Chapter 229 – Lost a Son and Lost Grain (5)
Qi Guanrang fanned himself with a feather fan and said to Jiang Pengji, “You’re quite the schemer!”
“Now that’s just a misunderstanding! When have I ever schemed? Who can vouch for that?” Jiang Pengji wore an innocent look on her face.
Even Qi Guanrang, who had seen it all, found himself choked by Jiang Pengji’s shamelessness.
Vouch? He was the witness, wasn’t he?
The audience in the live stream felt both sympathetic and amused, their enthusiasm reaching a boiling point.
【No One is Invincible When They’re Shameless】: Hahaha, I can vouch! Look at my ID.
【Dreams of a Ghostly Butterfly】: Just saying, the streamer is already invincible. So whether her schemes are good or not is obvious!
【Lonely Empty Garden】: If I were to travel into the streamer’s world and became her enemy, I feel I wouldn’t last more than three episodes.
It wasn’t that their side was lacking; it was clear that the opponent was way too strong.
From the beginning to end, they held onto people’s weaknesses and yet managed to keep them spinning in circles, it was just too mischievous.
From the perspective of the audience in the live stream, they couldn’t see the face of the unfortunate fellow being toyed with by the streamer; they could only listen to her conversation with Qi Guanrang, speculating about what was happening outside. As they placed themselves in that situation, many felt that the unlucky fool was about to get played hard.
【Master of the Musical Strings】: Pfft! Three episodes? Brother up there is quite confident; I feel like I could only survive one episode!
【Bilibili】: Only one episode? Do you deserve your ID, though?
【Three-Squirrel Snacks】: Yikes, why would you choose to be against the streamer? If I were to travel, I’d definitely cling to her leg, let her take me on the ride of showing off, rising through the ranks, getting rich, marrying a handsome guy, and reaching the pinnacle of life!
Jiang Pengji watched the flurry of discussions in the bullet screen, her eyes flickering slightly as a smile danced on her lips.
Qi Guanrang keenly sensed her mood, fanning himself even more vigorously.
“Do we really need proof? Lan Ting, you’re just… I feel a bit sorry for Xiaoyu.”
Qi Guanrang raised an eyebrow, staring directly at her, leaving him momentarily speechless.
He really didn’t know how Xu Ke could endure this young master’s bad temper!
To be this thick-skinned was truly a talent, and her antics were quite unconventional, almost bordering on rogue.
Even the scheming Qi Guanrang couldn’t help but admire Jiang Pengji; she was far more mischievous than he was.
The grain team was already exhausted, having carried grain up the mountains and running about, half of their lives could be wrung out from such labor.
The soldiers escorting the grain weren’t as tired, still retaining their combat strength, but after all this hustle and bustle, even the elite troops were turning into a fatigued army.
By the time the leader of the grain escort turned back to strike, even with two hundred elite soldiers and over four hundred grain workers, a number six times that of Jiang Pengji’s troops, Qi Guanrang had no doubts about who would be the last one standing and smiling.
Who else but Liu Lanting?
Jiang Pengji didn’t continue on this topic; instead, she appraised the squeaking feather fan in his hand.
“Are you hot?”
Qi Guanrang was momentarily taken aback by her sudden shift in topic. “A bit.”
“The cellar is indeed a bit stuffy; just hang in there a little longer.”
The cellar they were currently in was the very same one where the bandits had previously held women and children. Jiang Pengji had sent people early on to clean it up and even dug around the vicinity, expanding the total space by three or four times compared to the original cellar.
Don’t underestimate the bandits; despite their shortcomings, they had quite the skill in hiding things.
The cellar was highly concealed; had it not been for someone’s luck during the search, no one would have known that this bandit stronghold had a spacious cellar underneath. Jiang Pengji reserved this cellar for a reason — it was bound to see some action.
Qi Guanrang paused his fanning motion.
Could he say he was feeling hot partly due to the surrounding temperature and partly due to anger?
Suddenly, Jiang Pengji narrowed her eyes and whispered, “Get ready, they’re coming.”
Just as she finished speaking, a scout returned from reconnoitering with news.
“Young Master, they’ve arrived.”
This scene made Qi Guanrang glance over.
He couldn’t help but wonder about her keen hearing; how far away must they be for her to catch on to the enemy’s movements?
“Prepare and act according to the plan. You two stay here to protect the document; if something happens to it, come to me with your heads!”
Jiang Pengji raised her hand to signal, and two tall, sturdy men stepped forward, positioning themselves behind Qi Guanrang like door gods.
The others hiding in the cellar began to orderly climb out of the cellar stairs, each carrying a finely crafted crossbow.
This crossbow was different from the modified one Jiang Pengji initially used; it was half the size, had a range of about ninety steps, and could hold three arrows at once with minimal recoil, making it perfect for close ambushes.
After Jiang Pengji conquered the bandit stronghold, it hadn’t been left to decay; rather, it was meticulously cleaned up.
Currently, the troops numbered just over a hundred, not too many, and the farmhouse was not cramped. However, should she conquer a few more bandit camps and expand the troop size further, she guessed that the farmhouse wouldn’t suffice. She planned to repurpose part of the troops at the original bandits’ locations; this would ease the pressure on training grounds while also keeping a close watch on other bandit hideouts.
All troops hid orderly in their respective places, dressed in black coarse linen, blending into the night. Given the dim moonlight tonight, even when nearby, it was difficult to spot their figures.
Jiang Pengji enforced strict discipline; her troops had to carry out orders without fail. Anyone who dared defy the order faced severe punishment.
On usual days, besides basic training, under Jiang Pengji’s guidance, Meng Hunyun had to repeatedly instill the idea of “obeying orders” into them. Now, it bore fruit, with even the recently recruited bandits obediently waiting, prepared for any orders.
Jiang Pengji heightened her senses, listening carefully to the footsteps and smirking.
“How stupid; they chose to split their forces…”
The Escort Group Leader took one hundred and fifty elite soldiers to rescue Meng Liang, while the remaining grain workers and soldiers stayed behind to transport the grain.
Wen Zheng couldn’t help but frown and said, “If this truly was Head Instructor Meng’s intention, it’s going to be a headache.”
“Hmm?”
“Dividing the troops like this, whichever route they take, they aren’t people that Meng Hunyun’s men can deal with.” Qi Guanrang remarked, “Liu Lanting’s method is just wreaking havoc; it shows he isn’t very confident in himself. The leader of the grain escorts, being furious, will surely consider vengeance; one team goes to rescue Meng Liang, the other to ambush Head Instructor Meng. Normally, this isn’t a wrong move.”
With Meng Hunyun’s previous manpower, could they really take this batch of grains away from four hundred workers and fifty elite soldiers?
Even ambushing early, the odds weren’t good.
If the leader of the grain escort felt there was a conspiracy, then a turn of the horse could easily encircle Meng Hunyun and swiftly eliminate him.
Unfortunately for them, they ran into a Jiang Pengji who didn’t play by the rules, and they were doomed to get caught in a bloody trap.
