Chapter 9 The eighth chapter Lishantou suddenly emerges to collect bandits and hide their secrets

Zhou Liansheng said: "Of course it's a good thing that we can be independent, but doing so will anger Zhu Yunhan in the first place..." Yi Hao said: "I've already thought about this level, so it's nothing to worry about. The mountains here are high and the forests are dense, even if he dispatches thousands of troops, the brothers will not be able to get hurt if they drill into the mountains. What is really worth worrying about is that the two The more than a dozen brothers have different hearts and opinions, and once someone rebels, you and I will be killed. If you can subdue the brothers, other difficulties will be easily solved."

Zhou Liansheng raised his head and looked at Yi Hao: "Could it be...you already have a wonderful way to subdue the brothers?" A smug smile appeared on Yi Hao's face. Looking back, in the midsummer of 1921, brothers Xi Yihao and Yi Fang, unable to bear the harassment of bandits, joined Zhu Yun Han bandits in order to protect themselves.At the beginning of his debut, because of his timidity when "passing the hall", he was sent to Shuangbiyan at the entrance of the cave to "pass slip".Yi Fang died when he "closed the sheep", and Yi Hao escaped fortunately.However, the pain of losing his brother made him almost want to live, and he vowed to take revenge in this life.

At that time, Yi Hao had no guns and no soldiers, so he pinned his hopes on Zhu Yunhan for revenge.When Zhu Yunhan heard about it, he believed that this incident would damage the reputation of the bandit department, and ordered Yi Hao to investigate who the daring wine dealer was.Yi Hao followed the clues and found out that the enemy who killed his younger brother was the family of the Zhang family on the stone back of Huangqiao Pavement.There are three brothers in the family, the eldest brother is deceased, his wife Yin Shi, and his son Zhang Zhongyi. Yi Hao reported the truth to Zhu Yunhan, and Zhu Yunhan and his military adviser Yang Xiangwan went to Shibei.When he came back the next day, he declared that Zhang Yunqing had fled to another country.Yi Hao was very disappointed.

After that, Yi Hao was sent by Zhu Yunhan to occupy the stronghold of Shuangbiyan at the entrance of the cave, and he often "closed sheep" on the main post road from Shuangbiyan to Qianyang.Yi Hao acted nimbly and became more careful after the death of his younger brother. On this road, "Guan Yang" never "lost the wind" and made a lot of money for Zhu Bandit. After half a year, he was promoted to the team leader and led more than 20 people to shoot. , still active in the area from Shuangbiyan to Qianyang.But the heart of revenge has never been forgotten, and he often secretly inquired about Zhang Yunqing's whereabouts.

At that time, Yi Hao had a fellow from the same village as Zhou, whose surname was Liansheng.Zhou Liansheng joined Zhu Yunhan's subordinates two years earlier than Yi Hao, but he was very frustrated, and he was always just the "gun head" of the bandit department, that is, thugs.One day, Yi Hao led his troops to Shuangbiyan again. Seeing things and thinking about people, he couldn't help but climbed up the hillside above the bridge—this is where his younger brother's bones were buried. The tomb is not big, and he dug it with a saber at that time. It was early autumn, the sun was very poisonous, and the sky was blue and cloudless.Yi Hao walked up to the top, already dripping with sweat.He made a few bows in front of the grave, and said, "Brother, I happened to come here today, and I didn't bring any paper money, incense candles, fruits, etc. Please don't blame me. I will make a grand sacrifice on July 15th, please." You should pay attention to check it under the shadows. As for the enemy who killed you, Zhang Yunqing, I will definitely not let him go. Once his whereabouts are found out, he will act. But there is a huge crowd, looking for him is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was secretly facilitated, but this wish was fulfilled when my brother recovered."

It's strange to say that after Yi Hao finished speaking, a gust of breeze suddenly blows on his face, making him feel cool.Looking up, it turned out that a white cloud was floating above his head, covering the sun and sending him down the hillside. On the stone wall near the mountain of the post road, there are overgrown trees, and the gangsters hide under it to enjoy the shade.Seeing Yi Hao coming down the slope, Zhou Liansheng went up to meet him, dragged him to sit down beside a boulder, and asked, "Old Yi, are you going to see your brother again?" Yi Hao nodded, and sighed: "The big revenge has not been avenged, and Yi Hao is a man in vain."

Zhou Liansheng got up and looked across the road. Seeing that no one was coming, he sat down again and said, "Old Yi, I have been hiding something for a long time. If I don't tell you, I am really sorry to my fellow villagers. But, I will tell you today, you must not Say it is what I said, otherwise my life will be in jeopardy." Yi Hao had a premonition that the matter was serious, so he swore repeatedly while urging Zhou Liansheng to speak quickly. "After your brother died last year, Zhu Yunhan and Yang Xiangwan went to Shibei not to avenge your brother, but to recruit Zhang Yunqing into the gang!"

Yi Hao was like a thunderbolt, but he still didn't believe it was true. He grabbed Zhou Liansheng's shoulder and asked, "Is this impossible?" "It was Yang Xiangwan who came up with the idea. He said 'a thousand soldiers are easy to get, but a good commander is hard to find'. If Mr. Zhu wants to dominate the green forest, a talent like Zhang Yunqing must not lose it. So they both went to Shibei in person under the pretext of avenging you. Please invite Zhang Yunqing to join the gang. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yunqing is arrogant and wants to pull the pole by herself, so she rejects Master Zhu on the spot."

Yi Hao gasped, and asked again: "If Zhang Yunqing is willing to join the gang, how will they explain to me?" Zhou Liansheng said: "To be honest, you had no weight in their hearts at that time. With Zhang Yunqing, they will naturally not want you." Although it was a hot day, Yi Hao shivered, and tears flowed down unconsciously... After being sad for a long time, he wiped away his tears, raised his head and said to Zhou Liansheng: "I have kept this in my heart, but you must never forget it." Keep it secret, once the truth is revealed, Yang Xiangwan may kill you. You wait patiently, I will not be fooled by them for a long time!"

On this day, Yi Hao robbed a salt gang and obtained more than 20 dans of high-grade white salt.After dark, they lived in the cave at the top of the double wall rock. In the middle of the night, the gangsters all fell asleep, and Yi Hao tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, thinking about this chilling thing in his mind, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was being used and deceived.Finally, he made up his mind, pushed Zhou Liansheng awake, walked out of the cave together, and sat down on a rock. The stars in the sky are sparse, and the moon is bright, shining on the majestic Xuefeng Mountain.There is a wind coming from outside the mountain, and the sound of the waves at the foot of the mountain is like a complaint.

