Nine out of ten gamblers lose; I've run into a jerk!

Chapter 90 Nissan, our sweet talk might be over soon.

As dawn broke and roosters crowed, the bonfires that had burned out in the wheat fields emitted white smoke. The constables and commoners, scattered in various places, were already exhausted and lay down on the ridges of the fields without any regard for their appearance.

After three days and three nights of concerted efforts, 60% of the wheat fields in various villages of Long County were saved. Looking at the wheat seedlings that had been painstakingly rescued, many people had tears in their eyes, this time weeping with joy.

Yuan Cong breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this scene. It was estimated that this year's taxes would not be collected again, but at least the people would no longer have to flee to escape famine and starve to death for thousands of miles.

The mascot Shen Qing also breathed a sigh of relief. Although he hadn't done much physical work, he was under a lot of psychological pressure. He had only used theoretical knowledge to deal with the locust plague for the first time. If he messed it up, the local people would probably devour him alive.

He hadn't slept well for several days in a row, and his eyes were covered in bruises. He yawned, tilted his head, and was about to fall asleep when he suddenly woke up with a start. At that moment, he finally remembered Shen Che.

Although he promised Shen Che that he would catch up within three days, plans can't keep up with changes, and now three days have passed, and he still hasn't set off.

Question: If he sets off now, how long will it take him to catch up with Shen Che?

Just as Shen Qing was calculating whether he could meet up with Shen Che at Yiyang Pass by riding at full speed, Yuan Cong came over and bowed.

"We were able to overcome this crisis entirely thanks to the young celestial master's righteous help. Would you do me the honor of hosting a banquet to express my gratitude?"

"Your Excellency flatters me. I have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I shall take my leave here." Shen Qing bowed respectfully.

Having said that, without waiting for Yuan Cong to try and persuade him to stay, he mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and shouted, "Giddy up!"

"Hey~" Yuan Cong withdrew his outstretched hand and chuckled, "Little Celestial Master is quite the character~"

The clerk approached, somewhat regretfully: "You're just letting him go like that, sir? Such a person could serve the government..."

Yuan Cong shook his head, "This boy is no ordinary person; the waters of Long County are too shallow."

"If he is willing to work for the government, you, sir, will have the merit of recommending him to the prefectural government."

"Things happen by chance and cannot be forced."

Yuan Cong's gaze fell on the wheat fields and the hardworking people. His eyes were deep, and after a long silence, he said, "There is one thing that needs my attention."

The advisor, skilled at reading people, noticed the seriousness in Yuan Cong's expression and asked, "The locust plague is over, sir, what worries do you still have?"

"The natural disasters have passed, but I fear that man-made disasters will follow."

"You mean, sir..."

"We have received news that the locust plague has affected nearby prefectures and counties, and many places have suffered no harvest. I am afraid that soon there will be disaster victims fleeing north to escape the famine."

The clerk's heart sank upon hearing this. "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." In this world, grain is the most valuable commodity. If the bandits in the vicinity heard that there was still grain in Long County, they would likely send men to plunder it. And the refugees fleeing famine are no different from bandits; robbing passing villages is commonplace, and the villagers of the plundered villages are then forced into becoming new refugees…

"Alas," the advisor sighed heavily, "These are truly turbulent times."

But no matter how difficult it is, the necessary precautions must be taken. Yuan Cong once again convened a meeting with the respected elders of the village to discuss and recruit able-bodied men for patrols.

Born in a chaotic world, everyone is trying their best to survive.

Meanwhile, the Xuan Kingdom delegation had already entered the Cangzhou territory, and Shen Che sat in the carriage counting the days on his fingers.

Upon discovering I'd been stood up, I was furious but then laughed – great!

“My lord,” Du Zhong rode up to Shen Che’s carriage window, “we’ll be at Tiger Head Mountain soon.”

A few months ago, when they passed by Tiger Head Mountain, they heard that a band of hundreds of bandits had gathered there. When the delegation passed by, some people hid in the shadows and peeked around, eyeing the caravan's valuables. However, the 500 fully armed guards were not an easy target, so they gave up.

Shen Che was caught in a dilemma. Was it safe for Qingxi to walk this road alone? Should the delegation stop here and wait for her?

But five days have passed and she still hasn't come. The delegation can't just wait here at the foot of the mountain. They also thought, "A few hundred petty thieves are nothing. If Qingxi can't beat them, can't she at least outrun them?"

After hesitating for a while, Shen Che finally decided to continue moving forward.

Meanwhile, the scouts patrolling the mountain also reported the news of the Xuan Kingdom's envoy to the mountain stronghold.

Five chairs were placed above the hall, with a complete tiger skin covering the one in the very center, and a ferocious and majestic tiger head hanging above it.

"Brother, this is a fat sheep. I wanted to rob it last time, but I didn't have enough manpower. Now we have merged with eighteen surrounding villages, and we have nearly 20,000 men."

