Chapter 100: Rescue

Yan Lao’er led his men back, and the people who had stayed behind gathered around.

After hearing him explain the origins of the women and children he had brought back, everyone felt deeply sorrowful.

Li Xuemei stepped forward, gathered some straw mats from various households, and laid them together as a resting area. She also scattered some herbs around to repel snakes and insects, ensuring their comfort.

The children, all very young, were visibly traumatized. They slept restlessly, often waking up in tears or shivering uncontrollably. The sight of them was truly pitiful.

The mothers could only hold their children tightly, gently rocking them and soothing them with soft pats, their eyes filled with gratitude as they looked at the women who had taken them in.

Village Chief Luo pulled Yan Lao’er aside.

Before he even spoke, he let out a heavy sigh.

“Now that you’ve rescued these people, what do the scholar and you plan to do?”

Yan Lao’er replied, “My brother said we should wait until everything is settled before deciding.”

Noticing Village Chief Luo eyeing their grain stores, Yan Lao’er immediately understood his concern.

Just as he was about to say something, Li Xuemei approached.

“Let’s use some of our rice to make porridge for them. The children don’t look well,” she suggested.

As a mother herself, Li Xuemei couldn’t bear to see children suffering. Seeing them so frightened made her anxious. Children were fragile, and even a slight disturbance could lead to illness.

Yan Lao’er had no objections. Cooking porridge wouldn’t use much rice, and rice soup was nourishing—an appropriate choice.

After agreeing, Li Xuemei gathered a few sisters-in-law to help. They set up pots and started boiling rice soup.

It was a thin rice soup rather than a slightly thicker porridge, due to the strong opposition of the other women.

Helping others didn’t mean they should be too generous.

During such times, even offering a bowl of rice soup was considered a great kindness from the Yan family.

Village Chief Luo stood nearby, watching the couple’s actions with a frown.

Several times, he opened his mouth to speak but swallowed his words.

Ultimately, he wanted to help these people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so fixated on the village’s grain stores.

Only after seeing how thin the rice soup was did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

This was good—helping others without wasting too much.

The women held their donated bowls of rice soup, their tears streaming down their faces.

Some couldn’t hold back and began sobbing, though they quickly stifled their cries for fear of frightening their children. The sight was truly heart-wrenching.

They gently woke their children, blew on the soup to cool it, and carefully fed them. The children drank most of it, leaving only a small amount for the mothers to finish.

Li Xuemei and the other women turned their heads, unable to watch any longer.

—

Meanwhile, Yan Huaiwen led his men up the back of Lao Song Mountain.

The higher they climbed, the stronger the stench became.

Yan Huaiwen remained composed.

He knew this meant they had found the right place.

There was no way the bandits would properly care for their captives, providing food, water, and hygiene. The fact that they even fed them enough to keep them alive was already surprising.

Living and eating arrangements were all in one place, and only the mountain’s ventilation prevented the smell from being worse.

The bandits on guard were yawning and chatting idly.

“That Qi Yun Stronghold is so powerful. Are we just marching over there to die?”

“Didn’t Second Chief say he has a plan to deal with them?”

“I heard something about it, but I was too sleepy to catch the details.”

“Ha! You idiot!”

“Come on, just tell me already. I need something to keep me awake.”

“Second Chief said their weapons are bamboo arrows. They only work well at close range. If we keep our distance, those arrows won’t penetrate deep enough.”

“That’s ridiculous. Even if they don’t go deep, they still hurt. And if we’re too far away, we can’t reach them either.”

“Relax and listen. Second Chief already ordered the mountain folk to cut wood and weave barriers overnight. With those blocking the front, what’s there to fear? Once we close the distance, we’ll see if their arrows are sharper or our blades are faster!”

“Ha! Hearing that, I’m not sleepy anymore!”

“Second Chief also said these newcomers didn’t just appear out of nowhere. They must know something important—why else would they be after our heads? We should keep a few alive and question them. If we can connect with Cloud-Piercing Stronghold, our Lao Song Stronghold will strike it rich!”

—

Hu Da and Hu Er approached from two different directions.

They exchanged signals.

Only two guards?

So few!

After confirming multiple times, they signaled again, each taking one target.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two arrows flew out, embedding themselves into the bandits’ necks almost simultaneously.

The men gurgled, struggling to make a sound, but no scream came out.

Another figure leaped out and struck one down with a club. The bodies were swiftly dragged into the forest.

Some of the more alert captives rushed to the wooden fence at the cave entrance, peering outside.

In the moonlight, several burly men were approaching.

Frightened, the captive shrank back in fear.

Hu Da and Hu Er picked up the fallen torches and lit the ones they had brought.

In the flickering firelight, Yan Huaiwen stepped forward.

He asked softly, “Were only two bandits guarding you?”

The captive’s eyes lit up, burning brighter than the torches.

“Yes! Only two tonight! The rest were called to a meeting at the front—something big is happening.”

Yan Huaiwen pondered for a moment before asking, “If you make noise, will anyone come to check?”

The man responded quickly, “There are patrols, but the mountain paths are rough, and they’re lazy. They only make two rounds a night. If we make a commotion, four patrolling guards will definitely come. As for the ones in front, it’s hard to say.”

Yan Huaiwen smiled slightly. “A scholar?”

“My name is Liang Manshan. May I ask yours?”

“Yan Huaiwen.”

“Yan brother, have you come to rescue us?”

“That’s the plan.”

Though eager, Liang Manshan noticed that Yan Huaiwen’s group hadn’t yet freed the captives. He understood their caution.

“The real bandits number only a hundred or so. The rest are mountain folk they forced into service. The mountain folk don’t have weapons and can be easily distinguished.”

Yan Huaiwen nodded and murmured a few words to his men.

Several strong men swiftly climbed over the fence and jumped inside.

Yan Huaiwen clasped his hands at Liang Manshan. “Brother Liang, please wait a moment.”

Liang Manshan’s heart surged with emotion.

He returned the gesture. “I am in your debt, Brother Yan.”

The sudden appearance of these men caused a stir among the captives.

Those who had overheard the conversation began waking their acquaintances.

The commotion grew.

Liang Manshan quickly roused his family and said, “Quickly, follow my lead!”

Though confused, his family obeyed.

Following his example, they began slapping the fence and shouting, “Help! Help!”

The informed captives joined in, their cries hoarse and desperate.

The clueless ones stared in confusion.

Then, some realized—there were no guards at the entrance.

Excitement spread.

“If the guards are gone, we should run!”

“We can’t! If they catch us, they’ll beat our children!”

“But if we all run, they can’t catch us all!”

“Dear, give me the child!” A man resolved himself and carried his child on his back.

—