Chapter 346: This Village Has an Arrow Tower

Li Xuemei waited a long time for her daughter to return, but eventually dozed off in a daze.

Her sleep was restless. She stirred and woke up, and when she opened her eyes to glance out the window, the moon was already high in the sky.

Something felt wrong to Li Xuemei. Her daughter still hadn’t come back.

Even if something had happened, her daughter would never stay out this late without letting her know.

Li Xuemei slowly sat up and groped around to light the oil lamp.

Her daughter knew that she’d be worried waiting at home. She would never just not return for no reason. Something must be holding her up, something she couldn’t get out of… something beyond her control…

“Meow—” Maomao tiptoed over from the edge of the kang bed, trotted up to her, and sat down, tilting its head to look at her. It seemed to be wondering why she had gotten up, or maybe it was waiting for instructions.

Li Xuemei was just thinking about having Maomao expand its search range to help pinpoint her daughter’s whereabouts.

In the silence of the night, a loud, familiar male voice suddenly rang out.

The wind scattered the sound a bit, so it wasn’t entirely clear.

Li Xuemei opened a crack in the window and leaned in to listen.

The voice was indeed familiar.

It was shouting…

“…The Northern Rong are attacking! Get up, wake up!”

The voice grew closer and clearer.

It was Master Lu!

It was like a thunderclap to her heart.

The Northern Rong were here!

Her daughter was still outside, along with her husband, Heng’er… her daughter’s uncle…

The Northern Rong were really here!

Li Xuemei swayed unsteadily.

Maomao let out a sharp screech.

Granny Rong was the first to rush in. Her hands moved fast as lightning—she caught Li Xuemei and pressed her down to sit.

Then came her daughter’s dog, barking wildly as he charged in. His eyes were locked tightly on Li Xuemei, not looking away for a second.

Even Sanbao couldn’t stay put in the cowshed anymore. He walked to the door in measured steps, let out a deep moo, and paced back and forth, as if confirming something…

Granny Rong dashed back out, ran to the backyard, opened the little gate, and ran straight for Physician Cui’s home.

Bang, bang, bang!

She pounded the courtyard gate furiously.

Physician Cui was already up after hearing the shouting outside. When he heard the knocking, he rushed over and opened the gate.

Before he even saw who it was, Granny Rong had grabbed his sleeve and was dragging him along.

He knew this Madam Rong couldn’t speak, so it had to be urgent.

“I’ll go faster, stop dragging me, I can walk on my own.”

He was already worried that something might’ve happened at the Yan Family. He half-ran, half-jogged into the courtyard.

Madam Cui had sharp ears. Of course she heard the uproar.

Her voice instantly rose to a shrill shout, “Da Gouzi, Little Gouzi, get up, now!”

“Damn those bloodthirsty bastards, why are they here again?!”

“I’m going to check on Xiao Er’s mother. You two follow quickly!”

In truth, the whole village had heard Master Lu’s yelling.

When Master Lu left, there were only two people. When he returned, the cart was packed!

Even the mule looked like it was about to keel over from exhaustion.

And there were still several people running behind the cart on foot.

Master Lu was shouting himself hoarse. He was truly afraid no one would hear, yelling until he was nearly out of breath.

Fortunately, Xiao’an Village had always been on high alert. In no time at all, young and old had come rushing out.

Torches were lit one after another, illuminating the village center as bright as daylight.

Master Lu swallowed hard and forced himself to speak. “The Northern Rong are here. There’s a lot of them. Our village can’t hold them off. Everyone scattered to escape. You should…”

He wanted to tell them to run too, to stop packing and just flee. Staying alive was the most important thing.

Worried they wouldn’t take it seriously, Master Lu added, “This isn’t a small band of Rong raiders, it’s a full force! Listen to me, run while you still can!”

Too late!

The sound of hooves pounding was especially jarring in the still night. It was a stampede of horses, each thud landing like a blow on everyone’s heart.

“Dad!” Luo Da shouted. “They’re here!”

