Chapter 1137: Shooting To Fame After One Battle
Translator: Lordbluefire
Sun Mo didn’t explain things to Ye Biao but looked toward the hostages who were kneeling on the floor.
“You guys are free now. The one who did this is me, Swallow Li San. The reason for doing this isn’t for anything else but to enforce justice on behalf of heaven.”
Sun Mo said in a loud voice, “Landlord Zhong is greedy, brutal, and does a lot of evil acts, causing many families to be broken up and destroyed. Take Zhong Xiaoliu’s family for example. Their lands were seized and his younger sister who was below the age of 20 was raped and then sold to a brothel. Who should die if not someone like this?”
Sun Mo listed out Landlord Zhong’s evil deeds as if he was in great pain.
The servants who had been sobbing softly earlier on didn’t dare to make another sound. It was true that Landlord Zhong had done a lot of bad deeds, but as servants, how would they dare to shoot their mouths off for no reason?
In the beginning, they felt that these evildoers were very bad. But now, it seemed that they were really enforcing justice on behalf of heaven.
“We don’t kill recklessly, so we’ll let you guys leave!”
After saying that, Sun Mo planned to leave. However, a servant bellowed out.
“You guys killed my older brother!”
“Is he a guard? If he is, then shut up!”
Sun Mo stared at him. “If you feel aggrieved, then I’ll go investigate if your older brother had helped Landlord Zhong in his evil deeds, forcing women into prost.i.tution. If he did do that, then your entire family would die! If not, I’d pay you with my life!”
“Dalang!”
Sun Erniang came running over to check out the situation when she didn’t see Sun Mo coming to the front door. When she heard him say this, she was immediately given a fright.
The bandits’ expressions all changed a little.
That servant shrank his neck back, seeming hesitant but not daring to say another word.
How could a guard dare to go against their master’s orders?
Therefore, they’d definitely have done some bad deeds before.
At the sight of this scene, all the bandits shouted out. This was the first time they felt that they weren’t in the wrong after having killed and committed arson. A lot of the sinfulness they were feeling disappeared.
“As for these ill-gotten gains, other than keeping some for ourselves to recruit men and purchase horses, we’ll donate the rest out to help the poor.”
Sun Mo looked toward those bandits. “Since we’re eating these foods, we mustn’t let the people who had grown them down.”
“Brother Sun is right!”
“Fourth Boss, we’ll do as you say!”
“We’re righteous bandits! We don’t do bad deeds!”
The bandits shouted out, feeling very good.
Ye Biao looked a little surprised when he saw that quite a number of people had started to call Sun Mo the fourth boss. These outlaws were arrogant people, but they were all convinced by Sun Mo after just one operation with him.
He could only say that Sun Mo’s charisma was very strong.
“Come, let’s head back to the mountain stronghold!”
Sun Mo didn’t continue to have those servants take any responsibilities for their actions and turned to leave.
The reason he had said so much was to spread their reputation as righteous bandits. They’d only be able to attract more people by saying that their actions were intended to enforce justice on behalf of heaven.
Even though the sky had turned dark and it was hard to travel, the bandits who had just accomplished a great operation went on their way energetically without Sun Mo’s orders.
After all, they’d only be safe after returning to the mountain stronghold.
“Brother Sun, why didn’t we burn down the manor?”
Ye Biao couldn’t understand. Killing and arson were often grouped. Without having committed arson, he kept having the feeling that something was missing.
“There’d be people who’d do it for us!”
Sun Mo smiled and looked in the direction of the Zhong Clan’s manor.
As expected, it wasn’t long before a fire started to burn, reflecting an orange-red color onto the sky.
“Huh? Who did that?”
Ye Biao was stunned.
“The villagers. It could be those servants as well!”
Sun Mo guessed. It didn’t matter anyway.
“They wouldn’t dare to do that, right?”
Ye Biao didn’t believe that. Sharecroppers and servants were all lowly people. How would they dare to burn down their master’s manor?
