Chapter 10: Island Massacre (Part 2)

"This is how you should tie it..." Lin Fu handed the paddle knife to Fu Qinghe and personally demonstrated to Chen Enze how to tie a person securely. He also had Chen Enze practice binding the barely conscious man with a beard tightly. Then he handed him a waist knife and said, "Killing is very simple. If they dare to move, just press the blade against their neck and give a gentle pull..." Seeing that Hu Qiaozhong behind him was eager to try, he kicked a short spear to his feet and said, "This is for you." He reiterated, "Killing is very simple. If they dare to move, just press the blade against their neck and give a gentle pull..." Seeing that Hu Qiaozhong behind him was eager to try, he kicked a short spear to his feet and said, "This is for you."

Lin Fu bandaged the boy's injured leg before picking up his waist knife and paddle knife to step outside. Fu Qinghe stood at the door with a bow, one arrow nocked on the string and another clenched in his mouth. The intense battle and the three arrows from earlier had caused his wounds to reopen, especially the knife wound on his shoulder, where blood had already soaked through his clothing. Yet, Fu Qinghe remained unperturbed, his sharp gaze fixed on the distance.

Fu Bo said he might be a member of the She family? Su Mei asked, as Dongmin County's Jin'an Prefecture is the stronghold of the She family

Su Mei looked at Lin Fu with confusion

The situation has become quite chaotic, and Lin Fu shook his head and sighed beside him. This second young master of the extravagant family, burdened with the important tasks of secretly requesting surrender and negotiating peace, surprisingly has the leisure to pursue women

Xiao Man is helping Fu Qinghe tend to his wounds, while Lin Fu asks Su Mei: "I will go to the seaside to find some salt, you should find two clean pieces of cloth, they should have some water..."

The man with the bushy beard and the thin-faced fellow finally realized that they were two different individuals. Their earlier outburst of curses was an attempt to provoke Fu Qinghe into joining them in a struggle, hoping for a glimmer of hope. At this moment, understanding that the situation was dire, they chose to remain silent.

Su Mei approached with two clean sweat towels, observing Lin Fu as he leaned over the stone pit, using his hand to sweep up the salt grains. She handed him the towels to collect the salt and said, "How do you teach these young people to kill?"

Lin Fu returned to the grass hut with salt and Su Mei. This group of soldiers had several barrels of fresh water in the hut—this fresh water also came from the pirate ship, along with dry rations and jerky—enough for these people to drink for half a month. Lin Fu dissolved the salt grains in a clay pot of water and instructed Su Mei to help him clean the wounds of Fu Qinghe and the boy who had been pierced in the thigh. They then used the saltwater-soaked cloth to pad the wounds and bandaged them securely.

Hmm, do not let the young girl know. He agrees with Lin Bu's opinion regarding the book by Fu Qinghe.

That beast killed Er Gou! The thin-faced man fell to the ground, shouting after being struck by an arrow. The bearded soldier, wielding dual spears, desperately hurled a short spear towards the direction of the arrow, then leaped to evade. However, the area in front of the grass shed was open and unobstructed. Fu Qinghe shot an arrow when they were still forty paces away from the shed, leaving them unable to advance or retreat. In the blink of an eye, a second arrow shot coldly towards them. The bearded soldier attempted to deflect the arrow with his spear but failed to do so; he merely avoided a fatal hit, yet the sharp arrow pierced into his side, causing him to scream in pain. The last man, realizing the remarkable archery skills of the person hidden inside the shed, knew that turning to flee and exposing his back to the opponent would mean certain death. He charged towards the grass shed with his broadsword held horizontally. At twenty paces, he was struck in the chest by an arrow, tumbling to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

Ah! Su Mei did not expect it to be like this, and was somewhat intimidated by the audacity and arrogance of the military leaders. She asked, "Why is this happening?"

