Second Master Qin

"Second Brother, you're back. I've cooked the soup and was just waiting for you to come home for dinner."

Little Shi dutifully came forward, taking the writing brush, ink, paper, inkstone, and wrapped pig head meat from Zhong Lin's hands.

"I slipped on the road earlier. I'm going in to change clothes. Put these things in the study, then find a plate and serve up the pig head meat."

"Mhm!"

Pumping his short little legs, he ran back and forth as though he never grew tired.

Zhong Lin also returned to his room and changed into a gray short outfit. After washing his face with clean water, the red handprint on his cheek had yet to fully fade. The throbbing pain kept stirring the fury in his heart.

"I only want to live well, to live freely. Since you don't want to let me live, then I'll slaughter you first." Zhong Lin's face was filled with icy killing intent.

Killing people was all. It was not as if he had never killed before.

When he had killed his first person, his heart had still been uneasy. After killing more, it had grown cold.

Sometimes killing people was even simpler than hunting in the mountains. Hunting required not only finding prey, but also keeping it from escaping. Killing someone only took one slash.

He set down his chopsticks, walked to the doorway, and looked up at the sky.

The skies had already been somewhat overcast during the day. Now, not a single star could be seen in the entire night sky, and a faint chill hung in the air. It was a sign that autumn rain was on its way.

"A moonless night with fierce winds. What fine weather!"

"Little Shi, I'm going out to take care of something. Bolt the door tight. Don't open it for anyone but me, no matter who calls."

Zhong Lin gave his instructions.

Little Shi, who had been about to wash the dishes, looked at the bow and arrows in his second brother's hands, as well as the cowhide belt around his waist. Mature beyond his years, he vaguely guessed what was happening and nodded heavily.

"Second Brother, be careful."

Zhong Lin smiled softly and reached out to pat Little Shi's head. Without another word, he turned and vanished into the darkness.

"Drink! Damn it, Xing San, are you raising fish in that cup? Hurry up and drink it."

"Don't rush me, Brother. Aren't I waiting for the fish? Shrimp Head from East Market just hauled in this perch. Steamed, it goes best with wine."

"Bullshit. You think I don't know you, you bastard? You just want me to drink three cups of fish-head wine and get me drunk, don't you? I can drink a thousand cups without falling. You think you can get me drunk? Wait until your next life!"

Inside a private residence, Qin Yong and Xing San drank and played finger-guessing games beneath an oil lamp.

There was a plate of scrambled eggs, a large basin of stewed bones, and a plate of peanuts. The rich scent of fermented wine mash filled the entire room.

"Who would have thought that on the street watched over by Second Master Qin, a hen that lays golden eggs would fly out? Heaven truly favors me. What a delight."

Qin Yong raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, his words brimming with arrogance.

Xing San, his face covered in fleshy lumps, said excitedly as well, "Isn't that the truth? Eighteen taels of silver! That brat earned a full eighteen taels in just one afternoon. That isn't a hen that lays golden eggs—it's plainly a money tree. But Brother, aren't we asking for too little if we only demand twenty taels a day?"

"Too little? It's not too little. You said it yourself, that brat is a money tree. He can earn eighteen taels in one afternoon, so asking him for twenty taels a day is neither too much nor too little. It'll hurt, but not enough for him to risk his life. If we ask for more and the brat runs away, then what?"

"How would he dare? I'll break his legs, lock him in a room, and make him paint every day. We'll take the paintings out and sell them." Xing San slammed the table and shouted angrily.

"Enough." Qin Yong's eyes were full of shrewdness. "The two of us can't guard this money tree forever. You've seen that brat's paintings too. In all of Black Mountain County, I've never seen anyone paint better than him. Sooner or later, he'll catch the eye of some important figure. Either he'll become someone's honored guest, or someone's caged sparrow. What we need to do now is make a good haul before that brat catches the eye of some big shot."

"This..."

Xing San's face was full of reluctance. Twenty taels of silver a day! He had never even dared dream of such a thing before. One day's gains equaled an entire ordinary year. How could he bear to give up such a money tree?

Qin Yong naturally saw Xing San's reluctance and warned him, "Xing San, let me tell you something. Don't get any crooked ideas. Do you know why I've survived in the Black Water Gang for so long, become a leader, and taken charge of a street, while the people who joined the gang with me are either dead or crippled, and now I'm the only one left? The reason is that I'm not greedy. You need to know in your heart what you should take and what you shouldn't. Otherwise, sooner or later, you'll die in a stinking gutter."

"Got it."

Xing San answered in a muffled voice, then lifted his cup and gulped down a mouthful.

Qin Yong could not be bothered with this big fool. He shouted curses toward the front door. "Is the fish ready yet? If you don't bring it out soon, I'll starve to death."

"Coming, coming."

A crisp, slightly seductive voice came from the kitchen. Immediately afterward, a woman in a red short-sleeved blouse and a blue skirt resembling a horse-face skirt walked out.

She carried a basin of steamed perch in her hands and swayed with every step as she walked from the kitchen toward the main hall. Under the lamplight, she appeared to be twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a slightly pointed chin, thin cheeks, and a pair of peach-blossom eyes. She was not devastatingly beautiful, but among women, her looks were above average.

"Starve to death? Did dogs eat everything on the table? If it weren't for the sake of all the silver you brought back today, this old lady wouldn't wait on you."

With a bang, the woman set the perch on the table. Without giving Qin Yong a chance to speak, she twisted her slender waist and walked into the bedroom through the side door.

"Fuck me..."

He had brought back so much silver today, yet his own woman still refused to give him face before his brother. Qin Yong was so furious his blood rushed to his head. He slapped the table, rage surging within him.

"Hey, Brother, Brother, drink. Drink."

Xing San hurried forward and pulled Qin Yong back to the wine. At the same time, his eyes secretly gouged a hard look at his sister-in-law's swaying backside. The fullness that her skirt could barely conceal made heat rise from his lower abdomen.

Qin Yong snorted coldly, took a drink, and cursed, "You stinking bitch, just wait. In a while, I'll make you kneel and beg for mercy."

"Oh? Who can't talk big? If you can last longer than the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, this old lady will kneel and serve you. With that scrawny body of yours, even Xing San is stronger than you."

The seductive voice drifted from the bedroom, and her words sent Qin Yong's rage soaring to the heavens.

"Damn it, today I'll let you find out exactly how many eyes the Horse King has."

As he spoke, he sprang to his feet and strode toward the bedroom. Before long, the woman's giggles and Qin Yong's panting came from inside, with no concern at all for Xing San outside.

Xing San naturally heard the sounds of them getting down to business in the room. His lust had already been stirred, and now the itch became unbearable. He raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp, then called out loudly, "Brother, I'm going to take a piss."

"Get lost. Don't bother me."