"Old Zhou, it's not a long-term solution for us to rely on others. If I plan to raise my own pole, would you like to follow me?" Yi Hao looked at Zhou Liansheng and said. "Do it yourself? Of course I would. But, can it be done?" "What can't be done! There is nothing difficult in the world, as long as there is a heart." Yi Hao said, "He Zhu Yunhan is capable, and I am no less lacking than him!" "I mean, we don't have guns." "How difficult is this? There are more than 20 human guns ready-made. If you develop them further, you can build a mountain." "However, these guns belong to Zhu Yunhan. He will definitely not agree." "You are so stupid." Yi Hao laughed, "Since I want to leave him, of course I won't ask him." "You mean—against his water?" Yi Hao nodded: "If he is not benevolent, I will be unrighteous!" Zhou Liansheng was silent. "Don't worry, I will let you be my deputy after the matter is completed, which is better than Zhu Yunhan's 'gun head'. I don't think other brothers will object. In the past year, we have made countless profits for Zhu Yunhan. How much wealth we enjoy is less than one-tenth, and the brothers have long complained." "Of course it's a good thing that we can be independent, but doing so will first anger Zhu Yunhan! I'm worried that once he sends troops to attack, we won't be able to win." "I've thought about it, but it's nothing to worry about. The mountains here are high and the forests are dense. Even if he dispatches thousands of troops, the brothers will not be able to get hurt if they go into the mountains. What worries me the most is that the hearts of more than 20 brothers will be broken." Qi, everyone has their own opinions. Once someone betrays, you and I will not only fail, but will also be killed. If we can really subdue these brothers, the rest of the difficulties will be solved." Zhou Liansheng thought for a while, then raised his head: "You woke me up on purpose tonight, you must already have a wonderful way to subdue the brothers." Yi Hao shook his head and sighed: "There is no magic method, but there is a stupid way." As he spoke, he beckoned Zhou Liansheng to listen to him. Zhou Liansheng raised his ears, nodded and said, "Well, this is a good idea. Okay, okay, I'll do as you say." Early the next morning, Yi Hao said he would go nearby to see if there were any bulk cargo passing through, and went down the mountain.Zhou Liansheng took the opportunity to incite people wantonly, and many people were moved by what he said. During breakfast, Yi Hao returned to the cave, and everyone was relatively speechless.After eating, Yi Hao ordered the gangsters to pick up more than a dozen loads of salt and send it to Zhu Yunhan's lair in the garden. At this time, everyone refused to leave and looked at Zhou Liansheng again and again.So, Zhou Liansheng and Yi Hao performed "Shuanghuang".He walked up to Yi Hao and said, "Old Yi, there is a saying that everyone has kept in their hearts for a long time, but they dare not say it. Today I dare to say it outright. If you think we are suspected of rebellion, you can do it alone. , don’t implicate the brothers.” Yi Hao frowned, nodded and said, "Speak." Zhou Liansheng coughed dryly: "Brothers have contributed tens of thousands of wealth to Mr. Zhu since they followed you on this road to 'close the sheep', but the brothers are all living in poverty, and many of them can't even eat salt at home. .I know you are very loyal to Master Zhu, but you can't ignore it, brothers!" "What do you mean, can you explain more clearly?" Yi Hao said with a deadpan expression. "Salt is very precious right now, and every family of the brothers needs it very much. I wonder if I can share some of it with them..." Yi Hao's expression changed suddenly when he heard this, and he pointed at Zhou Liansheng's nose and cursed: "What a Zhou Liansheng, thanks to you, you are still an old Jianghu, don't you know that if you privately distribute stolen goods, you will commit the crime of beheading? You said that we have to report to Zhu Liansheng every year. The master contributed tens of thousands of ocean's wealth, but don't forget, this is the foundation he created. Without him as a backer, you dare to "close the sheep" at Shuangbiyan? Zhou Liansheng, you said such a bastard today , what should I do!" Zhou Liansheng knelt down with a "plop": "Boss Yi, please forgive me, Liansheng won't dare again." Yi Hao ignored it and shouted: "Which brother bring a pole over here, spank him a hundred times!" Zhou Liansheng got down obediently and took off his pants, revealing his snow-white buttocks. Seeing that the gangsters were indifferent, Yi Hao took out a pole from the basket and wanted to do it himself.At this time, the rest of the gangsters knelt down together and begged: "Boss Yi, Brother Zhou's words are what we want him to say, so if you want to fight, hit us!" The gangsters then all got down on the ground and exposed their buttocks. Yi Hao hurriedly threw away his shoulder pole, bowed and said, "Brothers, what are you doing! Get up, get up, I won't fight anymore..." The gangsters just got up, but Zhou Liansheng refused to get up, and said forcefully: "Boss Yi, I am willing to give you a thousand sticks, but you have to share some salt with the brothers no matter what!" Yi Hao shouted: "Zhou Liansheng, get up!" "I'm sorry!" "Do you think I really dare not hit you?" "I didn't say you dare not hit me!" "Okay, I want to see if your ass is hard or my shoulder pole is hard!" "Even if you beat my ass into meat paste, I still ask you to share some salt with the brothers!" Yi Hao