Although the figure of 20,000 men is somewhat exaggerated, with only 5,000 or 6,000 able-bodied men and the rest being women, children, and family members, it has already become a formidable force as a mountain stronghold.

Zhu Biao, who was called "Big Brother," was eight feet tall, with a full beard and piercing eyes. He exuded the air of a rough and heroic man. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke.

"Jingguo has made a offer, and the fourth brother has already led men to kidnap the Cangzhou governor's family. Let's not create any more trouble."

Second-in-command Yang Bo nodded in agreement, “That’s right. Offending the Cangzhou governor is already risky. This place isn’t far from Xuan Kingdom. If any escapees get away, it would be bad if Xuan and Qi Kingdoms joined forces to suppress the bandits.”

"Fine, let's pretend we didn't see it and let the Xuan Kingdom delegation pass."

"Second brother, are there any capable talents among the heroes who have recently come to serve us?"

"They're all just brutes, but today a Taoist priest named Zhang Tian has come, and he does have some talent."

"Oh~"

Meanwhile, Shen Che's delegation from Xuan Kingdom passed through the official road near Tiger Head Mountain without incident, completely unaware that they had just narrowly escaped a crisis.

Luo Fang, the fourth leader of Erhutou Mountain, ambushed people on a dangerous mountain path, swatting mosquitoes every now and then.

"Fourth Master, look, the Ye family's convoy is coming soon!"

Three carriages were seen traveling in this direction, surrounded by dozens of guards.

A girl of about fifteen years old in the carriage lifted the curtain and looked out at the scenery.

"Young lady, put it down quickly, this is unseemly."

The girl pouted, thinking that Granny Yang was really old-fashioned, completely unaware of the impending danger.

Shen Qing was also on his way in this direction.

Hidden in the grass, Luo Fang watched the group approach little by little, raised his hand, and began to count down in his mind.

"on!"

The unsuspecting convoy was thrown into disarray by bandits who rushed out from the side road.

"Whoa!"

The coachman reined in the frightened horse, and the girl and the old woman were nearly thrown out of the carriage by the jolting motion.

"Assassin! Protect the lady!"

With a series of swift movements, the guards drew their swords.

"kill!"

Luo Fang commanded his men to charge forward, and the blades clashed as the two sides engaged in a fierce battle.

The girl was terrified by the shouts of killing outside the carriage. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and she reached for the dagger under the cushion with trembling hands.

"Don't be afraid, young lady, everything will be alright." Granny Yang comforted the girl, but she was not optimistic. She only hoped that Ye's guards could display their great power and repel the bandits, otherwise, if the young lady fell into the hands of these bandits, she would be ruined even if she didn't die.

"Quickly go to Fancheng for reinforcements!" The head guard swung his sword to parry the attack, clearing a bloody path for one of his guards.

The guard charged out, and Luo Fang watched it all but didn't send anyone to chase him. He didn't care if someone spread the news that Ye Mingzhu, the second daughter of the Ye family, had been kidnapped. It was better if people knew; as long as Ye Mingzhu was captured, it didn't matter if everyone else escaped.

After an incense stick had burned, the last guard of the Ye family also fell down.

"Lady Ye, are you going to get down yourself, or should I help you down?"

Terrified to the extreme, Ye Mingzhu calmed down, gripped the dagger, and jumped off the carriage.

“If you are after money, I can send a letter to Fancheng. My father will certainly not be stingy with it.”

"What a pity~ We want both people and money."

Ye Mingzhu's expression changed drastically. "Did someone instruct you to do this? The Ye family can offer ten times the price!"

Luo Fang chuckled and said, "Madam Ye is trying to stall for time? That's quite clever of you. But I won't fall for that. Surrendering obediently will save me some suffering."

Luo Fang waved his hand, and immediately two henchmen stepped forward to arrest Ye Mingzhu.

"Don't come any closer!" Ye Mingzhu brandished her dagger. "Get out of my way!"

Seeing the little girl's desperate struggle, the surrounding bandits burst into laughter, uttering classic robbery lines.

"Scream all you want, no one will come to save you no matter how hard you scream."

Ye Mingzhu was extremely embarrassed and angry at being mocked. She pointed the dagger at her own throat and said, "If you come any closer, I'll die right here!"

"Hahahaha~ It's okay, you can still use it even if you're dead~"

"you!"

Ye Mingzhu was so angry that tears were about to fall. Her hand holding the dagger was trembling. Suicide really takes courage. She was so unwilling!

She's so young, she hasn't lived enough yet, she had a bright future ahead of her... But if she doesn't die, falling into their hands will be worse than death and will bring shame to her family.

Ye Mingzhu finally made up her mind, closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face, and raised the dagger to stab herself hard in the neck!

Luo Fang's expression changed. Oh no, he'd gone too far!

"Snapped--"

Ye Mingzhu's dagger was knocked away by a pebble thrown by Luo Fang. As the fourth leader, she did have some skill.

Luo Fang also dropped his joking demeanor and coldly ordered, "Arrest them!"

