Under the sky

Chapter 67 Side Story: Under the Dangerous Wall

Kunlun 86 years spring March
The carriage was jolting violently, and the road had not been repaired for an unknown period of time.But this is not a small road, but a galloping road.

"The road from Gansu to Kunlun Palace is smoother than this." The person sitting in the carriage talking was a gentle scholar. He was waving his fan. Although he was sweating, he still maintained his elegant and calm self-confidence.

The scholar driving the car had no expression on his face.The scorching heat also made him sweat profusely, but he did not show any agitation and tried his best to drive the car smoothly.

"Why don't you hire some bodyguards?" The scholar sitting in the carriage asked, "It's not like you don't have money."

"Trouble, my hands and feet are tied," the scholar driving the car replied.

"This is Wudang. Is it appropriate for two people to walk like this?" said the scholar in the carriage. "A gentleman not only lacks weapons, but also has to stand under a dangerous wall."

Sitting in the car was none other than Wen Ruoshan, who had just left Gansu, and the driver was Xie Gubai.

"I thought that after leaving Gansu, we would go to Tangmen or Qingcheng first, but we ended up going directly through Huashan to Wudang."

"I have been to both Shaolin and Huashan." Xie Gubai replied, "I want to go to Beggar Clan, and then transfer to Hengshan and Diancang."

"You haven't said how you got outside the Pass." Wen Ruoshan asked, "Do you know where the secret passage is?"

The carriage suddenly stopped and Xie Gubai got out of the carriage.

"What's wrong?" Wen Ruoshan said in surprise, "Did I say the wrong thing?"

Xie Gubai looked up at the sky and said with certainty: "It's not time yet." He pointed to Wen Ruoshan's fan, "I'll keep this fan for you first."

If you change the text, you will be good at driving.Xie Gubai hid in the carriage, waving Wen Ruoshan's fan, his expression still blank.It's the end of March and spring, and the weather should be pleasant, but why is it as hot as June?

"You haven't answered my question yet." Wen Ruoshan asked, "How did you get out of seclusion?"

"Speak louder, and we will be arrested together. I will explain to you slowly in prison."

"This is Wudang, who cares about you? Besides, there are..." Wen Ruoshan suddenly shut up, and he saw two horses following behind him.After passing the area under the jurisdiction of the Xiangyang Gang in western Hubei, the place became less peaceful. Wudang's government affairs were neglected and public security was deteriorated. Wen Ruoshan couldn't help but pay attention.

There are also a few donkey carts and ox carts passing by on the road. "It's not like robbing people on the road, right?" Wen Ruoshan thought to himself, "It's not so blatant."

After a while, two more horses followed, some distance away from the first two horses, and they looked unrelated.

"Take the trail faster." Xie Gubai said.

"There is a road bully on the trail." After Wen Ruoshan finished speaking, he suddenly realized and hurriedly turned the carriage into the trail.

It's good to have road bullies. These small gangs who collect money from the roadblocks want to keep safe. If a case occurs, wouldn't it ruin their own wealth?

"One car has a hundred coins, and one person has thirty coins." The two strong men who set up the roadblock called themselves the Longhe Gang. Not to mention where the Longhe River flows, as far as the eye can see, there is not even a ditch on this small road. .Wen Ruoshan paid the money and looked back. Sure enough, the four horses had followed and were stopping in the distance, seeming to be hesitating.

"Hurry up!" Xie Gubai said, "This gang is not the only one on this road."

Without waiting for Xie Gubai's instructions, Wen Ruoshan had already passed the roadblock on horseback.

"Not only drivers, we also need a few bodyguards when coming to Wudang." Wen Ruoshan said, "A gentleman will not stand behind a dangerous wall. Even if he does, he will have to find someone to support him."

"Generally, thieves are looking for money." Xie Gubai said, "As long as you don't encounter anything too extreme, money is a trivial matter."

"These words are said with great pride, and it seems that the family also has some." Wen Ruoshan suddenly asked, "What is excessive?"

There were collisions and shouts of death from behind the carriage, and soon the four horses caught up with them. Wen Ruoshan had no time to drive away.

"Is it too much to kill the locals?" Wen Ruoshan smiled bitterly.

※ ※ ※

"We just give you these silver coins in full." Wen Ruoshan respectfully handed over the banknotes with both hands, "This fan is a relic of the ancestors. It's a little thought from the little man. Don't take away your love."

The leader was a strong man with a strong back and a heavy waist. It was a hot day and he opened his clothes. There was a six-inch long scar under his neck. It seemed that the injury was not serious at first.

The strong man took the banknote and counted it: "Seventy taels, so he is still a rich man, and he didn't even hire a bodyguard?" He looked at the banknote and frowned, "Guaranteed passage?"

Baotongxing is the largest bank in Gansu.The circulation of money is a big deal. Silver is heavy and inconvenient to carry. Each of the nine major families has a well-known bank to facilitate the circulation of silver. The denominations of issued banknotes range from 500 taels to 5000 taels or even [-] taels.After arriving at the bank, exchange the banknote for silver coins. If the banknote is from your own bank, the discount will be three points. If it is received by a different bank, the discount will be between seven and ten percent depending on the reputation of the bank.If the bank that receives the bank notes meets a merchant who needs the bank notes from another bank, it will sell the bank notes at a price higher than that of its own bank. If the bank notes collected accumulate to a certain amount, it will ask the bank that issued the bank notes for cash. , the amount of silver transported often exceeds thousands of taels, requiring a large number of bodyguards or even sects to escort them.

Business travel in Gansu was slow, and there were not many bank notes circulating in Baotong. Wudang was far away from Gansu, so with a discount of 70 cents, 65 taels of silver notes could only be exchanged for [-] taels of silver, but this was still a huge sum of money.

Wen Ruoshan cupped his hands and said, "I'm offering this together with the carriage. Please let me go."

The strong man looked at Wen Ruoshan and Xie Gubai up and down. Seeing that they were not panicked, he felt suspicious and asked, "Are you disciples of the sect?"

Wen Ruoshan replied: "Just an ordinary tourist."

The strong man smiled and said, "You're quite free. Catch him!"

At this moment, Wen Ruoshan couldn't calm down and said in a panic: "What do you want to do?"

