20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 638 Reason
The bonfire crackled and scattered sparks floated up.

The crescent moon was dim and gradually set in the west. It was the darkest time in Laoyeling. The bandits did not move around, but instead seized the houses of tenants in the fields and set up camp not far from the Lianzhuanghui.

They said they were setting up camp, but in reality they just built a few fires on the spot. Since there was no room for everyone in the mud house, they simply took advantage of the clear summer night and slept in the mountains.

The gang leader and the Jiang family members were sitting around the campfire. They had just had a false alarm, but now they were laughing and cursing together.

Liu Kuaitui had heard of the bandit nickname "Yanwang Li" for a long time. Seeing that the two parties were acquaintances online, he also squeezed over with a shameless face and smiled to chat and get close to him.

Sun Xiangyang appeared in response, holding a cowhide wine bag in his hand, and poured wine for Jiang Lianheng with a playful smile to apologize.

The bandit who had challenged the village association just now, nicknamed "Old Whistle", also apologized and explained: "Boss Jiang, please don't blame me, this was all our boss's idea!"

"What a fucking tyrant!" Jiang Lianheng cursed, "Aren't you afraid of an accidental discharge of your guns if you really start fighting?"

As he spoke, he raised his hand and pointed at Sun Xiangyang, and said, "I should have guessed it was you a long time ago. I've said before that people with thick eyebrows and big eyes are all bad!"

Sun Xiangyang scratched his head, not daring to refute, so he smiled and said, "Boss Jiang, do you want to smoke?"

"No wonder I couldn't stop you in Kuanchengzi that day and you ran away!" Zhao Guoyan continued, "I guess you went to tell your boss!"

"Look at you, it's meaningless if you tell it out loud!"

"Bullshit! Tell me the truth, did you go to inform us on purpose that day?"

"No, no, no, that's not the case!" Sun Xiangyang hastily denied, "I'm not a great god, how could I have known that Boss Jiang would go to Kuanchengzi that day? I just happened to catch him! It was a coincidence, purely a coincidence!"

"Was it also a coincidence that you were in a hurry to go back that day?" Zhao Guoyan asked.

Sun Xiangyang stammered, "Uh... don't our two families have a relationship? A passerby is a guest. Since we are here, wouldn't it be nice to meet and reminisce about the past?"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Li Zheng.

It has been six years since we said goodbye at Slingshot Ridge. I didn't expect that we would meet again in this way.

Li Zheng looked obviously older, with untidy beard on his chin and a few more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

Logically speaking, he and Jiang Lianheng were of the same age and should not have aged so much. However, over the years, one lived a life of luxury in the city, while the other lived in the mountains, and they gradually became different.

However, although Li Zheng looks old, he exudes an indescribable sense of freedom and happiness inside and out.

In comparison, although Jiang Lianheng has a slicked-back hair and powdered face, there is always a hint of gloom and depression in his words and actions.

Now that they meet again, both of them feel a little emotional.

Zhao Guoyan didn't have much to lament about, so he said to his face, "Li Zheng, wasn't your joke a bit too much tonight?"

Li Zheng patted the dust off his trouser legs and said without raising his head: "If I don't do this, can you see the true faces of those people in Shen's store? This place is not safe for you at all!"

"Oh, isn't it!" Liu Kuaitui got angry when he heard it, "That bastard Haichaoshan is really disloyal! Logically speaking, the armed team and the insurance team are also online cooperation. I don't believe he doesn't know the rules. He watched someone die without rescuing him tonight, which is purely selfish! Don't worry, Boss Jiang, when we return to Ning'an County, we will immediately bring our brothers back to kill him and destroy this blockhouse!"

"Thighs, don't forget your clothes!" Jiang Lianheng reminded in a low voice.

Liu Kuaitui was startled, and looked down at his baggy military uniform. He suddenly realized that this was not a good move, and neither Zhang would agree to it, so he approached the gang and said, "Hey, then we'll have to trouble Boss Li to help us with justice."

The old whistle also joked, "Boss, Boss Jiang has finally come to Jilin Province and encountered this group of scoundrels. We must help them, otherwise Boss Jiang will bear a grudge."

Everyone burst into laughter immediately.

Everyone knows that Jiang Lianheng and Li Zheng are close friends: when the Jiang family set up the store, Li Zheng helped; when Li Zheng started the business, the Jiang family contributed.

How could the two of them fall out over a joke?

What's more, this "joke" is not meant to amuse people, but to serve as a reminder.

Li Zheng raised his eyelids and asked with a smile: "Old Jiang, what do you think?"

Jiang Lianheng shook his head and said, "This account cannot be counted against Haichao Mountain."

Everyone was puzzled and asked one after another: "Boss, Hai Chaoshan is the captain of the armed forces. If this account is not counted on him, who else can it be counted on?"

