Sun Mo didn't explain to Ye Biao. He looked at the captives kneeling on the ground.
"Now, you are free. The one who did this was me, Swallow Li San. I did it for no other reason than to enforce justice on behalf of the Heavens."
Sun Mo spoke in a clear voice, "Landlord Zhong is greedy and ruthless, committing countless crimes. For the sake of money, he forced many people's families to break up. For example, Zhong Xiaoliu's family. Their fields were seized, their father was forced to death, and their younger sister who was in her teens was kidnapped back home. After Landlord Zhong raped her, he sold her to a brothel. Who else would die if not for such a person?"
Sun Mo berated Landlord Zhong's evil actions.
The servants who were originally sobbing quietly didn't dare to make a sound. Landlord Zhong did a lot of bad things, but as servants, how could they dare to gossip about him?
At first, they thought that these evil people were bad people, but now it seemed that they were really doing justice on behalf of the heavens.
"We don't kill indiscriminately, so we'll let you go!"
After Sun Mo spoke, he prepared to leave. However, a servant in the crowd suddenly roared.
"My brother was killed by you!"
"Is he a guard? If so, then shut up! "
Sun Mo stared at him. "If you feel aggrieved, I'll investigate and see if your elder brother helped Landlord Zhong in his evil deeds, forcing women into prostitution. If he did, your entire family shall die. If not, I'll accompany you with my life!"
"Da Lang!"
Sun Erniang couldn't wait for Sun Mo at the front door, so she ran over to check on the situation. In the end, she heard this sentence and was given a fright.
The expressions of the bandits changed slightly.
The slave shrank his neck in fear, not daring to speak.
How could a servant dare to disobey the master's orders?
Therefore, he must have done some bad things.
Seeing this, the bandits all cried out. For the first time, they felt that there was nothing wrong with killing and arson, and the guilt in their hearts disappeared.
"Apart from keeping a portion of these ill-gotten gains for ourselves to recruit soldiers and buy horses, the rest will be donated to help the poor."
Sun Mo looked at those bandits. "After eating these rations, you have to be worthy of the person who planted them."
"It's Big Brother Sun's lecture!"
"Fourth Head, whatever you say, we'll do!"
"We are righteous thieves, we don't do bad things!"
The bandits clamored and were in a good mood.
Ye Biao had a look of astonishment on his face when he heard quite a few people calling Sun Mo '4th Boss'. One must know that these bandits were all arrogant people. However, they were all subdued by Sun Mo's actions just because they followed Sun Mo and snatched a ticket.
One could only say that Sun Mo's charisma was truly high.
"Let's go back to the stronghold!"
Sun Mo didn't continue to pursue the matter. He turned and left.
He had said so much to spread the name of a righteous thief. He wanted to say that what he had done was to enforce justice on behalf of the heavens. Only then would he have the power to rally supporters.
Even though the sky was dark and it was difficult to travel on the road, the bandits who had just completed a huge transaction didn't need Sun Mo's instructions. All of them mustered up all their strength to hurry on their way.
After all, only by returning to the stronghold would he be truly safe.
"Big Brother Sun, why didn't you burn down the mansion?"
Ye Biao didn't understand. Killing and arson didn't separate from the family. If he didn't set fire to the house, he would always feel that something was missing in his heart and feel uncomfortable.
"Because someone will release it for us!"
Sun Mo smiled and glanced in the direction of the Zhong Clan.
Sure enough, it didn't take long for a fire to start, and the sky was dyed orange-red.
"Ah? Who did this? "
Ye Biao was stunned.
"The villagers, but it could also be those servants!"
Sun Mo casually guessed. In any case, it didn't matter.
"They wouldn't dare to, right?"
Ye Biao didn't believe it. In this era, tenant farmers and servants were considered low-class people. How would they dare to burn down their master's mansion?
Sun Mo smiled and didn't say anything.
After a while, a black shadow suddenly darted out from the forest by the roadside, giving everyone a big fright. They hurriedly pulled out their blades.
"Don't hit me, it's me, Zhong Xiaoliu!"
Zhong Xiaoliu panted heavily and ran toward Sun Mo. "Big Brother, I've done as you instructed and told them."
"You came back ten minutes late. You only came back after you personally witnessed them snatching the grain and setting fire, right?"
Sun Mo hugged Zhong Xiaoliu tightly. "Thank you!"
"It's my honor to be able to die for Big Brother Sun!"
Zhong Xiaoliu was incomparably touched.
He was worried that those tenant farmers wouldn't dare to snatch the grain and wouldn't set fire. Hence, he had secretly waited. He didn't expect that they would really do it, and it was exactly the same as what Big Brother Sun had said.
"Dalang, your heart is really dark!"
Sun Erniang understood.
There was too much grain stored in the landlord's house, and it was impossible for them to move all of it away with the amount of people they had. Sun Erniang's idea was to directly burn it down, but Sun Mo's idea was to distribute it to the villagers.
Moreover, those villagers might have been too eager to snatch the grain, or they might have burned down the Zhong Clan's manor to get rid of the evidence. If that was the case, they would be considered accomplices.
It wouldn't be easy for the authorities to investigate the case.
"Can you not call me Dalang?"
Sun Mo's lips twitched. "It's inauspicious!"
In truth, Sun Mo thought even more. As long as those tenant farmers snatched the grain, even if they didn't burn the manor, Zhong Xiaoliu would.
Thinking about it, Zhong Xiaoliu had such a great grudge with the Zhong Clan. How could he not set fire to the manor?
This was all within Sun Mo's calculations.
