Cui Hongyu understood the implication immediately. She wanted to cry for help, but looking at Qiao'er in her arms, she could only reluctantly reply, "Oh... Brother Dachun, it's... nothing. Qiao'er just startled a pheasant."
She deliberately spoke slowly and stammered, hoping Chen Dachun would sense something was wrong.
But her wish was clearly in vain. Hearing her reply, Chen Dachun quickly returned inside.
Only after the commotion next door subsided did Wai Zui and San Shui escort Cui Hongyu hurriedly towards the outskirts of the village.
The group left the village and traveled about two li. Wai Zui put his little finger in his mouth and blew a whistle. Someone responded from the distant grass.
Then, a carriage emerged from the nearby woods.
Seeing this, Cui Hongyu had an ominous feeling that these people were going to take her far away.
Wai Zui and San Shui settled Cui Hongyu and Chen Qiao'er into the carriage and got in themselves.
Chen Ermao, seeing this, chuckled and tried to climb into the carriage, but was stopped by Wai Zui.
"Brother Ermao, don't rush to get in. You go back to the village now and tell Chen Xiaobei that we have the person. If he wants to save his wife and sister, he should come to Wugong Ridge alone."
"Ah!" Chen Ermao was stunned. "Brother Wai Zui, I... I escaped from the village. If I go back..."
Wai Zui laughed heartily. "Don't worry, Chen Xiaobei won't do anything to you."
"Go ahead, we'll wait for you here."
Chen Ermao had no choice but to turn and walk towards the village entrance. Seeing him go, Wai Zui waved his hand. "Let's go, we'll head back to the mountain stronghold first."
San Shui hesitated. "Brother, isn't this bad? After all, Chen Ermao is the eldest stronghold leader's nephew."
"Don't worry, he knows the way. Besides, we have hostages. If we go slowly and Chen Xiaobei catches up, it'll be troublesome."
Indeed, Wai Zui's reason was very sound and difficult to refute.
At this time, Chen Xiaobei had already returned home. Seeing the courtyard gate open, he was still marveling at how early Cui Hongyu had woken up.
He called out a couple of times in the courtyard but received no response.
Chen Xiaobei mistakenly thought Cui Hongyu and Qiao'er had fallen asleep again. He tiptoed forward, pushed open the slightly ajar door, and stepped inside. As soon as he entered, his foot caught on something, almost making him fall.
Chen Xiaobei looked down and saw a bundle. Wasn't this Cui Hongyu's bundle?
He then noticed a few more bundles on the ground.
"Busted, the house has been robbed," Chen Xiaobei thought grimly.
He quickly turned back to the courtyard and shouted towards the neighbor, "Brother Dachun, Brother Dachun!"
Hearing the call, Chen Dachun came out into his courtyard. "What's wrong, brother Xiaobei?"
"Tell Hongyu to come back quickly, the house has been robbed."
Chen Dachun looked confused and scratched the back of his head. "She... she went home early this morning."
"It's bad," Chen Xiaobei felt a surge of ominous premonition. He had discussed with Cui Hongyu yesterday that mountain bandits might retaliate. Could it be...?
Before his thought was finished, he heard hurried footsteps. Chen Xiaowen ran over quickly.
"Brother Xiaobei, hurry up and see. Ermao is at the village entrance demanding to see you."
Chen Ermao.
Hearing the name, Chen Xiaobei's heart sank. It was indeed the mountain bandits.
"Xiaowen, quickly gather all the village defense team members and come with me to the village entrance."
Chen Xiaobei picked up the bundles on the ground and quickly stuffed them back into the ceramic jar, then closed the wooden lid.
After a moment's thought, he picked up the worn quilt from his bed and placed it on the lid.
Just then, there was a clinking sound.
Something fell to the ground.
It was the waist token that Liu Rumei had given him, which Chen Xiaobei had casually tucked under his pillow.
Looking at the token, he instantly recalled the scene at the county office that day.
Well, this token might be useful. He casually put it in his pocket.
From a distance from the village entrance, Chen Ermao was seen standing there with his hands on his hips, arrogantly facing the village defense team members who had arrived first, pontificating.
"In a moment, you'll see how Chen Xiaobei will kneel and kowtow to me."
Hearing his words, the village defense team members couldn't help but laugh.
"Ermao, don't you remember how you left? You dare to come back."
"Alas, that was in the past. Now you'll see a good show." Seeing Chen Xiaobei approach, Chen Ermao shouted even more enthusiastically.
"Chen Xiaobei, come here and kowtow to me three times, and perhaps I'll plead for you and let Cui Hongyu and Chen Qiao'er go."
The village defense team members were stunned by his words, not knowing what was going on.
It was indeed Chen Ermao! Chen Xiaobei was instantly enraged.
He snatched a piece of broken wood from Chen Xiaobo's hand and rushed to Chen Ermao, without a word, swinging it.
Chen Ermao had already experienced the power of his brick before. Seeing this, he immediately took two large steps back.
"Chen Xiaobei, are you f***ing crazy?"
Chen Daqiang, feeling guilty, quickly stepped forward and grabbed Chen Xiaobei's arm. "Brother Xiaobei, don't rush, let's talk it through first."
Chen Xiaobei pointed at Chen Ermao. "This scoundrel actually kidnapped Hongyu and Qiao'er."
The village defense team members now looked at Chen Ermao with some anger in their eyes.
After all, Chen Xiaobei was their captain now. To earn a few more copper coins at the end of the year, they had to perform well now.
Chen Ermao clearly didn't realize the situation had changed and said with a smile, "Chen Xiaobei, listen. If you want Cui Hongyu and Chen Qiao'er back, kneel down and kowtow to me."
Then he burst into triumphant laughter again. "Hurry up, or I'll change my mind."
Chen Xiaobei's eyes were almost spitting fire. He flung his arm free from Chen Daqiang's grip.
He rushed forward and beat him indiscriminately. Seeing him make a move, Chen Xiaobo, Chen Xiaowen, and others naturally couldn't stand by. The few of them surrounded Chen Ermao and gave him a good thrashing.
After all, they were all Chen Xiaobei's brothers, born of the same father and mother.
At this time, Chen Ermao no longer had any of his arrogant demeanor. He covered his head and kept shouting, "When two countries are at war, envoys are not killed."
"Chen Xiaobei, you're not playing fair."
Chen Xiaobei kicked the brat's butt. "What two countries? What are you, a piece of dog shit?"
Soon, Chen Ermao was beaten to the ground, groaning with his head in his hands.
Chen Xiaobo looked at Chen Xiaobei. "Captain, what do we do?"
Chen Xiaobei looked at Chen Ermao on the ground. "Tie him up and send him to the county yamen!"
Chen Ermao heard this and roared from the ground, "Chen Xiaobei, if you dare send me to the county yamen, be careful that Cui Hongyu and Chen Qiao'er won't make it."
Xiaobei swung his stick again and hit the kid twice more. "Say one more word, and I'll beat you to death right now."
Chen Daqiang, feeling guilty and afraid that Chen Ermao would reveal that he had hidden in his house, quickly stepped forward and hypocritically advised, "Brother Xiaobei, I don't think we should send him to the county yamen. Let's go to Wugong Ridge and use Chen Ermao to exchange Hongyu and Qiao'er back."