Chapter 2, The North Wind is Fierce
Li Jiuyan and Juan'er were hiding in a wall cavity, not daring to breathe. The space was not only cramped, but also left them with no way to advance or retreat. If discovered, they would be in a situation akin to catching a turtle in a jar. The two peered through the cracks in the wall, waiting for a long time without seeing the Song army break in, secretly relieved that the Song army might have overlooked this highest yet empty courtyard. Unexpectedly, the door suddenly crashed open with a bang, and four or five soldiers from the Song army rushed in. Once inside, they began rummaging about without pause, searching for anyone hidden within the house. One soldier even lifted a large pot and crawled into the stove, checking beneath it for any hidden caves, causing the hearts of the old and young hiding in the wall cavity to leap to their throats. Fortunately, this soldier only thought that there might be a cave beneath the stove, not realizing that the entrance and exit of the wall cavity were right there. Moreover, clad in armor, he found it uncomfortable to curl up his body. He merely knocked around the ground and the two walls roughly before giving up, failing to probe into the deepest part of the stove.
Chen De quickly urged her to sit down and explained the purpose of her visit. It turned out that this young woman missed her husband and was troubled because almost no one in the village could write. She had heard that a literate person had come to the home of Old Li, rumored to be a young master from Youzhou, who was certainly well-versed in reading and writing. Therefore, she brought her own writing materials and came to request Chen De to write a letter home on her behalf, which she would then ask someone to deliver to Wubao Village.
After everything was searched, the Song army began their cleaning tasks. They not only arranged various items neatly but also casually used the face towel of Li Jiuyan, which had been left in the kitchen, as a rag to wipe down the tables and chairs they had found in other rooms. Just as the cleaning was completed, another group of soldiers surrounded a figure resembling an officer as he walked in.
Juan'er did not want to leave Brother Chen. The little girl was somewhat tired, murmuring as she drifted into slumber, with a distinct tear glistening at the corner of her eye
The commander went off to enjoy himself, while several of his personal guards exchanged glances and took the opportunity to separate a few other women for their own use. One of the village women attempted to resist but was swiftly struck by a guard, who severed half of her arm with a blade. Seeing that she was on the brink of death, the other women, having never witnessed such brutality, were instantly paralyzed with fear, allowing the clumsy soldiers to push and shove them away.
A few days later, the rapid wheat harvesting device designed by Chen De was completed. The wheat on the two acres of land belonging to Old An's family at the east end of the village ripened first. When they tried it out, it indeed proved to be both fast and labor-saving. As a result, everyone in the village, young and old, felt grateful to Chen De, with some even regarding him as a figure akin to Zhuge Liang, the legendary strategist known for creating wooden cattle and flowing horses. Although Chen De spoke humbly, he felt a sense of pride within. Now, everything in the village was ready, just waiting for two or three days until the wheat was fully ripe, at which point they would immediately rush to harvest.
Commander Cao lowered his head to look at the several sorrowful women. The young lady of the Sun family tried her best to bury her head low, but was roughly lifted by the face with the hilt of Cao's knife. As she saw this loathsome Song army leader examining her cheeks and chest with a curious gaze, the young lady of the Song family fell to her knees with a thud: "I am with child, please spare me, General. In the next life, I will serve you as a cow or a horse to repay your great kindness." While pleading, she cried incessantly.
Chen Deze turned and rushed into the room, only to find the young woman of the Sun family already lying in a pool of blood, her lips bitten through, and her hands tightly gripping the tattered bamboo mat. The body had long since grown cold. Remembering the gentle and timid appearance of this young woman, Chen Deze felt an intense hatred, his eyes nearly bursting with rage. He recalled that there might still be many villagers hiding in the cellar; if they were not called out in time, they would likely be burned alive or buried under the rubble. Chen Deze called on Li Jiuyan to go from house to house, urging those who were hiding to quickly escape from their shelters. Despite this, many were still worried that it was a trap set by the Song soldiers, refusing to come out of their hiding places, resulting in their being burned alive.
