Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He forced himself to calm down and asked a subordinate to look for an experienced hunter who knew the mountains well in Hejian County to guide him.
About going in town? Nevermind! The location on the painting was not in town, anyway. It would just be a waste of time.
He needed to clarify one more thing before leaving town: How did Meng Hun’s people sneak all the coarse cloths in the wagons?
He was not the only one that was puzzled––the laborers were, too.
In order to keep the inventory accurate, they scrutinized the wagons whenever they stopped for breaks.
Therefore, it was almost guaranteed that the last time, before they had time off, there were no strange cloths on the wagons.
The head of the guards knew about it, but he didn’t squander any time on it. Instead, he went through all the laborers on his dispatch team suspiciously.
He asked, “Does anyone remember who ever got close to the wagons?”
It was a baffling question to everyone. The group of laborers were downcast. Who could possibly remember such a small detail about who came near the wagons?
One laborer was sharp-minded and he reminded the head of the guards, “Could it have been when we were in the tea house?”
People came and went at a place like the tea house. No one would find it fishy if any average person had mingled in with the crowd.
His theory was quickly proven wrong, however, when another laborer said, “You cannot put us in the wrong. We were all resting beside the wagons when we were in the tea house. We didn’t see anyone suspicious. These cloths… just came out of nowhere.”
People in the current era were in awe of spiritual beings. They tended to use them for explanations of the unknown and mysterious incidents.
The head of the guards was perturbed and scolded him, “Stop the nonsense. There is no grounds to prove the existence of those spiritual beings. Think harder. Who could have done this?”
If no outsiders ever got close to the wagon, the only explanation of why the cloths were there was that they had a mole inside the dispatch team.
After jumping to that conclusion, he held very steadfast to his hunch.
The laborers all shook their heads when they heard about it. Someone did think of Jiang Pengji, but it wasn’t reliable. She was not the only person who served them––the landlady and some other waiters came by as well. Compared to the latter two, Jiang Pengji was the last one who got near the wagons. How could she stuff the cloths into the wagons?
The laborers all looked at each other and were tense. They were terrified that the head of guards would consider any of them the mole in the team.
The head of guards skimmed through every single one of the laborers and tried to uncover the mole. At last, everyone seemed like the mole, but nobody seemed like it at the same time. He was out of ideas, but put it aside and got ready to ship the grain to the final destination.
It was not difficult to find an experienced hunter. The hunter happily agreed to lead the way for them after he was promised to be paid well.
It only left suffering for the laborers since it was not an option to transport the grain with the wagons on the steep mountain route. They could only leave all the wagons behind and carry the grain bags on their shoulders. They would have to pass the bags from one person to the next all the way up to the mountain like a human conveyor belt.
It seemed that the joke on them was just starting because someone found another piece of bamboo cloth with some more words written on it.
“Good boys, but I’m still disappointed with your speed. I couldn’t wait longer, so I left first. As the punishment for being inefficient, you have to deliver the grain to this location. From the traitor of the Meng’s Meng Hun.”
The head of the guards’ face darkened with anger the moment he saw the bamboo slice and the coarse cloth under it.
A soldier came forward and checked with him, “Boss, what should we do now?”
The head of the guards was breathing heavily and he was worn out. He didn’t even have any cargo on his shoulders, but he was panting and covered with his own sweat after climbing the steep mountain with his heavy armor. “What else could we do? Follow the instructions.”
They were concerned about the safety of the hostage, and because Meng Hun still had Meng Liang as his hostage, they were scared about what would happen if they didn’t fulfill Meng Hun’s requests. They would be the ones crying when they found out about Meng Liang’s death. They could only chose to be obedient in order to save the baby boy’s life.
Luckily, the second location wasn’t too far from their present place. The hunter told them it was only going to be another fifteen minutes or so.
“It was not bad this time, but I’m gone again. It was fun to see you guys work out and I want to see more. Deliver the grain over here. From the traitor of the Meng’s, Meng Hun.”
The head of the guards was mad and punched a tree trunk, which made a deep sound from the tree.
The hunter took a look at the map and said in a horrified tone, “Sergeant, we cannot go to this place.”
“Why?” the head of the guards asked chillingly.
The hunter was shivering and almost burst into tears. He expected it to be a good and easy job, but it seemed like it was anything but.
“Sergeant, it is a bandit stockade. I took a peak from a distance when I was hunting before and it was full of animals who kill with no mercy… If we are still going…” He hummed and hawed.
The head of the guards sneered and said to him, “Cut the crap. Just lead the way.”
It was only a bandit stockade. It was impossible that he wouldn’t be able to settle them with his manpower.
Only one thing still confused him: Why would Meng Hun guide them to deliver the grain to a bandit stockade? Could it be an ambush for them?
He felt uneasy about the possibility, so he sent a soldier to investigate the real situation.
Soon after, the soldier came back. “There is no one in the bandit stockade.”
No one? Now it was the head of the guards’ turn to be puzzled. But he had not choice but to go for it.
“But I found something at the gate of the stockade.” The scout bowed with his hands up. In his hands was another bamboo slice and a piece of coarse cloth.
As soon as he pinned his eyes on it, the head of the guards’ anxiety grew bigger. He was too afraid to see some more tricks.
He opened the cloth and saw something written by Meng Hun again.
“Unload the grain in the yard of the stockade. That son of b*tch Meng Liang is just at the location pinned on the map. Don’t play tricks with me or he will die. From the traitor of the Meng’s, Meng Hun.”
The head of the guards’ head finally cooled off and a sneaky smile spread on his face. “Spineless b*stard. Coward!”
Meng Hun wouldn’t bluff and play tricks if he was not afraid of the Meng’s. Meng Hun was still too scared of getting surrounded and killed by his people when they exchanged the grain with the hostage.
Spineless coward!
The head of guards tittered and raised his hand. “You guys deliver the grain to the location, and I need the rest of the people to go rescue Second Langjun with me.”
It indicated that Meng Hun’s lack of confidence was based on the coward’s behavior.
It would be to his credit if he could attack him off guard and take Meng Hun’s life for the Meng’s.
It was not part of his plan, but Meng Hun was really getting on his nerves.
“Yes, Sergeant!”
The soldiers were exhausted, but they still responded to the head of the guards with a passionate and loud voice.
