Chapter 56

As for what Jiang Jinshi said, the few naturally had no objections and would definitely discipline the brothers under them.

Previously, for the sake of convenience, Jiang Jinshi had come up with things like playing cards and mahjong, which were also prohibited in the stronghold. He knew deeply that gambling would cause irreversible and serious consequences.

After the few finished chatting, they took time to rest, but Tang Lin didn't sleep, excitedly running into the warehouse to take a piece of paper and start painting.

By the evening, the long-awaited celebration banquet finally began, and the twenty-some people who had stayed in the cave also safely arrived at the Yangguang Stronghold.

Several captains suggested that Jiang Jinshi stand up and say a few words before the banquet, but Jiang Jinshi refused without hesitation. When he was a beast of burden in his previous life, he hated this kind of formalism the most, and he didn't want to become the person he hated the most.

Except for the brothers left to patrol, everyone raised their glasses to drink together. They also couldn't imagine that within a short time of joining the Yangguang Stronghold, they could eat meat and drink wine in big bowls.

Thinking about it carefully, a few days ago they seemed to be abandoning their dignity for a bite of food. The changes in life were sometimes like a dream.

The food was all made by Luo Jin after she arrived at the stronghold, along with the girls and the old and young. These old and young were all the families of the brothers in the stronghold.

Originally, these women were only prepared to eat after everyone else had finished, but Jiang Jinshi didn't allow it and had arranged seats for everyone in advance.

The idea of the low status of women in this era was deeply rooted. Jiang Jinshi couldn't control the outside world, but in the Yangguang Stronghold, he would definitely advocate gender equality.

Under Jiang Jinshi's deliberate arrangement, many people lowered their heads and wiped the tears from their eyes. This was perhaps the first time they had felt what it meant to be respected.

For a time, the stronghold was harmonious and everyone laughed heartily.

Several captains, Tang Lin, and Jiang Jinshi sat at one table, and naturally, they wouldn't let him go, taking turns to pour wine for him in various ways.

Soon, Jiang Jinshi was so full he couldn't take it anymore. He hadn't eaten a single bite of food, but he hadn't drunk less wine. The wine of this era didn't have a high alcohol content, so if you wanted to get drunk, you really had to drink a lot, it was just that drinking too much bloated the stomach.

Watching Jiang Jinshi run to the toilet in a panic, several captains laughed uncontrollably.

Luo Feng said with some emotion: "At first, the Big Boss even lied to me that he was just a Small Squad Leader. I didn't know until yesterday that he was the Big Boss of the Yangguang Stronghold."

"Yo! That kept you in the dark for quite a while. Captain Luo, when did you start following the Big Boss?" Zhang Honghong drank the wine in his bowl heroically.

Luo Feng scratched his head embarrassedly: "Actually, I haven't joined the Yangguang Stronghold for many days. In terms of seniority, I definitely can't compare to you."

"Hey! Who isn't? We've only joined the Yangguang Stronghold for a few days too!" Zhang Honghong put down the wine bowl and reached out to pick up a peanut.

"Ah? Then when did you all join the Yangguang Stronghold?" Luo Feng was a bit surprised, always feeling he had discovered something.

As Zhang Honghong told the story of how he and Tang Lin were rescued by Jiang Jinshi, Luo Feng couldn't help but count on his fingers, and only reacted after a moment.

After all that, I was the first to join the Yangguang Stronghold?

Luo Feng said this with depression, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"For a talent like Captain Luo, the Big Boss simply used all kinds of tricks, coaxing and deceiving him!" Wang Hou took a light sip of wine, his eyes full of smiles.

But Luo Feng wasn't angry, just pretending to be indignant, saying he wanted to pour another round of wine for Jiang Jinshi.

The banquet lasted until late at night before it ended. In the end, Jiang Jinshi was carried back to his room by several people.

Early the next morning, Jiang Jinshi was woken up by Luo Feng because Poison Spider had come to visit.

