In the darkness, Chen Lao’s eyes were like a wolf hidden in the night, coldly fixed on Zhang Fang. He felt that this young man was a fool; given the current situation, who knew if they could escape safely, yet he was willing to share his supplies.
When Zhang Fang approached Chen Lao, he asked, “How are you feeling? Do you have a fever?”
Zhang Fang’s tone was friendly, but Chen Lao snorted disdainfully and turned his head away. To him, others’ kindness was nothing but hypocrisy. Right now, with no immediate danger, Zhang Fang could still be nice to others. But when danger arrived, this kid would surely regret showing kindness when he was left behind.
Zhang Fang did not leave; instead, he squatted down and said to Chen Lao, “Don’t think about causing a ruckus and escaping in the middle of the night. In the face of natural disasters, life is fragile, and there’s nowhere to run. Only by uniting can we have a chance of survival.”
Chen Lao paused briefly, gazing intently at Zhang Fang. This young man was not as foolish as he appeared! He could sense that they were planning on escaping in the night!
Zhang Fang placed some provisions in front of him and continued, “You still haven’t told me about the situation in Meixian.”
Looking at the bag of food, Chen Lao found it amusing and indeed laughed, speaking sarcastically to Zhang Fang, “What difference does it make if you understand the situation in Meixian?”
The mountains were high and the emperor far away; the waters of Meixian were very deep. Over the past decade, it had been dark and hopeless. No matter how many officials were sent to govern here, they never lasted beyond six months. At least seven officials had died at Chen Lao’s hands!
“I just enjoy a good story,” Zhang Fang said, pulling out a soaked flatbread and offering it to Chen Lao.
Chen Lao reached for it but did not eat right away, looking at Zhang Fang with complex emotions. Realizing that this young man might not make it, he divulged, “Meixian has a gold mine. Over the years, every official sent here has died tragically. All have died by my hand.”
Zhang Fang’s expression remained calm; he was not surprised at all. Next to him, Hao Zhuang and Shi Houde’s faces drained of color, staring at Chen Lao in shock, angrily rebuking him, “You are so bold! How dare you kill court officials!”
Chen Lao smirked wickedly, provocatively replying, “So what? As long as Xu Chang stands, this Jiangzhou will never see the light of day!”
Hao Zhuang and Shi Houde’s faces were filled with rage, gripping their knives tightly, wishing to stab Chen Lao right there and then.
Zhang Fang retained his previous tone, undeterred, and asked, “What forces are behind Xu Chang?”
“I don’t know.” Chen Lao replied nonchalantly, biting into a large piece of flatbread.
Zhang Fang contemplated; the situation was indeed grave. He needed to inform the Prime Minister, urging him to report to the Emperor. The Emperor should send someone to investigate locally and uncover the forces behind Xu Chang.
“Thank you for the information.” Zhang Fang did not ask further and stood up to leave.
Chen Lao watched his retreating figure and shook his head. He opened the bag of provisions and divided it in half for his subordinates. The other bandits swallowed hard; seeing food in the bag, they couldn’t help but ask, “Boss, isn’t there more? Why not share the rest with the brothers?”
“Eat what’s left today; will you still eat it tomorrow?” Chen Lao barked viciously. It was already generous of him to share any provisions with these people; they actually wanted him to give away all the food? Were they dreaming?
The others lowered their heads, afraid to press the matter further. Four people sharing one flatbread meant it was gone in two or three bites, and it felt as though they hadn’t eaten at all.
Someone asked Chen Lao, “Boss, should we make a move tonight? While they are sleeping, we can kill them and take their stuff, and leave on a raft tomorrow morning.”
That had been Chen Lao’s original plan, but Zhang Fang had guessed it. He felt the opponent would be on guard; it was better to avoid a direct confrontation. They needed to preserve their strength; escaping was the priority.
“Just sleep!” Chen Lao said before finding a comfortable position and falling asleep.
The others looked resigned and complied, going to sleep.
Some cast envious glances at the half bag of provisions Chen Lao held, their hunger intensifying their greedy desires, breeding malice.
Meanwhile, Zhang Fang led Hao Zhuang and Shi Houde back to their resting place. The three of them wore serious expressions.
Zhang Fang was contemplating the forces behind Xu Chang, while Hao Zhuang and Shi Houde were worried about the remaining month, uncertain if they could safely escort Zhang Fang to the border by the scheduled date.
Mu Qing and Chang Bao were keeping watch outside. When Yuan Quan saw Zhang Fang lost in thought, he quietly asked, “Young Master Zhang, what troubles you?”
Shaking his head, Zhang Fang sighed lightly, gazing at the rain that was still falling, distractedly saying, “I miss home.”
Yuan Quan paused slightly, unsure of how to respond.
After a moment, he spoke up and said to Zhang Fang, “Tonight, that group of bandits is likely to be restless; we need to be cautious.”
“I’ve already warned them.” Zhang Fang touched his forehead, feeling a bit hot, pouring out two pills from a bottle and swallowing them.
“Warning them isn’t enough; we need to use some strong measures to suppress them,” Yuan Quan said, feeling uneasy.
Zhang Fang replied wearily, “In times like these, the more confrontational, the deeper the hatred, the greater the conflict, and the worse things get.”
Seeing that Zhang Fang had a point, Yuan Quan asked further, “Why did you give them provisions? Are you trying to win their favor?”
Those around Zhang Fang did not understand his actions. Clearly, there was an opportunity to leave at night, yet Zhang Fang was unwilling to abandon others. Knowing full well the bandits were unreliable, he still offered them food; wasn’t that inviting danger?
Zhang Fang did not answer and closed his eyes to rest.
That night, Chen Lao’s furious shout woke everyone up.
“You bastard! How dare you steal from me! I’ll kill you!”
“Ah! Boss! I’m sorry! I’ll never do it again! Please spare me!”
Zhang Fang instantly opened his eyes, stepping out of the cart to ask Mu Qing, “What happened?”
Mu Qing, reveling in the misfortune, informed Zhang Fang, “One of our own stole something and got caught, now he’s getting beaten.”
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