let him off so easily.

She turned and walked away.

Soon after, Wei Gouzi’s screams pierced the air as the villagers tied him to a post and poured boiling broth from the pot over him, scalding him alive.

Without looking back, Pear Blossom said to Qin Xiaobao, “Stay here and watch. If he dies, take care of the body. Make sure no one eats from that pot. Do your best to calm the villagers.”

Qin Xiaobao quickly nodded.

On her way to find Qin Zheng for a discussion, Pear Blossom was stopped by a soft voice calling out.

She turned to see a girl of about fourteen or fifteen standing in the shadow of a house, her timid eyes fixed on Pear Blossom.

The girl had a delicate face and a slender frame.

“General… your arm is bleeding…”

Pear Blossom paused, surprised to hear herself addressed as “General.”

The villagers didn’t know formal titles. Perhaps the girl had just witnessed her frenzy earlier and had instinctively given her this title.

Just as she was about to correct her, she noticed the girl’s patched clothing and the faint scratches and bruises on her neck. Her heart tightened, and she softened her voice. “It’s nothing, just a small wound. Why are you here alone? Where’s your family?”

The girl’s eyes reddened slightly, and she shook her head lightly. “They’re all gone. I’m the only one left.”

Pear Blossom’s heart sank with sorrow. Lowering her gaze, she said gently, “I’m sorry for bringing up something so painful.”

The girl forced a faint smile. “It’s okay. They’ve just become stars in the sky. They’re still here.”

Pear Blossom felt a sting in her chest and asked, “What’s your name?”

“My name… is Cao’er… Ye Cao’er…”

Her voice was soft, tinged with hesitation. She finally mustered her courage, lifting her head slightly to say, “General, let me bandage your wound…”

Pear Blossom couldn’t bear to refuse. She glanced around, then nodded and sat on a nearby stone slab. “Alright, I’ll trouble you then, little sister Cao’er.”

Hearing Pear Blossom’s agreement, a faint light sparked in the girl’s otherwise dull eyes. She pulled out a clean handkerchief and a strip of white cloth from her sleeve, clearly having come prepared. It must have taken her some time to gather the courage to speak up.

Pear Blossom tore off the tattered sleeve on her injured arm and extended it toward Cao’er. “Thank you, little sister Cao’er.”

“But you don’t have to call me General,” Pear Blossom corrected. “I’m not a general yet. You can call me Pear Blossom or Captain. Sister works too.”

She thought, One day, I’ll earn the title of General myself.

Cao’er, reassured by Pear Blossom’s gentle tone, managed a faint smile before focusing on cleaning and bandaging the wound.

Just then, Daniu came running in a rush.

Now even more robust, he charged like a wild bull.

Startled by the sudden appearance of the burly young man, Cao’er trembled and instinctively hid behind Pear Blossom, her face pale with fear.

Her panicked motion tightened the cloth around Pear Blossom’s arm, causing the freshly closed wound to bleed again.

Pear Blossom hissed in pain and quickly stood, shielding Cao’er behind her. She gently held her hand and said soothingly, “Don’t be afraid. This is my younger brother. He won’t hurt anyone.”

Then she turned to Daniu and scolded, “Why are you being so reckless!”

Daniu hung his head, silent and sheepish.

He cast a timid glance at Cao’er, his expression full of guilt.

Cao’er, now calming down, saw the youthful features of Daniu’s face and, upon learning he was Pear Blossom’s brother, hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, Captain. I was startled—”

“It’s nothing, it was Daniu’s recklessness,” Pear Blossom gently shook her head. “Come on, continue; this wound is waiting for you to tend to it.”

Cao’er then noticed the arm that had started bleeding again and gasped softly, quickly reapplying the bandage to stop the bleeding.

Pear Blossom looked up at her brother in front of her and asked, “What happened?”

Daniu then spoke up, “We caught one of Wei Gouzi’s accomplices, but his family still has an old mother. She’s been causing a scene, insisting we release him. If we don’t, she threatens to attack the others.”

Upon hearing this, Pear Blossom’s face darkened.

“Tie the person up first. We’ll settle things later.”

“What about the old lady…”

Pear Blossom snorted coldly, “Get a few villagers who were bullied by her son and have them watch her. Let’s see if she can still cause trouble!”

Daniu’s brow relaxed immediately. He quickly said, “Alright, I’ll take care of it right away!”

With that, he hurried off.

Cao’er, listening to her arrangement, couldn’t help but show a trace of delight in her eyes.

Soon, she finished tending to the wound and said, “Done…”

Pear Blossom looked at it and, to her surprise, the bandage was very well done. She couldn’t help but praise, “You really are a skillful girl.”

Cao’er, hearing the praise, showed a rare shy expression. As Pear Blossom stood up to leave, Cao’er hurriedly got up and returned to her place by the wall. A look of reluctance flashed in her eyes, her thin, lonely figure appearing quite pitiful.

Pear Blossom felt a pang of sympathy in her heart and asked, “I see you’re quite skilled with your hands, and you’re quick at stopping the bleeding. How about you join our medical team for the next few days and help take care of the wounded? Would you be willing?”

Cao’er’s eyes brightened at this and quickly nodded, “I would!”

“Let’s go then, I’ll take you to meet the leader of our village’s medical team.”

Cao’er followed closely behind, filled with both anticipation and nervousness.

The leader of the medical team was Qian Dabao’s mother, Mrs. Miao, who was very busy at the moment. Upon seeing Pear Blossom bringing a young girl over, she asked, “What happened? Is she injured too?”

Pear Blossom shook her head, “No, Aunt Miao. She’s the only one left in her family. Over the next few days, please look after her and have her help you out.”

Mrs. Miao looked at Cao’er and noticed the bruises on her body, understanding she was also an unfortunate child. She said, “Alright, don’t worry. She’ll be with me.”

Pear Blossom saw Cao’er’s longing expression and gently patted her hand, saying, “Stay with Aunt Miao. I’ll be nearby and will come by every day. If you need anything, come find me.”

Cao’er, relieved by her promise, nodded firmly. She then rolled up her sleeves and went to help.

Meanwhile, Qin Dabao was helping his mother tend to the wounded. He kept glancing at Pear Blossom as she passed by.

If last year, he still harbored some resentment and a sense of determination to win her over, then after over a year of her repeatedly stepping up to help the villagers and handle crises, especially organizing resistance against the bandits this time, he realized he was no match for her anymore.

The gap between them was now insurmountable.

Especially after the earlier fight, seeing her bravery and ferocity, it was something he could never aspire to.

He had completely given up.

Looking down, he spoke in a voice barely audible to anyone else, directing his words to Mrs. Miao, “Mom, let’s go ahead and settle the engagement with that distant cousin from my mother’s side.”

Mrs. Miao looked up at him, then glanced at Pear Blossom’s retreating figure and sighed. “Alright, once we’ve dealt with these bandits, I’ll go talk to your grandmother.”