Chapter 10 Misunderstandings and Reinforcements from the Lu Family (Part 1)

  "Uncle Lou, isn't that your village up ahead?"

  Listening to the gradually weakening gunfire, Lu Junhao furrowed his brow and listened carefully, discovering that he had heard at least two or three different types of firearms. With such a mix of equipment, it was undoubtedly bandits. In other words, Lou Village is probably in danger now!

  The one he called "Lou Shu" was a middle-aged man who was short and thin, with a dark complexion. He must have been exercising regularly through farming, as his body looked more robust than most people of the same age. However, it was clear that the middle-aged man had also heard the gunfire coming from the direction of Lou Village not far away. Although he felt honored to be addressed by Young Master Lu as "Lou Shu", there was a look of concern on his face, and he couldn't help but think: what if something really happened... what would he do?

  "Master, yes... That's it... It's our Lou Village..."

  The middle-aged man stuttered and replied, while staring at Lu Junhao with wide eyes, hoping he could speed up the march a bit faster. Otherwise, at this rate, they would probably arrive to find that the horse thieves had long since fled!

  "Alright!"

  Lu Junhao's face looked very ugly, since he stood out in July to call on the Hubei New Army to support the people, but coincidentally bumped into the gun muzzle of the strict investigation by the Governor-General of Huguang - Rui Cun. During the several months when he was temporarily removed from his position as the commander of the new army and was preparing to stay and observe, many things that were originally not worth mentioning jumped out on this paper mill border, and even dared to touch the whiskers of the Lu family's tiger. Isn't it clear that they don't put the Lu family in their eyes? Each and every one of them is like this, especially Ma Jia Hezi's group of tenant farmers who owe rent and Yi Zhuang Kui Sheng are the most excessive, especially Kui Sheng and his Yi Zhuang...

  The old man is really old, if it were a few years earlier, let alone this paper workshop, even Jiangxia County. Even if it's a bit further away, in Wuchang Prefecture, except for the Zhao family, a well-known and respected family that was blood-washed by Gui Sheng, only the Lu family, a hundred-year-old clan, has not completely declined, and they still have some influence in Jiangxia. Unfortunately, as the old man's age grew older, coupled with the injuries he suffered from encountering water bandits when he went out to do business in his early years, which gradually affected his actions, the old man's fighting spirit also gradually subsided, and he would rather yield a little in everything, as long as he didn't suffer too much loss.

  The Ma family's village was nothing, but for the past two years, the grain harvest has been poor. The Lu family and other farmers got together to ask for a reduction in rent, which made the Lu family unhappy, but they knew the situation too. They were just annoyed that the farmers wanted to reduce the rent by a bit too much. However, this time, Kui Sheng and his righteous village really offended the Lu family badly. First, it was Xiao Huang Zhuang, then Lou Cun, Zhuang Miao, and Ma Jia He Zi, these four villages with more than 80% of their land belonging to the Lu family. Kui Sheng sent his underlings, a group of bandits turned into militia, to collect "security taxes" in the name of law, but actually robbing and looting everywhere.

  Can you expect that after being swept away by these locust-like bandits, the poor villagers will have anything left? If the Lu family still dares to collect taxes from the villagers in this situation, unless they take a road to darkness, they won't be afraid of being ridiculed! Otherwise, the great reputation established by the old Lu family on the Jiangxia border for over a hundred years will all be scattered!

  As a result of the sweep in Yizhuang, apart from the villagers of the four villages that were eliminated, the Lu family suffered the greatest loss!

  "Pshaw, Kui Sheng is too deceitful! This time it seems that not doing something about the previous incident won't do. The only thing to worry about is that we might have to spend some more silver to feed those greedy officials again, humph!"

  Lu Junhao turned sideways and glanced back at the Lu family servants who were closely following behind him, running slowly. "Speed up your pace, whoever kills a horse bandit later will be rewarded with five silver dollars..."

  It is...

  Five silver dollars, which was not a small amount in the late Qing and early Republic of China, enough to make a family of four live a rich life with fish and meat for half a month. A group of servants marched quickly, although still a bit chaotic, but barely able to advance in formation as he thought!