Outside, there was one dead and two injured, with Fu Qinghe aiming his bow and arrow; Lin Fu said to the three young men, Chen Enze, Hu Qiaozong, and Hu Qiaozhong: "Come help me, we can still save one person." He instructed them to carefully carry the boy who had been pierced through the chest, tearing a strip of cloth from his own body to tightly bind the injured boy's thigh, ensuring he lay flat before removing the short spear. Taking the broken knife from Chen Enze, Lin Fu cut the boy's pant leg up to the thigh to examine the wound. Fortunately, the femoral artery had not been hit, but the thigh muscle was severely pierced, with a large area damaged. The bleeding was profuse, and he would ultimately bleed to death if not addressed. He asked the three young men to find something to elevate the injured boy's leg. He pointed to the femoral artery in Hu Qiaozong's groin and said: "You press here, this is the blood vessel in the leg..." He then turned to Su Mei and asked, "Do you have any clean cloth to bandage the wound? As long as we can stop the bleeding, it will not be a major issue." He pointed to the femoral artery in Hu Qiaozong's groin and said: "You press here, this is the blood vessel in the leg..." He then turned to Su Mei and asked, "Do you have any clean cloth to bandage the wound? As long as we can stop the bleeding, it will not be a major issue."

What should we do then? Su Mei felt somewhat at a loss.

The ransom demanded by the Eastern pirates is thirty thousand taels of silver, but unfortunately, that group of Eastern pirates will not live to collect it Lin Fu cursed under his breath: Not to mention a ton of silver, even a ton of copper would be a considerable fortune

The thin-faced man, the leader of the eight guards, noticed that the bows and arrows they had left in front of the grass shed had also disappeared, which he found somewhat unusual. Just as he was about to crouch down to hide, an arrow suddenly shot towards him with a "thud," piercing deeply into his shoulder.

Do you know how much they are worth?" Lin Fu turned to glance at the young man in front of the thatched shed and asked Su Mei

Here, a young boy, who was curled up in the corner, took out a clean sweat towel and handed it over

"Indeed," Fu Qinghe affirmed Lin Zongyi's suggestion, saying, "The affiliation of the She family is likely a foregone conclusion, and Du Rong has the unwavering support of the She family; furthermore, the entire matter is orchestrated by this false Du Jin'an, the second son, from behind the scenes. After the She family affiliates, who would be willing to risk provoking the She family again to uphold justice for the young lady?"

"To survive, clasp your hands behind your head and lie still!" Lin Fu shouted

Miss, do you still remember the young master Du Jin'an who came with Du Rong to listen to you play the piano in Jiangning?

"Where is the salt? They have put the water and food in another shed. Why not go there and have a look?" Su Mei said

Do they have a choice? Lin Fu looked up at Su Mei, who had not yet washed the soot off her face and was wearing the tattered clothes of a boatman. However, her delicate features could not be concealed by her appearance. He sat up, brushed the salt grains onto a sweat towel, and said, "Did Master Fu tell you who is leading that group of soldiers?"

Su Mei sat there in silence. Not to mention that Fu Qinghe and Lin Fu had heard this matter firsthand, even if they had not, the numerous doubts surrounding the incident all pointed to Du Rong. She had originally been invited by Du Rong to the Du family residence in Weiyang to perform at a family banquet. Although she had the intention of providing disaster relief while stopping in Baisha County, she only planned to stay for three or four days. It was only after Du Rong promised a reward of ten thousand gold in ten days that she decided to extend her stay in Baisha County for a full ten days. Without Du Rong's cooperation, the pirates would not have been able to succeed so easily. Although she had the intention of providing disaster relief while stopping in Baisha County, she only planned to stay for three or four days. It was only after Du Rong promised a reward of ten thousand gold in ten days that she decided to extend her stay in Baisha County for a full ten days. Without Du Rong's cooperation, the pirates would not have been able to succeed so easily.