Ye Mingzhu looked at the approaching bandits in despair, regretting that she hadn't acted faster.

"Let go of that girl!"

The voice was so abrupt that everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young man in black riding a horse at full speed. As he approached the encirclement, he leaped onto the horse's back, jumped over the crowd, and landed directly next to the luminous pearl.

Shen Qing immediately shielded Ye Mingzhu behind him, saying, "Don't be afraid, young lady."

"Ha, a greenhorn trying to play the hero and save the damsel in distress?"

Why does this sound so familiar?

Shen Qing scoffed, "Haven't you heard that heroes have always emerged from among the young?"

"You might as well just become a ghost hero! Go! Kill him!"

Having already wasted enough time, Luo Fang lost patience and directly ordered the execution.

"Young man, you should run. Don't throw your life away." Ye Mingzhu was touched that someone had come to her aid when she saw injustice. This young man seemed to have some skill, but the numbers were too many, so she had no hope.

"Young lady, stay away." Shen Qing drew her twin swords with her other hand, their bases collided and spun together, merging into one, transforming into a battlefield meat grinder.

The blade wielded with incredible skill in Shen Qing's hands, slicing through fabric and tearing flesh, eliciting screams of agony as the group was forced into a retreat.

They've met their match! Like Ye Mingzhu earlier, Luo Fang was filled with regret. He wished he hadn't played along. For the first time, he truly understood what it meant to prolong the night and let things change.

Looking at Shen Qing, who was wreaking havoc, Ye Mingzhu felt a glimmer of hope in her heart. A true man should act like this!

The bandits were routed and forced to retreat. Shen Qing, not wanting to get entangled, quickly withdrew from the battle, intending to run away with Mingzhu.

Just then, several arrows came flying. Shen Qing barely dodged them, then rolled over to avoid several more arrows. Before he could catch his breath after landing, he found himself surrounded by archers.

Where did these enemy reinforcements come from?!

"Big brother, what brings you here?"

Zhu Biao stepped out from the crowd and glared at Luo Fang. "You almost ruined everything. It's all thanks to the strategist's brilliant planning."

"military adviser?"

As Luo Fang looked on in confusion, a Taoist priest slowly walked out, holding a whisk.

Isn't that Zhang the charlatan?

Oh my god, things have gone wrong. Shen Qing looked at the dozens of archers and hundreds of reinforcements around him. He couldn't fight them, and he couldn't run away either.

Oh no, it's been sent. Bro, I can't go back now.

After Zhang Tian was rescued by Niu Er, he traveled north. Although he set off early, Shen Qing was on horseback, so they arrived at the vicinity of Tiger Head Mountain at roughly the same time.

As Zhang Tian and his group rested in the quiet shade of the trees, they happened to see Shen Qing ride by, stop at a stream not far away to feed his horse water, and take a rest.

They dared not provoke this murderous talent and quietly slipped away. Shen Qing, exhausted from several days of travel, did not notice them and rested under the tree with his eyes closed for an hour.

It was during this time difference that Zhang Tian went up Tiger Head Mountain and met Zhu Biao through the introduction of the second-in-command, Yang Bo. He heard about the location where the fourth-in-command, Luo Fang, ambushed Ye Mingzhu and estimated that he would most likely run into Shen Qing. Even if they only met once, Zhang Tian was certain that Shen Qing would meddle in other people's business, so he took the opportunity to demonstrate his "predictive" ability.

Based on their previous encounters, Zhang Tian couldn't determine exactly how skilled Shen Qing was, but bringing more men was definitely the right thing to do. In response to Shen Qing's unpredictable movements, he specifically emphasized bringing enough archers.

Zhang Tian looked at Shen Qing triumphantly. What goes around comes around! He was going to make Shen Qing taste what it was like to be hung from a tree! Hang him up for three days and three nights!

Unexpectedly, Zhu Biao asked, "Young man, I see you are quite skilled. Who is your teacher? What do you do for a living?"

“My master lives in seclusion, and I, Du Wei, am merely a wandering swordsman, not worth mentioning.”

Zhu Biao was somewhat appreciative of talent. He had always intended to dominate the chaotic world by conquering the eighteen mountain strongholds, and now he was recruiting talents. It would be best if such talents could be brought under his command.

"Young brother, do you aspire to make a name for yourself? If you are willing to join my ranks, the position of sixth leader will be yours."

Zhang Tian was dumbfounded. How did Shen Qing suddenly become his superior?

"Thank you for your kindness, Chief, but I'm used to a leisurely life."

Zhu Biao said regretfully, "Then let it go. Everyone has their own ambitions, and you can't force things."

Surprisingly, he was quite understanding?

"Fire arrows."

Zhu Biao gave the order calmly, and the archers immediately drew their bows and nocked their arrows.

"But!" Shen Qing quickly interjected to salvage the situation, "How can a true man stand between heaven and earth without making any achievements!"

"Sixth Brother!"

"Big brother!"

Ye Mingzhu: ……