He didn't get an answer, and soon, he and Xie Gubai were gagged, tied and thrown into the carriage.

The carriage drove for about half an hour and stopped at the entrance of an old Taoist temple on the mountain.There are many such abandoned Taoist temples in Wudang, but such a large one is rare.They were placed in a broken room. Although the door was locked, the hole in the window was enough for the two of them to get out.

"They are not bad people, so they did not continue to tie us up." Wen Ruoshan asked the guard at the door for a broom, choked, and then swept out an area on the ground that was large enough for the two of them to lie down. Bai sat down without any grudge.

"Wait." Xie Gubai said, "It's useless to think about it."

"What do you think?" Wen Ruoshan sat down and the two faced each other, "You want a ransom?"

Kidnapping for ransom is not uncommon, but most bandits are unwilling to do this. Although it is not difficult to get the ransom, the hostages will most likely be released. After all, there is no need to hurt more lives in the matter of earning a pestle, but the wait for the ransom is long, and it is difficult to take care of the individual. It's troublesome, and he has to hide and be hunted by the sect, there are too many variables.

"They are very short of money." Xie Gubai replied, "They are not local bandits."

"They killed a local gangster. This will not be a good thing." Wen Ruoshan thought for a while. The Longhe Gang who set up the checkpoint may be just a group of local hooligans, not a serious sect, but they can't let it go if they kill someone, otherwise they can't Convince the public.

"We may have to leave here soon." Xie Gubai concluded.

"Is there a way to escape?" Wen Ruoshan suddenly lowered his voice.

"Pay." Xie Gubai said, "This is the best way."

The guard outside the door suddenly shouted: "What are you doing? Don't make trouble!"

"I just want to ask a few words, it's okay, it's okay!"

A little head got through the hole in the window. It was a boy of twelve or thirteen years old, holding a book in both hands, trying to get in.The guard grabbed his feet, and he kicked them wildly, shouting: "Just a few words, don't pull! Oh, don't pull!"

With a "snap" sound, the child fell to the floor in front of the window.He stood up, dusted himself off, turned around and shouted to the guard: "Just ask a few questions, come out right away!" After speaking, he smiled at Wen Ruoshan and the other two.He is a pretty strong kid, not exactly handsome, but he has good facial features, but his face is dirty. He wears over-patched singlet shorts and a pair of torn straw sandals on his feet, exposing his big toes covered in black dirt.

Wen Ruoshan smiled and asked, "What do you want to ask?"

The young man knelt down and handed a book to Wen Ruoshan. It was "Yu Ion" that Wen Ruoshan was carrying to pass the time.The young man pointed to the first sentence in the book, "The horses of Yulion breed well." He pointed to the two characters "郃騠" and asked, "How do you pronounce these two words and what do they mean?"

Wen Ruoshan smiled and said, "Is this why you're here to ask?"

The young man nodded and asked: "This book belongs to you, you should be able to understand it, right?"

Wen Ruoshan smiled and said: "These two characters are pronounced 'Jue Ti'. This word has two meanings. The first means mule, which is a beast of burden that is a combination of a horse and a donkey. The other is the name of a thousand-mile horse. Here is It is said that this pony is a thousand-mile horse. The whole sentence means that a horse was just born in Yuliong's family, and everyone said it was a thousand-mile horse. The whole paragraph means that a horse was born in Yuliong's family, and everyone said it was a thousand-mile horse. It must be given to the emperor to be raised, so Yu Liang was sent to the court. After looking at it, the servant said, this is a good horse, but it is a pity that it was not born in Ji, so it cannot be sent to the palace to be raised." He became a private school. A few years ago, Mr. Li was very skilled in explaining and explained the meaning of every word clearly.

The young man said "Oh" and asked, "Why can't horses that were not born in Hebei be kept in the palace? Where is the palace?"

Wen Ruoshan said: "The palace is where the emperor lived in the past. In today's terms, it is where the heads of the nine families live. As for why horses that are not from Hebei cannot enter the palace, because Hebei produces good horses, and this horse is not born in Hebei. Yes, just a little bit off."

"So is it a thousand-mile horse?" the boy asked.

"Yes." Wen Ruoshan replied, "It's just that its origin limits it. Everyone thinks the horses in Hebei are better. In fact, this whole article is not about horses, but about people."

The young man showed an expression that seemed to understand, and Wen Ruoshan asked: "Do you like reading and can you read?"

The young man nodded and said: "It's just that this is a bandit's den and there are not many books. The one I read the most is "Water Margin"."

"You can read all my books. If you don't understand, come and ask me." Wen Ruoshan smiled and said, "I may have to live here for a while. How old are you?"

"The boss is coming soon. If you don't leave, you will be beaten!" the guard outside the door urged.

"Twelve, almost thirteen." The boy answered hastily and put the book away, "I'll come back later."

"Are you from Anhui?" Xie Gubai suddenly asked.

The young man was very surprised, nodded, and climbed out of the window.

"Very interesting kid." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile.

Not long after the boy left, the leader of the bandits came. It was the strong man with the scar under his neck, named Wu Jinquan.

"Where does your family live?" He got straight to the point, "I want a ransom, how much is it worth to you?"

"Tianshui, Gansu." Wen Ruoshan also answered quickly, "In exchange for 200 taels, my family can afford it. If it exceeds, my father and brother will not agree."

"Bah!" Wu Jinquan scolded, "You brought 70 taels of silver notes when you went out. Who would believe that you didn't exchange them for 500 taels?"

"That's all my savings." Wen Ruoshan replied, "How much silver can a prodigal son who only knows how to travel around get in exchange for more? My family won't give it more."

"500 taels!" Wu Jinquan said, "For less than a penny, your family will come to pick up the body!" After saying that, he looked at Xie Gubai and said, "Is this your brother?"

Wen Ruoshan said hurriedly: "Yes. I just said 200 taels, which is the ransom for our two brothers."

Wu Jinquan sighed and said: "You guys look nothing alike, how can you be like brothers? Well, I don't care if you are, one is 500 taels, two are 1000 taels, write a letter to the family, and I will send someone to get the money!"

Xie Gubai looked at Wu Jinquan and raised a finger.Wu Jinquan was confused and asked: "What do you mean?"

