Chapter 5, the fifth chapter, the clash on the battlefield truly shows that there are always stronger opponents...
Fu Jun had a headache: If that's the case, then it'll be awkward.
wrong!
He probably didn't know his true identity, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed to come along. After all, with the two of them tied together, it would be even harder for him to escape.
So, he only joined in the bandit's den because of Su's identity as a daughter of the Su family?
Who exactly is Zilan? Why would he use himself as bait? Does he have a way to escape?
Just as Fu Jun was lost in thought, footsteps sounded outside.
"You two go check the area and see if there are any suspicious people. Leave this to me."
A cold, sharp female voice came through, carrying a hint of authority.
"Yes," the two women replied and left.
Fu Yun turned her head and saw a dashing woman walk in.
She had striking and sharp features, wore a dark red outfit, had her hair tied in a high ponytail, and held a sharp sword, looking very domineering.
Seeing how aggressive the other party was, Fu Yun instinctively stepped in front of Zhi Lan and asked, "Who are you?"
"She's the fourth-in-command here," Xiao Ba explained.
Fu Yun felt a chill run down her spine and went on high alert.
The woman in red's gaze fell on Fu Yun, scrutinizing him from head to toe. A subtle ripple flashed in her eyes, but she said nothing. Instead, she looked behind Fu Yun, took two steps forward, and slightly raised her arms...
Upon seeing this, Fu Yun raised his hand to defend himself.
"Greetings, Master."
Fu Yun: "?"
To his surprise, the woman in red did not intend to attack, but rather bowed respectfully to the person behind him.
Fu Yun was stunned for a moment, then turned around in surprise to look behind her: "Your people?"
Zhilan nodded, not intending to hide anything: "For the past five years, this group of bandits has been robbing, killing, arson, and committing all sorts of atrocities. We have spent a lot of manpower and energy investigating their movements, but we have not obtained any useful information."
Fu Yun understood when he heard this. Zi Lan was probably born into an official family. Otherwise, how could he have become the head of the constables in this country dominated by women?
That jerk Xiaoba, why didn't he just say she was an undercover agent? We almost got into a fight.
I haven't had a chance to give a long explanation yet.
Fu Jun ignored it and looked directly at Zhi Lan, tentatively asking, "Have you tried luring the snake out of its hole?"
Zhilan shook her head and replied truthfully, "This plan won't work. They are very cautious and never commit crimes in the same area. They usually choose their crime locations randomly. This time, it was only because the bandit leader told them that he had his eye on the Su family's son that I had the opportunity to wait for him to come to me."
Fu Yun nodded, understanding his actions.
Encountering a group of elusive bandits, whose hideout was so well concealed, it's no wonder they couldn't be caught without the help of modern reconnaissance technology.
The only way is to become one of them, gain their approval, earn their trust, and obtain the core information.
If waiting passively for the enemy to come to them won't work, then the only option is to risk one's life and venture deep into the heart of the enemy's lair to find out the next action plan in advance.
This explains Zilan's strange behavior tonight.
The silver powder on his body was most likely a tracking powder from a matriarchal society; otherwise, the two of them alone could at most fight their way out to save themselves, but could not completely annihilate the bandits.
Just as Fu Yun was about to ask the woman in red if she had come to report on the bandit suppression plan or to discuss the encirclement strategy, footsteps sounded outside the cave.
The woman in red frowned slightly, clearly not expecting them to arrive so quickly.
"Where is he?" came the familiar voice of the second brother.
"Those two brats are probably slacking off again," another woman chimed in.
"It's no wonder they're not valued by the eldest brother. They've been in the village for two years and they're still just gatekeepers." The second brother was very disappointed in them.
"Forget it, it's not worth getting angry with two ignorant young girls. Let's finish the task the boss assigned us first!"
The woman in red quickly explained, "They are the second and third sons."
Just a second before the two outside the cave entered, the woman in red's originally cold expression softened instantly. She raised her eyebrows and revealed a lovestruck smile, sighing with great envy, "Brother is so handsome! I wish I could find such a good-looking husband too."
Fu Jun: "..." Wow! He changed his act so quickly, and it felt completely natural. No wonder he could be an undercover agent; his acting skills far surpassed his previous scene where he pretended to be sick.
"Fourth brother, what are you doing here?" The second brother looked at the woman in red with considerable surprise.
The third sister was equally puzzled. Her delicate brows furrowed, and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes as she asked repeatedly, "Didn't the eldest brother send you to find some good wine? What are you doing here? Looking at men?"
The woman in red was extremely embarrassed at being caught red-handed. She covered her face with her hands, turned her head slightly away, and answered somewhat awkwardly, "I just think the young man that the boss brought back this time is particularly handsome, more handsome than any man I've ever seen before. I've never seen such a good-looking person in my life, so I couldn't help but want to come and see him."
Fu Yun: "..." Your boss is standing right in front of you, yet you can still deliver such corny flattery without batting an eye. You're truly no ordinary person.
