Chapter 12: Encounter with Bandits at Night

  Just sleeping soundly, was awakened by a row of Zhang Aiwens, and asked only to know that the sentry found that in a village 4 miles away, there were people making a big noise, especially coming to ask Yang Xing for instructions.

  Rushed to a hill, looking at the village with binoculars, the noise gradually subsided, but the fire was still very clear, and what made it even more incomprehensible was that the fire slowly disappeared towards the north.

  Zhang Aiwen explained: Lian Chang, at the beginning, the sentry reported that he had heard two crying sounds and was very nervous, so he came to report.

  Yang Xing nodded and said: These torches are very abnormal. Notify the teaching team, seal off each pass, anyone, without my approval, is not allowed to enter or exit at will.

  Zhang Aiwen looked at Yang Xing and said: "Lian Chang, you also say that this group of people is unusual. Do you want me to bring two people to investigate the situation? It's been a while since the National Government was established, and Zhao Erfeng's troops have scattered, causing bandits to roam freely in Sichuan."

  Yang Xing nodded and said: You take a few people to check the situation, also, notify each squad leader to hold a meeting to discuss countermeasures.

  Zhang Aiwu was overjoyed and immediately waved his hand, leading three soldiers into the darkness.

  Speaking of rushing at night, Zhang Aiwu is a master. When he was young, his father was a bodyguard, and under his influence, he often followed his father to run errands in the dark of night.

  Later, his father was killed by the enemy while running errands together. Zhang Aiwen was left alone and helpless, and finally, like Yang Xing, he had to give up his studies and join the army.

  Unlike Yang Xing, Zhang Aiwu did not attend military school and rose from a private to his current position.

  So after receiving Yang Xing's order, he immediately led two soldiers to advance in black.

  Jindang still belongs to the Chengdu Plain, with a relatively flat terrain. Although there are many potholes along the way, it's not like other places with numerous mountain roads and small paths. Under the moonlight, before even entering the village, I heard heart-wrenching wails.

  Just as a warrior named Dog Wazi was about to enter and gather information, Zhang Aiwu was shocked and immediately pulled him back, her heart filled with anger: "How can you be so stupid? Do you want people to know we're bad guys?"

  Gouwa's eyes widened in surprise: "Paichang, we are a model artillery company, how can we be bad people?"

  He thought to himself: Do you think a bad person is carved on their forehead, how stupid. Look, people come and go in this village, men are still holding wooden sticks, at first glance it's clear that they've been robbed or something, we sneak in, won't we be mistaken for accomplices?

  The puppy felt wronged and said: "Lao Zhang, you tell me, what should I do?"

  Zhang Aiwen carefully scanned the surroundings, seeing a figure flashing by, and was worried about what to do when he suddenly saw a shadow hunching over, sneaking towards this side, and crouching down at the edge of a nearby trench to relieve himself.

  Zhang Aiwu was overjoyed and signaled to Dog Wa'er and others to capture him alive. Dog Wa'er and another person pinched their noses with their hands, and just as the man was about to leave, they suddenly pounced on him and quickly subdued him.

  After interrogation, the man's name was Luo Bei, a long-term worker of the Luo family in Zhuangzhai.

  After the Xinhai Revolution, in Yanshanzhai, Jindong, local hooligans and ruffians colluded with the old army to form a band of outlaws led by Wang Dagna. They gathered at Yanshanzhai, bringing disaster to the countryside.

  As Luo Jia Zhuang was a well-known large manor in the tens of miles around Jin Tang, the owner Luo Yuan hired more than 10 guards to protect the manor, so the bandits had not taken action yet.

  Last month, the landlord Luo hired a gatekeeper named Niu Mazzi. Who knew that this Niu Mazzi was actually a bandit from Yanshan Stronghold, sent to gather information. After getting familiar with the situation, with Niu Mazzi's help, the bandits broke into the courtyard quickly last night, taking away tens of thousands of taels of silver and countless other valuables from Mr. Luo's family.