"100 taels." Xie Gubai said, "Two people, 100 taels, it's too much, you can't get it."

Wu Jinquan laughed loudly and shouted: "Who are you scaring?" His roar was intended to intimidate, which made Wen Ruoshan frown.

"Just a hundred." Xie Gubai said, "No more."

"Fuck you!" Wu Jinquan stood up and grabbed Xie Gubai's hair. Xie Gubai didn't know martial arts, so he lifted him off the ground.Wu Jinquan said: "I'll kill you first, and leave one worth 500 taels."

Wen Ruoshan was shocked and turned pale. He quickly grabbed Wu Jinquan's arm and persuaded him: "Brother, he doesn't know martial arts. He will be seriously injured if you punch or kick him!"

Wu Jinquan cursed mother again, waved his hand, and Wen Ruoshan fell to the ground with an "ouch" and a bump on his forehead.Xie Gubai's expression remained unchanged and he said calmly: "I'm just asking, who do you want to get 1000 taels?"

Wu Jinquan was stunned.Xie Gubai slowly pushed him away and whispered: "Send the guards away, and I will help you deal with your trouble."

"What trouble am I in!" Wu Jinquan became even more angry.Xie Gubai looked at him and said, "I'll help you find a way to take root. From now on, you don't have to hide."

"Well..." As if his thoughts were being read, Wu Jinquan pondered for a long time and said loudly, "Heitou, Wazi, leave this to me, you go patrolling the mountain!"

The two guards responded and left. Wu Jinquan said: "Say it!"

Xie Gubai helped Wen Ruoshan up, and they sat down on the ground. He then said to Wu Jinquan, "Sit down too."

Perhaps Xie Gubai's words touched Wu Jinquan's thoughts. At this moment, he was sitting a little further away, seeming to be afraid of the two of them.

"What method is there to take root in the ground?" Wu Jinquan said, "This is my nest. Sooner or later, I will build a cottage. What other method is needed to take root in the ground?"

Xie Gubai said: "You let us go at night. I asked my friend to write a letter to the family, saying that he encountered bandits on the road and lost all his money. Please attach a token. You can take the letter from home and go to Tianshui. You can get 100 taels, plus the 70 taels from the family. The 170 taels and [-] taels we took with us are enough for you to take root anywhere."

"Fuck, it's just me? Where's my brother?" Wu Jinquan laughed loudly, "You asked me to monopolize it? I thought you had some clever plan, fuck, you're talking nonsense!"

"Don't say that we can't get 1000 taels. Even if we do, who are you asking to get it?" Xie Gubai said, "Who can trust 1000 taels of silver and who won't keep it to yourself? If you want to get it yourself, that's kidnapping. You have to hand over the money." Man, do you want to escort us to Gansu to hand over someone, or do you want to wait for Tianshui to send someone over?"

Wu Jinquan was speechless for a moment and could not answer.

"You can't send someone to take us there. From here to Gansu, we have to pass through the Huashan and Kongtong checkpoints. There are so many of you, it's hard to cross the border without attracting attention, and it's not easy to look at us. Huashan is no better than Wudang, you send There are few people going, so I won’t worry if I don’t follow. If you do, these brothers will have no one to take care of them here. When you come back, they will all be dead.”

Xie Gubai said: "You have killed someone, and now not only the Longhe Gang, but all nearby gangs will come looking for you. They are wearing the skin of local sects, but they are just like you at heart. You know the rules of Wudang, and you have to deal with them." It’s not the Longhe Gang that’s responsible, but all the gangs on that trail. There is a saying that a strong dragon will not overwhelm a local snake..."

"Are you strong dragons?" Xie Gubai asked.

Wen Ruoshan really admired Xie Gubai's words, he could almost describe the dead as alive.No, this is not accurate. Xie Gubai did not describe the dead as alive. The dead were dead and could live. That was because he was pretending to be dead, or he really thought he was dead.

Although the rules of Wudang Roadhog are ridiculous, those who really know the origin know that it is a peace stained by blood, from the earliest robbery and killing of people along the road, to the battle for territory, to the final calculation of profits, peaceful coexistence and defense against foreign enemies. , a lot of blood was shed, and a lot of people died.Therefore, local gangsters take care of each other. If any small gang is attacked, the others will inevitably join forces.

Wu Jinquan and his gang killed the Longhe Gang. Not only the Longhe Gang, but also all the gangsters in the nearby areas are looking for them and want to eradicate them. There are many reasons for this.Firstly, if there is an extra force in the local area, they will get a share of the money, and their own share will be reduced; secondly, by uniting together, their own family will suffer less damage. After all, no matter who steps on the plate, it may happen to anyone. If you don't help others, no one will help you. Thirdly, declare that the gangs in this area are united and will not tolerate bullying by outsiders.If the above three points are not achieved, no one will be able to earn black money on the road for a long time.

"You came from Anhui. I don't know why you came. Anyway, you can't go back. Western Hubei is the boundary of the Xiangyang Gang, and all gangs, big and small, rely on the Xiangyang Gang. You can't defeat the Xiangyang Gang. You can't go to Anhui, and you can't go to western Hubei. To the north is Shaolin and to the south is the Beggar Gang. How can a group of people like you take us across the border?" Xie Gubai said, "Even if you get 1000 taels, can you still come back along the way? After all, we will break up in Gansu. Even if You are the leader, can you get 170 taels?"

Wen Ruoshan saw that Wu Jinquan was completely shaken.

"100 taels, let us leave at night." Xie Gubai said, "This is your highest profit."

"Damn it, it's different if you have read a book and can speak!" Hu Jinquan scolded, "Have you ever read "The Art of War"?"

"Turtle..." Wen Ruoshan was startled, "Could it be that Xiongtai is talking about..."Sun Tzu's Art of War"?"

"Yes, damn, damn, it's the grandson, not the grandson of the turtle. I just remember that he has something to do with the turtle! Damn, I remembered it all wrong!" Hu Jinquan murmured a few curses to himself, and asked, "Have you seen it? ?Say it quickly!”

Wen Ruoshan couldn't help but wonder, nodded and said: "I have seen it..." At the same time, Xie Gubai replied: "No."

Hu Jinquan asked angrily: "Yes or no?"

