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The three points of light on the stockade wall flashed three times in a row.

A gong then sounded from behind the wooden wall.

The bandits, who were originally scattered on the arrow tower and mountain road, began to run. Several groups of people carried torches and rushed towards the main gate, and the neighing in the Hidden Horse Valley also became more intense.

Aman lay prone behind the rocky slope.

"It must be a message sent back from the business route."

"Qi Biao discovered the truck was a scam, and the village prepared to provide backup."

Xu Qingshan looked towards the beast path on the back mountain.

"The alarm has been sounded; the patrolmen will be back soon."

"Get ahead of them."

More than twenty cavalrymen from Zhenbei left their warhorses in the reeds, carrying only short crossbows, long swords, and two days' worth of dry rations.

The entrance to the animal path is hidden between two standing stones.

The ground was covered in snow, and at its narrowest point, one could only pass sideways. Withered vines grew on both sides of the stone wall, making a soft rustling sound when clothing or armor brushed against them.

Ah Man went in first.

Xu Qingshan followed behind her.

Gao Bai and another veteran from Duanhebao were responsible for identifying the mountain shape, while the remaining Zhenbei cavalry maintained a three-step distance and climbed up along the animal trail.

After walking less than half a mile, Aman suddenly squatted down.

A few fresh footprints were left in the snow.

The narrow edges of the soles and the deep indentations on the forefoot indicate that the person was using their toes to push off and was walking very fast.

Aman measured the footprints with her palm.

"Two people."

"Less than fifteen minutes have passed."

Xu Qingshan asked, "Which way?"

There's a fork in the road ahead.

Aman pointed to the mountainside.

"The left side leads to the animal path, and the right side should connect to the patrol path."

The procession continued forward.

Sure enough, a solid path appeared at the fork in the road, with two shallow marks carved into the tree trunks beside it.

Gao Bai took a moment to recognize it.

"The patrol marks of Black Wind Village".

"Broken River Fortress sent scouts to investigate Black Wind Pass before, and they saw similar knife marks."

"There was a place every three miles to help bandits find their way at night."

Xu Qingshan looked around.

"Since a mark has been left, there must be sentries nearby."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a short bird call came from the woods ahead.

Aman immediately raised her hand.

Everyone stopped close to the stone wall.

A moment later, another bird call rang out.

This time it's closer.

Two figures came down the slope, each with a curved knife hanging from their waist, and one of them was carrying a gong.

"Has something really happened on Shangdao's side?"

"Qi Erdang's house was ambushed, and the chieftain ordered all the sentries to retreat to the back mountain."

What happens to the people who were exchanged for prisoners?

"Let's stall for now."

"As long as Ma Rong and One-Eyed Wolf are still in Xu Qingshan's hands, he won't dare to act recklessly."

As the two bandits walked and talked, as they turned a corner around the rocky slope, a hand suddenly reached out from behind the withered vines and covered the mouth of the man in front.

The knife handle struck the back of the neck.

The bandit's body went limp, and he was dragged into the crevice by Aman.

Just as the man behind was about to strike the gong, Xu Qingshan grabbed his wrist and pressed the gong into the snow.

Gao Bai pounced from the side, the rope wrapped around his neck, and several people worked together to pin him down.

The bandits struggled for a moment, but were quickly gagged.

Xu Qingshan took off the wooden plaque from his waist.

The front is engraved with black wind patterns, while the back has the character "后" (hou).

"Patrol Post Sign on the Back Hill"

Gao Bai said, "With this, you can at least say a few words to other sentries you encounter."

Xu Qingshan had two Zhenbei cavalrymen change into bandit robes and then dragged the prisoners into a crevice in the rocks.

"Leave one person to keep watch."

"We'll hear the case again when we get back."

The group continued along the mountain patrol path.

As darkness fell.

The snow in the forest reflected the last rays of sunlight, while in the distance, torches were already lit in the mountain village.

Looking down the mountainside, the outline of Black Wind Village became clearer and clearer.

The outer perimeter is a wooden wall more than two zhang high.

There is an arrow tower on each side of the main mountain road, and outside the gate of the stockade, there are piles of chevaux-de-frise and rolling logs. The inner stockade is built against the mountain, with houses rising up the slope in layers, and a black wind flag is planted at the highest point.

A crack appeared in the stone wall behind.

That is the entrance to the Tsangma Valley.

Xiaoqi lay behind a high slope and squinted at it for a long time.

"Go up another fifty steps, and there is a protruding stone platform."

"Standing there, you can see most of the inner village."

Xu Qingshan asked, "Is the arrow range sufficient?"

