Chapter 5 Special Forces

But who would have known that instead of the Japanese pirates, they received a sacred edict transmitted from Ningyuan to Xingcheng, along with a congratulatory gift of fifty taels of silver from the commander of Xingcheng, Yuan Chonghuan

You should quickly inform Erlaizi to closely monitor the movements of the enemy cavalry. Then, go to the village and tell everyone to hurry and retreat into the mountains. Those who cannot retreat should find a place to hide. Also, open all the traps we set up at the village entrance and have all the able-bodied men gather here with their long guns. Tell them that we have a tough battle to fight today. " After saying this, he waved his hand to urge them to notify others quickly, then turned back to his father-in-law and instructed, "Father, you take Wan'er to my house to find my mother, and then you lead them into the mountains to hide for a while. Once I have repelled the forces of the Later Jin, I will send someone to find you. " After saying this, he waved his hand again to urge them to hurry and notify others, then turned back to his father-in-law and instructed, "Father, you take Wan'er to my house to find my mother, and then you lead them into the mountains to hide for a while. Once I have repelled the forces of the Later Jin, I will send someone to find you. " After saying this, he hurriedly left. Dong Xiaowan's father, aware of the urgency of the situation, quickly went back with Dong Xiaowan to the home of Fu Meide to fetch Old Lady Fu.

This took both of them by surprise. They exchanged glances, and Tang Feng felt relatively composed; after all, he was accustomed to witnessing weddings and funerals in modern society, even if he had never experienced one himself. Now, arriving in this place, he was suddenly to be married, and the one he was to marry was none other than the legendary beauty, Dong Xiaowan. This left him both astonished and delighted. However, Dong Xiaowan seemed to be at most around seventeen years old, which felt a bit young. Dong Xiaowan's hand gently withdrew, her delicate neck lowered, momentarily at a loss for words. After a while, Fu Meiniang and Dong Xiaowan's father emerged from the room, both elders wearing smiles, indicating that the marriage was indeed going to take place.

These two objects caused a sensation throughout Fu Family Village, with everyone crowding at the door and windows. Some, having no place to stand, even lay on the roof, lifting a tile to peek inside. The person delivering the imperial edict and congratulatory gifts was none other than Zu Dale, who today surprisingly wore a scarlet civil official robe. Standing inside the house, he cleared his throat and then unfolded the edict, reading aloud in a loud voice: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: There is a youth from Ningyuan Fu Village who, undaunted by the ferocity of the Japanese pirates, led the villagers' militia to completely annihilate them. I am greatly pleased; this youth is truly a pillar of the future of the nation. Today, I bestow upon him the position of a Captain in the Imperial Guard, hoping that your family can contribute to the country with all your strength. Thus it is decreed. 6th year of Chongzhen. Come, Fu Mei, this imperial edict is a great favor from the Emperor to you. Quickly find a clean place to display it. Also, this is a congratulatory gift sent privately by our commanding officer. The commanding officer has another message for you: there may be changes in Ningyuan soon, so please be cautious. If you hear any rumors or disturbances, you can come directly to Ningyuan Xingcheng; the commanding officer will welcome you warmly." After Zu Dale finished speaking, he offered a few more words of congratulations and then took his leave, returning to Xingcheng with his companions.

"Brother Feng, is something significant about to happen?" Dong Xiaowan turned her face to take a glance at her father, who was drinking with the neighbors in the courtyard, and at the delighted Old Lady Fu, who was surrounded by a group of aunts and cousins, unable to contain her joy, and quietly asked Tang Feng.

As night gradually deepened, the villagers began to take their leave, and finally, Dong Xiaowan's father also departed from the Fu family. Due to the marriage, Fu Meiniang had specially cleared out the inner room for the couple. Seeing her son and Wan'er supporting each other as they entered the inner room, a smile filled her old face.

Tang Feng was initially filled with joy, but upon hearing the words spoken by Zu Da Le at the time of his farewell, his heart tightened. The joyful expression on his face instantly vanished. At that moment, Dong Xiao Wan had just lifted her veil and was playfully teasing the girls from the neighboring house. Suddenly, she turned around and saw the solemn expression on Tang Feng's face, realizing that something significant must have occurred, and hurriedly walked over.

Tang Feng took the mule and carefully observed ahead. He saw that the cavalry was getting closer. Judging by their numbers and attire, it was merely a reconnaissance squad, consisting of just over one hundred men. However, this was sufficient for the villagers to have a good training session.

Tang Feng observed that the reconnaissance cavalry was not far from him, so he struck the mule's rear with the whip again. The mule immediately charged towards the cavalry ahead, which were the reconnaissance cavalry of the Later Jin's Eight Banners.