Sun Mo smiled, not saying anything.
After a short while, a black figure suddenly darted out from the forest. It gave everyone a big fright and all of them drew their blades.
“Don’t fight! It’s me! Zhong Xiaoliu!”
Zhong Xiaoliu panted heavily, running up to Sun Mo and saying, “Big Brother, I’ve told them according to your instructions.”
“You’ve come back slightly later than planned. You must have come back only after seeing them s.n.a.t.c.hing the food and setting the manor on fire, right?”
Sun Mo gave Zhong Xiaoliu a tight hug. “You’ve been very thoughtful!”
“It’s my honor to be able to give my life to serve Brother Sun!”
Zhong Xiaoliu felt extremely touched.
He was worried that those sharecroppers wouldn’t dare to s.n.a.t.c.h the food and wouldn’t set the place on fire either. Therefore, he waited there secretly. He didn’t expect that they would really do it. It was exactly as Brother Sun had said.
“Dalang, you really have a black heart!”
Sun Erniang understood now.
The landlord’s house had too much food, and it’d be impossible for them to bring everything with them. Sun Erniang wanted to burn them up, but Sun Mo’s intention was clearly to share them with those villagers.
Moreover, because the villagers had it over their head from all the s.n.a.t.c.hing, they were trying to destroy the evidence, so they burned down the manor. With that, they’d be partners in crime.
It’d then be harder for the government officials to investigate the case.
“Can you please not call me Dalang?” Sun Mo’s lips twitched. “It sounds unlucky!”
Sun Mo had thought further than that. As long as those sharecroppers had s.n.a.t.c.hed the food, even if they didn’t burn down the manor, Zhong Xiaoliu would do it.
Think about it. Xiaoliu and the Zhong Clan had such a great feud. How would it be possible for him not to set the place on fire?
This was all within Sun Mo’s plan.
Moreover, when he came down from the mountain in the future, leading a volunteer army across Jiangzhou, these sharecroppers who had a taste of plundering would have a high chance of joining him, adding to their strength.
Of course, they wouldn’t have any choice to reject!
It was because he’d expose them of having seized the food reserves and burned down the manor. Also, the reason Sun Mo hadn’t killed Landlord Zhong’s family wasn’t just because he didn’t wish to kill the innocents, but because he wanted to let them seek revenge.
Even though it was dark and no one saw the sharecroppers seizing the food, the Zhong Clan’s members weren’t fools. Could they not hate the sharecroppers? To get more wealth and live the good lives they used to, they’d definitely increase rent and interests. With all these factors, the people who couldn’t hold on would end up becoming an addition to Sun Mo’s strength!
This was perfect!
“I’m really smart!”
Sun Mo felt a little happy.
“After this battle, our volunteer army’s reputation should spread far!”
Sun Erniang was very happy.
Deep inside, she still wanted to be a good person. Therefore, she couldn’t stand watching how some people from the mountain stronghold were stopping people on their paths, robbing them, and killing them to get their goods. After all, those traveling merchants hadn’t done anything wrong.
It felt better to be killing landlords who were tyrants, enforcing justice on behalf of heaven.
…
In the meeting hall on Mount Zhao, the three bosses were drinking wine.
“Do you guys think that Sun Mo will be successful on this trip?”
The First Boss chugged down a mouthful of wine, looking at the lake in the distance, wearing a solemn expression.
There were over ten groups of bandits around the Eight Hundred Miles Lake. The Mount Zhao’s bandits weren’t the strongest amongst them. If the people who went with Sun Mo were wiped out, causing the mountain stronghold’s strength to plummet, the other bandits would definitely take the chance to take over them.
It’d also be troublesome if Sun Mo turned out successful. It was because the First Boss was one with great ambition but little talent, and he was also very fearful toward things.
He wanted to do big jobs but was also worried about being targeted by government officials.
“Things won’t go too bad with Ye Biao going along!”
