Since arriving in the Great Kang Dynasty, Jin Feng's goal had always been to live a comfortable, leisurely life as a wealthy man. He had never imagined he would end up killing someone, let alone a bandit. Unfortunately, the world had other plans. Now, not only had he killed someone, but he had killed a bandit. Whether out of a sense of brotherhood or to maintain their intimidating reputation, the bandits would not let this slide once they found out. Jin Feng was still too weak to stand against them.
"Brother Liang, should we report this to the authorities?" Jin Feng asked, his mind in turmoil.
In his previous life, he had lived under the protection of a stable government. Bandits were unheard of, and even local bullies had been dealt with. His life had revolved around school and part-time jobs, leaving him completely inexperienced in handling such situations. His first instinct was to seek help from the authorities.
"It's no use," Zhang Liang shook his head. "Bandits always choose hideouts that are easy to defend and hard to attack, and they always have escape routes. Without at least ten times their numbers, it's nearly impossible to wipe them out. For years now, the military has been stretched thin on the battlefield. The few troops stationed at the county seat wouldn't be enough to surround Maomao Mountain."
"Ah…" Jin Feng sighed helplessly.
"Don't worry too much," Zhang Liang said. "Bandits usually avoid trespassing on other groups' territories—it's taboo. The Maomao Mountain bandits mostly operate north of the county seat and rarely come this way. From what I observed earlier, no one else recognized him as a bandit. Everyone thinks he was just a thug who hung around with Xie Guang. As long as we keep quiet, the Maomao Mountain bandits are unlikely to find out."
Zhang Liang added, "I just came to give you a heads-up so you're prepared."
"Thank you, Brother Liang," Jin Feng said, feeling a slight sense of relief.
Transportation in the Great Kang Dynasty was extremely limited. Many people spent their entire lives within a small radius around their village, and a trip to the county seat was a rare event. Since Maomao Mountain wasn't in this area, the chances of the bandits tracing this back to him were slim.
"We're family. No need for thanks," Zhang Liang said. "By the way, I have a friend who runs a tavern near Maomao Mountain. He knows a few of the bandits there. Tomorrow, I'll go see him and ask him to keep an eye out. If there's any unusual activity from the bandits, he'll let me know as soon as possible."
"Is this person reliable?" Jin Feng asked. If the man wasn't trustworthy, involving him could increase the risk of exposure.
"He's a sworn brother," Zhang Liang said. "And he hates the Maomao Mountain bandits. Those scoundrels extort him every month."
Hearing this, Jin Feng finally felt reassured. For the first time, he felt a sense of urgency and frustration at his own weakness. If he were stronger, a group of bandits wouldn't be a threat.
"I must develop quickly to have the strength to protect myself," Jin Feng silently resolved.
*Cock-a-doodle-doo!*
The rooster at Auntie San's house began crowing.
"By the way, what did you want the carpenter to make?" Zhang Liang asked. "Give it to me. I'll take care of it and leave right away."
"Brother Liang, it's still early. Isn't it too soon to set out?"
"Maomao Mountain is north of the county seat. If I leave early, I can make it back today."
"Alright, be careful on the road."
Jin Feng went to the workshop, packed the already-made spinning wheel parts, and handed them over along with a small piece of silver. "Tell the carpenter to make them exactly like this. One of each for now. If he does a good job, I'll hire him again."
"Got it," Zhang Liang took the package and the silver, then left.
The courtyard had been cleaned up. Xiao'e, being a child, had cried herself to sleep. Guan Xiaorou, Tang Dongdong, and Runiang sat around the small table, silent. When Jin Feng returned, they all stood up. After the night's events, they instinctively sought comfort in the presence of the only man in the house.
"Ah, husband, your hand is bleeding again," Guan Xiaorou noticed the blood seeping through the bandage on Jin Feng's left hand and hurried to find the herbs Old Tan had left.
"Don't worry about the herbs for now. Dongdong, bring me the needle and thread," Jin Feng said. "Xiaorou, help me unwrap the bandage. Runiang, go boil some water."
The three women, still shaken from the night's events, needed something to do to distract themselves.
"Alright," Runiang, unsure of what to do, quickly ran to the kitchen. Tang Dongdong went to fetch the needle and thread.
"Husband, what do you need the needle and thread for?" Guan Xiaorou asked as she unwrapped the bandage.
"To stitch the wound," Jin Feng replied.
The bald man's machete had been sharp, leaving a deep gash from Jin Feng's thumb to his little finger, the flesh torn open. Without stitches, it would be difficult to heal properly. Earlier, there hadn't been time for proper treatment—Old Tan had just applied some止血 herbs and hastily wrapped the wound with a bandage. It was no wonder it was still bleeding.
"How can you stitch a wound like it's a piece of clothing?" Guan Xiaorou's hands trembled at the thought.
"Exactly like stitching clothes," Jin Feng said.
"But that's not possible!"
"I say it is," Jin Feng couldn't explain modern medicine to her, so he resorted to being firm. "This is my decision."
This approach worked best with Guan Xiaorou. Whenever Jin Feng acted stern, she immediately complied.
Following Jin Feng's instructions, she boiled the needle and thread, bent the sewing needle into a curve, and, with tears in her eyes, began stitching the wound. There was no anesthesia, and Jin Feng broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. Guan Xiaorou, being a novice, took her time, and by the time she finished, dawn had broken.
There was much to do that day. After a short rest, Jin Feng asked Guan Xiaorou to call Zhang Mancang over. He planned to build a few small rooms in the courtyard, which would require a lot of wood. While there was plenty of wood in the back mountain, Jin Feng's injured hand made it impossible for him to handle the task alone, so he needed Zhang Mancang's help.
Besides cutting wood for the shed, Jin Feng also wanted to find some sturdy and flexible wood in the back mountain to make a few more crossbows, just in case. Last night's events had been a wake-up call. Jin Feng was not one to sit idly by. Although Zhang Liang had said the chances of the Maomao Mountain bandits discovering him were slim, Jin Feng didn't dare take that risk. The stakes were too high. If the truth came out, he didn't want to be defenseless.
Zhang Mancang, having chopped firewood for years, knew the back mountain like the back of his hand. He was the perfect person to help. But before they could set out, Auntie San arrived with her husband.
"Jin Feng, didn't you say you were going to build a shed today? I brought my husband to lend a hand," Auntie San said with a smile.
"That's perfect. I was just worrying that Mancang and I wouldn't be able to carry the logs alone. With Uncle's help, it'll be much easier," Jin Feng agreed warmly. "Uncle, I appreciate your help."
Although Auntie San had clashed with him a few days ago, they had since made peace. Since she was offering help, there was no reason to refuse.
"It's the least I can do," Uncle San said with a humble smile. "When your spinning wheels are ready, just remember to give my wife a job."