Wen Ruoshan and Xie Gubai looked at each other, and Xie Gubai said: "I am only a little knowledgeable and have never read this book. Mr. Wen is well-informed. He said yes, you can find him."

How to find me?Wen Ruoshan was dumbfounded. He didn't believe that Xie Gubai had never read "The Art of War", but before he could figure out what was going on, Xie Gubai gave him a lot of trouble.

Hu Jinquan was overjoyed and said: "After all, I took a bunch of brothers and took the money and ran away. Besides, I am not a good family. I will be embarrassed wherever I settle. I am still used to staying in Wudang."

He stared at a pair of triangular eyes, and his sparse eyebrows were divided into perfect horoscopes to the left and right, "You know the art of war and know how to fight. Help me defeat these gangs. I won't charge you any money, and I will give you back the 70 taels!" He said in a rough voice. Firm words came out of his throat, "I want to take root here!"

Hu Jinquan left, and Wen Ruoshan said that this matter needed to be discussed in the long run and sent him away first.Hu Jinquan did not call any guards, and only said: "Help me, I will treat you as guests and won't look at you. If you want to run away, you will have to suffer."

Even so, the door was still locked, so I had to climb out through the window.Wen Ruoshan didn't care about climbing through the window, but he also knew that it would be difficult to escape in this wilderness.

"Does your head still hurt?" Xie Gubai asked.

Wen Ruoshan rubbed his forehead, scratched his skin and bled a little, but it seemed to be fine, so he said: "I was a little dizzy just now, but I'm much better now. I'm fine."

"There are too many things to do. You can solve the trouble yourself." Xie Gubai said, "Let you show off."

"I'm different from you. I don't have the habit of being secretive." Wen Ruoshan said, "Anyway, you have to help."

"You said yourself that you have read "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu."

"I have never fought in a war. Have you ever heard of war on paper?"

"I haven't fought either." Xie Gubai said.

"If he loses the fight, we will all have to be buried with him." Wen Ruoshan said, "Didn't you say that the world will be peaceful within five years? It's just a fight between a few bandits, just to practice their skills."

"There is no chance of winning." Xie Gubai said, "A strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake, and the strength is very different. I don't even know how many men he has."

"I'll take it as if you agreed." Wen Ruoshan said.So what if Xie Gubai doesn't agree, unless he has a way to escape.At the moment, he couldn't think of a way, so he could only delay. Seeing that there was no one outside, Wen Ruoshan asked Xie Gubai about his visit to the barbarian tribe.

"You said we'd wait until we're in jail. Now it's almost the same as being in jail. Being idle means being idle." Wen Ruoshan asked, "How did you get out of prison?"

"The place where I live is in the mountain behind Kunlun Palace. There is an extremely dangerous road there, which is one of the secret roads of the barbarians." Xie Gubai was deep in thought as he spoke. Wen Ruoshan knew that he was thinking about how to escape, but he did not stop. The next thing he said was, "The path of a hero is what the barbarians say."

"Why don't you tell others about the secret passage?" Wen Ruoshan said, "The barbarians sent spies into the pass. This is a big deal."

"No one will believe it. You are the evidence. Master Zhu is a smart man, and the second master is even more sophisticated. How can they ban your book without checking?" Xie Gubai replied, "They don't want the barbarians to have a secret way. Really, at least I don’t want to in these ten years.”

"You can tell Third Master, he won't care if you don't believe me." Wen Ruoshan replied.

"I've already said it." Xie Gubai replied, "Isn't it just before we leave Gansu?"

Another question came to Wen Ruoshan's mind. He traveled all over Gansu and even went to Kunlun Palace to write "Longyu Mountain Records".Kunlun Palace is a forbidden area, how can anyone live in the back mountain?Thinking more deeply, why did Xie Gubai hide the story of the hero's road?
He is a chess player, so he must have his own ideas. Don't rush to ask. There is a long time to come, and now it is best to let him think about how to get out.

Dinner was brought by the young man. He came with a book, and Wen Ruoshan asked his name, which was Hu Huangxin.

"What's your relationship with Boss Hu?" Wen Ruoshan asked.

"The adopted son..." Hu Huangxin lowered his head and said, "I was snatched away by him. I was originally a beggar in Anqing. I don't know why, but Taoist priest Fang Zhouzi cracked down on Anqing last year, and he drove away all the road bandits in Anqing. My adoptive father saw me on the way to escape famine, arrested me and joined his gang, and adopted me as his adopted son. My real name is Huang Xin, and he gave me the surname Hu."

"Boss Hu didn't do anything to you, right?" Wen Ruoshan asked with a frown.

"No," Hu Huangxin said, "He forced me to practice martial arts and wanted me to be a road bandit."

It is not unusual to have an adopted son, especially for a bandit who is alone and has no descendants. It is not uncommon to cultivate an adopted son as a right-hand man, so as not to be driven out by the village when he gets old.After Hu Huangxin joined the team, he accidentally got a few idle books. He was illiterate and there were few people in the village who knew how to read. He asked everyone about each word and learned every word. He asked everyone in the village. Half a year later, he became the most literate person in the village.

"But you like reading, but don't like practicing martial arts, right?" Wen Ruoshan asked.

Hu Huangxin shook his head: "I can practice martial arts. They can teach me and force me to learn. But I also want to read books. The things in the books are very novel, but no one teaches me."

Why were there no such studious children in my previous private school?Wen Ruoshan couldn't help but smile bitterly.If there was such a student here, maybe he would be reluctant to leave Tianshui.

"I'll teach you literacy and sentence reading," Wen Ruoshan said.

"What is sentence reading?" Hu Huangxin asked.

Wen Ruoshan looked at him with a smile. Hu Huangxin felt that he had asked a stupid question and blushed for his ignorance.

"If you don't understand, start by asking. That's fine. Don't be shy." Wen Ruoshan patted him on the shoulder and picked up the book "Yu Ion", "Let's learn slowly."

The teaching continued until dark. Hu Huangxin seemed not to be tired and was reluctant to leave. Xie Gubai went to bed early.Wen Ruoshan took advantage of the moonlight and laboriously taught her one word at a time until the moon was high in the sky. At some point, he couldn't help feeling sleepy, so he asked Hu Huangxin to leave.

