"Alright, you’re good at killing, but not at burying.
Brothers, quickly move all the valuables from the carriage. We need to return to the stronghold to celebrate!"
Following the command of the leading bandit, several men rushed into the carriage, took out two blood-stained chests, and then left, chatting and laughing.
After the group of bandits departed, the real bandits who had been hiding in the shadows exchanged glances for a long time.
Finally, the leader of the bandits pointed to two of his men and said:
"You and you, go check the situation."
"Yes!"
The two responded and quickly scrambled onto the carriage.
Then, they disappeared.
After waiting for a long time with no sign of them, the bandit leader sent two more men to investigate. Their fate was the same, vanishing without a trace.
"Boss, this is a bit strange?
A dead man's carriage at night… going in and never coming back…
Boss, the more I think about it, the more unsettling it feels!
Did we pick up something unclean at the stronghold last night?"
"Stop thinking about nonsense!
We've lost count of the souls we've sent to the underworld with our blades. If there were truly vengeful spirits seeking retribution, we would have met Yama and descended into the eighteen levels of hell long ago!
When something is out of the ordinary, there's usually a reason.
You all wait here. I'll go and see for myself."
With that, the bandit leader flashed out.
He tiptoed to the carriage, sidestepped the coachman who was riddled with holes, lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and peered inside.
The carriage was cramped, offering a clear view at a glance.
Besides the man lying on the ground, covered in blood, his four brothers who had gone in earlier were piled on top of each other, their lives uncertain.
Seeing this, the bandit leader, who had only now realized they had walked into a trap, was about to retreat when a gust of wind suddenly swept from behind him.
"Go to hell!"
With a strange shout, a sharp dagger plunged straight into the man's lower back.
Fortunately, the man was not to be trifled with. Sensing danger, he quickly dodged to the side, avoiding a vital blow.
But in the next moment, a puff of white smoke blew towards him.
Without time to escape the pain, the bandit leader fainted, his eyes rolling back.
"Tch, I may not be as good as you at martial arts, but when it comes to sneak attacks, I'm your ancestor!
It's just that this pig's blood is quite disgusting."
Ye Shengxiao, disguised as the coachman, spoke, leaped down from the carriage, and then shouted into the distance:
"I've handled my side. How are you doing over there?"
"Tch, just three insignificant pests. No need for anyone else to make a move. Your subordinate… puke…"
Yan Tinghao emerged from the bushes, dragging one 'bandit' in each hand. However, upon seeing the blood-covered Ye Shengxiao up close, he turned away and vomited again.
"Tsk, you, a man of seven feet, are afraid of blood!
How did such a weakling like you become a constable?"
Lu Sanniang used her whip to fling the remaining 'bandit,' who was clearly breathing his last, onto an empty spot nearby.
Following that, Lin Qingge, dressed as a bandit, strode out with steady steps and waved her hand, saying:
"That's not important. What's important is making them hand over the money, or rather, reveal who sent them!"
At this point.
No matter how foolish these 'bandits' were, they realized they had fallen into a trap.
The three immediately bit down on the poison sacs hidden in their teeth and, in the blink of an eye, succumbed to the poison.
"Hmph, you got off too easily!"
Lu Sanniang spat and retracted her whip.
Hua Jinrong, who had only participated by showing up but not fighting, walked over, fanning herself, and exaggeratedly took a step back:
"Oh dear, more people have died~
But then again, these people are so well-trained, they're likely elite soldiers.
There aren't many who can afford elite soldiers in the Great Xia Kingdom.
I wonder, sir, did you dig up someone's ancestral grave, or sever their lineage, to make them send so many elite soldiers to intercept you?"
"Your lord here is known as a great philanthropist, always helping the weak and doing good deeds. How could I possibly do such wicked things as you describe?
And even if this official did something offensive, it would absolutely not be this official's fault, but rather their violation of the law while knowing it. This official was merely handling it impartially."
After speaking, Lin Qingge called out into the carriage:
"Young General Lian, you've worked hard. You can come out now."
Soon, Lian Cheng'yi, who had been forced to act dead, emerged from the carriage with a dark expression.
"Official Lin, is this what you call a good plan?
Ambush, sleeping powder, sneak attacks?
In doing so, what difference are you from those bandits who burn, kill, and loot?"
Faced with Lian Cheng'yi's questioning, Lin Qingge shrugged dismissively:
"As the saying goes, all's fair in war.
This official has merely employed the strategy of 'yielding to the enemy's plan' from the thirty-six stratagems.
There's one more thing I hope Young General Lian can understand: if they fall into my hands, I will deal with them according to the law. But if I were to fall into their hands, then next year would be the anniversary of my death."
"Young General Lian, what your lord means is that excessive compassion is not to be had.
The enemy is numerous, and we are few.
Direct confrontation is clearly unadvisable.
Under these circumstances, Official Lin adopted the method of luring the enemy deeper, defeating them one by one, thereby maximizing the safety of our personnel.
Such a cunning strategy, which benefits oneself by harming the enemy, makes this student so impressed that they want to lift your lord's skull to see what's inside it~"
Lin Qingge, who instantly got goosebumps all over, immediately moved to Lu Sanniang's other side. Yan Tinghao, whose condition had improved, also came to join the fun and echoed:
"Exactly! To think you're a general who leads troops into battle, Young General Lian. Even this humble subordinate understands such a simple principle!
In my humble opinion, Young General Lian, you are either too soft-hearted or jealous of my lord's talent, nitpicking at everything!
Puke—"
…
Lian Cheng'yi, being lectured by a fool, twitched his mouth. Although he knew the other person was vomiting because of the pig's blood on him, he still felt insulted.
On the other side, Hua Jinrong put away his fan and bowed to Lin Qingge:
"My lord, may I have those who were incapacitated by the sleeping powder handled by this student? This student will surely make them speak smoothly~"
"Hand them over to you?"
"Of course, this student will have all their valuables collected and delivered to you, my lord~"
"Agreed!"
After a concise reply, Lin Qingge ordered Ye Shengxiao to stay and assist Hua Jinrong, and then led the others away.
However, they did not return to Fan Liu's stronghold but to the stronghold that had been massacred.
While those disguised as bandits and elite soldiers were detestable, this incident ultimately originated because of her. Both in reason and in sentiment, Lin Qingge should give these people a final farewell.
The incompetent Yan Tinghao was sent to deliver a message, while Lin Qingge and the others dug pits near the stronghold.
It was already late at night by the time everyone was buried.
During this time, Ling Han came to deliver food to everyone and brought some paper money.
After Lin Qingge paid her respects to the deceased, she prepared to return.
Since the belongings of the stronghold, in addition to the deceased, also needed to be inventoried and settled, Lu Sanniang and her brother Lu Mingxuan stayed behind, with Zhou Zeli and Lin Yan assisting them.
And to prevent an epidemic, Qin Han had to disinfect the entire stronghold.
As for Murong Bai, he stayed behind to collect his corpse handling fee after Lu Sanniang finished inventorying the遗物.
Thus, only Lin Qingge and Lian Cheng'yi were left to travel alone.