"Master Shen?" The brothers asked themselves, "Forget it, I don't think that old man can command Hai Chaoshan at all, Hai Chaoshan is responsible for this matter!"

Unexpectedly, Jiang Lianheng and Li Zheng burst into laughter at the same time and were unwilling to explain further.

Everyone became more and more confused, not because of anything else, but because everyone knew the personalities of these two bosses.

They are obviously cruel and vindictive people, so why do they just laugh it off when they get to Haichao Mountain?
As the saying goes: Only when you are in the position you understand the truth.

No matter whether it is a gang or a mob, as long as people gather together, there must be an original intention and a goal.

It is true that the Shenjiadian Lianzhuang Association is impregnable, and the armed team led by Haichaoshan is also well-known online. The gangs dare not provoke them easily, which is the result of the fight a few years ago.

However, the armed forces were brave and good at fighting, and in the final analysis, they did so to protect their own little piece of land.

If they were asked to protect a stranger and risk having their fields and kilns destroyed by bandits, their mentality would be completely different.

Once the fighting reaches a stalemate, people's hearts will be in chaos. By then, not to mention Jiang Lianheng, even Hai Chaoshan, the armed captain, will probably be stabbed in the back.

Present the facts, reason with the people, and explain the benefits and disadvantages to the tenants and villagers?
It's easy to say. If it were really that easy, the anti-Qing revolution wouldn't have been so difficult.

Authority is not a title. In fact, Hai Chaoshan had no choice. He gave water to Jiang Lianheng and others, pointed the way, and took responsibility, and that was all he could do.

Even if he talked his mouth off, it might not be as effective as what Mr. Shen said, "Fellow villagers, whoever can keep Boss Jiang will be exempted from rent for three years." But no one was sure how much use it would be.

"Old Jiang——"

Li Zheng raised his hand and pointed at the Lianzhuang Association not far away: "It's not safe for you to stay here. I grew up in this kind of place. I know them better than anyone else. They look honest, but they are actually not easy to deal with. They only care about the present. As long as the price is high enough, they will dare to sell you out. I don't even need to come. If you stay a few more days, they will dare to take advantage of you."

Jiang Lianheng nodded silently.

Soldiers, bandits, and civilians, those who write love to be self-important and self-touched, always thinking that the people are innocent, so they write furiously. In fact, the three have the same origin, they are all ordinary people, half good and half evil.

The old whistle took the opportunity to flatter him: "However, Boss Jiang is in a tiger's den and a dragon's lair. We have such a big show, but we can't scare him. Boss Jiang is really a big shot!"

Jiang Lianheng glanced at him lazily and said, "Stop bragging. I felt something was wrong the moment I saw you on the wall."

Old Whistle was startled and smacked his lips: "How come...Boss Jiang knows me?"

"I have no impression!" Jiang Lianheng said truthfully, "But I know that 'Lao Mang' joined the rebels, and now the rebels are doomed, and almost all their men have been incorporated. Even if there are a few gangs left, Shenjiadian is less than 60 miles away from Ning'an County, and the soldiers are stationed there. How brave do you have to be to dare to come and cause such a big battle?"

"What if it's an enemy?"

"Let's not talk about the fact that I don't remember ever having a feud with 'Lao Mang'. Have you ever seen an enemy call the other's wife 'sister-in-law', let alone 'the sister-in-law of the Jiang family'?"

Old Whistle chuckled, and also felt that the name sounded a bit awkward coming from the enemy's mouth.

Jiang Lianheng continued, "Moreover, even if I really have a grudge against 'Lao Mang', now that the rebels have lost, how much face does he have to have to pull out two hundred people to accompany him to take the risk to come to Shen's store? Especially the way you were smiling outside the door, you didn't seem to be in a hurry at all. Did you really think we were just chatting?"

"Did you see that?" Sun Xiangyang flattered, "This is the quality of Fengtian City's secret agent consultant!"

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"And you-"

Jiang Lianheng pointed at Sun Xiangyang and said, "You were the first one to tell me about 'Lao Mang'. Besides you, you are the second young master of the Shen family. Even if he sold me out, let's not talk about how he sold me out. I just arrived at the Shen's store yesterday, and 'Lao Mang' came here today. That means his cavalry is nearby. The key is that when Inspector General Zhang was in Ning'an County, he sent out several reconnaissance companies. It doesn't make sense that he is so close. We have been searching for several days but couldn't find him."

Sun Xiangyang and Lao Shaozi curled their lips after hearing this: "Good fellow, dealing with cunning people is really stressful!"

Li Zheng said, "Okay, anyway, since you are in Ji Province and on my territory, I can't ignore you. Besides, the matter of 'Lao Mang' is probably related to me."

