HUS Chapter 78: Using the Tiger to Drive Away the Wolf
HUS Chapter 78: Using the Tiger to Drive Away the Wolf
January 9
Estate Head Yang, what play are you performing?
Bali Mo looked around, the mockery at the corner of his mouth almost overflowing.
One big man and a kid wanted to trap him?
This play was simply too absurd!
Yang Can's face was grave as water, anger churning in his eyes. "Why? You still have the face to ask why? My Feng'an Estate and your Bali tribe have always minded our own business, but look at what you've done!"
Yang Can suddenly raised his hand pointing at Bali Mo, his voice sharp as tearing silk.
"Those mountain goods smuggling thieves killed my estate's people. This Estate Head led the pursuit, intending to seek justice. Who would have thought we'd run right into you engaging in thieves falling upon thieves? You swallowed your goods, what does that have to do with me? Why did you strike so viciously at my corps?"
Master Bao listening on the side rolled his eyes so hard they nearly rolled back into his skull.
Why? Collateral damage, obviously!
They were busy with thieves falling upon thieves, and you barged in rashly. Who had the leisure to ask if you were friend or foe?
Naturally they'd strike first to gain the advantage. This blockhead!
Hearing this, Tufa Sunxie's right hand was already on his blade hilt, his icy gaze shooting toward Bali Mo like sharp arrows.
Bali Mo flew into a rage. "Nonsense! The Bali tribe acts openly and honestly. When have we ever done such vile deeds?"
Yang Can laughed coldly, his laughter carrying a hint of mockery. "Truly not? Could it be that those who committed violence at the Canglang Gorge entrance were people from another tribe pretending to be from your Bali tribe?"
Bali Mo roared, "This chieftain can swear to heaven, I absolutely never had designs on that shipment of mountain goods! If there's a single false word, may heaven strike me with thunder and lightning!"
"This matter isn't just Yang's one-sided claim. The three hundred corps soldiers in my estate can all testify!"
Bali Mo finally seized on a point, retorting sarcastically, "More than three hundred men? You mean to say that the people this chieftain sent to ambush, upon seeing your three hundred-plus men intrude, had the wild notion to kill and silence witnesses? Could it be that my Bali tribe's people are all warriors who can fight a hundred each?"
"Is it impossible? It is indeed impossible. That's why this Estate Head could retreat with his whole body intact."
Yang Can remained self-righteous. "This Estate Head hasn't yet gone to settle accounts with you, yet you dare to come knocking. Men! Seize all these insolent fellows for me!"
By now villagers had surged from all directions, wielding flails, hoes, and manure forks, looking like a temporarily assembled agricultural implements army.
The fortress guards also arrived upon hearing the news, and the servants all grabbed various household items.
Old Xin from the woodshed carried a chipped wood-chopping knife, limping along at the rear, looking somewhat wretched.
"Everyone stop!"
Tufa Sunxie, seeing both sides at daggers drawn, hastily shouted sternly to stop them.
He listened to both sides each holding to their own version, as if listening to two storytellers telling completely different stories but did he care which side had wronged whom? What he cared about was the whereabouts of that shipment.
If the two sides really came to blows today, as a Xianbei person, he could only flee back beyond the mountain pass then wouldn't his goods have no hope of recovery?
Tufa Sunxie urged his horse between Bali Mo and Yang Can, cupping his hands toward Yang Can. "I am Sunxie of the Tufa tribe. Please, Estate Head, temporarily quell your thunderous rage and allow me to speak."
Master Bao, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but twitch his eyelids upon hearing "Tufa tribe."
The Tufa tribe was no small player like the Bali tribe.
Even the Yu family had to give such a great tribe some face.
Master Bao quickly straightened his clothes and called out, "I am Yu Xiaobao of the Yu family. Lord Tufa, if you have any instruction, please speak freely."
"So it's Third Master Bao." Tufa Sunxie somewhat unexpectedly cupped his hands in return.
"To be frank, that shipment of mountain goods was something Sunxie and several lords in the tribe pooled all our resources to prepare as a birthday gift for my elder brother. Now this birthday gift has vanished without a trace. Sunxie truly cannot account for this to the several lords in the tribe. Although our smuggling of mountain goods is not permitted in Yu family territory, but..."