The child in my womb has been moving around frequently these past few days. My mother-in-law says that an active baby is surely a boy. Once the child is born, I will take good care of him, and I also hope that my husband will return home safely. I... " Miss Zhang, whose given name is He Ren, paused for a moment, bit her lip, and continued: "I often miss you, my husband." Having spoken this most important sentence, the young lady of the Zhang family was already blushing.
After Li Jiuyan squeezed through the hole in the wall, he meticulously cleared away the traces left near his hiding place. He then placed a long bench on the stove, stepped up to steady himself, and with a powerful push of his feet, kicked the bench down beside the door. As he did so, he propelled himself into the air, his entire upper body diving into the flue above the stove. Holding his breath, he pressed his hands against the walls of the flue, employing the wall-climbing technique he had learned in the special forces, inching his way upward until his feet also entered the flue, allowing him to exert force with all four limbs. Only then did Chen De take a deep breath, but the years of soot and dust choked him, causing him to cough violently.
Then let the brothers finish quickly, damn it, they are all just a bunch of poor fools. Commander Cao cursed as he spoke, a scar on his face making him look particularly fierce. As he spoke, he unsheathed the dagger from his waist and slammed it onto the table with a loud bang, startling the two hidden in the wall hole.
"Hold on a moment." Commander Cao waved his hand to stop his guards, chuckled twice, and said, "You, woman, are quite interesting. Now, I will give you two options. If you serve me well, I will spare your life and that of the child in your womb. If not, I will kill you both, one corpse, two lives. " He then grasped the hilt of his knife, looking at the young lady from the Zhang family with the demeanor of a cat playing with a mouse.
However, the original hole in the wall was only made by Li Jiuyan for his own hiding, and with Juan already inside, it was extremely crowded, leaving no room for another person. Chen De had no choice but to seek another place to hide.
Suddenly, to the south of Lishi Water, in the direction of the mountain pass, a troop clad in gray armor appeared at the valley entrance, making their way along the river valley towards the village
Although Chen De on the roof did not know what was happening inside the house, he saw the Song soldiers escort several women into the dwelling one by one, and then waited outside. If the one who entered before took too long to come out, the next would even bang on the window until the Song soldier, disheveled and holding up his trousers, finally emerged. The remaining Song soldiers, after looting, piled all the firewood and straw from the villagers' yards inside and outside the house next to the building.
The resistance of the village, lacking young and strong individuals, was not intense. The task of the Song soldiers quickly shifted from launching surprise attacks to digging out hiding places, and villagers were gradually brought out from their concealment. The young man, Sun Ding, who had been taught marksmanship by Chen De, was also found by the Song army in the kang hole of his home, clearly having suffered some hardships, as he was brought to the village entrance with a bruised face. Chen De estimated that around thirty to forty villagers had gathered under the big tree.
The Song army, which has unfolded in the valley, numbers over five or six hundred men, with the vanguard already reaching various entrances to the small village. It is evident that the Song army intends not merely to enter the village for supplies; they have deployed crossbowmen to block the villagers' exit routes and have divided into teams of five to meticulously search from the edges of the houses.
Witnessing all of this, Chen De could only clench his fists, making a cracking sound, wishing he could jump down and kill all these beasts.
At this moment, the old man Li, hiding in the wall cavity, was still unaware of what was happening outside. He was planning to stay a little longer, waiting for the Song army to move further away before coming out to get some fresh air. However, Chen De immediately slid down the flue and shouted at them, "The house is on fire! Hurry up and come out!" The two of them hurriedly crawled out one by one from the stove and followed Chen De into the courtyard, only to see that the fire had already spread to the roof, making it difficult to extinguish.
After receiving the family letter written by Chen De, Zhang's wife carefully folded the letter paper, expressing her gratitude repeatedly. She then took out five pairs of eggs from her bundle, which were laid by two hens bought by her mother-in-law after selling a gold earring, specifically to nourish her since learning of her pregnancy. She had secretly saved them. Chen De could not refuse and had no choice but to accept the eggs, after which Zhang's wife left with countless thanks.
