APSIL -Chapter 46 Run or Fight

“Mutiny…”

Zhang Shou’s understanding of those two words was limited to written records. As for images, most of what he had seen were merely later generations’ conjectures. But that did not stop him from instantly realizing how serious the matter was.

At the same time, he suddenly thought of something Zhu Ying had once told him, and something he had just used to provoke Zhang Chen.

When he turned to look at Zhu Ying, he found that she was looking back at him at almost the exact same moment.

“Could this be aimed at Zhang Chen?”

“Someone must be trying to settle old grudges and take revenge on him!”

Zhu Ying loudly declared with absolute certainty.

Seeing that Zhang Shou had reached the same conclusion, she became even happier. She glanced sideways at the anxious-looking Zhu Hong and said angrily: “I can run, and A-Shou can run. Those spoiled young masters in Cuiyun Pavilion can run too. But what about all the men, women, and children in this village?”

“My father once told me that disorderly soldiers are the most terrifying kind of people. They burn, kill, loot, and commit every evil imaginable!”

Little ancestor, knowing how vicious they are, are you planning to stand your ground anyway?

Zhu Hong was so anxious that the veins on his forehead almost burst.

But in the next moment, Zhang Shou spoke, and it was like a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, instantly making him calm down.

“Everyone knows that the capital is where the emperor resides. It has the most troops and the strongest defenses.”

“If even the Linhai Camp has suffered a mutiny where soldiers killed their officers, then logically speaking, shouldn’t the rebels who barely escaped the camp flee into deep mountains and forests to hide?”

“But instead, they are heading straight toward the capital.”

“Are they trying to throw themselves into a trap… or are they planning to drag everyone down with them?”

Zhu Hong did not even have time to show admiration toward Zhu Ying, who was looking at Zhang Shou with bright eyes. Instead, he asked solemnly: “Then Young Master Shou believes this information may be false?”

Zhang Shou thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

“The Zhao State Duke’s intelligence network should not have any problems. But Brother Zhu, did this message come from the Dowager Madam?”

“No… it came because Miss left the capital. The Zhao State Duke’s hidden informants around the capital urgently sent the news.”

Zhu Hong did not have time to consider whether such confidential information was appropriate to reveal to Zhang Shou. Besides, with Zhu Ying present, he could hardly hide it.

“The messenger came on horseback at full speed. He had a command token as proof. After delivering the message, he immediately left again. He said he needed to hurry back to the capital to report to the Dowager Madam.”

“Whether the message is true or false is another matter.”

“But Brother Zhu, if you reveal this news in Cuiyun Pavilion, most of those people are young noble heirs who have never experienced real danger.”

“Do you think everyone will panic and immediately try to escape?”

“At that time, people will push and shove, fight over paths, sabotage each other, and drag everyone else down. Anything could happen.”

“In a crisis, ordinary people sometimes do things that are even more terrifying than the rebels themselves.”

Zhang Shou’s expression was unusually serious.

Zhu Ying’s heart tightened, and she quickly nodded.

“That’s right. I’ve heard my father say this before.”

“When the northern barbarians invaded, the border civilians fled while carrying their elderly and children. People trampled each other to death in the chaos. It was a terrible sight.”

“Besides, what if someone deliberately sent people from our Zhao State Duke’s residence to warn us, but actually planned to ambush us while we were desperately fleeing?”

“Wouldn’t leaving immediately mean walking straight into their trap?”

Zhang Shou had not expected Zhu Ying to understand his meaning so quickly.

He smiled approvingly at her and immediately added: “Exactly. There is another possibility.”

“If this isn’t aimed at Zhang Chen, then once someone learns that so many noble youths from the capital are gathered here, they may try to capture them and use them to threaten the court.”

“Therefore, staying here and waiting for reinforcements may actually be safer than rushing back to the capital.”

Zhu Hong’s face turned pale after hearing Zhang Shou and Zhu Ying analyze the situation together.

He could not help asking: “Young Master Shou, that sounds simple enough, but this village is surrounded by open fields. How can we defend it?”

