Chapter 46: That Little Bitch of the Hu Family, Trying to Start a Rebellion?

Watching that dashing, spirited figure ride away at a gallop, Zhou Jin remarked, "General Su, this young lady is quite something. She'd make a fine match for one of us military men."

Wu Song agreed, "Brother, I think so too."

Su Wu looked slightly awkward. "She just possesses the untamed nature of those who wander the rivers and lakes."

Wu Song countered directly, "Brother, I don't think so."

"Alright, alright, let's keep moving," Su Wu cut the conversation short.

Passing the main intersection of Julong Ridge, Su Wu did not halt his horse. He merely exchanged a cupped-fist salute with Zhu Biao and Du Xing by way of greeting and rode right on past.

Hujiazhuang's Hu Saniniang had ridden back and forth between the three villages several times to speak of Su Wu's intentions—stating that in the future, he wanted neither money nor grain, but rather wished to recruit some upright, respectable youths...

Having given this advance notice, she spurred her horse to catch up with Su Wu, without telling anyone else what she was up to.

Indeed, ever since Hu Sanniang joined them, the atmosphere in the troop had grown light and cheerful.

The young maiden chattered incessantly. One moment she would draw her saber and whirl it around, making a roaring, tiger-like wind with the blade, boasting that her martial arts were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The next moment, she would borrow a bow, claiming she could draw even a heavy war bow, leaving the bird nests in the roadside trees to suffer a terrible misfortune.

The numerous soldiers cheered her on continuously.

Su Wu showered her with praise: "A true heroine among women, a peerless military champion!"

The more Su Wu praised her, the more Hu Sanniang felt compelled to show off. She even performed some remarkable equestrian stunts, darting back and forth while twisting and turning acrobatically across her horse's back, pulling it off with genuine skill.

"Splendid! Truly impressive!" Su Wu nodded repeatedly. This display of face-saving and emotional validation had to be given in full measure.

Only then did Hu Sanniang quiet down slightly, though she wore an air of proud aloofness, as if to say, *Now do you realize how formidable I am?*

Just at that moment, two of the advance scouts returned from ahead and reported, "General Su, everything is quiet in Yanggu County. The four gates are wide open, and commoners are coming and going as usual. It's just that there are noticeably more armored soldiers stationed at the city gates..."

Su Wu frowned slightly. Yun Liwan's subordinates were all composed of local garrison troops; how many truly armored soldiers could they possibly have?

Zhou Jin’s expression hardened into a fierce scowl. "It seems another skirmish is inevitable..."

Su Wu shook his head. "Not necessarily. Yun Liwan has no men of that caliber under his command. These fellows were most likely sent ahead by Dong Ping to assist him, and they certainly won't risk their lives for him in earnest."

"Who are we capturing? Is it that Yun Liwan fellow?" Hu Sanniang chimed in directly.

"Did your clever mind guess it right again?" Su Wu teased her as if she were a child.

"Hmph! I'll capture that scoundrel for you myself!" Hu Sanniang declared with overbearing confidence.

The surrounding soldiers exchanged smiles, though they restrained themselves and refrained from bursting into loud laughter.

Believing the men did not trust her and looked down upon her, Hu Sanniang said nothing more, lowered her head, and spurred her horse forward.

Noticing this, Su Wu instructed the scouts, "Go back and scout again. Keep a close eye, and report immediately if there are any changes."

Su Wu approached such matters with utmost seriousness and gravity. Even for a minor task like dealing with Yun Liwan, he had dispatched a large contingent of outrider scouts.

The scouts galloped away once more.

Within the troop, the cheerful atmosphere dissipated, replaced by a solemn tension. Some began checking their blades and armor, while others soothed their mounts...

Twilight descended once again.

atop the city gate tower, Yun Liwan had long been unable to sit or stand in peace. Waiting for Su Wu had exhausted him both physically and mentally, leaving his face haggard.

In the distance, a cavalry column appeared, gleaming with armor and fluttering banners.

Yun Liwan instantly lit up with joy and exclaimed, "Could that be General Dong arriving?"

