mtl008 Chapter 156: Battle of wits
Chapter 156: Battle of wits
As Wang Jinlai spoke, he pulled out an iron ruler from behind him.
"Let's go in first. You must hide well. This is the letter the Wen family just gave us. You must keep it well and return to give it to Wen Bai."
Just as he was about to leave, he turned back and said:
"Before you leave here, be sure to clean up the place. Don't leave anything behind, and don't leave any trace behind."
After saying that, he pulled Wang Jindong, and the two of them ran into the village chasing the bandits.
Wang Ping'an did not hesitate and slowly groped his way up the slope where he had rested, packed up his things, and then went down the bend where there were two hired mules.
The two young men chased the bandits into the village like crazy. Wang Jinlai pulled up a few handfuls of wormwood along the way and twisted them into a rope. When they reached the entrance of the village, he said to Wang Jindong:
"You go into the village and try to wake up the villagers, let them know that bandits have entered the village to set fire and steal food. Try to hold the bandits back and make the whole village ..."
Wang Jindong said impatiently:
"You should leave quickly."
As he spoke, he ignited the hay that Wang Jinlai handed over, threw it on the haystack, and then shouted desperately:
"It's on fire~"
Running towards the village, I soon heard the barking of dogs in the village from afar.
Wang Jinlai ran towards the west of the village in the dark. He thought: Maybe this is what the lady said, a good time to take someone away!
He ran to the small corner gate of the Wen family and heard someone shouting in the yard. So he kicked the gate down and ran towards the yard he had been to during the day.
But then he realized that the shouting was actually very far away from him, and it sounded like the voice of bandits. In this yard full of half-man-high wormwood, the road could not be seen at all at night. The half-man-high wormwood was covered with large and small stones. People who were not familiar with the yard would feel like they had entered a maze as soon as they came in.
Listening to the bandits' shouting and cursing, Wang Jinlai understood why the girls from the Wen family didn't clean up the yard.
Wang Jinlai bent down and walked through the weeds. He came to the courtyard he had been to during the day and pushed the door, but it wouldn't open. There was no movement inside.
It seemed that the three bandits would not be able to find this place for at least a short time. Wang Jinlai tucked the iron ruler in his hand behind his back, climbed up the courtyard wall with great effort, and jumped in with a "gulp".
There were slight noises coming from the main room and the west wing. Wang Jinjin got up, ran to the main room door, and called softly:
"Grandma, it's me!"
Wen Xiao in the room shouted in surprise:
"Big brother!"
The young man ran to open the door, and was stunned when he saw that it was Wang Jin again.
"You, how did you..."
Wang Jinlai squatted down and said in a low voice:
"Tell everyone in the other rooms to keep quiet and come to the main hall..."
"you you……"
Wen Xiao pointed at Wang Jinjin nervously.
"It's not me, it's the bandits! The bandits have entered your village! Go and report it quickly."
Before he could finish his words, a girl came out holding an oil lamp. Wang Jinlai quickly stood up and blew out the lamp in one breath. He said in a low voice:
"Bandits have entered the village. Bandits have also entered your compound. They are looking for you. Don't make any noise. Hide yourselves. I will lead the bandits away."
Wen Jinshu only reacted for a moment before he stepped forward and grabbed the man.
"Wait, you're not familiar with the yard."
Wen Jinshu turned around and told Wen Xiao:
"Take everyone and hide in the secret room. Come out when everything is safe..."
"Three sisters."
"Go quickly."
Wen Jinshu reached back from behind the door, pulled out a wooden stick, and held it in his hand. A bluffing shout came from outside the yard:
"My dear, I see you, come with me!"
"Young lady, come out and live a good life with me!"
Wen Jinshu pulled Wang Jinlai and walked along the courtyard wall to a corner where half of the wall had collapsed, and said in a hissing voice:
"Get out of here, we'll run separately and lead the people out of the yard!"
Wang Jinlai grabbed Wen Jinshu and whispered:
"There are two waves of bandits. One wave came to steal food from the village, and this wave came specifically for you girls. They want to take you to the mountains. Follow me, and we will find a way to get rid of them."
After hearing this, Wen Jinshu also hissed:
"Come with me. This courtyard is so messy that they won't be able to find it in a short time. The main courtyard is now in ruins, which will be convenient for us to hide."
The two held hands, having already forgotten the strict rules between men and women, and ran through a small door to the other side of the yard, while Wen Jinshu shouted:
"Help, someone, there's a thief."
Wang Jinlai listened carefully and could hear some noise in the village and shouts.
Wen Jinshu's shouting successfully attracted the searching bandits. The three bandits shouted at each other and gathered in this direction.
Wang Jinlai grabbed Wen Jinshu's hand and stopped. The two of them squatted silently in a shadow, watching two bandits looking for someone not far from them.
"Monkey, it seems to be over here."
"It seems like the sound came from here, from this direction."
"The young lady won't run away, will she?"
"Where are they going? The second in command is in the front yard, collecting things."
"Could it be that he ran to the Second in Command's side?!"
"Look again."
The two men started searching separately.
Wen Jinshu pointed at the skinny monkey coming this way.
"Let's cover his mouth and tie him up first."
In the dark night, Wang Jinlai slowly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. He whispered in Wen Jinshu's ear:
"Stand up and run past him so he can see you, then go around from behind the tree and lead him over!"
Wen Jinshu immediately understood Wang Jinlai’s intention, “divide and rule.”
So he stood up gently, moved forward, stood in the moonlight, deliberately ran past the skinny monkey, and then went around and came back.
Before the skinny monkey could see clearly, Wen Jinshu pretended to sprain his ankle and limped out again. The skinny monkey finally saw clearly this time that it was a young girl running away in front of him.
When the skinny monkey saw this, he made no sound, fearing that his companion would get there first. He rubbed his hands and tiptoed towards Wen Jinshu. When they were still two steps away, Wen Jinshu turned around. This was the first time in the skinny monkey's life, and it would also be the last time, that he would see such a beautiful girl.
Wang Jinlai's clothes fell directly over his head, and before the skinny monkey could shout, Wen Jinshu grabbed the skinny monkey's neck tightly. The skinny monkey tried to pry Wen Jinshu's hands apart in fear.
This gave Wang Jin another chance, and he stuffed all the remaining corners of his clothes into the mouth of the skinny monkey. The skinny monkey made a whining sound and quickly tore off the black cloth covering his head.
Wen Jinshu and Wang Jinlai hurriedly wrapped the skinny monkey's robe over his head again.
They tied his upper body tightly, and then pushed him into a corner where some debris was piled.