allonlinenovel Chapter 408 Bad bamboo produces good bamboo shoots
Chapter 408 Bad bamboo produces good bamboo shoots
Liu was completely bewildered and panicked. She had always been slow-witted, and her husband and eldest daughter always made the decisions in the household. Faced with this disaster, she couldn't think of a better way to save her daughter.
They wanted to report it to the authorities, but they were afraid of angering the bandits, which would only hasten Xiao Tang's death.
A few days later, they received a letter from their eldest daughter. It was written in her own handwriting. Not only was she safe, but she had also gained the bandits' trust and was leading them to find food.
Lin Qingchuan and Liu were overjoyed. The two children were thrilled to learn that their older sister was out of danger and clamored to go find her, but their parents stopped them.
"Father, Mother, Sister is still alive! Let's hurry and find her. It's so dangerous for her, a young woman, to be alone in the mountains!"
Although Lin Xiaoyu is not as clever as her older sister, she has become much more sensible than other girls her age through years of exposure and learning.
At the foot of the mountain, the bandits coveted the beauty of the mother and her two daughters and wanted to take advantage of them. The older sister went up the mountain with the bandits to ensure their safety. She could not match her older sister's bravery and righteousness, but she also hoped that her older sister would return safely.
Lin Ziheng nodded vigorously. He was still young, but he knew he should bring his older sister home for a family reunion.
"Father, Mother, my sister must be so scared all alone on the mountain. Let's bring her back right away, okay?"
Mrs. Liu hugged her two children and started crying again...
Lin Qingchuan frowned and said, "Feng'er, you stay at the inn with the two children tomorrow. I'll go back into the mountains to find Xiao Tang."
The next day, as Lin Qingchuan reached the entrance of the inn, the innkeeper stopped him and handed him a letter written by Xiao Tang.
Lin Qingchuan was so excited that he forgot to ask the shopkeeper how he got his daughter's letter and quickly opened it to read it aloud.
Thanks to his years of business experience, he had learned a lot of characters. Xiao Tang's letter was easy to understand, and he quickly read it. He learned that Xiao Tang had escaped danger, gained the bandits' trust, and was also valued by Scarface. Only then did he feel relieved.
Although his daughter was alright, he was still worried and had to see her with his own eyes.
After telling his wife and two children that his daughter had returned with a letter, Lin Qingchuan hired a carriage and returned to the mountain where his daughter had been kidnapped, and went into the mountain alone.
Sure enough, he was captured by the bandits guarding him halfway up the mountain. He did not resist at all. The bandits quickly recognized him and took him to their residence to keep him under guard.
Lin Xiaotang and Scarface went to the medicinal herb field to check on the sprouting of the herbs. When they returned, she saw that her father had been tied to a wooden stake with a blanket. She immediately ran over and quickly untied him.
“Xiao Tang, you have suffered these days. Your father is useless and dares not report to the authorities. I am afraid that they will kill you before the soldiers even come up the mountain. Your father cannot fight them alone and cannot save you.”
"Dad, didn't I tell you in my letter that I've been eating and drinking well on this mountain and haven't suffered any grievances? Their eldest brother only looks scary because of the scar on his face; he's not that bad. My second uncle arranged for someone to deliver medicinal herb seeds, and we've already cultivated the fields and planted them. When we harvest the herbs and exchange them for money, they'll give me a share of the profits."
Lin Qingchuan never expected his daughter to be so capable. The government was struggling to solve the bandit problem, but his daughter had actually found legitimate work for the bandits.
Even the bandit leader in the mountains could be persuaded to reform the bandits and plant medicinal herbs. If word got out, that would be incredibly prestigious.
He smiled and said, "I received your letter, but I can't rest easy until I see you're alright with my own eyes. Your mother and Xiaoyu and Ziheng are crying every day in the inn, looking worried and distressed. I can't help but worry about them, so how can I be in the mood to settle things and do business?"
After untying her father, she took his hand and walked to Scarface.
“We’re already in a business relationship, how could your people kidnap my dad? If you’re ever rude to my family again, I’ll be furious.”
Scarface touched his nose, looking somewhat innocent.
“Hey, girl, we went to the herb field together this morning. Who knew your dad would go up the mountain alone? And those wooden blocks that were tied up weren’t my orders. You can’t blame me for this. Besides, your dad isn’t perfectly capable. Tying them up for a while won’t hurt.”
The bearded man, his belt tucked in, emerged from the outhouse and, upon seeing Lin Qingchuan, immediately recognized him as Lin Xiaotang's father.
He asked in confusion, "Why are you here?"
Although he saw with his own eyes that his daughter was safe and sound, Lin Qingchuan, who had been honest for twenty or thirty years, was still afraid of these bandits.
He honestly replied, "This mountain is full of grown men. I was worried about my young daughter being taken up here by you... so I came up here myself. I am her father. If I am not worried about my daughter being taken up here, then how can I be worthy of being a father?"
That makes sense!
Scarface looked Lin Qingchuan up and down. "This father doesn't seem particularly outstanding, but he has a smart and capable daughter. It's true that a bad bamboo produces a good shoot."
Lin Qingchuan wasn't angry at being mocked. He and his wife weren't particularly outstanding to begin with, but they were proud to have a daughter who was unmatched in the surrounding villages.
The bearded man chuckled, "Brother, you're being too blunt. How would Dai Zhu feel if he heard that?"
"You didn't let him off the hook either, and you still have the nerve to criticize me?"
Lin Xiaotang was immediately displeased when she heard Scarface and Beard mocking her father.
"You're being incredibly disrespectful. He's my father. Without him and my mother, how could I, such an outstanding daughter, have been born?"
After spending these few days together, Big Beard had long admired Lin Xiaotang's ability to dig ginseng, obtain medicinal herb seeds, and grow medicinal herbs. In addition, even the eldest brother listened to her advice. He unconsciously began to respect Lin Xiaotang. When he heard that she was unhappy with his mockery of her father, he immediately changed his tune.
"Yes, yes, I spoke too quickly, sorry. You're so outstanding, your parents must be incredibly capable people who are hiding their talents. How about this, let your father stay on our mountain too, and we can grow medicinal herbs together and get rich, what do you say?"
Scarface nodded in agreement. After all these years of following him, this was the first time he felt that the bearded man's words had struck a chord with him.
"Hu Zi's idea is good. Your father is worried that it's not safe for a little girl like you to be in our men's den. Wouldn't it be more reassuring for him to keep an eye on his daughter himself?"
Lin Qingchuan was willing to stay on the mountain with his daughter, but his wife and two children were still in Beijing. What could he do?
He pulled his daughter aside and whispered, "Xiao Tang, let Dad go back first to take your mother and younger siblings back to Dushui County, then Dad will come back up the mountain to be with you, okay?"
Lin Xiaotang disagreed a thousand times. "Father, we only met them because we were going to the capital to open a restaurant and do business. After this incident, since I've come to the mountain and successfully taught them how to plant medicinal herbs, we might as well make the best of it."
They have many people and are strong, plus there's no land rent on this mountain. They can earn a lot of money once the medicinal herbs are harvested. I'll negotiate a cooperation agreement with Scarface, and we'll have an extra source of income in the future, so don't worry.
"Go down the mountain and find a prime location in the capital to buy a restaurant and open it. Don't be stingy with your investment. I can't be with you and your mother this time, but I believe in you and your mother."