Chapter Ten: War of Words

  The team in the car heard his roar, and when Xu Yifan was taken to a high place, Wang Wu Er Dezi and even Han Lao Zhuanggui were lying on the cargo truck, nervously looking into the distance. Little beauty Chen Er Ya also puffed up her small face seriously squatting behind them. However, at this time, Wang Wu didn't have any spirit to scold her.

  As soon as they heard it was Du Qilin, Wang Wu and Han Laozhu were both pale in the face. Then they saw Xu Yifan being dragged away. Wang Wu immediately jumped up, pulled out the big knife on his back: "I'll go save Brother Xu! This is a matter of our sworn brotherhood, we can't let him be in danger!"

  Er Dezi jumped up beside him: "Fifth Master, let's go together! When have we ever abandoned a friend in times of need?"

  Han Laozhu grabbed Wang Wu tightly, his old body frail and unable to withstand Wang Wu's vigorous movements. He almost got flung under the carriage. Wang Wu quickly supported him: "Old boss, be careful! Leave this to me, I'll be right back... These guys really think my big knife is vegetarian!"

  Han Lao still grasped him tightly: "Can't go! Can't go! If we don't stay, this convoy can't be kept. Mr. Xu said he has a way, and he must have a way!"

  The little girl next to her also jumped up, and in her shining eyes, there seemed to be something sparkling: "He doesn't even have the strength to catch a chicken, what can he do? Fifth Master, Second Brother, let's go quickly!"

  Looking at a few people's furious faces, Old Man Han took a deep breath and suddenly shouted: "Fool!"

  The old shopkeeper's voice was so loud that it stunned everyone. No one expected this old man to have such a big lung capacity.

  Mr. Xu, why did you tell us that Du Qilin is leading these bandits? Who doesn't know that this Du Qilin is a hero on horseback? He's been using the banner of robbing the rich and helping the poor, upholding justice in the name of heaven. With just one order, he can rally thousands of bandits. In the past, we've always coexisted peacefully with him, like water from different wells not interfering with each other. If it weren't for the natural disasters outside our region these past two years, those Mongolian nobles wouldn't even have enough food to eat themselves. He wouldn't have taken such a risk either. What he wants is silver that can help people and horses survive the winter. With silver, one can buy grain and clothes!

  The old man stood up shakily and looked in the direction where Xu Yifan was dragged away: "Mr. Xu told us to hold on tight, that's a great idea... As long as they can't break through our convoy, they can only negotiate. They can't come here for nothing, they have to get something out of it. They won't kill Mr. Xu and then run away with their tails between their legs. Otherwise, winter will be unbearable! The safer we are here, the more peaceful Mr. Xu will be over there!

  "We were lucky this time, if Mr. Xu hadn't directed us to form a circular array and then directed everyone to defeat them in the critical moment, and now he's risking his life to negotiate alone. We would have been finished off by that Qilin master long ago. Losing our goods is one thing, but losing Fourth Mistress, our business with Dashi in Kou would... Mr. Xu has guts and wisdom, he says he's got a plan, so we can only trust him!"

  The old man's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, and he muttered to himself in a low voice, facing the few people who had already been stunned: "How many years has it been since I've seen such a person? Our king, back then..."

  A low voice, finally turned into a sigh.

  Xu Yifan didn't expect Old Man Han to come up with so many reasons for his brave actions. He still adhered to the usual business negotiation tactics, both sides had demands, it was just a matter of who stood firmer. Whoever lowered their price first would be the one to lose face. However, after being hit a few times, he really saw stars in front of his eyes.

  Next time, I'd rather die than be so spineless again.

  In a daze, his face suddenly felt another chill. A dagger was already placed on his face. Opening his eyes, he saw that Jiang Jun Shi was squatting beside him, looking at him coldly: "Good fellow, indeed a good fellow, you don't even want your own life?"

  Xu Yifan spat out the rag from his mouth, and smiled bitterly: "Life or death doesn't matter, anyway I'm still confused now... even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. Dying at your hands, just consider it a bad dream."

  "Want to not die, is it a great blessing for General Hui, You, and Uriya Sutai? From now on, eating well and drinking well, no worries for life? Indeed, quite arrogant!"

  Xu Yifan sighed: "What I want, you don't understand."

  Jiang Junshi coldly smiled without a word, stood up and loudly whistled, the surrounding bandit troops responded in unison. Then Jiang Junshi shouted: "Brothers, whether we win or lose depends on this one move, open the Great Shenggui! We'll have a good winter!"

  The sound of response suddenly rose to the sky, and many people had already turned over on horseback, pulling down their guns. The surrounding area was filled with the sounds of people shouting and horses neighing. It seemed that the next impact was about to be launched.

  Xu Yifan's eyes darted around, and suddenly he saw the tall figure of Du Qilin with his back to him. He opened his mouth and shouted loudly: "Du Daren, opposite us are two hundred guns, do you really want to create more widows and orphans? With fewer men, they won't be able to get through this winter!"