  During the robbery, Niú Mázi was also recognized while searching for jewelry, and everyone suddenly realized why the bandits' robbery was so smooth.

  Yang Xing listened carefully and looked at a group of officers, saying: Everyone isn't complaining that training is dull every day? Now it's good, this time we came out for exercises and encountered such bandits, what do you say we should do? ?? Patriotic warlord 12

  Liu Ergou looked at Yang Xing in surprise: "Commander, of course, we have local troops to suppress bandits. We are the model artillery company of the Grand Governor's Office, and we've just been formed for less than 4 months. Although our training is rigorous, it's too dangerous for us to fight against bandits."

  Zhang Aiwen retorted: Deputy company commander, as the company commander said, we are a revolutionary army. Seeing bandits running amok, if we don't take care of it, that's not quite right. Other brother units hear that we encountered bandits and didn't dare to speak out, how will others look at our artillery company? How can our brothers be expected to behave?

  As Liu Erdou was about to say something, Yang Xingsheng feared that this matter would fall through. To be sure, apart from these reasons, a more enticing reason is that the bandits had robbed Luo Family Village of 10 gold bars and over 1.3 million silver coins.

  To know that this is not a small number, after the founding of the Republic, what was most lacking in the revolutionary governments of various places? Money.

  If we can recover this amount of money, when the time comes to report to Commander-in-Chief Yin, we will definitely be heavily rewarded. The other day, when preparing for the exercise, Colonel Tao Zekun was complaining about the government's lack of funds.

  Yang Xing suddenly stood up and said: Everyone, my mind is made up. Let's get rid of this group of bandits. We are a revolutionary army, how can we just sit back and watch the bandits bully and harm our neighbors? If our superiors blame us for using troops privately, I'll take full responsibility.

  He immediately ordered Zhang Aiwu to lead a squad of soldiers, with the help of Luo Tuizi, to contact Luo Jia Zhuang's Luo family guard and find local villagers familiar with the terrain of Yanshan Village. If possible, try to find several woodcutters or mountain medicine collectors to clarify the situation in Yanshan Village and provide support for the entire company's action.

  The whole regiment of soldiers will secretly set out at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning according to the training plan, bypassing Luo's Village and heading towards Yanshan Stronghold.

  Yan Mountain stronghold is about 200 meters high, composed of two large and small peaks. When the artillery was secretly opened at noon on the same day and moved to a not-too-distant place called Luoye Slope, it had already connected with Zhang Aiwu and others who had been scouting ahead.

  Zhang Aiwen immediately accepted the order and led a squad to Luo Jiazhuang under the leadership of Luo Baozi, where they met with the owner of Luo Jiazhuang, Luo Yuan.

  Luo Yuan, over thirty years old, saw his family's wealth being robbed overnight. While wiping his nose, he suddenly heard Luo Tuozi report that a branch of the army was nearby, and it was possible to recover the stolen goods. Overjoyed, he immediately summoned Master Shi and Li He Shang, the head of the guards, to discuss the matter.

  When Zhang Aiwu asked for someone familiar with the terrain of Yanshan Village, Luo Yuan fell into deep thought. To say that he was familiar with the terrain of Yanshan Village, he didn't know anything about it at all.

  At this time, Master He Er suggested: Dongjia, this military officer, isn't Lao San's wife at the foot of Yanshan Stronghold? Why not let someone call Lao San over, or is he familiar with something?

  Zhang Aiwu was overjoyed and immediately asked Luo Yuan to go find Old Man Luo.

  Lao San, over thirty years old, dressed in tattered clothes, as soon as the military officer asked about the situation of Yanshan Village, he became extremely nervous and said: Officer, it's not me, I'm just a honest and law-abiding farmer, my father-in-law's family is only a firewood cutter or hunter, absolutely no possibility of colluding with bandits.