In Tang Feng's mind, there were other plans. For now, this could only be considered an appetizer for his subordinates. If he and Tushu were the reconnaissance cavalry at the front, then a group of cavalry would surely follow behind, and this cavalry would merely be the vanguard. What he needed to do now was to severely weaken this vanguard. By putting a blindfold on Nurhaci, he could prevent him from underestimating the people of the Central Plains, while also buying some time to lead the elders and villagers to retreat to Xingcheng, which could be regarded as a safe haven. After all, that place had high walls and thick fortifications, capable of protecting the safety of the people.

The village had long set up an ambush. Tang Feng called over Er Lai and instructed him, "Er Lai, make sure everyone is well-hidden in the village. Remember, do not panic; wait for my signal before taking action. This time, I will lead the cavalry into the ambush from outside the village. At that moment, we will see everyone's capabilities; success or failure hinges on this one move. Alright, I won't say much more. Lend me your strong bow for a moment, and also let me ride your gray mule for a bit." After finishing his words, Tang Feng took the strong bow and slung it over his shoulder, then took the reins of the mule, mounted it, and gave the mule a sharp slap on its rear, causing it to bolt forward.

What did Feng say? Feng had already given Wan'er a token, look. Wan'er raised her face and pointed at the silver hairpin inserted in her head, indicating to Tang Feng. Tang Feng felt a warmth in his heart and couldn't help but compare the modern era with the present; it seemed that women in ancient times were more simple and virtuous.

The red candle bursts forth, the silk skirt is gently loosened, the brocade quilt turns crimson, and a pair of jade-like figures lie within. For Tang Feng, this is the first time he has married, and he cannot help but feel a bit nervous. The two embrace each other closely, while Wan'er slightly steadies the bow of the boat, guiding it slowly into the harbor. She herself furrows her delicate brows, her voice like a nightingale, melodious and pleasing. In an instant, a red lotus spreads across the white cloth beneath them. The gauze curtain sways gently, and in the moment of their breaths, the moon rises at the western window.

As Tang Feng ran forward, he turned his head back to look behind him and saw that the cavalry had all caught up. It seemed that these people had taken the bait, but Tang Feng was also afraid of them. If they reached the village entrance and decided not to pursue any further, it would spell great trouble for him. In that case, it would surely attract a large number of follow-up cavalry.

As dawn broke after a night of silence, Tang Feng set out with Dong Xiaowan's father to the riverbank to begin the construction of adobe bricks. Following the recent battle in Wei Village, everyone in the village looked at Tang Feng with newfound respect, and in their hearts, they held great admiration for this valiant young man. Upon hearing that Tang Feng was actually going to marry Dong Xiaowan, they hurriedly set aside their own affairs and came over to help the Fu family renovate their residence

Under the repeated urging of Dong Xiaowan's father and Fu Mei's mother, Tang Feng finally married Dong Xiaowan in a wedding ceremony. That night, the Fu family, decorated in a festive manner, was filled with people both inside and outside, all in high spirits, watching their leader, who was left dizzy and confused, as he exchanged vows with Dong Xiaowan. Even though there was such a momentous occasion in the village, Tang Feng had still set up numerous lookout posts and patrols around the village to guard against any potential intrusion by bandits during this time.

"It's nothing, just a trivial matter. However, I will absolutely not accept the position of the Jinyiwei captain that the emperor has conferred upon me. Wan'er, now that we are married, I have not a single decent piece of jewelry for you, which truly puts you in a difficult position." Tang Feng said, placing his hands on Wan'er's shoulders, gazing at her delicate face, feeling a surge of emotions within him, and he pulled Wan'er into his embrace.

Just as I entered the house and had not exchanged more than a few words with Wan'er’s father, a member of Tang Feng's subordinate, a team member from Wei Village, rushed in. "Fu Mei, you should go out and take a look. The lookout at the village entrance, Er Lai Zi, sent word saying that there is a cloud of dust rising from the west. It seems there are cavalry heading our way. He asks what you intend to do?" After saying this, he went to the water tank and scooped up a ladle of cool water, drinking it all in one go.

As I looked ahead, a mule unexpectedly came galloping down the dirt road from the village. I felt a bit strange but did not pay it much mind, continuing to urge my horse forward. Just then, I crossed paths with Tang Feng, and those Eight Banner soldiers were looking for a local person to inquire about the situation nearby. Upon seeing this person come forward voluntarily, they had no suspicions. A young officer then shouted loudly at Tang Feng, "That Han person, come here, we need to ask you whether there are Ming Dynasty troops stationed ahead. We won't ask for free; we will give you silver." Although they mentioned giving silver, one of the Eight Banner soldiers had already drawn a bow and nocked an arrow, ready to shoot Tang Feng as soon as he finished answering the question, ensuring that the Ming troops would not notice their actions.