  Du Qilin's tall body shook, and even Jiang Junshi fell silent for a moment. The several bandit leaders who had come from afar were also speechless, they had only arrived here after hearing Du Qilin's invitation. Originally, it was just for the sake of righteousness, and there wasn't such a big mountain stronghold like Du Qilin's to drag them down. If it were easy to rob Dashi, that would be fine, but now in front of them was a hard bone to chew!

  But in front of Du Dajia, who was famous for his righteousness, they couldn't say anything to admit defeat. Everyone stared at the tall back of Du Qilin for a while.

  Du Qilin suddenly turned around, staring fiercely at Xu Yifan, his eyes bloodshot: "If we don't fight, what can we do? If we don't die for a day, we have to eat; if we don't die for two days, we have to wear clothes. But the official is just making it impossible for us to eat and dress! I'm robbing the rich to help the poor, doing justice on behalf of heaven!"

  It's indeed only the simplest class-conscious peasant uprising... No, it's a bandit. Xu Yifan's Marxist lessons were learned in a muddle, and he can't remember what definition was given to people like Du Qilin in his textbook anymore.

  Robbing the rich to help the poor, it's all a joke to him. This world was never absolutely equal, and those who were robbed were still themselves. But now that he has tied himself up, he can only follow what they say. Dealing with this simple-minded man who claims to be loyal and righteous is quite a challenge.

  "Rob the rich? After all these years of robbing, aren't they getting richer and richer? Help the poor, after all these years of helping, aren't they getting poorer and poorer? On the other side are comrades who make a living by their strength, and escorts who risk their lives to eat. What wealth are you robbing? Everyone is suffering!"

  This is moving with emotion. Xu Yifan now makes every move and gesture according to the route that Chairman Mao took when he persuaded Wang Zuo and Yuan Wencai on his way up Jinggang Mountain back then.

  "So many good men, it's not easy to get through the winter. The master of the house has thousands of mouths to feed behind him. This time the merchant group was opened, what about next time? You're not unaware of Da Sheng Kui's power! Every time a pile of people die and are injured, how many times can you rob? It's better to be safe than sorry, think about the long-term benefits, every time Da Sheng Kui passes by, give the master a sum of insurance money, take care of them outside, and they'll have a smooth journey. Isn't that stronger than anything?"

  This makes Xiao's gain more advantageous. In those years, Chairman Mao used hundreds of quick guns, and today Mr. Xu uses the idea of insurance premiums, which is not much different.

  In the end, everyone around was moved. Even Jiang Junshi, who had been the most resolute in his attitude, didn't say a word. Another bandit leader quietly helped Xu Yifan to his feet.

  Xu Yifan finally concluded with a flourish: "A flat price, this time the toll is 80,000 taels of silver! In the future, for every shipment, we'll take 2% of its value. The big boss will distribute it among the brothers himself. Each delivery will be made here, no fighting, no deal, how's that?"

  A moment of silence, everyone was sizing each other up. Xu Yifan felt a bit dizzy. The deal with Hai Kou had been made, as long as this time went smoothly, how Da Shenggui and the horse bandits would split the spoils in the future had nothing to do with him.

  The grassland was empty and quiet, Xu Yifan's words had traveled far. A group of fierce bandits all fell silent, fiddling with their spears and swords, quietly waiting for their leader to make a move. Even the caravan of Da Shengkui could vaguely hear the commotion here, and more people crowded onto the cargo carts.

  Du Qilin stared blankly at Xu Yifan, and Jiang Junshi pulled his clothes, but he didn't feel anything. This big man furrowed his brow, seemingly thinking about something that he couldn't understand no matter how hard he thought.

  "Why do the rich get richer and the poor poorer? I, Dou Qilin, always ask myself if what I'm doing is justified by my conscience. I've never taken advantage of my poor brothers, but why can't we even make it through winter? What must be done to make everyone equal?"

  For this class brother who is stuck in ideological deadlock, Xu Yifan has only infinite sympathy. Decades later, countless people with the same simple ideals were born and died together. Wanting to create a new world, what was the result? Everyone just tacitly understands.

  As for now, he didn't even have the mood to give Du Qilin a class on class analysis. For a country like China back then, which had not yet completed its industrialization, applying class analysis was a joke from the start. These internal problems should have been discussed after industrialization was complete.

  Alas, what's the point of thinking so far ahead? Let's just see if Tong Zhan can successfully defeat the bandits...

  "General Jiang said in a low voice: 'The master of the house, can fight and then talk about peace, 800,000 taels, and also the brothers who came from afar... We won't lose much, it's better to fight again, force them into desperation, and then negotiate..."

  Du Qilin listened quietly, looked at Xu Yifan's expressionless face again, then looked at the eager gaze of his own bandits, and finally looked at the circle of corpses outside the convoy. The big man sighed: "Don't let anyone else die, we can't afford it. Let's wait until after this winter, and then make trouble with Lao Cai and the government... Little Lama, tell Da Shengkui and Wu Ye to take the money, and we'll let them pass."