Chapter 225 – Losing a Son and Grain (Part 1)
Jiang Pengji crossed her arms, leaning against a wooden post in the training grounds, observing the lively training scene before her, her eyebrows rising slightly in amusement.
“I originally thought it would take quite a bit of effort to tame these bandits—not to mention at least a delay of ten days to half a month… I didn’t expect you to have them under control in just three to five days,” she laughed, addressing Xu Ke, who stood beside her. “They’re training with remarkable dedication.”
To prevent potential risks, Xu Ke had mixed the captured bandits into the original troop, dispersing them among the ranks.
However, looking around now, those sweating and straining with veins bulging from their foreheads clearly put in the effort, were indeed the group of bandits. In contrast, while the original troops also worked hard, the difference was clear at a glance.
This truly surprised Jiang Pengji.
“Except for a few die-hard villains, most of them are common people, merely seeking three meals a day and a peaceful life for their families. If they had other options, they wouldn’t risk becoming bandits. Xu just showed them the benefits of being part of the troop. No need to do much; they’ll naturally want to stay. To stay, they’ll surely go all out to prove themselves…”
To put it bluntly, where there’s milk, there’s a mother.
Whoever can provide them a good life, they’ll follow and fight for.
Xu Ke needed to say and do very little; he just had to let the original troops subtly hint at their current treatment.
For these bandits, no amount of flowery words could compare to tangible benefits.
Calculating the time in her mind, Jiang Pengji said, “In a few days, the grain from Meng County should be coming in… we should prepare in advance and arrange for someone to guard the junction between Hejian County and Meng County, to get a clear idea about the opposing grain convoy.”
Hearing her mention this, Xu Ke’s brow furrowed in concern as he asked, “If they bring the grain, how do we take over? The Liu Residence can’t get involved, lest the Meng Clan becomes suspicious. But if we let Meng Jiaotou personally lead men over, what if the grain convoy is a trap and they turn on us… Won’t that put Meng Jiaotou in a perilous situation?”
Jiang Pengji chuckled lightly and replied, “When did I say I wanted to send people to collect the grain myself?”
In truth, Jiang Pengji had no intention of showing her face; the more flaws she revealed, the easier it would be for others to find fault.
“Then… what does the Young Master mean?”
Xu Ke’s eyes flickered, as if he had thought of something.
“Bamboo slips.” At some point, her fingers pinched a slender bamboo slip, which seemed to have been taken from an old bamboo tablet. “We just need to write down the steps of what needs to be done on it and let them execute themselves. First, instruct them to place the grain in a designated spot, then lead them away with the bamboo slip, drawing the tiger away from the mountain, and afterward, we can move the grain.”
Xu Ke hesitated, saying, “But… two thousand stone of grain is not a small amount. Even if we send out all the troops, it might not be possible to transfer all the grain in a short time. If the Meng Clan comes back and catches us off guard, what then?”
Jiang Pengji suddenly smiled, mysteriously saying, “The mountain man has his own brilliant plan; just wait and see.”
Xu Ke: “…”
He had an inexplicable sense of frustration, as if he was the one being played by her.
Roles seemed entirely reversed.
Days later, the weather warmed day by day, and most people had already donned lighter spring attire.
Those handsome young masters, adorned with flowers and powder, donned long, wide-sleeved robes, standing against the wind, exuding an ethereal elegance.
Jiang Pengji couldn’t stand this fashionable trend. She remained plain-faced, her garments in simple colors, giving the impression of coming from an ordinary family. However, upon closer inspection of the fabric quality, one would realize her family background wasn’t simple at all.
At the nearest post station to Hejian County, Jiang Pengji sat in a nearby teahouse, awaiting the shopkeeper’s wife to bring her a pot of large tea bowl.
“Lan Ting, this tea… I can’t believe you can stomach it…”
Beside her, Qi Guanrang glanced at the earthen bowl she held, gulping down his drink while eyeing the shabby surroundings, shaking his head inwardly.
Jiang Pengji rolled her eyes secretly. “It’s not like drinking it will kill me; why can’t I have it?”
Compared to the delicate tea she usually drank, this large bowl tea appeared particularly rough and simple, sitting in her mouth with a slightly astringent taste.
After all, the teahouse beside the post was meant to quench the thirst of passing travelers; paying a penny for unlimited refills, one couldn’t expect the taste to be exquisite.
Hearing this, Qi Guanrang couldn’t help but scrutinize Jiang Pengji’s current appearance, secretly amused.
At this moment, even if this person stood up and claimed to be the young master of the Liu Governor’s residence in Hujun, no one would believe it, right?
Unlike her usual refined and elegant attire, Jiang Pengji now donned dark, coarse clothes with two patches on her shoulder. Her long hair was pulled high, held with a rice straw band, her skin appeared much duller than usual…
Except for her exquisitely shaped face and bright, captivating eyes, at first glance, one might think she was just some farm lad.
If it weren’t for her arriving in the Liu Residence’s carriage to find him, Qi Guanrang might have failed to recognize her.
“From simplicity to extravagance is easy, but from extravagance to simplicity is hard. Yet for you, it seems there’s no difference.”
Jiang Pengji smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. “Am I really that delicate?”
Qi Guanrang coughed lightly, realizing that her saying she wasn’t delicate implied he was.
He quickly changed the topic, forming a makeshift shade with his hand, gazing into the distance.
“You told me to watch a show… where is this show?”
As soon as he finished speaking, smoke billowed up from afar, and Qi Guanrang’s nerves tightened as he instantly understood Jiang Pengji’s intentions.
“This… that foolish benefactor really sent something over?”
Due to the presence of others in the teahouse, Qi Guanrang didn’t speak too clearly, instead using terms they both understood.
Jiang Pengji gazed toward the direction Qi Guanrang was watching, a hint of a smile curving her lips.
“Do you dare to bet with me—whether it’s a big fish or a small fish?”
Qi Guanrang asked her, “What is a big fish, and what is a small fish?”
“Over two thousand is big, two thousand or under is small. How about that?”
Upon hearing this, Qi Guanrang hurriedly waved his feather fan, saying, “I won’t bet with you; a bet is guaranteed to lose.”
Jiang Pengji had just brought him over to watch the show, clearly having figured out the grain convoy’s details. In this situation, betting on how much grain was in the convoy was like actively inviting suffering, wasn’t it?
Whether guessing big or small, this person in front of her couldn’t possibly lose; what was the point of the bet?
“Boring!”
Qi Guanrang lightly shook his feather fan, unaffected no matter how Jiang Pengji tried to argue.
