Chapter 1055: First Volume, Chapter 1055: Didn

First Volume, Chapter 1055: Didn't Check the Almanac Before Leaving Home

Shen Qingci had been beaming with excitement, but upon hearing Qin Feng's words, as expected, her little face instantly fell.

"Pfft! Jinx."

"It's such a bright sunny day—why would it snow?"

"As long as we move fast and get back before the New Year, we'll be fine."

Beside him, Li Xiaolan also gave Qin Feng a side-eye.

"You, can't you stop picking on Elder Sister? You know she's in high spirits—you've got zero sense of timing."

"Elder Sister, ignore this guy—we'll reach Jingdu within a month."

"Keep your feet moving on the Official Road."

Shen Qingci nodded: "Third sister thinks ahead, unlike this guy—he's thorough in battle, but once home, he turns into a useless lump."

"Qin Feng! If you applied half this much effort, you wouldn't be getting scolded every day."

Qin Feng just grinned, unfazed: "Being scolded by Elder Sister? I gladly accept it. If she ever stops scolding me, I'd actually feel uneasy."

"Xiao Xiangxiang, Shu Feng—don't you agree?"

Qin Feng reached out and pinched Shu Feng's thigh, instantly drawing a tiny pink fist from Shen Qingci.

"Behave yourself!"

"Hmph! I told you—you insisted on riding with us just to cause trouble."

Shu Feng's face flushed red; she knew Qin Feng couldn't sit still, yet she didn't pull away, instead adopting a posture of complete surrender.

This left Qin Feng parched and restless, desperate to commit some transgression right now.

But with Shen Qingci watching like a tiger, and Li Xiaolan and Jing Qianying also glaring beside him, Qin Feng had to crush that wicked thought.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was utterly harmonious.

Just then, the convoy suddenly halted, followed by the voice of a Tianji Camp Guard outside the window.

"My Lord, there's trouble ahead."

Since Zhang Zhenhai had to stay in Beixi to protect Li Zhang, the Main General responsible for this homebound security was Wu Tang, one of Zhang Zhenhai's former Mobile Guerrilla Colonels—a burly, broad-shouldered man.

Moreover, Wu Tang was quite old—forty years of age.

He was a veteran soldier who, after enduring oppression from his superiors, deserted and wandered for seven or eight years, eventually joining refugees who settled in Beixi County.

During the later expansion of the Tianji Camp, Wu Tang joined the recruitment trials and was instantly spotted by Ning Hu.

Ning Hu had been Wu Tang's benefactor, and Zhang Zhenhai his direct superior—so Wu Tang was not only fiercely loyal but also rose rapidly, from an ordinary Guard to Mobile Guerrilla Colonel of the Tianji Camp.

"My Lord, the Anwu Guard just reported a large group ahead."

"Estimated number: over fifty."

"They're all clad in armor—mix of Light Armor and Heavy Armor—not elite troops, not rabble—strange, overall."

Hearing Wu Tang's report, the five women inside the carriage frowned slightly.

Trouble so soon after leaving the city? A bad omen.

Qin Feng, however, remained relaxed, grinning: "Need to think? Obviously, some stubborn remnants from Beixi."

"Do they have horses?"

Wu Tang nodded: "About ten or so."

Qin Feng's grin widened: "That explains it—Light Armor wearers are Cavalry, the rest in Heavy Armor serve as Infantry support. That's standard combat deployment."

"But now is a sensitive time—no Beixi commanders would unlawfully mobilize troops."

"So these people are almost certainly private retainers of some stubborn faction."

Hearing Qin Feng's analysis, Wu Tang instantly relaxed.

"Just private retainers? I'll lead the men and wipe them out!"

Qin Feng grabbed Wu Tang's cloak, exasperated: "Why are you just like Ning Hu? A brute through and through?"

"Liu Ming is cautious to a fault—if these people were easy to handle, he'd have sent the Anwu Guard in en masse already."

"Liu Ming won't engage directly—so these fifty-odd are elite."

"Private retainers are usually fierce, battle-hardened fighters."

"With their Patriarch's wealth backing them, their gear is top-notch—their combat effectiveness won't fall short of Regular Army, even against Elite Troops."

"Rushing in recklessly? You'll pay dearly."

Hearing this, Wu Tang finally calmed down.

"Then, My Lord, should we detour?"

Qin Feng wanted to detour—no need to tangle with scattered soldiers and wanderers; if they fought, casualties were inevitable, and every single one of his elite around him was precious—losing even one would hurt him deeply.

But the five women behind him were desperate to return home; detouring meant extra days on the road—and they'd hold him accountable for every one.

To make the coming days easier, Qin Feng decided to charge ahead.

"How far away are they?"

"Replying, My Lord—about ten li."

Qin Feng nodded, issuing a low command: "Since we still have distance, no rush—reckless is reckless, steady is steady."

"Send the Anwu Guard back to notify Liu Ming—gather a few more men, flank left and right, set ambushes."

"When the battle starts, strike from both sides to support."

"Wu Tang, take ten Tianji Camp Guards and twenty Beixi Soldiers—charge straight ahead, mobile guerrilla harassment."

"They have few horses—if they chase out, turn and annihilate them."

"If they stay put to protect their Infantry, just wear them down with Bow and Arrow fire."

"The Anwu Guard's arrows use Special-Shaped Arrowheads—so equip all of you with Armor-Piercing Arrowheads."

"Go."

Wu Tang clasped his fist in a firm salute, tugged the reins, and left. He picked thirty men, unloaded all the mixed arrows from their quivers, took out the armor-piercing arrows from the materials and supplies wagon at the Rear, and distributed them—twenty arrows per man, six hundred arrows for thirty men, more than enough to give the enemy a hard time.

As Wu Tang was leaving, Qin Feng called out after him.

"Don't throw all the arrows away. After the fighting is done, gather them back. There's nowhere to resupply you right now!"

Without looking back, Wu Tang waved his hand: "Understood, my lord, rest assured. We're not the type to squander things."

After Wu Tang departed, the caravan also came to a temporary halt.

Qin Feng lay back down on Xiao Xiangxiang's lap, humming a little tune.

Seeing Qin Feng so relaxed, the womenfolk in the carriage finally set their worried hearts at ease.

Shen Qingci could not help but ask: "Feng'er, since you say the enemy are Elite Troops, why are you still so at ease?"

Qin Feng shrugged: "If I hadn't said they were Elite Troops, that hothead Wu Tang probably would have grown careless and underestimated the enemy. He's the same type as Ning Hu—he needs to be kept in check."

"Besides, the enemy is a mere fifty men, and they're split between cavalry and infantry—it's as if someone kicked a donkey into their heads."

"They're already few in number, and splitting them into different troop types just makes them even fewer."

"If they were Pure Cavalry, or pure Heavy Armor infantry, I'd take them a bit more seriously."

"Don't worry. They're just household retainers who happen to have Elite Troops weapons but lack real combat experience."