Chapter 317: Self-Detonation?

The next morning.

It was the fourth day since the Qiu Gong Dam breached.

After days of heavy rain, the downpour finally ceased; the sky hung gray and hazy, fine raindrops falling like cowhair.

Yu Yu Dayi's spirit was weary; he glanced around.

Over ninety percent of the fleet's vessels were crammed with refugees.

The small fishing boats circling the main ship were packed with women and children, riding so low in the water that capsizing was a constant risk.

Yu Yu Dayi's temples throbbed painfully; he still had to repair the Qiu Gong Dam, and how to fix it was a massive problem—he was utterly headachy.

If he had worked harder and earned a Metropolitan Graduate degree, entered the Tiger Class, he would never have ended up in Huazhu County.

Metropolitan Graduate, Graduate by Merit, Equivalent Graduate.

They sounded similar, but the differences were immense.

First-class Metropolitan Graduate—nay, the elite among graduates.

Second-class Graduate by Merit held far more privileges than third-class Equivalent Graduate.

The most crucial one: priority in choosing one's posting and position, priority in ranking when official posts were scarce—commonly called the Tiger Class.

Alas, Yu Yu Dayi was merely a third-class Equivalent Graduate; he got whatever was left, with no choice at all.

In his regret, a wooden raft drifted in from the vast waters.

His subordinates had all been dispatched to survey disaster zones; Wei Shao stood alone atop the raft. Seeing the fleet, he rolled up his sleeves and leapt—running across the water itself!

Last night came a lord who slashed the fish monster to death with one strike; today comes a lord who runs on water?

The common folk watching from the fishing boats all rose to their feet, causing the boatmen to curse.

"Sit down! Sit down! Don't shake!"

"All of you, sit down!"

"Hey! Move again, and I'll shove you into the water!"

Yu Yu Dayi, experienced and worldly, was not startled; when the newcomer reached the bow, he glanced at his official badge.

"I assumed the River Office's envoys would arrive nearly simultaneously; I didn't expect you, Lord Wei, to be so much later."

"Someone else arrived before you?"

Wei Shao frowned; he knew the person from Long Xu Yue's side was Liang Qu. Hearing he had lost again, he found it unbearable.

"Not just earlier—he arrived before midnight. Now…" Yu Yu Dayi looked up at the sky, "it must be past the hour of Chen?"

That's at least five hours ahead…

Wei Shao frowned.

He had departed immediately upon receiving orders; though his horse wasn't a Dragon Blood Horse, it wasn't ordinary either—he'd switched mounts, so even if slower, he shouldn't be half a day behind.

Wei Shao had just located the county magistrate.

Liang Qu had already arrived at the Sand River Gang's headquarters—Sand River Mountain.

Chishan galloped on four hooves; Lu Lu Xinqing sprinted behind, legs flailing, panting like a dead dog, saliva clinging like glue.

The scouts in the hilltop fortress spotted the fiery steed from afar and knew the arrival was no ordinary person—especially the official robe, strikingly similar to the two who had come knocking last time!

The scout immediately rushed into the fortress to report.

In a small wooden hut behind the mountain, Cheng Chong sat in meditation, surrounded by the faint smoke of Concentration Incense, cultivating.

A knock came; the gang member Master Lian Master Lian Jingye whispered outside: "Boss! The government's here again! I recognized the robe—it's still the River Office!"

No response came from the hut.

Just as Master Lian Master Lian Jingye thought the boss hadn't heard, he raised his knuckles to tap the door.

"I know."

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye lowered his hand, hesitating: "What should we do? They probably want to borrow boats."

"Do what you must."

Do what you must?

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye bowed his head, deep in thought.

On the surface, the Sand River Gang and the River Office shared a blood feud.

Retaliation was unthinkable—they were officials, after all—but they certainly shouldn't lend them boats.

Yet the reality was vastly different from everyone's assumptions.

The Sand River Gang originally had three bosses, with countless subordinates.

With so many people, factions inevitably formed.

As the rising new force, the third boss was powerful and capable; under his leadership, the gang steadily whitened and grew stronger.

Calls for the first boss to step down and yield power grew louder; internal conflict had long passed the point of no return.

Then came the River Office.

The first and second bosses were beheaded on the spot, not a ripple stirred.

