Chapter 27: Hu Cavalry Enters Anning County
Tens of thousands of Hu Tribe bandits had scattered into small groups, each with over a hundred or close to a thousand men, infiltrating the territory of the Great Rong Empire from the gaps between the battlements and watchtowers. They didn’t occupy territory or attack cities, only pillaging resources and massacring civilians.
At this time, the northern prefectures and counties of Liaozhou were trapped in a state of war, with slaughter and terror spreading like a wave towards the south. Countless civilians abandoned their homes to escape the war, only to be cut down or killed by the Hu Tribe bandits.
Five days had passed in the blink of an eye.
Just as Yang Zhengshan was overseeing the training of the villagers in the rear mountain, a bad piece of news arrived in Jiang Family Village.
Yang Zhengxiang rushed to the training grounds, “Brother Zhengshan, it’s bad news! The Hu Tribe has entered Anning County!”
Yang Zhengshan’s expression changed slightly as he asked, “What’s the situation?”
“The county government has just sent a message. The Hu cavalry has already entered Anning County.” Yang Zhengxiang reported, out of breath.
Yang Zhengshan’s eyes narrowed.
The Hu Tribe had entered Anning County so quickly?
“Do you know the situation at Zhongshan Pass? Has it been breached?”
“No, it’s said that Zhongshan Pass is still holding out against the Hu Tribe’s great army, but the details are unclear.” Yang Zhengxiang replied.
Yang Zhengshan took a deep breath.
“That’s good, that’s good! As long as Zhongshan Pass hasn’t fallen, it means the Great Rong Empire hasn’t been defeated yet!”
He didn’t know much about the border situation, but he knew the importance of Zhongshan Pass, the most crucial fortress in the northeastern border of the Great Rong Empire. As long as Zhongshan Pass held, the empire still had room to maneuver on its northeastern border.
However, the Hu cavalry had already entered Anning County, which meant they were not far from Jiang Family Village.
“Village Head, quickly move our supplies to the mountain. As for the rest, let’s wait and see!” Yang Zhengshan ordered.
“Okay, okay, I’ll arrange it immediately!”
Yang Zhengxiang also calmed down, rushing back to the village to make arrangements.
Yang Zhengshan thought for a moment, turned around, and climbed to the top of the training grounds, shouting, “Assemble!”
The next moment, a sharp whistle pierced the air, and the training villagers quickly lined up, marching to stand before Yang Zhengshan.
Yang Zhengshan gazed at the straight-backed villagers, a flash of sharpness in his eyes.
The villagers before him had already taken on the appearance of a proper army, neat and orderly, with a strong and proud aura, despite wearing rough cloth robes and wielding simple long guns.
It was all thanks to his hard work in training them and nurturing their bodies with the Spirit Spring water.
He scanned the crowd, saying directly, “The Hu cavalry has entered Anning County, and it won’t be long before they appear around our village. Our only option is to make preparations to defend ourselves and ensure the safety of our families when we retreat to the mountains.”
“We must do some reconnaissance and set up defenses!”
“Yang Minghui!”
“Here!”
Yang Zhengshan ordered, “You’re in charge of defending the village. Patrol day and night, and don’t be negligent!”
“Aye!”
“Yang Mingzhi!”
“Here!” Yang Mingzhi stepped forward, chest out, eyes shining brightly.
Yang Mingzhi had trained the hardest during this time, sparing no effort in practicing martial arts every day, even after returning home. He probably thought that as Yang Zhengshan’s son, he couldn’t bring shame to his father.
Of course, Yang Zhengshan also took care of his own son, naturally giving him more attention. Others could only drink diluted Spirit Spring water, but Yang Mingzhi got to drink the pure water.
In just over a month, Yang Mingzhi not only grew stronger but also taller.
Yang Zhengshan ordered, “You’re in charge of patrolling the rear mountain, making sure there are no enemy infiltrators.”
The rear mountain behind Jiang Family Village belonged to Longqing Mountain, a series of low, small hills that covered a considerable area. The most important thing was that the path behind Jiang Family Village led to the mountain, making it the retreat route for the village.
“Aye!”
“Yang Mingwu!” Yang Zhengshan gazed at the tallest and strongest villager.
This guy was the strongest in Jiang Family Village, without a doubt.
Even standing before Yang Zhengshan, he was still a head taller.
At the same time, he was the village’s fourth martial artist, following Yang Mingcheng. A new martial artist had emerged.
Yang Mingwu becoming a martial artist was both expected and unexpected. Yang Zhengshan had anticipated it, given Yang Mingwu’s exceptional physique, which was stronger than ordinary people. However, he didn’t expect Yang Mingwu to become a martial artist so quickly.
Yang Mingwu’s voice boomed as he shouted, “Here!”
Yang Zhengshan ordered, “You’re in charge of patrolling the village perimeter. If you discover any enemy movements, report immediately!”
Yang Mingwu’s eyes sparkled with fervor and admiration.
Compared to others, his gaze toward Yang Zhengshan was like a die-hard fan seeing their idol.
That fervor made Yang Zhengshan feel uncomfortable.
The reason was that Yang Zhengshan had helped him become a martial artist.
In his heart, Yang Mingwu believed that Yang Zhengshan was the one who had made him a martial artist.
He had trained diligently for over a decade without becoming a martial artist, but after following Yang Zhengshan’s training for half a month, he finally achieved it. This made him attribute his success to Yang Zhengshan.
In reality, Yang Mingwu’s years of hard work and dedication were the main reasons for his achievement, with Yang Zhengshan only contributing partially.
This gratitude and fervor made Yang Zhengshan feel a bit ashamed.
After arranging everything, Yang Zhengshan didn’t idle, turning back to patrol the village perimeter with Yang Mingwu.
…
In the following days, the situation in Anning County grew increasingly chaotic.
Countless refugees fleeing the war poured in from the north, making the already panicked Jiang Family Village even more anxious.
At the same time, these refugees brought news to Yang Zhengshan and the others.
The Hu cavalry was massacring and pillaging in the north, while the soldiers of Zhongshan Town were constantly intercepting and blocking them.
The two sides clashed repeatedly, with the battle situation extremely intense.
The increasingly chaotic situation made the villagers of Jiang Family Village begin to waver.
Some wanted to defend their homes, some wanted to escape to the mountains, and others wanted to flee south with the refugees.
Under the panic, accidents were bound to happen. Fortunately, Yang Zhengxiang’s calm and steady leadership prevented a major crisis.
However, this took a toll on Yang Zhengxiang, making him look like he had aged ten years overnight. His originally gray hair turned completely white, and his face was covered in wrinkles.
Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter