jdhmnovel Chapter 108 Follow-up Matters
Chapter 108 Follow-up Matters
Xie Jinsheng had a handsome face with well-defined features, deep-set eyes, slightly upturned corners of his eyes, and a high, slightly hunched nose. Although he was still a young man, he had a cool and aloof beauty.
"The piled stones are like jade, the rows of pines are like emerald green. His beauty is unparalleled, there is no one like him in the world." Meng Fuqing inexplicably thought of this poem.
Xie Jin wasn't wrong; the portrait on the wanted poster was indeed vastly different from the person in real life. Thinking this, Meng Fuqing handed the mask back to Xie Jin.
Upon hearing Meng Fuqing's words, Xie Jin felt he should give the best scar removal prescription to Doctor Zheng and have some prepared for use.
Meng Fuqing had no idea what Xie Jin was thinking. She glanced at him twice and suddenly felt sleepy. She could vaguely hear Meng Linlang's ghostly, mournful sobbing, which seemed to have a hypnotic effect.
She shook her head, looked at the white jade pot in her hand, and asked in puzzlement, "Did you perhaps put a sleeping potion in it?"
"It's just to calm your nerves; you're just too tired." Xie Jin stood up and extended a hand to Meng Fuqing. "I'll take you downstairs to rest."
Meng Fuqing slept exceptionally soundly that night, unaware that Meng Linlang had been discovered in the cellar in the morning.
At night, Meng Linlang dared not call for help from the cellar, fearing that Meng Fuqing would hear her and throw her out of Black Tiger Village. She endured until dawn when she quietly called out to a passerby and was finally rescued.
When asked by others, she only said that she had accidentally fallen down, and dared not mention a single word about Meng Fuqing.
Outsiders couldn't see Meng Linlang's unusual behavior, but no one knows a daughter better than her mother, Yuan Qianniang could.
She led the trembling Meng Linlang back to her resting place and asked her what had happened.
When Meng Linlang went to Young Master Xie's place alone, Yuan Qianniang's eyelids started twitching. Later, when she saw one of Young Master Xie's men keeping a close eye on her, she realized that Linlang must have done something wrong.
Meng Linlang's eyes dimmed. "Mother, I'm fine. I'll listen to you obediently from now on. I won't let you and Father worry anymore."
Knowing she probably wouldn't get any answers, Yuan Qianniang felt both heartache and helplessness. It was good to learn a lesson so that nothing else would happen.
On a rare day when he didn't have to travel, Zheng Yi was busier than ever before. The number of people injured in the earthquake was more than the number of wounded he had seen during the many days of fleeing.
Fortunately, the grain and fodder seized from Changping Prefecture and Qingzhou contained a lot of medicinal herbs for treating injuries and illnesses. As long as the medicinal herbs were not lacking, everything else was fine.
Meng Ranran was just as busy as her mentor Zheng Yi, but unlike him, she was surrounded by many girlfriends.
The journey was too tiring. The group of people who had been learning martial arts in the cave had only learned some self-defense techniques and body-strengthening methods from the two masters. After that, they could only practice a few moves when they were not too tired.
As for those who were too weak to learn, they stayed by Meng Ranran's side to help her, taking care of easy tasks such as boiling water, cooking cloths, and running errands.
There were many collapsed houses in Black Tiger Stronghold. Last night, they squeezed in together, and today the uninjured bandits and villagers built a simple shed to house the wounded.
Thanks to the efforts of the villagers and bandits, everything in the village gradually came into order.
When Meng Fuqing woke up, there was no one in the room, so she went into the space to wash up. When she opened the door, this was the scene she saw.
People passing by the door greeted her, "Qing'er, you're awake? Go eat quickly, there's hot food in the kitchen!"
"Oh my, Miss Meng, you were really amazing yesterday!"
……
Upon arriving at the kitchen of Black Tiger Village, one finds many women busy at work.
Upon seeing her arrive, they all greeted her. Meng Fuqing responded with a slight smile. Shan Qiyu and Yao Shanyun had already brought over the food.
“There’s plenty of meat and vegetables in this village. It’s rare to have a safe place to cook, so I’ve made a lot. Qingya, you can eat slowly,” Yao Shanyun said with a smile.
Meng Fuqing looked at the table. There were three dishes and a soup, with both meat and vegetables. The portions were small, enough for just her. She picked up a pancake and started eating.
After finishing his meal, Shan Qiyu cleared away the dishes and sat down in front of Meng Fuqing, taking out two items from his pocket.
A braided red rope and a talisman embroidered with auspicious patterns.
"We didn't come across a proper temple along the way, so your mother braided a red string for you to wear for protection. You should also carry this amulet with you at all times; I secretly asked the fairy for it..."
Meng Fuqing understood that Shan Qiyu was worried about what she did outside and wanted to put the items on her so she could feel at ease. So she accepted both items, smiled, and said, "Thank you, Mother."
After filling his stomach, Meng Fuqing was invited to the council hall.
Before even stepping into the council hall, Meng Fuqing heard people arguing inside. He slowed down and listened for a moment before realizing that Du Zhong wanted to hand over all the affairs of the stronghold to the second-in-command, and that he would step down and leave Qingzhou with Qi Liang and Meng Fuqing's group.
She stepped into the hall, and the arguing stopped just in time.
Du Chongqing cleared his throat. "Miss Meng, your arrival is just in time. We were discussing what to do with the grain and fodder you brought back from Qingzhou City yesterday."
"It will be divided equally among the three parties."
Of course, the three parties referred to were Black Tiger Stronghold, Xie Jin, and herself. Niu Er and the others also contributed, and she personally rewarded them.
Du Zhong hesitated for a moment, "Since Miss Meng suggested going to rob the Hu people of their provisions, she should take the lion's share."
In reality, Meng Fuqing had already taken the lion's share, having seized two cities in succession. She had so much grain that she was worried she wouldn't be able to take it all with her.
"Without you staying behind at Black Tiger Stronghold to kill all the Hu people, how could I and two hundred men possibly have entered Qingzhou? Chief, there's no need to refuse any longer."
Seeing that Meng Fuqing was determined, Du Zhong put the matter aside for the time being and instead brought up the matter of wanting to leave this place with Meng Fuqing and his group for Jing'an Prefecture.
"Can the leader really abandon the affairs of Black Tiger Stronghold?"
"To be honest, Miss Meng, several of my trusted brothers know why I took the position of chief. Now that my son has been found and I am getting old, it is time for me to step down and hand over the reins to a more capable person."
My only worry is that the Hu army has retreated to Qingzhou City, and once they learn what happened, they probably won't let Black Tiger Stronghold off. Rather than simply walking away, I'd rather disband the refugees and the Black Tiger Stronghold members, letting them escape for their lives.
These words immediately caused an uproar among the Black Tiger Stronghold members.
"Big brother, are you abandoning us?"
"Boss, I have no family and no relatives, I just want to follow you. Wherever you go, I'll go!"
……
The council hall was noisy, but Meng Fuqing remained an observer without offering any opinion. After all, it was Black Tiger Stronghold's internal affair, and none of her business.
Xie Jinshan, still wearing a black mask, arrived late and sat down next to Meng Fuqing. "How did Miss Meng sleep last night?"
Recalling the fleeting glimpse last night, Meng Fuqing raised an eyebrow slightly, "Young Master Xie's calming medicine is truly miraculous."
Xie Jin smiled slightly. "That's good then."
Du Zhong had made up his mind, and the matter of disbanding Black Tiger Village was put on the agenda.
The refugees abducted to Black Tiger Village were mostly from families with many young and able-bodied men. Compared to the Jiang family, these refugees were actually more comfortable in Black Tiger Village than when they fled. At least they had a hot meal every day and a place to sleep that could shelter them from the wind and rain.
Upon hearing that the bandits were going to let them leave, the refugees who had not been injured during the earthquake felt a complex mix of emotions.