When Wen Ruoshan woke up, Xie Gubai was missing.Hu Huangxin sat next to him and read. When he got up, he immediately served the steamed buns with a bowl of cold water.

"Your friend named Xie went out with the boss early in the morning." Hu Huangxin promised, looking like he was hesitating to speak.

"Say what you want to say." Wen Ruoshan asked with a straight face, "Why are you hesitating?" After all, he had taught for several years, even though it was only for one night, and he acted like a teacher to the students, which was considered a return to his old ways.

"Should I... call you sir?" Hu Huangxin asked in a low voice, as if this question would offend Wen Ruoshan.Wen Ruoshan laughed: "So this is it, just scream if you like it."

Hu Huangxin jumped up happily and shouted: "Sir! Sir!" He knelt down and kowtowed, which was regarded as a ceremony of apprenticeship.Wen Ruoshan hurriedly pulled him up and said, "I can only teach you for a few days, and there is no need to bow to you."

Hu Huangxin couldn't hide the disappointment on his face and asked, "Sir, can you not walk?" Wen Ruoshan shook his head and said, "No." He added, "Don't you want to leave here?"

"I don't know where to make a living," Hu Huangxin said. "It's better to live in a village than to be a beggar, and I don't have an account..."

"There is always a way." Wen Ruoshan said, "There are only those who are lazy, not exhausted. Being a road bandit is not the way to go."

"My foster father said he wanted to take root here." Hu Huangxin said, "We just collect tolls. There is no shortage of people who make a living in Wudang."

"What if Fang Zhouzi raids here? Are you going to hide again?"

Hu Huangxin couldn't make up his mind.Wen Ruoshan thought to himself that the child was still young after all, and he had only known him for a day. He couldn't listen to what he said too deeply, so he said: "Let's continue studying."

Speaking of reading, Hu Huangxin immediately cheered up. There are many stories in "Yu Ion", each with its own meaning, some of which are too difficult for Hu Huangxin to understand.Although he didn't understand it, he listened with great interest.

After noon, Xie Gubai came back.Wen Ruoshan was very surprised. The road bandits in this area each occupied an area to survey the terrain. After deducting the round trip time, it was too hasty to spend only one morning.

"It's too hot." Xie Gubai replied without changing his expression, "I want to rest early."

Wen Ruoshan understood immediately - this guy was pretending to be a ghost.

Hu Jinquan came in the afternoon and asked Wen Ruoshan how to fight this battle. "Brother Xie said he was helping you look at the terrain." Hu Jinquan said, "I only looked at the Longhe Gang's cottage."

Wen Ruoshan had just sent Hu Huangxin away. After hearing this, he turned back to look at Xie Gubai and saw that he was calm and calm, looking like he had nothing to do with him.Wen Ruoshan fluttered his sleeves and paced back and forth with his hands behind his hands, looking confident. Hu Jinquan couldn't help but be frightened when he saw his attitude, and didn't dare to ask further questions for a while.

"Master Xie has informed me of the terrain in quite detail." This was really nonsense. Xie Gubai said nothing.

"This is too easy. I have a sure-fire strategy for victory. Let Mr. Xie tell you." Wen Ruoshan deliberately strengthened his tone, "If you fail, please chop off our heads as a sacrifice."

He looked at Xie Gubai very carefully, wanting to see any changes in his expression.It seemed... I saw Xie Gubai's eyebrows raised slightly.

"Thank you, Mr. Xie, please tell me."

"What did you say?" Xie Gubai asked.

"Just follow what I said just now." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile.

Xie Gubai was silent for a long time, then said: "We have inquired this morning. There are five local gangs, and their number is about 70 people. We have almost the same number here."

"63, not counting that boy Hu Huangxin, we have 63 people. To defeat these more than 300 people, we have to rely on... Mr. Wen's art of war."

Hu Jinquan looked at Wen Ruoshan with a very respectful tone.Wen Ruoshan just smiled and said: "They are all just a mob, it's not difficult." After saying that, he looked at Xie Gubai and said, "Young Master Xie, don't be afraid. Just tell Boss Hu what I taught you."

"No need to fight against all the bandits."

"What do you mean?" Hu Jinquan asked.According to his understanding, if someone's plate is stepped on on a road, others will help. This is the rule.

"As long as we defeat the Longhe Gang, we can't delay." Xie Gubai raised his index finger again, "One night. Defeat the Longhe Gang in one night. We must eradicate them completely and leave no one alive. Only then can we intimidate other gangs."

Hu Jinquan was surprised and asked: "One night?"

Xie Gubai nodded.

Hu Jinquan said: "No! Even if it can be done, the other four gangs will also take revenge!"

Xie Gubai shook his head: "If you are too many and one of the Longhe Gang is missing, the money they will get will not be less. Beating you is just a waste of energy. If you pull out the Longhe Gang in one night, they will be frightened. If you fight again They negotiated a peace and gave whatever reason they wanted, whether it was old grievances or new grudges. In short, destroying the Longhe Gang was not about stepping on the plate and giving them a step to step down. After that, according to the old rules, you can share as much as the Longhe Gang shares. , if they don’t lose money, they won’t fight you. If you wipe out the whole family overnight, you will definitely overestimate your strength. If you start a fight, you will be afraid that you will be damaged too much, and you will have a vacant territory that other forces will not be able to hold on to. I think You are not the only bandit coming from Anhui."

"To put it simply!" Hu Jinquan said, "We have about the same number of people as them. After one night of fighting, if they are dead, [-]% to [-]% of us will be dead too!"

Xie Gubai shook his head: "I went to see the Longhe Gang today, and I was lax in my precautions. Obviously I didn't expect you to turn against us. The tall grass on the left can hide people, and the woods on the right can also ambush. You can make a surprise attack in the dark at night, and take advantage of them." Go to sleep and don't let them get the chance to make a fortune, that's more than half of the problem."

Hu Jinquan opened his mouth wide in disbelief.

"I say if you can achieve something, you can achieve it." Wen Ruoshan played the most important side drum, "This is the art of war. Soldiers need to be quick to attack what is not defended. It is magical and silent!"

He was talking nonsense, and Hu Jinquan was not expected to understand. As expected, Hu Jinquan opened his mouth even wider.

