Miss Zhou

When Xiang Yang agreed, Poison Scholar barked at the two bandits to withdraw. Then he exchanged a furtive glance with Hu Qiang, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Good. Since you have agreed and shown such sincerity, we will not make things difficult for you. We can let you see Miss Zhou first, and you may take one item from her as proof to show Zhou Fugui.

"However, the matter of the exchange will be handled entirely by your Zhou family. Our men will not leave the stronghold. Within three days at the latest, bring the ransom and supplies to Black Mountain. We will send men to haul them up the mountain then. Remember, only three days. Once the deadline passes, there will be no deal."

After Poison Scholar finished speaking, he did not wait for Xiang Yang's reply. With a sweep of his hand, Xiao Liu dragged Xiang Yang away. Hu Qiang remained behind, laughing loudly. "Second Brother, this time we have truly struck it rich. All those past raids only barely kept us fed. Looks like we should set our sights on rich people from now on."

In the past, Black Wind Mountain Stronghold had raided villages for grain and poultry, but there had never been much profit in it. This time, squeezing Zhou Fugui for a fortune would leave the entire stronghold with more than enough to eat for a year. That was the difference.

Poison Scholar shook his head. "Third Brother, you do not understand. We can only do this once or twice. If we do it too often and anger those rich men, we will have suffering ahead of us.

"Those mud-legged peasants have cheap lives; even if they die, no one cares. But the rich are different. They have money, power, and connections. What if they invite disciples from some great martial sect to wipe out the bandits and rid the people of evil? We would not be able to withstand them."

And that was not all. It was not that the County Yamen had no way to deal with them in the past. Rather, every county magistrate had kept the matter under wraps for the sake of his own record. If someone exposed it, whether the imperial court sent experts or an army, wiping them out would take no more than moments.

It could be said that Black Wind Mountain Stronghold had remained peaceful all these years not because it was strong enough that no one dared provoke it, but because it was tucked away in some small backwater and had not offended anyone it should not have. Only then had it been able to survive and grow.

Hu Qiang revealed a trace of unwillingness at Poison Scholar's words, but he nodded in understanding. Others might not know, but how could he not?

Their chief was a cast-off disciple from a minor sect. His Capture Hand was exquisite and ever-changing, and his internal cultivation had once left a palm print five inches deep in a great bluestone outside the gate with his bare hand. Could anyone survive a strike like that? Even with strength like his, Hu Qiang did not dare challenge the chief.

The two men in the hall fell silent for a time, while Xiang Yang, after leaving the main hall, finally let out a breath and truly set down the heart he had been holding in his throat. He had survived meeting Poison Scholar and Hu Qiang, and the terms had been settled. His safety was now genuinely guaranteed. It could be said that Black Wind Mountain Stronghold would never kill him before receiving the ransom and supplies.

"Haha, Brother Yang, you have guts! Whenever the Third Boss gets angry, the rest of us are scared half to death. Once, one coward even wet his pants. Yet today, you did not change expression at all. You will surely become a fine hero someday."

Knowing that the two sides had reached an agreement and that a large shipment of supplies and silver would soon be carried into the stronghold, Xiao Liu was in high spirits. His face shone with delight; he would receive his own share as well.

"You flatter me. By the way, Brother Xiao Liu, where are we going? This is a bandit stronghold, after all. If it is inconvenient, you can simply take some jewelry from Miss Zhou and give it to me."

Xiang Yang's tact made Xiao Liu view him even more favorably. He patted Xiang Yang on the shoulder with considerable force, but Xiang Yang did not budge in the slightest. Xiao Liu was somewhat surprised. His strength ranked among the best in the stronghold. This kid had some skill indeed; no wonder he dared come here to earn that life-risking money.

"It is no trouble. Everyone captured on the mountain is locked in the wooden huts behind the mountain. Everyone knows about it, so there is nothing taboo about it. Miss Zhou was specifically ordered by the Third Boss to be treated well, so no one in the stronghold dares neglect her."

As they walked and chatted, Xiang Yang occasionally smiled and greeted passing bandits. He gained a deeper understanding of the stronghold.

Generally speaking, the bandits here were not only robbers but kidnappers as well. They stole money, grain, and people. Of course, they were not shortsighted fools who drained the pond dry to catch every fish. They usually showed some restraint, taking only young, pretty, or fertile women.

That was how some of the bandits in the stronghold obtained wives. At first, the women might resist and refuse, but once the raw rice had been cooked into cooked rice, and they could see no hope of escape, some would resign themselves to fate and truly become part of Black Wind Mountain Stronghold, even bearing the next generation of little bandits.

"We are here. Brother Yang, wait a moment. I will go speak with the guards."

Xiao Liu stopped, with Xiang Yang following behind. Xiang Yang looked at the several wooden huts before them. They were crudely built, nothing more than planks stacked together and driven into the ground. Through the open doors, he could vaguely see innocent women inside, bound into bundles by chains.

The three bandits guarding the huts looked at Xiang Yang with confusion and wariness before walking over to Xiao Liu. The four whispered among themselves for a while. Once Xiao Liu finished speaking, the three bandits looked at Xiang Yang with great warmth. In their eyes, he was no longer a man, but a walking gold mine.

"Fine. That little Zhou girl is in there. She has a fiery temperament, so go in yourself. Remember, you do not have much time. Say whatever you need to say quickly."

Xiao Liu returned to Xiang Yang's side, led him to one of the wooden huts, and opened the door, revealing a dim, damp, foul-smelling space.

Xiang Yang clasped his hands in thanks, endured the stench, and entered. He saw a woman in a yellow dress with disheveled hair hugging her knees as she curled up in a corner of the hut. He guessed that she was Miss Zhou.

"Miss Zhou, can you hear me? I am Yang Xiang. Lord Zhou, Zhou Fugui, sent me to negotiate with Black Wind Mountain Stronghold for your ransom. Are you all right?"

Xiang Yang stepped forward a few paces as he spoke. At his words, the woman in yellow suddenly raised her head, revealing a sweet face with bright eyes and pearly teeth. Yet after being frightened and worried for so long, she looked haggard and thin.

"You were sent by my father? You really came to save me? You are not lying to me?"

As she spoke, Miss Zhou's eyes filled with tears. Thank heaven, she had finally waited for this day. If there had been no news much longer, she had planned to starve herself to death.

"That is right. I have already reached an agreement with Black Wind Mountain Stronghold. Miss Zhou will be redeemed within three days at the latest. I came to see you mainly to confirm that you are safe, and to take back a token to prove it to Lord Zhou."

Seeing a pampered young lady reduced to such a state, Xiang Yang could not help sighing inwardly. Still, she was fortunate. Though her reputation might have suffered, being able to leave the mountain safely with her body untouched would already be a good thing.

"All right. This is my Silk Scarf. Take it to my father. He will recognize it."

Miss Zhou searched herself from top to bottom. Her gold and jade jewelry had long since been stripped away, leaving only this Silk Scarf. Without hesitation, she handed it to Xiang Yang, looking as though she wished she could leave this place at once.

Taking the Silk Scarf, Xiang Yang nodded. After confirming once more that Miss Zhou was safe and well, he turned to leave. Outside, he raised the Silk Scarf toward Xiao Liu and nodded, signaling that he was ready to go.