Because the Black Water River transport route could not function without the Sand River Gang, they spared the visibly cleaner third boss.

Of course, precisely because the third boss had conflicts with the first and second bosses, the River Office deliberately left him alive—planting a bomb in their own backyard.

The River Office's arrival unexpectedly resolved the third boss's moral dilemma in ascending to power.

Once the third boss took over, the followers of the other two bosses either died or scattered; every high-ranking member now in power owed his position to the River Office's "purge."

They harbored no resentment—instead, they felt a strange kind of "gratitude."

Without the River Office, it would have taken another year or more to climb up.

Of course, outwardly, they could not show this.

The plaque of Loyalty and Righteousness still hung in the main hall; the corpses of the first and second bosses were still warm.

Hence, when Yu Yu Dayi came to borrow boats, Cheng Chong had clearly refused.

Yet why, now, did the River Office's envoy appear to be acting with official impartiality?

Fear?

Not the third boss's nature.

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye couldn't understand, but he obeyed and left.

The rear mountain fell silent.

"River Office…"

Cheng Chong opened his eyes, silent for a long while, then sighed softly.

"What must come, will come."

…

On the mountain steps.

Liang Qu carried bow and spear.

Lu Lu Xinqing followed closely, glancing left and right.

He had once run errands for the Sand River Gang—but that was nearly twenty years ago, when he was a twelve-year-old brat, far too lowly to even climb the mountain, let alone "drink tea" up there.

Truly, it was his first time—like a maiden in a bridal sedan.

After the novelty wore off, Lu Lu Xinqing couldn't help but speculate.

When Liang Qu met the teacher at Chai Shi Bridge, he lagged behind and didn't catch his name; later, upon seeing County Magistrate Yu, he learned Liang Qu's surname was Liang.

Now, arriving at the Sand River Gang, a thread suddenly clicked in Lu Lu Xinqing's mind.

The Sand River Gang's decline, it was said, stemmed from the boss taking a concubine—she had stolen the heart of some Liang family young master, and he forcibly seized her.

This young man before him was young, held a seventh-rank official post, and was powerful—also surnamed Liang…

Hss!

No wonder Liang Qu had flatly denied it back then!

I get it!

I understand it all!

The victim was…

But how beautiful must that concubine have been, to make the Sand River Gang suffer such a catastrophe just to take her?

A beauty who brought ruin!

Lu Lu Xinqing believed that concubine must be a hundred times more beautiful than the five-silver-tael women in Huanghua Village.

Having uncovered Liang Qu's secret, Lu Lu Xinqing felt an indescribable private thrill and satisfaction.

He straightened his chest, lifted his head, gazing far ahead.

Sand River Mountain, Sand River Mountain—on the mountain stands the Sand River Gang.

Sand River Gang, Sand River Gang—we're going to… the Sand River Gang?

Wait—the Sand River Gang?

Isn't that their mortal enemy?

Lu Lu Xinqing recalled his situation, shuddered violently, cold sweat pouring uncontrollably.

"Jiangyun Tea House—the name's not bad."

Liang Qu reached the mid-mountain, looked up at the signboard, and his peripheral vision caught Lu Lu Xinqing, drenched in sweat.

Since ascending the mountain, his Ear Sense Method had never ceased; the loudest sounds had always been Lu Lu Xinqing behind him.

Nervous, excited, ecstatic, then terrified—his inner drama was overflowing; he had no idea what he was thinking.

Liang Qu ignored him and stepped into the tea house.

A tide of clamor surged forth.

The entire front hall truly resembled a teahouse, with two stories.

The upper level was mostly occupied by people having breakfast tea and chatting.

The lower level was filled with card games and gambling—some played mahjong, others dice, and three gang members stood guard in a corner beside the flowerbed.

But upon closer inspection, one could sense that every single person here possessed considerable strength—at least above the Third Pass!

The Shahe Gang showed no sign of disturbance at Liang Qu's arrival; yet as he stepped past several tea tables, he immediately felt countless eyes converging on his back.

Liang Qu remained calm, walking with measured strides through the front hall, straight toward the central hall—the Hall of Brotherhood, bearing the plaque "Brotherhood."

Lu Lu Xinqing kept his eyes fixed on Liang Qu's heels, following step by step without daring to turn back, his lips pale, his back itching, sweat drenching his forehead.

