Chapter 63: Old Grievances Hard to Resolve, Hidden Kill Intent (Part 2)

Already ten miles away from the city, the bustling grass market to the east had become a faint shadow in the distance. Han Gang quietly stood in the pavilion by the side of the official road, gazing eastward. He still wore a slightly thin blue robe, his tall and sturdy figure seemingly unaffected by the cold around him. The mist formed by his breath condensed into white fog, and the cold winter morning was silent and still. Wang Hou and Wang Shunmin seemed to be influenced by this tranquil atmosphere, only daring to rub their hands and exhale, without speaking for a long time.

After an unknown duration, a small black dot suddenly appeared amidst the snow-covered expanse to the east. The black dot grew closer and closer, eventually separating into two riders and a carriage in everyone's line of sight. The rider in front had a bull-like build, his thick winter clothes unable to conceal the muscles bulging on his body. The old horse beneath him was almost crushed under the weight, dragging its steps and letting out a mournful whine every few steps, as if saying it was very tired. Behind the rider was a two-wheeled carriage covered with a blue canopy, pulled by two horses. The driver seemed to be an experienced old hand, steadily guiding the carriage down the center of the official road. Behind the carriage, another rider closely followed, step by step.

Seeing them, Han Gang's face lit up with joy, and he quickly descended from the pavilion to wait by the roadside. Wang Hou and Wang Shunmin, feeling relieved, also came to the roadside.

Seeing Han Gang appear, the rider in front suddenly sped up, the snow splashing up like shattered jade. In a moment, he was close. Next to Han Gang, he pulled the reins and leaped off the horse. The old horse, freed from its heavy burden, wanted to gallop and neigh, but was immediately restrained by a large hand, unable to move, its hooves digging four pits into the snow. The rider, with a bold and free spirit, stabilized his mount, turned around, and knelt on one knee before Han Gang, "Sir Han, Zhao Long has not failed you. Sir, Madam, and Little Lady Yun have all been brought back by me. Also, your cousin from your uncle's family, the second son, has come along."

Hearing that his cousin Li Xin from his uncle's family had also come, Han Gang was slightly surprised. He looked at the rider closely following the carriage, who should be Li Xin. However, since he was about to become an official, it was reasonable for his relatives to come and seek his help. He quickly helped Zhao Long up and said warmly, "Thank you, Brother Zhao."

"I dare not claim any credit! I dare not claim any credit!" Zhao Long repeatedly thanked him. He regarded Han Gang as a nobleman and felt genuine gratitude. Since meeting Han Gang, he had been blessed with good fortune. Not only did he escape the cursed job of guarding the city gate, but he was also transferred to the Office of the Governor to serve. Although the rules were strict and somewhat oppressive when serving the Governor and other high officials, the thought of leading troops in the future made the current discomforts insignificant. Therefore, when Han Gang asked him to take leave and go to Fengxiang to help bring his parents back, Zhao Long, feeling indebted, did not hesitate to agree.

The carriage had now arrived, and the driver stopped it steadily. A small figure jumped off the carriage, helping Han A Li out of the compartment. Han Qianliu followed, and Han Gang's cousin Li Xin also dismounted.

Reunion after a month apart felt like a lifetime. Seeing his son, who looked the same as before but was now an official, Han Qianliu and Han A Li were in tears. Han Yun, covering her mouth with her small hand to prevent herself from crying out, also had tears welling up in her eyes.

Han Gang, like a mountain collapsing and a pillar falling, knelt in the snow, "Father, Mother, I am unfilial, making you worry!"

In a secret room, a single lamp flickered.

The dim light on the table flickered with the breathing and speaking of the people in the room. The shadows cast on the wall twisted and distorted, like fierce demons ready to pounce.

Chen Ju's eldest son, Chen Ji, sat around the table. His face, which usually had a kind and gentle expression, was now twisted and ugly, his demeanor no different from the demons. "The parents of the traitor Han have returned? Huang Da! Huang Er! You useless ones just watched and followed them all the way?"

Although his voice was full of anger, Chen Ji kept it low.

Huang De Yong's two sons looked somewhat displeased. Chen Ju was about to die, and the Chen family was finished. Chen Ji still treated them like servants, calling them and scolding them. They knew that although Han Gang was their father's killer, it was Chen Ju who directly forced Huang De Yong to his death. However, they were now all on the same boat, wanted criminals, and needed to look out for each other, so they couldn't directly confront Chen Ji.

Huang Da defended himself, "The companion Han Gang sent to fetch his parents is the eldest son of the Zhao family from the southern city, known for his martial arts! Before joining the army, he had beaten all the ruffians in the southern city. Who would dare to provoke him?"

"Who doesn't know who Zhao Long is? Do you need to say more? No matter how skilled he is, he's just one person!"

