Chapter 14: Mercy Saves the Bandit

Both sides were on edge, swords drawn. Han Chong flicked his wrist, sending a dagger slicing across his palm and thigh. Instantly, blood gushed from the wounds.

Han Xiaozhi watched as sweat poured from Han Chong’s forehead, yet his brother kept a nonchalant expression, making Xiaozhi even more frightened.

Han Chong curled his lip in a cold sneer. “Hmph! If you don’t hand over the money today…”

Blood dripped from the dagger in his hand, his body trembling slightly. One hand gripped a spiked club, the other the dagger; he looked the part. Erhu, though used to bullying the smaller neighbors while farming, had never encountered bandits before and was a bit shaken by the sight.

Erhu whispered, “What do we do? That guy looks vicious! He’s so ruthless, he doesn’t even spare himself.”

Luo Gan was tense. “Either he’s a real tough nut, or he’s new and doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Zhang Bamboo raised his brows in defiance, striding forward to stand between Luo Gan, Erhu, and Han Chong. Passersby hurriedly skirted around them.

A middle-aged woman, carrying a crying infant, glanced at Zhang Bamboo. He quickly grabbed a piece of gauze to cover his face, hoping not to be recognized.

Zhang Bamboo pinched his voice, “Don’t you know who my big brother is? Since we took up this trade, even women and children know us—who wouldn’t give the Red Ghosts of Anping a little respect?”

The woman holding the baby stared at the nervous Zhang Bamboo, whose voice was deliberately distorted. The more she looked, the more familiar he seemed… Could it be?

“Hey! Aren’t you that scoundrel who owes me for wine?” she shouted, walking over and jabbing her finger at his nose. Zhang Bamboo turned his face aside, retreating under her assault, intimidated by her fierce demeanor. Luo Gan and Erhu were bewildered, unsure how to react, so they held their ground, waiting.

Sensing things weren’t right, Zhang Bamboo quickly denied, “Ma’am, you’ve got the wrong person! Watch out, or the Red Ghosts of Anping will—”

“What ghosts? Anping my foot!” the woman retorted. “If you owe money, pay up! Don’t think you can wriggle out of it. Look at you, tall as a tree but not a lick of sense!”

She persisted, poking and prodding him—waist, armpit, chin—until he staggered backward. At last, she tore off the gauze covering his face. “Don’t you have any manners? This world’s gone bad because of people like you!”

Han Chong’s blood poured out, but to maintain his image, he stood motionless, veins bulging. Han Xiaozhi, seeing his brother so pitiful and Zhang Bamboo caught in embarrassment, decided to use his wits to extricate them.

“Auntie, perhaps you’re mistaken. We’re honest businessmen,” Han Xiaozhi offered.

She turned, glaring at him. “Auntie? What do you people do?”

A sudden inspiration struck Han Xiaozhi. “We rob the rich to help the poor, acting for heaven’s sake.”

Zhang Bamboo and Han Chong nodded eagerly, but she was unimpressed. “Speak plainly.”

Han Xiaozhi blurted out, “Robbery.” (His pronunciation was off, sounding more like “Big Sister.”)

The woman’s eyes widened. “Big Sister? Now that’s more like it, hmph.”

With that, she finally stopped her attack. Zhang Bamboo was left disheveled, still clutching his knife and fork tightly.

Han Xiaozhi was relieved at his cleverness. Luo Gan whispered to Erhu, “I think we’ve run into idiots. Let’s get out of here.”

Erhu nodded, and the two tried to slip away. Han Chong, meanwhile, stared forward, noticing the pair’s retreat. His blood continued to flow, pain racking his body, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.

Suddenly, Han Chong cried out and collapsed. Han Xiaozhi and Zhang Bamboo hurried to his side, panicked. Han Chong, suffering from blood loss, had gone into shock, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness.

Han Xiaozhi shook his brother’s body, wailing, “Brother! Brother, wake up! What will your little brother do if you leave?”

Zhang Bamboo, clueless, saw the pool of blood on the ground and feared their backbone was gone. He, too, began to wail loudly.

Luo Gan and Erhu had walked a few steps away. Erhu, trailing behind, kept glancing back.

Luo Gan said, “Why keep looking? The bandits are just getting what they deserve.”

Erhu replied, “I think… they’re kind of pitiful.”

He fished out some small change and exchanged a look with Luo Gan before returning to offer the money to the Red Ghosts of Anping. Han Xiaozhi and Zhang Bamboo were still lost in grief, oblivious to Erhu’s gesture.

Erhu said, “Here’s some money. Use it for your robbery.”

Zhang Bamboo didn’t even look up. “What’s the use of money if he’s dying?”

Han Xiaozhi kept crying for his brother. Erhu, moved by their grief, felt reluctant to leave; Luo Gan, watching from afar, also felt uneasy.

Erhu checked Han Chong’s eyelids, assessed his condition, and took out more money to hand to Han Xiaozhi.

“Little brother, I think your brother can still be saved. Take this money.”

Han Xiaozhi, slow to react, stammered, “Thank you, you’re such a kind person! Brother, what will we do if you’re gone?”

He and Zhang Bamboo continued to mourn, unable to stop. Erhu, seeing this, reluctantly left and rejoined Luo Gan.

Luo Gan gave a helpless look. “You! The world’s chaotic enough, why help bandits and make it worse? Blockhead.”

Erhu was simple, but compassionate. “I don’t understand much. My mother always said people are naturally good. No one’s born a thief.”

Luo Gan was moved. Ordinary farmers seeing things so clearly, helping strangers on principle—remarkable.

“Let’s go,” Erhu said.

They walked a few steps. Luo Gan glanced back; the two mountain bandits were just blubbering fools, crying their hearts out, which made Luo Gan and Erhu feel even worse.

Luo Gan stopped and looked at Erhu, who was already watching him. Without a word, the two reached a silent understanding.

With a nod, they hurried back and carried Han Chong away to save him.

Luo Gan helped Han Chong up, but Erhu, impatient, hoisted him onto his shoulder and strode forward. In an instant, the burly man was being carried away, Erhu marching briskly ahead.

The physician examined Han Chong’s wounds closely, while the four others waited anxiously.

The physician shook his head.

Han Xiaozhi wailed again, Zhang Bamboo stared blankly, cried himself hoarse; Erhu and Luo Gan frowned deeply.

The physician added, “The hand and thigh are fine, nothing serious.”

Han Xiaozhi laughed through his tears. “My brother can be saved!”

But the physician seemed troubled. “But…”

Luo Gan pressed, “But what?”

The physician spoke earnestly, “But from what you’ve described, someone’s brain must have gone awry. He lay there for ages and none of you thought to help him.”

Luo Gan and Erhu burst out laughing, while Zhang Bamboo and Han Xiaozhi were embarrassed. Still, with their big brother saved, the heavy burden in their hearts was finally lifted.