Chapter 57

After descending from Xiayun Ridge and traveling for more than ten miles, they arrived at a mountain pass. Li Fu pointed to a dilapidated temple not far ahead and said to Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers, "Leaders, the Second Chief has been placed in that broken temple."

Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers looked up and indeed saw some bandits near the dilapidated temple, about twenty to thirty of them, standing or sitting in small circles, apparently warming themselves by a fire. The three exchanged glances and quickened their steps.

The bandits warming themselves by the fire clearly noticed them. At first, they were somewhat alarmed, brandishing knives and guns. But as the group drew closer and they recognized them as their own, they calmed down. Except for one leader who came forward to greet them, the others continued to warm themselves by the fire, paying no attention.

The leader who approached Li Fu said, "Brother Li, you're finally back. We were getting worried about you."

He then turned to the Mo brothers and bowed, flattering them, "Leaders Mo, you must have had a hard journey."

Li Fu, without exchanging pleasantries, asked anxiously, "How is the Second Chief? Has there been any improvement?"

The leader sighed and said, "Alas, the Second Chief is still the same, very weak, unable to sit up, and looking even worse than when we first arrived here. If anything happens to him, how will we explain it to the Fourth and Fifth Chiefs? I, Xu Lao San, will have no choice but to die to atone for my failure."

Li Fu's face was filled with worry, but Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers felt a mix of tension and excitement. They thought that Liu Wanbao must be severely injured, and might not survive the journey back to the mountain without any medicine, which would save them a lot of trouble. Moreover, from Xu Lao San's reaction, it seemed that the idea of dying for their leader was quite plausible.

At this moment, Xu Lao San continued, "It's good that you're here. The Second Chief ordered that as soon as reinforcements from the mountain arrive, they should go to the temple to see him. He has something important to entrust to you." He then led Li Fu and Ding Yuchang to the broken temple, while the hundred bandits who came with them were directed to warm themselves by the fire by other leaders.

Inside the temple, the light was dim. In the center stood a statue of an unknown deity, and in front of it was an altar table where a person lay, presumably Liu Wanbao. Around the altar table stood a few people, heads bowed in silence, likely Liu Wanbao's close confidants. There were also a few others standing by the temple door and in the corners, but due to the poor lighting, their faces and expressions were unclear. They were probably guards. Xu Lao San asked Li Fu and the others to wait, then walked to the altar table and reported, "Second Chief, the reinforcements from the mountain have arrived. They are the Mo brothers, close followers of the Fifth Chief."

A weak voice responded, "Oh, that's good, that's good."

Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers were both nervous and excited. Although they couldn't see the person on the altar table clearly, they could tell from the voice that it was Liu Wanbao, and he was on the verge of death. The three hurried over, knelt down, and bowed, saying, "We, your subordinates, pay our respects to the Second Chief."

After a while, there was no response from Liu Wanbao. They heard the temple door close, and the temple seemed to have lit torches, making it much brighter. The three were puzzled, wondering why the door was closed and why the torches weren't lit earlier. They looked up in alarm and were shocked to see Liu Wanbao sitting upright on the altar table, dressed neatly, with a ruddy complexion and sharp eyes, looking at them with disdain and disgust. His expression, illuminated by the torchlight, was almost sinister, showing no signs of injury.

After a brief moment of shock, the Mo brothers broke down. They thought their plot had been exposed, and Liu Wanbao knew their plan and was waiting for them to fall into his trap. A chill ran down their spines, and they were filled with fear. They were completely at a loss, trembling uncontrollably, and could only kowtow repeatedly, begging for mercy, hoping the Second Chief would spare their lives.

Ding Yuchang initially had the same thoughts as the Mo brothers, but he quickly realized something was wrong. He clearly remembered that when Li Fu went up the mountain for help, he said the attack on Yuxu Palace had failed, the First Chief was dead, and the Second Chief was severely injured. It was because of this news that they had planned their coup. But now, Liu Wanbao was sitting there unharmed. Liu Wanbao's reaction was not because they were trying to harm him. From the beginning, Li Fu's request for help was a trap. If Liu Wanbao was unharmed, was the First Chief, Wei Caosi, really dead? If not, where was he? Why did they fabricate such a lie to lure them into a trap? What were they planning to do?

A series of questions confused Ding Yuchang. He couldn't solve these puzzles and decided to find a way to leave this dangerous place and return to the mountain to meet with Shi Feibao and Wu Dangjia to discuss a plan. With this in mind, he began to observe the surroundings, looking for an opportunity to escape. If he could get out of the temple, he would have a better chance of escaping.

However, after a careful observation, Ding Yuchang had to abandon his escape plan. He noticed that the guards were positioned in such a way that they could support each other, making it difficult to find a weakness. More importantly, he recognized a few familiar faces, people he hated deeply. They were dressed as Taoist priests, specifically his sworn enemies from Yuxu Palace. Although he couldn't name all of them, he recognized their faces.