really picked up his pole and slapped Zhou Liansheng's butt.The bandits were moved, and they all knelt down and begged. Yi Hao put down his pole, and amidst Zhou Liansheng's begging for mercy, he pretended to think carefully, then gritted his teeth, and said, "Okay, I've granted your wish." After speaking, he turned around, not looking at the crowd. Zhou Liansheng got up, happily distributed two loads of salt to everyone, and finally took another portion wrapped in clothes and brought it behind Yi Hao, saying, "This is yours." "I do not want!" "If you don't want to, you just don't want to be of one mind with the brothers." Yi Hao turned around, frowned and said, "Why is this so little?" "I only shared two burdens." Zhou Liansheng said. "If you want to share it, let's share it together." Yi Hao looked at the gangsters and said, "Brothers, this batch of salt was discovered by Master Zhu a long time ago. There are thirteen loads in total, and each load is one hundred and twenty catties. You can't hide even one catty less. He, instead of sharing two burdens, it is better to share them all, and I can explain to him at that time, saying that the other party has taken precautions and did not lock up the sheep." The gangsters were elated and shouted "get rich". On this day, they took the salt back to their respective homes, and at night they returned to their stronghold, Dongkoutang, to gather. After the gangsters took the salt home, Yang Xiangbin was sent from the garden to ask about the whereabouts of the thirteen dans of salt.Yi Hao and Zhou Liansheng insisted that they had never seen Yan Guo Shuangbiyan. Yang Xiangbin was very unhappy, and told Yi Hao: "We have found out that tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, there are cloths who have helped Shuangbiyan, and there are 340 bolts of silk cloth. Because of the huge value, there may be guards escorting them, but your strength is enough. Deal with it. I hope you don't make any mistakes this time, otherwise, it's hard to explain to Master Zhu." After Yang Xiangbin rode back, the gangsters also came back one after another. Yi Hao didn't say much, but asked everyone to rest early, saying that there was a big business to be done tomorrow. The gangsters stayed in the "Xuefeng" inn they opened. Xuefeng Inn is located in the hinterland of Xuefeng Mountain, close to the ancient post road. It is a simple stilted building with bamboo and wood structure.The bandits follow the old adage that "rabbits don't eat grass by the side of their nests", and they generally don't "shut up sheep" here.This time is an exception.Porters who often walk on this road know that Xuefeng Inn is a den of bandits, and bandits often use this place to inquire about the market. The gangsters were woken up by Yi Hao before dawn, each had enough dry food, then hid their guns in the firewood they carried, pretended to be porters or woodcutters, approached Shuangbiyan in batches, and then hid beside the post road Among the stone caves and brambles. In the morning, there was indeed a large group of cloth gangs passing by, and behind them were several Qiu Ba who were escorting with guns. Yi Hao issued an order to his subordinates with a secret signal to let the porter ahead.Qiu Ba in the back entered the ambush circle, he raised his gun and knocked down one first, and all the bandits shouted and shot, killing several Qiu Ba. This time, as usual, they did a very good job. They easily robbed more than 400 bolts of high-quality Hangzhou silk. They were especially overjoyed to get five high-quality Hanyang rifles. After the incident was completed, Yi Hao organized his subordinates to carry the spoils, climb up the hillside, get into the cave extending in all directions, come out of the cave, and rest in the back mountain. At this time, Zhou Liansheng urged Yi Hao to swallow this large sum of supplies. Yi Hao refused at first, but Zhou Liansheng said: "Since we have already started, we must continue. Yang Xiangwan under Mr. Zhu's subordinates is not a fool. In a few days, even if they don't come to clean us up, at least Shuangbiyan is the pass. Don’t give it to us anymore. The opportunity is rare, Chief Yi, you must think it over carefully!” Under the lure of huge wealth, the gangsters agreed in unison, asking Yi Hao to make a decision. Yi Hao hesitated for a long time, and finally asked everyone: "Brothers, since you all have this intention, I can't object to it alone, but if Master Zhu pursues it, who should take the responsibility?" "Everyone is responsible together!" Yi Hao sighed for a long time, and said: "Okay then, divide the cloth! You should hurry up and send your things home while it's still early, and you must rush back to the inn before dark—because, Yang Xiangbin There is a possibility that we will come, and we must discuss the funeral together.” The gangsters went home with the distributed cloth, and before dark, they all met at the Xuefeng Inn as promised. After dusk, a fast horse came galloping from the side of the post road. The gangsters all said that it was Yang Xiangbin who came. When the horse approached, it was not Yang Xiangbin, but an orderly under Yang Xiangbin.Yi Hao arranged him to eat in the front hall, walked to the stilted building at the back, and said to the gangsters with a sad expression: "Brothers, our current situation is very serious, worse than we expected. Zhu Yunhan is fine, he is simple-minded anyway. But Yang Xiangwan is amazing, and he can't hide anything from him. He didn't ask his younger brother Yang Xiangbin to come over, obviously he knew