Chapter 16

Jingling County Lady sighed deeply: "Wei Xuan, this time coming to Bingzhou, I have had a vague feeling that many things have been suspicious. It turns out it was your doing."

This statement, though not particularly loud, struck Wei Xuan like a thunderbolt, making him unable to stand steady. He clenched his fists tightly and said, filled with shame and anger: "How did you know?"

Jingling County Lady glanced at a corner of the courtyard, and everyone's eyes followed.

In the southeast corner of the small courtyard, there were lush trees and a deep well. When Jingling County Lady and her party first entered the courtyard, Xue Tong and He Yun had gone there to draw water. Then Lu Yao also stood there. When Jingling County Lady's subordinates clashed with the bandits from Funiu Fort, these three people had quietly avoided the corner, only returning to everyone's sight at this moment.

Under everyone's gaze, the Bingzhou soldier with a terrifying scar on his face slowly walked out from the corner: "When Su Lao led his subordinates to challenge Jingling County Lady and her party, he left two companions to guard the camp. These two people mentioned a bit of information Su Lao had revealed to them. Brother Wei, after you returned to the camp with the County Lady and immediately shot arrows to kill the two, you also saved me. Such a favor should be repaid, but unfortunately, I woke up earlier than you expected."

Lu Yao continued: "From the bandits, I learned that there was a Xiongnu spy in the County Lady's party, but I didn't know who it was. If I had openly revealed this information, it might have backfired. I could only find an opportunity to secretly pass this message to the County Lady."

"The County Lady is of noble status and is often accompanied by many people, so it was hard to find an opportunity. That night, when my companions Xue Tong and He Yun sought me out and had a minor conflict with the County Lady's guards, I took the chance... Fortunately, it was just one sentence, not taking much time. I was rash then, and I hope the County Lady will forgive me." He bowed slightly to Jingling County Lady: "After that, everything was planned by the County Lady, indeed forcing the spy to reveal himself."

Jingling County Lady's face flushed, making her even more radiant: "General Lu is loyal and diligent, what sin is there?"

She thought for a moment and bowed to Hu Liuniang: "I also thank you, Chief Hu, for your assistance."

"Trivial effort, why should the County Lady say thank you?" Hu Liuniang smiled, pursing her lips: "But... the defeated soldiers and bandits are reliable, yet your own subordinates are not. If the Prince uses such people, the County Lady will have a lot to worry about in the future..."

Hu Liuniang, though beautiful, had a tongue sharper than a viper, and her words made the guards present change their expressions. Fortunately, Jingling County Lady shook her head: "Chief Hu is overthinking it. My guards are all loyal, and I trust them absolutely..."

"As for this traitor..." Jingling County Lady looked at Wei Xuan, who stood there in a daze, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.

"Wang De!" she called out.

Wang De stood there in a daze, as if he hadn't heard Jingling County Lady's voice. The situation had changed from a certain death to a staged performance, which was too drastic. Jingling County Lady's unexpected connection with Hu Liuniang made Wang De both relieved and somewhat disappointed.

"Wang De!" came Jingling County Lady's somewhat impatient voice: "This scoundrel, Wei Xuan, is yours to deal with!"

Fortunately, Wang De managed to break free from his complex emotions. He responded in a deep voice and strode forward, grabbing Wei Xuan by the neck: "Old Wei, I won't make things difficult for you. If you cooperate, I'll ask you questions, and you answer them. I'll give you a quick end and spare you the pain."

A spy like Wei Xuan, once exposed, had no chance of survival. Moreover, as a Jin person, he had served the brutal and savage Xiongnu, making his crime unpardonable. Wang De's words were already a special favor due to their long-standing camaraderie.

Wei Xuan looked at Wang De with a gray face, sighed deeply, and did not resist, allowing Wang De to drag him to a room on the east side of the courtyard.

Finally, the hidden Xiongnu spy was exposed, and Jingling County Lady's mood seemed to relax. She slowly descended the steps and approached Hu Liuniang: "Chief Hu, now that the traitor is subdued, please arrange for us to leave Bingzhou as soon as possible. The situation here is too dangerous, and we must return to Luoyang as quickly as possible."

"County Lady, you really don't want to be a guest at Funiu Fort? We rarely receive such distinguished guests..." Hu Liuniang said with a regretful look.

Before she finished speaking, a high-pitched and mournful bird call echoed from the mountain below.

"Alarm from the Jia-Zi scout!" Hu Liuniang's face changed immediately.