The closest one was Qingchen, the Taoist priest who had attended the trial of his disciple and adopted son in Liangxiang County. Qingchen was said to be relatively junior among the Yuxu Palace Taoists but was quite skilled in martial arts. He was holding a sword, which was still in its sheath, but his eyes showed deep vigilance. If Ding Yuchang made any move, he would likely draw his sword and attack. Ding Yuchang knew he was no match for this Taoist, let alone the several senior Taoists standing nearby. Escaping would be nearly impossible.

After assessing the situation, Ding Yuchang gave up on escaping. He didn't kowtow and beg for mercy like the Mo brothers but slowly stood up, threw his knife to the ground, and remained silent, showing a readiness to face whatever came next.

At this moment, a person came from behind the statue and approached the altar table, asking Liu Wanbao, "Brother Liu, who is this man? He seems more resolute than the two on the ground."

Before Liu Wanbao could answer, Qingchen replied, "Master, this man is none other than the teacher of the street performer who accidentally injured Master Liu in Liangxiang County. His name is Ding Yuchang. I had a legal dispute with him in Liangxiang County and remember him well."

He then turned to the other side of the altar table and said, "Master Zeng, you should have seen him too."

"Old Zhang, Qingchen is right. It's the man with the red face. I remember the scar on his left cheek very well," said Zeng Zhilin, who was standing on the other side of the altar table.

Hearing this, Liu Wanbao was surprised, "So you've had dealings with this man. I didn't expect that. According to my knowledge, this man joined our bandit group three months ago. The First Chief thought he had good martial arts skills and a fierce spirit, so he kept him. Hmm... he did bring a disciple with him when he joined, probably the one you mentioned."

Liu Wanbao nodded thoughtfully and continued, "So he has a grudge against you. No wonder he and Shi Feibao incited the First Chief to attack Yuxu Palace. But that doesn't make sense. If his disciple injured you, shouldn't you have been the ones to seek revenge? Why is he now the one causing trouble for you?"

Liu Wanbao's words made Ding Yuchang feel a deep sorrow. He no longer cared about his situation and said with a pained expression, "Chief Liu, I don't know why you are involved with these foul Taoists, but what they said is not true. It's true that my disciple, who is also my adopted son, accidentally injured the Taoist Liu. But the Taoist only suffered some injuries and recovered after a while. I wanted to settle the matter by paying him some money, but these foul Taoists wouldn't let it go. They colluded with the authorities to severely punish me and my adopted son. They confiscated all my savings and beat us. My adopted son was beaten with eighty strokes and publicly displayed in a cangue for a month. When I finally brought him back home after his sentence, he died three days later. I consider him like a son, and this murder is a blood feud. I must avenge him.

It's true that I and Brother Shi incited the First Chief to attack Yuxu Palace to use you as a tool to avenge my son. Unfortunately, the First Chief didn't succeed, and you, Chief Liu, have now allied with these Taoists, betraying your fellow bandits. Now that I'm in your hands, do with me as you will. I won't flinch."

With that, Ding Yuchang lifted his head, closed his eyes, and stood with a righteous air, ready to die. Liu Wanbao's face turned red at the accusation of betrayal, but the torchlight hid it from others. He had his own grievances but couldn't express them. He had to bear them silently.

Qingchen, Zeng Zhilin, Zhang Weixin, and others, including Qian Yuanshan, Tang Chao, and Yang Xin, who were part of the committee's plan, were speechless at Ding Yuchang's distorted account. They felt more wronged than Dou E. They only learned today that the street performer had died from the punishment, which was not what they wanted. Although they were angry about their brother being injured, they never intended to take his life. As for colluding with the authorities, that was not the case. Through the connection with Master Zhong, they knew the county magistrate and the chief constable, but they did not use any personal connections to influence the trial. The magistrate made his decision based on the laws of the Liao Dynasty. The performer's death was an accident and should not be blamed on them.

However, it was too late to argue. Ding Yuchang had already decided they were his enemies. No matter what they said, it wouldn't change anything. So, Zhang Weixin and others didn't argue further. There was much to do, and they couldn't waste time on old grievances. Zhang Weixin signaled Qingchen to tie up Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers and gag them. He then ordered Xu Lao San to go outside and call all the leaders of the reinforcements to the temple for the next phase of the plan.

Xu Lao San soon returned with about ten leaders, from squad leaders to captains. They experienced the same scene as Ding Yuchang and the others, kneeling on the ground with confused looks. Seeing the bound Ding Yuchang and the others caused a small commotion, but they quickly quieted down under Liu Wanbao's authority.

Liu Wanbao cleared his throat, organized his thoughts, and said, "Brothers, please calm down. Let me explain the situation to you."

Liu Wanbao then recounted the events from the failed night attack on Yuxu Palace. He explained how the attack failed, how the First Chief and the main attackers were almost all killed, how he ordered the blocking force to retreat, how he was captured, and how he surrendered to Yuxu Palace to save the remaining bandits. He also explained the plan to take over the bandit group and how he convinced the retreating blocking force to join him. Finally, he told them that Li Fu was sent up the mountain with false news to bring the remaining bandits to this place in batches so he could persuade them to surrender to Yuxu Palace.

