Chapter 10, Revenge

At this moment, the family urgently needs silver, which is why they thought of seeking help at the last minute. However, the tall young master racked his brains but could not come up with a way to quickly earn three thousand taels of silver. Not to mention three thousand taels, even three hundred taels seemed impossible, unless he resorted to theft or robbery

It is said that Zhang Jincheng was wounded by a knife from Changsun Sheng today while on the ship. Although it was merely a flesh wound, when he escaped by diving into the water, the wound was soaked for half a day, and due to blood loss, it nearly cost him his life

Zhang Jin nodded and said: "That kid has a local accent, and he is accompanied by two attendants dressed like servants. He probably comes from a well-off family, so it shouldn't be difficult to find him. Let's first go through the wealthy households in Zhangnan County."

In the late night, the sky suddenly changed its appearance; the originally starry night sky became overcast with dark clouds, and then a torrential downpour began to fall, with the accumulated water on the ground converging into countless small streams flowing into the river

In the heavy rain, the Gaojipo is dark and gloomy, with endless reeds swaying wildly in the fierce wind and rain, and the water level is rising at a visibly rapid pace

Gao Shou and Gao Ren lay on either side of Gao Bufan, the former with his legs crossed and a blade of grass in his mouth, chewing while feeling drowsy, while the latter was snoring thunderously.

One might ask, why not take pleasure in such a good thing?

"Big Boss, if it weren't for that meddlesome black kid today, we might not have lost. Old Five also died at his hands. This grudge cannot go unavenged!" Third Boss Wei Sheng said solemnly

Upon hearing these words, the bandits instantly united in their enmity, each expressing their desire to seek revenge and settle the score

The second-in-command, Sun Yan, cautiously glanced at Zhang Jincheng and said with self-reproach: "Today, it is entirely my fault for being careless. I did not investigate the identity of the fat sheep thoroughly before taking action, which resulted in the loss of six ships and dozens of brothers. Even Lao Wu, Lao Qi, and Lao Jiu have fallen. I deserve to die. Please, Chief, take action and provide an explanation to the brothers!"

"Enough, you two should just go back and wash up before sleeping," Gao Bufan said, rubbing his buzzing head and waving his hand.

... ...

Gao Shou and Gao Ren exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads and chased after him. The former said awkwardly, "Young Master, it's all our fault for being useless. Why don't you sell us? Perhaps we could be worth a few taels of silver."

Gao Bufan raised his hand and gave the sturdy fellow a sharp knock on the head, casually saying: "Correct answer, there’s a prize!"

In the depths of Gaojipo, beneath a slightly elevated hill, a cluster of thatched cottages is enduring the baptism of wind and rain. Within one of the cottages, a faint light can be seen seeping out. Not far from the cottages, on the water's surface, a dozen wooden boats drift aimlessly like unmoored souls, colliding with one another and producing eerie clanging sounds.

Gao Bufan lay on a grassy slope in the horse yard, a blade of grass held in his mouth, forming a 'big' character shape. He gazed absentmindedly at the starry night sky, as the evening breeze gently brushed by, bringing a coolness that was refreshing. The chirping of insects filled the surroundings, and occasionally, the distant sound of a horse neighing could be heard from the stable.

Sun Yan could not help but be overwhelmed with gratitude, and the bandits also praised the leader for his benevolence and wisdom. Zhang Jin, seeing this, was naturally very pleased. The reason he was able to become the leader of the bandits, in addition to his exceptional martial skills, was also due to his ability to win people's hearts

Gao Shou and Gao Ren were instantly taken aback, their faces turning pale. The former was so frustrated that he almost wanted to slap himself, regretting his careless words. Damn it, one really shouldn't speak pretty words of loyalty so casually

As night deepened and the chill grew stronger, Gao Bufan gazed at the North Star on the horizon and murmured to himself: "The handle of the Big Dipper points west, autumn reigns across the land, autumn has arrived"

At this moment, a small light flickered in the thatched cottage, casting a dim glow that rendered everything a sickly yellow. Although the ground was covered with a layer of reeds, it remained damp and muddy. The air was filled with the nauseating odors of sweat, foot odor, body odor, and bad breath.

Zhang Jincheng said coldly: "This grudge must naturally be avenged, Lao Er. Tomorrow, send someone out to inquire, and make sure to investigate the background of that black kid thoroughly. I must kill his entire family to quell the hatred in my heart"

Zhang Jin turned his wrist, and suddenly, the blade flashed violently. The entire blade of the single knife plunged into the ground in front of the second-in-command, causing the latter's body to stiffen, nearly collapsing to the ground. The others present all secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but only the third-in-command, Wei Sheng, revealed a hint of disappointment in his eyes

Gao Bufan possesses a carefree and generous personality. Whether in his past life or this one, he does not place much importance on money. Furthermore, after his transmigration to the Sui Dynasty, although his family background is far from wealthy, it can still be considered prosperous, as he does not have to worry about finances. Therefore, he has never considered leveraging the advantages of being a transmigrator to amass wealth.

Gao Ren was furious: "Always arguing with me, are you itching for a fight?"

