Chapter 726 - 728: Amused
Chapter 726: Chapter 728: Amused
He had read in biographies before that mountain bandits were incredibly vicious. Not only would they rob people of their goods, but they would also take lives. However, the people standing in front of him were worse off than the beggars in Shangjing.
Never mind the fact that their clothes were covered in patches, they were practically just skin and bones. Looking at whatever it was on their feet, they seemed to be shoes woven from straw. Dressing like this, they actually dared to call themselves mountain bandits? Were they sure they could successfully rob anyone in this state?
Gu Benluo’s scrutinizing gaze was a bit too intense, making Yu Laoda and his group uncomfortable.
"Did you forget something in the village? If you aren’t in a hurry, we can bring it over for you when we come to sell our goods tomorrow," Yu Laoda said, trying his best to keep his tone steady. If this had been the day before yesterday, he probably wouldn’t have even had the courage to face so many noblemen.
"No," Gu Lehuan said. He rarely interacted with Yu Laoda and his men, so he wasn’t quite used to this either and could only look helplessly at his younger brothers beside him.
Gu Le Ping walked over and bowed respectfully to Yu Laoda. "My brother, Le Tian, has received a lot of care from you all these past few years. However, we will be leaving in a few days. Le Tian bought some grain as a token of his appreciation to thank you all for looking after him.
"It’s just that the road we took to your village yesterday was far too narrow. These ox carts simply won’t be able to get through. We wanted to ask if it would be convenient for you all to help us carry the grain into the village?"
Yu Laoda looked at the several ox carts parked nearby, fully loaded with grain, and was quite taken aback. "I—is all this for us?"
He looked at Gu Letian in disbelief. Among these people, Le Tian was the one he was most familiar with. Off to the side, Wu Xiaoliu and the others were green with envy. With this grain, Yu Laoda and his group could live comfortably for a while. At the very least, they wouldn’t have to worry about rations until the autumn harvest.
Gu Benluo stared mischievously at the envious men behind them. Poking his head out, he chimed in, "If the rest of you are willing to help, we can pay you a little compensation too."
Since they were helping, they might as well be generous. Seeing that these people were having a hard time making ends meet, he decided to do a good deed for the day and generously part with his wealth for a just cause.
"Luo Luo," Gule Shun said, pulling him back. "Are you planning to dip into your private stash again? Let’s see how you explain that to Seventh Aunt when we get back."
Gu Benluo shushed him. "Brother Le Shun, what are you talking about?
"I have so many older brothers standing right in front of me. How could it possibly be a child’s turn to shell out Silver? I remember you guys bringing a lot more Silver than I did when we left the house. Do you really have the heart to fleece your adorable little cousin?"
Gule Shun was speechless.
Gu Lexi lightly tapped him on the head. "Snap out of it. This isn’t the first time you’ve traveled with him. Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?" He then turned to Gu Benluo. "Luo Luo, don’t keep fleecing your brothers. If you don’t believe me, go feel their pouches. They’re getting flatter by the day."
Gu Benluo glanced at Gu Lexi’s waist. "You’re all carrying silver notes, of course they’re flat! My pouch here is bulging, but it’s just filled with space-consuming copper coins. They really can’t compare."
Gu Lexi reached out and poked his forehead. "You sly little rascal." He then looked at Lai San and the others. "Since my little brother has already made the offer, it’s up to you if you want to earn these wages."
Of course they did! Lai San nodded vigorously, completely ignoring his boss standing right in front of him.
They had previously thought about coming to the county town to do odd jobs, but there was simply too little demand for short-term labor here. Even if someone needed help, they would hire people they already knew. It was incredibly difficult for them to earn a little Silver to subsidize their household expenses. Now that an opportunity had presented itself, if they could earn a little extra, they could at least buy some salt and bowls to help out at home.
Seeing that they had brought game with them as well, Gu Le Ping said, "Deliver these first. I’ll wait for you over here."
Only then did Yu Laoda and the others remember their main reason for entering the city today. They awkwardly bowed to the Gu Family Brothers and hurriedly ran toward the restaurant.
Gu Letian turned to the Gu Family Brothers and said, "I’ve troubled you all because of my business. The extra wages that will be paid later count as me owing you. I’ll definitely pay you back in the future."
"Le Tian, are you trying to shame us?" Gu Le Ping asked. "We just wanted to slack off and found someone to do the heavy lifting for us. How could we let you pay the Silver?
"Besides, we’re all family. Drawing such clear lines makes us seem distant. I still remember when you used to go up the mountain to chop wood, you’d always bring us back some wild fruits. Whenever anyone bullied us in the village, you were the one who stood up for us. What’s the matter? Are you the only one allowed to help us, but we aren’t allowed to repay the favor?"
Gu Letian was deeply moved by these words, but he was clumsy with his speech. "I—I didn’t mean it like that. I just didn’t want you all to spend so much."
The clothes he was wearing had just been hastily bought for him by his younger brothers yesterday. When had he ever dressed so decently?
Gule Shun rubbed his head. "Le Tian, I was so young back then that I’ve completely forgotten what the wild fruits you picked for me tasted like. If you ever come across them again, could you bring me some more?"
Gu Benluo hurriedly raised both hands and jumped in front of Gule Shun. "Me too, me too! I’ve never had them before. Next time someone bullies me, can you help me fight them off too, Le Tian?"
"O—of course!" Gu Letian stammered.
"Le Tian, don’t let this kid fool you," Gu Le Kai said, grabbing the back of Gu Benluo’s collar and dragging him a few steps backward. "Generally speaking, if he asks you to stand up for him, you definitely shouldn’t do it right away. It’s not necessarily someone else bullying him; he’s probably the one tormenting them."
"Exactly. Did you think Seventh Uncle assigned people to watch him for nothing? Anyway, if this kid ever comes to you for help, absolutely do not agree to it," Gu Le Ping added with a laugh.
Gu Benluo wailed. "You’re all bullying me! How could such a kind-hearted child like me ever do something like that?
"How could you ruin my reputation in front of Le Tian? You have no love for your little brother at all."
Gu Letian, having never seen a scene like this before, grew a little anxious. "Luo Luo is still young. We should help him out."
"Le Tian, don’t speak too soon. Wait until you’ve spent some time with him before you come to a conclusion," Gule Shun chimed in, delivering the final blow. "These are lessons your younger brothers have learned in blood and tears."
Gu Letian was speechless.
However, he was quickly amused by the rich expressions on Gu Benluo’s face. The kid was baring his teeth right now, inadvertently proving that everything the others said was true. Gu Letian’s heart was full of warmth. He had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel. It felt so good to know that he would be able to stay with his family for a long, long time!
Pushing the carts of grain, they busied themselves until the sun set in the west before finally returning to the inn. This batch of grain also served as his final farewell to Xinsheng Village. The chances of them ever meeting again were very slim, and it was better this way.