Chapter 287: Secret Words in the Prison

Chapter 287: Secret Words in the Prison

As County Magistrate Yang listened to Miss Xin's plan, his expression shifted repeatedly, and finally, he frowned and asked, "What if the bandits can’t be persuaded?"

In Miss Xin's plan, the captured bandits were the most crucial element.

"I’ll talk to them. If I can’t—" Miss Xin looked at He Qingxiao, "then we’ll have Lord He call in the Ning Mountain Guard."

Hearing there was a backup plan, County Magistrate Yang could sense their sincerity in eradicating the bandits, but he also understood that this was a last resort.

Wuyun Village, with its natural defenses, was easy to defend and hard to attack. Mobilizing a large number of government soldiers to attack would surely result in significant casualties on our side.

From the court’s point of view, it’d be a waste, and at that time, not only would there be no merit, but there might even be blame.

Thinking of this possibility, County Magistrate Yang wouldn’t regret it, but he didn’t know how others would feel.

He quickly realized Miss Xin’s plan was the best option if it could work.

"Then I’ll leave it in your hands, Miss Xin."

In the county jail, the Big Boss was thrown into a cell alone, while the Sixth Boss and Xiao Ba were locked up together.

"Sixth Boss, how did you end up here too?" Xiao Ba was shocked to see the Sixth Boss enter, his eyes wide.

The Sixth Boss shot him a look, "What’s the big deal about me being here? Even the Big Boss got locked up."

"Hiss— The Big Boss is here too? Weren’t they just here in Ling County for fun? How did they end up here?"

"Beats me," the Sixth Boss wiped his face, his eyes blank, "Xiao Ba, you believe in ghosts?"

Xiao Ba: ?

"Sixth Boss, I think, as bandits, we’re always risking our necks, so having a day like this isn’t strange, but it shouldn’t make us lose our minds."

Miss Xin bluntly said she chose him because he was ugly, and suddenly he understood.

What’s to worry about? In eighteen years, I’ll be back as a hero, maybe even a handsome one!

"Who’s going crazy?" the Sixth Boss smacked Xiao Ba’s head, muttering to himself, "I just feel like something weird happened."

"Then tell me, what’s the strange thing?" Xiao Ba urged.

"It all began after we split up—"

The Sixth Boss had just started his story when footsteps were heard.

"The bandits are locked up here."

The jangling of keys echoed, and the jailer opened the cell door.

The Sixth Boss’s eyes widened, staring in shock at the boy who entered, who seemed like a ghost to him.

The cell was dark, but the boy had a calm smile on his face, nodding to the jailer, "I’ll talk to them alone."

"Be careful then," the jailer closed the cell door and left with a large bunch of keys.

Xin You stepped closer to the Sixth Boss.

The Sixth Boss suddenly came to his senses and quickly hid behind Xiao Ba.

Xiao Ba looked completely confused.

What just happened?

"Sixth Boss, seems a bit afraid of me?" The young man stood still, tilting his head slightly as he asked.

He smiled, looking completely at ease.

Sixth Boss had instinctively hidden behind Xiao Ba earlier. Now that he’d calmed down, he realized there was no escape and reluctantly stepped forward.

"Miss Xin, is there something you need?"

Xin You nodded, glancing at Xiao Ba. "Well, we meet again."

Xiao Ba let out a nervous laugh, his eyes darting around.

Before being sent to the authorities, Miss Xin had whispered to him that if he kept quiet about the others—aside from the two escorts—he might have a chance to get out.

He hadn’t believed it, but when the magistrate questioned him, he somehow kept his mouth shut.

Now, Miss Xin, who was supposed to be gone, had returned and seemed to be treated with respect by the county officials.

Could it be—he might actually get out alive?

At the thought, Xiao Ba’s heart raced, and he looked at Xin You eagerly.

If he could really live, who’d want to be reborn and go through another eighteen years? What if he came back even uglier?

"Sixth Boss, come sit." Xin You glanced around, then casually sat down, adjusting her robe.

Seeing her so at ease, Sixth Boss was even more convinced that the young man before him was mysterious and unpredictable. After a moment’s hesitation, he reluctantly sat down.

Xin You smiled. "Sixth Boss, sit closer. What I’m about to say can’t be overheard."

Sixth Boss had no choice but to slowly move closer.

Xiao Ba, following Sixth Boss’s lead, cautiously asked, "What about me—"

Should I sit closer... or move away?

"You can stay and listen."

At Xin You’s words, Xiao Ba quickly sat next to Sixth Boss.

"Sixth Boss, do you now know that your new leader is a rebel working against the court?"

"What? The leader’s a rebel?" Xiao Ba nearly jumped out of his seat.

Before Xin You could respond, Sixth Boss hissed, "Are you trying to get us killed? Keep it down!"

Xiao Ba quickly clapped a hand over his mouth.

"So, do you know why the leader rebelled?"

Sixth Boss shook his head, baffled.

How would he know? He wasn’t a rebel; he was just a small-time bandit!

"Last year, there was a big earthquake in Dingbei. Did you hear about it?"

The Sixth Boss and Xiao Ba nodded together, "We've heard about it."

Although Dingbei is far from here, natural disasters such as earthquakes still capture attention. Over time, with the flow of people between the north and south, the news had already spread.

"It's said that many houses collapsed, and a lot of people died."

Xin You nodded slightly, "Indeed, many were affected, especially since the disaster occurred during the harsh winter, compounding the suffering."

Both the Sixth Boss and Xiao Ba fell silent.

Most of the bandits who joined Wuyun Village were impoverished commoners who had no way out and couldn't survive. Of course, there were also a few who couldn't endure hardship and sought shortcuts, but they were in the minority.

The Sixth Boss thought of his own situation.

His family originally had a few acres of poor land, and with hard work, they managed to scrape by. However, that year there was a severe drought, and they had no yield. They had to borrow money and grain from wealthy households to get through the crisis. But things got worse and worse, and eventually, their land was seized by the wealthy, leading to the destruction of their family.

Xin You looked at the two and slowly said, "The leader of your group is a general sent by the emperor to Dingbei to provide disaster relief."

As Xin You spoke about Wu Yanting embezzling disaster relief funds, slaughtering innocent civilians, and fleeing south after his crimes were exposed, the expressions on the faces of the Sixth Boss and Xiao Ba kept shifting, their eyes red with anger.

"Those damn corrupt officials!"

Realizing that Xin You was also a government official, the Sixth Boss held back his anger and didn't curse further.

Xiao Ba, being younger, didn't think as much, "Sixth Boss, these corrupt officials are worse than us bandits."

"How are we bandits bad? We only take a little money—" The Sixth Boss instinctively retorted, but then realized Xin You was nearby and awkwardly shut his mouth.

"Sixth Boss, do you know why I'm telling you all this?"

The Sixth Boss shook his head again.

It couldn't be just to scare him, could it? He was already imprisoned and had no hope of survival anyway.

"Wuyun Village is easily defensible and difficult to assault. The local authorities consider it a tough challenge and have abandoned efforts. But if the court finds out that Wuyun Village is harboring rebels, do you believe the court would relent simply because Wuyun Village is difficult to conquer?"

The Sixth Boss turned pale.

When it comes to bandits, if they're troublesome, the government might overlook them. But with rebels, they would undoubtedly spare no effort to eradicate them!

Wuyun Village is doomed!