Master Fu, please continue to call me Lin Fu

Some were in a daze, while others gasped in shock. Su Mei and Xiao Man's faces were smeared with the dim light, yet the panic in their eyes could not be concealed. The boy who had been pierced through the chest appeared to be only eleven or twelve years old, and the youth who had been pierced through the thigh was merely fourteen or fifteen. His face was ashen as he looked at his thigh, which was gushing blood. He neither screamed nor struggled, but the terror of impending death was evident in his eyes. The boy who had been pierced through the chest appeared to be only eleven or twelve years old, and the youth who had been pierced through the thigh was merely fourteen or fifteen. His face was ashen as he looked at his thigh, which was gushing blood. He neither screamed nor struggled, but the terror of impending death was evident in his eyes.

Master Fu, given that Xiaoman is still young, she may not be able to keep things to herself. Perhaps it is better for her not to know for the time being? Lin Fu squatted on the ground, squinting at the setting sun. Beneath the sunset, there were a few small sand islands, but no sign of land was visible.

"Leave them half a life," Lin Fu said, as he still had some questions to ask them and could not simply kill them now. He tossed aside his waist knife and walked forward with a paddle knife in hand; Fu Qinghe followed closely behind with a bow and arrow.

Fu Qinghe changed into a set of old clothes worn by boatmen, and it is no wonder that he was mistaken for the pirates who had escaped from Xisha Island the day before when he chose this moment to strike. Unable to pursue him further, the three did not continue their chase, thinking it would be better to wait for reinforcements from the main camp to search the island later. At this moment, they could not afford to give the enemy the opportunity to divide and conquer.

Approaching the thatched shed, there was no sign of the caretaker, and everything else appeared normal. A bearded soldier, holding two short spears, asked in a gruff voice: "Where has Er Gou gone?"

Lin Fu understood that the accuracy of bows and arrows was far inferior to that of firearms in later generations. Who could wield a rifle and, within a few breaths at a distance of forty paces, continuously hit three agile individuals? Such a person would undoubtedly be considered a master marksman. Unexpectedly, Fu Qinghe's proficiency in archery was so remarkable. However, this also reinforced his belief that, in this world, while individual martial prowess was somewhat more useful than in later times, it remained exceedingly rare.

Lin Fu picked up the short spear and knife, and upon turning around, saw that the young men had all come out of the grass shed to watch the fight. He said to Chen Enze, "Come here, find something to tie these two up..." Chen Enze was quite astute; he borrowed two belts from the young men nearby and ran over to first bind the thin-faced man.

"Let's talk after we go in..." Lin Fu patted his backside and stood up

"What is it?" Su Mei asked, feeling puzzled: the matter of the officials and soldiers impersonating pirates was known to Xiao Man; what else could there be that she should not know?

In a series of events, four of their brothers were killed by the opponent. When three of them returned, they were both dejected and furious, yet not afraid. The military discipline of the town's army was in disarray, and their combat effectiveness was nearly depleted, but they were not without elite soldiers. These were seasoned warriors who had traversed through blood and battle, viewing life and death with indifference. Moreover, they believed that there was only one opponent; the killing of their four brothers was merely a cunning ambush. How could they be afraid, aside from their anger? The opponent had been injured in the woods and, relying on their familiarity with the terrain, managed to escape. They were eager to challenge the opponent to a one-on-one duel in the open space in front of the grass shed.

What will they do? Su Mei turned to glance at the grass shed, concerned about the future fate of the twenty-nine young men inside.

The ship was hijacked in Baisha County, and the pirates were brought by Du Rong. I was hiding at the stern of the ship with Master Lin, and I heard it with my own ears; it cannot be false," Fu Qinghe said angrily. "Xiao Wu and Xiao Qi died with their eyes wide open..." Xiao Wu and Xiao Qi were his two disciples, whom he regarded as his own children. He witnessed them being killed by the pirates brought by Du Rong; how could he not harbor hatred in his heart?

The bearded man suddenly lunged forward with a short spear, intending to launch a surprise attack. The hand holding the spear was pierced through the shoulder by an arrow, which then plunged deeply into the ground. The bearded man cried out in pain, struggling to rise. Lin Fu struck the back of his neck fiercely with a short blade, causing flesh and blood to fly, forcing him to collapse into the dirt pit. The thin-faced man obediently discarded the knife, and as instructed by Lin Fu, lay his entire body flat on the ground, hands clasped behind his head.

