allonlinenovel Chapter 50 Entering the Bandit's Den
Chapter 50 Entering the Bandit's Den
Dong Sheng's mother, Dong Sheng, and Ye Qingchen got back into the carriage, while Han Zhi and Zhao Fei continued driving. They accompanied Chief Ya'er's wife to the mountain stronghold. The journey was uneventful, and they soon arrived. Many henchmen guarded the entrance, and upon seeing Chief Ya'er's wife, they all bowed in greeting.
Lady Ya'er, the chieftain's wife, led Dong Sheng and his group into the mountain stronghold. The houses were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, and people were coming and going, making it seem very lively. Dong Sheng looked around curiously, while Ye Qingchen quietly followed behind.
Lady Ya'er, the chieftain's wife, led them to a spacious hall furnished with tables and chairs. After everyone sat down, Lady Ya'er smiled and said, "Welcome to our village. Please rest for a while, and I'll go arrange some food." With that, she left the hall.
Dong Shengniang said gratefully to Ye Qingchen, "We are so grateful for the help of Young Master Ye and Young Master Gu. Otherwise, we would probably never have been able to see Ya'er again." Dong Sheng nodded repeatedly in agreement.
That's true. If Dong Shengniang were still the same as before, even if she met Ya'er, Ya'er wouldn't believe that she was her mistress.
Ya'er went out for a while and then returned. Not only that, she also brought back a handsome man, who seemed to be her husband. Ya'er brought him in and immediately introduced him: "Miss, this is my man, the current chief of the village. Since the chief took power, we have stopped doing evil. We rob the rich to help the poor and the refugees around here."
Dong Shengniang looked at them, stepped forward, curtsied, and said, "Now I can hardly be considered a young lady anymore, so please don't address me that way anymore. I'm a year older than you, just call me Sister Yijia! The past is the past. Since you helped me kill the former leader, you've avenged me. Besides, you know that our enemies are not people we can easily defeat." After saying this, Dong Yijia fell into deep silence.
Knowing their situation, Ye Qingchen offered targeted words of comfort: "The net of heaven is vast, its meshes are wide, yet nothing escapes it. Retribution may be delayed, but it will come. Aunt Dong, please don't be too sad. There's something I'd like to discuss with the head of the household and Aunt Ya'er. Is that alright?"
Ya'er looked at Dong Shengniang, who nodded to her. So Ya'er asked Ye Qingchen, "What brings you here, Young Master Ye?"
Ye Qingchen took a sip of tea. The tea wasn't particularly good, but she guessed it was the best in the village. She put it down and said, "Now that the Seventh Prince has returned to the capital, he is weak and has no soldiers or armor. Therefore, he wants to use money and food to recruit heroes from all walks of life. Unfortunately, I am one of the Seventh Prince's retainers. I was thinking that if the village chief and Aunt Ya'er are willing to be recruited, why not just forgo robbing the rich to help the poor? Why not have the Seventh Prince invest directly, and the village chief could lead the disaster victims to grow some grain around the village, open some small shops along the way, do some business, and then practice martial arts? The Seventh Prince only needs to train some guards in case he needs any. As for the children in the village, I advise the Seventh Prince to find teachers and martial arts instructors to teach them to read and practice martial arts, which would be a proper way out for the children."
These words struck a chord with the bandit leader. Ya'er had borne him three sons and a daughter. Which of these four children would want to become bandit leaders, living a precarious existence? If they followed the Seventh Prince as servants or guards, even without seeking great wealth, it would be far better than being bandits. But did this Young Master Ye have the influence to get the Seventh Prince to give them money and food? The bandit leader had already rescued many disaster victims, and frankly, simply robbing the rich to help the poor wasn't enough to guarantee everyone's basic needs were met. Therefore, this was precisely the solution they needed…
Ye Qingchen keenly noticed the unease on everyone's faces. He smiled slightly, reached into his pocket, and swiftly and elegantly pulled out a thick stack of silver notes. Then, he slammed the five thousand taels of silver heavily onto the dilapidated wooden table in front of him.
With a muffled thud, the stack of silver notes landed steadily on the table, dazzling like a silver mountain.
Ye Qingchen looked around and said loudly, "Everyone, don't worry. This five thousand taels of silver is just the beginning. In a few days, a large amount of grain will be delivered to our village. But let me make this clear: we will not feed those who are lazy and good-for-nothing! Winter has already arrived, but when spring comes next year, everyone must get to work, cultivate the wasteland, and plant grain, so that everyone in our village can live a good life with plenty of food and clothing. At that time, the Seventh Prince will send special personnel to guide everyone in farming. I wonder what the chief thinks of this arrangement?"
The bandit leader stared at the pile of 5000 taels of silver, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He knew all too well what this huge sum meant to the mountain stronghold and the many people living there. It wasn't just a simple feeling of excitement; it was a deep intertwining of longing and responsibility.
This amount of silver is enough to ensure that the entire village can get through the coming winter comfortably without worrying about hunger and cold. Even if no new grain is delivered, the amount of grain that can be purchased with this wealth is astonishing, far exceeding their needs.
Thinking of this, the leader frowned slightly. He knew this decision was of great importance and couldn't be made by him alone. So, he took a deep breath and said, "This matter is of great importance. Allow me to discuss it thoroughly with the second and third brothers before reporting back to Young Master Ye." As soon as he finished speaking, he clasped his hands in a fist salute to everyone in the room, then hurriedly walked out the door, his figure quickly disappearing outside.
Ye Qingchen wasn't in a hurry and didn't reveal Gu Changfeng's identity. Gu Changfeng thought to himself: This girl is really too bold. Isn't she afraid people will think they're plotting a rebellion? But then he thought again, she said she was a retainer, and these people had never seen any Seventh Prince, so it seemed no one suspected anything. However, if they went to the capital, someone would definitely know that there was never any Seventh Prince, because he had always been abandoned.
A moment later, the chief returned and immediately knelt before Ye Qingchen, saying, "Young Master Ye, my brothers and I are willing to pursue you and serve as guards for the Seventh Prince." Ye Qingchen was very satisfied with this answer and said, "Chief, please rise. Since it's been decided so readily, have them send some grain in a few days. The people cannot suffer from hunger, especially with the end of the year approaching." He then took out 100 taels of silver from his pocket and said, "Please go to Jincheng nearby and buy some meat and fruit. Today it's my treat; everyone must have a good meal. Wine can also be bought, but I cannot hold my liquor, so I won't drink with you."
Then, the head of the household immediately followed Ye Qingchen's instructions and bought a lot of fine rice, wheat flour, meat, and vegetables. Surprisingly, they didn't buy any alcohol, all so that everyone could have a proper meal. Many disaster victims helped prepare dinner, and it was quickly ready. Ye Qingchen smelled the food; it wasn't particularly good, but when had these people ever had a decent meal of meat and vegetables?