“This…”

Zhang Shou rubbed his chin lightly, then looked at Zhu Ying with a smile.

“The people in Cuiyun Pavilion are technically my students, so although I can keep them under control, I’m not as familiar with them as you are, Yingying…”

When he saw Zhu Ying’s eyes brighten, Zhang Shou chuckled.

“How about you go frighten them a little and requisition their guards?”

“As for me, I’ll immediately go gather people from the village.”

“If my guess is correct, among the villagers, there should be more than just Old Yang who once fought alongside your father.”

Zhu Ying naturally was not fearless.

The biggest crisis she had ever encountered growing up was an assassination attempt.

But if they fled back without a second thought, there was a high chance they would encounter danger along the way.

And abandoning all these villagers who had treated her well and saving herself alone was something her proud personality would never allow.

Therefore, from the very beginning, she had forcibly suppressed her fear.

Now, hearing Zhang Shou say that Old Yang, the most respected elder in the village, had once fought alongside her father, she immediately became delighted.

“Old Yang fought alongside my father?”

“That’s wonderful!”

“You go find him and gather people from the village. I’ll gather all these people’s guards.”

“We should be able to put together several dozen men!”

“I want to see what kind of rebels dare to set their eyes on us!”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Zhang Shou smiled and nodded at Zhu Ying before quickly leaving.

After he left, Zhu Hong could not help asking: “Miss, are we really staying?”

“What if Young Master Shou is only saying these things and actually intends to use this chance to leave first…”

“You’re stupid!”

Zhu Ying immediately glared at him.

“About Zhu Yu’s matter too. If you had reported to me after disciplining him, how could he have leaked the information and caused those people to come here causing trouble?”

“And now you still doubt A-Shou?”

“Do you think your judgment is better than my father’s and grandmother’s?”

“Or at least better than mine?”

“Your subordinate absolutely did not mean that…”

Seeing Zhu Hong hurriedly apologize, Zhu Ying continued: “A-Shou asked me to handle this because he knows I’m more familiar with these people than he is.”

“I can put on a fierce face and lose my temper.”

“Besides, those idiots won’t dare leave if they see me staying.”

“My words are more effective than his identity as Grandmaster Ge’s closed-door disciple.”

“As for the village, he has lived here for more than ten years. Of course he has more authority than me.”

“Enough nonsense.”

“Go find people. First bring me…”

“Hmm, bring Zhang Chen and Lu Sanlang.”

“Even if I’m incredibly capable, I can’t control a group of useless cowards.”

“I need to start with the important people and pressure everyone from the top down…”

“Wait, perhaps there’s an even faster way.”

While Zhu Ying was planning how to establish her authority, Zhang Shou had already hurried into the village.

He went straight to Old Yang’s house.

The moment he entered, sharp-eyed Yang Dalang immediately called out: “Father, Young Master is here!”

Zhang Shou was quite satisfied with Yang Dalang’s way of addressing him.

But in the next moment, Old Yang poked his head out from the main room. He was immediately both surprised and delighted, and hurried out to greet him.

“Son-in-law, if you needed something, you could have simply sent someone to call me. Why come personally?”

“There’s no time for small talk.”

Zhang Shou grabbed Old Yang’s sleeve and half-dragged, half-pulled the old man back into the house.

Then he briefly explained everything Zhu Hong had just told them.

While speaking, Zhang Shou carefully observed Old Yang’s expression.

At first, the old man was still wearing his usual carefree smile.

But gradually, that smile faded.

Finally, those eyes that were usually narrowed from laughing all the time revealed a trace of killing intent and solemnity.

“I never thought that after so many peaceful years, even our village would one day be treated as an easy target!”

“Miss and son-in-law truly have courage.”

“When facing vicious wolves, running away is worse than fighting. Otherwise, you’ll only be chased until you die of exhaustion!”

Old Yang gave a cold laugh full of killing intent.

Then he suddenly opened his mouth and shouted: “Dalang! Open the chest and bring out my old tools for making a living!”

“Second son! Go door to door and gather everyone!”

