She found herself a noble reason: “The troops will descend the mountain tomorrow, and I’ll help sew some armor to contribute.”
Chu Chengji nodded, not holding back at all: “Then you’ll need to practice your embroidery skills.”
Qin Zheng retorted, “...If you think the armor I sew for you is ugly, don’t wear it tomorrow.”
Chu Chengji glanced at her, “I don’t mind, but others might.”
Any previous anxiety Qin Zheng had was now forgotten.
Her only contemplation was whether she could suffocate him with a blanket while he slept.
Chu Chengji, however, acted as if nothing had happened and opened another map, calling Qin Zheng over, “This is the defense map for the rear mountain. Come here, and I’ll teach you how to respond to attacks on the fort.”
Considering the importance of the matter, Qin Zheng obediently walked over and sat at the table.
For the sake of explanation, Chu Chengji stood behind her.
She sat, and he stood, one hand supporting the table’s edge, the other holding the charcoal pencil she had made, circling several places on the map.
This position almost trapped Qin Zheng between the table and his arms.
“If the cableway in the rear mountain is cut off, it will be difficult for the officials and soldiers to attack from the opposite bank.
But if they use a bed crossbow to build a rope bridge, we should let archers use fire to attack.
Once the bridge is burned, their path will be cut off. This is the best scenario.
If we can’t burn the rope bridge, don’t panic. Our people are in the dark, and the enemy is in the light.
There is still a path from the cliff to the jungle. Let the archers aim and shoot the enemy on this path, while continuing to use fire arrows to burn the rope bridge.
The worst scenario is if some officials and soldiers escape into the forest. If that happens, send a group of people to trap and kill them.
The most important thing is to burn the rope bridge and block their path.” He turned his head to look at Qin Zheng, “Do you understand?”
He spoke a bit too close, and his warm breath tickled her ear. Qin Zheng pretended to be calm and nodded, “I understand.”
Chu Chengji smirked slightly, “It’s late. Rest.”
Qin Zheng maintained her calm facade until she kicked off her shoes and lay down in bed.
Chu Chengji’s eyesight was excellent.
Even in the dark, his steps were as steady as if the lamp were still lit.
When she felt the bed sink beside her, Qin Zheng’s heart actually started beating a little faster.
But Chu Chengji just lay there and didn’t make any inappropriate moves.
Qin Zheng tried to breathe evenly, pretending to sleep, but she didn’t realize her sleeping posture had already given her away.
Chu Chengji’s low, mellow voice sounded particularly clear in the night, “I suddenly want to know, what were you thinking when I was close to you before?”
Qin Zheng’s back stiffened slightly, and she continued to pretend to breathe evenly.
Chu Chengji continued, “I know you’re not asleep.”
Qin Zheng had no choice but to give up the pretense: “I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
She couldn’t admit that she had led him into the eunuch’s chamber.
She turned her head to look at him, but in the darkness, she could only see a blurry silhouette.
She pursed her lips and explained, “I... really didn’t mean to say those things about you. It’s just that I heard them say that on the boat before...”
Chu Chengji calmly said, “Go to sleep. You’ll have a chance to explain to me in a few days.”
Qin Zheng: “...”
What did he mean by that?
Why did she sense a hint of threat?
The next day, the entire Liangyan Mountain was preparing to descend at night.
Chu Chengji was busy all day, and when Qin Zheng discussed breaking the cableway at night with Feng Laogui, Lin Zhao accompanied her.
Along the way, the people in the village showed great respect for Qin Zheng.
They called her “Master Qin” and were much warmer than usual.
Qin Zheng was somewhat puzzled. A woman looked at her with guilt and said, “Master Qin, I’m sorry. When Wang Xiu falsely accused you before, I should have shut her mouth.”
Qin Zheng and Lin Zhao were both confused.
Everyone in the village knew that Lin Zhao and Qin Zheng were close, and they had been kidnapped by river bandits together.
No one dared to talk about Wang Xiu’s accusations against Qin Zheng in front of Lin Zhao.
After inquiring, Qin Zheng learned that Wang Dama had gathered everyone in the village to the threshing ground in the morning and made Wang Xiu read a self-criticism statement in front of everyone.
This statement made it impossible for Lin Yao to order the expulsion of the Wang family, and they would have no face to stay in the village anymore.
Wang Dama must have come up with this method.
The only person Qin Zheng could think of was Chu Chengji. What did he say to Wang Dama yesterday?
Lin Zhao, upon hearing this, was furious and grabbed Qin Zheng, wanting to go to the threshing ground. “Let’s go and see! I’ll slap her in the face right there!”
Qin Zheng wasn’t interested in watching Wang Xiu confess her wrongdoings in front of the entire village.
She said, “There are more important matters today. Don’t waste time on irrelevant people.”
Lin Zhao relented.
However, it seemed that fate had other plans.
After meeting with Feng Laogui, they headed to the rear mountain.
