When Shen Jing and Madam Su and her daughter arrived with their people, the two were locked in a fierce battle.
Shen Jing was about to step forward to help, but Madam Su stopped him: "They're just sparring, don't get involved!"
She could tell at a glance that these two weren't fighting to the death, just practicing.
If they were truly fighting to the death, it wouldn't be this style of combat, and there wouldn't be so many people standing idly by.
Alright!
Since Madam Su had said so, Shen Jing was happy to watch the show.
Clang, clang, clang…
Du Heng and the bandit leader's weapons continuously clashed; it looked like the bandit leader had the upper hand.
However, Du Heng still had some skill; no matter how fierce the bandit leader's offensive, he could always find opportunities to counterattack in between strikes.
Madam Su frowned slightly.
This move, it's so familiar!
And this kid's striking big head, why does it resemble the son of an old acquaintance so much?
After more than ten consecutive moves, the bandit leader's long spear suddenly thrust down, aiming directly for Du Heng's crotch.
Du Heng's expression changed, and he hastily blocked with his saber.
However, his movement played right into the bandit leader's trap.
The moment he brought his saber across, the bandit leader's spear tip suddenly flicked upwards, slipping through the opening in Du Heng's guard, and the spear tip pressed against Du Heng's chest.
The victor was decided.
Du Heng's face stiffened, and he cursed angrily, full of resentment: "Despicable!"
If it weren't for this scoundrel using such underhanded tactics, he definitely wouldn't have lost.
"Stop your damn nonsense!"
The bandit leader was displeased, "Are you going to admit defeat, you son of a bitch?"
"You're the son of a bitch, your whole family are sons of bitches!" Du Heng jumped up and cursed.
"I'm asking if you admit defeat!"
The bandit leader glared fiercely at Du Heng, pushing the spear tip a little further.
"You better not fall into my hands!"
Du Heng uttered a harsh threat, hesitated for a moment, and finally dropped his saber: "I'm not convinced, but I'll honor the bet!"
With that, Du Heng walked to his horse, took his satchel from it, and then pulled out a fifty-tael silver ingot from the satchel, tossing it to the bandit leader.
The bandit leader caught the silver ingot Du Heng threw over and then called to his subordinates: "Brothers, lead the horses!"
"Wait!"
Just then, Madam Su suddenly spoke.
The bandit leader paused slightly, glancing at Du Heng: "It seems your words don't carry much weight, kid!"
Du Heng looked up at Madam Su, about to speak, but Madam Su stopped him.
Madam Su sized up the bandit leader, asking with a half-smile, "What is Fan Lao Si to you?"
Hmm?
Fan Qinghu was suddenly stunned, then looked at Madam Su in confusion, "You know my father?"
"Your father?"
Madam Su smiled, "Not only do I know your father, I know you too! You're called Fan Qinghu, and your nickname is Fan Datou, right?"
Fan Qinghu's heart skipped a beat, even more astonished.
How could she know him?
She even knew his nickname?
With a heart full of questions, Fan Qinghu took a few more steps forward so he could see Madam Su's face more clearly.
"Miss, do we… know each other?"
Fan Qinghu looked at Madam Su warily.
He was sure he had never seen this woman before.
But this woman knew him inside and out.
Presumably, this woman must know his father.
"Miss?"
Fan Qinghu's address immediately made Madam Su beam with joy, "You little rascal, your mouth is quite sweet!"
Madam Su playfully scolded Fan Qinghu, then raised an eyebrow and said, "I even helped name you; do you think I know you or not!"
As Madam Su's words fell, Fan Qinghu couldn't help but widen his eyes suddenly.
Shen Jing also looked at Madam Su in surprise.
Could his mother-in-law have been a bandit before?
Otherwise, how would she know so many bandits?
After recovering, Fan Qinghu immediately looked at Madam Su with pleasant surprise, "You are… Mei Sanniang?"
As Fan Qinghu spoke, he suddenly tore off the mask from his face.
He had heard his father say that he originally didn't have a formal name; because of his big head, he had been called Fan Datou since childhood.
Later, Mei Sanniang thought the name Fan Datou was unpresentable, so she helped him choose the formal name Fan Qinghu.
"Hmm, you do look quite like Fan Lao Si; you certainly seem to be Fan Lao Si's offspring!"
Madam Su sized up Fan Qinghu, then said in an exasperated tone, "Mei Sanniang is what you call me? Call me Madam Su!"
Fan Qinghu gave an awkward smile, immediately cupped his fists, showed his left thumb, and bowed slightly, lowering his body: "This nephew, Fan Qinghu, greets Madam Su."
"That's more like it!"
Madam Su looked at him with satisfaction, then asked, "Where's your father? Weren't you all in Seven-Bend Mountain in Qingzhou? How did you end up in Huaizhou, blocking roads and robbing people?"
When his father was mentioned, Fan Qinghu's expression immediately darkened, "My father was killed last year…"
"What?"
Madam Su's face changed, and she immediately stepped forward to ask, "What happened?"
Fan Qinghu's expression was somber as he slowly replied, "A few years ago, a man named Lao Guai suddenly appeared in Qingzhou, and in just a few years, he gathered a large group of people in Qingzhou…"
As Lao Guai grew stronger, many bandits in Qingzhou surrendered to him.
Later, Lao Guai set his sights on them, who were in Seven-Bend Mountain.
But his father refused to surrender to Lao Guai, no matter what.
So, Lao Guai colluded with an insider and directly seized their mountain stronghold; Fan Lao Si was killed, and many people in the stronghold surrendered to Lao Guai.
He escaped under the cover of a few loyal brothers, then fled all the way to Huaizhou, hoping to find a new place to set up shop in Huaizhou, so that in the future he could lead his brothers back to avenge his father.
After they arrived in Huaizhou, they did recruit a few people, but they couldn't find a suitable place to set up, and their travel funds ran out.
With no other option, he led his brothers back to their old profession.
Unexpectedly, their second attempt at robbery targeted an old acquaintance.
After hearing Fan Qinghu's words, Madam Su gritted her teeth in anger: "Good riddance! That scoundrel, I told him back then that being a bandit wasn't a long-term solution, and I pointed him to a clear path, but he refused to take it. Now look, he ended up dying without a burial place. Is he satisfied?"
Fan Qinghu lowered his head, hesitated for a moment, then knelt down with a 'thump': "I beg Madam Su to avenge my father!"
He had heard his father say that Mei Sanniang was very powerful.
But exactly how powerful, he didn't know.
Mei Sanniang's appearance gave him hope for revenge.
Looking at Fan Qinghu kneeling before her, Madam Su was both angry and sad.
After a moment of contemplation, Madam Su said with a dark face, "I am currently returning to the capital by imperial decree and don't have time to avenge you! Disband these rascals under you and come back to the capital with me! Once I'm done with my business, I'll help you get your revenge!"
"Thank you, Madam Su!"
Fan Qinghu was overjoyed, and then tentatively said, "My identity isn't really suitable for going to the capital. How about I first lead them to find a place to settle nearby…"
Bang!
Fan Qinghu hadn't even finished his sentence when Madam Su kicked him.
"Hasn't your father's lesson been enough? Do you still want to follow in his footsteps?"
Madam Su angrily rebuked Fan Qinghu, then looked up and scanned the people under Fan Qinghu, "For the sake of this scoundrel, I'll give each of you ten taels of silver for travel expenses!"
"You either find a place to live a peaceful life, or you go and join the army!"
"If I ever find out you're robbing homes again, I'll light you up like sky lanterns!"
Children of the jianghu live and die by the jianghu!
How many can escape this fate?