Chapter 111: Sudden Turn, Corpse Exposed
The Money Grabber’s face looked somewhat unpleasant, slowly putting down an introductory fist manual on the table, saying,
“I originally scraped together three thousand silver taels from east and west, planning to bribe the county yamen connections through someone to redeem Jin Troupe Leader… but that Wang dog official went back on his word, saying it would take five thousand silver taels to release the person!”
Bai Manlou, who had been silently whittling a wooden sword with a small knife, heard this and flew into a rage, his starry eyes emitting cold light.
“That damnable dog official, still five thousand taels? Once we scrape together another five thousand taels, he might demand eight thousand. No need for more talk—charge straight into the county yamen, jailbreak, and rescue the person!”
The Jin Family Opera Troupe was implicated by the Guo Lu Society, forced to suspend operations for rectification, and Jin Troupe Leader was even thrown into prison, standing on the fire cage.
During this time, the Guo Lu Society had also been trying to find ways to rescue.
But with little effect, and even after scraping together the silver taels, it was all for naught.
The Xin Character Hall Master shook his head and said, “Calm down. I suspect that Wang Herui planned this from the start, baiting us to take the hook.”
“So what!”
Bai Manlou said coldly, “A mere county magistrate without the strength to truss a chicken, that dog official. In that county yamen, there are only some fast class constables who bully men and dominate women—how many real tough characters? It’s not charging an army camp or kicking a martial arts hall. With us joining hands for a night assault, killing into the county yamen, rescuing Jin Troupe Leader and leaving—who can stop us?”
At these words, everyone showed thoughtful expressions.
Moments later, Xiao Qingchou frowned slightly and said,
“Do you need my help? Although the Divine Might Purple Thunder Cannon isn’t easy to use casually, I still have a few handy firearms…”
The Money Grabber shook his head and said, “You’re not suited to act. You’ve finally got an aboveboard identity. You can serve as our backup. Even if we’re going to jailbreak, the three of us are enough.”
“I’m not going! And none of you can go either!”
The Xin Character Hall Master’s gaze swept over everyone, his expression stern as he said,
“This trip to the capital is solely for the hibiscus paste fire. Perform our duties diligently without overstepping—this is faith! If any of you suffer losses from jailbreaking, that would also be breaking faith!”
“What rigid faith!”
Bai Manlou’s gaze gleamed with frosty chill, quietly clenching the wooden sword in his hand.
Clop clop clop…
The sound of iron horseshoes rang out from beyond the wall.
A second-rate realm aura approached from far to near, passing through the alleyway just one wall away.
“Where did this second-rate expert come from?”
The Money Grabber narrowed his eyes, showing a surprised look.
Bai Manlou and the others also became slightly alert, nerves taut.
“You all wait a moment.”
Xiao Qingchou rubbed his somewhat stiff face, hurriedly walked out of the back room, lifted the hanging curtain, and exited the martial arts school.
Through the gap in the swaying hanging curtain, the Money Grabber, Bai Manlou, and the others saw an old man dressed simply but traveling by horse-drawn carriage.
On the carriage were various cloths, wood, and glazed tiles.
A perfect picture of a parvenu’s behavior.
Not long after, Xiao Qingchou returned and said,
“The neighbor next door, a water carrier working at the water station named Chen Shun’an, second-rate mid stage cultivation, nearly fifty years old.”
Hearing this, the Xin Character Hall Master seemed to think of something and couldn’t help sneering,
“A mere water carrier, yet so lavish— who knows how many innocent commoners he’s harmed, sucking their marrow.”
Xiao Qingchou shook his head and said, “Not so. I’ve secretly observed him for two months, and he has no evil deeds, just…”
Xiao Qingchou’s finger unconsciously tapped the wooden board, carefully recalling his impressions of Chen Shun’an over this time, finally summarizing,
“Just a little old man unwilling to stir up trouble. Oh, and he’s tangled up with a widow, seems like his sister-in-law.”
Hearing this, the Xin Character Hall Master’s sneer deepened by three parts,
“Pah, that makes him even less of a good thing!”
“Enough.”
