Chapter 560: Sorrow

Editor: Atlas Studios

It was indeed not difficult because the difference in numbers was too great.

When Zhan Yu found Mu Yangling and the rest, Mu Yangling was leading Bai Qing’s men around in circles. As the trees were dense, it was not difficult for her to hide.

Thanks to her ten years of practice, although she wasn’t too skilled, she could still use her qinggong to dodge quickly.

By the time Zhan Yu and his men found their way here, Bai Qing was about to be driven crazy by Mu Yangling. This was because as they walked, the people walking at the back kept getting their necks slit.

In response, he had his men walk forward with their backs against each other, but then they started getting attacked by arrows. And when they attacked back with arrows, the other party had already run away.

Now, Bai Qing finally understood what Mo Yong meant when he said that Mu Yangling was good at forest warfare. Though her movements appeared to be erratic, she somehow managed to guide them forward.

After walking a few rounds around the forest, they couldn’t even differentiate east, west, north, and south.

Bai Qing and his men couldn’t figure out their orientation, but Zhan Yu managed to follow the traces and found them. As soon as they met, Bai Qing’s expression changed drastically. Having wasted too much time, Bai Qing and his men had lost their opportunity to take down the opponent.

Mu Yangling walked out from behind a tree not far away and ordered with a dark expression, “Dead or alive, I want them taken down!”

The soldiers who followed Zhan Yu were all from the first five divisions. Upon hearing this, they drew their swords and rushed forward. This was the first time Zhan Yu had seen Fourth Madam. Seeing that her body was covered in red blood, his heart trembled and he hurriedly asked, “Fourth Madam, are you injured?”

Mu Yangling glanced at him and said, “Mo Yong brought his men to the east to chase after the other three. Send out a team to save them.”

Guard One also ran over from afar, having just led another group of people out to circle around. When he heard the commotion, he hurriedly ran back.

“Fourth Madam.”

Mu Yangling looked up at Bai Qing and said to Guard One, “Capture him alive if you can. If not, send him to meet his fellow men.”

Mu Yangling’s expression was very ugly. Not only for the guards protecting her, but also for the villagers who had died.

Those guards had come with the mentality that they were going to die, and Qi Haoran had already arranged a way out for their families. Their deaths were part of the plan, and if they managed to survive, it was a blessing.

However, the villagers’ deaths were completely accidental. Before the night before yesterday, they had happily gone out to check on the thawing of the fields. They were planning to plant crops in spring and go home to eat with their parents, wives, and children. Even before today, they only thought that as long as they hid at home and waited for the Zhu family to leave, the village would return to peace and life would go on like before.

However, in order to repay her kindness for lending them grains, they had lost their lives.

Mu Yangling’s eyes were slightly red as she gripped the knife in her hand tightly. They had no idea that she had lent them grains in the beginning because she was afraid that they would threaten their safety should they be driven to extreme hunger.

She was not as kind and selfless as they thought.

Moreover, she was charging them interest on the grains she lent them. Those villagers clearly did not owe her anything, yet they were repaying with their lives.

Mu Yangling stood in the forest with her saber in hand, waiting for Zhan Yu and the others to capture Bai Qing, Mo Yong, and the others one by one. There were only six guards who had returned alive, including Guard One. Four of them were seriously injured and on the verge of death.

Mu Yangling waved her hand and said, “Take them down for treatment and escort the captives back. The remaining soldiers will search and rescue the people in the forest and carry the corpses out…”

Though Guard One was also seriously injured, he did not retreat. Instead, he followed beside Mu Yangling and watched as corpses were carried over.

Zhan Yu carefully glanced at Mu Yangling. Because she was wearing dark clothes, he was a little unsure if the blood on her body belonged to someone else or was hers. Hence, after hesitating for a moment, he went forward and said, “Fourth Madam, you can go down the mountain first. I can supervise things on the mountain.”

Mu Yangling ignored him and continued to stand there. Only when the last villager was carried out did Mu Yangling turn around and leave the mountain.

The villagers who were hiding in the cave also came out. Many women hugged the corpses on the ground and wailed. Some children knelt on the ground and tugged at their father who was lying on the ground, crying and asking him to get up.

Even Zhan Yu, who was used to seeing life and death scenarios, couldn’t help but tear up.

Mu Yangling quietly looked at the dead villagers on the ground for a while before turning around and asking, “Where’s Eldest Madam and the two young masters?”

Zhan Yu hurriedly replied, “Lord Bai Li is guarding them in the courtyard.”

“Bring them down.”

Zhan Yu opened his mouth. Seeing Mu Yangling’s indifferent expression, he asked someone to inform them.

Mu Yangling walked towards the village chief.

The village chief, who was originally only 35 years old, seemed to have aged 20 years in an instant. With gray hair, he sat on the ground and looked at the three rows of corpses on the ground dazedly.

He had brought 48 people up the mountain, but only seven of them had survived, including him. He held his head in frustration as tears fell. He could only let out cries like a trapped beast. All 42 young men had died in less than four hours!

Mu Yangling stood quietly in front of him and looked at the villagers who were crying.

The soldiers lit torches, illuminating the area making it as bright as daytime. It also allowed her to clearly see the sadness and confusion on everyone’s faces.

“Ah Ling?” Li Jinghua had just descended the mountain when she saw Mu Yangling’s dazed expression. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she hurriedly reached out to hold her hand.

Mu Yangling came back to her senses and turned to look at the two children in the nanny’s arms.

Touching their heads, she took the two children and placed them on the ground. Gently, she taught them to kneel on the ground before kneeling to the side herself.

Li Jinghua’s expression changed drastically. As she turned to look at the villagers who were crying, her heart sank and she, too, knelt beside Little Treasure.

Mu Yangling stroked the two children’s heads and said, “Children, remember, they won more time for us by sacrificing their own lives.”

Mu Yangling only said this one sentence before asking Zhan Yu to arrange for the remaining villagers to be bandaged by the military doctor.

Some favors could not be repaid with words and could only be repaid with actions.

Mu Yangling didn’t know if Mo Yong, Bai Qing, and his men would be deceived by the mannequins without the help of these villagers, but she definitely knew that with the time they delayed, the three guards could escape further with the mannequins. It also made Mo Yong and Bai Qing believe that Li Jinghua and the two children had already escaped. That was why they didn’t notice the courtyard, thus giving them enough time until reinforcements arrived.

It was destined to be a sleepless night.

Mu Yangling handed Little Bear to the wet nurse before going back with a dark expression. Little Bear had been in a panic because his mother was nowhere to be seen previously. Seeing that his mother wasn’t hugging him, he opened his short arms and cried at her.

Mu Yangling touched his face and held his tiny hand. “Little Bear, be good. I’m covered in blood and stink.”

As she spoke, she even placed her sleeve in front of his nose to let him smell it. As expected, Little Bear revealed a disdainful expression, but he still opened his arms to hug his mother. As he turned his head to the side, he wrinkled his little nose.

Mu Yangling didn’t move, so Little Bear turned around aggrievedly and called out faintly, “Mother…””

Mu Yangling’s tears fell instantly.