Jiang Jinshi quickly tidied up and came to the main hall, only to see Poison Spider tasting tea alone.

"Sorry, kept you waiting. I drank too much last night." As Jiang Jinshi spoke, he looked around, only to find that Poison Spider had come alone and hadn't brought any subordinates.

Poison Spider put down the teacup and smiled, as if he had seen through what Jiang Jinshi was thinking: "No matter! I didn't bring anyone."

Jiang Jinshi sat opposite Poison Spider and added tea to their teacups: "Daring to come to my Yangguang Stronghold alone, the Big Boss of the Spider Stronghold has great courage. I admire you."

"If you wanted to kill me, why would it be so troublesome? Wouldn't it have been enough to give me a knife that night?" Poison Spider took the teacup and placed it in front of him.

"I don't know what the Big Boss of the Spider Stronghold is looking for me for today?" A few pleasantries were enough; Jiang Jinshi cared more about Poison Spider's purpose for coming here.

Mentioning the main business, Poison Spider's expression became much more serious, but he didn't say it directly, instead throwing out a question: "What do you think of the Five Poison Strongholds?"

Jiang Jinshi raised his teacup: "I don't know which aspect you are referring to?"

"Any aspect is fine, I want to hear your opinion!" Poison Spider still hadn't led the topic to the main business.

After pondering for a moment, Jiang Jinshi couldn't figure out what medicine the other party was selling in their gourd, so he could only say truthfully.

"The Five Poison Strongholds have a reputation abroad. They have people, they have money. In this one-acre-three-fen land of Lianhuan Shan, they can naturally be considered a hegemon, but..."

"But what?" Poison Spider asked.

"But it's limited to this Lianhuan Shan!" Speaking of this, Jiang Jinshi also took the opportunity to raise the doubts in his heart.

"Forgive me for asking, but I am indeed very curious, why would such a large stronghold be controlled by those families?"

Poison Spider sighed: "You are indeed very keen. You could discover this problem on the first day you stationed in Lianhuan Shan!"

Jiang Jinshi smiled lightly, not explaining too much.

"Actually, sometimes I feel that we are not like mountain bandits, but more like thugs raised by those families," Poison Spider said slowly.

Jiang Jinshi nodded in approval: "That's true. According to common sense, except for the government office, the Five Poison Strongholds should not be afraid of the families in Li City if they join forces!"

Poison Spider suddenly asked: "Do you know the Menghu Stronghold?"

Jiang Jinshi shook his head to indicate he didn't know, subconsciously thinking this was a stronghold in another territory.

Poison Spider smiled mysteriously and pointed his finger at his feet: "The place we are stepping on now is the former stronghold of the Menghu Stronghold!"

Hearing this, Jiang Jinshi fell into deep thought. According to the news obtained so far, the Five Poison Strongholds once joined forces to cooperate with the government to drive away a stronghold, which was this Menghu Stronghold.

Then this stronghold became the base camp of the Viper Stronghold, and now it had been snatched away by him.

Poison Spider took a sip of tea, and only then slowly told that piece of history.

The Menghu Stronghold at that time was the only one in power. Any family, escort agency, caravan, or even government office passing by could not escape the fate of being robbed. Redeeming people and goods was a common occurrence.

Li City and Jiang City had also joined forces to carry out suppression, but the terrain of Lianhuan Shan was complex, backed by mountains. The Menghu Stronghold would drill into the mountains when they couldn't fight, and would pop out to continue robbing the road when you left.

For a time, even the government office couldn't do anything about the Menghu Stronghold, but the Menghu Stronghold's behavior naturally made them a thorn in everyone's side.

Thus, a multi-party joint suppression plan against the Menghu Stronghold was born!

Hearing this, Jiang Jinshi raised the doubt in his heart: "Then were the Five Poison Strongholds originally in other places, and were they invited here by these families with money?"

Poison Spider looked straight into Jiang Jinshi's eyes: "No, the Five Poison Strongholds were established by these families!"