Chapter 98: Vow Not to Retreat

Under the shroud of night, the shanzhai of Black Wind Ridge was so quiet that the chirping of cicadas could almost be heard.

Inside the shanzhai, it was dim, with only faint lamplight dotting the darkness, casting the weary silhouettes of the people.

Just then, a powerful shove pushed open the door to Yang Yang Dazhuang's room, and immediately, a figure burst in like lightning.

The door creaked loudly under the impact, a gust of wind followed, and even Yang Yang Dazhuang, who had been sleeping in a daze, was startled awake.

"Which blind fool dares to burst in while Laozi is resting!" Yang Yang Dazhuang rubbed his sleepy eyes and cursed angrily.

However, the intruder remained unmoved, still panting heavily.

His clothes were tattered and covered in dust, clearly having rushed here without any regard for himself.

Yang Yang Dazhuang narrowed his eyes, staring at the wretched figure, and said coldly, "Speak, what is so urgent?"

The man straightened up, huffing and puffing, trying to calm his breathing, then nodded forcefully and stammered, "Mas- Master, something has happened!"

Before he could finish, Yang Yang Dazhuang's face turned unusually gloomy. He waved his hand, signaling the man to catch his breath first, and only after the man had recovered slightly did he ask urgently, "Speak, what exactly has happened?"

A quarter of an hour passed, and the shanzhai of Black Wind Ridge was lit up again, the lamplight reflecting a tense atmosphere.

Everyone had long since shaken off their sleep and gathered together, their faces solemn.

Yang Yang Dazhuang stared tightly at the crowd, his displeasure impossible to hide.

One of the minor leaders among them rubbed his eyes and said discontentedly, "What's going on in the dead of night?"

Yang Yang Dazhuang's gaze swept coldly over the crowd, his tone severe: "Just now, the scout sent down the mountain brought news. The Imperial Envoy will lead over a thousand troops tomorrow and break through Mount Sanqing at midnight, rooting out all the bandits there."

Shock was impossible to conceal among the crowd, and they began to murmur.

One minor leader couldn't help but ask, "Mount Sanqing is formidable; how could it be broken so quickly? Is this news reliable?"

Yang Yang Dazhuang's face grew even gloomier, and he sneered, "The news is true, because I personally sent that scout to confirm it. Right now, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's suppression campaign around Mount Sanqing has spread like wildfire."

"Our Black Wind Ridge is less than a hundred li from Mount Sanqing; I fear Jiang Jiang Mingyu will lead his great army here tomorrow. How should we respond? Speak, brothers." His tone was full of pressure.

The moment these words were spoken, everyone who had been yawning suddenly woke up completely. Arguments erupted: "Over a thousand men; we at Black Wind Ridge have only two hundred brothers. How can we respond?"

"Mount Sanqing isn't that easy to break; perhaps the news is exaggerated."

"Our Black Wind Ridge and the government have always been unrelated; why would Jiang Jiang Mingyu go out of his way to trouble us?"

Yang Yang Dazhuang glared impatiently at the crowd: "I asked you what to do, and you are dawdling here for what?"

A minor leader with a face covered in pockmarks stepped forward, his tone firm: "Master, I have a suggestion."

"The situation is dire now; if the news is true, with our meager resources, it will be hard to clash head-on with Jiang Jiang Mingyu."

"We might as well leave here as soon as possible and find another place to settle."

"Although this will cause us to lose the foundation of Black Wind Ridge, it is better than being crushed by Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army and all dying."

The moment these words were spoken, they immediately won the crowd's approval and agreement.

The scene fell silent for a time, as if everyone was considering the feasibility of this proposal.

"Old Li is right; we are no match for the imperial army." Yang Yang Dazhuang furrowed his sparse eyebrows, his eyes locked tightly on Old Li.

"Exactly; Jiang Jiang Mingyu has over a thousand men. How can we fight this war?" Another brother muttered, rubbing his neck with one hand, his face full of helplessness.

