Little Pink Starfish

When a Scholar Meets Soldiers

“How many archers are on the wall?” Xiao Wei asked Da Dangjia.

Da Dangjia glanced at Jiang Yuen-niang, still carried on Xiao Wei’s back, and asked, “What’s going on there?”

Xiao Wei retorted, “You’re worried about them now that we’re cornered?”

Da Dangjia then looked at Xiaobao and quipped, “If we’re gonna die, might as well chat. Who is this? The kid looks just like you—is he your son?”

What do you do when someone’s mouth is this foul? Xiao Wei looked like he was ready to brawl again.

The former pirates all quieted down, waiting to watch Xiao Wei’s reaction.

“Come on, admit it,” Da Dangjia leaned in, his usually upright face turning lewd with teasing. He poked Xiaobao’s cheek. “The little guy really does look like you.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Xiao Wei snapped.

Pfft! Xiaobao spat a mouthful of saliva at Da Dangjia.

Though Da Dangjia easily dodged, he still looked embarrassed and muttered, “Even his temper is like yours. This kid’s not cute at all.”

Xiaobao glared at him like he was eyeing a coffin lid.

Da Dangjia backed off. That stare was chilling.

Xiao Wei gently set Jiang Yuen-niang and Xiaobao in a cart.

“Uncle,” Xiaobao whimpered, nibbling his fingers as Xiao Wei turned to go.

Xiao Wei handed him a piece of flatbread and, noticing Yuen-niang’s cracked lips, also passed her a water pouch.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He smiled, ruffled Xiaobao’s head, and walked away.

The Jiang clan watched Yuen-niang silently. Being carried so publicly by a young man—how would she ever hold her head high again?

Yuen-niang fed Xiaobao a sip of water calmly. She knew their thoughts. But if survival was possible—for Xiaobao’s sake—she had to live.

At that moment, laughter broke out ahead. The Jiang clan looked up to see two men brawling as others squatted nearby, cheering them on.

“Third Uncle,” a youth whispered, “how can they still laugh?”

The elderly veteran—once a soldier himself—wasn’t sure what to make of it. Laughing in the face of death—were they fearless or just plain insane?

On the wall above, the Taichang magistrate watched it all clearly. What could be more humiliating than preparing for war while the enemy joked around below? If only he had the manpower, he’d send soldiers to cut down those arrogant fools immediately.

While he fumed, a lieutenant pointed and yelled, “More of them are coming, sir!”

The magistrate looked where the officer pointed—waves of ragged slaves were rushing toward the southern gate.

His vision darkened. “The whole slave market’s been freed?”

If so, his days as magistrate were over.

Da Dangjia and his crew were also startled by the approaching crowd. Could they really save this many?

Wang Momo spotted Yu Xiaoxiao among them and finally relaxed.

Gu Xinglang assessed the situation at the wall. No wonder Da Dangjia’s crew had stalled—storming it was near impossible.

Yu Xiaoxiao looked up and locked eyes with the magistrate. “That guy doesn’t look like a general,” she remarked.

“He’s probably the magistrate,” Gu Xinglang said.

She shrugged. “Don’t care.”

She looked at Jiang Zhuojun, who Xiao Zhuang had just laid on the ground. “How is he?”

“Still out cold,” Xiao Zhuang replied.

Yu Xiaoxiao knelt down and touched his forehead. “He’s burning up.”

“So… that’s bad?” Xiao Zhuang asked nervously.

“It’s fine,” Yu Xiaoxiao said, scanning for warm clothing. “Xiao Gu’s injuries were worse back then.”

Xiao Zhuang nodded. True—Prince Consort had been nearly crippled.

Meanwhile, Gu Xinglang was gathering the stronger fighters. They needed to do something about the gate.

“We’ve reached the wall,” Xiao Wei said grimly, “but we’ve got nothing to break the gate with.”

“You mean we climb and take the gate?” Da Dangjia barked.

Xiao Wei gave him a side-eye. “Now you’re worried?”

Da Dangjia gritted his teeth. He didn’t mind dying, but if something happened to Li Wan…

“Criminals below!” the magistrate shouted from atop the wall. “Surrender at once or face my wrath!”

“You got a chicken to kill?” Second-in-command shouted back.

“Villains!” the magistrate thundered.

“Keep it up,” Gu Xinglang whispered. “Stall him.”

Second-in-command got the cue and began cursing the magistrate’s ancestors in every crude, graphic, and bodily-fluid-themed insult he could think of.

A scholar and an official of virtue, the magistrate turned purple with rage. “Archers, fire!”

As the arrows flew, Gu Xinglang led Xiao Wei and a few skilled guards along the wall’s edge, using the buildings as cover.

At that moment, Jiang Zhuojun stirred awake, opening his eyes to see Yu Xiaoxiao covering him with a blanket.

“He’s awake!” Xiao Zhuang announced.

Yu Xiaoxiao adjusted the blanket. “How do you feel?”

Jiang Zhuojun tried to sit up. Seeing the chaos at the gate, he fell into despair. No one will ever believe the Jiang family is innocent now…

“Hey!” Yu Xiaoxiao waved a hand in front of his face. “You still with us?”

“He looks a bit out of it,” Xiao Zhuang said.

“That’s not dumb,” Yu Xiaoxiao corrected. “He’s just in shock.”