“Deng Erniu, Qiao Hu, Si Baozi, Liu Da…”

He called out more than a dozen names.

When two voices immediately answered from outside without hesitation, Old Yang rolled up his sleeves.

The skin on his thin arm was covered with bulging veins.

But even more eye-catching than those veins were the muscles underneath.

Seeing Zhang Shou glance at his arm, Old Yang chuckled.

He waved his arm a couple of times before casually saying: “It’s been many years since I’ve fought. I don’t know whether I’ve become rusty.”

“But son-in-law, just wait for our good news.”

“Don’t even mention a hundred or so disorderly soldiers.”

“Even if there were more, if the old and young men of our village gather together and pull out twenty or thirty able-bodied fighters, we can still handle them!”

Zhang Shou had already suspected something like this.

Now seeing his guess gradually become reality, he naturally felt relieved.

However, after thinking for a moment, he still spoke softly: “General Lian Po was old, yet he could still fight.”

“I certainly don’t doubt your abilities.”

“But as the saying goes, it’s better to prepare for the worst.”

“Before fighting them head-on, how about we also prepare a strategy to win through intelligence?”

After Zhang Shou and Old Yang finished making their arrangements, they met the villagers who had answered the call.

After their initial anger and shock, the villagers quickly calmed down.

Without wasting words, they accepted their assigned tasks.

Then they went back to gather their younger family members.

Only after seeing this did Zhang Shou leave the confident Old Yang behind and return to Cuiyun Pavilion with light steps.

However, he could not help thinking:

Even if these people were former soldiers under the Zhao State Duke…

Was it really alright for the Zhao State Duke to leave so many people here to look after his “future son-in-law”?

Strictly speaking, wasn’t this also somewhat against the rules?

While wondering about this, Zhang Shou walked around the panda screen wall.

When he arrived at the Qingfeng Xulai Hall, he happened to see Zhu Ying walking out excitedly.

The moment their eyes met, Zhu Ying happily said: “A-Shou, I’ve finished everything!”

Zhang Shou immediately developed a bad feeling.

He cautiously asked: “How exactly did you finish it?”

“Hehe.”

Zhu Ying smiled proudly.

“I called Zhang Chen and Lu Sanlang over, explained the situation and its importance to them.”

“Then I had them gather everyone else under the excuse of inviting them for tea.”

“After that, I drugged everyone except those two.”

Zhang Shou sucked in a cold breath.

Miss, you really are…

Too ruthless!

Besides bandits, who in this era would casually carry that kind of medicine around?

However, he had to admit that Zhu Ying’s method of knocking out an entire group of people who would likely only cause trouble was truly brilliant.

He immediately gave her a thumbs-up in admiration.

Facing Zhang Shou’s undisguised praise, Zhu Ying became even more pleased.

“Although those people brought many servants and guards with them, once something happens, they definitely won’t be united.”

“So I told them that the disorderly soldiers had already entered the capital region.”

“I sent people back to the capital to request help.”

“They just need to stay obediently in Shui Bo Bu Xing Pavilion and the two bamboo houses beside it.”

“They should watch over their own masters and leave the other rooms empty.”

“As long as they don’t cause trouble, that’s enough.”

Zhang Shou immediately understood everything.

“In other words…”

“The people you gathered now are your eight people, plus Zhang Chen and Lu Sanlang’s guards.”

“Altogether, just over twenty people?”

“That’s fine.”

“What we need is unity, not numbers.”

“Exactly!”

Zhu Ying clenched her fist proudly, looking like an expert martial artist.

“Those rebels had better not come.”

“But if they do, they won’t be able to leave!”

“Zhang Chen and that Lu pig-head are easy to control.”

“Besides, you might need them for something.”

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered keeping them.”

“I would have drugged them too.”

Zhang Shou could only laugh helplessly.

At the same time, he could not help admiring Zhu Ying’s sharp instincts.

That was right.

He really did need Lu Sanlang and Zhang Chen.

Otherwise, if Zhu Ying alone acted out the entire performance, it would seem too weak…

Even if they were hostages, having two more people involved would make the scene much more convincing, wouldn’t it?