Chapter 362: The Other Side of National Preceptor Zhou

Bai Wei thought for a moment and said, "Zhang Shu, you go to the kitchen first. I still have something to do; I'll be there shortly."

"You're still not leaving?" Lao Zhangtou was startled and hurriedly looked around. "Bai, these Fusang Ronin are all no good. You must not run around; be careful not to get into trouble again."

"I will be careful." Bai Wei nodded.

Lao Zhangtou had no choice but to urge her to hurry to the kitchen, then left with the others.

Seeing that the people around had all left, Bai Wei slipped into a corner and hurriedly pulled the walkie-talkie out of her pocket.

"Xiao Moting, I heard some very important news."

"Just now, two Fusang Ronin were talking, saying that Zhou Yanli captured their people and they are discussing countermeasures. These Fusang Ronin don't put the Daliang army in their eyes at all; it looks like they have quite a few guns in their hands!"

"And I also heard them say that the Shrine Maiden of Fusang Kingdom is actually from the same tribe as Zhou Yanli. Zhou Yanli is a clansman of the Divine Witch Tribe who was left outside, and the Shrine Maiden is of the same tribe as him. That is to say, the Shrine Maiden who is transporting supplies to the Fusang people is also very likely from the Divine Witch Tribe—which means she is a Daliang person!"

"I find it very strange. Why would this Shrine Maiden, being a Daliang person, help the evildoers and assist the Fusang people in attacking Daliang? Isn't this treason?"

"Xiao Moting, I'm going to help Zhang Shu cook first. You record this information and see if you can find any clues."

After Bai Wei finished speaking, she turned off the walkie-talkie and hurried toward the kitchen.

She could not stay too long; she still had to drug these Fusang people.

In the kitchen, it was steaming hot.

Several helpers were cooking.

As Bai Wei walked through the door, Lao Zhangtou looked as if he had seen a savior; he hurried over, patted his chest, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Bai, I was worried to death. You hadn't returned for so long, and I was afraid you had run into those savage Fusang people again. I was just about to go out and look for you."

"Zhang Shu, I've made you worry. I'm fine." As Bai Wei spoke, her gaze moved past Lao Zhangtou's shoulder to the two large pots in front. "Is this the food the Fusang people are going to eat today?"

"Yes." Lao Zhangtou nodded hurriedly and gave the large pot a look of disgust. "This is the food those dogs eat—vegetable and meat porridge."

After saying this, he gritted his teeth and added, "Fresh meat has been hard to get lately. I heard that today, this bunch of wicked Fusang people ran to a pork stall in the city to snatch meat. They grabbed an entire side of pork from the owner's stall, and not only did they not pay a cent, but they also chopped off the owner's left arm with one stroke of a blade!"

"If it weren't for someone running to find Zhou, begging him to step in, that pork stall owner wouldn't have survived today. These Fusang people are truly a bunch of beasts!"

Bai Wei was astonished to hear this.

"Zhang Shu, how did these commoners go to Zhou for help? Isn't he... isn't he bad-tempered and someone who treats human lives like grass?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the usually good-tempered Lao Zhangtou stiffened his face for the first time.

"Bai, I don't like hearing you say that. When has Zhou ever treated human lives like grass?"

"Usually, when the commoners in the city are bullied by the Yuan Clan's army, they all go to beg Zhou for help. As long as someone comes to his door, he generally doesn't refuse."

"Furthermore, these Fusang people bully the commoners in the city, but the Yuan Clan's army doesn't dare to step forward, and the government plays deaf and dumb. Only Zhou isn't afraid of the Fusang people and will stand up for us."

Hearing this, Bai Wei was stunned.

What was going on?

It seemed that these commoners of Yannan City particularly admired Zhou Yanli.

But in her eyes, Zhou Yanli was clearly a cold-blooded, ruthless villain who treated human lives like grass. In the past, he had even used strange medicinal powders to turn commoners into human-ghost hybrids and sent them to the battlefield as cannon fodder. How did his image change so suddenly?

Bai Wei was half-doubting. "Zhang Shu, is Zhou Yanli really that good?"

After she finished speaking, the several helpers around also put down their work and ran over to echo the sentiment.

"That's right, Bai. Zhou is just fond of a cold face and speaks bluntly. It might not sound pleasant, but he really thinks of us."

"Exactly, exactly. Yannan has been in a drought for so long, and Zhou has distributed grain to everyone several times, all out of his own pocket. He also suggested to General Yuan that the General should open the granaries to provide relief, but although General Yuan listened to him on the surface, he actually disobeyed in secret. The porridge he gave us was thinner than clear water; drinking it didn't fill us up at all."

"Bai, everyone usually respects Zhou very much. He even prayed for rain for us. If it weren't for the fact that he has been ill for these past few months and has remained behind closed doors, we wouldn't have been bullied by the Fusang people like this."

Bai Wei blinked in surprise; it seemed these people really admired Zhou Yanli.

She didn't know if they had been brainwashed by him or what.

She hurriedly raised her hands and pressed them downward.

"Alright, alright, I was just asking casually. I didn't say Zhou Yanli was a bad person."

Lao Zhangtou said, "When Zhou's illness is better and you have a chance to meet him, you will know that everything we said is the truth."

Bai Wei smiled and did not respond.

In fact, she had met Zhou Yanli several times already, and every time he wanted to kill her and had even nearly strangled her to death.

The porridge in the pot was bubbling away.

Bai Wei hurriedly walked to the side of the pot, took several bottles of ground-up Sleeping Pill from the warehouse, and poured them all in.

These Sleeping Pills were what she had taken out last night and had Xiao Moting find someone to grind into powder; they melted quickly when sprinkled into the porridge.

After finishing all this, Bai Wei turned around and said to Lao Zhangtou and the several helpers.

"Zhang Shu, I've put medicine in this porridge. Once these Fusang people eat the porridge, the medicine will take effect very soon."

"In a while, you should escape through the back door first. If they discover the porridge has been drugged, they will definitely come looking for trouble with you. They are so cruel, they might even kill you."

But after she finished speaking, none of the people made a sound.

Everyone stood in a row, watching her quietly.

Bai Wei was puzzled. "Zhang Shu, say something! You can't stay here in a while!"

At this moment, Lao Zhangtou smiled faintly.

"Bai, we have been working in the Liang Workshop for several months now, and we have seen all of their evil deeds with our own eyes."

"This bunch of beasts has been burning, killing, and looting in our Daliang Kingdom, committing every evil. Many commoners have died at their hands."

"I heard from Leader Zhang that you and the Prince of Zhenbei are going to deal with the Fusang people. We are very grateful and also want to help contribute! You have few people, so we will also come to help. Everyone has hidden their Long Swords in the woodpiles. Once the Fusang people eat the porridge, we will take out our Long Swords and kill our way out with you."

Bai Wei was startled and hurriedly shook her head.

"No, no. The people sent by Leader Zhang and the Prince of Zhenbei are all warriors; they know martial arts."

"And you are just ordinary commoners who were captured by the Fusang people to cook. Moreover, these Fusang people have a weapon called a gun, which is very powerful. It will be very dangerous for you to act with us."