"Keep talking!" Wen Ruoshan pointed at Xie Gubai and shouted loudly, "Tell Boss Hu all the details I told you and let him see what the art of war is!"

At this moment, his arrogance was really rising.

Xie Gubai made a more detailed plan, but Hu Jinquan was heard scolding his mother repeatedly, and finally said: "Let's do it tonight!"

"Not yet, we have to wait." Xie Gubai said, "Wait a few more days before we can start on the first day of the new year, preferably on a cloudy day."

Hu Jinquan understood immediately.

"There is one more thing, your adopted son." Wen Ruoshan said, "After the matter is completed, not only do you have to let us go, but you also have to let your adopted son go with us."

"Hu Huangxin? He is still a half-breasted baby, what do you want him for?" Hu Jinquan asked with a frown.

"I see that he is smart, so wouldn't it be better for him to learn the art of war from me? If he masters it in a few years, he can come back and help you?"

Hu Jinquan obviously didn't believe that such a good thing could happen, so he only replied: "Let me think about it and wait until the matter is done."

"You think it's not enough trouble?" Xie Gubai asked after Hu Jinquan left.

"That kid loves to learn," Wen Ruoshan said, "He shouldn't stay in a place like this and become a bandit."

"You want to teach, why don't you stay in Tianshui?" Xie Gubai asked.

Wen Ruoshan saw that Xie Gubai was dissatisfied with his own decision, but he also had thoughts: "We don't have to take him with us. If we really do, he can be a groom and a boy, so he won't be completely useless."

"Have you asked him?" Xie Gubai said, "Or do you think you are right?"

Wen Ruoshan asked, "If he refuses, let him stay in the bandits' den and trap him for the rest of his life?"

Xie Gubai said nothing more, because Hu Huangxin came again with a book.

They say it’s March, stepmother’s face. The sun was shining brightly just a few days ago, but it’s actually been a bit chilly these two days. On the day of NO.30, when the time came, Hu Jinquan led everyone to set off, and only Xie Gubai was accompanying him.Wen Ruoshan was left in the Taoist temple, and Hu Huangxin was responsible for taking care of him.In fact, it was not considered a guard. After all, Xie Gubai was taken away as a hostage, and the entire Taoist temple was empty except for the two of them.

Late at night, when they were tired of reading, Wen Ruoshan led Hu Huangxin to lie down on the haystack, side by side.Wen Ruoshan pointed to the sky and said, "That's Beichen, the star closest to the middle."

"Do stars also have names?" Hu Huangxin was very surprised, as if he had encountered something he had never thought of.

"You don't even know this?" Wen Ruoshan put his hands behind his head and said, "Look there, there are seven stars of the Big Dipper, like a spoon, and each one has a name."

"There are so many, and each one has a name?" Hu Huangxin asked, "Are these all written in the book?"

Wen Ruoshan nodded and saw Hu Huangxin looking at the sky crazily, and then said: "Yes, each one has a name, and it is written on the book."

"Sir, please don't leave, okay?" Hu Huangxin turned over.He knew that when things happened tonight, Wen Ruoshan would leave. If things didn't happen, his adoptive father would definitely kill Wen Ruoshan.There are many things in the book, many things he wants to know, and he still wants to learn. He wants to learn many things he doesn't know.

"My child, everyone has his or her own ambitions." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile, "There is no such thing as a banquet that lasts forever. There are many things you want to do, sir."

"What's going on?" Hu Huangxin asked.

"The master wants to travel around the Nine Families. Waiting for the opportunity to come is like waiting for the sky to get dark before you can see the stars." Wen Ruoshan said, "At that time, the master wanted to do his best for this world."

Wen Ruoshan expected that Hu Huangxin didn't understand, so he continued: "Do you want to leave the village?"

"Sir, do you want me to follow?" Hu Huangxin asked in surprise.

"Can't you do it alone?" Wen Ruoshan knew that Xie Gubai didn't want to be a drag.He hasn't discussed this matter with Xie Gubai yet, but he knows that a good seed cannot be buried in a pile of weeds.

"I can't live alone." Hu Huangxin lowered his head and said, "I don't know anything."

"You can learn if you don't know how." Wen Ruoshan said, "Just like you learn something from books every day. There is a saying that there is no perfect way for everyone."

Hu Huangxin didn't reply. He didn't know how he would live without this.

Before dawn, the people from the cottage came back.This was a beautiful victory, no, it should be said to be a wonderful massacre.Relying on the cover of miscanthus and woods, they quickly brought down the guards, sneaked into the Longhe Gang without being discovered, and cut their throats while the other party was sleeping. When they woke up, most of them were dead and wounded, and the rest were in the dark. Zhong was panicked and unable to resist the enemy. When the survivors escaped from the door, the ambushed steel knife ended their lives.

No one was left alive, and Hu Jinquan only injured a few of his men.

"Is this the power of the art of war?" Hu Jinquan was frightened. He never dreamed that this battle would go so smoothly.

They hung the bodies neatly in the woods outside the Longhe Gang. Xie Gubai said that this was to intimidate other gangs.

Then, it's time to negotiate with the remaining gangs.

The negotiations went very smoothly. The Longhe Gang was wiped out overnight, which really frightened the local road bandits. They overestimated Hu Jinquan's new gang.Hu Jinquan occupied the original Longhe Gang's copycat and became the new bully on this road.

However, Wen Ruoshan and Xie Gubai were not released. They were taken to the Longhe Gang's cottage, where a new banner was set up and renamed the Jinhe Gang.They were put into a neatly cleaned wooden house - this time there were no windows. They all could tell that this was a cell where gang prisoners were held.

"This is different from what was promised!" Wen Ruoshan was furious, "You don't keep your word!"

Hu Jinquan scolded: "Fuck you, I value your ability! I see that there are still too many people sharing money on this road. You can find a way to help me take away one or two more, just use your... something Art of War! If you don’t have enough money to share, and the brothers have enough to eat, I will let you go! If you don’t want to, just write home and ask your family to redeem you for 1000 taels each, not even a penny less!"

Wen Ruoshan was so angry that his whole body was shaking, and he said angrily: "2000 taels, can you handle it?"