"The flag tower, the entrance to the wooden prison, and the stone path in front of the grain depot are all sufficient."

"The gate is a bit far; even a strong bow can hold off the arrow tower."

"Take six crossbowmen up with you."

Xu Qingshan said, "Let's find out the route first, and not fire any arrows tonight."

Xiao Qi led the group up the side slope toward the stone platform.

The rest of the people hid in a low pine forest.

As darkness fell completely, the faint sound of horses' hooves finally echoed from the direction of the trade route.

Several riders rushed into Black Wind Stronghold through the main gate.

After dismounting, the bandit leader ran towards the inner village, constantly shouting things like "Qi Biao has been ambushed" and "The caravan has hidden soldiers."

Chaos quickly broke out in the village.

A group of bandits was sent to the main gate.

The other team led out warhorses, ready to provide support along the trade route.

Aman stared at the torches.

"Qi Biao wasn't caught."

"If the second-in-command dies, the people who come back won't just shout that they've been ambushed."

Xu Qingshan nodded.

The purpose of the ambush was not to force Qi Biao to stay.

Su Jinniang needs to force him back to Black Wind Stronghold to confirm that the ten cartloads of goods are still nearby, and continue to focus on the main trade route.

As long as Qi Biao still covets those goods, Black Wind Village will not be willing to seal off its gates.

A figure crept up from the woods below.

Aman had already drawn her short bow, but upon hearing three soft taps on the stone as a signal, she lowered the arrow.

Hou San leaned against the tree trunk and stepped out of the shadows.

He wrapped a new circle of hemp cloth around his waist, and the Black Wind Fortress outer robe was still hanging on his shoulder.

Xu Qingshan glanced at him.

"Where is Qi Biao?"

"He abandoned more than twenty people and ran away with seven or eight of his close associates."

Hou San said, "Manager Su let him see that the truck could still move, and then deliberately opened the valley entrance."

"That guy ran all the way to the village, probably thinking of bringing more people back to rob it."

"How did you get here?"

"The Shangdao Valley is about ten miles from here."

Hou San pointed to the bandit's outer robe behind him.

"I changed my clothes and borrowed their horses to go around to the north slope."

Ah Man looked at his waist.

"Does Qin Yuenu know?"

"She's not here now."

"You'll find out when we get back."

Hou San paused for a moment.

"So we'd better grab as much medicine as possible this time."

Xu Qingshan handed him the patrol post sign for the back mountain.

"Can we go in?"

Hou San examined the wooden plaque.

"The patrol post had just received the order to withdraw, and there was no time to check people at the back gate."

"I felt around outside the crack in the rock, looking for the wooden cell and the grain shed first."

"Bring two people."

"no."

Hou San pointed to the narrow crevice in the rock.

"With so many people, it's easy to run into shift changes."

"I was a wounded soldier, wearing their clothes, and even from the shadows, I looked like I had just escaped."

"If you are questioned, just say that Qi Biao sent me back to report the news."

Xu Qingshan stared at him for a moment.

"Half an hour."

"If the time limit is exceeded, Xiao Qi will place a rocket without a rocket on the stone platform."

"I'll retreat when I see the arrow."

Hou San stuffed the patrol post sign into his pocket.

"rest assured."

"I value my life very much now."

Ah Man said, "Speaking from your mouth, it sounds like your last words."

Hou San waved his hand and disappeared into the darkness.

…………

The crevice in the rocks behind the mountain is only wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

Several baskets of hay were piled up at the entrance, and four spare warhorses were tied up beside them.

The two guards were discussing the ambush on the trade route and had no time to pay close attention to Hou San.

Which team?

Hou San shook the wooden sign.

"A hidden sentry post on the back mountain."

"Second Master Qi sent me back to deliver a message: the Zhenbei Army is hiding in a truck, and there are at least fifty of them."

The guard cursed.

"Didn't Xu Qingshan go to Black Wind Pass?"

"He can create clones."

Hou San said, "Why don't you go out and ask him?"

The guard's face darkened.

"Hurry up and go inside."

Behind the crevice in the rock lies the Hidden Horse Valley.

Three rows of thatched huts stood in the valley, with dozens of warhorses tethered behind wooden fences. Several wagons covered with felt were parked in a corner, with saddles and salt bags piled up beside them.

Hou San followed the shadows around the stable.

The back wall of the inner village is much lower than the front wall. There is a drainage ditch at the base of the wall. The stone slabs have been washed open by water, and there is just enough space for a person to crawl through.

There were no guards at the mouth of the ditch.

Sewage flowed out from the cracks in the rocks, and the smell was even stronger than that of the old water prison at Duanhebao.

Hou San looked at his wound.

