Chapter 19: The Full Story

After sitting down and taking a sip of tea, Hu San said to Zhou Tong in a low voice, "Master Zhou, these past few days you've been tangling fiercely with Bai Shouhu — the Hu Family knows about it. But what you gentlemen may not yet know is that our Hu Family's stockade in the mountains was burned flat by Bai Shouhu a few days ago."

Zhou Tong straightened up at these words. "Truly? How was it burned?"

Hu San gave a bitter laugh. "It was the Seventeenth Stockade. The White Family sent over a hundred elite fighters. They scaled the walls at the fifth watch, and by dawn it was burned through and through. Of the forty-odd men in the stockade, only seven escaped."

Zhou Tong and Chen Huoding exchanged a glance. Chen Huoding said with certainty, "The White Family has strong reinforcements. These past few days, many unfamiliar faces have appeared — all capable fighters. Could Bai Shouhu have joined shares with someone from another path?"

Chief Steward Hu nodded. "That is precisely why Hu San has come today. Do you gentlemen still remember Bai Shouye?"

A few seconds later, Chu Jianli clapped his hands. "Isn't that the White Family's third son? The one who disappeared the year Old Master Bai died of illness?"

"Third Lord has a fine memory. The matter is a long story. My master only received word of it the day before yesterday. Allow me to explain in detail."

Chief Steward Hu took another sip of tea, cleared his throat, and then slowly began to recount the story of Bai Shouye.

After Bai Shouhu inherited the White Family estate as the eldest son that year, the third son, Bai Shouye, left White Manor. He did not die by the roadside, but instead took the alias Bai Qi and made his way straight to the Taihu Water Bandits to seek entry and join their ranks. Perhaps the White Family has a passive talent for producing outlaws — in just a few short years, Bai Qi successfully fought his way to the top in Taihu and became the leader of a major bandit crew.

Originally, Bai Qi was content being his Water Great King in Taihu, with little connection to the mountain kings here in Zhexi. Who could have known that Bai Qi was still young and far too ambitious? After rising to power, he pulled off several major operations in succession — robbing Official Silver, kidnapping salt merchants, and violently merging with old-timers. For a time, his renown was unmatched.

Unfortunately, good times never last. Bai Qi had never read the Selected Works of Mao and knew nothing of the power of a united front. While Boss Bai was drinking from large bowls, the officials, salt merchants, and water bandits had already begun intensive coordination. A month ago, the authorities issued orders, the merchants put up the money, and the water bandits launched a joint sweep. With strong enemies outside and hidden agents within, in just three short days, his four-hundred-man Great Gang dissolved like smoke.

After his defeat that day, Bai Qi — Bai Shouye — had a Wanted Poster issued against him by the authorities, and the Taihu Bandits pursued him relentlessly. Truly with no way out, he could only take a few dozen trusted men and his valuables, abandon the water for the shore, and cross mountains and counties to seek refuge with his elder brother.

It was only after their own stockade was burned that the Hu Family received a letter from relatives in Suzhou Prefecture. Combined with the Wanted Poster delivered through official channels, they were able to piece together Bai Qi's true background.

At this point in the story, Chief Steward Hu paused to savor his tea.

Those seated suddenly understood. Chu Jianli slapped the armrest of his chair. "Now the pieces fit. So it was the Third Bai's shares that the Eldest Bai joined."

Chen Huoding also said slowly, "Mm, the manpower matches up too."

Zhou Tong coughed at this moment. "Chief Steward Hu has made a hard journey to bring us this news. I offer my thanks here first. So this is the situation before us. What plan does your master have? Let's hear it now, and we can all discuss it together."

Hu San set down his Tea Bowl, still not giving a direct answer. "That Bai Qi is Bai Shouye — this was only extracted under torture after the Taihu side captured Bai Qi's trusted men. Right now, we can't count on the authorities, and a hundred or so roving bandits aren't enough to mobilize the army. My master's thinking is simple: these White brothers joining shares has greatly increased their momentum. The local gentry naturally cannot sit idly by. Now, while he has yet to gain a firm footing, we should join forces to pull out this thorn. Then we'll have peace in the future."

