Hu Xiaotian nodded. "You needn't be afraid. If you're willing to submit, I can incorporate you into the army. If you don't wish to stay, I'll let you leave freely."
Only then did Luo Shifeng feel reassured. Men like them had effectively been abandoned by Guo Guangbi. After rebelling at the Imperial Mausoleum, they had been pursued all the way by Su Yuchi's army and eventually fled to Xingzhou. They had thought they could finally escape the sea of suffering, but never imagined that crows everywhere were equally black. Though Guo Guangbi had initially raised the banner of righteousness and proclaimed that he would champion the people, in truth he cared only for his own interests, paying no heed to the suffering of his subordinates or the common folk. Coming to Xingzhou had not even solved the problem of food and clothing. Worse still, they had been forced to rob the people against their consciences. Luo Shifeng and his men had come from impoverished families themselves, so naturally they could not stomach Guo Guangbi's conduct and had long harbored thoughts of abandoning him. Otherwise, Hu Xiaotian would never have taken Xingzhou so easily.
Hu Xiaotian had Xiong Tianba temporarily assign Luo Shifeng and the others to the Engineering Corps. They had originally been stonemasons, so joining the Engineering Corps would put their strengths to good use. Seeing how generously Hu Xiaotian treated them, Luo Shifeng felt deeply reassured and revealed a secret to him: there was an underground vault in the garden of Guo Guangbi's residence, containing a considerable amount of treasure. Hu Xiaotian ordered Luo Shifeng to lead his men into the garden to excavate it.
By afternoon, the vault's entrance had been opened. To Hu Xiaotian's delight, a great deal of treasure remained inside. Guo Guangbi's withdrawal had