Zhan Feiyu had not yet had time to answer Tian Sheng’s question when Captain Cao suddenly pushed aside the two subordinates blocking his way and scrambled up from the ground, covered in dust. “Little Flag Officer Tian, I am Cao Xiong, the constable of Huaixian.”
Having stated his identity, Captain Cao ripped off the black cloth covering his face. Annoyance flashed across his rough, dark face as he directly accused, “I suspect they are notorious bandits. I brought my men to apprehend them, but unexpectedly, her guards are all experts. I request Flag Officer Tian’s assistance in capturing the fugitives!”
Tian Sheng and the four scouts who had dismounted looked speechlessly at Captain Cao. His disheveled appearance made him look more like a notorious bandit! Moreover, all of them were masked with black cloth, and looking around, not a single person among the sixty or seventy men was wearing a constable’s uniform.
A thin, dark young man standing beside Tian Sheng, who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, pointed at Zhan Feiyu and asked with a grin, “Captain Cao, you say she is a notorious bandit?”
Zhan Feiyu grinned, her expression innocent and helpless. “We were returning from Huaixian to Shangsixian. The old man at the tea stall said the official road had been damaged and told us to take a detour through the mountain path. Then they rushed out with knives, saying the mountain was theirs, the trees were theirs, and demanding we leave our travel expenses.”
Upon hearing Zhan Feiyu’s words, Captain Cao and the other constables and yamen runners who had gotten up looked extremely embarrassed. Who would have thought that their sixty or seventy men would be defeated by four guards! If they had captured the people and thrown them into a cave, taken their luggage and carriage, and then erased all traces after seven or eight days, they wouldn’t have been afraid even if this young girl reported them. Little did they know they had capsized in a gutter.
Fortunately, Captain Cao remembered what Deputy Magistrate Wang had said before they set out and immediately shouted, “You little girl, don’t talk nonsense! There have been flying thieves in Huaixian these past few days. Last night they robbed the Zhang family, and you are all unfamiliar faces. Moreover, how can ordinary guards have such strong skills? Humph, your carriage is probably full of stolen goods!”
Tian Sheng was a shrewd person and did not believe Captain Cao’s one-sided words. “Since you are a constable from Huaixian, show me your token.”
Uh… Captain Cao was taken aback. To prevent Zhan Feiyu and her group from recognizing their identities, they hadn’t brought their constable tokens and hadn’t worn their uniforms.
“No way? If all sixty or seventy of you are yamen constables, don’t you have any identification?” The dark-handed youth chuckled and mockingly looked at Captain Cao, whose face was as unpleasant as a bear’s. “From what I see, it looks like you were lying in ambush here to rob this young lady, but unfortunately, you were outmatched and got beaten instead.”
The constables and yamen runners, who usually acted arrogantly in Huaixian, turned ashen with anger. However, they couldn’t defeat Zhan Feiyu’s group, nor did they dare to offend the military officers from the garrison. Their old faces were so flushed they looked like they would explode.
Suddenly, a constable remembered something and exclaimed excitedly, “Our sabers are all officially made military sabers!”
Tian Sheng’s toe moved, and he picked up a military saber from the ground. Upon closer inspection, he indeed saw the words “Nanxuan Weaponry Workshop” on the blade. However, the best weapons from the weaponry workshop were first supplied to the garrison, and only the substandard ones were distributed to the various county yamen.
“They are indeed military sabers,” Tian Sheng twirled a saber. “However, this matter is too serious for me to decide. Xiao Dongzi, go inform the大人.”
The dark-handed youth, Xu Dong, immediately mounted his horse, clamped his legs on its belly, and galloped towards the official road where the army was stationed.
The mountain path was narrow, and there were sixty or seventy people, men and horses, and carriages. For safety’s sake, Tian Sheng decided to take everyone with them. “It’s not good to have so many people blocked here. You all follow us.”
Zhan Feiyu nodded. Yin Wuyan directly took her hand and walked forward. He Nuan followed closely, while Chong Guang and the other two took the reins of the carriage.
Meanwhile, in an open space by the official road, the two hundred elite soldiers led by Chief Commander Sui had temporarily stopped. Although there were many people, there was not a hint of noise, which showed Chief Commander Sui’s strict military discipline.
“Why did Xiao Dongzi return first?” Commander Tao asked in surprise as the sound of horses’ hooves approached.
“Commander Qianhu, Commander Baihu,” Xu Dong dismounted and cupped his fists in greeting. Then, like a monkey, he recounted the events on the mountain path to the two. “I estimate they are indeed Huaixian constables. All sixty or seventy of them are strong and robust, and I haven’t heard of any bandits in Huaixian. Moreover, they were all holding military sabers, but they were all beaten miserably.”
Not only Chief Commander Sui was stunned, but Commander Tao and the other soldiers were also dumbfounded. They couldn’t help but ask, “All sixty or seventy of them were beaten?”
Even if they weren’t yamen constables, even if they were ordinary civilians, sixty or seventy able-bodied men gathered together, even the well-trained soldiers of the garrison couldn’t fight ten of them at once.