Huang Er supported his brother, "Not only Zhao Long, but there's another one, a relative of the Han family. He is very alert and not easy to provoke. We followed them all the way but couldn't find an opportunity. Several times, we almost got caught. Zhao Long has dealt with us before, and he would see through us as soon as we approached. These two people guarding the carriage, and staying at inns at night, made it impossible to act quickly."

Huang Da added, "If we acted rashly, we would alert them. If they got wind of it, it would be hard to act in the future."

Chen Ji fell silent.

Those present were all remnants of Chen Ju's followers, once influential figures in Qinzhou. Who would have thought they would become fugitives in a blink of an eye? They had barely escaped capture and found this relatively safe hideout outside Qinzhou. If they had any remaining wishes, it was only to deal with the still-living Han Gang!

Chen Ji, feeling suffocated, finally said fiercely, "... When the mountain wind comes in a few days, we will wipe out Han Gang's entire family in one go!"

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, the country had never been peaceful. Rebellions led by figures like Wang Xiaobo and Li Shun were frequent. Although large-scale rebellions had not occurred since the revolt of Wang Ze in Beizhou, the policy of recruiting strong and healthy men from famine-stricken areas as soldiers had effectively prevented large-scale rebellions involving tens of thousands of people across multiple states. However, after the war with Western Xia, the rapidly increasing military expenses and the growing number of officials forced the government to collect more taxes. The heavy tax burden made it impossible for farmers to bear, leading to an increasing number of people abandoning their homes and becoming bandits over the past twenty years.

According to Ouyang Xiu's memorial, small groups of bandits, "one group stronger than the next," even roamed the roads in broad daylight, plundering homes, causing headaches for local authorities. Amateur bandits, who worked the fields with their hoes and turned to robbery with their knives, were countless. No place in the country was peaceful. Qinzhou, despite being a military stronghold, was no exception.

The cunning rabbit has three dens. Although Chen Ju's visible assets were gone, he still had some hidden wealth. With the difficult times in Guanzhong, it was easy to find desperate men. As the year-end approached, bandits also needed money for the New Year. If they could get some extra money for a fat year with wine, meat, and new clothes, no one would refuse.

The "Mountain Wind" was the name of a venomous snake and also the leader of a well-known band of bandits near Qinzhou, with over a dozen followers. Chen Ji used the money to hire them. While they couldn't rescue Chen Ju from the execution ground, Chen Ji felt confident they could take Han Gang's head and vent his anger.

"Should we save Fourth Brother first before dealing with Han Gang?" Huang Da suggested, and Huang Er nodded in agreement.

After Huang De Yong's suicide, they were arranged by Chen Ju to go to Fengxiang to join Chen Ju's fourth son, Chen Luo. Fengxiang and Qinzhou were in different circuits; the "Feng" in Qinzhou's name came from Fengzhou, not Fengxiang. The wanted posters for the Huang brothers in Fengxiang were quickly covered by new official notices, and the meager reward of five guan per person did not attract much interest. Moreover, Chen Ju soon sent their mothers and families to them, and they lived comfortably under Chen Luo's protection.

However, their comfortable life lasted less than a month before Chen Ju's downfall. A letter from Qinzhou led to Chen Luo's arrest in the government office. The Huang brothers, who were under Chen Luo's protection, managed to escape, but their families were captured. In just a month, the Huang brothers had developed a deep bond with Chen Luo and felt more secure following Chen Ju's third son.

"First, we kill Han Gang, then we rescue Fourth Brother," Chen Ji said, not wanting to alert Han Gang. "In just a month, he destroyed our family's decades of hard work. Han Gang is cunning and extremely intelligent. If we rescue Fourth Brother first, it will surely alert him, making it harder to act!"

Compared to rescuing a prisoner, killing Han Gang would be easier and cause fewer casualties. If they did it the other way around, the losses could be severe, making it difficult to carry out further actions.

Mentioning Han Gang, Chen Ji gritted his teeth in hatred. Although he was just the son of a minor official, Chen Ji had grown up in luxury, with a house that, while not overly large to avoid arousing jealousy, was one of the most luxurious in Qinzhou. Now, he was hiding in a secret room, safe but suffocating, a far cry from the comfortable life he once knew.

All of this was because of Han Gang!

The trial of Chen Ju's collusion with Western Xia officially began today, but the outcome was already predetermined. Chen Ji had no interest in inquiring about it. His father, Chen Ju, was doomed to die, and beheading would be a light sentence; he would likely be flayed alive. If he were smart, he would commit suicide now.

The Chen family's assets, worth hundreds of thousands of guan, would be divided, and even the servants and concubines would be sold. In two days, Chen Ji's wife and two beloved concubines would be sent to the brothel to serve customers. Chen Ji, without looking in the mirror, knew that the headcloth on his head had turned a deep green, almost dripping with envy.

Chen Ji clenched his teeth, blood seeping from his gums, "That dog Han Gang, if I don't wipe out his entire family, I will not be a man!"