Qin Zheng deliberately took a secluded path to avoid being seen.
Unexpectedly, the Wang family returned from the threshing ground and, probably frightened by the villagers’ scolding, also took a secluded path home.
Qin Zheng and the Wang family met head-on.
Behind her were Lin Zhao and seven or eight men from the village, while the Wang family looked disheveled.
Wang Xiu, who had been arrogant before, now kept her head down, covered in rotten eggs and vegetables thrown by the villagers.
Lin Zhao sneered but said nothing.
Wang Xiu was shaking like a sieve.
Qin Zheng didn’t stop in front of them for a moment.
She walked past them and headed straight for the rear mountain.
Lin Zhao didn’t want to confront her either and followed Qin Zheng’s footsteps, completely ignoring the grandmother and granddaughter.
Qin Zheng was busy until evening before she saw Chu Chengji again.
For the convenience of archery, he was dressed in nomadic clothing.
Despite wearing the thicker version of the armor she had sewn for him, he still didn’t look bulky due to his lean figure.
In front of everyone, the two just glanced at each other from a distance.
The Lu family members who were pulling the ropes were already waiting at the other end of the cliff.
The iron cages used to transport grain earlier could now be used to transport people.
The cableway at the rear mountain had been kept secret from the outside world, and only a few people in the village knew about it.
Others from different mountains were amazed to discover such a quick way to leave Liangyan Mountain.
“My goodness, how did they connect such a cableway over this dozens of feet wide cliff?”
“Below is the Yuan River. If you fall from this height, you’re done for! Just looking at it makes my legs weak!”
“Building such a cableway must have been a big project. How did the officials not notice? How did they pull the iron cables to the other side? Did someone fly over?”
Feng Laogui listened to the people from other mountains whispering and discussing the cableway.
He felt a sense of pride and raised his chin, saying, “This was built by the Military Advisor’s wife.”
The crowd was already amazed at how the cableway was constructed, but when they heard it was a woman who had built it, they were even more shocked.
“This cableway must have been built using immortal techniques. Only a fairy would know such magic!”
“I’ve heard that the Military Advisor’s wife is extraordinarily beautiful. Perhaps she is a fairy from heaven who has come down to help us!”
Qin Zheng, standing in the shadows with a cloth covering her face, thought to herself, “...”
She knew that ancient people revered ghosts and gods and had vivid imaginations, but she didn’t expect them to be so vivid.
Lin Zhao, on the other hand, was struggling to hold back his laughter.
She seemed to find their reactions quite amusing.
Lin Yao led the way in front, leading a group of people onto the iron cages.
The ropes on the iron cages were pulled by people on the other side, and the cages slid along the iron cables.
This moment attracted everyone’s attention.
Qin Zheng still felt a gaze on her face.
She looked up and unexpectedly saw Chu Chengji in the distance.
He was in charge of the military and was the last to go.
With a single cableway for transportation, when it was their turn, Qin Zheng followed Feng Laogui and others forward.
She had to instruct them on where to cut the iron cables.
Chu Chengji looked at her and simply said, “I’m leaving.”
Just three simple words made Qin Zheng’s heart skip a beat.
She looked at him and said, “Be careful, and come back safely.”
Chu Chengji nodded and stepped into the iron cage for transportation.
In the deep night, far from the light of the torches, everything was unclear.
When the iron cage reached the other side of the cliff, the people from the Qiyun Village sent a signal in secret.
After Lin Zhao translated it for Qin Zheng, she ordered the iron cage to be pulled back and parked on this side of the rear mountain.
Then, she had people securely tie the iron cable, disconnecting it.
The iron cable hung down the cliff, but a section of thick rope was still attached to it, and the other end of the thick rope was tied to the original iron cable post.
The iron cable was disconnected and could not be used for transportation.
However, the connection point was suspended by the thick rope.
When it needed to be used again, the iron cable could be pulled back up using the thick rope.
This was Qin Zheng’s idea, the best way to reconnect the cableway later. Otherwise, it would be troublesome to bring the iron cable back over later.
That night, thousands of people silently left Liangyan Mountain and headed straight for Qingzhou City.
The soldiers guarding the city walls of Qingzhou were dozing off against the wall with their arms crossed.
The war was far away from here.
Qingzhou was located in the heart of the Central Plains, and whether it was the south or the north, Qingzhou was rarely affected by wars.
The soldiers guarding the city were used to being lazy at night.
When more than a dozen grappling hooks were thrown onto the city wall, they woke up one of the less vigilant soldiers.
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He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked down from the city tower.
Before he could see what was happening below, an arrow pierced through his throat, taking his life.
The soldier fell on the battlements, and the blood from his throat did not spill over the edge of the wall, dripping onto the ground.
The people below the tower also climbed up the ropes and onto the city tower.
Throats were cut, blades were bloodied, and bodies of soldiers continued to fall on the city tower.
A scream shattered the night sky over Qingzhou City: “We’re under attack!”