Font Size:
At the Foot of Cangshan Mountain
As night fell, Xue Xu emerged from a small path carrying a small bundle. He brushed off the snow from his clothes, adjusted his hat, and wrapped a cloth around his face before stepping forward calmly.
He planned to leave secretly tonight, and by tomorrow morning, when the people of Qinglong Village realized he was missing, he would be far away.
“Good evening, Boss Xue Xu,” a crisp voice broke the silence of the snowy night.
Xue Xu was startled. An ambush? “Who’s there?”
His mind raced, trying to determine if this was a chance encounter or if someone was deliberately waiting for him. Given that they accurately knew his surname, it was likely they were deliberately lying in wait.
His heart sank. Who could have anticipated his plan and specifically set up an ambush here?
He followed the sound and saw a woman in a white fox fur cloak with her hair styled like a married woman’s. She was smiling at him.
Next to her, a handsome young man held an umbrella over her.
Surrounding them were more than ten cavalrymen, all holding bows and arrows, forming a fan-shaped formation aimed at him.
Xue Xu felt that any wrong move would turn him into a pincushion.
“Blades and swords have no eyes. Let’s talk it out, let’s talk it out,” he said quickly.
Lu Songli said, “As the saying goes, ‘The early bird catches the worm.’ Boss Xue Xu, you truly deserve your reputation as the strategist of Qinglong Village. Your foresight is impressive.” Indeed, the village leader Qiu Hai could repeatedly escape danger, thanks to someone like you behind him.
Xue Xu thought to himself, no matter how impressive, you’re still blocking me. “I don’t deserve such praise.”
“Are you the ones currently staying in Qingxi Village?” Lu Songli asked.
Lu Songli praised, “Boss Xue Xu, you are truly clever.”
Xue Xu realized his initial intuition was correct—this group was indeed formidable.
“Are you here specifically to wait for this old man?” Xue Xu probed.
“Yes, we are here specifically to invite you to stay with us in Qingxi Village for two days.”
Hearing this, Xue Xu showed a pained expression, “I see, I see. Your method of inviting people is quite unique.”
“Actually, I am just a small figure in Qinglong Village, living off idle work. Can you two let me go this time?” Xue Xu tried to negotiate.
Lu Songli laughed, “Boss Xue Xu, you are too modest.”
“Really, I am just an old man. I don’t think I’ve done anything particularly evil…”
Lu Songli said, “I believe Boss Xue Xu. Since you arrived at Cangshan, Qinglong Village has rarely engaged in killing over the past two or three years. Though the villagers around Cangshan have had hard lives, at least they haven’t lost their lives.”
“I’m flattered, flattered,” Xue Xu said awkwardly, knowing his plan to enclose land and raise pigs had been seen through.
“Everyone knows the merit of Boss Xue Xu. However, we are sorry, but we cannot let Boss Xue Xu go just yet.”
“Fine, fine. If you don’t mind keeping this old man for a couple of days, then this old man will go with you.” He was quite perceptive and knew that Qinglong Village had really hit a snag this time.
“Boss Xue Xu, we apologize for the inconvenience.” Hu Guangcong stepped forward and securely bound him.
Just then, a young deer, recently matured, suddenly leaped out from the side.
Before anyone could react, Qin Sheng had already drawn his bow and shot it. The deer fell to the ground with a single arrow.
Xue Xu widened his eyes. He had lived on Cang Mountain for three years. In autumn, the leaders of Qinglong Village often went hunting, but they had never caught a deer.
And now, in the middle of winter, there was a deer? Unbelievable!
Xue Xu’s gaze shifted back and forth between Lu Songli and Qin Sheng.
His old friend often said that he was a lucky person, but he always felt that his smooth path was due to his carefulness. However, deep down, he sometimes took pride in his own fortune.
Now, facing these two people, he suddenly felt uncertain.
“Quickly, who brought a water bottle? While the deer is still warm, let’s bleed it out. Deer blood is highly nourishing.” With the task completed and a good catch, several brothers eagerly gathered around the deer.
Lu Songli smiled and said something to Qin Sheng.
Qin Sheng then walked over to them, “Does anyone have rice? If you do, soak it in the deer blood. When we go back, dry the rice, and when you want to eat, make porridge with the deer blood rice. This way, the deer blood won’t be wasted.”
When his wife suggested this method, he thought it was unrealistic. They were out for scouting and patrolling, not for leisure, so who would carry rice with them?
Then, he was proven wrong.
Someone timidly raised their hand, “Sixth Master, I brought some, about three or four pounds.”
Before Qin Sheng could say anything, his comrades looked at him with disapproval.
“Bringing some bread or dry rations, I can understand, but why bring several pounds of rice? It can’t be eaten raw.”
“Why does it matter to you? It’s useful now, isn’t it?”
“Alright, you’re impressive.”
The comrades laughed and busily worked. Soon, all the deer blood was used up, with not a drop wasted.
“Sixth Master, shall we save the deer antlers for you?” Hu Guangcong asked slyly.
“Get lost!” Who doesn’t know that thing is extremely nourishing? He didn’t need it!
Qin Sheng glanced at Lu Songli, feeling quite embarrassed.
Lu Songli naturally heard this as well. She suppressed the urge to tease her precious little treasure. In front of so many people, if she started teasing him, he might get upset.
“Let’s go back!”
Soon after Lu Songli, Qin Sheng, and the others returned, Qin Heng and Qin Zhao also came back with their people.
Previously, Lu Songli had suspected that Xue Xu might try to escape. After analyzing the situation, they identified three possible routes Xue Xu might take, preparing to wait and see.
The two who had returned without any results soon learned that Xue Xu had indeed gone to where the sixth younger brother and his wife was. They were promptly captured by them. Initially, the sixth younger brother’s wife had suggested that Xue Xu was most likely to take one particular route, which should be guarded more carefully. They hadn’t believed it at first, as they thought all three routes were equally likely. It turned out she had guessed correctly.
In addition, they heard that they had also hunted a deer.
Recently, Qin Zhao had become numb to Qin Sheng’s good fortune. Whenever Qin Sheng went out, it was as if he were visiting his mother-in-law’s house—there was always something being sent to him, and it was impossible not to take it.
Later, they roasted the deer meat to eat, with Xue Xu and Chen Chang’an among them.
After eating and drinking, Lu Songli spoke up, “Boss Xue Xu, could you please help us with something?” Time was tight; tomorrow morning, the people from Qinglong Village would discover Xue Xu’s disappearance. If they were to attack Qinglong Village, they needed to act quickly.
“What help?” Xue Xu paused while drinking water.
“You might have guessed it—we want to completely eliminate Qinglong Village, so we need to gather some information. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”
As for the information, it was naturally about the internal secrets of Qinglong Village.
“Aren’t you afraid I might give you false information?”
Lu Songli smiled, thinking that if you’re not afraid of death, you could try.
But she said, “You have no reason to hide anything, do you? Qinglong Village is a bandit stronghold that has committed many crimes. Even when you were there, things weren’t much better. Besides, since you’re determined to leave Qinglong Village, it must have some problems.”
Lu Songli thought that for a bandit stronghold he had abandoned, he wouldn’t need to conceal anything, right?
“Moreover, from what I observe, Boss Xue Xu values his own safety and is intelligent. He shouldn’t be one to joke with his own well-being.”
Everyone: She certainly knows how to speak. “Valuing one’s safety”—Xue Xu was clearly just afraid of death. We’ve learned something today.
But Xue Xu was quite pleased by her words. He agreed immediately, “Alright, since you want to know, I’ll tell you, as a way of thanking you for this hearty meal.”