Around eight or nine in the evening, Lu Qing took the mutton that had been soaked in poisonous mushroom water out of the large vat. Everything was ready.
“Husband, what exactly are you doing?” Zheng Yulan looked at the mutton soaked in poisonous mushroom water, utterly confused.
“It’s for something important,” Lu Qing smiled.
The next day, Lu Qing took Wu Facai and the others, carrying the Zhuge Repeating Crossbows and mutton, and left Manglong Village. After leaving the village, they headed straight for Mangtou Mountain. Along the way, Zhao Tiezhu glanced around nervously and asked, “Brother Qing, are you sure this will work? Will we really run into bandits?”
“No idea,” Lu Qing shook his head with a wry smile. He hoped they would. If not, they’d come again tomorrow. He believed they would eventually encounter them. That’s why Lu Qing had bought several sheep. He wasn’t afraid of wasting them. As long as they could eliminate Green Dragon Stronghold, any cost would be worth it—and it wouldn’t even be a waste. It was the price to pay for wiping them out.
…
“There’s movement ahead!” Wu Hai and Tian Erwang, who had gone to scout, returned.
“Good,” Lu Qing nodded. “Then let’s proceed as planned. Wu He, Tiezhu, Tieniu, Liu Feng, follow Uncle Facai and stay in the rear. I’ll go up front with Wu Hai and Erwang. If anything seems off, I’ll send the signal. When that happens, use the repeating crossbows to take them down.”
He reminded Wu Facai, “Alright, be careful out there,” Wu Facai said.
“Understood,” Lu Qing smiled. “Remember, we’re going to Jinchuan County to propose marriage.”
Lu Qing carried a bundle and walked ahead. Tian Erwang and Wu Hai followed behind, carrying the mutton. The three continued forward.
“Third Boss, it’s been several days. Why hasn’t anyone shown up?” A low-ranking bandit from Green Dragon Stronghold complained.
“It’s all that bastard Qian Mang’s fault. He robbed too often and scared everyone away from this road. Who knows where he’s hiding now? When he gets back, I’m going to report him to the Boss,” grumbled Xing Dagou, the third-in-command of Green Dragon Stronghold. He was fat and ugly, with mung bean eyes, a bulbous nose, and a crooked mouth. Because of his hideous appearance, people called him Mad Dog.
“Second Boss must be off enjoying himself in Jinchuan County again,” someone added.
“That’s right. Every time he gets a score, he’s the first to go to Jinchuan County to splurge. The Boss never says a word about it.”
“Well, what can you do? He’s sworn brothers with the Boss.”
Everyone kept chatting to pass the time.
“Hey, Boss! Someone’s coming!”
“Really?” Xing Dagou shot to his feet and looked toward Lu Qing and the others.
“Oh ho, it’s a fat sheep.” Xing Dagou saw Tian Erwang and Wu Hai carrying the mutton. If they brought that back, it’d be enough for everyone in the stronghold to have a taste of meat.
“Let’s go,” Xing Dagou said and immediately led his men down.
“You are…?” Lu Qing looked at them in fear, as if terrified of Xing Dagou and his gang.
“We’re from Green Dragon Stronghold. Hand over everything valuable, or I’ll chop you into pieces,” Xing Dagou growled, shaking his large blade with a menacing expression.
“Green Dragon Stronghold?” Lu Qing gasped in horror. “Please, sirs, have mercy! I’m just on my way to Jinchuan County to propose marriage. If I give you everything, I won’t be able to get married.”
“What’s your marriage got to do with us? At worst, I’ll marry your bride for you. Enough talk, hand everything over now!” Xing Dagou slowly walked forward.
“Brother Qing?” Tian Erwang looked nervously at Lu Qing.
“Put it down,” Lu Qing ordered Wu Hai and Tian Erwang to set the items down. “Heroes, everything’s yours. We’ll leave now.”
Lu Qing and the other two slowly backed away while tossing thirty copper coins onto the ground. Lu Qing stared at Xing Dagou. If he made a move, Lu Qing would immediately send the signal for Wu Facai and the others to act. Fortunately, the two sides slowly widened the distance without any mishaps.
Lu Qing calculated the distance, then suddenly turned and shouted, “Run!”
Wu Hai and Tian Erwang followed without hesitation, turning and fleeing with him.
“Hahaha!” Xing Dagou burst into laughter as he watched the three run off like startled rabbits.
Once they had run a fair distance and confirmed that Xing Dagou’s group wasn’t pursuing, Lu Qing gestured for Wu Hai and Tian Erwang to stop.
“That was intense. I thought I was going to die,” Tian Erwang said, still trembling.
Lu Qing saw his legs shaking. “Looks like our plan worked,” he said with a smirk.
Not long after, Wu Facai and the others rejoined them.
“That was really close,” Wu He said, looking at Lu Qing and the other two. No one could tell what Xing Dagou might’ve done.
“It’s alright now. Let’s just wait,” Lu Qing said as he looked at Wu Facai.
“I got it. Everyone, follow me,” Wu Facai understood what Lu Qing meant.
Xing Dagou and a few bandits carried the stolen mutton back to Green Dragon Stronghold. Lu Qing and his team quietly followed behind.
“Third Boss is back!”
“Yeah!”
“Mutton? Third Boss, you really scored this time. We haven’t had any meat in half a month.”
“Exactly. We even caught and roasted the rats in the stronghold.” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Everyone stared hungrily at the mutton, swallowing hard.
“Spread the word. We’re eating mutton tonight.”
“Alright!” Cheers erupted.
Lu Qing and his group found a spot where they could observe Green Dragon Stronghold. Wu Facai had military experience, so finding a good vantage point was no challenge.
“Celebrate while you can. This will be your last meal,” Lu Qing smiled and sat down.
Now, it was time to wait.
Soon, the aroma of mutton soup wafted from the stronghold. The whole sheep had been butchered and stewed.
Time slowly passed.
Everyone in Green Dragon Stronghold held their bowls, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the delicious mutton soup.
“I can’t hold it anymore!”
“Me neither!” Some were getting impatient, but with Xing Dagou watching closely, no one dared to move.
“The Boss is here!” someone shouted.
A burly man emerged from the council hall of Green Dragon Stronghold.
“Boss!” Everyone greeted him immediately.
“Hmm,” Chen Tong nodded and walked to stand beside Xing Dagou.
“You did well, Third.”
“Thank you, Boss,” Xing Dagou grinned.
“Has anyone seen Second these past few days?”
“No, maybe he went off to Jinchuan County again,” someone guessed.
“That Second keeps getting more and more undisciplined,” Chen Tong muttered.
“Boss, the mutton’s ready!” someone shouted.