An armored soldier standing beside him also peered into the distance. Being a trusted confidant of Dong Ping, however, he frowned after just a few glances. "That doesn't quite look right..."

"With a force like this, who else could it be? You truly don't recognize your own people from your own household—hurry up and go welcome them."

Yun Liwan's nerves were stretched to their absolute limit. At this moment, he was desperate to grasp at any straw, and Dong Ping was the only straw available. He clung to a hopeful fantasy, praying it would prove true.

The soldier accompanied Yun Liwan down from the city wall, though unlike the wildly excited Yun Liwan, he began rallying a hundred or so garrison soldiers into formation around him.

He didn't necessarily believe anyone was coming to attack them, but caution and readiness were second nature to him.

Behind the hundred-odd armored men stood two or three hundred ragtag garrison troops of Yanggu County.

As the troop slowly drew closer, not only did Yun Liwan fail to notice anything amiss, but his joy swelled even further. "Look, who else could it be if not General Dong?"

The armored man beside him also breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, "It really is General Dong."

Why?

Because leading the vanguard was a massive grand standard, bearing a single, striking character: *Dong*.

At dusk, people were difficult to make out clearly, but large characters could be read with absolute distinctness.

On the other side, Su Wu had indeed resorted to a small trick, utilizing the grand standard brought all the way from Dongping Prefecture. Nowadays, he approached everything with increasing thoroughness, carefully plotting every detail in advance. This entire venture into Yanggu County hinged upon that single character *Dong* on the banner.

Su Wu knew full well that Hu Sanniang had been eager to try her hand, so he offered a word of caution: "Saniniang, don't be hasty. Make sure not to ruin the plan."

Hu Sanniang nodded. "I know how to measure the gravity of the situation!"

Her prideful little toss of the head brought a smile to Su Wu's face. There was a genuine, endearing cuteness to her haughtiness. After all, Hu Sanniang was still quite young—perhaps sixteen or seventeen—and her youthful temperament still lingered. In another couple of years, she would likely change.

In the distance, a squad of seven or eight horsemen galloped out from the city gates to meet them.

Hu Sanniang murmured, "I can recognize which one is Yun Liwan."

Su Wu nodded. "Very well, you shall be the one to capture him."

Hu Sanniang maintained her proud demeanor. "None of you will be able to snatch him from me."

The atmosphere within the troop grew slightly more jovial once more. Even Wu Song nodded and said, "We certainly won't try to steal your prize. I'll pick that armored fellow in the front; he must be Dong Ping's confidant, and I'll send his head rolling with a single slash."

As the approaching party drew nearer, their horses suddenly slowed their pace, evidently inspecting the vanguard with care.

The armored man beside Yun Liwan suddenly reined in his horse and spoke up, "Military Advisor Yun, it doesn't look like General Dong is among them. All those men up front have unfamiliar faces."

A trace of doubt seemed to awaken in Yun Liwan as well. He pulled on his reins, peering closely. *Where on earth was General Dong?*

Suddenly, a shout rang out from the opposite side: "Charge!"

The hundred-odd horsemen, previously advancing at a leisurely pace, burst forward in a sudden, overwhelming swarm.

A single maiden took the lead, riding far ahead of the rest.

Yun Liwan's hands trembled, but he hastily whipped his horse around, crying out, "Run! Go, go, go!"

From behind came the shout of the young woman: "Yun Liwan, where do you think you're going?"

Hearing a female voice only heightened Yun Liwan's panic. He turned his head and yelled to the armored man beside him, "Quick, go hold them off!"

Paying him no mind, the armored man spurred his horse into an even faster gallop, shouting back, "Let's talk once we're inside the city walls! Inside the city first..."

The pursuing cavalry thundered after them, closing the distance rapidly, accompanied once again by the maiden's voice: "Yun Liwan, won't you dismount and surrender to this lady!"

Turning his head in terror, Yun Liwan saw a young woman on horseback, twin sabers in hand, bearing down on him at terrifying speed.

He frantically drew the long saber from his waist. Instead of turning to fight, he swung it backward in a gesture of panicked intimidation, shouting threats, "Little lass of the Hu family, are you attempting treason? Who gave you the audacity?"