freenovelworld Chapter 431 Do you have no shame at all?
Chapter 431 Do you have no shame at all?
Someone mustered up their courage and said, "Brother, it was all Xiao Tang's idea to make us quit gambling and prostitution. We've been monks on the mountain for months, so there's definitely nowhere for us to gamble."
"We only took a small amount of money to bet on whether Xiaotang and Huo Qi would come back. It's not like we're betting big or small, it's not really gambling, so please don't be so angry."
"Yes, that's how we've been all these years. In the beginning, we asked everyone to change their bad habits because we wanted to get rich with our own hands. Now, Xiao Tang hasn't come back, Huo Qi hasn't come back, and without Xiao Tang who knows how to grow medicinal herbs and the scholars, what can we roughnecks do?"
Everyone chimed in, "Yes, what they said makes sense."
Scarface squinted, his eyes sweeping over everyone with a piercing gaze.
"You're all hopeless! Xiao Tang has already taught everyone how to grow medicinal herbs. Even if she and Huo Qi don't come back, does that mean we're all crippled and can't grow medicinal herbs anymore?"
Everyone muttered under their breath, but dared not speak loudly, for fear of angering the boss again.
Uncle Liang felt gratified to see that Scarface was still willing to continue growing medicinal herbs.
He sighed and said, "That girl Xiaotang is smart. Since she came to the mountain, we have no worries about food and drink. The medicinal herbs will soon be ready to be sold for money. As long as everyone perseveres, we will definitely become richer and richer in the future."
How can a young girl like her stay on the mountain forever? If word gets out, it will ruin her reputation, and how will she ever get married?"
Scarface thought Old Liang was right, and he continued, "You are all big and strong with all your limbs intact. Xiao Tang has already taught you how to make money, but instead of thinking about how to get rich on your own, you all rely on a little girl to lead you. Don't you have any shame?"
If they all give up on themselves, then what was the point of dragging those who committed heinous crimes to the authorities in the first place?
Someone whispered, "Weren't we living quite comfortably before? Why bother with all this effort, working like a mule every day?"
Scarface became even angrier after hearing this. He roared, "You used to live a pretty good life. Every time you went down the mountain to rob, you were risking your life, living a life of hiding and running from the government, not knowing where your next meal would come from. You thought you were living a good life?"
"This……"
After the boss exposed the truth, he was speechless and didn't know how to refute it.
Indeed, the eldest brother is right. These days we have enough to eat and wear. Compared to before, we were living a life where we didn't know where our next meal would come from. If we ran out of food on the mountain, we would have to worry about going down the mountain to get money, which was really dangerous.
Why are you all so quiet? Weren't you all so talkative?
"Since you all want to go back to the old days, how about this? Instead of splitting into two factions about whether Xiaotang and Huo Qi will come back, let's just split into two factions. Those who want to follow me to grow medicinal herbs can continue to follow me. As for those who want to go back to the old days, I will not stop them."
But if you don't come with me to grow medicinal herbs, whether you become poor or rich in the future, it's none of my business. We'll go our separate ways.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, feeling a little regretful. They had angered their eldest brother to the point that he wanted to split up the family.
That won't do.
The brothers on the mountain aren't very capable, nor are they good at making money. But after getting together for the past few years, they've become very united.
At least we can eat if we stay together. If we're separated, we'll starve to death sooner or later, even if we're not caught by the authorities.
So everyone bowed their heads and apologized to Scarface.
"Brother, we were wrong. It's all because we brothers have bad habits. We can't change our ways. We will never do it again. If we do it again, you can just take a knife and chop us up."
"Yes, brother, please don't be angry. I will definitely turn over a new leaf and be a better person."
"Change it, brothers, change it all..."
"..."
Scarface glared at everyone and gritted his teeth, saying, "You'd better keep your word, or I won't let you off the hook." With that, he stared at the scattered silver and copper coins on the ground and ordered the bearded man, "Beard, pick up all this money."
A few months ago, everyone on the mountain ran out of food, and they were reluctant to pool their savings together. Now, they're willing to gamble on whether Xiaotang and Huo Qi will come back.
This is absolutely infuriating!
When the bearded man heard that he was to pick up the money, he reacted very quickly for the first time. Without misunderstanding, he happily picked up the money one by one and handed it all over to his older brother.
"That's all, brother, please count them."
Scarface wasn't after the money his brothers had, but rather the fact that they hadn't united or worked together when food supplies ran out.
He felt he had failed as the boss!
He took the money from the bearded man, put it in his pocket without even glancing at it, and gave everyone a cold warning.
“If I find you gambling again, it won’t just be a matter of confiscating your money; you’ll be kicked off the mountain, and all brotherhood will be over.”
"Big brother, we've got it."
Those who had been scolded and lost their money left with long faces and miserable expressions.
Scarface was in a bad mood; he would kick even a stool if he saw one.
In fact, just like his brothers, he was counting on Xiao Tang to lead them to wealth. He always felt incredibly secure when Xiao Tang was around, but when she wasn't, he had to lead these brothers all by himself. He didn't have the talent for business and wealth, so the pressure was immense.
Seeing his elder brother's distress, Qu Xiao stepped forward to persuade him, "Brother, after spending these days together, I feel that Xiao Tang and Huo Qi are not disloyal people. Since they said they would come back when they went down the mountain, they will definitely come back."
Perhaps something happened in the capital that delayed them, which is why they can't return for a while. Why don't we wait a few more days?
Scarface sighed repeatedly, "If they were coming back, they would have come back long ago. They sent a letter to the town, but I don't know what it said."
"Brother is worried. It's one thing for Xiao Tang, a young lady, not to come back, but Huo Qi is literate and exceptionally talented. If he doesn't return, it will be difficult for us to get rich by growing medicinal herbs!"
Planting medicinal herbs is not difficult. The wasteland has been cleared and the medicinal fields have been well managed. When the herbs mature, some can be sold and some seeds can be kept.
However, since they were all uneducated and none of them knew how to do accounting, it was a difficult situation.
Qu Xiao then said, "Since you're in such a hurry, why don't you take the letter down the mountain to town and find someone who can read to help you read it?"
Scarface frowned again, looking troubled. "It's a good idea, but we don't know what Xiaotang and Huo Qi will say in the letter. What if they mention our identities? Wouldn't the people in the town know we're bandits and avoid us like the plague? If someone reports us to the authorities, we'll be in big trouble."
"That's true."
Qu Xiao was taciturn and didn't like to talk much. He was also not good at giving advice. Seeing that his elder brother was still frowning, he had no choice but to stop talking, lest he make his elder brother more upset.
When Lin Xiaotang and Huo Qi went up the mountain, they saw their brothers, who all looked like they had seen a ghost and couldn't believe their eyes.
"Huo Qi, Xiao Tang, you're actually back?"