After the Song army outside completed all of this, they gathered at the village entrance with the plundered goods and provisions, waiting for the commanding officers, including Shi, to finish their preparations before setting off.
Resisting the nauseating musty smell of smoke and the disturbances from small creatures such as cockroaches, centipedes, and spiders in the flue, Chen De climbed to the top of the chimney using both hands and feet. The top of the chimney, resembling a pavilion made of branches and pottery shards, has now become Chen De's lookout tower
Li Jiuyan shouted in alarm, turned around, and rushed into the kitchen. Like a magician, he used both hands to dig out a bag of millet from a corner of the house. He then returned to the courtyard and unearthed a heavy bag of copper coins beside the latrine
Seeing the Song army begin to stack firewood outside the houses near the village entrance, another group of soldiers was preparing saltpeter torches and other items. The restrained villagers began to stir, disregarding the glinting knife point pressed against their chests, and surged towards the Song soldiers who were holding them captive. Taking advantage of the situation, several young men, including Sun Ding, crouched down, relying on their short stature and agile legs, and unexpectedly darted behind two or three unsuspecting Song soldiers, grabbing them around the waist and throwing them to the ground. The already agitated crowd erupted into chaos, with some charging at the nearby Song troops, intent on fighting back, while others desperately tried to flee towards the village outskirts.
After approximately half an hour, Commander Cao emerged from the guest room in Li Jiuyan's courtyard, wearing a satisfied expression. He casually tossed the bloodied dagger to a soldier for cleaning. With a command, the Song army immediately set fire to the houses where the firewood had already been piled up. Before long, thick smoke billowed throughout the village. The army gradually departed from the village, while the Song soldiers at the rear ignited the ripening wheat fields. From a distance, the dry weather and the noise of the surroundings caused the ripening wheat to catch fire fiercely, filling the entire valley with crackling sounds and the air with a burnt wheat aroma. The army gradually departed from the village, while the Song soldiers at the rear ignited the ripening wheat fields. From a distance, the dry weather and the noise of the surroundings caused the ripening wheat to catch fire fiercely, filling the entire valley with crackling sounds and the air with a burnt wheat aroma
The Song soldiers responsible for guarding the villagers seemed to be well-prepared for this situation. The front line, armed with swords and shields, did not engage with the villagers but instead swung their swords wildly, carving a bloody path to reach behind the crossbowmen. The crossbowmen in the rear, seeing that there were no standing Song soldiers left among the crowd, did not wait for the commander's orders and immediately unleashed a volley of bolts towards the unarmed villagers. The villagers attempting to flee were predictably shot dead by the crossbowmen blocking the village entrance.
As Jian'er gradually fell into a deep sleep, Chen De was about to leave for his own room when suddenly a knock sounded at the door. A timid female voice outside inquired, "Has Young Master Chen gone to bed?" Upon opening the door, he found Zhang's young wife, who was visibly pregnant, holding a small bundle in her hand.
Seeing that the woman was unyielding, Commander Cao's expression suddenly changed. The nearby bodyguard immediately scolded, "You dare, woman!" He pretended to step forward to kick her in the abdomen.
"They are the enemy." Chen De observed that these uninvited guests were dividing into three groups, each heading towards the various exits of the village where the villagers were descending the mountain, intending to first seal off the village and then capture them like fish in a barrel. At that moment, a warning sounded: "The Song army is coming," confirming Chen De's suspicions
Sun Ding and several other youths indeed caused considerable trouble for the Song soldiers. They engaged in a scuffle with a few soldiers in the front row, and the crossbowmen on the periphery, fearing friendly fire, dared not shoot. They had to wait until nearly all the other villagers in the encirclement were shot dead before more sword and shield bearers advanced, with two or three confronting one, binding these tenacious youths. Since these young boys could be raised for two or three years to be used as able-bodied laborers, the Song army did not execute them immediately but planned to sell them as slaves to the Tanguts of Xia Prefecture. Naturally, a round of punches and kicks was unavoidable.
