Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home
Chapter 1897

Chapter 1897: Attack Chapter 1897: Attack Editor: Henyee Translations The once formidable Tiger Head Tribe had been significantly weakened, with its three leaders and two minor chiefs conspicuously absent.

The losses sustained in the preceding skirmishes had already depleted 60 to 70% of their core forces.

Faced with the sudden onslaught from government forces, they found themselves disoriented and unable to mount a cohesive defense.

Amidst the chaos, a mass exodus ensued as survival became the paramount concern.

Once the floodgates of flight were opened, the torrent of fleeing bandits proved unstoppable, signaling a decisive turning point in the conflict.

By the break of dawn, the battle neared its conclusion.

For those mountain bandits who managed to escape, safe passage was not guaranteed.

Zheng Sangge, Wei San, and their contingent of thirty individuals lay in wait on the fringes of the Tiger Head Tribe, ensnaring any fugitives who fell into their trap.

Though they labored diligently, Zheng Sangge and Wei San lamented their insufficient numbers, rueing their inability to apprehend every fleeing bandit.

Meanwhile, the officials corralled the panicked servants, bandits, and their families, binding them together and securing their temporary custody.

With the mountain stronghold thoroughly searched, all structures were razed to the ground, and essential supplies commandeered.

The captive individuals were then escorted down the mountain and delivered to Lord Shao in the city for interrogation and subsequent judgment.

The annihilation of the Tiger Head Tribe posed a formidable challenge, given its long-standing existence and entrenched operations.

However, with limited manpower at their disposal, the government office faced a dilemma.

Stationing a permanent garrison was unfeasible, and leaving too few defenders risked vulnerability to potential counterattacks from the Min Family Tribe and Liuhe Fort.

Thus, the only recourse was to raze it to the ground.

In this scenario, the advantages of a full-fledged army were evident.

With an army, numerical considerations were secondary, enabling a swift occupation of the territory without undue constraint.

Despite the urgency, caution prevailed.

Concerns lingered regarding potential reprisals from Liuhe Fort and the Min Family Tribe following the escape and subsequent report of the bandits.

While the likelihood of an immediate assault was deemed low, vigilance remained paramount.

Consequently, the destruction, incineration, and search operations were conducted with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring no critical areas were overlooked.

Key structures such as the front and rear gates, sentry towers, three fortresses, main hall, kitchen, warehouse, and living quarters were systematically dismantled or set ablaze, leaving no stone unturned in the eradication process.

The captured individuals, numbering between twenty to thirty, were pressed into labor to hasten the destruction of the mountain stronghold.

With time pressing, they were swiftly escorted down the mountain under cover of night, returning to the city without delay.

Meanwhile, Zheng Sangge, Wei San, and their companions left no survivors among the escapees, viewing them as deserving of their fate for their years of tyranny and exploitation of the common folk.

Operating discreetly from the shadows, they monitored the progress of Sun Qian and his escort team, maintaining a vigilant stance.

As the group finally staggered into Anze Prefecture City at four o’clock in the morning, a sense of relief washed over them.

The Morning Star hung low in the sky, casting a faint greenish-white hue over the eastern horizon.

Remarkably, the journey transpired without incident.

Escorting such a large number of captives back to the government office proved impractical.

Consequently, they were divided into two groups: one comprising dozens of identified criminals escorted directly to the office, while the remainder were temporarily detained in the spacious courtyard occupied by Zheng Sangge and his cohorts.