The Money Grabber interrupted their conversation, saying helplessly,
“Back to the point—let’s discuss the jailbreak.”
……
“As expected of the Guo Lu Society, such bold guts to actually dare jailbreak?”
Chen Shun’an eavesdropped at the wall corner, his eyes flickering uncertainly. With a flash of his figure, he returned to his own courtyard.
The coachman helped move the things from the carriage into the courtyard.
At this time, Wan Niang looked at the things filling the courtyard.
Several bundles of brightly colored silk cloths—Wu County brocade, Yuhang cloud satin—gleaming softly in the sunset.
Also plenty of brand-new beams and rafters emitting pine fragrance, and several heavy camphor wood boxes.
While busily packing, Wan Niang muttered,
“Brother, why’d you buy so much? We have rice and oil at home… hey, why’d you even buy me cosmetics and new clothes? What a waste of money!”
Wan Niang seemed to complain, but the corners of her mouth curved up, her eyes brimming with laughter.
She deliberately left the door open; several neighboring families had already craned their necks to look, faces full of envy and astonishment.
Wan Niang’s face suddenly flushed hot, but her heart felt like it held a warm stove, burning hot.
Thus, her posture straightened even more, her hands and feet moving nimbly.
“Brother, where’d you get the silver from? Don’t tell me… you took ill-gotten gains?”
In the intervals of moving things, Wan Niang couldn’t help pulling Chen Shun’an aside, her voice lowered extremely, laced with worry.
Chen Shun’an laughed heartily, appearing confident.
“All this was earned through my own hard work and ability. Use it with peace of mind.”
As he spoke, Chen Shun’an pulled a small, exquisite gilded rosewood box from his bosom and stuffed it into Wan Niang’s hand: “Here, for you.”
Wan Niang took it suspiciously; it felt heavy in her hand.
She carefully opened the box, and in an instant, a warm, brilliant glow nearly dazzled her eyes.
Inside was a pair of jade earrings, emerald green and lustrous, with excellent water quality.
“This…” Wan Niang gasped, feeling like she was dreaming.
“Go try them on quick, see if they look good.”
Chen Shun’an pushed Wan Niang into the room, standing alone in the courtyard with a pensive look.
“The Guo Lu Society gangsters live right next door—should we sell the house and move?”
Though Chen Shun’an held some admiration and goodwill toward the Guo Lu Society people.
He didn’t want to be implicated by them.
“But Xiao Qingchou seems cautious in his actions; the jailbreak won’t involve him, low risk of exposure… Even if exposed, Chen Mou here is just an innocent commoner dragged in—nothing will come down on my head, right?”
Chen Shun’an muttered to himself.
Regarding the Money Grabber and others’ jailbreak plan, Chen Shun’an offered no opinion.
But Bai Manlou had said one thing right.
Their Guo Lu Society heroes’ strength was indeed like dragons crossing the river, top-notch figures even in Tongzhou City.
Though Bai Manlou had only slain a body thief, he cultivated superior martial arts—the Zhou Tian Liu Qi Sword《, said to be a Shu Mountain secret transmission, even linked to legendary sword immortals.
His strength was not lacking; with right time, place, and people, he could even reverse circumstances in combat to slay two thieves.
Xiao Qingchou had slain one thief but excelled in firearms.
The remaining two were both experts who had slain two thieves.
Not to mention, who knew if the Guo Lu Society had internal formation methods or united strength techniques that could explosively boost power?
With them joining hands for a night assault to jailbreak and rescue Jin Troupe Leader, they truly had considerable odds of success.
After all, though they called it storming the county yamen, it was really just the Patrol Inspector’s Office holding bandit prisoners, a mere subordinate public office.
Not the central hub with all three classes and six offices gathered.
Chen Shun’an suddenly thought of the orphanage, those oddly shaped but pure-eyed children, and couldn’t help sighing,
“Hope they succeed.”
Chen Shun’an carried a camphor wood box into the bedroom and saw Wan Niang admiring herself in the mirror.
Her face lightly powdered, lips lightly rouged, glossy black hair in a bun, jade earrings dangling from her earlobes.