"Hey, who is the 'Lao Mang' you guys are talking about?" Liu Kuaitui was unable to get a word in and stood there anxiously.

"A bunch of people." Li Zheng asked back, "I think his last name is Wu, don't you know him?"

Liu Kuaitui clapped his hands and said hurriedly, "Oh, that big guy Wu, I know him. When did he change his name to 'Lao Mang'?"

Jiang Lianheng and Zhao Guoyan looked at each other - it seemed that Lao Mang and the big guy Wu should be the same person.

"Boss Li, didn't you two quarrel before?" Liu Kuai Tui was quick on his feet and quick on his words, "When General Zhang led his troops to suppress the rebellion, that kid was so fucking quick that we didn't catch him!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zheng immediately frowned and turned his head away, ignoring the matter.

Seeing this, Jiang Lianheng thought that what Liu Kuaitui had said before must be true - Li Zheng and Lao Mang had fought, and both had won and lost.

Zhao Guoyan couldn't help but frowned: "Wait, what does the noise between your two families have to do with our Jiang family?"

Sun Xiangyang glanced at Li Zheng, and after getting his tacit approval, he replied, "Old Zhao, Boss Jiang, you two have never thought about who has been taking care of our mountain over the years, including when we first started the game?"

If you can't defeat your opponent, you take your anger out on the opponent's arms dealer?

This matter sounds extremely absurd, but it also fits with Young Master Shen's explanation - the goods lost by the Shen family are not worth much money at all, and they were not targeted by someone, but were chased away by someone. It seems more like the result of a sudden impulse taking advantage of the rebels' heyday.

Zhao Guoyan turned his anger into laughter: "Is there something wrong with this kid's brain?"

Liu Kuaitui also nodded and echoed, "When I was online, I knew that Boss Jiang was the arms dealer with the most shipments outside the customs. He doesn't want to build a good relationship with him, but he comes here to be a jerk. What the hell is he thinking!"

At this time, Li Zheng finally spoke up: "Because the arms that guy has are not from Lao Jiang, but from the Russians in Vladivostok. He used to be a 'runaway', don't you know?"

Liu Kuaitui woke up as if from a dream.

When he talked about "Big Wu" before, he mentioned the "running sprain" incident, but no one paid much attention to it at that time.

"Then it seems that there is no big problem!" Zhao Guoyan and others muttered, "Although this person is a little stupid, at least he is not a mortal enemy!"

As soon as the words fell, Jiang Lianheng immediately retorted in a deep voice: "Isn't this still a deadly feud?"

Everyone was startled, and then quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, yes, as long as they dare to rob the Jiang family's goods, and do it knowingly, they will be mortal enemies!"

Unexpectedly, Jiang Lianheng waved his hand and said, "Let's put aside the matter of the robbery. How can this guy go over my head and find the Russians to trade arms? He dares to take the Jiang family's business. If he succeeds, who will I sell the goods to in the future?"

Originally, the Jiang family just wanted to make an example of someone and regain their lost face.

But at this point, Lao Mang had already become a pile of dry bones in a grave and had no choice but to die.

If he escapes this disaster and goes to Vladivostok in the future to continue smuggling arms, it will definitely damage the Jiang family's prestige in the green forest.

As for Li Zheng and others, they certainly don't want their mortal enemies to get hold of arms, otherwise it would be like cutting flesh with a blunt knife, and they would die sooner or later.

"So, where is this guy Lao Mang?" Liu Kuaitui pondered, "The government has sent many people to search for him, but Changbai Mountain is so big, if he is determined to hide out for the winter, it will be difficult to find him!"

"Then think of a way to lure him out!" Li Zheng said, "I have a grudge against him, so I can try to be a bait and spread the word that my group has been dispersed!"

"The key is whether he can hear it!"

"He can't just sit there and do nothing for the winter. He should at least keep a few spies outside."

Jiang Lianheng also agreed with Li Zheng's judgment.

This is the same reason why Buddha always hangs around the doorstep of the owner after he gets the treasure: both to get information from the government and to observe the owner's reaction.

Jiang Lianheng once thought that this approach was stupid. After getting the money, why not just run away? Why take the risk?
But after he learned the craftsmanship of the Rong family, he found that even if he did not consider inquiring for information, it was difficult for him to control himself from "returning to the market" to sell Dai'er, because seeing the anxious look of the owner, the Buddha was satisfied, and the transaction could be considered to have a beginning and an end.

"Boss, do you have any ideas?" Everyone looked at Jiang Lianheng.

"Let me think about it, tomorrow—"

Jiang Lianheng said to Li Zheng: "I sent a brother to the county town to deliver a letter this afternoon. When he comes back, maybe we can have a few more eyes and ears..."

(End of this chapter)