A Shui returned to Songbai Town at noon with fifty subordinates.
Everyone followed A Shui's arrangements, dispersing to find other Rebel Soldiers. A Shui instructed them not to alert the captains, but rather to seek out the low-level displaced people who were constantly being bullied.
As for A Shui himself, he hurried to Steward Huang's Residence with about a dozen men.
On the way to the Main Hall, A Shui deliberately clutched his stomach, claiming it hurt and that he needed to go to the latrine, thus separating from the group.
This was what the Rebel Soldiers wanted him to do. Only he knew where the residence's Warehouse was, and they needed him to watch it first to prevent Master Qian from moving all the treasures and grain.
Of course, this situation was orchestrated by A Shui, going along with the flow under his guidance.
A Shui knew these people were doomed.
As for himself, he needed to stay alive to bring word to Aunt and the others.
A Shui waited until the group was far away before finding an opportunity to go to the backyard and leave the residence.
The remaining men soon met Master Qian.
Seeing that Master Qian was strong and fit while they were skin and bones, lacking even the strength to hold a blade, these Rebel Soldiers became even more convinced that the Leaders were secretly hoarding food and water for their own consumption.
Master Qian's hawk-like eyes swept over them:
"Only you few are left?"
One of them spoke up:
"No, Master Qian. We went to Tianjia Village and discovered those people aren't Government Soldiers at all. They're Bandits—cold-blooded Bandits."
Master Qian narrowed his eyes, looking as if he had indeed guessed correctly.
In the eyes of these men, Master Qian's lack of surprise meant he must have known all along that they were Bandits and not Government Soldiers.
Otherwise, why wouldn't he ask a single follow-up question?
"Oh, really? Then where are the rest of you? Did they all die there?"
The men looked at each other:
"No, how would we dare alert them? We returned as soon as we heard the news. It's just the few of us brothers who came to see you, Master Qian."
Master Qian glared at them displeasedly:
"Bandits scare you that much? Don't forget, we are Bandits too."
"Master Qian, why don't you ask what news we heard?"
One man's bold counter-question caused a hint of murderous intent to flicker in Master Qian's eyes.
"What else could it be? Nothing more than those Bandits heading our way."
Listening to Master Qian, they all felt he was avoiding the main issue. If there wasn't a conspiracy already in place, how could he have guessed so accurately?
One man snorted coldly, then looked at Master Qian and said:
"It's not just that. They've already planned their route and will gather three to four hundred brothers to come to Town tonight. Master Qian, what do you think we should do now?"
Master Qian was stunned. Three to four hundred Bandits—that wasn't something these ragtag underlings could withstand.
Master Qian's eyes darted around. He had to find a way to take the treasures from the Treasury with him.
"Looking at how terrified you are, I doubt you'd dare fight those Bandits. So, get lost."
The men were surprised and then asked:
"Just like that?"
Master Qian said coldly:
"What else?"
"Then what about the treasures we plundered and the grain in the Warehouse? Do you not intend to share them with us, Master Qian?"
Master Qian frowned:
"Who told you that? What treasures? What grain?"
The men stopped beating around the bush and said with a surge of anger:
"We've pillaged so many villages and wealthy households along the way and handed everything over. Even if we don't have merit, we've certainly worked hard. Don't tell me you intend to keep it all for yourself, Master Qian?"
Master Qian said irritably:
"It seems you don't want to leave then?"
The men stiffened their necks and said:
"That's right. Without money or grain, we'll die even if we leave."
"You must share, or I'll expose everything about your collusion with the Bandits."
"We heard everything. You're the one who called those Bandits here, Qian Daqiang! It's one thing if you want to be a bandit yourself, but you actually invited them to kill us..."
Before he could finish shouting, a flash of cold light swept across, and Master Qian slit the throats of the three men standing in front.
The three standing behind hadn't expected Qian Daqiang to be so formidable, killing three of their brothers with a single stroke.
Before they could even process their shock, they knew they wouldn't survive. Only one thought remained: escape.
"Run! Escape!"
"Qian Daqiang is colluding with Bandits! He's going to kill us!"
"He wants to keep all the property for himself! He's hoarding grain!"
The three voices were quickly silenced following three thudding sounds.
Qian Daqiang looked at the three corpses lying at the bottom of the steps. He retracted his blade with a cold snort, brought it to his face, and licked the blood off the edge.
"I was already a bandit when you were still wearing open-crotch pants."
After saying that, Master Qian instructed the two guards at the door:
"Throw them in the backyard. We'll have an extra meal for the brothers tonight."
The two guards trembled as they replied, "Yes, Master Qian."
Qian Daqiang was about to enter the Parlor when he suddenly looked up, remembering something.
Those men just said they overheard everything. Doesn't that mean the other forty-plus people who didn't come also know?
This is bad...
Hiding in a tree outside the backyard, A Shui saw the six bodies being dragged in and quietly slid down.
Bypassing several courtyards, A Shui entered Butcher Hu's courtyard. About a hundred people had already gathered there. Seeing A Shui enter alone, several of them came forward to meet him:
"Boss, how did it go? Where are they?"
A Shui looked deeply pained:
"They won't be coming back. As soon as they mentioned sharing the money and grain before leaving, Master Qian flew into a rage and hacked them to death with his blade."
"While I was waiting by the Warehouse, I discovered that Master Qian is secretly sending people to move the money and grain."
"I suspect Master Qian won't let us live. Everyone, run for your lives!"
These words provoked dissatisfaction in many:
"Leave? With what? Leave with our lives?"
"Let's go! Everyone, go seize the grain!"
"Right! Leaving now is death anyway; we might as well fight for it."
This sentiment was shared by everyone. Seeing them all aggressively heading out with knives and axes, A Shui anxiously reminded them:
"Everyone must be careful! Master Qian might have already sent people to kill us."
This final spark, which struck at the very root of their fears, successfully ignited everyone's fury. Since they were doomed anyway, they would fight to the end.
A Shui also rushed out with them but intentionally slowed his pace, falling behind shortly after. Shouts of battle came from ahead. A Shui saw a group of men indeed rushing out from Steward Huang's Residence, equally murderous. Seeing his side, they didn't even ask questions before swinging their blades.
"Kill him!"
"Qian Daqiang, give me the grain!"
"Hurry! Any later and not a single grain of rice will be left!"
This group was full of killing intent, and soon, the twenty-man squad Master Qian had sent to silence them was overwhelmed in the alley.
A Shui watched as the men hacked through the back gate of Steward Huang's Residence and swarmed inside. His fingers couldn't help but tremble, and his eyes shone with a brilliant light of excitement.
Aunt, it's done. It's really done.