Chapter 377: New Year pigs are not being slaughtered?

Sang Zhixia had just gone for a walk outside the city this morning and had just returned.

Ling Chu was allowed to enter the house with his head down, and after standing still, he repeated what he had heard.

Sang Zhixia raised her eyebrows silently.

Ling Chu's face was slightly tense as he spoke out his inner speculation: "Boss, you may not know that Huwei Mountain is a famous bandit stronghold in Shu, very different from the salt bandits who are filling the ranks on Qingcheng Mountain."

"The person in the room just now spoke of Huwei Mountain in a tone that was remarkably familiar. It didn't sound like they had heard it from someone else or were just passing through. It sounded more like they had lived there."

The people on Qingcheng Mountain are all old, weak, women and children who are weak and can neither be a hidden danger nor an obstacle.

But Huwei Mountain is different.

Huwei Mountain is less than a hundred miles away from Ancheng. The bandits on the mountain have been a major problem in Shu for many years. The government has organized officers and soldiers to go up the mountain to clear them out several times, but they have always returned empty-handed.

As if worried that Sang Zhixia didn't understand Huwei Mountain's bad reputation, Ling Chu paused and said, "There were many rumors about the salt bandits in Qingcheng Mountain being vicious, but in fact, most of them are rumors, not facts."

"But it's true that the government initially suppressed the bandits, and it's also true that they were ambushed by salt bandits halfway through their journey and had to retreat in disarray."

In order to get some food, Shen Anzhu went down the mountain himself to forge a land deed and did everything he could.

Her background has been completely exposed and she has agreed to cooperate. There is no need for her to falsify the situation on Qingcheng Mountain.

According to her, the people on Qingcheng Mountain were not even a mob, and they definitely did not have the strength to repel the government troops.

According to the news sent back by the people sent out, the situation on Qingcheng Mountain is indeed as Chen Anzhu said, so there is no need to doubt its truth.

But the government's anti-bandit campaign did fail halfway.

The people who really stopped the soldiers from encircling Qingcheng Mountain were not the people on Qingcheng Mountain.

Sang Zhixia's eyes flickered slightly, and she said playfully, "Are you saying that the salt bandits in Qingcheng Mountain might be colluding with the real bandits?"

Lingchu was very cautious: "Boss, the bandits from Huwei Mountain have been rampant in Shu for many years, burning, looting and committing all kinds of crimes. They are a group of serious villains and we must be on guard."

Seeing that Sang Zhixia didn't respond, Ling Chu hesitated and said, "Should we check Chen Anzhu again?"

"Are you worried that Shen Anzhu didn't tell us the truth?"

Ling Chu agreed with Sang Zhixia's words.

Sang Zhixia thought about it and smiled and shook her head: "I don't think so."

"According to what you said, the bandits in Huwei Mountain have been committing crimes for many years and have been able to evade the government's crackdown. They must have their own means of survival and would not have resorted to fabricating lies to find a way down the mountain."

If the murderer was so evil that he coveted the silver in her hand, he would have organized people to go down the mountain and rob it at any cost.

Why go around in circles and get yourself involved?

Ling Chu thought about it but couldn't come up with anything to say. Sang Zhixia tapped her fingertips up and down on the armrest of the chair and said slowly, "But you also reminded me."

"It's not certain that Chen Anzhu is colluding with the bandits in Huwei Mountain, but others might really be that innocent."

If Meng Pei was really among the people she caught, there might be something else hidden on him.

Sang Zhixia roughly guessed the reason why Meng Pei took the risk to attack him. After a moment of consideration, he said to Ling Chu, "Don't worry about their collusion with Huwei Mountain for now. Let's first investigate the government's previous clearance of Qingcheng Mountain."

"Remember, you must get the details clearly, no matter how big or small."

First, try to figure out whether the bandit suppression was a deliberate show by the government, or whether the bandits were really defeated by people of unknown origin. From then on, it will not be difficult to guess further.

Ling Chu nodded in agreement, then stopped and said, "Boss, are you really going to keep those people in custody without trying them?"