Directly ahead in the hall hung three plaques.

On the left, a white background bore the words "Upright and Bright."

On the right, a yellow background bore the words "Righteousness Through the Ages."

In the center, a red background bore the words "Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Kin, Teacher."

Yet beneath these three plaques stood ancestral tablets honoring past leaders of the Shahe Gang.

Eyes from upstairs and downstairs fixed upon the two, watching every move.

Liang Qu acted as if he saw nothing, found a seat in the center of the hall, and placed down Dragon Fubo and his longbow.

Lu Lu Xinqing looked bewildered, hurriedly whispering: "My lord, burn incense, burn incense!"

Liang Qu paid no heed; he rummaged in his pocket, dropped a few copper coins, and waited for the server to bring tea.

How brazen!

In an instant, the entire front hall and central hall shifted from absolute clamor to absolute silence—so silent it sent a chill through the heart, a tremor of dread.

Dust settled on Lu Lu Xinqing's limp shoulders; he trembled as he bowed toward the ancestral tablets, then stepped aside.

The tea server had never seen such a scene; he glanced toward the corner where Master Lian Master Lian Jingye stood.

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye pondered a moment, then gave a subtle nod.

"Tea for the guest!"

The server flung a white cloth over his arm, lifted the teapot, and poured.

White mist rose, tea fragrance filled the air—excellent tea indeed.

Liang Qu sniffed it, detected no nervousness in the server's voice, lifted the lid, and drank the tea openly before everyone.

He'd been traveling all day—he was truly thirsty.

"No, don't drink it!"

Lu Lu Xinqing's breath caught; sweat poured from his forehead, his whole body shook like a sieve, his head sunk low like a quail's.

By custom, skipping incense was already a concession—yet to skip the second step as well…

Didn't you understand what we agreed on last night?

Lu Lu Xinqing screamed inwardly.

Several senior members of the Shahe Gang frowned.

To refuse face twice in a row was far too arrogant.

Who was the one begging for help here?

Seeing the seniors frown, the gang members upstairs sipping breakfast tea rose silently; those below subtly edged toward the pillars.

More and more gang members emerged from all directions, subtly surrounding the Hall of Brotherhood.

All eyes converged, their weight like a tangible force pressing down on Lu Lu Xinqing's fragile spine, growing heavier, forcing him lower.

Liang Qu set down his teacup.

"Old Lu."

Lu Lu Xinqing stared at the ants on the floor.

"Old Lu!"

"Y-yes, yes, yes!" Lu Lu Xinqing nearly leapt from his seat. "M-my lord, what is your command?"

"Why do some people enjoy using coded speech, all these roundabout tricks?"

Coded speech meant underworld slang.

Lu Lu Xinqing sensed a trap, didn't want to jump—but had no choice.

"I—I don't know."

"Because those people need such slang to compensate for their lack of status."

Lu Lu Xinqing froze.

"Put plainly, the less you are, the more you cling to slang," Liang Qu sipped his tea. "That way, they build a high wall around their rotten little circle, making outsiders envy them."

CRASH!

The teacup shattered against the stone curtain, flying into pieces.

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye was furious.

"My lord, you go too far!"

This remark struck straight at the Shahe Gang's sore point—disparaging their cherished way of speaking as worthless. How could anyone present not rage?

"The Heposuo is bullying us!"

"What an arrogant official!"

"Get out of Shahe Mountain!"

"We won't lend you a boat!"

"It sounds somewhat reasonable, but my lord, please don't pressure our Shahe Gang members."

The voice was not loud, even sounding aged—but in an instant, it drowned out all noise in the Hall of Brotherhood.

Master Lian Master Lian Jingye and others rose one after another.

"Boss!"

"Chief!"

"Chief!"

Amid these reverent calls, Cheng Chong stepped slowly from the corridor, carrying an ancestral tablet.

Liang Qu sized him up: "Are you the chief of the Shahe Gang?"

Cheng Chong's expression was calm.

"Indeed. I am the chief of the Shahe Gang—and the one who destroyed Qiu Gong Dam."

My lord, I imagine you've been searching for a long time?"

Dead silence.

With those words spoken,

Not only Liang Qu, but even the Shahe Gang's own members were stunned.