Chapter 103: A Drinking Party or a Trap?

Under the declaration of surrender, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, Zhu Ge Yu, Tu Tu Kesiluo, and Li Goudan were almost stunned simultaneously, their faces showing expressions of disbelief. Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked with full of doubt: "Poison Scorpion, what do you mean by this?"

His heart was filled with confusion; just moments ago he had led his troops through wind and snow with reckless abandon, yet now he heard news that a bandit leader actually wanted to surrender. With a blank face, he continued: "This official led men running dozens of li against wind and snow, swords already drawn, and you tell me to surrender?"

Poison Scorpion lowered his head and said humbly: "My lord, you may not know, but when this humble one joined the bandits, I was forced by landlords; there was truly no other choice."

A hint of helplessness and justification tinged his voice: "Perhaps Your Excellency the Imperial Envoy has also heard that although this humble one is a bandit, I have never disturbed the nearby common people."

"This humble one has spent many years in the bandit trade and deeply knows this is no long-term plan. I have long wanted to abandon this path."

"Today, Your Excellency personally led troops to suppress us, demonstrating Your Excellency's love for the people. Furthermore, the strength of our Scorpion King Gully is utterly insufficient to resist Your Excellency's army, so I have decided to surrender."

His words were full of remorse and determination. He continued: "I have heard that Your Excellency has wiped out the bandits of Mount Sanqing and Black Wind Ridge; now their leaders are already dead at your hands. I think you will not care about my head either."

Poison Scorpion pointed to the bandits behind him and continued with a firm tone: "We have already laid down our weapons and await Your Excellency's disposal. If you are willing, I can also hand over these men to show our sincerity."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded, thinking seriously for a moment: "You are right; I have already wiped out the bandits of Mount Sanqing and Black Wind Ridge. They indeed brought this upon themselves."

He frowned, his gaze sharp as he stared at Poison Scorpion: "Although you are a bandit, judging by your tone, it seems you have not wantonly slaughtered innocent common people."

Poison Scorpion smiled slightly and replied: "Yes, although I am a bandit, I have always avoided harming innocent common people. Although my heart holds some guilt, I can at least say my conscience is clear."

His face looked slightly dim, yet he still spoke firmly: "Everyone in my shanzhai has already laid down their weapons. If Your Excellency intends to take our heads to claim merit, I have no complaints whatsoever."

He lowered his head, appearing weak yet resolute, like a criminal awaiting judgment.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked: "I wonder, if this official permits your surrender, how does Poison Scorpion intend to conduct himself in the future?"

A gleam of joy flashed in Poison Scorpion's eyes; he answered without hesitation: "Rest assured, my lord."

He continued explaining: "Although the brothers in our shanzhai have strayed onto a wrong path, they are all decent youths forced by circumstances. As long as Your Excellency allows us to surrender, tomorrow morning I will order the shanzhai disbanded and we will return to our hometowns to engage in farming."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu pressed further: "But after you return, do you not worry that landlords will bully you again?"

Poison Scorpion straightened his chest, appearing confident and firm: "My lord, I have just said that Your Excellency leading an army to suppress bandits is sufficient proof of your love for the people. Moreover, your heroic deeds in the Other Xi Xia region, though we are in the shanzhai, have long been heard and witnessed by us."

His voice was filled with admiration and a touch of reverence: "With a good official like Your Excellency acting as the people's advocate, even if we are bullied by landlords in the future, we will have a channel to voice our grievances."

These words were not merely an explanation, but also served to paint a beautiful gloss over Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded: "Since you say so, I will no longer make things difficult for you."

He glanced at the sky, which had gradually grown dark: "Now that it is late, our army will camp outside the shanzhai. Tomorrow morning, you and I will burn the shanzhai together and depart from here."

Poison Scorpion was so excited he could hardly contain himself; suddenly, with a thud, he knelt before Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "My lord, thank you for your generous grace."

He hurriedly stood up and said excitedly: "Please wait a moment, my lord; I will immediately order men to prepare wine and dishes so that Your Excellency and all the brothers can drink to their heart's content."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded and smiled: "You have worked hard, Poison Scorpion. I will arrange the camp here and will come over shortly."

Poison Scorpion bowed deeply, said a few words of thanks respectfully, and then led his men back into the shanzhai. His expression was full of gratitude and joy, as if seeing the sky again from the bottom of a valley.

In the newly built main camp, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's sharp gaze swept over the few people before him: "Speak up, what are your opinions on this matter?"