Not to mention that Xu Dong had just said that Zhan Feiyu’s side had a young girl, a maid, and four guards who had defeated sixty or seventy enemies. This was too brave.
“You little brat, are you talking nonsense?” Commander Tao playfully hit Xu Dong on the back of his head, seriously suspecting that the kid was exaggerating.
Xu Dong raised his neck and protested indignantly, “Sir, I saw it with my own eyes. At that time, they were all lying on the ground pretending to be dead, sixty or seventy people, lying there in a vast expanse. Fortunately, there was no bloodshed, otherwise, the scene would have been terrifying.”
“Could they really be notorious bandits? And that young girl is just a distraction?” A quick-thinking soldier muttered. How could ordinary guards be so powerful? If they were bandits robbing and plundering, it was possible. Bringing a young girl and a maid as a disguise might have helped them get away with it.
“Impossible! That young lady is definitely not a notorious bandit!” Xu Dong immediately denied this speculation.
“Oh, Xiao Dongzi, could it be that you’ve taken a liking to the young lady?” As soon as this question was asked, it was met with a burst of laughter, and everyone looked at Xu Dong and laughed heartily.
“Xiao Dongzi is fifteen this year, and it’s time for him to get married.”
“Haha, perhaps he can have two children in three years.”
“Xiao Dongzi, when the time comes, I’ll have my wife go and propose to you! I’ll make sure the wedding is lively.”
Teased by a group of soldiers who were not afraid of vulgarity, Xu Dong’s originally dark face turned even darker. He clenched his fists and waved them angrily. “What nonsense are you talking about! That young lady looks only six or seven years old!”
Uh… the teasing crowd was stunned, and then burst into laughter again. “Well, Xiao Dongzi’s wife is gone!”
“No, perhaps Xiao Dongzi plans to raise a child bride.”
Chief Commander Sui ignored his boisterous subordinates and squinted towards the mountain path. After a while, footsteps could be heard.
Commander Tao glanced over, and then his voice boomed, “Line up!”
In an instant, the soldiers who had been sitting on the ground resting stopped laughing and quickly got up and formed ranks. Four neat rows stood on the open ground, weapons in hand, exuding a fierce and killing aura under the sunlight.
When Zhan Feiyu’s group arrived, everyone realized that Xu Dong had not exaggerated. Among the sixty or seventy people led by Captain Cao, more than half of them were walking while supporting each other, their faces contorted in pain. Either their arms were injured or their legs were injured, and they would groan “ouch” every few steps.
Chief Commander Sui strode forward, his stern face and sharp eyes like knives fixed on Zhan Feiyu and her group. Almost at the same time, Chief Commander Sui’s two personal guards took protective positions beside him. They had to be wary of guards who could defeat sixty or seventy yamen runners.
With a clear conscience, Zhan Feiyu stepped forward, tilted her head slightly to look at the burly and robust Chief Commander Sui, and then performed a standard bow. “This student, Zhan Feiyu, pays respects to you, sir.”
“You are Zhan Feiyu?” Sui Baode glanced at Commander Tao on his left. Seeing him nod, Chief Commander Sui laughed heartily. “Haha, so it’s you, little girl. Seeing you is better than hearing about you!”
Zhan Feiyu grinned. “Thank you for your praise, sir. I am merely returning the favor.”
On that day, she had won a bet with Fatty Chen, and the Chen family was to send a hundred thousand shi of grain to the border. Although the Nanxuan Garrison did not benefit much, Chief Commander Sui, who had followed Prince Yu to defend the border in the past, knew better than anyone the hardships of the border soldiers.
“Zhan Feiyu?” Captain Cao exclaimed blankly, looking at the young girl chatting freely with Chief Commander Sui in disbelief. If he had known she was the top scholar of the prefectural examination, Captain Cao wouldn’t have dared to block the road and rob her even if he had the guts of a bear.
Upon learning Zhan Feiyu’s identity, Chief Commander Sui looked at the trembling Captain Cao, his entire being exuding a killing intent. “You say this little girl is a notorious bandit?”
“I… I’m not…” Captain Cao stammered. His legs went weak, and his bear-like, robust body slumped to the ground, followed by the smell of urine.
“Coward!” Chief Commander Sui reprimanded with disgust. The surrounding soldiers looked at the terrified Captain Cao with disdain. He was tall but as useless as a painted pot.
The other constables and yamen runners also turned pale with fear. Several of them, whose legs were already injured, fell to the ground like dumplings. A chorus of cries of pain erupted, making the soldiers, who were used to shedding blood but not tears, look down on these constables even more.
To prevent these sixty or seventy people from escaping, although Chief Commander Sui felt they didn’t have the courage, he still ordered Commander Tao to tie the hands of Captain Cao and ten others together with their belts and keep them under guard.
“Little girl, tell me what exactly happened?” Chief Commander Sui was a military man and a rough person, but he was not foolish. He had received a secret letter from the Forbidden Dragon Guard to come to Huaixian, and shortly after, he encountered Zhan Feiyu on Huaixian’s territory. How could such a coincidence occur?