Although Funiu Fort was mostly composed of bandits and thieves, they had years of experience fighting against the imperial army. Hu Liuniang also disciplined them with military tactics, making them far from ordinary. To prevent harassment from the Jin army and the Xiongnu, they had set up multiple visible and hidden outposts within dozens of miles around Funiu Fort. These outposts, organized by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, would immediately sound the alarm at the slightest sign of trouble. The alarm that sounded now was the highest level!

Hu Liuniang knew that a powerful enemy was approaching and immediately rushed out of the courtyard like a whirlwind, shouting: "What's happening?"

In addition to Chief Zhang and the dozens of axe-wielding men he led, Hu Liuniang had many other subordinates and minor bandits waiting outside the courtyard. She issued orders in quick succession: first, she sent several people down the mountain to investigate; then she ordered the able-bodied men to prepare for battle; and finally, she dispatched capable people to guard key points... Despite the complexity of the tasks, she handled them with perfect order, living up to her reputation as the most famous heroine of the Taihang Mountains.

While Hu Liuniang was directing, the door of the room where Wang De was dealing with Wei Xuan suddenly opened. Wang De came out quickly and whispered to Jingling County Lady: "County Lady, we must leave Bingzhou as soon as possible, the sooner the better! Wei Xuan confessed that he had already reported our movements to the Xiongnu court in Lishi. I fear... the Xiongnu pursuit is not far behind!"

Jingling County Lady frowned: "How is that possible? Since entering Bingzhou, Wei Xuan has always been with everyone and had no chance to act on his own. Even if he did something suspicious, didn't you notice?"

Wang De looked embarrassed: "County Lady, such matters are always hard to prevent. We didn't know he was a traitor beforehand..."

He was about to explain further when Hu Liuniang suddenly shouted: "Damn, they came so fast!"

Hu Liuniang was leaning against the western wall of the courtyard, looking down at the place where the bird call had come from. Everyone gathered by the wall to look. From their vantage point, which was dozens of feet above the ground, they could see the dense forest a few miles away, where flocks of birds were startled into flight, and branches and leaves were swaying, as if a large beast was charging through the forest. On both sides of the beast's path, mournful bird calls continued, signaling the hidden scouts of Funiu Fort, who whistled in short and increasingly urgent bursts.

"It's the Xiongnu army! At least five hundred... no, more than eight hundred." Chief Zhang listened carefully to the whistles, which had a hidden pattern, and squinted for a while before confirming the identity of the approaching force. After a moment, he shouted in anger: "The five men at the Jia-Shen outpost were all killed by the Xiongnu! Damn, they're ruthless!"

Funiu Fort was located in a remote and rugged area, accessible only by a few rarely traveled paths. Over the years, Funiu Fort had faced imperial troops and black market conflicts. However, due to the logistical challenges posed by the difficult terrain, the largest number of enemies they had faced was a few hundred. With over a hundred fierce bandits in Funiu Fort, they could handle such numbers.

However, the Xiongnu force approaching now likely numbered over eight hundred. While eight hundred or more Xiongnu warriors might not be significant in a large-scale plain battle, in the Taihang Mountains, it was a formidable force. Even with the natural defenses of Funiu Fort, it would be difficult to withstand such a force. The rapid collapse of the forward outposts was clear evidence.

Jingling County Lady bit her lower lip. A force of this size, overcoming unimaginable difficulties to penetrate deep into the Taihang Mountains, would not be there for a show. It was clear that her movements had likely been leaked by Wei Xuan, and the purpose of this army was obvious.

"Let's go down the mountain before the Xiongnu arrive!" she ordered decisively, then turned to Hu Liuniang: "Chief Hu, please send us a guide and prepare some provisions. If the Xiongnu investigate, please play along. I will repay your kindness today!"

Her words, as they progressed, took on a tone of pleading.

"County Lady, rest assured, Funiu Fort will not betray friends. However, if you go down the mountain now, you will likely encounter the Xiongnu..." Hu Liuniang's expression was unusually serious.

She pondered for a moment, as if making a significant decision: "To be honest, Funiu Fort is known for its single, treacherous path, but there is actually a very hidden trail behind the mountain, known only to me and my trusted subordinates. This trail leads to an unnamed river in the mountains, and following it downstream will take you to the Qi River. I have a small boat there for emergencies..."

Jingling County Lady naturally had no objections. Hu Liuniang sent someone to guide them, leading Jingling County Lady and her party to the back of the mountain.

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