The moment that steady voice rang out.
Everyone's gazes turned toward it.
Qin Zheng was also somewhat surprised as he looked at the young monk.
"Good! Good! Good!"
"As expected of Saint Monk Wuchang of Rebirth Temple!"
Magistrate Gao said "good" three times in succession, his face full of excitement.
"Advisor Liu, quickly fetch the banknotes for the Saint Monk!"
He turned to Advisor Liu at his side and spoke.
"Alright!"
Advisor Liu turned and quickly left.
But at that moment, the monk's expression turned solemn as he said, "Benefactor, there is no need for this. Saving the suffering and relieving the distressed is this poor monk's original vow, not something I do for silver rewards."
Magistrate Gao smiled and said, "I was too attached to appearances. Still, the Saint Monk must accept this silver. Consider it incense offering money that I am presenting to Rebirth Temple."
Only after those words did the monk's expression ease somewhat.
Everyone watched this scene with different thoughts in their hearts, but none spoke.
When Advisor Liu returned with the banknotes and Magistrate Gao personally handed them to the monk, he looked toward everyone again.
"As you have all seen, every promise I made before was genuine."
"Those who join the bandit suppression as individuals will be rewarded with one thousand taels of silver. Those who join as gang forces will be exempt from taxes for three years!"
He repeated the conditions he had promised.
The various gang forces were instantly tempted. Even Zhang Wei, the chief of the Canoe Gang, showed a trace of interest.
The Canoe Gang's profits were enormous, and the taxes it paid the yamen each year were likewise no small sum.
If they could be exempted from taxes for three years, that would be far too much money!
And if they did not act, Black Goose City would surely be beyond saving.
Once the bandits entered the city, their entire family fortunes would likely be plundered clean.
At that thought, Zhang Wei slowly rose to his feet and said solemnly, "Count my Canoe Gang in!"
After he stated his position, the remaining forces followed suit one after another.
"With Black Goose City in crisis, the Black Tiger Gang will not stand by with folded arms!"
"Driving out the bandits—count the Vermilion Bird Gang in as well!"
"My Three Origins Gang—"
"I—"
For a time, everyone voiced their positions, indicating their willingness to take part.
The smile on Magistrate Gao's face grew ever broader.
"Good! Since everyone is so generous, my yamen cannot be stingy either!"
"Advisor Liu, quickly! Distribute silver to all these heroes!"
He waved his hand grandly.
Advisor Liu immediately took a stack of banknotes and handed them out one by one.
Blending in among the crowd, Qin Zheng silently accepted his banknote.
With his current strength, leaving the city to suppress bandits would not pose much danger. On the contrary, it was a fine opportunity to reap merit on a grand scale.
Moreover, everyone had agreed at this moment, and no one objected.
Thus, after weighing it over and over, Qin Zheng chose to silently accept.
One thousand taels per person—given the number of people present today, the yamen had likely handed out no less than tens of thousands of taels.
This Black Goose City yamen truly was wealthy!
"Good! Heroes, let us rest peacefully in the city these next few days. Three days from now, when the bandits reach the city, we will leave the city to suppress them!"
Magistrate Gao settled the matter with a single word.
And so, this banquet came to an end.
Everyone left the yamen one after another.
The others all lived in the west of the city; only Qin Zheng lived in the east.
Thus, Qin Zheng was alone on his way back.
His thoughts were entirely focused on leaving the city to suppress bandits three days later, and he paid little attention to his surroundings.
Behind him, mist gathered, then condensed into the outline of a human figure, as though it were watching Qin Zheng from behind.
At that moment, Qin Zheng's brow twitched slightly, and he immediately snapped awake.
He suddenly turned to look behind him.
Evening mist filled the air, but other than that, nothing was there.
Qin Zheng frowned slightly. He no longer thought about suppressing bandits, instead using his lightness skill to rush swiftly toward the ruined temple in the east of the city.
The north of the city was truly strange—not a place to linger for long.
