Appropriate Boasting Benefits Physical and Mental Health

Appropriate Boasting Benefits Physical and Mental Health

These horses had already been broken and were not afraid of people. Jiang Hao easily caught them, had Jiu'er lead them, and loaded all their belongings onto them. Things were much easier now.

Bald Sanpao's two subordinates were still lying by the roadside. Jiang Hao thought it over. Though this place was remote, people still passed through from time to time. It would be troublesome if someone found them, so it was best to clean things up properly.

He found the two men's guns and put them away, then dragged the two corpses into a nearby ditch. Beside it stood a patch of weathered earth slope. Jiang Hao kicked it several times, and with a rumble, part of the slope collapsed, burying the two bodies.

"Jiu'er, get on the horse. We still have dozens of li to go," Jiang Hao said as he returned to her side and took the reins.

"What about you?" Jiu'er asked.

"I'll lead the horse for you."

Jiang Hao did not know how to ride. If he did, with Jiu'er in his arms and his pockets full of Silver Dollars, that would truly count as returning fully loaded.

For now, he could only lead the horse on foot.

As he led the horse, Jiang Hao thought that Horse Riding was like driving—it was a basic skill. Since he would be traveling to other worlds in the future, riding a horse was a skill he absolutely had to possess. He had to learn it someday!

He helped Jiu'er onto the horse and slowly led it toward Shibali Slope. Sitting atop the horse, Jiu'er looked at the broad shoulders of the man ahead of her and felt safer and more secure than she ever had before.

When they passed the Gauze Curtain, Jiang Hao stopped. He unloaded the Silver Dollars and guns from the horse and said to Jiu'er, "These aren't suitable to carry around. We'll hide them here for now and come back for them when the time is right."

Jiang Hao carried the leather money bag while Jiu'er carried the gun. The two made their way deep into the Gauze Curtain. When they reached that spot, Jiang Hao asked Jiu'er, "Do you remember this place?"

Jiu'er shook her head. To her, every part of the Gauze Curtain looked the same, and she could not tell east from west or north from south.

"This is where the two of us did that thing back then," Jiang Hao said with a smile.

Jiu'er immediately understood, and a flush of embarrassment rose to her face.

Back then, she had also been kidnapped into the Gauze Curtain by this fellow. At the time, she must have been out of her mind, because she had actually obediently given herself to him in the end. Perhaps it was because he had saved her on her wedding day, or perhaps because she had not wanted to give her body to Old Leprosy. That day had been her first time, and she would never forget it for the rest of her life.

Jiang Hao buried the Silver Dollars and guns, covered them with a thick layer of sorghum leaves, and kept two Box Cannons for protection. Then the two of them left the Gauze Curtain.

He helped Jiu'er onto the horse again and led it toward Shibali Slope.

At that moment, everyone at Shibali Slope was still debating what to do—whether to rescue the mistress, and whether they themselves should stay or leave. They gathered around the millstone, talking in fits and starts.

Luohan had smoked all day but still could not come up with a solution.

When they had rescued Jiu'er from jail before, they had gone to the restaurants and wine shops in town to borrow money and buy on credit. They had already done that once, so it definitely would not work again. Besides, two thousand Silver Dollars was simply too large a sum. Unless they sold the Shibali Slope Distillery—but Luohan was only a hired hand, and he could not make such a major decision.

Er Dan's Mother carried a winnowing basket filled with shriveled grain, intending to feed it to the chickens. Suddenly, she spotted several figures in the distance and stopped to stare.

The person on horseback looked familiar to her. It seemed, seemed to be the mistress.

Er Dan's Mother jolted in alarm. Holding the basket, she ran back with a limp, shouting as she went, "Everyone, come quick! I think the mistress is back!"

Hearing Er Dan's Mother's shout, the workers all rushed out in a clamor and stood on the slope looking into the distance. "Oh my, it really is the mistress!"

"Who is that leading the horse?"

"Looks like Brother Zhan'ao."

Jiang Hao led the horse before the crowd. They still found it hard to believe and had no idea how he had managed to rescue the mistress.

Jiang Hao helped Jiu'er down from the horse. Luohan looked at Jiu'er, her hair disheveled and her body covered in filth, and quickly said, "Er Dan's Mother, hurry and take the mistress inside to clean herself up."

Er Dan's Mother immediately tossed aside the basket and ran over to support Jiu'er. "Oh, you've really suffered terribly," she said as she helped Jiu'er back inside.

After Jiu'er was helped indoors, water was naturally heated for her bath. The others surrounded Jiang Hao and bombarded him with questions. "Brother Zhan'ao, you rescued the mistress? How did Bald Sanpao's bandits just hand her over to you?"

"Do you know the bandits?"

Jiang Hao had made up his mind to stay. He looked over the crowd, intending to intimidate them so they would not cause him trouble in the future. Smiling, he said, "How could I possibly know Bald Sanpao's bandits? But I have this." With that, he lifted his shirt and revealed the Box Cannon at his waist.

The crowd cried out in surprise.

That was a gun. Yu Zhan'ao had a gun.

"Let me tell you all, but don't spread this around. I took care of Bald Sanpao and his bandits. That's how I rescued Jiu'er," Jiang Hao said casually.

The Distillery workers immediately looked at Jiang Hao differently. Their eyes held respect, and even a trace of fear.

In these times, the people who carried guns were only a few kinds: soldiers, bandits, and wealthy landowners. None of them were people ordinary folk like them dared provoke.

Luohan looked around and said, "The mistress has returned safely. That's cause for celebration. Dazhuang, go kill a chicken and stew it. Later, have Er Dan's Mother give the mistress something nourishing."

"Er Ga, go prepare a few dishes and treat Brother Zhan'ao properly."

The dishes were not plentiful, but the liquor was ready-made. A table was set in the courtyard, lanterns were lit on the posts, and everyone sat around together. Naturally, Jiang Hao was given the seat of honor.

Red Sorghum liquor did not taste good, but it was strong. After everyone made a round of toasts, Jiang Hao was already slightly drunk. They urged him to tell them how he had rescued Jiu'er. Jiang Hao also wanted to establish his authority, so emboldened by the alcohol, he said:

"When I heard you say Bald Sanpao had kidnapped Jiu'er, I got furious. Those bandits ran rampant through the countryside, raping, robbing, and committing every evil imaginable. It was time to teach them a lesson. So I went to the East Slope Butcher Shop. Bald Sanpao and his men weren't there at the time, so I waited for them on the hillside outside."

"I lay on the slope and heard the sound of hoofbeats—clop clop clop, clop clop clop. I could tell right away there were three horses. When they came closer, I saw it was Bald Sanpao and two of his men. I raised my gun and fired. Bald Sanpao was a well-known figure, quick as could be, and he immediately dodged. But the bullet still hit him in the shoulder and knocked him from his horse."

"One bandit fired at me. Bullets whizzed past me, one after another. I raised my hand and fired again. A huge hole opened in that fellow's chest, and that settled him down."

Everyone listened with rapt attention, their eyes shining and their hearts pounding, as though they were experiencing it themselves.

"Brother Zhan'ao is incredible! He could tell there were three horses just by listening."

"His marksmanship is what's incredible."

"Facing a whole gang of bandits alone with one gun—Brother Zhan'ao is a true hero, a real man, a Shan Xiongxin!"

"Enough talking. Listen to Brother Zhan'ao continue!" someone shouted.