there was a change in us, so he only sent an orderly over to investigate." Bandit Wan didn't expect things to change so quickly, and now they have to rebel if they don't rebel.Zhou Liansheng took the lead in saying: "Boss Yi, you don't tell us we understand that we have no way out at this stage. Boss Yi, you can lead us to do our own thing! Whatever you do, I will follow you!" "We'll all go with you!" The gangsters said in unison. Yi Hao scratched his head and did not express his opinion.At this time, Yang Xiangbin's orderly put down his job and walked in, asking, "What were you calling just now?" "Nothing." Zhou Liansheng replied, "We are talking about why Yang Xiangbin didn't come, why did you come?" The orderly said, "I don't know why, but Yang Xiangwan sent me here." "He sent you, didn't he say what he wants you to do?" Yi Hao asked. "Say it. He asked me to ask if you have any sheep locked up in the cloth gang today. By the way, I haven't asked you yet." "It's closed." Yi Hao nodded and said, "The goods are stored in the room over there. I'm going to personally deliver them to Master Zhu's house in Huayuan tomorrow." The orderly breathed a sigh of relief, nodded and said, "That's good." "Isn't it bad if you don't lock up the sheep?" Yi Hao approached, "Tell me, what else did Yang Xiangwan say to you?" "He also said that if you didn't get locked up in the cloth gang, I would rush back immediately and not stay." "What does it mean?" The orderly shook his head: "I don't know either. He also told me to see those goods with my own eyes. Yi Hao, take me to see them quickly, otherwise I won't be able to do my job in front of the military division." Yi Hao nodded, and led the orderlies out.Not long after, there were two muffled sounds of shelling guns hitting objects... After a while, Yi Hao came back with a pistol, scanned the crowd and said, "Brothers, you all heard it just now. From now on, we have no choice but to leave Zhu Yunhan. Whether we live or die depends on everyone's fortune. Said Understand, it is whether you can unite as one, whether you can twist into one rope. If you can’t do this, it’s better to break up now!” Everyone is silent. "But dispersing is not a good way. Zhu Yunhan knows the details of everyone. As the saying goes, if you run away, you can't escape the temple. In the end, no one can escape being hunted down. Therefore, our only way out is to unite and form a group Power, fight with Zhu Yunhan, and all those who dare to bully us!" "Old Yi, you can just be our big brother, I am willing to listen to you!" Zhou Liansheng knelt down first and said. "Brother, we are willing to listen to you!" Seeing that he had successfully passed the first step of pulling the lever, Yi Hao was overjoyed in his heart, but he was still very calm on the surface.He said in a somewhat serious tone: "Brothers, since everyone trusts me so much, I, Yi Hao, will be your big brother from today. I will live and die with the brothers, share fate, and lead everyone Forge a path that belongs to us! At present, our future is very grim. Apart from being wary of Zhu Yunhan sending troops to attack, the most serious thing is that we will soon lose the Shuangbiyan, the territory we depend on for survival—— Because, Zhu Yunhan will definitely send another subordinate who is loyal to him to take over." The bandits bowed their heads. "Brothers, raise your heads up and look at me—we are all standing peeing men!" Yi Hao spread his legs and touched his crotch with his right hand, "However, when standing up to pee, the ground under your feet must be your own Land, otherwise, the eyes will look left and right, the legs will tremble, and it will damage the image of a man. Therefore, what we need most at the moment is a piece of land of our own! Brothers, if you have any good ideas, just put them forward.” The gangsters looked up at Yi Hao, but they didn't speak. After a moment of silence, Zhou Liansheng suggested: "As the saying goes, you can't kill the raw if you are familiar with it. At present, we can't gain a foothold in other places. Although Zhu Yunhan has more than a hundred guns, they are scattered in the garden, Hongyan, Cangdong, and Shuangbiyan. Now that we are separated from him, he has only about 80 men left. Shuangbiyan is still more than 30 miles away from his garden lair. In my opinion, we will stay where we are. If he really comes to attack, relying on this place Complicated terrain, once the brothers drill into the deep mountains, even thousands of troops will not be able to hurt our fur." Yi Hao shook his head: "It's not right. After we leave Zhu Yunhan, he will immediately send people to guard here. After all, there is only one post road in Xuefeng. Two tigers compete for food. We are in a weak position and will definitely suffer." Zhou Liansheng spread his hands and said with a bitter face, "Then we have nowhere to go." "That's not necessarily the case." Yi Hao said, "There is no unparalleled road, and there are ways. Brothers, what do you think of Xixi? It is my hometown, and it is unique to develop our business." Zhou Liansheng objected: "Although the creek is far away from the emperor, it is our hometown after all. Rock eagles don't kill chickens in their nests, so it's not easy for us to rob them." Yi Hao laughed and said: "You are such a fool. When I came back to Xixi, I didn't intend to rob the folks. On the contrary, I wanted to protect them. Since the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fell, there have been many disasters, and the Xi folks have suffered a lot. In order to protect