This person is likely not as simple as he seems, Fu Qinghe recounted to Su Mei some details he had overheard while he and Lin Fu were hiding underwater. "Du Rong has been entrusted by this second young master to abduct the young lady and deliver her to the Dongmin Jin'an Prefecture..."

Why? Why did Du Rong do this? Su Mei found it hard to believe this was the truth. She had stopped her boat to stay in Baisha County to perform and provide disaster relief, and Du Rong generously allowed for a donation of a thousand gold pieces. How could he possibly have brought the pirates here?

The scar-faced man is dead, having been shot in the chest with an arrow; the bearded man and the thin-faced man have also been hit by arrows. Although their injuries are not fatal, with Fu Qinghe standing guard with his bow in front of the grass shed, they can only lie low in the depression and curse loudly.

It is only through further questioning that we will know exactly who it is; it should be among the first three individuals from Ninghai Army Town, and it is very likely to be the commander of the Ninghai Town Navy

"The surname is a false surname, the given name is a false name, this Du Jin'an is most likely from the She family of Jin'an Prefecture..." said Fu Qinghe, "Recently, there have been rumors that the She family intends to surrender and submit, perhaps this young master named Du Jin'an is the key figure for the She family's secret negotiations in the mainland."

"There is salt in the stone pits," Lin Fu said. This group of officials and soldiers, hiding people on the island to avoid attracting the attention of passing pirates, must refrain from making fire, and there may not necessarily be salt. After the tide recedes, seawater accumulates in the stone pits on the beach, and with the cool wind and sunlight, the moisture evaporates completely, resulting in the crystallization of salt. Lin Fu had seen several stone pits covered with a layer of salt crystals yesterday at dusk. Using natural salt powder dissolved in water to treat wounds for inflammation and disinfection is much more reliable than seawater. The cool wind and sunlight cause the moisture to evaporate completely, leading to the crystallization of salt. Lin Fu had seen several stone pits covered with a layer of salt crystals yesterday at dusk. Using natural salt powder dissolved in water to treat wounds for inflammation and disinfection is much more reliable than seawater.

"For now, we can pretend that nothing has happened," Lin Fu said, observing Su Mei's flustered demeanor with a hint of compassion. Although she was still dressed in men's clothing and her face was unwashed, her eyes were surprisingly enchanting. Lin Fu dared not look too long into her eyes and continued, "In any case, once Miss Su returns to Jiangning, Du Rong will not know that she has already learned the truth, so he will not take any action against her. This secret can remain buried for the time being."

As dusk approached and the twilight faded, Lin Fu had Chen Enze, Hu Qiaoguan, and Hu Qiaozhong lead seven or eight strong and brave youths to take two injured captives to guard them in a grass hut. He instructed Xiaoman to bring supplies, including dry rations, jerky, and water, and to place them in another hut for rest. He, along with Fu Qinghe and Su Mei, discussed matters outside.

"What happened? Isn't he Du Rong's cousin?" Su Mei asked, recalling the way the young man looked at her, and she slightly furrowed her brows

Damn it, that bastard Chen Qianhu, it was his job to search the ship, how could he let a fish that slipped through the net hide on board?" The man wielding a machete had a scar slashed across his nose, making his face look quite ugly, and he cursed with a face full of resentment.

In the thatched hut, there were panicked screams, and the short spear thrown by the bearded soldier did not disrupt Fu Qinghe, but instead pierced through the chest of a young child and impaled the thigh of a teenager. After days of terror from being kidnapped, these pampered county schoolboys, upon witnessing their companion being killed, could hardly be described by mere words in ink, for the shock and horror they felt was beyond expression

I brought you a sweat towel, who is it?

Fu Qinghe is polite and values it, while Lin Fu feels somewhat hesitant to take on the responsibility