At this moment, he was no longer the smiling figure from just now, and his voice was pressed very low.

Li Goudan answered without hesitation: "My lord, is there even a need to say? I take back my earlier words; this Poison Scorpion is truly a good person. Not only did he lay down his weapons and surrender, but he also prepared a banquet to treat us. If we kill them, won't the common people curse us?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo, draped in a white fur cloak with a feminine face, remained silent, merely listening quietly.

Seeing Li Goudan say this, Zhu Ge Yu pondered for a moment and then said: "The problem might lie in this grand banquet."

Li Goudan looked completely blank: "What do you mean? Is it not allowed to treat us to wine?"

Zhu Ge Yu spoke with a hint of anger: "How can you not use your brain?"

His tone became sharp: "Poison Scorpion claims he rarely robs the common people; then where did their food come from?"

"To hold a banquet for our two thousand men, how much food is needed? Have you ever thought about that?"

"Just now, I asked the scouts who were previously sent here to reconnoiter..."

Li Goudan, somewhat dazed by the scolding, hurriedly asked: "What did the scouts say?"

Zhu Ge Yu smiled: "The scouts said that although the common people praise Poison Scorpion endlessly, their eyes are filled with fear."

His tone was full of worry: "This means the nearby common people have been so frightened by them that they dare not speak the truth, and even dare not reveal the real situation."

"I believe this situation is just as that master on the road said; Poison Scorpion might be an extremely threatening person, and behind their surrender may hide other purposes."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu continued to guide: "Continue speaking."

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Ge Yu continued: "Although I am not yet clear on their intentions, for them, surrendering now is certainly not the optimal choice."

"Among the most famous bandits in Shangmu, besides these three, Mount Sanqing and Black Wind Ridge have already been wiped out by us."

"As long as Poison Scorpion can hold out against our offensive and block this wave of attack, he will have the opportunity to become dominant alone."

His voice became calm: "Once he leaves the shanzhai, it means abandoning years of effort and losing everything."

"Even worse, if he surrenders to us, he might, like Yang Yang Dazhuang, become the master's sacrifice."

"If you were Poison Scorpion, would you choose such a deal that earns no profit but instead loses money?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo finally interjected: "Then what does Mr. mean..."

Before Zhu Ge Yu could answer, Jiang Jiang Mingyu had already taken up the thread: "His meaning is that this surrender might just be a trap."

"He might use the upcoming banquet to strike at us and eliminate us. Once we are dead, the so-called bandit suppression campaign will collapse on its own. And if they remain here, who knows what kind of magistrate will appear in the future?"

"Once this official dies, Shangmu will inevitably fall into chaos; that will be the moment Zhu Ge Yu spoke of, when one family stands alone."

Tu Tu Kesiluo was still somewhat doubtful: "But with only a few hundred of them, how could they possibly eliminate our two thousand-strong army? That seems unreasonable, doesn't it?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu sneered coldly: "How did the four of us defeat over a hundred Other Xi Xia cavalrymen back then?"

A trace of alertness flashed in Tu Tu Kesiluo's eyes: "Does Your Excellency mean they might resort to poison?"

Zhu Ge Yu immediately followed up: "Nine times out of ten, that is it."

Tu Tu Kesiluo's killing intent grew stronger: "In that case, I will lead men to storm the shanzhai and eliminate them all."

Although Tu Tu Kesiluo was full of killing intent, Zhu Ge Yu quickly stepped forward to stop him: "Do not act; our speculations have no concrete evidence, and we cannot make judgments lightly."

He continued explaining: "Moreover, the master has already agreed to leave them a way out. If we change our minds, how will we explain ourselves to the soldiers in the future?"

Li Goudan's anxiety became even more pronounced: "Then are we to simply let them poison us?"

At this moment, he had long forgotten his earlier words calling Poison Scorpion a "good person."

Rage filled Tu Tu Kesiluo, and he could not help but ask, "My lord, what shall we do now?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of depth: "Can these little tricks still stump this official? Quietly notify the soldiers..."

His voice gradually lowered, carrying a firm resolve.

Tu Tu Kesiluo nodded, and as soon as he stepped out of the tent, the bandits from the shanzhai had already arrived.

They stood respectfully before Jiang Jiang Mingyu one by one; a leading bandit bent his waist and said, "My lord, the banquet is ready. Please come and dine with you and all the brothers."

Their expressions were respectful, their words courteous, as if the invitation were truly sincere.