themselves, they The Self-Defense Forces have been set up many times, with each household sharing the expenses, but they were eventually disbanded due to outdated equipment and unbearable harassment from bandits. Now, we have more than 20 people with guns on hand. If we go to our hometown to recruit a group of strong young people, Then we can get a foothold. More importantly, we can legitimize our identity by playing the signboard of 'Self-Defense Forces'." When the bandits heard this, they clapped their hands in agreement. After the matter was settled, Yi Hao looked at the gangsters and said: "Just now we have cleaned up the orderlies sent by Yang Xiangwan. If Yang Xiangwan sees the orderlies, he will be suspicious. It is not suitable to stay here for a long time. It is the best policy to leave quickly." While talking, the bandit who was in charge of the watch in the front building came in to report: "There is a large group of people coming here on the road ahead. This situation is very abnormal, because few people passed this road at night in the past." Yi Hao thought "Gorden" in his heart, and said in surprise: "No, Yang Xiangwan has always been predictive, maybe it is he who came to surprise us in the middle of the night! Brothers, retreat!" After Yi Hao finished speaking, he rushed out of the inner room first, stood at the door of the inn and looked east.Under the melting moonlight, I saw dozens of men in black with guns running towards here. Besides, Zhu Yunhan, the leader of the bandit, has more than a hundred people with guns under him, and more than forty people are left in Laochao Garden to be responsible for his safety. Share twenty human guns, and the property obtained was sent to the garden under the supervision of Yang Xiangbin.In addition, there is also an intelligence unit called "Xunfeng". "Xunfeng" either opens a shop in the pass, or is sandwiched among porters to inquire about intelligence.According to the information obtained, Zhu Yunhan ordered the gangsters in his area to rob. Some time ago, a patrolman found out that thirteen tons of salt came from Guangxi and sold to Guizhou via Shuangbiyan.After getting the information, Zhu Yunhan ordered Yang Xiangbin to go to Xuefeng Inn to inform Yi Hao to rob the goods. At that time, due to the inconvenient transportation and the turmoil of war, there were many robbers along the way, and the salt transported from the sea to the inland was very little, so the price was extremely expensive. If you robbed the thirteen tans of salt and sold it, you could get a huge sum of money.The military adviser Yang Xiangwan was very capable in handling affairs. In order to guard against Yi Hao and others' tampering, he investigated the number and weight of the salt gang in advance.On the second day after the Yan Gang passed through Shuangbiyan, Zhu Yunhan sent Yang Xiangbin to urge the goods, and notified the cloth gang to pass by.But Yi Hao and his subordinates insisted that they did not rob the salt. Yang Xiangbin went back to the garden to report to Zhu Yunhan. Yang Xiangwan was also there at the time, and he was shocked when he heard the news: "No, Yi Hao wants to rebel!" Zhu Yunhan was startled at first, then shook his head and said: "Impossible! Yi Hao has always been loyal, and there has been no sign of rebellion for a long time. Xiangwan, maybe the Salt Gang really never passed, so you don't have to be suspicious." Yang Xiangwan sighed: "It is because it was too sudden that I dare to conclude that Yi Hao has changed. The information of this Yan Gang is very accurate, and it is impossible not to pass through the post road." "Can you think of it this way: maybe someone else has been eyeing this shipment and robbed it before us." Yang Xiangwan shook his head and sighed: "Master Zhu, I'm not talking about you. You always think too well of others. Such a personality is only suitable for being the abbot of a temple, not the leader of a cottage. In our line of work , is a business of licking blood at the edge of a knife. We must always be on guard and be careful everywhere. Many times, we would rather believe in something than not in nothing. We currently only have more than a hundred people and are about to expand and develop. This kind of loss can’t be calculated clearly with more than a dozen dans of salt! Shuangbiyan is more than 30 miles away from the garden, and the mountains are high and densely forested, even if they are expropriated, there will be little effect.” Zhu Yunhan said disapprovingly: "Even if your worries are reasonable, there must be grounds for doubts, and besides, Yi Hao has never had any signs of misconduct." Yang Xiangwan looked at Zhu Yunhan: "I admit that Yi Hao is a loyal person, but once a loyal person finds out that he has been deceived and recognizes a thief as his father, what will happen to him?" "You mean..." Zhu Yunhan's eyes widened in shock. Yang Xiangwan nodded and said: "Yes, we have done something wrong to him in the past. Not only did we not avenge him, but we also wanted to kill his brother's enemies. There is no impenetrable wall in the world, maybe he already knows It’s the bottom line that makes this move.” "It makes a little sense, but it's not very reasonable. I think that even if he wants to turn against me, other people may not necessarily agree." "As the saying goes, people die for wealth, and birds die for food. The thirteen dan of salt is an attractive fortune for them. Maybe they were only greedy for a little bit at the beginning, and Yi Hao deliberately divided it all up, so that they can force They give