"No trial."

Sang Zhixia said nonchalantly, "You won't get any truth from the interrogation now."

If Meng Pei and Chen Anzhu really had the kind of relationship she thought, then Meng Pei's anger would probably burn through his head. Without seeing Chen Anzhu with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe anything others said.

It's useless to say anything.

but……

Sang Zhixia exhaled slowly and said, "Before Shen Anzhu comes back, keep him well fed and well-fed, and don't make any mistakes."

"Also, get some medicine to treat their injuries. Don't let the hot weather bring on other problems."

"By the way, there won't be any side effects if I take some of that old muscle softening powder, right?"

Ling Chu chuckled softly, "Don't worry, Boss. Taking it will only make them calmer. If you stop taking it for three days, there will be no more effects."

"That's fine."

Sang Zhixia held her forehead against the wall, suppressing her fatigue, and closed her eyes, saying, "That's it for now."

"Go ahead."

Ling Chu took the order and left. Sang Zhixia thought about it and called the shopkeeper again, telling him that the plan to go out of the city for inspection in the next few days was cancelled.

Regardless of whether the connection between Meng Pei and others and Huwei Mountain is true or false, they should keep a low profile at this time.

She has shown enough wealth.

If you attract real bandits in order to take over the land, it will be more trouble than gain.

After all these arrangements were completed, Sang Zhixia closed the door and sat at the table. He rubbed his sore eyes with a look of confusion, muttering softly, "This is a beautiful place with outstanding people and beautiful scenery, but now there are all these random people. Where did all these bandits come from?"

The good city of Ancheng in Shu has been turned into a notorious bandit den...

Sang Zhixia changed his frequent going outs of the past two days, closed the door, and quietly counted the land deeds in the inn.

She sat still, as still as a mountain.

It was obvious that she didn't move at all, and some people gradually became unable to wait any longer.

On Huwei Mountain, a bearded man heard the news and narrowed his eyes in displeasure. "Are you saying that the New Year pigs won't be slaughtered?"

"Did you reveal your identity when you were stepping on the plate and keeping watch?"

The messenger lowered his head and said, "Master Hu, it's true."

"Brothers, we all know that the guy in Ancheng is a fat pig with a treasure. Who dares to leak the news and ruin your plan?"

The man called Hu Zhaizhu had a gloomy face.

The lackeys below whispered, "If there really is a trace left, it will be the tail of the Erhu leader. We..."

"Cough cough cough."

A middle-aged man dressed as a scholar put his hand to his mouth and coughed, saying coldly, "Nonsense."

"On our Huwei Mountain, there is only one leader, the Hu leader, but there is no such thing as the Erhu leader you mentioned."

"How can a traitor who led our people to confront the government for a woman and then broke his promise to establish his own sect in Qingcheng Mountain be worthy of the reputation of our Huwei Mountain?"

The person who spoke knew he had said the wrong thing, and as the Hu village chief's face darkened instantly, he knelt down in fear: "Yes, yes, the military advisor is right, it was me..."

“That’s enough!”

Hu Zhaizhu impatiently waved his hand to interrupt the lackey's plea for mercy, stood up and said with unconcealed irritation: "Why did Meng Pei go to Ancheng when he wasn't in Qingcheng Mountain flattering that bitch surnamed Shen?"

"The man who bought the land in Ancheng, does he want to move too?"

The lackey, unaware of the situation, spoke timidly, "I don't know if he's interested in me, but the last time that guy went to Xiwei Village to investigate land, there was a fire in the village. It was in the Second Village...it was Meng Pei and the bearded guy who did it."

After a fire in Xiwei Village, Meng Pei and several others disappeared.

Sang Zhixia, who was listed as a target, was safe and sound.

After a moment's thought, the leader of the Hu village let out a sinister smile, even though half of his face was covered by a scar.

"Meng Pei probably wanted to be the first to grab the food, but he was pecked in the eye by a wild goose. Now he has no idea where he died."

"We don't need to know whether he lives or dies. That walking and living fortune-seeking woman in Ancheng is our delicacy after all!"