Shortly after dusk fell, the scout returned with his report: "There are indeed no less than five hundred horse bandits ten li away. They are currently making camp, cooking, and resting their horses. It seems unlikely they will make a move tonight, but based on their marching route, the bandits' target is very likely Fei Yu County."

Magistrate An sucked in a sharp breath. Five hundred horse bandits plundering together was an unprecedented event in history. Such a large contingent could not possibly be for the mere purpose of seizing grain and population.

"What weapons do the bandits possess?" Magistrate An asked the scout. Determining the bandits' objective was less critical than assessing their combat capability.

The scout continued his report: "They are all equipped with sabers, far sharper than our standard pudao. They must be forged from the fine iron specially selected by the Jin Kingdom for the Wanma Nation. Furthermore, half of them carry crossbows; those crossbows are also far superior to the common archery equipment we use for defense. I fear we will face a rain of arrows before the enemy even enters our effective range."

Cold sweat beaded on Magistrate An's face. The bandits were arriving fiercely and were well-armed—what was to be done? If they defended the city with only these yamen runners and their current armament, it would take a miracle to avoid total annihilation once the walls were breached. If they retreated, time was of the essence; nearly ten thousand civilians were in Fei Yu County, and evacuating them overnight was impossible. Moreover, the timing of the bandit attack was unknown—perhaps they would strike in the dead of night when the city gates were wide open for evacuation, effectively opening a door for the enemy.

"Head Constable Sun, do you have any sound strategy for repelling the enemy?" Magistrate An addressed Sun, as the Head Constable was responsible for the county's security and defense; matters of war were better understood by military men.

Head Constable Sun, having overheard the situation regarding the bandits, his usually ruddy face flushed even deeper, replied, "Reporting to Lord An, your subordinate believes our only course is resolute defense. These bandits traditionally do not accept surrender from citizens of the Shuangcheng Nation. If we retreat, the imperial court will execute us; if we stand, the bandits will kill us. Should we miraculously manage to hold the county seat, our lives will be spared, and the court will reward us. According to the post station runners at Hua Zhan, Fei Ying Prefecture was recently attacked by five hundred horse bandits, yet they repelled the strong with the weak, killing two hundred bandits and achieving a great victory, even seizing eleven fine warhorses. This news has reached the court, and the defending officers have been rewarded. Therefore, we should emulate them. While the bandits are strong, we have defensible terrain; we are not entirely defenseless. My Lord, you could dispatch someone to Fei He County in Fei Ying Prefecture to call for aid, while simultaneously reinforcing the city defenses. If we can just hold out for another day or two, victory is certain. Who knows, we might even capture a few fine warhorses ourselves, greatly enhancing your merit, my Lord."

Head Constable Sun's words greatly invigorated Magistrate An. "Good! We defend! We must defend! But how shall we defend?"

Head Constable Sun frowned slightly. Although he had heard the rumors of Fei Ying Prefecture's great victory from the post runners, the official documents from the court had not yet arrived, and he did not know the specifics of how they managed their defense. Furthermore, the affairs of Fei Ying Prefecture were not necessarily reported down to the county level, and civilian rumors would take time to circulate. Head Constable Sun was unaware that the true hero of the siege was standing right behind him.

Seeing Head Constable Sun fall silent, Magistrate An grew anxious. In all of Fei Yu County, Sun was the only subordinate he could truly rely on. If Sun had no plan, then he, the Magistrate, was truly at a loss.

"Head Constable Sun, please say something! Are we truly indefensible? If so, perhaps retreating is better, to avoid the bandits storming in and wantonly slaughtering the innocents."

The Magistrate's sudden suggestion of retreat terrified Head Constable Sun. It was a terrifying prospect when the commander on the front line developed doubts, as it could change the entire tide of battle. Sun's mind raced: "My Lord An, there is no need to panic. Think of the nearly ten thousand civilians in Fei Yu County; surely among them are some wise individuals. My Lord could issue an emergency proclamation, inviting everyone to submit plans and strategies. If we pool the wisdom of the masses, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome."

"Good!" Magistrate An praised. "That is an excellent idea. Quickly, have someone carry it out! Time waits for no one."

Not long after the proclamation was posted beneath the city walls, people began arriving at the tower. Many commoners, hearing that the bandits were within ten li of the city, were running about the streets in panic. Head Constable Sun ordered the yamen runners to clear the streets and impose a lockdown, lest these civilians disrupt morale and incite popular unrest.

