The Feng family also came, beating Wei Er and demanding that he tell them the whereabouts of their son. The evidence was irrefutable, but Wei Er still refused to admit anything, even at the cost of his life, claiming they had wronged a good man.

The only one who knew he had once been a bandit was Xia Banzi, but Wei Er had already pushed Xia Banzi off a cliff. That group of bandits on the peak of Aozi Mountain would eventually be wiped out by the imperial court anyway. Just based on this pile of gold and silver, and they’re trying to identify him as a bandit? Wei Er refused to admit it.

Everyone surrounded Wei Er in contempt. Even though disaster had struck, none of them had thought about harming others, yet Wei Er had taken advantage of the chaos to hurt people, robbing who knew how much gold and silver, ruining who knew how many households.

Wei Qingshan took the opportunity to speak a few words to the village chief. “Village Chief, Wei Er will be handed over to the authorities tomorrow. It’s better to take some of that gold and silver and give it to the Feng family.”

The village chief nodded. “That makes sense. Otherwise, once it’s handed over to the authorities, who knows how many hands it’ll pass through or how much will be left.”

The village chief simply called over the same group of people who had just helped catch Wei Er. Everyone had seen clearly how much gold and silver had fallen to the ground. The village chief secretly gathered a few men to discuss the matter. Not a single person objected.

He Erzhu said, “Village Chief, why don’t we just give all the silver to the Feng family? Their household is solid. It’ll also help them bring in a son-in-law in the future.”

He Dazhu gave his foolish younger brother a smack on the head. “That’s stolen goods! If we hand it all over, how are we supposed to convict Wei Er?”

He Erzhu covered his head. “I forgot.”

The matter was settled just like that. The village chief would take a portion of the gold and silver to compensate the Feng family. The rest would be handed over to the authorities along with Wei Er. Everyone nodded and agreed to keep the matter secret.

The village chief left two men at the broken ancestral hall to watch the three of them, then made arrangements with Wei Qingshan and He Dazhu. The three of them would take Wei Er to see the magistrate the next day.

Late that night, the village chief brought the valuables to the Feng household. Old Man Feng and Aunt Feng hadn’t gone to sleep yet. Aunt Feng sat in the house crying. The village chief entered with the bundle.

“Auntie, don’t cry anymore. Ai, what a mess this has become.”

Old Man Feng wiped his eyes, too. That was their first child, naturally pampered and precious. Who would have thought he’d suffer such a terrible fate? It was like a chunk of their hearts had been ripped out.

“Village Chief, you must get justice for us,” Old Man Feng gripped the village chief’s hand tightly.

“Don’t worry. Tomorrow we’ll hand Wei Er over to the authorities. We’re bound to get something out of his mouth. Ai, maybe we can even find out where your Ye-ger is.”

Aunt Feng immediately lifted her head when she heard that. “My poor Ye-ger…”

The whole family of three was crying with red eyes, looking heartbreakingly pitiful. The village chief sighed, glanced out the door, then quickly shut it behind him.

“Uncle, Auntie—here’s one hundred taels of silver. You keep it.”

Old Man Feng was startled. “Village Chief, where did this silver come from?”

“It was taken from Wei Er’s stolen goods. You can rest easy and accept it. Everyone who knows about this will keep quiet. You must not speak of it either. If the authorities find out, it won’t be good.”

Aunt Feng, upon hearing that it was stolen goods gathered by Wei Er, immediately pushed the silver to the side with her hand. Gritting her teeth, she said fiercely,

“Even if our family starves to death, we won’t accept that filthy scoundrel’s filthy stuff! I only want our Ye-ger.”

After speaking, she burst into tears again.

The village chief had no choice but to look at Old Man Feng, who also shook his head, refusing, “Who knows how many lives this silver has taken? Our family doesn’t want it.”

The village chief quickly tried to persuade them, “Even if you two don’t think for yourselves, you should think for Hua-ger. In the future, won’t he need to marry a husband? Wouldn’t it be easier to manage the work in the fields then?”

Hua-ger wiped away his tears, his expression resolute. “Village chief, if I get married in the future, I’ll take my parents with me. If no one’s willing, then I won’t marry. I can still work the fields at home. I only want my brother.”

Seeing that not a single one of the three was willing, the village chief sighed heavily and left. He only hoped that when Wei Er was handed over to the authorities tomorrow, they could get some news about Ye-ger. They couldn’t just let it end like this, with no sign of life or death, making the Feng family worry day and night for nothing.

Wei Qingshan had helped capture Wei Er. When he returned, Lin Yu was still waiting for him. When she saw him come back, she closed the courtyard gate. “How did it go?”

Wei Qingshan told Lin Yu about capturing Wei Er and discovering the stolen goods, and also about the matter of having the village chief deliver the money and goods.

Lin Yu sighed. “It’s only right. That Feng family is truly pitiful.”

“Tomorrow I still have to go with the Village Chief to take Wei Er to the authorities. Don’t do any fieldwork for now. There are still roaming bandits out there. It’s better to be cautious.”

