Early autumn in Zanhuang Mountain is even more beautiful.
However, Big Teeth had no appreciation for the scenery; he was just looking at the rugged rocks, steep cliffs, and the unfathomably deep forests.
"This Zanghuang Mountain..." he said with a thick accent while patting his belly, "is a land sealed by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, a blessed place of deities."
The seven or eight men behind him, dressed in coarse hemp clothes with axes and large knives at their waists, immediately nodded upon hearing this.
"Our place here is really good. For so many years, we've been living so securely, even when the Jurchen people swept through the area, they couldn't penetrate here," they said loudly.
Big Teeth nodded in satisfaction.
"The peace has improved our business," he continued, looking down the mountain, "But it's not without dangers—many people are coveting what we have."
"No matter how many come, they will all leave with nothing," the crowd shouted, waving their axes in the air.
That was indeed true; many who came to snatch their territory were buried under these steep cliffs.
"Yeah, it's all good as long as the Yongning Army doesn't come," someone suddenly blurted out.
That comment made the lively crowd suddenly stiffen.
The Yongning Army was the military force stationed in Zhending Prefecture under the command of the Duke of Chengguo. Although Zhending Prefecture was taken by surprise last time and they were heavily punished, it was they who had driven the Jin thief out of the territory, slaughtering dozens of them.
"With the current unrest, the Yongning Army has no time to dally," Big Teeth remarked irritably.
And that was the truth. The government soldiers in the northern lands were not as idle as those in the south; instead of helping the feudal authority suppress bandits and catch thieves, each of them was busy fighting the Jin thief, especially now as the Jurchen army was also beginning to move south, portending a likely forthcoming battle.
The men quickly nodded again and resumed their banter and laughter.
Yet, Big Teeth still felt suffocated; bringing up the Yongning Army out of the blue was a bad omen.
To dispel the bad omen, one would need to find something to do.
"We're running low on supplies recently," he said, waving his hand. "We'll go down the mountain to gather supplies tomorrow."
This so-called gathering of supplies naturally meant plundering the nearby villages—grabbing money, provisions, and women indiscriminately.
It was an event that everyone enjoyed; the men immediately began waving their axes and knives, howling with excitement.
.......................
Swish swish, several sounds echoed as two soldiers swung branches to draw lines and dots on the ground.
"Zanhuang Mountain is easy to defend but hard to attack," they said. "Big Teeth's gang consists of seventy to eighty bandits, entrenched for many years, and full of cunning. Their stronghold is right here at the top of this side of the mountain."
The branches pointed to a spot.
"There is a pass here, and also a pass here, but the most important pass is this one."
The general and the surrounding deputies looked on intently; Lei Zhonglian and Eighteenth Jin were also among them. Compared with the solemnity of the other generals, they appeared calm, their gazes frequently meeting each other's.
Since Eighteenth Jin had not left, Miss Jun must still be nearby. The people of De Sheng Chang were already watching every exit, thinking about how much longer you could keep up the act, Lei Zhonglian thought.
Of course, Eighteenth Jin thought the same; the Jinyiwei in the western route of Hebei were also keeping a close watch on every path, thinking that just because they were watching him, they were secured.
"Night attack on Zanhuang Mountain!"
A voice came from beside him, followed by a slap of hands.
Lei Zhonglian and Eighteenth Jin snapped back to attention, looking at the general and then at the map on the ground.
Although crudely drawn, it was clear that the fortress was surrounded on three sides by cliffs, making it difficult to traverse or climb, and the only accessible route must be riddled with scouts. Once an attack begins, a barrage of rock and flaming oil would leave no escape.
It was already tough during the day, and they were planning a night attack?
Could it be real? Would the bandits on the mountain be in on the act? Was the whole western route of Hebei going to participate in this charade?
The Fang Family, truly audacious! Eighteenth Jin frowned.
The Jinyiwei, indeed lawless! Lei Zhonglian thought resentfully.
The general saw their expressions and grinned with a baring of teeth.
Scared, huh? For Miss Jun, they would dare to do anything.
"I've even broken through the Iron Wall Formation of the Jin thief, what are a few bandits? Tonight, you'll witness our prowess," he said.
Eighteenth Jin and Lei Zhonglian slightly furrowed their brows, feeling that these fierce words and expressions were specifically put on for them to hear and see.
Who are they trying to scare? they thought, and lightly chuckled with a faint smile.
"Then we shall rely on General Peng," they said in unison.
Night enveloped the earth, and Zanhuang Mountain loomed like a colossal beast.
Yet, the fortress atop the mountain was ablaze with lights, from where laughter, strange yells, and women's piercing screams and sobs could be heard.
This was a tradition of Big Teeth's stronghold; every time before they descended the mountain to plunder, they would indulge in wild revelry, drinking and playing with women.
Big Teeth stood in the hall, holding a jug of wine in one hand and gripping a naked woman with the other, his face flush red, clearly having drunk quite a lot.
"See? This is the life we enjoy! Gulping down wine, gorging on meat, and endless women," he bellowed with laughter, "as long as you follow me, Big Teeth, these days will never end!"
The hall erupted in cheers once again, as the women's screams resounded with them.
This kind of indulgence was a temptation but also a way to bolster courage; wine and pleasure would embolden them to pillage and plunder successfully the next day.
As Big Teeth watched the hall sinking into a new round of debauchery, he too drained the last of his wine, smashed the jug after pushing the woman onto the floor, with her screams accompanying the shattering jug.
Right then, the tightly shut doors burst open with a bang, and two men stumbled in.
As they fell to the ground, two heads also rolled in with a thud.
A bandit who had just pinned the woman to the ground screamed like a woman at the sight of the rolling heads.
And at the doorway stood a group of government soldiers, weapons drawn.
The leading general scanned the room and swung his sword.
"Kill them all!" he shouted fiercely.
The government soldiers pounced like fierce wolves and lambs, and bandits, naked with only women and wine jugs by their sides, were like lambs to the slaughter, with continuous screams.
Meanwhile, outside the hall, screams rang out across the entire stronghold, and fires erupted everywhere.
What happened?
How did these government soldiers get here?
How did they break in without any warning?
Is this the difference between the Yongning Army and other bandits and marauders?
Was this what they talked about in the afternoon, what if the Yongning Army really came?
Big Teeth crawled amidst the chaos, **** body trying to escape, but how could he? A sword struck his back, Big Teeth screamed before falling face-down, and then he was grabbed and thrown in front of a general.
"Big Teeth, your sweet dream should end now," the general said coldly.
It really is like a dream, Big Teeth thought looking at the soldiers, then at his companions lying dead or wounded around, how did things turn out like this so suddenly?
A sword hilt struck his face harshly.
"Big Teeth, confess what you've done! Hand over Miss Jun."
What did I do? Isn't it just ordinary plundering? What's there to confess?
And who is Miss Jun?
Big Teeth reeled from the blow of the sword hilt, seeing stars and his ears ringing.
What on earth happened? What exactly is going on?