Several graceful figures rounded a corner from the far side of the street, and my eyes lit up as I descended the tower steps to meet them. It was Cheng Susu, Yun Yao, Zhou Ni, as well as Linglong, Wahani, and Laisky.

Linglong rushed forward first: "Master, are the bandits really here again? Are you going to help the officials defend the city once more?"

Yun Yao asked, "Are these the same bandits who attacked Fei Ying Prefecture? Have they come seeking revenge?"

I led the group up the city wall and stood to one side, gazing out at the plains below. "The current situation is unclear, but this contingent also numbers five hundred. If it is the same group that attacked Fei Ying Prefecture, then they have certainly replenished their strength. They are also equipped with crossbows, and they are in no hurry to attack, which suggests Fei Yu County is in real danger this time."

Wahani declared, "What's there to fear? Last time, you, Da Li Wan, and Yun Yao managed to hold the city gate. Can you not do it again? The county government has issued a call for assistance, offering handsome rewards to anyone who can aid the yamen runners in holding the defenses. I see this as an opportunity for us to get rich!"

I offered a wry smile. "If the bandits fight the same way as last time, perhaps we could hold the gate with the thirteen laser guns, especially since Fei Yu County’s gate is narrower than Fei Ying Prefecture's, favoring defense over attack. But if these bandits have merged with the group from Fei Ying Prefecture, consider this: would they be foolish enough to attack the same way? They wouldn't use a suicidal tactic twice. And the fact that they are camping outside, resting their horses, suggests they might be constructing siege weaponry. Their metalwork is exceptionally sharp; carving wood for carpentry would be simple work for them."

Laisky asked, "So, Fei Yu County is truly in danger of being breached? What should we do?"

I surveyed the terrain outside the city. Within fifty meters of the stone walls was open ground, and beyond that, dense woodlands. Because this world receives abundant rain and experiences constant high temperatures, the trees are lush. The road leading to the county seat ran through the forest; the road had been cleared of trees to form a three-meter-wide official thoroughfare.

After some contemplation, I stated, "Not necessarily. As long as we defend properly, not even a thousand bandits could breach Fei Yu County in one or two days."

Linglong, always the most impulsive, heard my words and exclaimed, "So, Master has an idea! Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry and take down the proclamation and claim the reward!"

"Someone has claimed the notice! Someone has claimed the notice!" a voice shouted from below.

Linglong looked aggrieved. "See! If you had said so earlier, I would have jumped off the tower to claim it. Now the money right in my hand is gone."

I laughed. "Heh heh, my method might not work, but Fei Yu County is large, and there might be hidden talents. Let's see what others propose. Referring to various opinions might be safer."

Cheng Susu gently tugged at the corner of my sleeve: "It's him."

I turned back to look below the city. The person who claimed the notice was Zhang Wenbing. Could he be a genius?

However, Zhang Wenbing's eyes seemed to drift toward the women on the tower. I sincerely hoped this fellow wasn't just a pretty face who impulsively claimed the post to impress Cheng Susu. If he failed to defend Fei Yu County, it would be a capital offense.

When Magistrate An learned that his own nephew had claimed the notice, he grew fearful. He pulled Zhang Wenbing aside: "Wenbing, do you understand military matters? If you don't, don't cause trouble for your uncle. This is no child's play. If Fei Yu County falls, you, as a temporarily recruited officer, will also be beheaded."

Zhang Wenbing raised an eyebrow. "Uncle, they are merely a group of bandits. Defending on our strong ground, should we fear them? A true man should not fear death in service to the nation."

Magistrate An inquired, "Do you perhaps have a good way to repel the enemy?"

Zhang Wenbing replied, "Uncle, I ask for no reward. If I repel the bandits, can you promise to let me marry my cousin?"

Magistrate An was greatly troubled by this condition. "Wenbing, if you truly have a way to repel the bandits, your uncle will naturally be overjoyed. But your cousin has been married, and her husband has already come looking for her. Moreover, she moved out of the yamen this very afternoon and is now living with her husband. How can I possibly approach her about this? 'A good woman does not marry twice' is an ancient maxim. Even if I asked, your cousin would certainly refuse."

"Ah!" Zhang Wenbing was stunned by the sudden turn of events in just one afternoon. "How could my cousin be so reckless? That man is clearly deceiving her! I'll go find her right now!"

"No, absolutely not!" Magistrate An chased after him, frantic. That man was the captain of the escape pod designated by the Emperor; his nephew knew nothing and must not ruin things!

Being young, Zhang Wenbing quickly outpaced his uncle and stormed up the city tower, making straight for Cheng Susu. He reached out to grab her hand, but Cheng Susu slapped his hand away and hid behind me.

