Zhang Fang seemed like a different person, coldly asking Chen Laoda, “Where is the nearest river?”
Chen Laoda didn’t want to cooperate at first, but Zhang Fang increased the pressure, forcefully pressing on his wound.
“East… five… miles,” Chen Laoda gasped, each word painfully squeezed out through his teeth.
“Go east,” Zhang Fang instructed the others.
“It’s so dark; we can’t tell the direction!”
Mu Qing pointed to the stars and said, “The Dog Star is up! I know how to get there! This way!”
“Listen to Brother Mu!” Zhang Fang retracted his hand and wiped the blood on Chen Laoda’s clothes.
Chen Laoda gritted his teeth, filled with hatred as he cursed, “You little bastard! I knew you were hypocritical!”
Zhang Fang’s earlier kindness and willingness to kneel were all just an act! This was the true nature of the brat!
“Brother Chen, we must fight with no retreat.”
The night was dark, and Chen Laoda couldn’t see Zhang Fang’s expression. However, the friendliness in his voice was just as nauseating as before.
“What do you want to do?” Chen Laoda was puzzled as Zhang Fang stepped back. Was he trying to paddle a raft somewhere else? No, Zhang Fang had asked him where the river was nearby; that question was strange in itself. Now that they were surrounded by water, Zhang Fang was still searching for a river.
“I’m going to destroy the dam and flood the city.”
Though his voice was calm, it sent shivers down Chen Laoda’s spine. He instinctively shouted, “Are you crazy!”
Even if they needed to enter the city, this was not the way! What benefit would flooding Meixian bring to Zhang Fang? Wouldn’t they also have to continue paddling the rafts afterward?
Zhang Fang ignored Chen Laoda. His head was throbbing, and his eyes hurt; he closed his eyes to rest.
Meixian was Chen Laoda’s hometown; how could he agree to someone destroying it! He roared at Zhang Fang, “If you want to go in, I’ll take you into the city! There’s no need to ruin Meixian! There are hundreds of thousands of people here! Do you want everyone to drown?”
“If Brother Chen had cooperated with me earlier, would it have come to this?” Zhang Fang sighed.
Chen Laoda hated Zhang Fang to the core; he had not expected this young man to be so deranged!
“I’ll take you into the city now!” To prevent Meixian from being flooded, Chen Laoda had no choice but to submit to Zhang Fang.
Zhang Fang stood up and whispered a few words to Mu Qing before stepping down from the raft.
Mu Qing threw Chen Laoda into the water, and he ended up swallowing a mouthful of dirty water.
Zhang Fang pulled him out of the water, dragging Chen Laoda towards the official road.
Chen Laoda realized it was just him and Zhang Fang returning; the others were still on the raft. He hurriedly asked, “Aren’t they coming to the city?”
“Only the two of us will enter the city. They’ll wait here. If Brother Chen cooperates well, then there’ll be no need to destroy the dam and flood the city.” If it weren’t for desperation, Zhang Fang didn’t want to flood the city either. Now that he realized Chen Laoda had feelings for Meixian, he wouldn’t need to flood it; he could use Chen Laoda to spread false news in the city.
“You madman!” If his hands and feet weren’t bound, Chen Laoda would have really wanted to kill Zhang Fang.
Zhang Fang calmly pulled Chen Laoda forward, telling him, “Once we enter the city, tell the people inside that the outside is flooded. Water is coming into the city.”
Chen Laoda regained his composure, finding the statement strange. Suddenly, he asked, “You want me to deceive those people?”
He didn’t understand why Zhang Fang wanted him to lie to the people in the city.
“Just say that and then borrow a boat. Get a big boat, and come back to rescue your brothers.”
Zhang Fang’s words confused Chen Laoda more, prompting him to ask, “What exactly are you trying to do?”
No matter how much Chen Laoda pressed, Zhang Fang did not answer. Until they reached the outskirts of the city, Chen Laoda was stunned.
Not long ago, this place had been crowded with citizens, but now it was empty!
“Where are they?” Had he only fainted for a moment? How could everyone have disappeared?
Zhang Fang explained, “I have already let it be known that the water will soon flood into the city, so those citizens naturally went to higher ground to seek refuge.”
Chen Laoda’s eyes widened; a realization hit him as he asked Zhang Fang, “You want me to deceive the people inside the city? You think they’ll retreat with their weapons?”
“Yes,” Zhang Fang admitted, unbothered by Chen Laoda guessing his intention.
Chen Laoda found it ridiculous, sneering at Zhang Fang, “They have been in Meixian for so many years; how could they easily give up this place! You really are a fool!”
“They will retreat because their tails have been exposed; some are eager to usurp power.” Even if Zhang Fang wasn’t clear about the current political situation, he could guess that both sides were at a critical game juncture. A flood in Meixian would likely lead the other party to take their things and rebel against the authorities! Their bargaining chips were few, and this was the key to victory.
Chen Laoda’s expression became complex as he suddenly whispered to Zhang Fang, “Who exactly are you?”
Having reached this point, Zhang Fang found no need to hide any longer, admitting, “My father is the current Prime Minister. I have fallen to this state due to the machinations of those behind Meixian.”
Chen Laoda fell silent. No wonder Zhang Fang, despite being a criminal, had the audacity and capability to subdue bandits. It turned out he had a father who was a Prime Minister!
Chapter 18: The Prodigal Son of the Prime Minister
Zhang Fang untied Chen Laoda’s ropes, allowing him to enter the city on his own.
With each step Chen Laoda took, he would glance back at Zhang Fang, his expression a complicated mix of emotions.
Even without Zhang Fang saying so plainly, Chen Laoda understood his meaning. If they couldn’t verbally deceive the people in the city into leaving, Zhang Fang might really destroy the nearby dam and flood the city! The struggle behind this was intertwined with so many lives, much more terrifying than Chen Laoda committing murder and arson as a bandit!
Although he had little conscience, Meixian was ultimately his hometown; Chen Laoda did not wish to see it destroyed.
With heavy and complex emotions, he walked to the foot of the city wall, realizing that Zhang Fang’s figure had long since disappeared. He was all alone in the empty space outside the city.
Taking a deep breath, Chen Laoda shouted at the top of his lungs, “Open the gate! I have urgent business to attend to in the city!”
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