readytorunbook Chapter 79 Robbery
Chapter 79 Robbery
Chapter 79 Robbery
It was Sheng Liang's first time participating in the lottery draw, and he didn't understand many things, so he kept asking Wang Qiang, who was sitting next to him, for help.
Wang Qiang and Sheng Liang are about the same age, and they have gotten along well these past few days. He patiently explained things to Sheng Liang, even telling him in detail about how Wang Wenzhou had secretly sabotaged things behind his back last time.
On the way back, Sheng Liang couldn't understand why his uncle didn't cheat this time.
"Brother, I don't understand, you don't even want ten thousand taels of silver?" Sheng Liang asked.
"Yes, young master, I can't figure it out either." Wang Qiang looked at his young master. These days, he felt that his young master's mind was sometimes clear and sometimes not. Sometimes he was wise and brave, and sometimes he was cutely silly.
Wang Wenzhou smiled and said, "When we scammers are out, we always try to understand the psychology of our target audience and write a script beforehand. Then we proceed step by step according to the script."
"Brother, are you a liar?" Sheng Liang asked in surprise.
"Just kidding. It's actually very simple. If Geng San is the one who wins the lottery every time, who would be stupid enough to collect tax receipts?" Wang Wenzhou said with a smile.
"I understand!" Wang Qiang nodded.
"Tonight, you and Xiao Liang take a few men to Wei Shilin's house and rob him of all the silver. Remember to leave him a few hundred taels of silver," Wang Wenzhou suddenly said.
"..."
Wang Qiang and Sheng Liang were completely bewildered. "Are you a county magistrate or a robber?"
"I knew you wouldn't understand! It's actually very simple. Once word gets out that Wei Shilin was robbed, I'll order that the winners must claim their prizes anonymously to protect their safety. Then we can manipulate the grand prize at will, making sure who wins. Dressed in costumes and with painted faces, who can tell who it is?" Wang Wenzhou laughed loudly.
"Young Master, you're really dark-skinned!" Wang Qiang said with a laugh.
"Yes, yes!" Sheng Liang didn't dare to mock his uncle and nodded in agreement.
“Li Hechen has already prepared his men, all trustworthy ones, so there won’t be any leaks. I’m having you go with them mainly to keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t kill anyone. We bandits have our code of honor,” Wang Wenzhou said seriously.
"Sigh..." Wang Qiang sighed. His young master was acting up again. Well, you are a dignified county magistrate, yet you send people to rob and plunder. Isn't that just banditry?
……
That night, a group of men in black stealthily approached Wei Shilin's house under the cover of darkness.
Li Hechen pointed to a house and said, "Young Master Qiang, this is the Wei Shilin family."
Wang Qiang waved his hand and said, "Go in! Remember my young master's instructions: we're here to rob, not to kill."
"Young Master Qiang, don't worry, the brothers all know!" Li Hechen nodded.
"Go!" Li Hechen waved his hand.
A man in black climbed over the courtyard wall and opened the gate from the inside.
Immediately afterwards, the men in black rushed into the courtyard.
"Why is it so quiet!" Sheng Liang said in a low voice, somewhat frightened.
"Haha! It's the middle of the night, everyone's asleep, of course it's quiet. Don't be afraid." Wang Qiang patted Sheng Liang on the shoulder.
Li Hechen pointed to the room in the middle and said, "This is Wei Shilin's bedroom. When we came to deliver the silver this evening, Wei Shilin told us to move the silver box inside. The box weighs over a thousand pounds, and it was difficult for four people to lift it. The silver box is definitely still inside."
Wang Qiang nodded and said, "Let's go in!"
Li Hechen was about to pry open the door, but with a gentle push, the door opened.
Li Hechen frowned, looking very suspicious. He quietly stepped inside, and a strong smell of blood hit him.
"Whoosh!" Li Hechen quickly drew his sword and whispered, "Oh no! Everyone be careful!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the man in black behind Li Hechen immediately drew his sword.
"Have we been discovered?" Sheng Liang asked, trembling with fear.
"It's alright! What's there to be afraid of! We're here to rob, so don't be afraid even if we get caught! With your uncle here, there's nothing we can't do in Hanshan County!" Wang Qiang comforted him softly.
The room was dark. Li Hechen groped his way to the bedside, held the knife to the chest of the person lying on the bed, and said, "Light the lamp!"
A man in black took out a candle and lit it.
"Ah!" Li Hechen exclaimed in surprise.
The bed was covered in blood, and two corpses, a man and a woman, lay in the pool of blood.
The male corpse was Wei Shilin, with a dagger stuck in his chest.
Li Hechen reached out and touched his nose; he was already dead.
I also saw the female corpse when Li Hechen came to deliver the silver; she was Wei Shilin's wife.
Wei Shilin probably never imagined that winning the lottery would cost him his life.
The silver box was originally placed beside the bed, but now only traces of where it was placed remain on the floor; the box itself has disappeared.
"Check each room one by one to see if there's a silver chest," Li Hechen said.
"Yes!" Several men in black went out one after another.
In a short while, Li Hechen and the others finished their inspection and found that Wei Shilin's entire family, including servants, totaling thirteen people, had all died a violent death.
"Ugh..." Sheng Liang looked at the corpse, felt a wave of nausea, and dry heaved.
"Young Master Qiang, it seems someone has beaten us to it!" Li Hechen said.
"Let's go back and report to the young master!" Wang Qiang said.
The group returned to Zuihualou and reported to Wang Wenzhou.
Upon hearing that his silver had been stolen and his entire family had been wiped out, Wang Wenzhou was instantly enraged! "Damn it, they dared to steal my silver!" Well, Wang Wenzhou was indeed somewhat shameless; he had long considered that ten thousand taels of silver to be his own.
"My lord! I believe the thief is still in the county town. I will immediately lead men to search overnight! I guarantee we will catch the thief!" Li Hechen said.
"Search your sister! No one has reported this to the yamen yet, how am I supposed to know that Wei Shilin's entire family has been wiped out?" Wang Wenzhou said irritably.
"Hehe..." Li Hechen laughed awkwardly. He had almost forgotten that they had just gone to the Wei residence disguised as robbers.
Wang Wenzhou thought for a moment and said, "Here's what we'll do. Li Hechen, you tell the brothers guarding the city gates to be relaxed on the outside but strict on the inside. After the city gates open at dawn, everyone leaving the city carrying a large amount of goods should be checked. Make a record of anyone carrying a large amount of silver."
"Your subordinate obeys!" Li Hechen nodded.
“I think the robbers only have two options: either hide and wait for things to calm down before secretly smuggling the silver out of the city, or they take a little bit of silver out every day, like ants carrying food. In short, the silver is safe for now; it's definitely still in the city. The key is that once the silver is hidden, it will be very difficult for us to find it except for the robbers themselves. The county town may not be big, but it's not small either!” Wang Wenzhou said, frowning.
“Yes, sir! I think that after someone reports the case, we should search house to house. Ten thousand taels of silver weighs more than a thousand catties. If we search carefully, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find it,” Li Hechen said.
"Are you stupid? You stole so much silver, would you be foolish enough to just leave it at home and wait for the constables to come and investigate? Just find a secluded spot, dig a hole, and bury it. No matter how much the constables search, they won't find it!" Wang Wenzhou laughed and scolded.