Chapter 276 — Audacity

"Wife of Lu Yi, take some people and pile all the firewood from the wood shed in the middle of the courtyard and set it alight," Dou Yan said. "When Mr. Yan and the others see the blaze, they will certainly come running." That way there would be no need to send a messenger; it would save time and relieve the present siege.

"Madam, what a splendid idea!" Mistress Lu Yi's eyes lit up, and she gazed at Dou Zhiwei with unconcealed admiration. The others, seeing this, were at once filled with confidence in their escape. In a moment the main courtyard was seething with excitement, morale soaring.

This was precisely what Dou Yan wanted.

Only one who firmly believes he can win has any chance of winning.

The maidservants, too, spontaneously joined the coarse workwomen in carrying firewood.

Though the courtyard was hushed and no one spoke, everything proceeded in perfect order, and everyone was in high spirits.

The young servants who had fallen back with Wu Yi saw it and their hearts steadied. Wu Yi, catching sight of the firewood in the courtyard, was briefly taken aback, but he quickly understood; when he looked toward Dou Zhiwei, he could scarcely hide the shock in his eyes.

Dou Yan had no time for such things. She instructed him: "Take your men and guard the hanging-flower gate. Whatever happens, they must not break through. Can you do it?"

Wu Yi's expression turned grave, and he cupped his hands in a solemn salute: "Madam, I swear I shall not fail you."

Dou Yan nodded with satisfaction and ordered them to barricade the hanging-flower gate with the heavy furniture from the side rooms. The villains came pursuing.

Another round of battering.

Hearing about a thing is one matter; living through it is another.

The deafening crashes and the coarse, filthy curses not only made the maids and servants tense, but filled even Dou Yan with dread—if they broke through the hanging-flower gate, there would be no barrier left, nothing to hold them back.

Fortunately, Mistress Lu Yi soon had the firewood lit.

Great flames leapt roaring into the sky, lighting up the heavens and the hearts of the maids and servants alike.

The men outside bellowed: "Those stinking women, to think they'd come up with such a trick... Put your backs into it! Otherwise we'll have to go back empty-handed..."

The men outside roared and redoubled their battering.

At this rate, it could not last.

Gazing at the loosening hanging-flower gate and feeling the heat of the flames, a bolder notion rose in Dou Yan's mind.

"Mistress Lu Yi, do we have ladders in this courtyard?"

"We do!" Mistress Lu Yi had never known such a scene either; her earlier bold words had nearly dissolved under the thudding that filled her ears. Bracing herself, she asked, "What does Madam want them for?"

Dou Yan ignored the question and asked instead, "How many?"

Mistress Lu Yi calculated silently, then said, "Four. One is in the kitchen..."

Dou Yan cut her off: "Take some of the older women and boil cauldrons of water—quickly. Then send someone to go with Su Lan and bring all four ladders here."

Though Mistress Lu Yi did not understand the purpose, she answered respectfully, "Yes," and led the others off to boil water, while Su Lan directed several older women to carry the ladders over.

Dou Yan said, "In a moment we shall pour boiling water down on them. I refuse to believe they can batter the gate as hard as they are doing now." Then she encouraged everyone: "Mr. Yan and the others must have seen the flames by now; they should be here very soon."

"Madam is truly another Zhuge Liang!" Their spirits revived, and they all praised Dou Yan.

Dou Yan smiled brightly.

When Mistress Lu Yi, boiling the water, learned of Dou Zhiwei's plan, she fanned the flames with fresh vigor and soon had two cauldrons boiling; these she carried over with great care.

Fearing that the villains might not be scalded but their own people would, Dou Yan had Su Xin and Su Lan, whose hands were steady and whose strength was great, stand atop the wall to pour the water, and ordered Mistress Lu Yi: "Keep boiling, do not stop!"

Mistress Lu Yi was loath to leave, and only when she saw Su Xin and Su Lan set two ladders side by side, climb to the top of the wall bearing a cauldron of boiling water, and hurl it out with a great hiss—when she heard several screams from beyond the gate and the villains' furious shrieks of "The wall! Watch the wall! Fetch a long pole and drag them down!"—did she scurry back to the kitchen.

By the time Mistress Lu Yi brought the boiling water a third time, confused footsteps sounded outside, along with the terrified voices of Xia Lian and the others: "Madam! Madam!"

Dou Yan breathed a sigh of relief.

Su Lan excitedly poked her head out and waved to the crowd of familiar faces racing toward them: "We're here!" Then she hurled the boiling water and the cauldron down together. Though the men, now on their guard, dodged aside, she was still overjoyed.

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Sisters, brothers, update on July 7!

ps: While waiting for the test results I glanced at the comments on my phone. Thank you all for your concern and greetings. My updates have been very erratic these past few days; please forgive me.

o(n_n)o~

Later I'll have to call and remotely direct Old Zhi to post the chapter. I hope all goes smoothly.

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