Chapter Nineteen: Rescue

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“A-Si? What did Liu Qi want to say?” Liu Kui flung open the door and, in desperation, grabbed at the visitor’s collar.

“Kui... Kui Brother... please, just—” The villager called “A-Si” trembled in fright and stammered as he gestured for Liu Kui to let go.

Beside them, Qi Jun cleared his throat gently. Realizing his own loss of composure, Liu Kui finally released his grip.

“I just came back from the county. As I was leaving, I ran into Liu Qi at the city gate,” A-Si said, straightening his collar. “He told me to tell you to bring one hundred taels of silver to the West Market Gate before dusk today! He said if you don’t show up, the consequences will be severe.”

“What? How much? One hundred taels of silver?!” Liu Kui nearly leapt up in rage. “That damned Liu Qi really dares to ask for it! Where am I supposed to get so much silver in such a short time?”

Qi Jun frowned; he hadn’t expected Liu Qi to be so ruthless, demanding a hundred taels at once—it was as if he intended to destroy Liu Kui.

“Kui Brother, has something happened? Why is Liu Qi asking you for so much silver?” A-Si was bewildered by Liu Kui’s reaction, equally puzzled as to where Liu Qi got the nerve to make such demands.

Though A-Si sensed from Liu Qi’s message that something serious was going on, he had rushed straight to Liu Kui’s house upon returning to the village and was still unaware that the clan elder and Yun Fei had been kidnapped.

“To hell with it! I’ll kill him right now!” Liu Kui roared, grabbing the door bar and dashing out. A-Si, clueless about the situation, dared not stop him and quickly stepped aside.

Qi Jun rushed forward, spreading his arms to block Liu Kui’s path.

“Get out of the way! I’ll fight that bastard to the death!” Liu Kui raised the door bar, glaring fiercely at Qi Jun, tears streaming down his face.

“Calm down, Uncle Kui! The county is huge—do you know where they are?” Qi Jun stared back, gripping the door bar with his right hand and wrenching it away to toss it on the ground.

“Yes... yes, let’s all calm down…” A-Si chimed in, trying to help but fumbling for words.

Liu Kui sank to the ground like a deflated ball, tears falling as he slapped himself hard. “I’m truly useless! I can’t even imagine what he’ll do to Fei’er if he doesn’t get the money…”

He could not raise such a vast ransom, nor dare risk Liu Qi harming his father and Yun Fei if the money wasn’t delivered. Guilt and helplessness tormented him again and again.

“Uncle Kui, I have a plan! When the time comes, just follow my lead!” Qi Jun squatted down, placing a reassuring hand on Liu Kui’s shoulder. “Trust me! I’ll bring them back safe and sound!”

Liu Kui stared blankly, nodding in bewilderment. Driven to the brink by Liu Qi, his mind was overwhelmed by guilt and pain, unable to think clearly.

A-Si hurried to help Liu Kui up, brushing the dirt from his clothes.

Liu Kui kept his gaze fixed on Qi Jun, then, with tears streaming down, bowed deeply in gratitude.

He did not know whether Qi Jun’s words were meant to comfort him or what Qi Jun intended to do next, but at this moment, he could only choose to believe in Qi Jun and silently pray.

At the gates of Anqiang County, a man with a head full of scabs leaned against the city wall, nervously watching the road leading outside. Beside him, a burly, dark-skinned fellow chewed on a stalk of wild grass, eyeing him coldly.

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“I’ve been waiting here for an hour—where’s my money?” The burly man spat out the grass, grabbed the scabby-headed man’s collar, and growled impatiently.

This man’s name was Zhao Dehai, a notorious bully in Anqiang County. The gambling debts Liu Qi and Liu Scabhead incurred were lent out by him.

“Zhao... Master Zhao, please wait a bit longer! It’s not time yet!” Scabhead tried to placate him with a forced smile.

“Hmph! Let me warn you!” Zhao Dehai shoved him away, jabbing a finger at Scabhead’s forehead. “If you and Liu Qi try to fool me today, I’ll cripple you both!”