Hu Jinquan laughed loudly: "Before, the brothers didn't have a place to stay and couldn't move, but it's different now. They all said they would take root! You write a letter back, and your family will use the money to redeem it, right here, in this village!" If he dares to join the sect, not to mention those Taoist priests don’t care, even if they do, I will have time to kill both of you!”

It turned out that I was still too naive. They dared to kill people and kidnap me. It was obvious that they were desperadoes. I fell into their hands, so naturally I would not end well.Although Wen Ruoshan's family is wealthy, he is not a wealthy gentleman. 2000 taels is a huge amount of money.He knew that his family would definitely redeem him, but his second brother would definitely not let him go out again.

Although he could be redeemed, he had the integrity of a scholar. He puffed up his chest and said, "If you want to kill me, kill me! You will repay kindness with hatred. I can't help you, and I won't write home to ask for money!"

Hu Jinquan scolded: "I thought you had helped me and talked to you in such a nice manner. Damn it, you'd better negotiate with me for a higher price! Okay, your bones are strong, but your skin is hard?"

Hu Huangxin listened on the side and hurriedly advised: "Don't hit my foster father! He doesn't know kung fu, how can he be broken in one beating? Lock him up. The longer he is locked up, he will always give in. Do you want me to persuade him?"

Hu Jinquan scolded: "What's wrong with you? Get out!"

Hu Huangxin said anxiously: "Sir, he is paid! If you beat him, where will the money come from? If you want to beat him, beat the other one!"

Wen Ruoshan shouted: "Huang Xin, don't talk nonsense!"

Hu Jinquan touched his chin and felt that it was justified, so he ordered people to push Xie Gubai down and torture him.Wen Ruoshan couldn't stop shouting, but where was the use?The person who came had a ferocious look on his face, but Xie Gubai remained calm and raised his index finger to make a "one" sign.

Hu Jinquan saw that he was different and cursed: "Don't even think about sending me 100 taels this time!"

The man had already grabbed Xie Gubai's arm and was about to overturn it when Xie Gubai said, "I'll give you 1000 taels per person."

Wen Ruoshan was shocked again.

"You don't have to go to Gansu, it's just inside Wudang, and you don't even have to go to western Hubei. You can come back and forth in one day." Xie Gubai said, "I write a letter, and if you send the letter to my home, someone will come to redeem me. 2000 taels, one penny." not bad."

Hu Jinquan was surprised and happy. What surprised him was that he could actually get 2000 taels. What he was happy about was that he didn’t expect that Xie’s home was nearby, and he kept landing on the man named Wen. He really found the wrong person, so he hurriedly asked: “Nothing wrong. I?"

Xie Gubai nodded: "Whether it is a lie or not, we will know tomorrow."

He seriously wrote a note and asked Hu Quanjin to get the money.The note read: "Gubai and his friends were passing through Qishui, and they were kindly invited to stay and entertained by the Jinhe Gang. They stayed here. It's hard to repay such a kindness, so I'll give them 2000 taels of silver as a gift. I'll take the money upon seeing the note."

The words written above are all about the kidnapping scene. You will understand it if you understand it, even if you don’t ask anyone. Hu Jinquan was so proud. He didn’t expect to make a huge sum of money on his first business in Hubei. He thought he was expelled from Anhui, but it was a blessing. Not a disaster.

Xie Gubai told the location, and Hu Jinquan put the two of them back in prison.

※ ※ ※

"I'm sorry!" Hu Huangxin kept crying. He was just a child after all. "I told my adoptive father that you are so powerful and asked you to help him get rid of the remaining gangs. This road belongs to us. "

"I just want you to stay a few more days..." he cried loudly, "I really didn't know it would end up like this!"

"You don't want to leave with me, but you want me to stay?" Wen Ruoshan said, "This is repaying kindness with hatred."

"I'm sorry, sir!" Hu Huangxin cried, "I...I don't want to be a beggar anymore!"

Wen Ruoshan wanted to teach him something more, but he only sighed.They say that those who approach ink are black, right?Teaching him ambition, teaching him integrity, and teaching him that heaven will entrust him with great responsibilities are all empty words. These are too early for him, and he has only just learned a few digits.He had been a beggar before becoming the adopted son of a bandit.Some people are naturally eager to learn, some are kind by nature, some are diligent by nature, and some are lazy by nature. They are all born with their own temperament, and they are in the minority after all. The temperament of most people is shaped by their acquired fate and environment.This kid has no integrity in his heart, but how can you blame him?

"Forget it," Wen Ruoshan said, "Stop crying and go back. Sir, I don't blame you."

Hu Huangxin knelt down, kowtowed three times, and left crying.

"A gentleman does not stand behind a dangerous wall." Xie Gubai said, "We have stood here for too long, we should have left long ago."

"I'm sorry, it's my fault." Wen Ruoshan apologized, "Originally, it was something I could spend 100 taels on, but it was my talkativeness that dragged you down."

Xie Gubai shook his head: "This matter should have been resolved this way, but it was delayed for a few more days."

"Two thousand taels is enough to hire ten bodyguards for several years." Wen Ruoshan said angrily, "I really should have hired a few bodyguards."

"Yes, enough to hire dozens of good bodyguards." Xie Gubai looked out the door and remained silent for a long time.

The next news came from Hu Huangxin the next day, saying that the messenger had arrived at a compound. An old man came out, took the note and went in. He came out not long after, saying that he needed some time to prepare and would personally deliver it to the village.

"If anyone comes tomorrow, come and tell us." Xie Gubai said.

Hu Huangxin nodded, holding the copy of "Yu Ion" tightly in his hand. He still had many questions to ask Wen Ruoshan, but he did not dare to ask.

Wen Ruoshan sighed, called him over, and then explained the contents of the book.

"I really didn't expect you to be so generous." After seeing Hu Huangxin off, Wen Ruoshan asked, "Can you really take out 2000 taels at a time?"

Xie Gubai said: "Have I ever said that I am poor?"

"Gansu is not a place where rich people are born." Wen Ruoshan said, "Even my family will suffer from heartache."

"This shows one thing." Xie Gubai said, "I am richer than you."

Wen Ruoshan laughed.

On the third day, Hu Huangxin came again. He said that his adoptive father was very angry.

The old gatekeeper came to the cottage at noon, but he didn't bring any silver.The old man said that he was grateful to the Jinhe Gang for taking care of the young masters, but the turnover was not working well. He hoped to let the two young masters go first and give them all after 2000 taels.

