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In the night, Su Wan'er stood by the window, listening intently to the sounds outside the courtyard, her fingertips gently brushing against the beads on her wrist.
The room was dimly lit; her mother and younger brother had long since fallen asleep, while her father kept watch at the door.
Ever since Chen Jun had brought news of a potential thief's arrival, the entire village had been on high alert for several nights.
Suddenly, a low growl of barking dogs echoed from afar, followed by the frantic flapping of geese in the courtyard.
Wan'er’s heart tightened. She quickly threw on a coat and opened the door, only to see her father leaning on a wooden stick, vigilantly gazing towards the village entrance.
Chen Jun's figure swooped through the darkness like a hawk. Holding a wooden sword, he whispered, "Wan'er, go notify Old Chen and Zhang Cuihua. Follow the plan we discussed last night. There are shadows moving at the village entrance; it seems the thief has come."
Wan'er nodded and lowered her voice. "I'll go call Sister Cuihua." She turned back into the house and gently woke her mother and brother. "Mother, Brother, the thief is here. Quickly follow me out the back door; Sister Cuihua will take you to Back Mountain Shrine for safety."
Her mother’s face turned pale as she trembled. "Wan'er, what about you?"
Wan'er grasped her mother's cold hand firmly and said with determination, "I have my own ways. Don't be afraid, Mother. Just follow Sister Cuihua closely and don't look back."
At that moment, urgent knocking sounded from outside the courtyard; it was Zhang Cuihua.
Her red scarf fluttered in the night breeze as she maintained a calm demeanor, holding a small bundle in her arms. "Wan'er, hurry! The women and children are gathering in the small alley at the east end. I’m here to lead your mother and brother."
Wan'er entrusted her mother and brother to Cuihua, reminding her, "If you don’t hear from me before dawn, don’t come back." Cuihua nodded and whispered, "Be careful!"
The village was shrouded in darkness, with only a few flickering lights illuminating the surroundings.
Wan'er hurriedly made her way through the alleyway, tightly clutching the prepared herbal bundle in her hand.
As she approached Willow Grove near the village entrance, she saw Chen Jun directing several young men in setting up defenses. "The thief is close; don’t panic. Though we may be few in number, it’s better to be prepared."
"Bring the stones and wooden sticks, and divide into three teams to guard the alley, the granary, and the main road to the east."
Old Chen arrived with several older villagers, his voice hoarse as he said, "Jun Kid, we old bones can still manage. We'll keep an eye on the village's granary and livestock; you all take care of the front."
Chen Jun nodded. "Thank you, old man. Wan Er, how are things on your end?"
Wan Er pulled out several packets of powder from her pocket and whispered, "This is a sleeping powder made from mandrake and rosemary. I'll sprinkle it at the front alley; if any thieves rush in, they'll surely be affected."
A glimmer of admiration flashed in Chen Jun's eyes. "Wan Er, you're clever, but be careful yourself."
Wan Er smiled and distributed the packets to a few alert villagers. "Sprinkle it quietly at the entrance; the wind is blowing north, so don’t let it blow back."
In the distance, the barking of dogs outside suddenly ceased, and several indistinct shadows stealthily approached the village entrance.
Chen Jun waved his hand, signaling for the villagers to hold their breath and focus.
The sound of footsteps grew clearer in the night as a group of masked men approached, armed with long sticks and iron rods, their heads covered with rags.
Chen Jun leaped forward first, brandishing his wooden sword horizontally as he shouted sternly, "Who dares to invade our village? Leave at once!"
The thieves were momentarily taken aback but then laughed mockingly. "You few country bumpkins think you can stop us?"
Before they could finish their taunt, Chen Jun dashed forward, his wooden sword slicing through the air directly at the Thief Leader.
Caught off guard by Chen Jun's fierce swordplay, the Thief stumbled back several steps.
Seeing this, the villagers' morale surged as they brandished their sticks and stones, shouting as they engaged in battle with the thieves.
Amidst the chaos, Wan Er quietly moved closer and sprinkled the herbal powder at the alleyway and road.
Fine powder drifted through the air, and the Thieves, unaware, inhaled a few breaths, gradually feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Suddenly, several Thieves stumbled and fell to the ground, mumbling, "What... is happening..." Before they could react, they collapsed heavily.
The Thief Leader, seeing this, was furious. He brandished his knife and shouted, "Quick! Seize the Granary! Don't worry about these villagers!"
Old Chen had long been stationed at the Granary entrance with a few elderly men, holding axes and pitchforks, their expressions resolute.
The Thieves found it difficult to break in and resorted to setting fires in an attempt to distract the villagers.
Seeing this, Wan Er rushed to the well beside the granary and began to pour out buckets of water she had prepared in advance, extinguishing the initial flames.
Zhang Cuihua had settled the women and children at the Back Mountain Shrine. When she noticed someone sneaking over, she immediately stopped them: "No running around! Stay close to me and keep quiet!" While comforting the crying children, she kept a close watch on the flames in the village, ready to lead everyone away at any moment.
The battle at the alley was the fiercest.
Chen Jun fought fiercely with his sword, smashing the arms of two Thieves with his wooden sword.
The able-bodied villagers surrounded the remaining Thieves under Chen Jun's leadership.
In the midst of chaos, Wan Er managed to rescue two injured villagers. She quickly took out her Golden Wound Medicine and herbs, applying them to their wounds while continuously reassuring them, "Don't be afraid; it will stop the bleeding. Don't push yourself."
Seeing his comrades gradually falling, the Thief Leader shouted in rage and charged straight at Chen Jun with his knife.
Chen Jun responded calmly. The two engaged in a fierce struggle for several rounds. Amidst flashing blades, Chen Jun pivoted and struck the Thief Leader's wrist with his wooden sword. The knife fell to the ground, and with a swift kick, he sent him sprawling.
The villagers surged forward and pinned down the Thief Leader firmly.
Realizing the situation was dire, the remaining Thieves fled in panic. Chen Jun led a few young men to chase them to the village entrance and drove them out.
The night breeze gradually calmed, and the village returned to silence, with only a few unconscious Thieves on the ground and the villagers' heavy breaths breaking the stillness.
The sky began to lighten slightly.
Zhang Cuihua carefully led the women and children back to the village. Upon seeing Wan Er safe and sound, she excitedly embraced her, saying, "Wan Er, are you alright? That's wonderful! Everyone is safe."
Old Chen wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed with relief, "Thanks to Jun Kid and Wan Er's cleverness, if it weren't for you two, our village would have faced great disaster tonight."
The villagers gathered around, praising in unison: "Chen Jun is so skilled!" "Wan Er's trick was brilliant; the Thieves were completely fooled!" "Sister Cuihua led us well; not a single person was left behind!"
Wan Er smiled wearily as she bandaged Chen Jun's minor wounds. She softly said, "Brother Chen Jun, it's all thanks to you being here."
Chen Jun shook his head, his gaze gentle. "If it weren't for your quick thinking, tonight would have been much harder. You saved many people."
Zhang Cuihua chimed in with a smile, "With Jun Ge and Wan Er in our village, we are truly blessed."
Old Chen looked around at everyone, his voice ringing out clearly. "Tonight, we worked together to protect our home. No matter what difficulties we face in the future, as long as we unite, we will surely overcome them!"
As dawn broke on the horizon, the village gradually awakened in a sense of relief after the ordeal.
The villagers spontaneously began to clean up the aftermath, comforting the frightened women and children while tying up the Thieves at the village entrance, waiting for the authorities to take action.
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