Once the captain had conveyed Dao Xuan Tianzun's directives, there was little else to say. He simply waited patiently as the laborers transported the grain. With three large cargo ships full, even hundreds of men working together would need a considerable amount of time.
He would have to stay here for another two or three days before he could return.
Xing Honglang, Gao Chuwu, Zao Ying, and Lao Nanfeng gathered together.
"Gao Family Village is already preparing to establish a presence in Han City, within the Tongguan Circuit," Xing Honglang announced. "Our own actions can't fall too far behind, lest the folks back home have a laugh at our expense. Our stronghold here is stable now, and the merchants we sent ahead to Puzhou have departed. Next, it's time to make a move on Xie Lake. The proper course is to get that salt back to us as quickly as possible."
Lao Nanfeng, a man of few words, simply clasped his hands and declared, "Your subordinate is willing to go."
Zao Ying interjected, "This mission isn't about fighting; it's about making contact with the salt makers by Xie Lake. General Lao Nanfeng won't be needed for this. You should remain here at the stronghold to ensure the safety of our Gudu Ferry."
Lao Nanfeng nodded, refraining from pressing his offer to join the front.
Xing Honglang then said, "The city of Hedong (modern Yuncheng), on the north bank of Xie Lake, is heavily garrisoned with government troops. So, we'll have to sneak to the south bank of Xie Lake. This task won't require many hands. I'll take Tie Niaofei with me, and Commander Zao can accompany us with a small cavalry detachment. I think Commander Zao should bring fifty riders; the rest of the cavalry can be temporarily commanded by General Lao Nanfeng."
"Alright!" Zao Ying turned to Lao Nanfeng. "General, you can command cavalry, can't you?"
Lao Nanfeng chuckled. "Of course, your subordinate can! Anyone who's served in the border army understands how to use cavalry!"
That was true. While a general from a southern garrison might not be skilled with cavalry, no border army general would lack such knowledge.
Everyone silently thought: Having someone like Lao Nanfeng in the ranks truly brings a sense of security.
"Then it's settled!"
Gao Chuwu and Lao Nanfeng, the two men, would remain at the stronghold.
Xing Honglang and Zao Ying, the two women, would lead the offensive.
At this moment, the women truly shouldered half the sky, perhaps even a little more.
The next morning, after an early breakfast, Xing Honglang, Zao Ying, and Tie Niaofei, along with fifty cavalrymen, forty-two of Xing Honglang's salt smugglers, and eighteen of Tie Niaofei's salt smugglers—a contingent of over a hundred mounted individuals—rode out from the Gudu Ferry and galloped towards Xie Lake.
However.
Shortly after they departed, two heads popped out from a small grove of trees north of the Gudu Ferry. These were two elite border scouts, also known as 'night eyes,' seasoned soldiers from the Guyuan frontier. During the Guyuan mutiny, they had not followed Commander Wolf to attack Chengcheng, an attack thwarted by Dao Xuan Tianzun, but had instead joined the rebel forces of Bu Zhan Ni.
They belonged to Bu Zhan Ni's Fifth Company, under Old Zhang Fei.
One scout whispered, "Did you see? Xing Honglang is gone!"
The other nodded. "Judging by their direction, they're heading for Xie Lake. Xie Lake is just over a hundred li from here. Leaving this early in the morning, riding horses, and accounting for rest and meals along the way, they'll surely arrive at Xie Lake in the dead of night. They're definitely going for illicit salt."
"Heh, they won't be back for at least two or three days."
"With Xing Honglang gone, that little riverside stronghold won't be hard to take, will it?"
"Exactly! They killed our young master; this vendetta must be avenged. Let's hurry back and inform our boss. While Xing Honglang is away, we'll smash her pathetic stronghold."
"Hey, don't forget the ship on the river. Its cannons are terrifying."
"It's fine. We've been watching for days. That ship will leave once it's unloaded its cargo. By the time we inform our leader and he brings his troops, the ship should have finished unloading and departed. Without the ship and without Xing Honglang, that small, rundown stronghold will be easy pickings."
The two men finalized their plan and quickly slipped away to the north...
With Xing Honglang gone, Lao Nanfeng was the only one in the stronghold with his wits about him.
Gao Chuwu was hopeless. The big, simple-minded fellow was still foolishly helping the laborers unload grain from the ship, all the while deliberately chatting up the people from Sunji Town: "Hey, are you from Honglang's hometown? Can you tell me stories about Honglang when she was little?"
"What? She... she actually used to wet the bed as a child? Wow, my Honglang had such clumsy moments?"
"You... you're talking nonsense! Honglang is clearly a beauty."
Gao Chuwu and the people from Sunji Town were having a wonderful time.
Lao Nanfeng glanced at him, shook his head, and then braced himself. I'm the only one here. I can't mess things up. I've finally found a great patron in Dao Xuan Tianzun, and I'm no longer guarding the frontier. I've been transferred back to the vibrant Central Plains. These good days have barely begun, I can't die here.
Lao Nanfeng ascended the newly constructed watchtower and scanned the surroundings.
Suddenly, something seemed to flicker at the farthest edge of the treeline.
The distance was too great to discern with the naked eye!
No problem, Gao Family Village had high technology!
He pulled a monocular telescope from his waist pouch and peered into the treeline.
This time, he saw clearly: two nimble men moving in the woods. Their attire suggested border soldiers, and they looked very much like those from Guyuan. He even had a faint impression of their faces...
Lao Nanfeng's heart stirred. If they truly are Guyuan soldiers, and still at large, they must have joined the rebels. And Guyuan soldiers would most likely join the Shaanxi rebels, with Bu Zhan Ni from Luochuan being the strongest possibility.
Lao Nanfeng handed the monocular to the two sentries beside him. "Keep an eye on this direction. Use the telescope frequently. If my hunch is correct, the bandit army will attack from this direction within two days."
The two sentries jumped in surprise. "Huh?"
Lao Nanfeng snorted. "What are you scared of? We have a stronghold, cavalry, firearms, and even ship cannons. This battle is a guaranteed victory; it's just a matter of whether it's a big victory or a small one. Haven't you two always wanted to play with the telescope? Play with it well for the next two days, enjoy yourselves."
The two sentries were overjoyed. "Yes, sir!"
They eagerly took the telescope, unable to put it down, looking east and west, frequently exclaiming "Wow!"
"Look, on the riverbank to the south, there's a young woman washing clothes. She's quite pretty, and her backside is quite... ample."
Lao Nanfeng's expression darkened, and he snatched the telescope back. "Damn it! I told you to watch the north! What are you looking at?"
The two sentries broke into a cold sweat. "General, we won't dare again."
"I told you, the bandits will arrive within two days. You absolutely cannot look around aimlessly these two days; you must keep a sharp eye on the north." Lao Nanfeng finished with a serious face, then abruptly changed his tone. "However, the enemy scouts just left. It'll take time for them to return and notify their main force. There's at least a few hours of safety in between, heh heh... Where's that young woman? Point her out for this general to see."
The two sentries: "..."