Hu Jinquan refused to agree and cursed for a while. He also said that if he could not see the money within three days, he would cut off one finger of the two young masters and send them back.

Xie Gubai nodded and waved to Hu Huangxin to come over. This was the first time he had called Hu Huangxin to come closer in the past few days. Wen Ruoshan was a little surprised.

"Listen carefully, this is very important." Xie Gubai said, "After you go back, you don't need to pack your luggage. It doesn't matter if you sneak away or find a reason to go on a business trip. If you leave the village, you can go south or north. Don't look back. Just go all the way. , never go back to the village again."

Hu Huangxin asked in surprise: "Why?"

Xie Gubai said: "You are just a road bandit if you stay here. Do you want to be a road bandit?"

Hu Huangxin was shocked: "Then I want to be a beggar again? I don't want to be a beggar!"

Wen Ruoshan heard the implication of Xie Gubai's words, walked forward, bent down, gently touched Hu Huangxin's head, and said: "Huang Xin, you have only been my student for a few days, and I can't explain many things to you. You don’t understand either.” He thought for a moment and then said, “Remember the story we told about the Chollima?”

"Yu Li's horse breeds well. People say: 'This is a thousand-mile horse, and it will lead to the inner stables.' Yu Li said, follow it. When they arrived at the capital, the emperor sent his servant to read the tribute and said: 'The horse is good. , but it is not a property of Hebei Province. 'Leave it to foreign herders."

Wen Ruoshan recited the entire article and said to Hu Huangxin: "That is a thousand-mile horse, but because of its poor background, it cannot enter the palace. This is the prejudice of the world. But if you think about it deeper, even if it is raised outside, Even though life is hard, he is still a thousand-mile horse. What is important is whether his talent has been buried and whether he has been raised like a thousand-mile horse."

Wen Ruoshan understood that this child was not upright by nature. He was afraid of starving and easily followed the crowd. There was no need to blame him harshly. It was not even his fault.If he can be raised for a few more years, if he can meet a good person to teach him, he may become a gentleman, or at best a learned scholar.

"No matter what you want to do, it shouldn't be to be a bandit." Wen Ruoshan said, "You have to leave here. Many principles in books can only be understood after reading them. You will understand it in the future, or you may not understand it, or you may starve to death. , but if you stay here, you will only be a bandit in the end, there is no other possibility." He hugged the child, "I give you this book, you can take it away, and you can learn it slowly when you meet others to teach you. Listen to Mr. Xie and leave immediately, don’t mention it to anyone, and don’t ask why.”

Hu Huangxin was still very hesitant and wanted to hold on.Wen Ruoshan also wanted to keep him, but he knew that Xie Gubai had his own intentions, so he urged him to leave.

He saw a lot of reluctance on the child's face, and he was not sure whether the child would leave in the end.He thought that maybe we would meet again in the future, maybe... this would be the last time.

The night was getting dark very quickly. Wen Ruoshan was expecting something to happen, but nothing happened. When he waited until midnight, he didn't hear any movement.Xie Gubai went to bed early. Wen Ruoshan asked several times, but Xie Gubai only said that he would leave early tomorrow morning and urged him to rest early.When it was time for the ugly, Wen Ruoshan finally couldn't help but fell asleep due to fatigue.

It was already midnight when he woke up. Xie Gubai got up early and waited for him, saying only: "It's time to leave."

The cell door that was supposed to be locked actually opened with a push. Their luggage was placed at the door. There was no shortage of clothes, except for the copy of "Yu Ion".

The village was very quiet. Except for the two bodies lying limply on the outpost, no one was seen and no sound was heard on the road.In the early morning, the mountain village was as quiet as a forest in the wilderness, with only the sound of birds chirping and the wind rustling leaves.

Was it quiet like this when the Longhe Gang was wiped out?Wen Ruo is thoughtful.No, some of them still escaped, but not even a single person from the Jinhe Gang escaped from the room.

Where is Hu Huangxin?Did the child escape according to Xie Gubai's instructions?Still like these people...

Their carriage was placed at the entrance of the village, and Wen Ruoshan stopped. "I want to go back and take a look," he said. "I want to know if the kid escaped."

"What if you see his body?" Xie Gubai asked, "If you get in the car now, you can always believe that he is alive. You can also believe that he met a good family and could finally study well."

"Who is driving?" Wen Ruoshan asked.

"You owe me one thousand, nine hundred and thirty taels. Even if you drive for me for the rest of your life, it won't be enough to pay you back."

"I'll go first." Wen Ruoshan ignored his statement and said, "I'll switch to you in an hour."

Xie Gubai did not refute.The two got on, and the carriage returned to its original route.

"Are they from the night list?" Wen Ruoshan asked, although he had already guessed the answer, "They know you? How come they came to save you?"

"I deposited the money there." Xie Gubai said, "The note asked them to rescue me. If you hadn't said anything the first day and Hu Jinquan was determined to demand the ransom, I would have written him a note as well. I've said it before , I just delayed it for a few more days, but the result is still the same."

"When the old people come to ask for help, if Hu Jinquan is willing to let them go, these 2000 taels will buy their lives. They will not have to die, and they will have one less job on the night list." Wen Ruoshan guessed what would happen next, and he was very close. .

"But they didn't agree."

"So they all died."

"A gentleman doesn't stand behind a dangerous wall." Xie Gubai asked, "Is this bodyguard okay?"

"Okay, but it's a bit too expensive."

"It's not expensive. Maybe the child can be saved." Xie Gubai said.

He used the ambiguous word "maybe."Ye Bang didn't want to leak this mission. Even if Hu Huangxin was just a child, he would definitely die as long as he stayed.

But Wen Ruoshan knew that Xie Gubai was not so cold. At least he was willing to take the risk and warn Hu Huangxin to leave first.Although it is only a small risk, the Jinhe Gang, which has just been established for three days, is more vulnerable than an egg in front of the night list.

At least he would feel that although his talkativeness cost him 2000 taels and caused many twists and turns.But the changes that buying a child might bring are worth it.

"Drive." He urged the carriage. It had been delayed for several days and he had to hurry up.

(End of this chapter)