The Second Boss took big bites of meat and then a mouthful of wine before he smiled. “Scholars are all just empty talk. Although Sun Mo managed to trick some brothers to go down the mountain with his glib tongue, robbery is something that relies on how fast and vicious a person’s blade is!”
“What do you mean by that?”
The Third Boss had been a distinguished-talent and he was unhappy upon hearing this.
“Adviser, don’t get angry! I’m not talking about you!”
The Second Boss said. To speak the truth, if it wasn’t because this guy had brought a lot of money and food up the mountain, and he still had some of his father’s connections in Jiangzhou which would allow them to save their men through bribing with money, he’d have killed this guy and toss him into the lake to feed the fish.
“That poor scholar will probably die in this operation. What will happen to his wife?”
The Second Boss had seen Mei Niang before and to be honest, he was very tempted. “Sun Mo hasn’t contributed anything to the mountain stronghold, so we have no reason to let her stay!”
“Shameless!”
The Third Boss cursed softly.
“Drink up, drink up!”
The First Boss spoke up to have them drink up, not really trying to stop the quarrel between them. If these two bosses didn’t have any conflicts between them, how would he be able to remain on his seat as the First Boss steadily?
Before they finished their drinking sessions, a bandit came over excitedly to report to them.
“Our brothers have returned! The fis.h.i.+ng boats are filled to the brim!”
Clank! Clank! Clank!
The three bosses shot up to their feet in unison, wearing different expressions.
“How are the casualties?”
The First Boss asked.
“To heck with that. As long as they’ve seized enough money and goods this time around, it won’t be a loss!”
The Second Boss was very excited and walked out of the pavilion quickly to receive the boats. “Oh, right, what about that Sun Mo? Did he die?”
“I don’t know. I came over to report the news when I saw the boats coming back.”
The underling had no idea either.
When the boats reached the sh.o.r.es, the bandits who received the news had all come. When they saw the boats filled with money and food, their eyes gleamed.
“Why are you guys all standing there? Hurry up and move the stuff!”
Ye Biao stood at the front of the boat, waving his big hand.
“Brother Biao, you’re amazing!”
“Brother Biao, please bring me along when you go plundering next time!”
“I was saying from the start that with Brother Biao, things will definitely be a success!”
The bandits all curried up to Ye Biao.
“Haha!”
Ye Biao was enjoying all these praises, but when he saw Sun Mo coming out, his expression froze and he immediately explained, “Don’t be talking gibberish. This is all thanks to Big Brother Sun!”
“Big Brother Sun?”
The bandits were all stunned. When was there a Big Brother Sun in the mountain stronghold?
Ye Biao was a person who had status in the stronghold and thus was referred to as Brother Biao. There were less than ten people whom he’d address as his older brother.
“It’s Sun Mo! The recommended-candidate who came to the mountain a few days back!”
Ye Biao explained.
The bandits exchanged glances, wanting to ask if he was having a fever and spouting gibberish.
(I know that recommended-candidates would definitely be good in studies but robberies? Would he be able to swing a blade?)
But they soon found out that Ye Biao wasn’t joking. It was because Sun Mo had come out with the mountain stronghold’s top beauty, Sun Erniang, who followed behind him and treated him with great courtesy.
Usually, Sun Erniang wouldn’t care for men like them.
The bandits who had gone with Sun Mo in this operation were starting to boast as well. After all, this was a great operation that was worth flaunting.
“Biao, what happened?”
The Second Boss called Ye Biao over. This didn’t seem right!
(Why did you guys become so respectful toward Sun Mo after one trip?)
“Second Boss, that Sun Mo is this!”
Ye Biao flashed a thumbs-up. “With him around, we’ll definitely be able to enjoy a good life in the future. We might even get to try out the emperor’s throne!”
“…”
The Second Boss wanted to scold. (What the h.e.l.l are you thinking?)
The First Boss smiled and received Sun Mo, but in his heart, he felt a great threat. This guy could threaten his position as the leader of the mountain stronghold..