Tufa Sunxie changed his tone, saying meaningfully, "Still, please, Master Bao, for the sake of past friendship between our Tufa tribe and your Yu family, help me find the goods. Sunxie would be deeply grateful."
What past friendship does the Tufa tribe have with our Yu family? Naturally there is none but if this shipment can't be found, this "friendship" will probably turn into "enmity," won't it?
Though Yu Xiaobao wasn't very smart, he still caught the implication in Tufa Sunxie's words.
He wasn't afraid of Tufa Sunxie's threat, after all, he wasn't the one running the Yu family but if he could help Tufa Sunxie find the goods and win the Tufa tribe's friendship, perhaps it could change his awkward position in the family?
This thought made his heart race. He immediately smiled broadly. "Our Yu family prohibits smuggling of mountain goods mainly to prevent loss of commercial taxes but how can the Tufa tribe be compared to ordinary people? Moreover, this shipment is a birthday gift you prepared for your elder brother, which is understandable. Rest assured, as long as the goods are still in our Yu family territory, even if I must dig three feet into the ground, I will find them!"
After speaking, Yu Xiaobao descended from his carriage and quickly walked before Yang Can. "Yang Can, set aside your grievances with the Bali tribe for now. I ask you, do you know the whereabouts of that mountain goods shipment?"
"Third Master's discernment is clear. Your subordinate truly doesn't know."
Yang Can looked innocent. "At that time, when we pursued into the valley, we saw a group of Xianbei people attacking the mountain goods smuggling thieves. As soon as we entered the valley, we came under their attack. To avoid complications, Yang restrained the corps and withdrew."
"That's right! That's exactly what happened!"
"I hadn't even charged into the valley when our Estate Head led people running out."
"I just entered the valley when I took a stray arrow. Who knows which damned person struck? Who can I complain to about this?"
The Feng'an Estate corps soldiers who had rushed over upon hearing the news received the eye signals Yang Can sent them and immediately chimed in talking over each other, each one performing more enthusiastically than a theater troupe.
Tufa Sunxie immediately pressed the corps soldier who mentioned being struck by an arrow. "Based on what you saw at the time, how many Xianbei people were in the valley?"
"Aiyou, I didn't notice that!"
That corps soldier spoke with flying spittle. "In the grass, behind the trees, on the mountain path, the valley was full of people everywhere.
It was chaotic as a pot of porridge. Human brains were being beaten into dog brains. Who had the leisure to count people?"
Tufa Sunxie looked coldly at Bali Mo, his gaze piercing. "Bali Mo, what more do you have to say?"
Bali Mo was beside himself with rage.
His tribesmen had died inexplicably. Now Tufa Sunxie, eager to find someone to blame, wanted to pin the blame on him?
Your Tufa tribe has great power, so you can act as you please?
Push me too far, and I'll lead my tribe to defect to your mortal enemy, the Chilo tribe. Then we'll see what you can do to me!
Bali Mo said coldly, "Lord Tufa insists on suspecting me?"
"Aren't you suspicious?"
"The Feng'an Estate people were also there. Couldn't they have fished in troubled waters?"
Yang Can shouted sternly, "Surnamed Bali, don't make baseless accusations! My people died unjustly. I haven't settled accounts with you yet!"
"Who the hell is surnamed Bali?" Bali Mo rolled his eyes at Yang Can.
Master Bao, left out on the sidelines, couldn't stand being ignored and stepped out to assert his presence again.
"Ahem! In my view, you two need not argue further. Our Yu family has governed Tianshui for hundreds of years. How would we break our own rules? The Bali tribe and our Yu family have always been harmonious. This absolutely shouldn't happen. The oddity here must have another cause. You've both come from afar as guests. Why not first rest in the fortress, drink a cup of clear tea, and discuss this matter at length?"
If possible, Bali Mo naturally didn't wish to make an enemy of the Tufa tribe.