in. Don't think that Yi Hao is honest, he is a ghost." Zhu Yunhan still didn't believe it, and said with a smile: "Mr. Yang Jun, don't be so alarmist. Whether it is true or not, tomorrow there will be another cloth gang passing through Shuangbiyan. If he is really like what you said, he will divide it up again. Then it will not be too late to think about countermeasures." .” When Yang Xiangwan saw that Zhu Yunhan was not convinced, he looked up to the sky and sighed: "God help Yi Hao. If you don't believe me, you will regret it one day!" The next day was the day when the cloth gang passed through Shuangbiyan. According to the report of the scouts, more than 400 pieces of Hangzhou fine silk were escorted by several gun-wielding Qiuba. In the afternoon, Zhu Yunhan estimated that the spinning silk had already been obtained, so he sent Yang Xiangbin to drive the goods back to the garden on horseback. He didn't believe that Yi Hao would mutiny at all. Before Yang Xiangbin went out, Yang Xiangwan stopped him and said, "Brother, you can't go, I'll send an orderly to go for you." Yang Xiangbin said: "This is Master Zhu's order, and I cannot disobey it." "Don't pay attention to him, he will definitely die if he goes, I can't just watch my brother die." "You mean Yi Hao has really changed?" "Yes, I'm sure." Yang Xiangwan said, "Zhu Yunhan has great talents and few talents, and it's hard to be successful. This time he won't see the coffin without crying." "Brother, if that's the case, we might as well persuade him again." "It's no use. He won't believe it." "Are you just watching the loss of twenty human guns? Brother, do you have any other ideas?" "There is a way. Let's lead our troops to the Xuefeng Inn immediately to persuade the brothers to change their minds. If the persuasion fails, we will fight again!" Yang Xiangwan gritted his teeth and said. Yang Xiangbin sighed: "This is the only way to do it. However, we still have to keep it from Zhu Yunhan." Yang Xiangwan nodded and said, "Go and gather your troops right away, and I'll come over later." After Yang Xiangbin left, Yang Xiangwan called an orderly and told him to go to Xuefeng Inn to find Yi Hao on horseback and teach him how to speak. The orderly led the order and rode away.Half an hour later, Yang Xiangwan and Yang Xiangbin led more than 20 people, armed with new weapons, and rode fast horses through Shuangbiyan to the Xuefeng Inn. After dark, Yang Xiangwan and his group arrived at the Xuefeng Inn, planning to surround the inn quietly, but Yi Hao was on guard, and the two sides were on the verge of confrontation. Yi Hao used the wooden inn house as a cover, while Yang Xiangwan and others were on the narrow post road.Yang Xiangwan never expected the other party to be so vigilant.It can be seen that Yi Hao's rebellion has been planned for a long time, and this made him flustered.Before he could come up with a countermeasure, Yi Hao had already issued a warning: "Whoever, don't come over, or we'll shoot!" "Yi Hao, I'm Yang Xiangwan, one of my own, don't shoot!" "Mr. Yang came here late at night, what's your business?" "It's nothing, I heard that the cloth gang has not yet passed, and I'm worried that the escort Qiu Ba will be difficult to deal with, so I'm here to help you!" "No need, the cloth has already been obtained, and it has been distributed to the brothers. What can you say? If you are sensible, turn around quickly, or don't blame us for being rude!" "You guys?" Yang Xiangwan sneered, "Your words only represent you. Yi Hao, to tell the truth, I am here today to arrest you." He raised his voice, "Brothers, hello, I On behalf of Mr. Zhu, I came here to advise you. You should be more sober, and don’t be fooled by Yi Hao. Today’s matter has nothing to do with the brothers. As long as you are willing to change your mind, Mr. Zhu will welcome you warmly, let go of the past, and there will be rewards! Master Zhu is against you, and you will know the consequences even if you don’t want to! Brothers, you must think clearly about where to go, life or death is up to you to decide!” When the gangsters in the inn heard this, many people hesitated, and the future of following Yi Hao was indeed bleak. Yang Xiangwan really grasped the psychology of these people.Seeing that his words had an effect, he went further and shouted: "Brothers, you should think clearly about where you are going. Even if you don't think about yourself, you should think about your family. Master Zhu has always been magnanimous. As long as you change your mind, he is willing Guaranteed by his personality and reputation, he will never chase after..." Yi Hao felt that if Yang Xiangwan continued to speak, the morale of the army would be shaken.He gritted his teeth and shouted even louder: "Yang Xiangwan, you insidious and cunning guy, the brothers know you well, so you won't be fooled by you! Put your tricks away, think about it!" Use lies to lure the brothers into submission, and then slaughter them all after disarming, do you think we don’t know? Brothers, we have guns in our hands now, and he wants to return our guns. What promise can he not make?! Once we are unarmed, he Will you still be so polite? Brothers, please think clearly, anyway, I have hit my head on the south wall!" In order not to give Yang Xiangwan a chance to confuse people, he raised his pistol and fired a burst of bullets at the opposite side. As soon as the gunshot rang out, someone on the opposite side couldn't hold back and fired back.Yi Hao took advantage of the situation and said: "Brothers, have you seen this? This