Chapter 185: Fearing bandits or fearing officials

A few women wearing patched clothes whispered while buying cloth.

"Sigh, there's finally some hope for these days. It was terrifying a few days ago, but who would have thought these heroes... are actually quite reasonable."

"Indeed! With the household registration, this grain price is truly a blessing! I just don't know how long this peace will last..."

Old Wang took these words to heart, but he still didn't understand how household registration could be related to grain.

By noon, the group still hadn't made any sales. Their mountain goods were good, but the price wasn't cheap either.

For the commoners of Qing City, this price was not as good as buying grain from the Menghuzhai grain shop.

At this time, an old man nearby kindly reminded them: "You guys might as well take them to the Menghuzhai logistics department; they will definitely accept such food."

Old Wang was shocked: "Old fellow, are you telling me to sell to the bandits?"

Hearing this, the old man immediately became unhappy: "What's wrong with bandits? To say something treasonous, these days are actually more stable than when we were under the 'Imperial Court' in the past."

Old Wang was stunned, his throat dry, and it took a long time for him to squeeze out a sentence: "But... but they are, after all... bandits, right?"

"Bandits?" The old man looked left and right, his voice dropping even lower. "Yes! They are bandits! But tell me, old brother, is it more terrifying to have a bandit openly rob you, or to have those 'officials' who call themselves your parents but squeeze every drop of oil from your bones?"

This sentence hit Old Wang's heart like a heavy hammer.

He remembered the past, when the government pressed for grain and taxes, the runners who were like wolves and tigers, the layers of exploitation, and the frustration of having nowhere to voice his grievances... He opened his mouth but couldn't say a single word.

Wang Xiao Hu heard this clearly from the side and quickly asked: "Old man, then how do we get to this Menghuzhai logistics department?"

"You can see it if you walk to the end of this street. I imagine they are eating lunch right about now!" The old man kindly pointed the way and said to Wang Xiao Hu.

"You're young, you could go and try, see if Menghuzhai wants you!"

"What? You want my son to be a bandit?" Old Wang didn't have time to think about what the old man had said before; he was already unhappy hearing this.

The old man snorted coldly: "That's only because my son is useless, older and left with a chronic illness, otherwise I would dream of letting my son be a bandit!"

Old Wang was dizzy, feeling as if the world had turned into a shape he didn't recognize.

Wang Xiao Hu grabbed the mountain goods on the ground and said to the uncles and elders from his village: "I want to go try!"

"You really want to give these things to those bandits for free?" Zhao Laosan couldn't imagine why this child, who usually seemed quite smart, couldn't use his head at a time like this!

Old Wang scolded in a deep voice: "Put the things down. Can bandits spend money to buy your things? If they did, they wouldn't be bandits!"

Wang Xiao Hu didn't think so, stiffening his neck to argue with his father: "Dad! Everything we've seen since we entered the city shows that this Menghuzhai is different from ordinary bandits!"

"No matter how different, they are still bandits!" Old Wang persuaded earnestly: "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice; do you think I would harm you?"

"Since we can't sell them here anyway, why can't we go and try?" Wang Xiao Hu gritted his teeth, trying to convince his father.

"Even if we can't sell them, it's better than giving them away for free, right?" Old Wang still refused to budge.

Wang Xiao Hu used his trump card: "But if we don't bring back grain and salt today, what will Mom and my younger siblings eat?"

Old Wang couldn't say another word. He truly cherished the mountain goods he had gathered, fearing that giving them to the bandits would be like throwing meat buns at a dog—never to return—but he also felt for his wife and children at home!

The old man watching the show from the side didn't want to speak anymore, but seeing that Wang Xiao Hu was a sensible child, he couldn't help but say: "Menghuzhai wouldn't go so far as to embezzle your little bit of goods; otherwise, how much would they earn just from the daily city entry fees?"

Old Wang was enlightened. Yes! The things he treated as treasures might not even be looked at by them.

Seeing Old Wang's expression, Wang Xiao Hu knew there was a chance, so he hugged the goods and ran toward the street corner.

"Dad, you wait here for me, I'll be back in a moment!"

How could Old Wang feel at ease letting his son go alone? He immediately stood up and followed behind.

The fellow villagers, seeing this, also quickly packed up their things and followed. After all, they had come out together, and if something really happened, everyone could look out for each other.

The old man couldn't help but shake his head as he watched their retreating backs. He hadn't believed it at first either, until he held the heavy rice bag in his own hands and suddenly realized the truth.

Anyway, he was old, and those treasonous words were things others only dared to think about in their hearts but didn't dare to say, yet he dared to say them.

He just hoped to help more people!

Everyone... was suffering too much!

Wang Xiao Hu hugged his family's mountain goods and ran toward the location the old man had mentioned. This place was also very easy to find; after all, a massive crowd of people lining up for food was quite a spectacular sight.

Once he actually arrived, Wang Xiao Hu was in a bit of a dilemma; he didn't know who he should look for!

At this moment, he noticed a scholar in white clothes beside the long queue. The bandits in the crowd looked at this person with great respect, even adoration.

Wang Xiao Hu immediately guessed that this person might be a small leader in the stronghold, and perhaps he could ask him.

For some reason, Wang Xiao Hu didn't feel any fear when facing the Menghuzhai bandits, which was why he dared to walk up boldly.

"Greetings, young master!"

The scholar in white turned around, looked Wang Xiao Hu up and down, and then smiled: "Is there something you need?"

Wang Xiao Hu was surprised by the other's appearance, and the refined temperament made him a bit nervous: "I want to sell some mountain goods, may I ask if you accept them here?"

A person in armor holding a long spear beside the scholar in white frowned and prepared to step forward to drive Wang Xiao Hu away, but was stopped by the scholar.

"What kind of things are they? May I take a look?"

Wang Xiao Hu was overjoyed and quickly placed the bundle in his hands on the ground to spread it out, happily introducing: "This is a wild pheasant, this is a wild rabbit, and this is a bamboo rat."

The scholar in white leaned down to take a look and said kindly: "Good! I'll take them all!"

"Really? My uncles and elders have some too, do you need more, young master?" Wang Xiao Hu had sold his own goods, so naturally, he wouldn't forget his relatives from the same village.

"I'll take as many as you have!"

Just then, the group arrived behind Wang Xiao Hu, and hearing this, they couldn't help but reveal smiles.

"Young master, take a look! How much are ours worth?"

They all placed their mountain goods on the ground for the other to inspect, fearing that their goods wouldn't be good enough and would be looked down upon.

The scholar in white glanced at them casually, took an ingot of silver from the pouch at his waist, and handed it to them: "I'll take them all. Is ten taels of silver enough?"

"Enough! Thank you, young master!" Zhao Laosan, fearing that Wang Xiao Hu, a young man, might lack discretion and say the wrong thing, quickly spoke up to accept.

In reality, these mountain goods weren't worth ten taels of silver at all; it was more than double the price!

"Thank you, young master! Thank you!" The group bowed repeatedly to express their gratitude, carefully receiving the silver.

The scholar in white turned to the bandit holding the long spear and said: "Luo Feng, call everyone over. We'll have a special meal tonight; these mountain goods should taste quite good."

"Yes! Great Chief!" ===== CHAPTER 186 =====