Zhang Wenbing became even angrier. "Cousin, are you being coerced by him? What are you afraid of? I will stand up for you; no one dares threaten you. He is not your husband! He is taking advantage of your amnesia to trick you!"

Cheng Susu remained silent, but she was muttering internally: He's not my husband? That’s ridiculous! If he truly isn't my husband, does that mean I used to be a courtesan? Otherwise, why would I have been so vulgar with him?

I shoved Zhang Wenbing onto the ground, growling fiercely, "You, surnamed Zhang! Stop your posturing! I hear your family has some standing in Fei Ying Prefecture, but I am not afraid! I suggest you don't overstep your bounds, or you might worry about the head on your own neck!"

Zhang Wenbing was enraged by the insult. He scrambled up, ready to fight, but Head Constable Sun pulled him back. "Gentlemen! This is a critical moment where the city might fall! I implore you both to set aside your prejudices and enmity. Especially you, Young Master Zhang: since you claimed the notice, speak quickly about how to repel the enemy! If you delay further, I will charge you with obstructing defense and have your head cut off immediately!"

Zhang Wenbing looked at the gleaming pudao in Head Constable Sun's hand and flinched. Why did everyone today seem to be concerned with his head? He truly needed to be careful. "Defending the city is hardly difficult."

This simple statement delighted both Head Constable Sun and Magistrate An, who had just climbed onto the tower. Seeing everyone focused on him, Zhang Wenbing grew even more pleased. "Fei Yu County has tall walls and strong ramparts. Once the bandits lose the advantage of the gate, what other way is there for them to attack? Therefore, my strategy is to completely block the city gate, leaving the bandits with nowhere to attack!"

"That's right!" Magistrate An and Head Constable Sun were both elated. If the gate was sealed shut, and there was no gate to attack, what else could the bandits do?

Linglong asked me, "Master, can this method really work?"

I replied, "If the bandits are fools, this method will certainly work."

Linglong retorted, "But are the bandits fools? Outside Fei Ying Prefecture, they immediately built wooden shields to block the arrow rain."

Wahani grew anxious. "Zhao Qian, hurry up and take the proclamation! If Zhang Wenbing's plan fails, won't we suffer?"

Over there, Magistrate An and Head Constable Sun, overjoyed with this strategy, were already ordering the yamen runners to fetch huge stones and logs to seal the gate archway tight. I said, "Forget it. It's useless for me to go up and snatch it now; I'll just earn a reputation for being jealous. Let's wait and see for a bit. Perhaps this method will prove effective. If the bandits fail in one assault, they might move elsewhere, and then Fei Yu County will be safe."

Yun Yao, however, was worried. "We should prepare anyway. In case the city falls, we can retreat quickly. We currently have six horses. I can use my anti-gravity boots to fly. The rest of you can ride the horses and use the laser guns to clear a path; I doubt they would dare pursue."

I agreed. "That is also good. Since the bandits are eating, we should go eat as well, while making preparations to retreat."

I currently possessed a total of thirteen laser guns and eleven military sabers. The sabers are not very useful against large numbers, only showing their power in close-quarters combat. However, the thirteen laser guns are quite potent. Excluding those already distributed, we still have seven spare laser guns.

We don't have many trustworthy individuals, otherwise, forming a ten-person laser gun squad, utilizing the red-dot scopes, would make slaughtering those bandits as easy as chopping vegetables.

As we passed a grain and oil shop, Wahani commented, "Oh right, we're out of cooking oil at home. Let's pop in and buy some."

Linglong said, "Let's make do. If the city falls, what use will the oil be? Let's save money where we can."

Wahani laughed. "Little Linglong is quite the frugal girl. Whoever marries you in the future will be very lucky."

Linglong blushed and secretly glanced at me. "Who would want someone as stingy as me? Those rich lords have plenty of money; they don't care about such petty waste. They might even dislike me for being small-minded."

I was feeling a little awkward facing Linglong now. I had inadvertently violated her once, yet she never seemed to mind and showed me exceptional care, but she was only a twelve-year-old girl, which made the situation difficult.

I pushed open the door to the oil shop. "Buy some. If you worry about waste, we'll take the oil with us when we leave. We can't eat only salted vegetables tonight, can we?"

The shop owner had initially considered closing up and hiding, seeing the general panic, but he couldn't turn away a customer who had arrived. He mustered his spirits and came out, "Honored guests, what would you like to purchase?"

Wahani asked, "What good oils do you have? We'd like to buy some