Also, when he went down the mountain in the future and led the volunteer army to sweep across the Jiang Province, there was a high chance that these tenant farmers who had tasted the benefits of robbery would follow him and become a source of soldiers.
Of course, they had no choice but to come!
It was because he would expose the matter of them snatching the grain and burning the manor. Other than not wanting to kill the innocent, Sun Mo spared the lives of Zhong Dongfang's family because he didn't want to kill the innocent.
Even if the sky was dark and no one saw the tenant farmers snatching the grain, the Zhong Clan wasn't stupid. How could they not hate them? In addition, in order to amass wealth and live a good life, they would definitely increase the rent and interest. With this, wouldn't these people who couldn't survive become a source of soldiers?
It was simply perfect!
"As expected, I'm a smart general!"
Sun Mo felt a little happy.
"After this battle, the reputation of our volunteer army should be able to spread!"
Sun Erniang was very happy.
Deep in her heart, she still wanted to be a good person. Therefore, she couldn't stand the sight of some people in the stronghold robbing and killing others for their goods. After all, those traveling merchants weren't in the wrong.
It was more satisfying to kill the landlord and act on behalf of the heavens.
...
In the Righteous Gathering Hall on Bright Mountain, the three leaders were eating wine.
"Do you guys think Sun Mo will be able to succeed?"
The leader gulped down a mouthful of wine and looked at the lake in the distance with a heavy expression.
There were over ten groups of bandits in this 800 li lake. The Bright Mountain Bandits weren't the strongest. If Sun Mo's group was completely wiped out, the strength of the stronghold would be greatly reduced. The other bandits would definitely take the chance to annex them.
If Sun Mo succeeded, it would also be troublesome. It was because deep in the leader's heart, he had great ambitions but little talent. He was afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind.
He wanted to expand, but he was also worried that he would be targeted by the government.
"With Ye Biao following us, nothing big will happen!"
The second boss ate big mouthfuls of meat and drank a mouthful of wine. He then laughed. "Scholars are all people who only know how to talk. Although that Sun Mo managed to trick some of our brothers to follow him down the mountain with his eloquence, when it comes to a matter like robbery, it still depends on whose blade is faster and more ruthless!"
"What do you mean by this?"
The third leader was a scholar. When he heard this, he was unhappy.
"Military Advisor, please calm down. I'm not talking about you!"
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that this guy had brought a large amount of money and provisions up the mountain and that he still had some of his father's connections in Jiang District, he would have killed this guy and thrown him into the lake to feed the turtles if something happened.
"Speaking of which, that Qiongcuo Da will most likely die this time around. What about his wife?"
The second leader had seen Mei Niang before. To speak the truth, he was very moved. "Sun Mo has no contributions to the stronghold, so there's no reason for us to keep her alive!"
"Shameless!"
The third leader cursed in a low voice.
"Drink, drink!"
The leader urged them to drink, but he didn't sincerely persuade them. If the two leaders didn't have any conflicts, how would he be able to sit stably in his position as the leader?
Before they could finish their meal, a bandit came to report excitedly.
"The brothers who went out have returned. The fishing boats are fully loaded!"
Zeng! Zeng! Zeng!
The three leaders all stood up with different expressions on their faces.
"How many losses did we suffer?"
The leader asked.
"Who cares? As long as we plunder enough goods, we won't make a loss this time!"
The second leader was very excited and quickly walked out of the pavilion to welcome the fleet. "Oh right, where's that Sun Mo? Is he dead?"
"I don't know. I came to report when I saw the fleet returning!"
His subordinates didn't know either.
When the fleet reached the shore, the bandits who received the news were all here. When they saw the ship full of money, all of their eyes shone brightly.
"Why are you all in a daze? Move the goods! "
Ye Biao stood at the bow of the ship and waved his hand heroically.
"Brother Biao, good job!"
"Brother Biao, bring me along the next time you plunder!"
"I've said it long ago. If Brother Biao goes out, we'll succeed immediately!"
The bandits flattered him.
"Haha!"
Ye Biao enjoyed these praises very much. But when he saw Sun Mo coming out of the cabin, his expression changed and he immediately explained, "Don't talk nonsense. This is all Brother Sun's credit!"
"Brother Sun?"
The bandits were stunned. Since when was there another Big Brother Sun in the mountain stronghold?
One must know that Ye Biao had a very high status in the stronghold and was respectfully addressed as Brother Biao. The number of people who could make him call 'brother' could be counted with two hands.
"It's Sun Mo, the high scholar who came up the mountain a few days ago!"
Ye Biao explained.
The bandits exchanged glances, wanting to ask, 'Are you having a fever? Are you talking nonsense?'
(I know a high scholar must be very powerful, but robbing?)
(Can you even lift a knife?)
But very soon, they knew that Ye Biao wasn't joking. Because when Sun Mo came out, the number one beauty of the stronghold, Sun Erniang, followed behind him and was very courteous.
Usually, Sun Erniang wouldn't be polite to stinky men like them.
Those bandits who followed Sun Mo out this time also started to brag. After all, this was a huge transaction worth showing off.
"Biaozi, what's going on?"
The second leader called Ye Biao over. This scene didn't seem right!
(Why are you guys so respectful to Sun Mo just because you guys went out for a trip?)
"Second leader, that Sun Mo is this guy!"
Ye Biao flashed a thumbs up. "With him around, we will definitely be able to eat and drink well in the future. We might even be able to sit on the throne of the emperor!"
"..."
The second leader really wanted to scold. (What the hell are you thinking?)
The first leader smiled and welcomed Sun Mo. However, he felt an intense threat in his heart. This fellow was someone who could threaten his position as the stronghold leader.
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