Green Mountain
Chapter 408 - 324, Jianghu is not worth it

Chapter 408: 324, Jianghu is not worth it

Qigong picked up some red worms and threw them into the pond: "Do you know why our Three Mountains Association only recruits military veterans? It’s because we belong to the Lower Nine, once you step over our threshold, your descendants will no longer be eligible for the Imperial Examination. It’s clearly written in the Daning Law, if we assault good citizens, the crime is increased by one degree; if citizens assault us, the crime is reduced by one degree. If a good family’s daughter marries someone like us, the clan can remove her from the family registry."

Upon saying this, Qigong looked up at Qian Ping: "So, unless those veterans have no other way, our Three Mountains Association wouldn’t want to take them in. Back when you wanted to join us, I used this reason to refuse you, didn’t I?"

Qian Ping lowered his eyelids: "In that case, those people might not be from the Three Mountains Association, could they be from the Cao Guild? I heard Han Tong came to the Imperial Capital secretly and is hiding in Chongnan Fang, and the Cao Guild has suddenly become very active. This person usually operates south of the Yellow River, now that he’s suddenly in the Imperial Capital, could he have ulterior motives?"

Qigong pondered for a moment: "I don’t know what Han Tong is doing in the Imperial Capital, but he is like a startled bird at the moment, and the Cao Guild has never lacked Silver Coin, it definitely wouldn’t create trouble over money. Rest assured, he must be here for something else."

Qian Ping frowned: "Not the Three Mountains Association, not the Cao Guild, then who could it be?"

Qigong didn’t answer, but asked in return: "I hear that array is tricky?"

Qian Ping replied: "It’s both offensive and defensive. Yesterday when they used bamboo, the ruffians could still handle it. Today they switched to iron weapons, beating up Heji’s ruffians until they couldn’t find their way. I observed that the array is extremely suited for alley combat, if not for the fact that ordinary people can’t wield those iron weapons, even the Cavalry would find it troublesome. It’s just that these people aren’t coordinated enough, otherwise, they could easily kill the Jing Dynasty traitors."

"Oh?" Qigong finally looked up at Qian Ping: "Really? You’ve retired from the Longevity Army, don’t joke about this matter."

Qian Ping replied earnestly: "Not a word of it is false... Qigong, you have been away from the Longevity Army for forty years, why still dwell on military formations."

Qigong smiled: "If it could save a few more of my Longevity Army boys, then it is a good array."

Qian Ping’s expression was gloomy: "But the officials at the court don’t care how many people lived, and how many died after a battle."

Qigong glanced at him: "They don’t care, but someone will... You came to me not just to inquire about the origin of that group, what else do you want to do?"

Qian Ping clasped his hands and said: "I wish to vacate Han Jiatan Alley and Li Shamao Alley, and join forces with Furui Xiang to meet the enemy, I want to ask Qigong to act as a mediator."

Qigong replied indifferently: "Qian Ping, a few days ago, your Heji’s Dragon Head Wang Huan asked me to be a mediator, to settle the ownership of Li Shamao Alley by martial prowess. That alley is already Furui Xiang’s, how could you use the word ’vacate’, breaking the rules?"

Qian Ping remained silent.

Qigong grabbed a handful of red worms from the jar and threw them into the deep pool, the koi in the pond suddenly boiled like fighting over the worms: "Qian Ping, do you remember what you said to me when you begged to join the Three Mountains Association back then?"

Qian Ping was silent for a moment: "I don’t remember."

Qigong was taken aback, then sneered: "All right, I won’t argue with you about those old matters. You want me to be a mediator, but this time, don’t go back on your word."

Qian Ping bowed and clasped his hands: "Certainly."

At this time, a man from the Three Mountains Association reported: "Qigong, Wang Huan and Zhu Guan have come together."

Qigong stood up, clapped the filth from his hands: "Let them in."

The man left and returned, leading a fat and a thin person through the courtyard to the front.

Zhu Guan and Wang Huan both greeted politely: "Qigong."

Qigong observed the two: "I heard from Xiao Qian that Heji wants to ally with Furui Xiang to jointly repel the foreign enemy?"

Furui Xiang’s Zhu Guan spoke first: "Qigong, I’m just here to watch the commotion, I have no intention of forming an alliance."

The chubby Wang Huan frowned: "What do you mean by that?"

Zhu Guan sneered: "What do I mean? You forgot that you sent a thousand gate experts to set up a trap in my Zhengbei Fang casino? Also, even though you lost Li Shamao Alley to me, you still refuse to let go, what do you and I have to talk about? Form an alliance with you, hah! Now an over-river dragon has taken a liking to your business, serves you right to be unlucky!"

Wang Huan’s eyes rolled: "When did I send a thousand gate experts? I have no idea. Also, I already instructed Qian Ping to give Li Shamao Alley to you, didn’t he give it to you?"

Zhu Guan and Qigong both looked at Qian Ping, Qian Ping was silent for a long time: "I made the decision on my own."

Wang Huan laughed heartily: "You see, I, Wang Huan, stick to my words, how could I betray trust? It was just the subordinates who didn’t understand, don’t be so petty, tomorrow I’ll give you both Han Jiatan Alley and Li Shamao Alley."

Zhu Guan looked at Qian Ping, then at Wang Huan: "Do you two think that singing a duet will settle things? If you want to form an alliance to repel the enemy, there must be an explanation for the previous matters. According to the Jianghu code, betrayers get three knives and six holes, but how about this, I won’t require you to get three knives and six holes, just cut off a finger."

Wang Huan furrowed his brow: "Zhu Guan, don’t be ungrateful! That Brother Pao was under your command, you wanted to trap him, but you ended up trapping me, how are we going to settle this?"

Zhu Guan looked up at the night sky: "Then wait for them to destroy your Heji, then come settle the score with me, I’ll be waiting."

Wang Huan widened his eyes: "Sun Thief!"

However, at this moment, Qian Ping suddenly shouted: "According to the Jianghu code, I’ll do it."

With that, Qian Ping pulled out a dagger from the waist of the Three Mountains Association man beside him and sliced off his own pinky finger with a swing.

Everyone present was stunned.

Qian Ping raised his bloody left hand, his expression unchanged: "Dragon Heads, I have faced that group directly, and naturally know their capabilities; if Heji and Furui Xiang do not work together, they will truly be defeated one by one. Today, I invite both of you to become blood allies, to jointly repel the foreign enemy."