Translated by Gumihou

While Old Madam Fang and the rest were being escorted down the hill by martial monks on their way to the Capital, lurking in a nearby hill were a group of bandits. One of them finally could not stand it anymore and approached Boss Bandit anxiously, "Boss, when the roadblocks were being taken apart, you said that it can't be help. Fine, we ignored it. But, but this time the An Ping women are about to run away and you're still ignoring it? You're just going to watch them run off to the Capital? If the Chief Boss knows, he'll tear us alive, ah."

What was supposed to be an easy job had turned into this huge, complicated mess. Chen Jing was really annoyed and angry. Therefore, when he was questioned by someone he had always considered as a subordinate, he lost his tempered and snapped, "You think I want to just stand here and watch them? You think I don't want to do this job properly? Use your head, how many people do we have in total? What am I supposed to do with so few people? You think I'm the Monkey King[1], able create clone armies of myself with my hairs? Liu Er Niu, don't just stand there and complain. If you have any ideas speak up, we'll go with your plan."

"Boss, this Er Niu is just anxious. The reward for this job is very good, if we can pull it off we can also get recognition from the Chief Boss. We might even gain entry to the Mingyu House and control all of the southern territory. If that happens, we'll be able to hold our heads high wherever we go." a good for nothing advisor hurried over to say, doing his best to sooth the tempers between these two persons in charge.

"Your mom, it's like we've been cursed with bad luck or something. How could something so well planned suddenly fall apart like this?" Chen Jing slapped his thigh as he glared at the group of people escorting the women down. Suddenly, he shouted, "Doggo, Doggo, you come over here for a moment. Look close and see if the most senior old bags, old madams, marquis' wife madam and that heir's wife madam is all gathered together? If they are, we can just get ahead of them and cut them off."

"Must you really make Doggo investigate this? Since they've all smelt a rat, surely they would all run away together?? Since there are only two carriages left, obviously only the highest level mistresses and masters would be in there. That's why I told you to destroy all the carriages and trap them in the mountain. But, no, you just have to play a Sandpiper vs Clam [2] game with them while you play the Fisherman. Now look, they are surrounded by all those body guards and fighter monks.

If they all work together we'll have a hard time breaking through to the last two carriages. We'll basically have to lay a siege against them while they play for time. The best time to strike is now. If they manage to drag out the time, that marquis heir would arrive from the Capital and then we'll be the one caught between a rock and a hard place." Liu Er Niu continued to nag.

Chen Jing, who couldn't take it anymore yelled, "Shut up! Even if the women all got into the carriage, it doesn't mean that those people will defend them all to death. When the time comes we'll just kill everyone. Egg Two[3], check the horses again, get ready to move out."

"Yes."

Someone answered from the back. Then, Chen Jing and trusted adviser, Top Dog, began consult each other. When it was almost time to set out on horseback, they heard Doggo yell out from behind them. He turned and saw the half grown youth nearly hopping in place with excitement as he said, "Boss, there seems to be two person less in the carriage group. The heir's wife and that really, awesomely, to die for beautiful brothel sister, Beauty Jing'er are not there."

"You idiot, have you nothing in your brain but that brothel woman? She's already married to the marquis heir three years ago." Liu Niu Er slapped Doggo's head. When he looked up at Chen Jing, he noticed that the Boss' face had gone all red. The Boss stamped his foot hatefully and ground out, "Just what are those two women playing at? Have someone broken their survival instincts? Do they think by leaving the heir's wife and one concubine we wouldn't tear that temple down?"

"Could it be that they were in such a hurry that they had forgotten those two? Well, I guess abandoning a concubine under these circ.u.mstances is pretty normal." Top Dog stroked his lush goatee with an enigmatic look on his face. This, coupled with his straight posture, he exuded a slight military air about him. Unfortunately, he looked too unkempt to be properly 'distinguished looking'.

Liu Er Niu snapped, "What are you talking about? The concubine is one thing, but what about the heir's wife? I heard that An Ping heir's wife is as fierce as a tigress, if if she did not allow it, do you think anyone would actually dare to leave her behind? They should know that if the heir's wife fall into our hands, what kind of mud would stick to the An Ping name?"

"Boss, look. At the mountain side. That's the heir's wife and one of his concubine, they really didn't leave."

Doggo called out excitedly, pointing at the direction of the temple entrance. Chen Jing, Liu Er Niu and Top Dog all stared with wide eyes.

Sure enough, there were two women standing together at the mountainside. Though they could not see details of their faces, from the extravagantly dyed cloth and elaborated embroidery, as well as the large group people behind them, there was no question that these two women were people of some importance. Perhaps it was the contrast in terms of clothing quality, but the two women looked like fairies descending to spread goodwill among the unwashed ma.s.ses.

"Doggo, are you sure? Could it be possible that those women are merely servant girls dressed in their mistresses' clothes?"

Chen Jing asked while everyone was still staring like idiots. n.o.body could understand why these two women was left behind. Fine, let's say they were left behind or stayed behind for some reason or other, but, shouldn't they be crying their eyes out at their misfortune? Or huddling in some corner of a darkened room? What were they doing hanging out here in the open? This had gone beyond mere bravery, it's stupidity, stu-pi-di-ty, ah.

"Boss, please be at ease. My eyes are excellent. From a kilometre away I can tell whether a fly is male or female. Those two are definitely the little marquis' official wife and concubine. Guaranteed." the half grown youth thumped himself on his puffed up chest. Chen Jing, too, was familiar with this youth's eye power, otherwise, why would they include him in this elite Slaughter Dog group?

"If that heir's wife did not lose her mind, it's possible that she had seen through our plan and deliberately stayed back in order to force us to split our manpower, giving the carriage group a chance to escape."

Chen Jing rubbed his bald head, sighed, and heard Liu Er Niu sneered, "Or so she imagines. Humph, no matter how Duan Tingxuan dotes on her, how could she be worth more than the old madam and elder madam of the marquis house combined?"

"You're the one imagining things." Chen Jing snorted. He glared at the second in command and said. "Though her social status is not as high as the escaping women, but considering the situation now, would you still dare to go after those carriages? Not afraid of people attacking you from the back?"

This made Liu Er Niu started. After hemming and hawing for a moment, he stamped his foot and said, "Whatever, I'm just following orders. Whatever you command, we'll do it, alright?"

"Of course you must do as I commanded, what foolish talk is this? Everyone prepare yourself. We'll leave the horses here. We will concentrate all our resources on Pushan Temple. Remember, we must accomplish our mission before daybreak. When dawn hits, someone from the Capital will definitely arrive. Whether we accomplish our objectives or not, we must hustle off by then.

If you happened to be captured… well, you know what to do."

[2] Sandpiper vs Clam – An idiom about two sides refusing to give in and is finally taken advantaged of by a third party, the Fisherman.

[4] Actually Chen Jing's name is also a joke. While 陳景 carries the meaning of Bright Display or Brilliant Chen of Southern Dynasties, it's also the onomatopoeia for 'Has Been'… sn.i.g.g.e.r, Mr. Hasbeen…

^_^

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