By the time he returned to the ruined temple, the children had already fallen asleep under Qi Yan's care. Yet Qi Yan was still waiting, a faint trace of worry showing on her face.
Only when she saw Qin Zheng return did her expression relax, the worry vanishing from her eyes.
"Brother Qin."
Qi Yan stepped forward.
"Mm."
Qin Zheng nodded. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Three days from now, I will leave the city to suppress bandits. In the next few days, I'll find a new place for you all to stay."
Qin Zheng did not know how long he would be gone once he left the city to suppress bandits.
It would not be safe to leave them in this ruined temple any longer. It was better to find another clean place to live.
After saying that, Qin Zheng went off to rest and sleep on his own.
Qi Yan stood there in a slight daze. When she looked at Qin Zheng afterward, her eyes were truly filled with worry.
Time passed, but three days had not yet gone by.
On the second day alone, large groups of bandits began appearing outside Black Goose City.
For a time, the city became tense once more.
Qin Zheng found a larger courtyard in the south of the city and settled the people from the ruined temple there.
Soon afterward, people from the yamen found him and invited him to gather at the western city gate.
As he was leaving, Qi Yan hurriedly came to find Qin Zheng.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she looked bashful as she gazed at Qin Zheng, wanting to speak but hesitating.
In the end, she took a small embroidered sachet from her robes, handed it to Qin Zheng, and said softly, "Brother Qin, I embroidered this sachet over the past few days."
"Inside is a talisman for peace that I obtained from a Daoist temple. The bandits are fierce, and there is nothing I can do to help you."
"I'm giving you this sachet in the hope that you will return safely from this journey."
Qin Zheng accepted her sachet and said with a smile, "Thank you. You all should be careful over the next few days as well."
After saying that, he left directly.
Qi Yan was left standing where she was, her eyes full of worry.
When Qin Zheng arrived with the Ghost-Head Saber on his back, the place was already packed tightly with disciples from every faction.
There were also many young monks dressed in white monk robes. They should have been monks from Rebirth Temple.
Qin Zheng was somewhat puzzled. Had these monks entered Black Goose City long ago, or had they only appeared recently?
He always felt as though these monks had suddenly sprung up from nowhere.
The doubt flashed through his mind and vanished.
Advisor Liu was already waiting there, and he respectfully led Qin Zheng up the city wall.
Wuchang the Monk of Rebirth Temple, the chief of the Canoe Gang, Leader Wei of the Black Tiger Gang—
All the Muscle-Refining Realm experts who had broken through the three great barriers were gathered there at this moment.
Qin Zheng stepped forward and greeted them.
Then he turned his gaze beneath the city wall.
As the main gate of Black Goose City, the western gate was also the bandits' primary target for their assault.
Thus, when Qin Zheng looked down, he saw the bandits already gathered below, a vast black mass spread out before the city gate.
A burly man held a Crescent Great Saber in his hand, his eyes shut as though he were gathering momentum.
This was the leader of the bandits, Zhang Xiuwen!
At the sight, Qin Zheng's eyes immediately darkened slightly.
As though sensing Qin Zheng's gaze, the burly man opened his eyes and looked over.
In an instant, their gazes collided in midair.
"Kid! Open the city gate, and we won't kill you later!"
The burly man spoke slowly, his voice like thunder, clearly reaching the top of the city wall.
Qin Zheng narrowed his eyes and ignored him.
"I'll give you lot another half hour. If you do not open the city gate, our army will launch a direct assault!"
"And during this time, I would like to invite you all to watch a performance!"
The burly man's voice continued.
After he finished speaking, the crowd behind him moved to either side, opening up a passage.
Then several people with their hands bound and dog chains around their necks were led slowly to the burly man's side.
"These are all soldiers from Black Goose City who went out to suppress bandits. They have now all been captured by us!"
"From this moment on, every quarter hour, I will chop off the heads of another batch!"
"If the gate is still not opened after half an hour, I will begin attacking the city directly!"
Before you continue