Gao Ren shrugged his shoulders and said, "If I had something as valuable as Qingyun, I wouldn't need the young master to instruct me; I would sell myself on my own."

Qingyun is an extraordinary steed, remarkably majestic. It is a Turkic horse that Gao Kaishan purchased at a high price in Mayi, valued at 500 taels of silver. When returning home, passing through the Eastern Capital Luoyang, a wealthy merchant offered 100 taels of gold for it, but Gao Kaishan did not agree to sell. Instead, he brought it home as a birthday gift for his son Gao Bufan, on the occasion of his twelfth birthday.

Gao Bufan let out a sigh, damn it, he knew these two useless fellows were of no help, raising two dairy cows would be more effective than them, at least the cows eat grass and produce milk, while these two guys eat food but only produce gas

Gao Ren retorted sarcastically: "We were born of the same mother; I may be ugly, but where can you claim to be any better? Bah!"

Sun Yan immediately gritted his teeth and said: "Rest assured, Boss, even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will unearth that black kid and avenge the Fifth for them"

As the saying goes: three cobblers with their wits combined can outsmart Zhuge Liang. Thus, Gao Bufan, adhering to the idea of treating a dead horse as if it were alive, summoned Gao Shou and Gao Ren to brainstorm solutions together. The outcome proved that three cobblers would always remain cobblers and could never transform into Zhuge Liang.

The second-in-command, Sun Yan, quickly agreed. Although the leader had already forgiven his mistake, the fact that so many brothers had died made it difficult to ensure that no one secretly held a grudge against him. Therefore, it would be best if the hatred could be redirected towards that meddlesome black kid.

Ha ha ha! Gao Ren was laughing heartily with a sense of glee at the misfortune of others

I am afraid of you!" Gao Shou immediately rolled up his sleeves.

Zhang Jincheng pondered for a moment, then slowly took the second-in-command's knife. The others in the room immediately held their breath. Although the second-in-command tried to appear calm, cold sweat was pouring down his forehead

Gao Bufan said lightly: "I just asked, how did the pig die?"

Gao Shou rubbed his painfully numb head and angrily said: "What a joke, do you really think you look cool with that grass in your mouth... cough cough, young master, I am not talking about you, I am talking about Lao Er. Young master, you look really cool with the grass, but that guy Lao Er is just imitating others, looking utterly ridiculous. Even a cow would be scared to death by him.

Moreover, that young black man seems to come from a well-off family. If we can extract him and eliminate his entire family, it would not only relieve the brothers' grievances but also yield a considerable fortune!

"So stupid!" Gao Shou yawned and quickly answered, "Hehe, this question was asked by the young master before, it won't stump me."

Gao Bufan nodded and said, "Alright, we will go to the city tomorrow"

Seeing that the two lively characters were about to start bickering again, Gao Bufan decisively walked down the grassy slope, preferring not to witness the scene.

Chirp ... ...

This is the lair of Zhang Jincheng and his band of robbers

Zhang Jincheng felt quite frustrated at this moment, having not secured a single coin today, and instead losing one-third of his manpower. This deal resulted in a significant loss, for which the second-in-command, Sun Yan, bears an undeniable responsibility. However, the number of people available to Zhang Jincheng was already limited, and Sun Yan was his right-hand man. If he were to eliminate him, he would be left with even fewer people at his side

Zhang Jincheng reached out to help the second-in-command up, and with a kind expression, he comforted him, "Sun Xiandi, please get up. The people below are not doing their jobs well; why should you take all the blame upon yourself? Moreover, everyone makes mistakes, and who can guarantee that there will never be any errors?" As he spoke, his sharp gaze swept over the others present, and the third-in-command, Wei Sheng, lowered his head solemnly.

Sun Yan finished speaking and suddenly knelt down, raising the knife to show it to Zhang Jincheng. The other bandits present immediately focused their attention on the latter, their expressions varying greatly.

You think too highly of yourself; with that body of yours, you can't even compare to a single hair on Qingyun's leg

The interior furnishings are quite simple, featuring a worn-out Eight Immortals table and a few damp, moldy benches. The core members of the bandits, led by Zhang Jincheng, are gathered together, each one appearing dejected, as if mourning a deceased mother. The leader, Zhang Jincheng, looks even paler than paper; he is bare-chested, with his left shoulder bandaged, and there are signs of blood seeping through.

Gao Bufan held a deep affection for Qingyun. In order to cultivate the rapport between them, there was a period when he even lived and ate in the stable, spending every day inseparable from Qingyun. After three years of companionship, Gao Bufan's feelings for Qingyun had naturally deepened. Therefore, before he could even speak, Gao Shou glared at Gao Ren and scolded, "What a terrible idea, why not suggest selling you instead!"

Gao Shou and Gao Ren, upon seeing this, did not dare to act recklessly. The latter smiled obsequiously and said: "Young Master, three thousand taels of silver is no small amount. Where are we supposed to find so much silver? How about... selling Qingyun instead?"

The snoring on both sides abruptly ceased, and Gao Ren suddenly sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes and shamelessly asking: "What did the young master just say? I was so engrossed in thinking of a solution that I didn't hear clearly!"