Chapter 49: Centipede

Chapter 49: Centipede

Chapter 49: Centipede
The Juyi Building is brightly lit.

More than 40 people were guarding outside the building. They were veteran thieves in the mountains, commonly known as "old brothers". They were highly trusted by Cao Long, wore the thickest cotton-padded jackets, ate the most delicious meat, used the most sophisticated weapons, and received favorable treatment in all aspects.

The second floor.

There were two people sitting in the hall, and eight big men standing on both sides.

"Three thousand taels?"

"The harvest in the second half of the year was not good, that's all."

"I'm afraid the boss will be unhappy."

"There are more than 200 brothers in Black Wind Village, and they all need to eat. Cao really has no choice."

Zhang Yu moved slowly along the eaves, approached a window, opened the gauze, and looked through the small hole.

The man who called himself "Cao" was about 40 years old, with a yellow face and a long beard.

Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man who looked like a scholar. He was wearing a round-necked green robe, with three silver bills in front of him and a somewhat uneasy look on his face.

The scholar in green robes continued, "Mr. Huang has occupied the medicinal gardens and tea gardens around Yunwu Mountain. I heard that his annual income is more than 70,000 or 80,000 taels, but he only pays 2,000 taels of rent to Black Wind Village. Isn't that too little?"

Cao Long picked up the teacup and said with a smile, "Behind Huang Laogou stands the Shennong Gang. As long as the boss kills those bastards who use drugs, I will raise the rent by thirty times."

The scholar in green robe sneered, "Don't forget your status. How dare you make conditions with the boss? Do you think that you will be fully grown after subduing those fifty prisoners? Believe it or not, whether you are a dragon or a worm depends on the boss's decision!"

Eight burly men took a step forward at the same time, and drew out half of their long swords with a clang, exuding an elite and iron-blooded aura.

Cao Long chuckled and said, "Master Tang, in front of the boss, Cao Long will always be a bug, but bugs also need to eat, they can't just be dead bugs. How can a dead bug help the boss make money?"

Master Tang sneered and said, "You better not be cunning. Don't forget how you became the village chief."

"I will not forget, I dare not forget."

Cao Long took out a silver note from his sleeve, pressed it under the teacup, and smiled as he moved it in front of the scholar in green robe: "I am an honest person, and even more honest to my friends. It has been eight years, Master Tang, you know me well."

Master Tang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and pursed his lips: "It seems that the Cao village master is indeed in trouble. Then... I will report to the master after I return?"

Cao Long said with a smile, "It's late at night, the weather is cold and the mountain road is difficult to walk on. Master Tang and the brothers can rest in my village for a night. I will find two high-quality foot warmers for you and have a good time. How do you think?"

Master Tang took a glance and saw that the eight followers were all interested. After all, who would be willing to make such a trip in the cold winter without any benefits? He smiled and said, "Master Cao, there are so many brothers, two foot warmers are not enough."

Cao Long laughed and said, "I said, two foot warmers for each brother. Of course, Master Tang is in good health, so he can defend four."

"Oh, really? You don't even know how great your body is. It would be disrespectful to refuse it."

The two men looked at each other and laughed. Cao Long sent Master Tang and his group out the door and arranged for someone to entertain them. He returned to his seat, his face gradually gloomy. After a while, he clapped his hands, and two people came in from outside.

A rough and crude warrior named Li Zhong.

A scholar in white, named Chen Xiulun.

Cao Long asked the two, "What do you think?"

Li Zhong stretched out his palm and waved it down: "In my opinion, kill Master Tang! The terrain of Yunwu Mountain is so high that even if all the yamen runners of Bailuo County and the Wanjia militia come, they can't do anything! Besides, the collusion between officials and bandits is not allowed to be seen in public, so the boss may not dare to use force."

"Kill Master Tang?"

Cao Long thought about it and felt a little tempted. He looked at the middle-aged scholar who almost starved to death last winter and came to Black Wind Village for refuge. He was one of the few educated people in the village and could sometimes come up with some bad ideas.

"Master, what do you think?"

Chen Xiulun stroked his beard and said, "Although what Chief Li said makes sense, in my humble opinion, it is still too hasty. The boss is very powerful in Bailuo County, and if he completely turns against us, it will be equivalent to cutting off the official support."

Li Zhong sneered and cursed: "Grandma! Five or six thousand taels of silver every year, 80% of the surplus of the mountain stronghold, just to buy a formal care from the officials?"

Chen Xiulun chuckled and said, "As the saints said, leave a way out for everything so that we can meet again in the future. The village chief knows best whether these five or six thousand taels of silver are worth spending."

Cao Long was in a dilemma and couldn't make up his mind. He just thought of the three thousand taels of silver and felt heartbroken.

