Phi-Fic Chapter 102 Entanglement of Grudges
Chapter 102 Entanglement of Grudges
Wei Wei's men were naturally unwilling to submit obediently. Compared to the leader Du Zhong, they trusted the second and third leaders more, who were more attentive to the affairs of the stronghold and had better relationships with their subordinates.
Not to mention, as bandits, what's wrong with being ruthless and brutal? Why be bandits if you're too upright!
Based on these two points alone, they felt that the third-in-command should be the one to take the position of the leader.
The final result was that the arrival of Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin stirred up an internal conflict in Black Tiger Stronghold.
The second-in-command of Black Tiger Stronghold was a hardworking and kind-hearted man, but he also knew how to repay kindness.
He knew that with his own abilities, he could never become the second-in-command of Black Tiger Stronghold, even if he spent his whole life there. If it weren't for Du Chong valuing his meticulousness and willingness to do chores that others were unwilling to do, and promoting him, he wouldn't know where he would be now.
Faced with such a situation, he naturally chose to stand behind Du Zhong.
With two against one, the resistance of Wei Wei's men was quickly suppressed.
After some interrogation, Du Zhong learned that from the moment he found the Hu people, Wei Wei had harbored the idea of secretly establishing contact with them.
A small portion of the valuables and food looted from the refugees was transported back to the mountain stronghold by Wei Wei, while the majority was moved to a cave in the Siqing Mountains.
There are some passages below Black Tiger Stronghold, which he can follow at any time to find and explore the caves.
Wei Wei was very cautious. Apart from himself and his trusted subordinates, no one knew the location of the cave, not even the Hu people.
The two sides agreed that as long as the Hu people helped him take the position of the leader of Black Tiger Stronghold, he would hand over the money and grain he had stolen from the refugees and a portion of the money and grain stockpiled by Black Tiger Stronghold.
These words shocked everyone in Black Tiger Stronghold.
Wei Wei's actions were clearly like asking a tiger for its skin, putting Black Tiger Village on the hot seat of danger.
The reason Du Zhong was able to cooperate with the Hu people in the first place was because of his understanding of them, and because many Hu people knew about his experience and abilities, which earned him their trust. Where would Wei Wei get such confidence?
The reason why the Hu people wanted to take Wei Wei away was now self-evident.
If we remove Du Zhong as the leader and put Wei Wei in charge, wouldn't the Black Tiger Stronghold be free for the Hu people to come and go as they please?
Many people felt a chill down their spines. The feeling of being mutually restrained by the Hu people and having their boundaries completely broken are two completely different things. The latter makes them feel like they are just fat sheep being slaughtered by the Hu people at any time.
Before everyone could think it through, Xie Jin's men arrived with Jiang Bei and the old servant of the Jiang family.
On the other side, Jiang Wen wrote down the whole story of what happened in the Jiang family and handed it to Du Zhong.
Du Zhong was illiterate; he only had Jiang Wen write these things down to prevent Jiang Bei from lying.
When Jiang Bei saw Jiang Wen standing next to Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin, he panicked as if he wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.
At first, he refused to speak, but he only opened his mouth after being taken out and tortured.
Jiang Bei's intention was very simple, almost ridiculously so—everything he did was for the sake of the fifth wife of the Jiang family.
From a young age, he felt that the only difference between him and Jiang Wen was that he wasn't born into a good family; otherwise, he was on par with Jiang Wen in every way.
After Jiang Wen got married, Jiang Bei fell in love with his new wife at first sight. Watching his beloved have another man's husband have a child with another man, his heart was filled with resentment and jealousy towards Jiang Wen reached its peak, and his suppressed heart gradually became twisted.
He wanted to prove himself superior to Jiang Wen and to win over the Fifth Madam, so he colluded with Wei Wei's men during their escape to kill most of the Jiang family members.
The reason for only poisoning Jiang Wen to silence him and sparing his life was not out of brotherhood with him since childhood, but to make him watch helplessly as he took Jiang Wen's wife for himself.
He took the child born to Madam Jiang Wu out and had no intention of bringing it back; in his eyes, that child was nothing but an illegitimate child.
His plan was meticulously planned, but what he never expected was that he would fall into the hands of a group of refugees, and all his efforts would be in vain because of them.
As Jiang Bei spoke these words, Jiang Wen's fingers dug bloody marks into his palm, and his eyes, which were red as he looked at Jiang Bei, were almost dripping with blood.
Seeing that the matter was about to be resolved, Meng Fuqing thought for a moment and then asked, "Is the child of Young Master Jiang the one you had the woman bring to us for treatment?"
Jiang Wen was stunned for a moment, then turned his head sharply to look at Meng Fuqing. His unfathomable eyes lit up slightly at that moment, as if he had seen hope again.
If the child lives, his wife can live too.
Blood dripped from the corner of Jiang Bei's mouth from time to time. He barely managed to stay kneeling on the ground, as if he would collapse and become a pile of mud at any moment.
But the moment he heard Meng Fuqing's voice, hatred drove him to raise his head, his eyes turning into sharp blades, wishing he could tear Meng Fuqing to pieces.
He glanced at Jiang Wen, then gave Meng Fuqing a wicked smile. "So what if he is? That bastard won't live. With him to die with me, I'll die without regrets!"
Jiang Wen could no longer suppress his raging anger. He rushed to Jiang Bei, grabbed his hair, and slammed his head against the ground repeatedly.
The loud banging sounds sent chills down people's spines, yet no one stopped them. Jiang Bei's actions were so egregious that he could die thousands of times over without consequence.
Jiang Wen's strength was exhausted, and Jiang Bei lay on the ground, no longer moving.
Du Zhong ordered someone to take Jiang Bei away, and specifically instructed them to keep a close watch on him and make sure he didn't die.
It would be too good for him to die so easily.
The old servant of the Jiang family crawled to Jiang Wen's side and whispered, "Young Master, the young lady had a fever and was taken to a skilled doctor by Miss Meng. When I came, she was much better, so please don't worry too much..."
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face, and he began wiping them away.
Jiang Wen's numb expression was revitalized by the old servant's words.
He knelt on the ground facing Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin, kowtowed three times, and then, perhaps due to physical exhaustion, he fainted.
Du Zhong sighed and ordered someone to take Jiang Wen away and take good care of him.
He then instructed the brothers in the village not to send anyone to guard the entrances and exits of Qingzhou, not to rob refugees, and to let the refugees leave Qingzhou.
With the matter settled, Meng Fuqing and Xie Jin had no reason to stay in Black Tiger Stronghold any longer.
Meng Fuqing felt it was a pity. If all the bandits of Black Tiger Stronghold were truly wicked, then they would have a reason to occupy the stronghold, seize the money, grain, and people, and take the opportunity to attack the Hu people in Qingzhou City.
Unexpectedly, an unconventional leader named Du Zhong appeared. To make matters worse, he was Qi Liang's biological father, making it difficult to take action against him.
Remembering something, Meng Fuqing asked, "Does the chief think the unusual situation in the village will be discovered by the Hu people?"
Du Zhongzheng planned to discuss with his men to bring back all the money and grain that Wei Wei had hidden, and then gradually disperse the refugees in the village.
Hearing Meng Fuqing's words, he was taken aback. "The people sent by the Hu people have all been killed, and the gates of the stronghold are under martial law. It shouldn't be like that, right?"
No sooner had the last sentence been spoken than everyone in the hall heard an urgent voice from outside.
"Boss, Second Boss, something terrible has happened! There are Hu Hu Hu outside... the Hu people are attacking!!"