Upon hearing this, the second brother laughed and said, "So our fourth brother is thinking about men!"
She teased with a malicious grin: "You used to look so indifferent to men, putting on an act of being heartless and abstinent. I thought you weren't interested in men, but it turns out you were just pretending to be pure and innocent. I've really learned something new today."
The third brother relaxed considerably, seemingly realizing he had overreacted, and spoke up to ease the tension: "It's not that she doesn't like men, but she's too picky; ordinary men don't meet her standards."
"Third brother is right. It seems we need to have a good talk with eldest brother tonight. Next time, let's help fourth brother snag a husband first. She's much more anxious than any of us. She wants a man to warm her bed!"
The woman in red had a stiff jawline, clearly finding these words unbearable, but she still professionally maintained her persona, glancing shyly at Zhilan: "You're talking nonsense, I didn't say anything." Then she lowered her eyes shyly again: "I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm leaving."
After saying that, he lowered his head and ran straight out of the cave.
Fu Jun gave her a thumbs up in his heart: This must be the level of an award-winning actress. If he hadn't already known that it was acting, he probably would have believed it.
You should learn a lot from her; it will help you expand your network in the future.
Xiao Ba interrupted without warning.
Fu Yun understood Xiao Ba's intention almost immediately: "You mean you want me to find a way to befriend her?"
[That's right, President Fu is truly insightful; he understands immediately.]
Fu Jun scoffed lightly, remaining noncommittal.
The second brother shook his head, his smile deepening, as if he found the fourth brother's reaction quite amusing.
The third brother, his face expressionless, walked up to Fu Yun and stood there, speaking coldly: "Madam, one hundred taels of gold is too much. Our stronghold doesn't have that much gold stored. The eldest brother said he'd give you fifty taels of gold first, and after she and the stronghold chief's husband consummate their marriage, he'd go to the bank to get another fifty taels for you. Is that acceptable to you?"
When she spoke, her tone was somewhat strained, not at all like she was seeking Fu Jun's opinion.
Fu Jun was well aware of their ulterior motives; they wanted to inspect the goods before paying! If they weren't satisfied with the goods, he and Zi Lan would be doomed without receiving a single penny.
Furthermore, how could bandits possibly deposit their money in a money exchange? Wouldn't that expose their tracks?
This explanation is nothing more than a delaying tactic.
He pretended to think deeply for a moment before asking somewhat awkwardly, "Can't it be exchanged for silver notes?"
The third brother shook his head: "The fog on the mountain is heavy, and banknotes are easily corroded. Our eldest brother only likes gold and silver, not banknotes."
Fu Yun looked regretful, pretending that he could only reluctantly agree: "Alright then! Give me fifty taels first, and I'll give you the remaining fifty taels after the matter is done."
At times like this, take whatever you can; fifty taels can do a lot.
Of course, this is all predicated on successfully obtaining the fifty taels of gold.
Upon hearing the third brother's words, a chill rose in Zhilan's eyes, and a sarcastic smile curled at the corner of her lips.
"Then it's settled." The third brother clapped his hands and shouted towards the outside of the cave, "Bring it in."
Upon hearing the order, two women entered, each carrying a tray covered with a red cloth.
"Madam, the fifty taels of gold have been delivered. You can count them in person."
Fu Yun nodded, walked to the tray, lifted the red cloth, took out two gold ingots, and clinked them together. After hearing the "bang" sound they made, he nodded in satisfaction.
Gold is relatively soft, and the best gold will produce a dull sound when struck, without any echo.
If the collision produces a crisp, loud "clink" or "bang," it indicates that the gold content is low, and it is very likely just a gold-plated counterfeit or inferior product.
He inspected each tray twice, selecting the gold from the innermost part for examination, and finally confirmed that the fifty taels of gold were genuine.
Fu Yun was satisfied and smiled slightly at the third brother: "No problem with the gold, your boss has great courage."
The third brother twitched the corner of his mouth, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
The second son sneered, his face full of mockery: "You're more ruthless, only recognizing gold and not people. You can sell such a handsome husband without batting an eye, what else wouldn't you sell?"
Fu Yun retorted without hesitation: "You bought it for a hundred taels of gold, so we're even."
"You..." The second brother was furious, not expecting that the other party would insult the eldest brother as well with just one sentence.
“Madam,” the third sister interrupted the contest between the two, “we’ll exchange money for goods. From this moment on, your husband is our boss’s man. You must not get close to him again, or don’t blame us for being ruthless.”
Fu Yun: "..." So eager to take over someone else's place so quickly?
"With gold, why worry about not finding a husband? You can rest assured, since the man has been given to you, he's yours." He appeared very magnanimous.
He paused, then changed the subject: "However, after all, we've been husband and wife for so many years. He might not be able to accept a new wife so quickly. It's not too late for you two to consummate your marriage after I've talked to him. I'm sure your boss doesn't want to spoil the fun, right?"
A note from the author:
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