“Reporting to sir, the incident began because they were tempted by wealth…” Zhan Feiyu explained simply and directly. In the end, Zhao San and his ilk were too audacious. Not only did they steal the horses, but they also wanted to rob them, and now they had all been caught.
“Military horses?” Commander Tao, who was listening,’s eyes lit up.
Previously, Commander Tao had helped with the matter of Zeng Yuquan from Baofeng Cloth Shop and the subsequent case of Madam Lin being poisoned. The two were considered familiar, so he shamelessly asked Zhan Feiyu, “Miss Zhan, I wonder if these horses can be bred?”
As soon as Commander Tao’s question was asked, Zhan Feiyu let out an embarrassed “ah.” Chief Commander Sui slapped Commander Tao on the shoulder. “What nonsense are you spouting, you scamp!”
Yin Wuyan did not speak, but his icy gaze was like a knife directed at the garrulous Commander Tao.
“No, sir, I…” Finally realizing his gaffe, Commander Tao also felt awkward. How could he say such a thing to a young girl?
“If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak. Little girl, don’t mind him; he’s just someone who speaks without thinking.” Chief Commander Sui’s stern demeanor was imposing, and Commander Tao stood aside with a crestfallen expression, enduring the scolding.
Before Zhan Feiyu could speak, Chief Commander Sui changed the subject. The middle-aged man, in his forties or fifties, smiled like a kidnapper trying to abduct children. “Are you in a hurry to return to Shangsixian? That’s right, you have the courtyard examination in August. How about this, to avoid delaying your studies, you go back now. Don’t worry about the three horses; your Uncle Sui guarantees that they will be delivered to Shangsixian completely unharmed!”
Sui Baode thumped his chest, which was as large as a bowl, with his fist, grinning and trying his best to show a kind and amiable expression. “Don’t look at your Uncle Sui as a rough man; I was a good horse breeder when I was on the border. Why don’t you temporarily leave the three horses at the garrison? Your Uncle Sui guarantees to raise them until they are glossy and shiny.”
It was only May! Chief Commander Sui chuckled. The courtyard examination was still three months away. If the three military horses were kept at the garrison, it would be normal for them to have foals with companions. Of course, he couldn’t take advantage of the young girl’s generosity. He would offer a generous gift at that time.
Facing Chief Commander Sui’s old face, which was full of wrinkles from smiling, Zhan Feiyu truly couldn’t refuse. She could only glance at Yin Wuyan beside her, as the three horses were all gifts from her elder brother.
The subordinates found Chief Commander Sui’s fawning behavior embarrassing, but he immediately noticed Zhan Feiyu’s trust in Yin Wuyan, which was definitely not the attitude one should have towards a guard.
However, since Zhan Feiyu was from Scholar Gu, even if the guards around her had extraordinary identities, Chief Commander Sui would not pry.
Yin Wuyan knew this would be the outcome after Commander Tao spoke. His young lady was the softest-hearted, and the military horses of the Great Qing Dynasty were indeed inferior to those of the barbarians. The cavalry on the border lacked good steeds, let alone the garrisons of various prefectures.
“I don’t use horses much. Three months later, Sui Daren can send one horse back. The remaining two will be temporarily kept at the garrison.” Yin Wuyan did not object, and Zhan Feiyu readily agreed, keeping one horse in case of future danger, so that she would at least have a good steed to use.
Chief Commander Sui did not expect Zhan Feiyu to be so generous, which made even this rough man feel a little ashamed. He had essentially robbed her of two horses after meeting her once, which was no different from the constables of Huaixian. However, thinking of the horses at the garrison, Chief Commander Sui could only shamelessly accept Zhan Feiyu’s kindness.
A moment later, Zhan Feiyu and her group left in the carriage. Commander Tao watched the three carriages drive away and said in a low voice, “Sir, the one in the blue long gown is indeed Chong Guang.”
“Forbidden Dragon Guard?” Chief Commander Sui frowned. He was a military man and did not like the bloodthirsty Forbidden Dragon Guard, but he did not hate them either. After all, although the Forbidden Dragon Guard acted with extreme prejudice and ruthlessness, they only killed corrupt officials.
“No wonder the Forbidden Dragon Guard bypassed Prefect Zhang and asked me to temporarily take charge of Huaixian.” Chief Commander Sui initially thought that the Forbidden Dragon Guard had noticed the collusion in Huaixian, but now he realized that it was because Zhao San and his group had directly offended the Forbidden Dragon Guard.
However, thinking that Zhan Feiyu was from Scholar Gu, and the Forbidden Dragon Guard directly obeyed the Emperor’s orders, Chief Commander Sui’s previous worries were put aside. “They did not declare their identities, and they are accompanying the young lady as guards. I suppose there will be no impact.”
Even so, before the official road to Huaixian could be repaired, Chief Commander Sui immediately wrote a secret letter and sent his personal guard to the capital to deliver it to Prince Yu.