“I wouldn’t dare! Not even if you beat me to death, I wouldn’t dare cheat you...” Scabhead wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Damn it, playing big without the money…” Zhao Dehai sneered and cursed, glaring at Scabhead.

Meanwhile, in a derelict, overgrown courtyard within the county, Liu Qi paced anxiously.

He glanced uneasily at the nearby house, where the clan elder and Yun Fei were confined.

Liu Qi looked at the sun, now sinking westward, steadied himself, and mentally reviewed every detail of his plan. After confirming again that nothing would expose his location, he felt slightly reassured.

Yet regret gnawed at him. If not for Zhao Dehai pressing him for gambling debts, he wouldn’t have come to this point. But remembering how Liu Kui had beaten and insulted him in front of their kin, his face darkened.

He hadn’t originally intended to harm the clan elder and Yun Fei, but after Liu Kui’s public humiliation, anger and shame drove him to improvise a plan for ransom—killing two birds with one stone by repaying his debt and taking revenge.

But could Liu Kui really produce so much silver? Liu Qi was anxious.

He knew he could never return to Dongling Village, so he plotted: if today’s scheme failed, he would flee to Panlong Ridge and become a bandit. The clan elder could be discarded, but Yun Fei would make the perfect “gift” for his entrance.

If the chief of Panlong Ridge saw Yun Fei, such a lovely girl, perhaps he would entrust Liu Qi with an important role. The thought brought a sinister smile to Liu Qi’s lips.

“My cousin, if your father won’t respect me, then you’ll help your seventh uncle out,” Liu Qi muttered to himself, staring at the locked door.

At the city gate, the burly man had run out of patience. He spat and cursed, grabbed Scabhead by the neck, and raised his fist to strike.

Scabhead trembled in terror, shut his eyes tight, bracing for the blow and expecting to lose a few teeth. In his mind, he cursed Liu Kui for not bringing the money.

A county guard at the gate shook his sword, casting a warning glare at the pair.

The burly man remembered the rule forbidding fighting near the gate and the county office, so he reluctantly lowered his fist, sparing Scabhead.

“It’s time. Where’s my money?” He dragged Scabhead aside and demanded in a low voice.

“Well... I... Ah!” Scabhead started to protest, but when he glanced outside the city, his eyes lit up. “Master Zhao, look! Isn’t that him?”

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Zhao Dehai followed Scabhead’s gaze and indeed saw a man approaching the city gate with a bundle on his back.

“Is it really him?”

“Yes! That’s Liu Kui, the son of our village elder. That bundle must be filled with silver!”

“Good! You know what’s smart. Let’s go wait for him at the West Market Gate!”

Zhao Dehai smiled in satisfaction, dragging Scabhead into the city.

The county guards at the gate overheard their conversation and watched Liu Kui approach with anticipation.

According to regulations, all goods brought into the city were taxed at one percent. If Liu Kui’s bundle was full of silver, these guards stood to make a considerable profit.

After submitting part of it, their share would be enough for several nights of revelry.

“Stop! What’s in your bundle? Open it!” One guard stepped forward, blocking Liu Kui’s way and demanding to inspect the bundle.

Liu Kui agreed readily, took the bundle off his back, placed it on the ground, and opened it.

The guards hurried over, but when they saw the contents, they were dumbfounded.

“Stones? Why... why are you carrying a pile of stones into the city?” The captain, disappointed, questioned Liu Kui sharply.

“Officer, when did the county forbid bringing stones into the city?” Liu Kui replied with a smile, bowing respectfully.

“Well... well, it hasn’t…” The captain was momentarily stumped, unable to retort.

“May I enter the city now, officers?” Liu Kui packed up his bundle and asked.

Though puzzled, the captain did not press further and waved Liu Kui through without another glance.

After Liu Kui entered, a scholar also arrived with a bundle. The captain glanced at his shabby robe, knowing there was likely nothing of value inside.