Wan Niang’s features were ordinary, nothing outstanding.
But at this moment, with new clothes and makeup, she exuded a bright, unmasked, blazing beauty.
Magnificent!
Chen Shun’an grinned: “Hey! I told you these earrings suit you! Good-looking! Like an official’s wife!”
Wan Niang turned at his voice, face not red nor breathless, no shy embarrassment at the teasing, just kept saying,
“Brother, I don’t care for these. In the future, spend more on yourself. I’m just an old woman!”
Chen Shun’an smiled without saying more.
Good days lie ahead!
……
Silent night deep, flickering lights hazy.
Twilight washed over the Patrol Inspector’s towering black walls; a thick fishy smell and killing aura emanated from within.
In an alley not far from the black walls.
Bai Manlou looked at the Xin Character Hall Master who had ultimately come along and chuckled lightly,
“Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
The Xin Character Hall Master said irritably, “Who told this old man to have the most seniority! Before entering the capital, I promised Big Black Hat to protect you all. Since I couldn’t protect Red Fifth Master, I can only protect you!”
Hearing this, the Money Grabber couldn’t help a light laugh.
The three exchanged glances, nodded silently, and their figures flitted soundlessly into the Patrol Inspector’s Office like swaying willows.
Moments later, intense combat sounds and clashing metal rang out, abruptly tearing the darkness.
A shrill voice tinged with faint despair rang out,
“Iron Buddha, you actually defected to the court and became a running dog?!”
Inside the Patrol Inspector’s Office.
Torches blazed; dozens of runners and bowmen surged from all directions.
The Money Grabber, Bai Manlou, and Xin Character Hall Master fought while retreating, variously injured, faces grim.
Jin Troupe Leader was dead.
They hadn’t even grabbed the corpse.
Opposite them, on the eaves, stood a shadow like a night owl, revealing only a gaunt, pale face.
This person’s voice was rough and gravelly, saying deeply, “As expected, rats that can’t see the light in gutters— a little bait and you can’t help but show your heads.”
With that, he pounced down fiercely, speed astonishing, his fleshy palms gleaming metallic in the night.
“You all go quick! I’ll hold him!”
The Xin Character Hall Master’s expression turned frenzied; he bit his tongue root, blood boiling, skin turning red.
A violent force suddenly rose in his body; his meridians snapped inch by inch under the impact of that surging power, yet were forcibly fused and widened by the burning blood flame.
In an instant, an aura far surpassing slaying two thieves erupted from the Xin Character Hall Master.
“Bang!”
The Xin Character Hall Master used no technique, merely blasting out with pure speed and power!
Iron Buddha’s expression tightened slightly; with even faster speed than his pounce, he wheeled back.
He grabbed several runners and hurled them at the Xin Character Hall Master, avoiding a direct clash with this all-burning strike.
“Go!”
Bai Manlou and the Money Grabber exchanged glances, sorrow flashing in their eyes, but without hesitation, they madly urged their remaining qi and blood to flip over the high wall.
Arrows fell like rain.
Mangled, inhuman corpses lay at the Xin Character Hall Master’s feet.
The besiegers trembled in fear, not daring to advance.
The Xin Character Hall Master stood firm, laughing heartily as blood poured from his mouth like it cost nothing,
“I promised Big Black Hat to protect the brothers fully—this is faith!”
The next second, an invisible force descended on the Xin Character Hall Master’s head—just one grab!
A fine head instantly flew from its neck.
Blood gushed like a fountain.
The Xin Character Hall Master’s corpse stood like a broken spear, unyielding even in death.
Iron Buddha flung the head to the ground and kicked the Xin Character Hall Master’s corpse over.
Only then did he glance in the direction Bai Manlou and the other had fled, saying indifferently,
“Even fake posturing deserves some chase and kill. You go. I’m tired; heading back to rest.”
“Then expose this thief’s corpse at the Vegetable Market Intersection to warn others.”
“Wait a bit and sell it to Zhao Guanghui. I want to see just how powerful his ‘Ding Jia Warrior’ really is.”
