When the poor suddenly become rich, each of the three parties has its own way of living.

Ye Wenxue's family slaughtered a sheep, and didn't even waste the sheep's blood, stewing it in a pot with radishes, wood ear mushrooms, and other ingredients.

The stewed mutton's gamey smell was completely masked by the aroma of the meat and the seasonings. The boiling soup was garnished with scallions, minced ginger and garlic, and the strong aroma could be smelled even before entering the kitchen.

While everyone in the valley was happily eating mutton stew with radish, inside the bamboo house, the Xu family repeatedly touched and counted their silver.

Xu Lin's father showed emotion more than once. After learning of Xu Lin's decision, the joy on his face gradually turned into complexity.

"...Okay, your parents support your decision."

Xu Lin groped for his parents' hands, his eyes red from the medicine, and he couldn't help but shed tears.

Lan Qing silently watched the Xu family of three, slowly counted out half of the silver, put it in a cloth bag, and placed it on Xu Lin's desk, waiting to donate the silver after the snow stopped in a few days.

Meanwhile, the mountain stronghold was already in an uproar.

Baldy knew that the counterfeit business wouldn't last much longer.

If the world is at peace, disbanding the stronghold is an urgent matter if one doesn't want to be imprisoned.

He had a few plans to treat his brothers to a few good meals before they were all gone. After setting aside enough money for their farewells, he ordered his men to bring out all the meat, grain, and wine stored in the storeroom and throw a grand feast, inviting everyone in the mountain stronghold.

The banquet was lively, with dozens of tables set up. Baldy, unusually, disobeyed his mother and went from table to table drinking and playing drinking games with his brothers, eating meat heartily.

After living a life of debauchery for three to five days, the bald man was fast asleep, dreaming of all sorts of things.

Zhiwang rushed over and frantically shook the bald man awake:

"Boss, something terrible has happened! Xing-ge and Wu-ge have disappeared with about twenty brothers. They only left a note that says 'We'll be right back!'"

A few days ago, when Zhiwang was distributing the silver, he went down the mountain to sell vegetables in the heavy snow. He didn't hear the discussion and didn't understand what Zhixing meant by "I'll be right back." He was so anxious that he was almost going crazy.

The bald man, still half-asleep, opened his eyes groggily: "Who? Who's missing?"

Zhi Wang wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him awake: "Zhi Xing and Zhi Wu! And more than twenty brothers!"

I wonder if these brothers are going with Zhixing and Zhiwu, or...

After understanding, the bald man immediately woke up, slapped the bed and sat up straight: "Has Zhixing asked you anything these past few days?"

Zhiwang scratched his head: "It seems... he asked me where Boss Ye's family lived. He asked me privately when he helped me back to my room to sleep. I thought it wasn't a big deal, so I told him."

Zhi Xing is smarter than me and should know that the Ye family is not to be trifled with, so he wouldn't easily commit any crimes.

The bald man pointed at Zhiwang and mumbled "you, you, you" a few times, then put on his shoes and clothes and walked out without changing them.

"Quickly, wake up all the brothers in the mountain stronghold and count their heads one by one. Zhiwang, take a team to check the goods in the warehouse and report any discrepancies."

Zhiwang was puzzled, but seeing the bald man's nervous expression, he quickly agreed and ran away.

After calming his mother, who had rushed out after hearing something amiss, and telling her to go back to sleep, the bald man hastily threw on a coat and went to count heads.

After counting, there were 28 people missing from the stronghold, not including Zhixing and Zhiwu.

The bald man coldly swept his gaze over all the brothers in the mountain stronghold: "Those who know where they went, step forward."

Immediately, someone stood up, scratching their head and asking in a daze:

“Elder Nian, didn’t you tell Zhixing and the others to continue selling charcoal? When I was peeing this morning, I saw them heading towards the bamboo hut.”

If we hurry up now, we might still be able to see the footprints along the way.

The bald man was slightly taken aback, thinking he had misunderstood, but then he realized something was amiss:

"The twenty-eight missing people, they all went with Zhixing and the others?"

After Zhixing earned money for the mountain stronghold, many bandits in the stronghold changed their attitude of looking down on his age and physique, and began to fawn over him and obey him.

The bald man wasn't too upset. He had taken in several children to cultivate talent, and Zhixing was the first to succeed. He was overjoyed.

But he also knew that some bandits in the stronghold only respected those with the strongest fists.

Of the 28 missing people, five were clearly dissatisfied with Zhixing and often went against him.

If it weren't for Bald Qiang keeping them in check, Zhixing wouldn't have been able to control them at all.

The bald man had a bad feeling that something was wrong after all these people disappeared.

Another bandit guarding the mountain gate quickly raised his hand:

“Brother Nian, Qiangzi and the others caught up with Xing Ge a while after he left. I specifically questioned them, and Qiangzi said he admired Xing Ge’s brains and wanted to work with him.”

The bald man slammed his fist on the table: "Screw him! Those responsible for guarding the stronghold, stay here. The rest of you, grab your weapons and come with me."

This is terrible!

The bald man went back into the house, grabbed his axe, and told his mother to stay inside and not to open the door for anyone.

Baldy's mother quickly tugged at his sleeve: "You can't do those heartless things anymore! If Madam Ye finds out, I'm afraid she'll..."

After calming his mother down and promising not to kill indiscriminately, the bald man left the house.

Zhiwang rushed over: "Elder Nian, the silver in the warehouse is gone. The accountant said that not only the earned silver, but also the savings of the dozen or so families that originally owned the stronghold are gone!"

The bald man's fleshy face twitched: "Okay, I understand."

Zhiwang hesitated for a moment: "Could it be Brother Xing... no, it can't be Brother Xing, boss, I believe Brother Xing wouldn't do such a thing!"

The bald man snorted: "Of course he wouldn't do such a petty thing, but he'd be asking for it!"

Zhiwang didn't understand.

Seeing the bald man leave with his men, Zhiwang thought for a moment and ultimately decided not to follow.

Instead, he called over a few trusted brothers to guard the bald man's mother's room.

The bald man led his men along the footprints to the bamboo house.

As expected, the bamboo house was smashed again. Xu Lin and Grandpa Xu were both injured, and Lan Qing's face was covered in blood, though it was unclear whether it was her own or someone else's.

Upon hearing footsteps outside, the Xu family members simultaneously retreated in fear.

Lan Qing even grabbed a kitchen knife and, together with Old Master Xu, stood in front of the Xu family to protect them.

Since all pretense of civility had been exposed, Lan Qing was fearless, pointing at the bald man and cursing:

"You bald bastard, I knew you were up to no good! If you really didn't want to share the silver with us, you could have just said so. Why did you have to hurt Xu Lin and the others?"

The bald man was speechless and afraid of alarming the Xu family, so he dared not step forward and asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened? Where is Zhixing? Where is the money?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Qing's expression grew even more unpleasant:

"You still have the nerve to ask!" Zhixing and his men left after carrying more than a dozen baskets. Then five more people came and said they were from your bandit stronghold and wanted to transport charcoal.

I was cautious and didn't open the door, but those men forcibly chopped open the wooden door, broke in, injured us, robbed us of the silver, and then ran away.

You want charcoal but don't want a share of our silver. Are you trying to say those guys are traitors and that you know nothing?

I think you're all in cahoots! One side plays the good cop, the other the bad cop, do you think this is a theatrical performance?!

The bald man, not wanting to argue with her, asked urgently, "Where did they go?"

Their entire village's savings for the winter were also stolen!