To the west, if it is indeed cavalry that has arrived, then it would be quite troublesome. It certainly cannot be the cavalry from Xingcheng. Naturally, it would not be the Japanese pirates either, so it must be the vanguard troops of Nurhaci from the Later Jin dynasty that have arrived.

A night of unspoken pleasures left Tang Feng feeling somewhat weary. At dawn, the couple got out of bed, and Wan'er presented a cup of daughter-in-law tea to Fu Mei Niang before returning with Tang Feng to visit her father.

Half a month passed, yet the village surroundings had become exceedingly tranquil. However, Tang Feng did not dare to let his guard down; he continued to urge the group of youths to practice diligently. He added more rigorous training, including cross-country running, crawling, breath-holding in water, and climbing. Since Xingcheng was relatively close to the sea, Tang Feng took them to practice in the ocean, having each person carry a heavy tree trunk as they rushed into the water, standing in waist-deep waves, striving to resist the impact of the surf. The most despair-inducing training method for these youths was when Tang Feng bound their hands and feet, then took them out to sea in a small boat. At a deeper spot, he would kick the bound individuals into the water, along with a sharp knife, instructing them to cut the ropes and swim to the surface. Many of the village youths failed this test and were ultimately rescued by Tang Feng himself. After enduring this hellish training, only forty-seven individuals remained, the elite that Tang Feng sought. He then imparted some simple yet effective killing techniques to them, which left those who had been eliminated filled with regret, lamenting why they had not persevered a little longer.

With many hands, the work naturally progressed much faster. Just as the sun had set, the new residence of the Fu family was already completed. Tang Feng, under the dim light of an oil lamp, continuously expressed his gratitude to the villagers who had come to help. He wanted to invite everyone for a bowl of water to rest a while before heading back, but the enthusiastic villagers all smiled and declined, bidding farewell as they left.

Tang Feng also began to prepare actively. Before long, all forty-seven elite team members under Tang Feng had gathered. Each person was dressed in a black short combat uniform and wore a conical hat similar to that in the illustrations. Although they were not wearing armor, they were equipped with the bulletproof vests invented by Tang Feng, which would be more accurately described as arrowproof vests. These vests were made by sewing two large pieces of fabric together, with bamboo strips and some animal fur inserted in between. Looking at this group of people, each one was spirited and high-spirited. In this state, they showed no fear of the cavalry that was about to arrive; on the contrary, they were quite looking forward to it. Everyone was thinking about whether this would be an opportunity to test the solidity of what they had learned. Practical combat was the best way to train a person, a phrase that Tang Feng often repeated in their ears.

As for Erlaizi, he hurriedly led the elite team down to prepare, without further mention. Tang Feng rode his mule and galloped out of the village, following the dirt road in front of the village. After running for more than 2 li, he suddenly saw a cloud of dust ahead, accompanied by the chaotic sound of hooves.

Then he saw Tang Feng, who was only an arrow's distance away from him and the others. Suddenly, he turned the mule around in a circle, and then the mule took off running towards the village.

On the second day, Tang Feng also went out to assist various families in repairing their houses. Taking this opportunity, he began to gather the young and strong from each household, cutting some white wax rods, sharpening the tips at the front to serve as weapons. He then led this newly formed village defense team to an open area, where they began training day and night using military methods.

Xiao Hai, you are responsible for overseeing their practice of this assassination move. I will go find the blacksmith in our village to see if he can forge some iron spearheads. Also, once the assassination practice is completed, each person must do one hundred push-ups, and those who do not meet the standard will have to double it. After Tang Feng finished speaking, he turned and returned to the village. Meanwhile, this group of bare-chested young men, though puzzled about what purpose this practice would serve in the future, had already been completely convinced by Tang Feng's words from a few days ago. Each of them trained desperately, fearing that if they did not perform well, they would have to double their efforts. They were not afraid of being tired; the key concern was the fear of losing face in front of the other young men in the village.

The cowherd behind him, upon seeing Tang Feng, said nothing and turned to run back, naturally assuming he was going to deliver a message to the village. Perhaps there were even some Ming Dynasty Jinyiwei stationed here. He could not be allowed to escape, as over one hundred cavalry from the Later Jin were closely pursuing Tang Feng.