Volume 1 Chushan Bandits Chapter 49: True Love on the Mountain Road
Not long after Xu Huai and Xu Wuliang walked out of the North Village, Xu Wukun chased after them at a rapid pace.
Xu Wukun was originally full of anger, but when he saw Xu Huai, he happily ran over, grabbed his shoulders and looked him over:
"I haven't seen you much in the past two years. You, a rascal, are no less skilled than Xu Wuqi and Xu Wujiang in using the long stick to transform the python spear. Is it because you are missing something in your brain, but you got it first after practicing martial arts?"
Among the old soldiers who returned home, Xu Wukun was the most nostalgic and took the best care of Xu Huai in his early years, even better than Xu Wuliang who married into the Huaiyuan Town.
"Why did Xu Wuqi allow you to chase me?" Xu Wuliang asked curiously.
"Don't mention it. I'm so pissed off by his blocky brain! Starting tomorrow, he's going to ask all the disciples to focus on practicing encirclement and killing tactics, and he's also going to allow Xu Chen, Xu Xin and those bastards to prepare swords and bows in the martial arts hall. He's been completely bewildered by Xu Wufu's tricks these years, and he won't listen to other people anymore. Just now, when I wanted to help you get the longbow back, he actually hit me with a stick. Fuck him - he and I grew up on the same kang, and I haven't been angry with him for more than 40 years. I'm the only one who can tolerate his bad temper, but he actually treated me like this, fuck him, we're falling out..." When Xu Wukun thought of this, his happiness just now disappeared, and his heart was full of resentment. Like , he listed how he had endured Xu Wuqi's bad temper all these years.
Xu Wuliang had always been dissatisfied with Xu Wuqi. He did not expect that Xu Wuqi would ask Xu Chen and Xu Xin to prepare bows and swords in Huolu Hall to prevent Xu Huai from provoking him again. He was so angry that he stamped his feet.
He grabbed Xu Wukun's arm and said, "This bastard has always been a black-hearted guy! Since he chose to follow Xu Wufu all the way to the end, and even harmed his own people, he is our enemy from now on, not our friend. We should not expect to bring him back!"
Xu Wukun didn't want to get too angry about what happened today, so he took a deep breath to calm his anger, then changed the subject and asked, "What happened to Xu Wujiang and the others? You have no news about them at all? Shouldn't they have surrendered to the bandits? They were fed up with the good life in the military camp, so they ran away to become bandits and felt comfortable? However, Xu Wujiang is bold and careful, not a reckless person, so it's impossible for him to be eaten up by the people in Hutouzhai without leaving even a bone?"
Xu Wukun and his men had been bandits before, so they knew exactly what life was like in the mountain stronghold. The soldiers usually patrolled the military stronghold, and no matter how low their status or how meager their pay was, it was definitely better off than the bandits who lived on the edge of a knife and lived from hand to mouth.
Tang Tiande brought people over yesterday to say that Xu Wujiang and others had surrendered to Hutouzhai, but Xu Wukun didn't believe it.
However, he was also surprised that Xu Wujiang and his men did not go to Hutouzhai, but were completely wiped out by the bandits in Hutouzhai, without even a corpse left.
If Xu Huai and Xu Wuliang don't come to Huolu Hall today, Xu Wukun will go there at night to find out what's going on.
Seeing Xu Wuliang opening his mouth to speak, Xu Huai spoke first, "How should we know?"
Before Xu Huai regained consciousness, his impressions and understandings of others were all superficial, and now he needs to go through a process of re-understanding.
He was not sure whether Xu Wukun came after him at this time because he was instructed by Xu Wuqi or Xu Wufu to inquire for information. How could he tell so many things in such a hurry?
After Xu Huai blocked his way for a while, Xu Wuliang stopped talking and said to Xu Wukun, "Come with us to the South Village first..."
It was normal for Su Di, Xu Wuliang and others to be at a loss after such a sudden change. Xu Wukun did not think much about it and said:
"The head of the family and the eldest son did not leave the North Village all day, and did not send anyone to find Deng Gui directly to explain the situation yesterday, but sent people to the street market to inquire about the news. Inspector Deng Gui personally went to Qingxi Village yesterday to see the scene, but according to what he said when he consulted with Jin Longquan, Tang Tiande and others, it seems that he has already determined that Xu Wujiang and others went to Hutou Village. Deng Gui wrote all this in an official letter and sent it to Biyang, waiting for the county to decide everything. The head of the family also called Xu Bosong and the elders of the four villages and the elders of the clan to discuss countermeasures in the afternoon. Everyone thought that the county sent officials to arrest the missing Wuzu's family members for interrogation. The clan had no way to forcibly stop it, so they could only send people to follow to Biyang to make arrangements so that the family members would not suffer physical pain... What do you plan to do?"
Although Xu Wufu was caught off guard yesterday and had to force Tang Tiande to retreat in front of the angry clansmen, he now gathered the clan elders to discuss and spread the news. If the prefecture and county officials come and forcibly detain his family members, and he just sits on the sidelines and watches, most of the clansmen will not only not be angry anymore, but will even stand on his side.
