Chapter 150: Loose Lips Lose

Seeing his own side's momentum waning, Yang Qing was poised to press the advantage with a counterattack.

Liang Shengli knew that today he could only admit defeat; they still had a mission, and if the opponent's words were true, he was neglecting the rescue mission and only thinking of avenging his son who oppressed the villagers.

They might beat Yang Qing today, and tomorrow they might all have to go in.

At that moment, another person arrived leading several fully armed militia.

"What are you gathering here for? Aren't you supposed to go rescue?"

Liang Shengli saw that it was Liang Guoliang, and his expression grew even sicker; Liang Guoliang, a military martial background, was at odds with them.

If he learned of the recent oppression of their own people, he would surely beat up Liang San and the others.

Even worse, those cooks might further frame them.

Many matters, as members of the same clan, lack solid evidence; acting on mere suspicion wouldn't look too bad.

But if the cooks' words truly aroused Liang Guoliang and others' suspicion, they would surely find it hard to rest or eat.

Because many things simply wouldn't stand up to investigation.

Liang Shengli instantly let a theatrical spirit possess him, his anger blazing as he walked to Liang San's side.

Liang San didn't even notice his father's expression, still assuming his father was there to support him.

"Dad, you have to kill them. Look at my mouth, look at my teeth—they've been knocked out by them. How will I eat meat later?"

Liang Shengli, hearing that, lifted his foot and kicked.

"I let you oppress our own people, I let you run amok; watch me not kill you."

"I was busy before and couldn't discipline you; I didn't expect you to become more lawless."

"You still dare cause trouble at the relief cafeteria; watch me not kill you."

Liang San was stunned by the blow.

"Dad, why are you hitting me? You have to avenge me—kill those stinky cooks."

"I let you kill, I let you be lawless..."

Han Zhengping was initially a bit confused; why was this big brother beating his own child? That's crazy.

Then he saw Liang Guoliang, and looked at Yang Qing's mocking grin.

He suddenly seemed to recall something.

"Damn, your goods are with Liang Guoliang; damn, Liang Guoliang is armed, and hits hard."

"Can't let him unleash it."

He also rushed over, after all, learning from the big brother.

He knew it was a show, and started beating his own son.

The others, seeing both big shots fighting each other, thought staying idle made them look out of place, so they grabbed their own kids and started fighting.

Liang Shengli, seeing the crowd grasp his intention, felt relieved, then twisted Liang San's ear and began dragging him away.

"Get back and roll away, don't cause more trouble here; if I see you running around again, I'll break your leg."

Liang Guoliang had received a report and, fearing that the disaster relief personnel sent from above would be at a disadvantage, came over.

He knew exactly what kind of riffraff Liang San and the others were.

If their father weren't the top boss and the second-in-command, and all of them were of the same clan, he would have already killed these scourges.

He didn't expect, after arriving, to see such a scene.

It seemed those running the cafeteria, instead of being wronged, even made Liang Shengli and the others feel a pang of conscience.

Yang Qing watched the other side walk away and didn't intervene; after all, the grand deception didn't reflect his own group's strength.

This is West Liang Village, the opponent's territory; the strong dragon hasn't yet suppressed the local snakes, and after today they'll have many ways to deal with them.

He called out to Sha Zhu and the others, speaking softly.

"Put down your weapons, keep serving the rice, finish quickly so we can leave early; this place isn't a sanctuary."

The others were extremely nervous; had Yang Qing not taken the lead, they'd have fled already. Listen, the other side's heads are at village-chief level; the whole village must obey their orders.

Did you see that even though Yang Qing said so much, no one stood up for them?

They only drew a line from Liang San's group and became mere bystanders.

They were truly brave, managing to frighten those who pull the strings.

Their thighs and stomach still trembled.

At this moment, Liang Guoliang learned the truth of the matter from the villagers, glanced at Liang Shengli and the others' backs, his expression profound.

He then approached Yang Qing and the others, apologizing sincerely.

"Sorry, everyone, for causing you trouble."

Yang Qing, unsure whether he was a god or a ghost, pretended to be magnanimous and waved his hand.

"It's nothing, it's nothing; as long as everyone doesn't go hungry, we've fulfilled our duty."

Liang Guoliang, seeing that Yang Qing and the others didn't want to chat deeply, didn't say much more, and then left with his men.

The person behind, who was fetching rice, still feared Yang Qing and the others might misunderstand, so he explained to them.

"Our Captain Liang is a good person, just doesn't..."

"Kid, is what you're saying true? Did they steal our money?"

Yang Qing chuckled; he didn't mind giving Liang Shengli and the others a dose of eye medicine.

"They each eat to the point of a fat belly, isn't that obvious?"

"What era is this? Being able to eat one's fill is fine, and the whole family eats round and plump; even the city leaders aren't as fat as them."

Another voice interjected.

"Then how is he greedy?"

"Everything in the village is accounted for, huh."

Yang Qing smiled even more meaningfully.

"Counted?"

"In a year, how many days did you work, do you remember? If a person is short half a day's work points, can you be clear about it?"

(This is a normal method; anyone who has served in a construction team knows that work points never line up. The construction team has only a few people, just for one village; if one person is a little short, that becomes a huge number.)

The crowd fell silent for a moment; many of them couldn't read a few characters or recognize a few numbers, and it passed by with little difference.

Who could have thought they would trap them.

"I felt I was short half a day's work points last year; I even thought I had miscalculated."

"Now that you mention it, I think I am too."

"You say half a day, I counted a whole day less; they won't let those dog things get away with it, will they?"

"I'm short three days."

"I'm short five days…"

The more they talk, the less reliable they become; people just love to exaggerate.

Yang Qing continued.

"The granary is under their control, right? When they deliver the public grain, they sprinkle some water, mix in some stones—doesn't that make it seem like there's more?"

"In these years of disaster, do you know exactly how much relief grain the higher authorities have allocated? Is what you know true? Has anyone gone up there to ask?"

"Do you know how expensive food is on the black market now? Coarse grain is over one yuan a piece, fine grain over two yuan!"

"Where does the food on the black market come from?"

"Out of thin air?"

Yang Qing's mouth blurted out many secrets.

Sha Zhu gave him a tug.

"Don't say it; if those people find out, they won't trouble you?"

"Blocking someone's path to wealth is like a parent murdering a child."

Yang Qing heard that and almost slapped himself.

He muttered that he was bald, wondering how low he was—just a few good days passed, and he already didn't know who he was.

Those people on the black market are all outlaws; each year, the number of people who die on the black market is not small.

"Is this all he can say?"

He didn't even dare to go to the black market before, and now he actually dares to discuss black‑market matters.

Even though many pieces of information are clear to everyone, you, the one who sticks out, truly resent your long life.