He let out a long breath and declared loudly, "I cannot refuse Third Master Bao's face. Lord Tufa, I hope your arrows recognize their targets clearly and don't shoot the wrong prey!"
Tufa Sunxie sneered, "Rest assured, the heat will separate the beef bones from the mutton bones. No matter how clever some people's methods, the truth will eventually come to light."
"Haha, you two please calm your thunderous rage and follow me into the fortress."
Hearing Bali Mo's line "I cannot refuse Third Master Bao's face," Yu Xiaobao's face immediately glowed red.
He immediately adopted the posture of a peacemaking elder brother, taking one person with each hand and leading them toward the fortress.
"Yang Can, why don't you quickly arrange guest quarters to entertain our distinguished guests?"
Third Master Bao was beginning to act as if he owned the place.
"Since they are Third Master's guests, Yang will naturally make arrangements."
Yang Can responded neither servile nor overbearing, then immediately changed his tone. "However, my estate's corps soldiers died unjustly. This account, Yang must eventually settle with Chief Bali."
He spoke these words forcefully in front of all the corps soldiers before leading the three into the fortress.
At this time, Zhang Yunyi was leisurely strolling through Feng'an Estate with Wan Tai, looking as relaxed as if touring mountains and waters.
The estate's common people who saw him all showed difficult expressions—greeting him wasn't right, not greeting him wasn't right either; avoiding him was improper, approaching to chat even more improper but Zhang Yunyi remained composed throughout, as if all this awkwardness had nothing to do with him.
Recalling that day when Yang Can had used the lives of other Zhang family members plus the pain of being betrayed by kin to force him to make a choice: patricide and submission.
He had readily agreed, because that was precisely what he most wanted to do in his rage at that moment but did he not know that Yang Can was using him?
No, he knew it clearly but this was already his own will. Did it matter whether he was being used?
Naturally he wouldn't be grateful to Yang Can for this. No one thanks the hand that borrows a knife to kill.
The person he most wanted to kill, he had already cut down with his own hands. Next, naturally it was Yang Can's turn, the one who had taken everything from him.
Yang Can wanted him to be a biting dog, and he agreed;
Yang Can commanded him to surrender Feng'an Fortress, and he readily complied.
Only because his trump card against Yang Can had always been outside the game.
This trump card was that elusive "Mountain Lord."
Over the years, he had cooperated with Mountain Lord in smuggling mountain goods, accumulating enormous wealth, yet never knowing Mountain Lord's true identity but he knew deeply that Mountain Lord had far-reaching influence and formidable power.
The strategy of using the tiger to drive away the wolf, how could it be the exclusive privilege of the Yu Clan Head or Yang Can?
He, Zhang Yunyi, could use it too, and he was confident he could play it even better.
He was determined to reclaim everything he'd lost without shedding blood.
Thus at this moment, Deputy Estate Head Zhang's psychological fortitude was frighteningly strong.
He calmly faced the villagers' fearful or contemptuous gazes, his composure making him look like someone who had come to watch someone else's excitement.
Ahead was Feng'an Fortress, but Zhang Yunyi suddenly stopped, his gaze slightly focused.
At the other end of the road, a merchant caravan was slowly approaching.
Camel bells rang melodiously, as if playing a tune with Western Region flavor.
The procession of over twenty camels and a dozen horses was laden with boxes and bundles.
Presumably they contained Western Region jade, Khotan carpets, Kucha musical instruments, and precious exotic spices.
Though Feng'an Estate wasn't on the main route to Tianshui, it was still a passable thoroughfare. Having merchant caravans pass through wasn't unusual but what was surprising was that the banner this caravan displayed was actually a flowing regular script character "Yu."
In Yu family territory, if not the Yu clan itself, who would dare display the "Yu" character banner?
This was like setting up a stall selling dragon robes at the palace gate—tired of living!
A magnificent Liangzhou steed emerged from the crowd and stopped before Zhang Yunyi.
The young man seated on the horseback was imposing in bearing, his entire air making him look like a princeling who had stepped out of a painting.
Zhang Yunyi's pupils contracted slightly, secretly alarmed and puzzled: Yu Rui, Young Master Yu? Why has he come?
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