Xiao Bai had been sleeping soundly in the basket, so deeply that it didn't wake up even when Qi He and Fu Xin Ci caught fish.
It woke up now because of the blood.
"Squeak squeak squeak." These two big pigheads weigh at least ten pounds.
Fu Xin Ci really wanted to say: Do your pigheads look like this?
Qi He glanced at Sister Fu, and Fu Xin Ci, understanding, turned around.
Qi He inspected both corpses and found a hand-drawn sheepskin map on the Tatar who had been silent the whole time.
This matter had just escalated significantly.
Maps were not something just anyone possessed. Qi He immediately smelled something unusual.
"Sister Fu, let's go back now. I need to take this map to my father."
"Yes, let's go back."
After they finished speaking, they tidied up their belongings and intended to retrace their steps.
Qi He still had the awareness of a soldier. After they had walked a few steps, he stopped.
"Sister Fu, wait for me here for a moment. I'm going to check the hill they climbed up from."
"Brother Qi, I'll go with you."
When it came to these mountains and forests, Fu Xin Ci moved much faster than Qi He.
Obviously, Qi He knew this too. He smiled and extended his large hand.
Fu Xin Ci, feeling playful again, grabbed Qi He's arm and slid forward towards the hill ahead.
They hadn't played like this in a long time, and Qi He almost twisted his back.
"Pfft." Fu Xin Ci chuckled. Qi He cast a helpless glance at her, then quickly adjusted his mindset and posture.
When they reached the top of the hill, they saw that the mountains stretched on and on.
Qi He: …
Fu Xin Ci promptly took out a telescope and handed it to him.
Qi He took the telescope, smiled, and said, "Sister Fu knows me best," before he seriously began looking into the distance.
Time trickled by. When Qi He lowered the telescope, he picked up the hand-drawn map again, hoping to find something by comparison.
However, after looking for about half a tea ceremony's time, he couldn't understand anything.
"Brother Qi, why don't we go back now? We can give this map to Uncle Qi, and perhaps Uncle Qi can find a feasible solution."
"Yes, let's go back."
Although Qi He felt a little unconvinced, he chose to return with Sister Fu.
He was not a person who acted on impulse. The reappearance of Tatars after five years was not a good omen. They had to inform his father and General Liu as soon as possible.
On the way back, the two of them finally felt hungry. Fu Xin Ci took out three meat-filled steamed buns from her space. She ate one, and gave the other two to Qi He.
The soft, pure white steamed buns were filled with large slices of braised pork. Qi He took a bite, and his eyes instantly sparkled.
"Sister Fu, this meat-filled bun is delicious."
"Eat more if you like it. I have more."
"Mhm mhm." Qi He nodded, and the two meat-filled buns were gone like a whirlwind.
Fu Xin Ci smiled at him and, before he could speak, handed him another meat-filled bun.
After finishing this meat-filled bun, Qi He picked up his water pouch and drank several mouthfuls before exclaiming, "I'm so full today. I think I've eaten my dinner as well."
Thinking of his usual appetite, Fu Xin Ci smiled and said, "It's okay. If you get hungry tonight, I'll give you more meat-filled buns."
"Ah, that would be wonderful."
Hearing Sister Fu's words, Qi He's heart soared. He loved seeing Sister Fu think of him.
After they had eaten their fill, they walked faster, chatting and laughing.
By the time they returned to Mengjia Town, it was already dark. Qi He told Sister Fu to ride her horse home first, while he rode his horse directly to the Thousand Households Office.
Qi Yuanshan was a soldier with a great sense of responsibility. After listening to his son's account and examining the map his son presented, he began to have some inkling.
The conclusion was simple: the Tatars were still coveting Liaodong.
Especially in the past few years, Mengjia Town, under Uncle Meng's leadership, had shown increasing wealth and prosperity. Several insightful merchants visited Mengjia Town twice every year.
Gradually, Mengjia Town's reputation had begun to rival that of the surrounding two counties.
He then thought of the Japanese pirates who had attacked not long ago, bypassing the neighboring counties to attack Mengjia Town directly.
Were these Tatars thinking the same thing as those pirates?
It was very likely the same idea.
Considering this possibility, Qi Yuanshan could not sit still. He immediately ordered Qi He to accompany him to the General's mansion that very night.
In Grandpa Meng's room, Fu Xin Ci also recounted the day's events to her grandfather and father.
"You encountered Tatars?"
"Yes. One of the Tatars was carrying a hand-drawn map."
Grandpa Meng pondered for a moment, then declared loudly, "They are still as ambitious as ever."
"Father, what should we do next?"
"What else can we do! Fight! Against those beasts and bandits, we have only one path, and that is to fight them and struggle against them."
Grandpa Meng finally uttered four words: "To the death."
"Yes. Little He hasn't returned this late; I suspect he's discussing this matter with his father."
"The father and son might have gone to the General's mansion." Grandpa Meng knew this was not a trivial matter. Qi Yuanshan would not make a decision alone; he would likely seek General Liu's judgment.
"Father, should we also make some preparations?"
"Yes. Tomorrow, I will gather all the townspeople. Starting tomorrow, all the men, women, old, and young in the town will be trained."
"Yes, we all need to take action."
Seeing that her grandfather and father had discussed enough, Fu Xin Ci shared a small secret with them.
"Grandfather, Father, I made a small mark there. As long as Tatars pass through that area, I will be able to sense it in advance."
"Ci'er, is that true?"
"Father, of course, it's true. How could I deceive Grandfather and you?"
"Ah." Fu Yu's hands and feet felt restless with excitement. If it weren't for the taboo of a daughter carrying her father too much, he would have wanted to pick his daughter up and spin her around twice.
Grandpa Meng's usually tense face relaxed upon hearing his granddaughter's words. He even secretly winked at his granddaughter, "Ci'er, do you have any more firearms? Bring one for your father to protect himself."
"I'll see if I have any."
Seeing his granddaughter say she had some, Grandpa Meng covered for her, "Yu'er, go and get your father a cup of hot tea."
"Yes." Fu Yu was somewhat confused, as there was already a cup of hot tea on his father's desk, with faint wisps of steam rising from it.
Grandpa Meng's gaze also fell on the tea bowl in front of him, feeling a bit awkward.
"Cough cough" How embarrassing.
So what? He was the elder, couldn't he have another cup of tea?
Thinking this, the old man picked up the teacup in front of him and drank it down in one go.
Fu Yu stood up to pour more tea for his old father.