Lin Yu nodded. “I understand.”

It was currently the busy season for spring plowing. Every household rose early. After eating, Wei Qingshan went with He Dazhu to the ancestral hall.

Wei Er had been tied to a pillar, his face still full of defiance. “You think you can convict me just based on this gold and silver? You’re thinking too simply.”

Wei Qingshan snorted coldly. “Only the authorities can pass judgment.”

Wei Laotai and Xia Hehua had also been tied up in the ancestral hall. Xia Hehua repeatedly begged for mercy, “I didn’t know, I didn’t know! It has nothing to do with me. Village chief, please let me go!”

Wei Laotai also spoke from the side, “Wei Qingshan, I’m your old mother! And you dare tie your old mother up with others? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”

Wei Qingshan ignored her. He simply untied Wei Er, preparing to take him to town. Just as the three of them stepped out of the ancestral hall courtyard, someone came running in a panic. “Village chief! It’s bad, it’s bad! Bandits are approaching the village!”

The messenger leaned against the doorframe, gasping for breath. The village chief was shocked. “Did you get a clear look at how many there are?”

“There are over a dozen! And the one leading them is on horseback!”

Hearing that there were over a dozen, the village chief panicked. Ever since things had calmed down, the bandits who came to the village never numbered more than five or six. And now, when things seemed peaceful again, how could such a group of bandits suddenly come—and to their village, of all places!

“How could there be so many of them?”

“I don’t know! Xiaoliu was on the mountain digging for wild vegetables and saw them from afar. He ran back immediately to report it!”

The village chief was flustered, pacing back and forth. “What do we do, what do we do? This could cost lives!”

“Village chief, send people immediately to call back anyone outside the village. Have the elderly, weak, women, and children stay hidden in their homes. All the able-bodied men in the village need to take up firewood knives and hoes to face the enemy. We’ve got at least a hundred strong men in our village—what’s there to fear from just a dozen of them?” Wei Qingshan said quickly.

He Dazhu nodded as well. “That’s right! If we let them into the village, who knows how many people might get hurt!”

The village chief was old, and the news that so many people were coming made his legs go weak. “Qing—Qingshan, I’ll leave this matter to you and Dazhu.”

Wei Qingshan nodded and quickly began arranging everything. He told the messenger to watch over Wei Er and the others, while three people spread the word around the village.

There were still a few broken gongs in the ancestral hall, and the three of them brought them out.

He Dazhu and the village chief went to call back the people working outside, while Wei Qingshan was responsible for notifying the villagers.

Wei Er leaned against the pillar and laughed wildly. “Hahaha! Retribution came so quickly, hahaha!”

The villagers watching him were already full of worry, praying for the safety of their families. Being laughed at by a scoundrel like Wei Er only made them more anxious. Someone grabbed a bunch of dry straw from the ground and stuffed it into his mouth. “Shut up, you!”

Soon, the sound of broken gongs rang out from inside and outside the village. “Bandits have entered the village! Bandits have entered the village! The elderly, the weak, women, and children stay hidden at home! All the men grab your firewood knives and hoes and gather behind the mountain!”

The village chief and He Dazhu also shouted outside the village, “Everyone, hurry back! The bandits are coming! Hide the old and young! All men, grab your tools and get ready to fight!”

Those who had been working in the fields were just enjoying the spring plowing. As soon as the gongs started clanging, everyone felt a jolt in their hearts. Whether or not they heard clearly, they all knew something bad was happening. Some didn’t even have time to pack up their tools—men grabbed hoes, women held their children, and husbands carried their elders, all rushing toward the village.

“Aiya, Mother! Forget the basket! Hurry back into the village! The bandits are coming!” a man shouted as he carried his old mother and ran toward the village.

Children cried in fright, wailing loudly as they were carried away. A woman scolded, “No crying! If you cry while we’re hiding later, it could cost us our lives!”

The people working in the fields fell into chaos. Just a moment ago, the fields were full of people, and now there was no one left—only toppled baskets and carriers lay scattered across the ground.

Wei Qingshan ran quickly through the village while beating a gong, announcing that a group of bandits had come down from the mountain. His house was close to the back mountain, and only Lin Yu and Zhao Yueniang were home. He was so anxious that he was drenched in sweat, running along the road while beating the gong.

The villagers spread the news to each other. Some people beat wooden basins to help notify others, which saved Wei Qingshan some time. He continued beating the gong as he ran home.

Lin Yu and Zhao Yueniang were in the yard, turning over the vegetable garden. Zhao Yueniang had sharp ears and heard the gong. Her heart tightened. “Brother, that sounds like a gong. That can’t be good!”

She listened carefully to the hurried and urgent sound of the gong and someone shouting something she couldn’t make out. Lin Yu straightened up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It does sound like a gong.” When the village gong was beaten, it usually meant something major had happened. It was currently the busy farming season; if nothing serious was going on, the gong wouldn’t be beaten so urgently. The gong beats were as dense as a summer thunderstorm.

“Yueniang, quickly hide in the cellar in the back yard!”