Village Chief Luo yelled hoarsely, “Grab your weapons! Our bamboo crossbows, clubs, even the door panels, hurry, take the doors down!”

Though the Village Elders were shaking all over, their voices roared above everything.

“Get up the Arrow Tower! Climb, climb!”

“Same as before, the elderly, women, and children cross the river, take the rafts, and head for Yongning City!”

Li Xuemei appeared at the doorway.

“We can’t cross the river, we can’t run!” Supported by Granny Rong, her face was pale, but her voice was resolute.

“We can’t outrun horses. If the Northern Rong catch us, there’s only death.”

“Hide in the cellar under the Arrow Tower!”

The cellar beneath the Arrow Tower was big. It had been built to store supplies, and also as a hiding place in emergencies. In this moment, it was their final refuge.

“Hurry, everyone into the cellar under the Arrow Tower!” Village Chief Luo shouted.

Everyone sprang into action.

There was no time to head home to remove their own door panels. They had to take whatever doors were nearby.

The men raised the panels as shields and stood guard beneath the Arrow Tower, watching the direction of the sound. The Village Elders urged everyone on, yelling for the villagers to move faster, faster.

The Arrow Tower at the large boulder was almost full.

Master Lu shouted, “No more! We can’t fit anyone else in, it’s too crowded, it’s dangerous…”

Li Xuemei called out steadily, “Go to the northern Arrow Tower.”

She led the way, climbing onto her family’s ox cart and picking up several village children.

Granny Rong tugged the reins.

Sanbao bolted northward.

Old Mother Qi, carried on Qi Da’s back, heard the commotion and urged him, “Hurry, take me to the northern Arrow Tower!”

Qi Da raced after the ox cart with his mother on his back.

Qi Si held two nieces one under each arm, while Qi Wu hoisted two door panels from his own house.

Madam Qi followed closely behind, gasping for breath but refusing to slow down.

“Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Gouzhu’s barking echoed through the whole village.

Those already settled at the northern Arrow Tower felt their hearts clench.

Li Xuemei held her belly as she climbed the tower steps, one step at a time.

Even though sweat streamed down her back in panic, she forced herself to stay calm. No rushing. Take it slow.

Granny Rong followed behind her, gripping the iron crossbow in one hand.

Daya leaned on a wooden stick by her side.

This was the way of the people of Xiao’an Village.

Young or old, man or woman, no one came empty-handed.

By the time Li Xuemei finally reached the top of the tower, the Arrow Tower at the village center was already locked in close combat with the Northern Rong.

…

Yan Yu kept the metal bucket over her head as she entered the village.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t take it off—she just couldn’t bear to.

She’d had no choice but to abandon the ones she dropped along the way, but given the chance, she’d definitely go back and retrieve them.

Gouzhu’s voice was just too loud.

It wasn’t a shout—it was a roar!

The sheer volume of that sound made her heart clench.

She lifted the metal bucket for a clearer look. The Northern Rong had entered the village!

Torches lit up the area, casting clear light around the Arrow Tower and its surroundings.

There appeared to be several dozen of them, riding on horseback and circling the Arrow Tower from a distance, not daring to get too close.

Yan Yu squinted and noticed some motionless figures beneath the tower. Judging by their attire, they were undoubtedly Northern Rong.

So far, Xiao’an Village didn’t seem to have suffered any losses.

That put her a bit at ease.

But the next moment, a new problem arose.

How was she supposed to get in?!

The Northern Rong tried firing arrows at the Arrow Tower, but no one up top poked their head out. Unlike an open city watchtower, this village’s Arrow Tower had a roof blocking incoming arrows.

They’d already taken a beating in the first clash. There were both adults and children atop the tower, all with deadly aim, targeting faces specifically. The bamboo arrows might not hit hard, but they flew fast and sharp, making them nearly impossible to dodge.

A few unlucky ones had their eyes hit, and the moment they staggered, one of the men stationed under the tower rushed out wielding a door plank for a shield, hacked away at them blade in hand…

(End of this chapter)