Zhou Tong's eyelids drooped. Holding his Tea Bowl, he didn't lift his head, and three words popped from his mouth. "Pull out how?"

Chief Steward Hu said slowly, "First, the local gentry will make a move. All you heroes need only conserve your strength. My master intends to send out notices for a council. Every area must contribute men and grain, assembling five to seven hundred able-bodied men to encircle them on all sides and first beat back the men the White Family has sent out."

Seeing no reaction from Zhou Tong, half of Hu San's face twitched. "When it comes time to break the manor, we will naturally need every hero's strength. You gentlemen contribute some manpower — don't trouble yourselves with the miscellaneous tasks. Provisions and fodder will all be prepared."

Zhou Tong looked down at his Tea Bowl, utterly silent. After a while, three more words popped out. "And the aftermath?"

"The manor will be burned to the ground. The valuables inside will be divided among you heroes according to how much effort each contributed. The Hu Family only wants the heads of the ringleaders — anyone who has been on a wanted poster counts."

Hearing this, Zhou Tong was clearly growing impatient. He slammed his Tea Bowl onto the table. "In the end, it's the brothers trading their lives for silver. How is this any different from what we discussed before?"

Hu San showed not the slightest impatience. "Master Zhou may have forgotten — in our previous discussions, the Hu Family wanted to occupy White Village in the aftermath, and none of you were willing to let the Hu Family gain a strategic stronghold. In the end, we could never agree. This time, the Hu Family only wants the heads. What reservations do you gentlemen still have?"

Zhou Tong sneered. "White Manor is precipitous, and now it has reinforcements. How many brothers' lives must be thrown in before it's enough? If Bai Shouhu's head were so easy to take, your five to seven hundred able-bodied men would have already succeeded. Why waste your breath here with me!"

Hearing this, Chief Steward Hu's face finally darkened. "Hu San walked over the mountains yesterday to pay this visit. It's been years since any of you gentlemen have gone to Lin'an or Hangzhou for some pleasure, hasn't it? This White Manor sits right in our midst, and right now it's blocking us all so we can't move. If more time passes, gentlemen, forget doing business — I fear even going down the mountain will be difficult. Master Zhou would do well to think it over thoroughly."

After hearing this, Zhou Tong showed no particular reaction. He leaned back with a gloomy face, and the scene fell silent in an instant.

Just then, an unexpected person — Cao Chuan — suddenly sat up straight, raised a hand, and said, "Hold."

Chief Steward Hu was very surprised. This young gentleman before him had not uttered a single word from beginning to end, merely smiling faintly while drinking tea and eating pine nuts, with an air of utter detachment. Why had he suddenly spoken up?

Chen Huoding and the others were also very surprised. By custom, in such a critical scene for discussing major matters, only the Great Boss could make decisions. They were there to listen and would discuss it together afterward. They had never expected this Mr. Cao to intervene.

Zhou Tong was even more surprised, looking at Cao Chuan, not knowing what to say. Cao Chuan paid no mind to all this. He stood up, cupped his hands toward Hu San, and said, "Chief Steward Hu, you traveled through the night to come up the mountain and must be exhausted. Why not go down and rest a while, recover your energy, and then we can talk further."

After speaking, Cao Chuan turned his head and looked at Zhou Tong with a smile. Things having reached this point, what could Zhou Tong do? He could only nod and call Zhao Si over to escort Chief Steward Hu to the guest room.

Hu San stood up, took a few steps, then stopped and turned around, throwing out one more sentence. "That Bai Qi got four hundred taels of gold just from kidnapping salt merchants, and that's not even counting the Official Silver he robbed. Gentlemen..." At this, Hu San cupped his hands, turned, and left.

Seeing Chief Steward Hu far off in the distance, Cao Chuan then sat down, rubbed his chin for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Lin'an County Town is to the east, isn't it? This White Manor lies horizontally in the middle — can none of you pass through?"

In his idle days, Cao Chuan had been pondering one question: what should his next step be in this Ming Dynasty?