"Master, make a decision quickly; by dawn, Jiang Jiang Mingyu will be here." The minor leaders all looked at Yang Yang Dazhuang, expecting his judgment.

Yang Yang Dazhuang took a deep breath, his expression appearing hesitant and heavy.

He bit his lower lip lightly, then said in a determined tone, "Everyone, quiet down; let me think."

Silence covered the room for a moment, and Yang Yang Dazhuang's eyes gradually became firm: "Right now, the wind is cold and the snow is heavy; where can we go?"

"You don't even use your brains; apart from this small patch of land under Shang Mu, the court has no time to attend to much." Someone sneered lightly, looking at Yang Yang Dazhuang, as if testing his thoughts.

"In the entire Great Feng Kingdom, where else is there a place for us to belong? Where to go? To Other Xi Xia?" Another brother frowned, his words full of helplessness and bitterness.

"I fear we won't even reach the border before being captured by Jiang Jiang Mingyu's men; by then, we will only die even more miserably." Someone couldn't help but clench his fist, his knuckles turning white.

The minor leaders present began to fall into deep thought one by one; they knew the situation was extremely critical, yet they could not find a definite solution.

Just as the crowd fell silent, a minor leader named Old Li's eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something: "Master, we can ask the Poison Scorpion of Scorpion King Gully for help."

Everyone turned to look at Old Li, waiting curiously for his explanation.

Old Li said with confidence: "The Poison Scorpion of Scorpion King Gully is powerful; I heard they can fight against the imperial army. If we can get their support, perhaps we can find a way to survive in this crisis."

After hearing this, a hint of hesitation appeared on Yang Yang Dazhuang's face: "The Poison Scorpion of Scorpion King Gully? Are you sure they will help us?"

Old Li nodded: "I once heard people say that the Poison Scorpion of Scorpion King Gully forms its own faction and is unrelated to the court. If we can get their help, perhaps we can form a united resistance force."

Yang Yang Dazhuang pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "I am not sure if they will risk it for us. Moreover, the Poison Scorpion has its own goals; they may not simply help us."

Another brother interjected: "Moreover, once we enter Scorpion King Gully, they might take the opportunity to seize our territory."

The crowd gradually fell into helpless silence; the situation seemed unsolvable.

However, Yang Yang Dazhuang's eyes became firm again: "The situation is indeed dire right now, but we cannot sit idly by and wait for death."

He looked at the crowd, his tone resolute: "Although the situation is difficult, we cannot surrender. I have decided; we will fight Jiang Jiang Mingyu with real swords and spears, give him a lesson, and let him know the might of our Black Wind Ridge."

"Even if we are not his match, we must leave a deep impression in this battle, so he dares not easily underestimate us."

"Once we can make Jiang Jiang Mingyu feel threatened, he might reconsider the terms of negotiation with us."

At this critical moment, Yang Yang Dazhuang's voice rang out, full of confidence and determination: "Of course, this is only a temporary measure; once the storm passes, we brothers will start anew with a fresh drum, still a group of heroes."

Everyone's gaze focused on him; Old Li sighed, the wrinkles on his face deepening a bit, carrying a hint of helplessness and worry: "But Jiang Jiang Mingyu has over a thousand men, and we have only two hundred. How can we fight?"

Yang Yang Dazhuang's smile appeared slightly sinister, the corners of his mouth rising slightly, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes, as if he had already seen an interesting situation: "This will depend on you and Old Yu; only you two can complete this task."

Old Li's eyes widened, filled with curiosity and hope; he couldn't wait to know what Yang Yang Dazhuang actually planned to do: "Master, do you mean..."

Yang Yang Dazhuang nodded, a firm resolve revealing itself in his eyes; the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward, as if he was already fantasizing about some future scene: "That is exactly what I mean."

"As long as our plan succeeds, even if Jiang Jiang Mingyu has tens of thousands of troops in his hands, they are nothing but props." Yang Yang Dazhuang's tone was full of the confidence of one who holds victory in hand.

