Erlang’s eyes sparkled with brilliance and his spirit soared as he spoke of his plan, shedding the usual reserved demeanor.
After hearing his entire strategy, Magistrate Cheng immediately said to Jiang Pan, "Your Erlang is remarkable! So young, yet so skilled at deploying troops and formations. If he were to join the army, he'd surely become a great general!"
"Brother Pan, your second son is truly a promising talent for warfare! Such rare aptitude!"
Jiang Pan, hearing the praise from everyone and seeing Erlang’s confident yet hopeful gaze towards him, pursed his lips without speaking.
Erlang’s originally bright eyes dimmed considerably.
Magistrate Cheng and the others, not noticing the exchange of glances between father and son, began to meticulously arrange the entire plan.
Soon, the county’s soldiers were all busy bringing Erlang’s plan to life.
A barrier was erected blocking the north-south avenue into the city, and nearby residents were relocated. Arrow slits were carved into the two shops at the first line of defense. All routes leading to the dead-end alley were blocked, and mechanisms and traps were set up in the alley to prevent the bandits from desperately climbing into the courtyards on either side if they were cornered.
Meanwhile, Physician Jin was invited by Magistrate Cheng to prepare a knockout drug for the bandits.
Magistrate Cheng, unusually stern, declared, "These are all vicious mountain bandits, responsible for countless lives. To prevent them from having the strength to escape and harm others, it would be best if this poison could directly take their lives."
Physician Jin did not prepare the poison himself but guided Chen Yuezhi in its preparation.
After Chen Yuezhi finished and returned to tell her family about the poison, they couldn't help but feel a chill. "The medicine is extremely potent. Just inhaling a little bit means you won't be able to walk out of the alley alive."
Madam Su and Zhang Qiaoxiu turned pale with fright.
"What if the wind blows the poisonous smoke elsewhere? Wouldn't that implicate innocent people?"
Chen Yuezhi replied, "That is the brilliance of your grand-teacher. The poisonous smoke is only effective at the time of release. Once the wind blows, the concentration decreases, and the impact on others is minimal. As long as the city residents are instructed to close their doors and windows, no innocents will be harmed."
After hearing this, they were both fearful and impressed by Physician Jin’s methods.
After three days of busy preparation, everything was in order.
Magistrate Cheng ordered signals to be released in the city according to the bandits' confessions.
Not long after the signal smoke rose into the sky, a response came from outside the city.
By evening, activity began within the city, with various noises of shouting and smashing erupting.
As night fell, fires began to break out in many parts of the city!
Jiang Wan stood in the shadows on the city wall, watching the bandits gathering outside the city walls, along with some refugees who had decided to join them. A slightly cruel smile slowly curved her lips.
According to the plan, as the commotion in the city grew, Yan Li, disguised, ran to the city gate and knocked a few times on the heavy gate, giving the secret signal to the bandits outside.
The bandits outside the city heard the knocking and immediately responded.
Yan Li unlatched the heavy bolt on the city gate, pulled it open a crack, and shouted to the outside, "Brothers, quickly!"
The city gate was pitch black. The bandits, holding torches, didn't bother to check if Yan Li was one of them and rushed in headlong.
Yan Li ran at the forefront, shouting to the bandits, "The road is blocked over there, come this way!"
The bandits, suspecting nothing, followed Yan Li. However, before they had run far, they saw Yan Li leap and disappear from sight.
The bandits running at the front hadn't figured out what was happening when a command that shook the night sky rang out: "Release the arrows!"
Arrows whistled through the air, and the bandits holding torches were perfect targets!
Screams erupted one after another. Some bandits, snapping back to reality, quickly threw away their torches and turned to flee back.
But as soon as they turned, they found a raging fire behind them.
The air was thick with the smell of tung oil. With their retreat blocked, the bandits had no choice but to charge forward, naturally being led into the deadly dead-end alley.
Some bandits, after entering the alley, realized something was wrong and immediately tried to turn back. But before they could take a few steps, a peculiar fragrance wafted in.
These bandits were curious about the source of the smell and even couldn't help but sniff it a few more times.
"Ah..."
Screams echoed through the alley.
Some bandits who hadn't yet entered the alley heard the screams and knew something was amiss. They stopped rushing in and continued to flee along the only path.
Erlang, leading a group of guards summoned from various households, waited ahead. Hearing footsteps approaching, Erlang shouted to them, "Brothers, it's time to work!"
Shouts of fighting and killing filled the air…
Jiang Wan stood on the rooftop, watching the people fighting below with a cold gaze.
Gu Chenzhou, standing beside her, was shocked by her demeanor and asked in a low voice, "How are you so brave?"
From the city gate to this point, he had been trying his best to hold on after killing so many people, yet Jiang Wan remained unfazed.
Jiang Wan didn't answer him. Instead, she raised her hand and threw a stone, knocking down a bandit who had broken through the crowd.
The stone hit the bandit precisely on the head, and blood and gore splattered everywhere.
Gu Chenzhou could no longer hold back. Before his last shred of reason vanished, he said to Jiang Wan, "Help me..."
Jiang Wan turned to see Gu Chenzhou's eyes turn scarlet and his spirit becoming wild.
She reached out and placed her hand on Gu Chenzhou's forehead, channeling an ability into him. Gu Chenzhou's body immediately went limp.
Jiang Wan caught him, then casually placed him on the rooftop, and continued to watch the battle below with cold eyes.
The battle did not last very long. In less than an hour, all the bandits and the temporarily joined refugees were killed or captured.
The smell of blood was so strong that Magistrate Cheng and the others who arrived couldn't help but vomit on the spot.
After a while, Magistrate Cheng and the others managed to stop vomiting and asked Erlang and the others, "Are you alright?"
Erlang's eyes shone with excitement. This was his first real battle against enemies, and he discovered his abilities were even stronger than he had imagined!
Just as he was about to say he was fine, Jiang Wan appeared from nowhere and patted him on the back.
Erlang felt as if a piece of flesh had been scraped off his back.
"Second Brother, you're injured on your back. Hurry and find Mother to get it bandaged."
Only then did Erlang realize, and then he became worried. If his mother knew he was injured, she would skin him alive!
Magistrate Cheng, seeing him go from spirited to so timid in such a short time, couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Jiang Pan kicked Erlang, "Aren't you going to get it bandaged? Is your blood that plentiful?"
Erlang rubbed his nose and quickly went to find Chen Yuezhi, who was not far ahead.