  Luo Yuan threatened: Luo Lao San, we are all from the same village, and everyone knows each other. Last night, our manor was robbed by bandits, and everyone in the village suffered heavy losses, from me, Luo Yuan, to ordinary villagers. And your wife just happens to be at the foot of Yan Mountain Fort, and your two brothers-in-law are woodcutters. This makes one wonder if you have any connection with the bandits.

  Lao San was shocked and quickly knelt down, saying: "Lord Luo, this military officer, even if I had the courage of heaven, I wouldn't dare to collude with bandits. Moreover, my two uncles are honest woodcutters and hunters, who came to our house last month and complained that every time they went up the mountain to cut firewood, the bandits would demand a bundle from them, and even hunting rabbits was not allowed. How could we possibly collude with such bandits?"

  Zhang Aiwu saw Huohou, stood up and walked back and forth: "Lao San, Luo's village was robbed by the bandits from Yanshan stronghold, and your wife just happens to be from the foot of Yanshan mountain. No matter what, you can't wash away this suspicion of being a traitor."

  Old Luo was shocked, his eyes wide with fear, and he anxiously asked: "Sir, how can my family clear the suspicion of being in league with bandits?" You know, sir, if it's not the government punishment, even if people hear that Old Luo's family has a suspicion of being in league with bandits, our third child's engagement might also be ruined.

  Luo Yuan saw that he had to come forward himself, and said with a smile: "Old Luo, we are all from the same village after all. When we were young, we also played together. How can I stand by and do nothing when you're in trouble? This military officer is from the Sichuan Model Battalion, which is stationed at Wangjiaping. They heard that our village was being raided and are preparing to come up the mountain to suppress the bandits. At that time, it would be a bother for you and your cousin to lead the way and familiarize them with the terrain."

  Upon hearing this, Old Third Luo immediately fell to the ground and shook his head repeatedly: "Master Luo's estate is doomed, it's all over. What if the bandits find out? What about my two uncles?"

  Zhang Aiwen listened, feigning great anger, his eyes wide with rage: "You turtle's egg! You're so slow and sneaky, I knew at a glance you weren't a good person. Last night, Luo Family Village was robbed, it must have been this man who colluded with the bandits. Guards, come and bind this Luo Lao San, drag him away, behead him for the crime of collaborating with bandits!"

  Luo Yuan also followed the pre-arranged script and repeatedly pleaded for mercy, only then did Zhang Aiwen's expression ease up.

  Luoyan looked at Zhang Aiweng, who was furious and hastily escaped with 5 taels of silver, and handed them over to Luolao San: "Third brother, we are from the same village. You see, last night, my family's wealth accumulated over five generations was looted by bandits. No matter what, I need your help this time. When the army arrives at Yanshan Stronghold, your two uncles will lead the way. As long as the bandits are eliminated, I, Luoyan, will not treat you unfairly."

  Lao San was also helpless, on the one hand Zhang Aiwen wanted to bind himself and treat himself as a bandit accomplice, while on the other hand landlord Luo Yuan begged him repeatedly and even handed over 5 big oceans. Overjoyed, he decided to take his wife with him and lead Zhang Aiwen's group to the foot of Yan Mountain Stronghold.

  Arrived at the foot of Yanshan Village, found Luo Lao San's two uncles Chen Lao Er and Chen Lao San. Heard that the army was going to exterminate the bandits on Yanshan Mountain, otherwise, his brother-in-law might be treated as an accomplice of the bandits. These two woodcutters were anxious and repeatedly told Zhang Aiwen and others about the situation of the bandits.

  It was confirmed from their mouths that the situation in Yanshan Village, Wang Dabao was originally a notorious hooligan known for dozens of miles around. Before the Railway Protection Movement, he had colluded with more than 40 people to occupy Yanshan Village, collecting protection fees or looting and robbing, causing trouble in the local area.