"Qin Yuenu should have only said that the knife should not be used."

He lay down in the ditch and squeezed his way sideways over the stone slabs.

The sound from the inner village soon came.

There was constant arguing inside the wooden building.

The chief was mobilizing troops, but Qi Biao's trusted men left in the stronghold refused to hand over their cavalry. The two sides argued more and more fiercely over the ten carts of goods on the trade route.

Hou San moved close to the base of the wall.

The stables are on the east side.

The well is located in the center of the inner village.

The grain depot is hidden under the deepest part of the stone wall, with two iron-clad wooden doors at the entrance and eight oil drums piled up outside the stone passage.

Four archers guarded the platform above.

The other six bandits were eating around the brazier, with torches stuck less than ten steps away from the oil barrels.

Hou San watched for a while, then quietly retreated to the west side.

A row of low wooden houses is surrounded by high walls.

Seven bandits guarded the outside of the wall, and two iron locks hung on the door.

There were no lights inside, but coughs, cries, and the scraping of chains could be heard from time to time in the darkness.

A guard opened the door carrying a wooden bucket.

Hou San took advantage of the widening crack in the door to glance inside.

At the front were more than twenty merchants, their hands and feet bound with ropes.

Further inside, there were two more rows of wooden cells.

The women and children huddled in the haystack, their numbers far exceeding the number He Liu had given.

A child heard the door open and had just stood up when the guard kicked him back to the ground.

"Behave yourselves!"

"Sending him to White Wolf Village tomorrow will save him a few more cuts."

Hou San's hand rested on the hilt of the knife.

The wound tightened with each breath.

The police gong is still ringing in the village.

If he acts now, he can at most kill a few people at the entrance, but the hundreds of people in the wooden prison will be trapped in the inner village.

Hou San suppressed his breath and retreated along the wall.

Several cartloads of hay were piled up near the wooden cell.

If the fire is set on the outside as originally planned, and the flames are carried by the wind into the inner village, these people will have nowhere to escape.

Back at the drainage ditch, he picked up a broken wooden sign from the muddy water.

The wooden sign was stained with blood, and a corner of its edge had been stepped on and chipped off.

The front is engraved with a blurry character "青" (qing).

There is also a military household number on the back.

Hou San stuffed the wooden sign into his pocket and crawled through the stone ditch again.

…………

Just half an hour after the agreed time, Hou San returned to the pine forest.

He was covered in sewage and mud, and the smell could be detected from several steps away.

Aman covered her nose.

"Did you fall into a cesspool?"

"More valuable than a cesspool."

Hou San drew the locations of the grain shed, oil drums, stable, and drainage ditch on the snow.

"The grain storage facility only has a main entrance."

"There were eight oil drums at the entrance, and a fire was always kept burning next to them."

"There are more than sixty horses in Zangma Valley. There is a drainage ditch under the back wall, which can be used to enter the inner village."

Xu Qingshan asked, "Where's the wooden cell?"

The smile on Hou San's face disappeared.

"West side."

"Business travelers must number at least thirty."

"More than one hundred women and children."

"The hay was piled up outside the wall."

Xu Qingshan looked up at the sky above Black Wind Village.

The original plan was for Xiao Hongluan to create a fire from the front, forcing the garrison in the stronghold to disperse.

This fire must not be set now.

Once the wind direction changes, the first to be burned to death are those in the wooden cell.

Xu Qingshan used his scabbard to wipe away the fire attack route on the snow.

"Cancel the burning of the village."

"Hou San led his men into the inner village through the drainage ditch and first opened the wooden prison."

"Aman sealed off Zangma Valley and controlled the warhorses and the crevices in the rocks behind the mountain."

"Xiao Qi guards the high ground, aiming his arrows at the entrance to the wooden prison and the torch in the grain shed."

"Xiao Hongluan's main force only beat drums and sounded horns, making the villagers think that a large army had arrived."

Gao Bai asked, "What about the grain depot?"

"After the rescue team enters the inner village, they will then operate the grain storage facility."

Xu Qingshan said, "People must come out first before we can seize the grain."

Hou San took out the blood-stained wooden plaque from his pocket.

Xu Qingshan took it and wiped the mud off with his sleeve.

The serial number on the back gradually becomes clear.

Qingya Fort, military household number 27 (丙字27).

Upon seeing the number, Gao Bai whispered, "The missing military household from Qingya Fort is indeed imprisoned here."

Behind the wooden wall of Black Wind Village, the faint sound of children crying could be heard on the night wind.

Xu Qingshan gripped the wooden plaque tightly.

"Let's figure out the route tonight."

"We must enter the village tomorrow, and not a single one can be missing."