By the time the two returned home, it was already noon.
Liu Tiezhu tied up the mule, and his second uncle quickly shut the courtyard gate, hurriedly pulling them both into the house.
"Second Uncle, what's going on?" Liu Tiezhu asked.
His second uncle's actions left them both baffled.
"Bandits have entered the village," his second uncle said, his voice trembling.
Liu Tiezhu and Er Gouzi exchanged glances, their faces slightly changing color.
"Second Uncle, tell us what happened."
"Bandits in broad daylight? Where did they come from?" Liu Tiezhu said.
"Wasn't it you who asked about Tiangang Stronghold last time?"
"This morning, someone ran into these bandits in West Village."
"They say one of their comrades was killed, and they've come down to investigate."
"Second Uncle, who told you all this?" Liu Tiezhu asked.
His second uncle replied, "The whole village is buzzing with it. Even the town sent people down."
"These bandits killed someone in West Village and made some harsh threats."
"West Village is in a panic now. Some villagers are already preparing to move."
Hearing this, Liu Tiezhu breathed a sigh of relief, but as he thought it over, he sensed something was off.
Unless the bandits had been kicked in the head by a donkey, they wouldn't kill in broad daylight and arrogantly issue threats.
Doing so must have a reason or a purpose.
After a moment of silence, Liu Tiezhu said, "Second Uncle, I think the bandits from Tiangang Stronghold are acting strangely, don't you?"
"If I were a bandit coming down to investigate, I'd hide my identity and work in secret."
"Killing villagers and making threats?"
"Isn't that just telling the militia that Tiangang Stronghold hasn't been wiped out yet?"
"I don't think these bandits are stupid enough to put themselves in the spotlight like that."
Hearing this, everyone was stunned.
They had been so scared by the news of the bandits descending the mountain that they hadn't thought it through.
Now, after Liu Tiezhu's analysis, they all found the bandits' behavior suspicious.
"Tiezhu, what do you think these bandits are up to?" Liu Tieshan asked.
Liu Tiezhu said, "I'm not sure yet what they're planning."
"But this unusual behavior definitely hides some purpose."
"I suspect the commotion they're causing in West Village might be a diversion."
His second uncle said, "Whatever their purpose, as long as they don't come to our village, we're fine."
"From now on, everyone needs to be careful. Don't go out unless necessary."
The bandits of Tiangang Stronghold were all ruthless killers who wouldn't bat an eye at murder.
Falling into their hands meant certain death.
After lunch, Liu Tiezhu and Er Gouzi decided not to head into the mountains.
After telling his second uncle and older brother to watch the house, Liu Tiezhu took Er Gouzi to the bamboo grove to try their luck.
With bandits now active around the village, venturing into the mountains wasn't safe.
"Tiezhu, do you think the bandits will investigate us?" Er Gouzi asked.
"Investigate my foot. I bet these bandits haven't even figured out where Zhang Zhigang and his men's bodies are."
Liu Tiezhu wasn't worried about the bandits' investigation at all.
"Tiezhu, I have a feeling these bandits might come into the village."
"What if the commotion in West Village and the investigation into their comrade's death is a feint?" Er Gouzi said.
At that, Liu Tiezhu immediately stopped the mule.
"Gouzi, what did you just say?"
Er Gouzi said, "I said, these bandits might be using a feint."
"They're deliberately causing a stir in West Village to draw everyone's attention."
"Then they'll swarm into other villages to loot."
"Come on, let's head back quickly."
"These bandits really might be using a feint."
With that, Liu Tiezhu turned the mule around without another word.
"Why are you two back?"
Seeing them rush back, his second uncle looked confused.
"Second Uncle, I think I've figured out the bandits' possible purpose in West Village."
"Gouzi, tell them your analysis."
Er Gouzi nodded and laid out his entire analysis.
"That's right, that's right..."
His second uncle said excitedly, his voice trembling, "I remember now. Back in '63, there was a similar bandit raid on a village."
"The situation then was almost the same as now."
"Back then, the bandits also used an investigation as an excuse to cause trouble in Chen Family Village."
"Everyone thought Chen Family Village was doomed and let their guard down."
"That night, the bandits led their men into several other villages and looted them clean."
After his second uncle finished, everyone's faces turned pale.
"Don't panic. Our village is still about three kilometers from West Village."
"If these bandits were planning to loot nearby villages, they wouldn't cause a stir three kilometers away."
"So I suspect their targets are Zhang Family Village, Ming Village, Qiaotou Village—those close to West Village."
"But we still need to be on guard. Tonight, Gouzi and I will stand watch," Liu Tiezhu said.
After discussing it, they immediately got to work.
Liu Tiezhu found some bottles, smashed them, and had Er Gouzi scatter the shards around the courtyard, marking the spots.
His second uncle and older brother nailed wooden boards over the windows, sealing them shut.
The four of them worked until dark to finish setting up the traps and defenses in the courtyard.
Though these traps wouldn't stop the bandits, they could buy him some time to escape.
They made a round to check nothing was missed before settling down for dinner.
After dinner, the heavy snow stopped.
Huang Xiumei and Yang Yulan took Yaoyao and went to bed early.
His second uncle and older brother stayed in the main hall to rest.
If bandits broke in, they could react in time.
Liu Tiezhu and Er Gouzi stayed in the courtyard, letting all the hunting dogs out to keep watch.
"Gouzi, I'll sleep first. Wake me up in the middle of the night."
After instructing Er Gouzi, Liu Tiezhu leaned against the carambola tree in the courtyard and dozed off.
By now, the entire village had turned off its lights, and an eerie silence had fallen.
Half-asleep, Liu Tiezhu heard the neighing of horses and snapped his eyes open.
"Tiezhu, you're awake."
"I heard horse neighing, sounds like it's nearby," Er Gouzi said, moving closer.
"Go wake up Second Uncle and Big Brother."
Liu Tiezhu grabbed his compound crossbow and quickly climbed the carambola tree.
Looking out, dozens of flickering torches lit up the path a hundred meters away, glaring brightly against the pitch-black night.
It was the light from bandits on horseback, swinging their flashlights.
"The bandits are in the village."
Liu Tiezhu's face changed instantly. He hadn't expected the bandits' real target to be not the area around West Village.
"Tiezhu, what's going on? Is it the bandits?"
From under the tree, his second uncle asked nervously.
Liu Tiezhu quickly jumped down from the carambola tree.
"Second Uncle, Big Brother, get ready now."
"These bandits are targeting our Liujia Village area."
"Gouzi, grab a thick log and brace the courtyard gate."