“Okay!”

The gong sound came closer and closer. “Bandits are entering the village! Families near the back mountain, hurry and hide in the village! All the men come out and fight the bandits!”

Lin Yu had just entered the backyard when he heard Wei Qingshan’s voice. He immediately ran out from the backyard and saw Wei Qingshan carrying the gong, running toward them. When he saw that Lin Yu was safe, the anxiety in Wei Qingshan’s heart finally eased. He had never been so scared before, afraid that he wouldn’t outrun those bandits.

Wei Qingshan grabbed his wrist. “You and Yueniang quickly go to the He family!”

Wei Qingshan didn’t have time to explain, only urging the two to hurry. He went inside and took out his hunting machete. The neighbor, Sang Niang, came out in a panic with Qing-ger. “There are bandits?”

“Quick, hide in the village!”

Lin Yu pulled Zhao Yueniang along, and  Sang Niang carried Qing-ger on her back. As Lin Yu ran, he looked back at Wei Qingshan. “Qingshan, be careful!”

Wei Qingshan nodded at him. The four of them hurried toward the village. On the way, they ran into many village men, some carrying firewood, knives, others hoes, all heading toward the direction of the back mountain.

He Dazhu happened to run into them. “Yu-ger, hurry to my house and hide!”

When the four of them arrived at the He family’s place, it was in chaos. He Daniang was holding open the cellar lid, helping the children in the house hide inside.

He Dongdong and Shi Niang also arrived carrying the children, both sweating anxiously.

He Daniang called them in quickly. “Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

He Daniang couldn’t let everyone hide in the same place. “If the children start crying, it’ll be trouble,” Lin Yu said immediately.

He Dongdong stopped. Huzi and the others were older and fine, but the two children in his family were still little. If they cried and attracted the bandits, it would endanger everyone. “Niang, Yu-ger is right! I’ll hide in the firewood pile in the kitchen!”

“I’ll help take care of the children with you.” Lin Yu took one child into his arms and headed toward the kitchen. “Yueniang, you and Sang Niang hide in the cellar together!”

He Dongdong pushed him. “Yu-ger, you go too. I can take care of two children myself.”

“You can’t handle two children on your own.”

Shi Niang also hurried over. “And us too. Yu-ger, go quickly.”

“It’s fine. Yun-ger and Lei-zi are familiar with me. I can soothe them better.” Lin Yu didn’t say more. He held the child in his arms and hid in the kitchen. The He family’s kitchen had hay and corn stalks.

Lin Yu placed Yun-ger in a corner and let He Dongdong squat in with the other child. He held a bunch of corn stalks upright in the corner. Shi Niang also quickly came to help carry more. A thick layer was built up, making it impossible to see the people inside. More hay was piled on the outside, and only then did the two of them crawl inside to hide.

The space inside wasn’t big, hiding three adults and one child. He Dongdong coaxed the Lei-zi in his lap, “Go to sleep, go to sleep, it’s dark.”

Lin Yu also mimicked him, soothing Yun-ger to sleep. The little one didn’t understand anything yet. Lying on Lin Yu’s lap, he smiled up at him. “Ya! Ma!”

The nearly one-year-old baby was babbling. Lin Yu smiled at him. “Good Yun-ger, go to sleep now.”

He gently patted Yun-ger on his leg, hoping to lull him to sleep. Once asleep, he wouldn’t make any noise.

The few people hiding in the cellar didn’t dare to make a sound either. There were four children inside. The adults all kept stern faces and warned the children not to make a sound.

The village, which had just been noisy, instantly became quiet. Only the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. The village was so clean and quiet that not even a shadow of a person could be seen.

The two children were finally coaxed to sleep, and both adults sighed in relief. Lin Yu whispered to He Dongdong, “Dong-ger, do you know how many people there are?”

He Dongdong sniffled. “I heard there are more than a dozen.”

Lin Yu’s heart tightened. How could there be so many bandits? The men in the village had all gone out with knives. No wonder so many had gone this time.

Wei Qingshan, the He family brothers, and Shi Tou had all gone. No one spoke again, worried sick about their family members outside. At the back mountain, from fifteen- or sixteen-year-olds to those in their forties or fifties, everyone in the village had come out holding tools, each gripping their hoes and machetes tightly with serious expressions.

Wei Qingshan and He Dazhu organized the people, selecting twenty men and dividing them into two teams to patrol the village, ensuring not a single bandit entered. The rest gripped their tools tightly and waited for the bandits to come down the mountain.

He Erzhu asked, “Why are they coming straight toward our village?”

They didn’t have to wait long before a group of riders rushed over. The one in the lead rode a tall horse, had a scar on his face, and still had bloodstains on his body.

Seeing someone blocking the road, with a blood-stained machete slung over his shoulder, he sneered. “So this is Lu Village.”

Next to him stood a man with a pockmarked face so disfigured it was hard to tell what he looked like. He held the reins for him. “Boss Zhu, this is Lu Family Village. Wei Er must’ve run back here!”