is Yang Xiangwan's 'Let's Never Blame'! In order to survive, brothers, hit me!" Yi Hao's words played a decisive role. His subordinates stopped hesitating and raised their guns to shoot at Yang Xiangwan's position. Forced to helplessness, Yang Xiangwan had no choice but to take the last measure, commanding his men to find a bunker, and relying on the power of the new fast gun to launch a counterattack against the inn. Most of the weapons used by Yi Hao's subordinates are Hanyang rifles that can only fire one bullet at a time. He knew that he could not fight recklessly, so he ordered his subordinates to retreat in batches.Those who retreated first hid in the mountains, and then got into the dark woods. Yi Hao and Zhou Liansheng finally retreated and communicated with secret signals on the mountain. After Yang Xiangwan left angrily, they got out of the woods and rushed to the stream at night. The stream belongs to Wugang County and is called Xituan and Xibatuan.It borders Jinwutang in Suining in the east, Shuikou in Suining in the south, Longchuantang in Qianyang in the west, Shuping in Qianyang and Jiangkou in the north. It is part of Xuefeng Mountain, with a total area of ​​248.8 square meters kilometer.Surrounded by high mountains, it looks like an iron pot.Zongding Mountain stands majestically in the east, Gaodeng Mountain towers in the south, Anshun Mountain stretches in the west, and Guodingnao and Puzinao stand tall in the north, both of which are above 1,300 meters above sea level.The river flows through the north and south, and pours into Yuanshui in the west. Xiyuan is a barren land that has been sleeping for thousands of years, with towering ancient trees and thatch growing everywhere.Around the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, Yi Hao's ancestors came here from Huitong to open up wasteland to make a living, and settled down by the stream. The climate in Xixi is pleasant and the soil is fertile. Although it is slash-and-burn farming, the harvest is still abundant. The pioneers came here one after another, and the population gradually increased. By the beginning of the 19th century, many Yao villages and rich villages had been established here.Especially after the Hunan-Guizhou Transportation Station was established in Buxi Baoyao, it became a prosperous area in the hinterland of Xuefeng Mountain.At the same time, it has also become a place of contention for bandits in western Hunan.Here, the life and property of the common people are not guaranteed, and many villages have suffered from the disaster of burning houses, looting everything, and killing people. The banditry in Xixi was serious, and the local people turned to the government for help, but the Wugang County Government ignored the people's request and refused to send troops. It only allocated a few broken guns and asked the local people to form a militia to protect themselves.In order to preserve his wealth, Yang Lilu, a local rich man, took the lead in planning.After the establishment of the militia, due to poor equipment and low quality of members, it was okay if the bandits did not come, but they were immediately defeated when they came.Several ups and downs, now and then, bandits continue unabated. The gossip is mentioned, and the book returns to the main story.But it is said that after Yi Hao escaped from danger at the Xuefeng Inn, he led the crowd to Xi Baoyao, and it was already after midnight. At that time, the bandits were tired and hungry, so Yi Hao knocked on the door of an inn and asked the owner to light up the fire and cook.After eating, we stayed at the inn.In the morning of the next day, Yi Hao said to the gangsters: "Brothers, rest here at ease. I will go to see a local squire. He is the former captain of the Self-Defense Force. He is not far from here. After the negotiation is completed, I will come to pick you up. " Yang Lilu's home is in Mitangao, Baoyao, not far from Baoyao Station.Because he is the biggest rich man in the area, he is always indispensable for bandits to rob, hang sheep, and give away movies, so he is the most responsible for running the self-defense force.When Yi Hao came to the gate of the Yang family compound, a group of vicious dogs barked immediately.Yang Lilu poked out half of his face from the window, recognized Yi Hao, and opened the window to say hello: "Yi Hao, this place does not lead to your house, maybe you went the wrong way?" "Master Yang, I just came back from outside, and I came here to discuss important matters with you, please open the door." Yi Hao said through a firewood door. Yang Lilu looked at Yi Hao and said warily: "I heard that your brother has been away from Xixi for more than a year. Where did you come back today?" "Master Yang, I am a native of Xi, please believe that I will not seek you maliciously. You open the door, and I will tell you everything you want to know." Yang Lilu saw that Yi Hao was alone with nothing on him, he hesitated for a moment, then stopped the dog and let him in.The two sat down in the side room, before Yang Lilu could speak, Yi Hao said: "Master Yang, my brother has been away for more than a year, did the folks have any comments on us?" Yang Lilu stared straight at him without making a sound. 易豪似乎明白了什么，叹道：“这年头在家受土匪滋扰，出外又遇兵荒马乱。我离家很久没有音讯，也难怪乡亲们猜疑。不过，大地良心，我易豪在外绝没有干那些伤天害理的事情。一年多前，我和弟弟易放实在过不下去了，想去城里找工作做，谁想碰上拉壮丁，我兄弟就被抓去当兵。” “你去哪里当兵，长官是谁？” “先去广西当兵，属陆荣廷部，后与陈炯明开战，做了俘虏，就留在陈炯明的部队里。不久陈炯明要回广东，我因思乡心切，也想回故乡。恰好同一个部里有二十余名武冈老乡，便约好一同逃走，每人拖出一条枪，准备回家立寨。我劝他们最好不要干那种辱没祖宗的坏事。我告诉他们，我家乡溪正缺会打仗的人，如果愿意参加阳立炉的自卫队，好歹有口饭吃，名称也顺当。大家就跟我来了。” 