Chen Xiulun guessed what the village chief was thinking, so he said, "Village chief, your 40th birthday will be in two days. Why don't you invite Mr. Huang and the leaders of the surrounding mountain villages to gather in Black Wind Village and collect some gifts to make up for the losses?"

Li Zhong smiled and said, "Master Chen's idea is not bad. I think it will work! The main thing is Mr. Huang. We must make him bleed."

The three of them agreed to send their men down the mountain to deliver the invitation, and Cao Long felt slightly relieved.

Zhang Yu withdrew his gaze from the crack of the window. He heard it clearly. It seemed that there was an official from Bailuo County behind the Black Wind Village. The apparent leader, Cao Long, was actually just a puppet.

"Officials and bandits are one family, it has been like this since ancient times." "It seems that this 'earth-drilling centipede' has other intentions and is unwilling to be a puppet. And the owner dares to deceive even his subordinates. I guess he doesn't have any strong means to really deter Cao Long."

The black shadow jumped down from the second floor and landed in the backyard. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw a huge stone pillar beside the well, weighing at least four or five hundred kilograms.

"Looking at Cao Long's breathing and behavior, he doesn't seem to have any profound internal skills."

Zhang Yu looked around and saw no one, so he was in no hurry to leave. He walked to the stone pillar and exerted force with both arms, but it did not move at all.

"Could it be that Cao Long is really Xiang Yu reincarnated, born with supernatural powers?"

He squatted down in a horse stance, and urged his internal energy into his tendons and veins. His face flushed red, and he finally moved half a step, but he heard a slight sound coming from the stone pier.

"There is indeed a ghost!"

Zhang Yu fumbled for a while and found a latch. After pulling it out halfway, iron sand immediately poured out of the hole. He understood what was going on and put the latch back.

"It turned out to be a trick. The stone pillar is hollow and filled with iron sand."

Twenty miles away from Yunwu Mountain, in a dilapidated temple.

"Lord Messenger."

Two Wild Wolf Gang disciples who were patrolling outside the temple saw Zhang Yu coming back and hurriedly bowed to him.

"Have you deployed any secret sentries?"

"My Lord, there is one on the tree and one in the forest, and the gong is used as a signal."

"Okay, continue patrolling."

As they walked into the temple, more than 30 Wild Wolf Gang disciples stood up and saluted.

"My lord is back."

"grown ups……"

"grown ups……"

Zhang Yu gained prestige by killing Zhao Huai'en in Wusheng Temple, forcing Peng Canghu to retreat in the Black Pine Forest, and bringing the remaining members of the Wild Wolf Gang from desperate situation to the south of Pingyang Prefecture.

"You have worked hard, sir. Eat the goose leg."

Liu Dachui's skin was thick and rough, and after using the golden wound medicine, the scars on his back had already scabbed over. He was sitting by the fire, roasting a goose leg, and when he saw Zhang Yu coming over, he smiled and handed it to him.

"How is your injury?" Zhang Yu took the goose leg and started chewing it.

"Don't worry, sir. The nickname 'Iron-Headed Wolf' is not given for nothing. If you give the order, I will chop down whoever you want. It won't delay anything."

The iron kettle on the bonfire was steaming. Zhao Xia scooped out the "Drunken Ox" and poured it into a ceramic bowl. He handed it to Zhang Yu and said softly, "Drink some wine, sir, to kill the cold."

Zhang Yu took the wine and drank it all.

Liu Dachui looked at the two of them with a smile on his face.

When Brother Zhao was alive, his greatest wish was for his daughter to find a good husband. The young leader is already 22 years old this year.

Over the years, Zhao Xia has been managing the gang's affairs on the one hand, and on the other hand, she doesn't like ordinary men and has been dragging them on until she grows up.

Liu Dachui thought to himself, "The envoy is handsome, skilled, and ambitious, so he is a good match. Judging from the young leader's behavior, he may have some intentions in that direction, but if he is too reserved, the fish will run away. Old Liu must find an opportunity to add fuel to the fire for them!"

Zhao Xia laughed and said, "According to what you said, Cao Long is actually a fake."

Zhang Yu finished his meal, touched his mouth, and continued to say to the two: "Yunwu Mountain is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack. There are also many tea gardens and medicinal gardens around it. If you manage them well, you will have no shortage of money and food."

"The Black Wind Village on the top of the mountain is a ready-made base. As long as we take it, we won't have to wander around this winter."

After he finished speaking, he saw that both of them were staring at him, so he asked.

"What do you think?"

Zhao Xia's eyes sparkled: "I will listen to you, sir."

"I agree with this...this is a great idea!"

When Liu Dachui saw the two people looking at him, he panicked for a moment and almost blurted out "I agree to this marriage."

(End of this chapter)