In this case, if the families of the military soldiers still insist on not accepting the interrogation of the prefecture and county, they will be isolated by the vast majority of their clansmen who do not want to cause trouble.
It must be said that Xu Wufu had worked as an official in the provincial government for many years and had a thorough understanding of human nature.
"This bastard!" Although Xu Wuliang hated Xu Wufu in his heart, he was not good at making plans and didn't know how to deal with this situation.
Xu Huai said nothing.
Things were complicated and confusing, and he didn't have the ability to think of a foolproof plan to eliminate all his worries.
I have been involved in this vortex for nearly two months. It can be said that every step has been thrilling, but I have also walked to this point with great caution.
Even if the situation next was dangerous and treacherous, there was still a chance of struggle, so he felt there was no need to worry too much.
Xu Huai carried the scabbard on his shoulder. At this moment, he would rather spend more time thinking about the gains and losses in the fight with the young men just now. Occasionally, he thought that he should have better countermeasures against the young men who were besieging him, and from time to time he practiced one or two moves with the scabbard and the sword, just like a foolish boy who could not concentrate.
Seeing Xu Wuliang's gloomy face and Xu Huai's innocent look, Xu Wukun encouraged them and said, "I heard from people who have inquired about the news that Liu Qiong'er redeemed herself hired you and Xu Huai. You can completely stay out of this matter..."
The attitudes of Xu Wufu, the village head Xu Bosong, Xu Zhongyu and other four village elders were very clear, which also determined the attitudes of the vast majority of clansmen who were not directly involved in the matter.
Xu Wukun himself has almost the same attitude.
Xu Wukun and Xu Wujiang have a good relationship. If Xu Wujiang encounters an accident or has any problems at home, he will help him out, but he will not help to the point of confronting the government.
He now hopes that Xu Huai can get out of this situation.
Xu Wuliang glanced at Xu Wukun and said, "What if Xu Huai can't stay out of this?"
Xu Wukun was not a man of many plans and strategies, and he could not see many things clearly, but he had traveled all over the country over the years, and his experience and knowledge were beyond the reach of ordinary mountain people.
He didn't know what was going on with Xu Wujiang, but he could feel that many things were not normal.
For example, Xu Wufu suddenly called all the men back to Yuhuangling. For example, Xu Wujiang had to be sent to guard Qingxi Village, but Su Di and Xu Wuliang returned to Lutai Village to celebrate Xu Wujiang's father's birthday. For example, when Xu Wujiang's soldiers were missing, Su Di did not rush to the vicinity of Qingxi Village to find out what happened, but instead gathered all the soldiers' families in Nanzhai as soon as possible.
Xu Wukun would have to be blind to think that everything is normal.
Of course, Xu Wukun didn't want to care too much, nor did he think he had the ability to care too much, but no matter what purpose Su Di and Xu Wuliang had in returning to Nanzhai, he hoped that they would not harm Xu Huai.
This is also the attitude he expressed yesterday.
Xu Wukun was angry at Xu Wuqi, but he didn't expect Xu Wuliang to speak to him in this tone. He immediately got angry and said, "Xu Huai is a stubborn person, but I tell you, no matter what you do, don't hurt Xu Huai. How can you say you can't stay out of it? What kind of shit are you doing that you have to drag Xu Huai into it?"
Xu Wuliang chuckled but said nothing.
"Xu Wuxuan carried you back from the battlefield more than once. Think about it with your conscience. What bad things did you have that you dragged Xu Huai into it? How could you bear to do that?" Xu Wukun was so angry that he grabbed Xu Wuliang's shoulders and demanded that he explain himself clearly.
Xu Huai walked over, patted Xu Wukun's shoulder gently, and said, "Uncle Wukun, this is not the place to talk."
"You are so stubborn. Don't listen to Xu Wuliang's evil-minded nonsense." Xu Wukun was really angry.
"You are the one with a black heart - you are usually very patient, why are you so impatient today? Were you sent by Xu Wufu to test us?" Xu Wuliang asked .
"What nonsense are you talking about, you son of a bitch? If I were sent by Xu Wufu, I would be pierced by arrows and trampled by horses, and I would die a miserable death." Xu Wukun was so anxious that he pointed to the sky and the earth and swore. Seeing that Xu Wuliang still didn't behave properly, he stamped his feet and said, "I can't explain this to you clearly. I'm going to ask Di Niang for clarification!"
Seeing Xu Wukun leaving them behind and rushing straight to the South Village at lightning speed, Xu Wuliang couldn't help but shook his head and said to Xu Huai:
"Your uncle Wu Kun usually seems to be a mild-mannered person. He rarely gets angry with others, but when something really happens, he gets anxious. When your father was alive, he was said to be a big-tailed rat in the mountains. I didn't expect that after all these years, he still couldn't change his temper."