阳立炉听易豪说有二十余条人枪，便来了兴趣，说道：“不管你们从哪里来，只要肯真心实意在溪呆下去，吃穿用都包在我身上。只是一旦土匪来到，不要一击就溃，起码也要抵挡一阵，让乡亲们感到不是养了一群草包。” “这点尽管放心，我的弟兄都是从枪林弹雨中杀出来的，对付几个土匪不在话下。他们在宝瑶驿站客栈里正等着听我的消息呢。” 阳立炉点头道：“那好，你把他们带到后寨去，那里是自卫队原来用过的房了，我马上过来看你们。” 易豪辞别阳立炉，回到客栈把匪众叫起来，叮嘱他们统一口径，说成当兵出身。 来到陈家寨自卫队住地，刚刚安顿下来，阳立炉就领着几个当地乡绅过来看望他们，另有几个寨民挑来几担油盐柴米之类的生活用品。 陈家寨是溪团最大的山寨，有寨民七八百户，四周用石头垒砌了一堵一人多高的围墙，显然，这围墙是专为防匪而设的。寨子正门开在南面，可直通宝瑶驿站，东通武冈、邵阳，西达黔阳、芷江；正门内两侧筑有碉堡；寨子东西两面各开一个侧门，供寨民耕种出入之用，一入夜，这两扇门就要关闭；北面是山坡，自卫队便设在这山坡上。 自卫队住宅是两栋竹木结构的吊脚楼，屋顶盖树皮，只要打开楼上窗户，整个寨子可尽收眼底，并能远眺宝瑶驿站及驿站东西两头蜿蜒曲折的驿道。如有匪情，住在这里的自卫队总是最先看到，然后吹响号角，寨民们一起行动，持扁担锄头准备迎战。同时，自卫队成员则从后山下来，跑步进入正门两侧的碉堡迎战进犯的土匪。 陈家寨因地处溪门户，紧邻宝瑶驿站，寨民与外界接触较多，外出经商的人很多，故极为富裕，同时，也是土匪骚扰最多的地方。自从湘西闹土匪以来，这座寨子曾几遭浩劫，被放火焚烧二十余次，绑票、送片次数无以计算，有八百余人惨遭杀害……寨民们不堪土匪滋扰，十年前由富绅阳立炉牵头，各家出钱、出力，筑起围墙、碉堡，成立自卫队，果然能抵御小股土匪。 易豪率二十余名匪徒在这里住下后，再也不惧怕朱云汉了。为了加强实力，他请阳立炉出面从寨子里挑选出三十余名孔武有力的精壮汉子参加自卫队，进行军事训练。有了一支五十余人的队伍，再凭着得天独厚的工事，足可以自保，不用担心土匪侵扰。从此，易豪的一门心思全放在复仇上。一日，他找来周连生，长吁短叹道：“想起来，我也实在太窝囊了，弟弟死去一年有余，不但未能报仇，连仇人的下落都没找到……” 周连生说道：“大哥不必这样。要怪，只能怪连生没有早日把内幕告诉你。” 易豪摆手：“你没有早告诉我更好，我如果早早离开朱云汉，就不会有今日的势力，即使找到了张云卿也不一定就杀得了他。连生，我想派你出去一趟，一来打听张云卿的下落，二来了解一下我们走后朱云汉的动静。另外，外面各方面的情况我们也应该了解一些。没有信息，我们躲在这深山老林，等于是一群瞎子、聋子。” 周连生领命。次日，他扮成货郎，挑着一担小百货，从陈家寨出发，望东而去。 光阴似箭，不觉间半月过去，周连生仍无消息。一日，易豪正在木楼上焦闷，听见楼下有人招呼周连生，急忙把头探出窗口，果见周连生已经回来。他发现易豪在楼上，即扔下货担，匆匆爬上楼，边走边说：“大哥，有一奇闻告诉你！” 易豪把他让进房里．递上一杯茶，说道：“别急，喝了茶慢慢讲。” 周连生接过茶，并不喝，放在身边的竹桌上，喘过气，问道：“大哥，去年武冈有黄蛇精出世的传闻你还记得么？” 易豪点头。 周连生接着说：“当时的传闻说，蛇精出世后，地方百姓将大受危害，数万人将死于这场浩劫。原先谁都以为只是无稽之谈，谁想现在果然应验，从去年冬至现在，武冈东乡、南乡、西乡相继受到蛇精滋扰，许多中等以上人家财产被劫一空，数百人被杀。如今蛇精正准备扫荡北乡，连朱云汉都感到不安了。” 关于蛇精危害四乡的传闻，易豪并非一无所知，但他对这事并无多大兴趣，目前他关心的是两件大事：一是有关张云卿的下落；二是朱云汉会不会来攻打他们。他皱了皱眉头，说：“这年头有恶匪滋扰四乡，不足为奇，蛇精的传闻，只是子虚乌有。你且告诉我，我托你的两件事办得怎么样了？” 周连生端起桌上的茶喝了一口道：“我讲奇事并非要宣扬蛇精奇闻，而是讲蛇精正是大哥的杀弟仇人张云卿！” 易豪吃了一惊：“此话怎讲？” 周连生放下杯子，有意停了一会，慢慢说：“张云卿杀死大哥的亲弟后，投靠新匪黄大顺，这黄大顺竟是他的侄儿张慕云。张云卿迷上了侄媳蒲胡儿，设计害死张慕云，既接管了队伍又得了美人。他选山门燕子岩为寨，征集人丁，在四乡大肆搜刮财物，如今他已很有势力。” 易豪一听，咬牙切齿道：“不管他势力有多大，有了他的下落就好办！连生，你有没有办法打入他内部？” 周连生为难地说：“这个恐怕不行。张云卿虽然正在大量招兵买马，但对新入伙的人审查极严，必须由心腹土匪介绍。特别是前年年关，张云卿曾吃过一次大亏，差点丢了性命，以后收人就更加小心了。” “吃过大亏——此话是什么意思，他吃过谁的大亏？” 周连生道：“此事说来话长。张云卿刚接管侄儿的队伍时曾陷入困难，想暴黄桥铺团防局以解燃眉之急。谁想团防局新任总兵张光文棋高一着，派了一位机灵的探子打入燕子岩，把内部情况打探得一清二楚，张云卿因此被动挨打，而且还做了俘虏，不是张光文手下留情，早就死了。” 易豪无限痛惜道：“真是失去一次机会。可惜！可惜！你知道张光文何故不杀他吗？” “有人说，张光文手下留情是看在同宗的份上；也有人说，是张光文的哥哥害怕遭报复。据我估计，后者似乎可信些。因为，张光文家是当地的大财主，最怕与人结仇。况且，张光文俘虏张云卿的当晚，燕子岩还有数十名张云卿的手下，这就是更深一层的怕报复心理。” 易豪点头，沉思片刻，突然仰起头道：“连生，既然张光文亲自动手有顾虑，我们何不暗中与他接洽，只要他能提供准确情报，我们就可伺机行动。” “这倒是个好办法！”周连生拍着大腿道，“那好，我再去山外走一趟。” “还有一件事。”易豪见周连生马上要离开，叫住道，“我们走后，朱云汉那边有什么动静？” 周连生搔着头皮说：“这么大的事我差点忘了。朱云汉气得生病了，现正在疗养。据说，正派人四处打听我们的下落，扬言若抓到你必处凌迟之刑，抓住我抽筋剥皮，其余弟兄都杀头。” 易豪点头道：“很好，这事你一定要告诉弟兄们，惟有如此才能使大家更团结。另外，目前双壁岩由谁据守？” “据说是杨相斌。” 易豪道：“你在这里好好休息数日，等到这个月的十五再动身。朱云汉在病中，主事的是杨相晚。杨相晚凡事都信周易、八卦，逢初一、十五都不许手下出动。这一天是最安全的。” 所有土匪，由于过的是杀人放火、抢劫勒索的生活，经常要冒生命危险，因此都很迷信。尤其在朱云汉部，杨相晚定有很多禁忌，如“七不出，八不归”，缘于“七出”是休妻之语，“八”是“分”字头，有破家之忌。又如正月头七日都是忌日：初一不杀鸡，初二不杀狗，初三不杀猪，初四不杀羊，初五不杀牛，初六不杀马，初七不动刑。凡新人伙的土匪被正式录用后，就传一套按时辰行动的口诀： 丑不南行酉不东， 求财望喜一场空。 寅辰往西会大凶， 病人遇鬼邪害侵。 亥子北方大失散， 鸡犬作怪事难成。 巳未东北必不通， 三山挡路有灾星。 午申休往西南行， 文生下马一场空。 逢戌不上巽中去， 口舌是非有灾星。 卯上西北必不通， 隔山隔水不相逢。 在易豪正式入伙之后，杨相晚授他这一套口诀，并告诉他，易豪、易放那次在双壁岩关羊的时间正是“未时”，而双壁岩相对花园来说，又恰恰是东北方向，刚好印证了“巳未东北必不通，三山挡路有灾星”；还说，若不是易豪命硬，那一天也要死于非命。 话说周连生在溪陈家寨等到本月十五，又扮成货郎出山去了。 这一次果然顺利，双壁岩无人关羊，到了黄桥铺，在团防局与张光文见了面，周连生倾心而谈，但张光文不曾表态，只是要周连生转告易豪，在不走漏任何风声的前提下，两人可以见一次面，而且地点不能在团防局。 过了半个月，周连生把自己与张光文见面所谈转述了一遍，易豪悬着的心放了下来，他决定去面见张光义。 1923年农历十二月十五日。一大早，易豪备了一担礼物，扮做客商，周连生扮做挑夫，两人离开陈家寨望东而行。 这一天，沿途通畅，没有土匪“关羊”，过往商人也很多。过双壁岩时，行人虽然仍胆战心惊，但并无土匪出现。 下午时分，易豪来到石背，在一座庙宇休息，吃了点干粮，差周连生去黄桥铺团防局与张光文接头。 掌灯时分，周连生回来，对易豪说：“大哥，张光文要我们先去他家住下，他要到半夜过后才能回来。” “我们没去过他家，他家人不认识我们。” “这个他自有安排，要我们只管进去。这里最豪华的住宅就是张光文家。他哥哥叫张光火。” 易豪刚来这里时，就估计到那座有围墙的大住宅就是张光文家，经过庙宇的这条马路直通大宅槽门。两个人借着微弱的星光跌跌撞撞向槽门走去。也就在这时，槽门口突然出现两排灯笼，一群人待在那里像是等什么人，易豪正要后退，周连生说：“别怕，是迎接我们的。” 两人走近，灯火下，一位穿长袍马褂的老者拱着手满脸堆笑地迎上来：“来者可是溪易先生？” 易豪亦拱手还礼：“在下易豪。老先生想必就是火老爷。” “正是老朽，正是老朽。刚刚才得到舍弟的通知，有失远迎，恕罪，恕罪！”张光火施完礼，退至一侧，做了一个“请”的姿势。 易豪也不再客套，举步前行。两排灯宠分前后照路。 来到内厅，一班佣人女侍一阵忙碌，沏茶、装烟、摆席，往来穿梭，忙而不乱。 一会酒菜摆好，张光火歉意地说：“老朽已经用过，恕不能陪，你们慢慢用。”说完，退了出去。 易豪、周连生清早用过餐，中间只吃了一点点干粮，已十分饥饿，正巴不得无人在场。张光火一走，即开怀畅饮，风卷残云地吃，不到半个钟头，满桌美味佳肴仅剩残汤剩羹。 膳毕，有丫环过来收拾残局，有家丁端来热水洗脚、洗脸。一切妥当后，张光火才过来问道：“易先生，二位是不是到客房休息？小弟公务繁忙，大概要到子夜才能回来。” 易豪抬起头看了看墙上的自鸣钟，已过十点钟，摇头道：“不了，反正也不要等很久。” 张光火道：“天寒地冻，熬一刻也是难过，两位还是安心休息吧，小弟回来就差人来请。”转对外面，“满秀、满姣，过来送这两位先生去客房休息。” 话音甫落，两位十八九岁的女人应声进来，各看了易豪、周连生一眼，便羞答答地玩着衣角道：“易先生，去休息吧。” 易豪、周连生不知所措地看着张光火。张光火向他俩眨眨眼，说道：“随便一点，就当是自己家里一样。这两位小姐大的满秀，小的满姣，是老朽从芷江买回来的，虽谈不上天姿国色，但还是很实用的。”转对满秀、满姣，“好好伺候这两位先生，人家可是大贵之人，他们要干什么都是抬举你们！” “知道了。”女人齐应。接着，满秀挽着易豪、满姣被周连生搂着腰，双双去了客房。 与易豪配对的满秀圆圆的脸，大大的眼，左腮上一个深深的酒窝。虽不甚漂亮，却也别具风骚，令易豪万分销魂。 良宵苦短，两人正情意绵绵间，有家丁在门外咳嗽，满老爷回来了。 易豪掐灭情欲，下床穿上衣服，随家丁走过游廊，来到一间带有几分古色古香的客房。坐在红木靠椅上的年轻人见了易豪，忙起身拱手道：“光文现在才到，多有怠慢，恕罪、恕罪。” 佣人走后，张光文干咳一声，开腔道：“易先生的大名早就有所耳闻。” “噢，光文兄听到什么了？”易豪欠身，吃惊地望着对方。 “你原属朱云汉旗下，坐镇双壁岩。双壁岩关隘要道，一向受人关注，因此易先生的大名得以在江湖上传播。” 易豪苦笑：“人怕出名猪怕壮，这名还是不出为好。” 张光文接着说：“至于两年前张云卿在双壁岩杀的好汉就是令弟，我是近些天才听你派来的周先生说的。当时，我颇为惊异，不敢相信像杨相晚那么精明的人，会同意朱云汉派你坐镇双壁岩。” “其实，关于提拔我做头目的事，杨相晚一直阻拦。”易豪说，“可能是我弟弟泉下有知，每次关羊，从未失风，故朱云汉十分看重在下，提拔我做头领。也许当初杨相晚并没有料到他们拉张云卿入伙的事会走漏风声，要不，我这个小头目是万万当不上的。” 张光文点头道：“不管怎么说，你能在很短的时间内，把二十多位惧怕朱云汉的小弟兄治理得服服帖帖，听你指挥，就凭这一点，我就相信你是一条好汉。这也是我愿意见你的一个原因。” 易豪试探道：“关于我派周连生与你商量的事……” 张光文望了望张光火，叹道：“我只有这位老哥，如今已一把年纪，可他满脑子想到的都是财产、儿女……也难怪他，都是吃五谷长大的凡夫俗子，谁又能做到不为亲情所牵呢？比如易先生你，不也在为弟弟报仇而不惜一切么？无情未必真丈夫，此话甚有道理。真人面前不说假，实不相瞒，我原本在北方带兵，虽说水土不服是我回乡的一个原因，但真正的原因还是不放心家里的老哥。特别是他写信说家乡闹土匪，我更是坐卧不安，急急赶回。” 张光火在一旁说：“我送他去外面读军校，为的也是想让他混出个样儿来，能保护这个家免遭官匪欺凌。” 易豪很快被张氏兄弟的感情感染了，随即内心涌起一股酸楚，红着眼道：“我真的好羡慕你们，如果我的弟弟还在……真的，我得对得起弟弟，他对我太好了，我们从小失去父母，相依为命，虽然我也照顾过他，但总感到我的那些照顾与他的死比较，我欠他的实在太多、太多。在双壁岩的那几天，他争着打头阵，要我只坐在高处望望风就行了。我知道他一向胆大，但也有点粗心，早知粗心会酿成大错，应该是我去打头阵……最最对不起他的是，他遇难后，我与张云卿交手，没有往死里拼，呜——” “易先生别过于自责。”张光文劝道，“当时人家有两个人，你选择逃命是对的。如果连你也拼死了，日后谁给你们报仇？”他掏出块手绢递过去，“你不仅是一条好汉，更是一条有情有义的好汉。本来，张云卿已经被我摆平，用不着一定要置他于死地。你是一条有情有义的好汉，这是我愿意见你的另一个原因。张云卿是一条疯狗，集阴险、狡猾、毒辣于一身，留着终归是一大祸患。我本来完全有能力置他于死地，并且也有过这念头，但是，考虑到他和我同住一乡，身边还有一批死党——最主要是我老哥害怕冤冤相报，才放他一条生