"After passing through ten miles of spring breeze, the buckwheat is lush and green." Chen De sat at the entrance of Li Laozhang's courtyard, greedily inhaling the air infused with the fragrance of wheat, gazing down at the rolling golden waves of wheat in the hazy dusk, where the wind and clouds intertwined. The wheat was ripe, marking a year of abundant harvest, and the villagers' uncontainable joy also touched Chen De, who was about to leave this place.
The young lady of the Zhang family was so frightened by the words of the military officer that her whole body trembled, and she was instantly rendered speechless. Observing her flustered and helpless demeanor, Commander Cao did not wait for her response and reached into the woman's clothing, beginning to play with her in front of the assembled soldiers. Seeing that the young lady of the Zhang family, despite biting her lip and blushing, did not dare to resist, Commander Cao laughed heartily and ordered his soldiers to escort the woman into the adjacent bedroom, while he casually strapped on his waist knife and walked out the door.
In order to cope with the threat of war, villagers often dug hiding places in their homes, and the family of Old Li was no exception. Li Jiuyan, who was familiar with military plundering, constructed his hiding place exceptionally well. He created a hollow space in the wall behind the stove, just large enough for a person to stand and hide. The entrance to this hiding place was the stove's firebox, where one could simply enter and then reposition the bricks and stones at the entrance. The wall cavity had small gaps on both the inside and outside of the house, allowing for ventilation and observation of the surroundings. The entrance to this hiding place was the stove's firebox, where one could simply enter and then reposition the bricks and stones at the entrance. The wall cavity had small gaps on both the inside and outside of the house, allowing for ventilation and observation of the surroundings. The soldiers searching the village would never discover it unless they climbed onto the stove platform to closely inspect the wall.
At this moment, a young woman selected from among several villagers was brought in, and the leading bodyguard said: "Please, esteemed commander, choose first."
It is evident that the Song soldiers are adept at searching villages in a hostile nation like Northern Han. In Chen De's eyes, their level of professionalism is comparable to that of the American Army executing missions in Iraq. The Song soldiers do not rush into the village like invaders. Three teams, each consisting of about twenty-five members, are dispatched to control the high ground to the east, south, and north of the village, with one team heading directly for Li Jiuyan's residence. The remaining Song soldiers, who search house by house, do not simply barge in; instead, two crossbowmen first seal off the angles from which the residents might escape, followed by shield-bearers who kick the door open. As they rush into the courtyard, they use large shields to protect their heads and faces, preventing anyone inside from launching surprise attacks. Throughout the entire process, three to five crossbowmen are positioned around the courtyard walls to prevent villagers from jumping over the walls to escape.
After eliminating the threat, the commander of the Song army entered the village. Due to the elevated terrain and open view of Li Jiuyan's residence, it was chosen as the temporary command post. The rest of the Song soldiers busied themselves with clearing various valuables from the abandoned homes, while the villagers who had been forcibly brought to the village entrance were allowed to return to retrieve their belongings. It seemed that the Song army intended to relocate the entire village, Chen De thought to himself. However, as he looked further, he could not help but feel a surge of anger, secretly cursing these vile beasts. It turned out that the Song army had selected several young women with pleasing appearances from among the villagers, who were weeping and being escorted to the commander's residence, which was Li Jiuyan's house. Among them was the visibly pregnant daughter of the Sun family. When those women were taken out, it was clear they had anticipated their fate, desperately clinging to their relatives and refusing to let go. Yet, how could they withstand a group of soldiers as fierce as wolves and tigers, who came at them with knives and kicks, igniting the fury in the eyes of Sun Ding and the other young men.
Commander Cao, this village seems to have little to offer; not to mention the elderly and children, there isn't even a single woman of average beauty to be found. An apparent trusted soldier reported this to the officer.
Although Juaner could not see the situation outside, she was terrified and trembling all over from the woman's screams.