A sharp light flickered in Old Li's eyes; his eyebrows raised slightly, a trace of confidence revealing itself in his expression, as if he had already foreseen the picture of victory: "Master, just watch and see."

The next day, the sky over Mount Sanqing was still cold. Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood in the shanzhai, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, a sense of firmness and determination revealing itself in his eyes; his words were full of decision and resolve: "Listen to the order; proceed immediately to Black Wind Ridge."

"On this journey, we must not only raise my official banner again, but also parade conspicuously through the bustling markets." His tone revealed a firm meaning, as if he had already made up his mind.

Tuke Tuke Siluo narrowed his eyes in confusion, his brows furrowing slightly, his entire demeanor alert and suspicious: "My lord, what does this mean?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu explained with a smile: "We must win the support of the people; only then will the bandits' doom arrive."

His smile revealed a well-considered strategy, as if a carefully designed plan was brewing.

Upon hearing this, Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded; his expression gradually brightened, seeming to slowly understand Jiang Jiang Mingyu's intent, a hint of approval and trust revealing itself in his eyes.

And his deeper thought was to quickly establish, in the hearts of the people, the image of a good official who loves the people like his own children.

Only in this way could he quickly accumulate the necessary public favor to deal with the Prince of Qi's open and covert attacks in the future.

He simply did not know that Dong Cheng'an's complaint letter had long been intercepted by Wang Zhe; all his worries were in vain.

At Tu Tu Kesiluo's command, two thousand soldiers stood ready to depart; their footsteps rang out powerfully and in unison, reflecting their disciplined training and military bearing. Their eyes revealed determination and confidence, as if already prepared to meet any challenge.

On the road to Black Wind Ridge, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's brows furrowed slightly; his gaze fixed ahead, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, revealing the heroic spirit and resolve within his heart.

He was leading everyone toward the coming battle, fearing no hardship, resolved to move forward.

In the town not far below Mount Sanqing, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's troops entered with imposing majesty, the sound of hooves echoing across the sky.

The people gathered to watch, pointing and whispering, faces full of curiosity as murmurs rose and fell.

Someone asked in confusion: "Why so many people? What happened? And who is that young man leading them?"

Another, who knew the situation, explained: "You don't know yet? That is our lord of Shangmu territory, bringing people to exterminate the bandits."

"Indeed. Yesterday the lord led men to wipe out the bandits on Mount Sanqing; last night, their heads were hung up for display."

Hearing this news, the people showed joy, praising Jiang Jiang Mingyu's might and bravery: "This is excellent! Those heaven-slaying scoundrels are finally dead. Our lord is truly a good official. Quickly, everyone, kneel and kowtow!"

Amidst the crowd's excited cheers, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army gradually moved away, leaving behind the kneeling people, as if paying tribute to their savior.

In the cold wind, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's face remained calm, a well-considered light flickering in his eyes.

He took hold of the reins and bowed slightly toward the kneeling people: "All you elders and fellow villagers, this official is Jiang Jiang Mingyu."

His voice was firm and resonant, reaching every corner around: "Today, this official guarantees here: unless all bandits within Shangmu territory are exterminated, I will not retreat my troops."

Amidst the cheers, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, filled with confidence and a sense of mission, vanished into the cold wind with his great army.

He knew this display of might had already stirred ripples within Shangmu territory; their victory would soon become the hot topic of discussion throughout the county town.

At midday, the cold wind gradually weakened; Jiang Jiang Mingyu galloped forward, finally arriving at the foot of Black Wind Ridge.

His gaze turned toward the shanzhai faintly visible in the distance, his expression solemn and thoughtful.

Gazing at the shanzhai before him, his mind churned with myriad thoughts. Intricate considerations wove together; his understanding of the situation grew clearer. A smile in the wind seemed to hide further schemes: "How shall this battle be fought?"

Zhu Ge Yu stood beside Jiang Jiang Mingyu, his brows furrowing slightly, as if pondering the same question.