  "Hmph! With the 500 household troops I personally trained according to the new recruit training method, I'd like to see how long you, Kui Xing, can still jump around!"

  A look of disdain flashed across his face, Lu Junhao was a new army officer who had studied in Japan at his own expense, and his position as a pipe band member was obtained through his own ability, not bought like Cui Sheng!

  Lift your head and look into the distance, Loucun is already vaguely visible!

  "Did you all understand what I said earlier? The enemy is numerous, outnumbering us several times over, and most of our people's marksmanship isn't great, so the tactics we used to deal with those bandits before won't work here! Remember, now that the villagers have mostly evacuated, our first team will follow me to guard the village entrance. Got it? Fire three shots then retreat, make sure you hit your targets! Shi Tou will lead a team to keep watch in the area behind us near the broken hut and old locust tree. After one team retreats, immediately fall back to the old locust tree area and prepare. I only have three hand grenades, so remember that. So, when the time comes, I'll try to let the enemy get close before throwing them, aiming for maximum damage against these bandits. You all remember, after I throw the grenades, immediately retreat to the house on the west side of the village and keep watch by the wall. We must hold off this group of bandits for a while, so the villagers have time to evacuate..."

  Many villagers still looked confused, Li Han had no choice but to explain again. As for how many people really understood, he also couldn't do anything about it, because the 'bandits' had already arrived 100 meters outside the village!

  "Ready!"

  It is...

  A chaotic chorus of responses, Li Han shook his head. After all, they were not formally trained warriors, and it was too much to ask them to fight the bandits to the death! If it weren't for the fact that most of the villagers who stayed behind were young and strong, and their families were being relocated to the other side of the mountain, Li Han had no doubt that someone would definitely sneak away with the escaped ones.

  He raised his telescope and took a distant look at the "horse bandits" who were like a long snake, Li Han's face getting worse and worse. "This time it's troublesome, looking at this group of horse bandits, they seem to have received some training. Although their marching is a bit disorganized, they can still maintain their formation, this is going to be trouble..."

  Muttering to himself, he caused unease among the villagers beside him, "Li Zhuangshi, what's wrong? Has something happened?"

  Squatting beside him was the only one of the villagers who could hit two consecutive shots near the bullet hole he had previously made, his name was Lou Xiaoyang. When fighting against the horse thief, two of the seven horse thieves who invaded the village were killed by him. Li Han saw that his shooting skills were very accurate, so he called him to his side, preparing to let him cooperate with himself to snipe the leader of the horse thieves later.

  "See for yourself!"

  He handed over the telescope and put down the quick-firing pistol in his hand, picking up again his QCW05 with only two magazines left, mounting a crosshair sight. Originally he still planned to save some bullets, sneak into Yizhuang at night, and take care of the bandit leader - Kui Sheng! Now it seems that unless he abandons these villagers and escapes, whether he can get through this ordeal is still a question.

  "Should we use those AKs?"

  Rubbed his chin, this kind of gun is undoubtedly very suitable for use now, but the bullets of the gun are also not many, can't solve the fundamental problem!

  "Wow... I can see it clearly... Is this... is this that telescope?"

  Xiao Yang's hands trembled slightly as he took the binoculars handed over by his side, and followed him to look at the increasingly close dragon outside the village.

  "It's clear that everyone can see... so many people, this... might be even more than the total population of our Loucun village!"

  The little boy next door was still staring at the village in shock, he couldn't believe that there were so many bandits!

  "Everyone in position, we'll take aim at those horsemen first. The one wearing a blue robe is mine, the rest of you are free to pick your targets. Remember, the first shot must be accurate, try to take out the bandit leader..."

  Li Handuan raised his gun, the crosshairs began to lock onto a robust young man who looked like he was in charge, and whose air seemed extraordinary, possibly the leader of the horse thieves. His hand had already rested on the trigger!

  "Wait... Li Zhuang Shi... is Second Uncle... He's the one who went to Lu Family Village to send a message, not an enemy... Everyone stop shooting, he's the reinforcement sent by Old Master Lu..."