Liu Wanbao spoke for about the length of an incense stick, and the leaders finally understood the situation. Most of them were indifferent. For them, it didn't matter who the leader was. They would continue their lives as usual, and the wealthy Taoists might even give them more money. Only a few leaders, who were close to Wei Caosi, were hesitant, fearing that they would be marginalized under new leadership.

However, none of the leaders dared to show any reluctance. They were not fools and could see the situation. The Taoists around them looked kind, but they held swords, not fly whisks. Any sign of reluctance would result in immediate execution.

So, they all agreed to surrender to Yuxu Palace, with several leaders even swearing oaths of loyalty. The gagged Mo brothers also nodded vigorously, trying to show their willingness to surrender. Unfortunately, they couldn't speak, and their efforts to swear oaths made them sweat profusely.

Liu Wanbao and the Yuxu Palace members were satisfied with this outcome. Whether the leaders were truly loyal or just submitting under pressure, as long as they didn't cause trouble, they could be dealt with after the Yuxu Palace team took over the bandit group.

Seeing that the leaders had shown their loyalty, and time was running out, Liu Wanbao called for them to quiet down. He asked them to wait to the side and then brought Ding Yuchang and the Mo brothers to the altar table. The Mo brothers immediately knelt down and, once the rags in their mouths were removed, began kowtowing and begging for mercy. Ding Yuchang, however, remained standing, neither kneeling nor begging, showing no fear.

Seeing his defiant attitude, Qingchen kicked him in the leg. Ding Yuchang resisted for a moment but eventually had to kneel, though his face showed defiance.

Liu Wanbao came down from the altar table, walked to Ding Yuchang, and asked sternly, "Ding Yuchang, do you still have any grievances? Is your current fate not what you deserve?"

Ding Yuchang clearly disagreed and grunted, "I believe avenging my son is not wrong. I have no complaints about being caught by your scheme."

Liu Wanbao, seeing his stubbornness, asked, "Ding Yuchang, do I have any grudges against you?"

Ding Yuchang was taken aback and subconsciously replied, "I have no grudges against Chief Liu."

"Since we have no grudges, why did you conspire with Wu Xingji, Shi Feibao, and others to drug and kill me? Why did you not stop after killing me but also try to harm my adopted son, nephew, and daughter?" Liu Wanbao asked, his eyes red with anger.

This hit the mark. Ding Yuchang was speechless. He had been so focused on avenging his son that he had forgotten the real purpose of his mission. Now, Liu Wanbao's question reminded him that he had come to plot against them. He had failed and was now their prisoner. What frightened him more was that Liu Wanbao knew all about his plot with Shi Feibao and Wu Xingji. How was this possible? Did these Taoists have the ability to predict the future and uncover their plans?

Seeing his confusion, Qingchen said, "Don't doubt it. We know about your plot with Shi Feibao and the Fifth Chief. I disguised myself as a bandit and went up the mountain with Li Fu. After entering the bandit camp, I investigated. I heard that Wu Dangjia refused to send reinforcements, so I secretly entered his residence to find out why. When you and Shi Feibao were plotting in the back hall, I was on the beam in the adjacent room and heard every word."

Qingchen paused and added with a hint of contempt, "You probably didn't expect that while Wu Xingji was plotting with you, his personal guards were hiding in the adjacent room. If Wu Xingji felt Shi Feibao was untrustworthy, the guards would have rushed in and captured him. The so-called experts didn't even notice me on the beam above them."

Ding Yuchang finally understood everything, but it was too late. His face turned ashen, and he helplessly shook his head, saying, "It's fate, it's fate! I, Ding Yuchang, have no complaints about my defeat."

With that, he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and remained silent. Liu Wanbao was extremely angry. He turned around, drew a single-edged sword from his loyal subordinate Xu Lao San's waist, and with one swift stroke, beheaded Ding Yuchang. If Zhang Weixin, Zeng Zhilin, and Qingchen hadn't moved quickly, they would have been splattered with blood.

Although the Yuxu Palace members, especially the time travelers, did not originally intend to kill Ding Yuchang, they found him both hateful and pitiful. A good man had lost his reason due to the loss of his son and resorted to any means to avenge him. One wrong step led to another, and he ended up in this situation. The time travelers hesitated to kill someone who had been captured, but they had no objections to Liu Wanbao's actions. If not for the prior information, Liu Wanbao might have already been dead. Even now, his family was still in danger, and they needed to act quickly.

While Zhang Weixin and others tried to calm Liu Wanbao, Xu Lao San was ordered to clean up Ding Yuchang's body. The temple was filled with the smell of blood, but the bandit leaders, who were used to killing, were not bothered. Many were secretly relieved that they had pledged their loyalty quickly, or they might have met the same fate. The Mo brothers were now trembling with fear, afraid they would be the next to lose their heads, and could barely speak.

Liu Wanbao, calmed by the