Chapter 134
134 There’s a Good Place
The two of them walked to a hidden spot. Yang Chun took a few golden leaves from the compartment of the mule and handed them to Ma. “Hide these gold on you. I hid them last night. It’s not safe to leave them with me.”
Madam Ma took it and looked around in panic. “Be careful. You’ll die if Brother Yang catches you.”
“I know, I’m being careful! Do you think I’m the only one hiding? I saw that Yang Yong also hid a jade pendant.”
“I knew you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.” Madam Ma hid the golden leaf happily and pointed to the foot of the mountain to the east. “Master, let’s go take a look! I think that side is closer to the mountain.”
“Then hurry.” Yang Chun started toward the foot of the mountain to the south.
The couple walked to the foot of the mountain and near Li Yu’s village. They turned around and saw the mouth of the mountain. The two of them saw the big round wooden door.
Yang Chun pulled Madam Ma to the side and stuck her head out to look inside. She saw that it was flat inside. Yang Chun lowered his voice and whispered into Madam Ma’s ear, “I’ll go and take a look around. How about you go to the village entrance and beg?”
Madam Ma nodded and pretended to tremble as she walked to the door. She leaned against the door and saw the flat and wide village road. The fields on both sides seemed to be planted with crops. They were all well taken care of. There were houses on the side blocked by the bamboo forest. There was also a farm at the foot of the mountain in the distance. Madam Ma thought to herself that this was a good place.
Ruyi stood at the window and looked around with glowing eyes.
Madam Ma shouted inside, “Is anyone there? Give us something to eat!”
Ruyi and Chen Zhong walked out. When Chen Zhong saw Madam Ma’s pitiful look, he was about to speak when Ruyi bumped into him and looked at Madam Ma. “Sister, go somewhere else. We don’t have food for you.”
Madam Ma looked at Ruyi and begged, “Little brother, please do me a favor. I escaped from Qingzhou and have been hungry for a few days.”
Ruyi looked at her coldly. “No, really. Leave now! If you don’t, I won’t be polite.”
Madam Ma glared at Ruyi. “Little brother, you’re so ruthless.” With that, she turned around and left.
Chen Zhong looked at Ruyi and asked in confusion, “Brother Ruyi, that’s just a thin and small woman. Why don’t you give her a steamed bun to eat?”
Ruyi looked at Madam Ma’s back and said, “Brother Chen Zhong, didn’t you see that when she was talking to us, her eyes were still wandering around? Her clothes outside are tattered, but the clothes that are revealed on the inside are of good material. I think that woman is up to no good.”
Ruyi opened the door and looked out. Seeing that Madam Ma had already turned the foot of the mountain, Ruyi thought to himself, Why are you walking so fast?
Ruyi hurriedly chased after them and saw Madam Ma and Yang Chun’s backs. When he realized that these two were here to scout, he sped to inform his Young Master and Miss.
After Madam Ma and Yang Chun ran for a while, Madam Ma couldn’t help but say to Yang Chun, “Husband, it’s really a good place inside! The ground is flat and even the road is firm. A bamboo forest blocks the houses from view, but I saw a manor.”
“I think it’s a good place too. It’s surrounded by mountains on three sides. If we block the entrance, no one can enter.” Yang Chun quickened his pace. “Let’s go back and tell Brother Yang the news.”
The two of them returned to the forest where they were hiding. Old Turtle Yang and his wife had already returned to the forest and were sitting there with disappointed expressions.
Yang Chun looked at Brother Yang happily. “Brother Yang, Madam Ma and I found an excellent place. From here, we’ll go east… It’s just that those villagers are already on guard and made a big wooden door to block the intersection. With the intersection surrounded by mountains on three sides of the village, it won’t be easy for outsiders to enter.”
Brother Yang smiled casually. “It’s not easy for others to enter, but can’t we enter? Didn’t we also enter the residences of those foreign gentries? What’s there to be afraid of? Just splash some oil and burn the door. Everyone, rest well. When it gets dark, we’ll take action. After taking down that place, we’ll have a base.”
Ruyi returned to the village and said to Chen Zhong, “Brother Chen Zhong, something’s wrong. That woman and the two men who came have already run away. I’ll go back and tell Miss and Young Master the news.”
Chen Zhong was filled with regret when he heard that. “Hurry up and go! Sigh! I should have captured her and locked her in the village.”
Ruyi quickly ran towards the village and met Chen Yaohui on the way. After telling him the situation, Chen Yaohui followed him to Li Yu’s house.
After Ruyi told Li Yu and Zhou Jia what had happened, Li Yu said, “Uncle Yaohui, get everyone to rest and recuperate. Ruyi, quickly bring people to the village entrance with me. Also, dig a few deep pits at a few low spots and insert the spikes that were cut two days ago.”
“Yes.” Ruyi turned and ran toward the backyard, driving the mule cart toward the farmstead with the spikes. He called the footman and servants and walked out of the village together.
Li Yu also followed them to the village entrance and instructed the long workers and villagers to dig the trap six feet away from the door. They would plant spikes in it and cover it with branches. Then, they would cover it with a layer of dry soil.
Li Yu looked at the dark sky and thought to herself that it was probably going to snow heavily. She wondered if those people would still come.
It took a hundred people four hours to complete the traps. Li Yu called them to rest and asked He Tiezhu and a few other workers to guard the door before going back to rest.
The sky slowly darkened. Li Yu tied the dagger to her leg and walked out of the house with the crossbow and machete. She saw Li Qing also carrying a bow and waiting in the courtyard with a machete. Zhou Jia also stood at the door and looked at Li Yu.
Li Qing said to Li Yu, “Sister, I want to go too.”
“You and your teacher will stay at home tonight. After I’ve gone out to check the situation and seen how many of them there are, you can go tomorrow night,” Li Yu said to them.
Zhou Jia raised the bow in his hand. “Yu’er, my archery is not bad. Let me go with you.”
Li Yu looked at the two of them steadily. “Not tonight. If the two of you go, you’ll distract me. I won’t stop you tomorrow night.”
Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and hated himself for being a useless scholar in this chaotic world. He couldn’t fight alongside the person he loved.
Zhou Jia suppressed his frustration and pulled Li Qing along as he walked to Li Yu. He said gently, “Alright, you must be careful. We’ll wait for you at home.”
Li Qing looked at Li Yu and nodded. When Li Yu walked out of the courtyard, Liu Changmin, Li Mei, and Zhaodi were already waiting there. Liu Changmin held a machete and said to Li Yu, “Xiaoyu, let’s go! Uncle will go with you.”
Li Mei also looked at Li Yu. “Yu’er, all the men in the village have gone to your uncle’s house. Be careful.”
“Alright, be careful at home.” Li Yu strode away with Liu Changmin.