In the third year of taxation in Sibao County, combined with the various treasures given to Zheng Qiao by the county magistrate, how large a sum of money was involved? Even a layman could grasp that this money would not be easy to rob, given the high risks involved.
With her mind preoccupied, her actions naturally lacked focus.
Her unusual behavior did not escape Chu Yao's notice.
"Is Wulang troubled by something?"
Shen Tang hesitated, subconsciously glancing at Qi Shan, seeking his opinion. Although Qi Shan had included Chu Yao in their plans, the matter of robbing the tax money, which concerned their lives and livelihoods, naturally required Qi Shan's approval before being discussed with a third party.
Chu Yao also looked at Qi Shan in confusion.
What had he told Wulang in her absence?
With her head bowed, Qi Shan patiently fed the cat in her arms, smiling as she said, "It's a small matter. Shen Xiaolang can decide for himself."
Shen Tang pursed her lips.
Robbing the tax money was a serious crime, and it was surprising that Qi Yuanliang, who had just started, would consider it a trivial matter. This made Shen Tang curious about what he had done with his previous bosses and how he had become accustomed to such risky behavior.
Since Qi Shan had left the decision to her, she spoke up.
"Yuanliang wants to emulate the heroes of Liangshan by robbing the tax money in Sibao County." She pointed at Qi Shan, stating that it was his idea, then paused before adding sarcastically, "The birthday gifts are just that, and their security measures cannot compare to the tax money."
Qi Shan was bold and ambitious, opting for a hellish challenge from the start.
She thought Chu Yao would be taken aback and advise them against such recklessness. However, his attitude was unexpectedly calm, as if Shen Tang had mentioned buying groceries instead of robbing tax money. He then turned his gaze to Qi Shan, who happened to look up at that moment, and the two exchanged silent glances.
Chu Yao lowered his eyelids and said lightly, "So, that's the matter."
Shen Tang choked. "What do you mean by 'that's the matter'?"
Was Chu Yao also privy to the information?
Shen Tang wore her thoughts openly on her face, and Chu Yao shook his head. "I only heard about this for the first time. I wasn't aware before."
Shen Tang choked again, sarcastically saying, "First time hearing about it? But your calm reaction is too composed to be convincing."
Chu Yao replied, "I just feel... this is something Qi Yuanliang would do, and it's indeed a good idea."
Being mentally prepared, there was no need for surprise.
Shen Tang said, "..."
For a moment, she doubted her life—was she incompatible with Qi Shan and his associates because she lacked the inclination for danger and intrigue?
Watching Shen Tang almost float back to her room, Qi Shan showed a slight smile, amused by the spectacle. This made Chu Yao feel uncomfortable.
He asked, "What do you mean by this?"
Qi Shan didn't pretend to be ignorant.
Employing the "six-ear unspoken rule" to prevent eavesdropping, he said, "Chu Wuhui, Shen Yuli has the royal seal but lacks power and influence. She's like a fish on the chopping block, ripe for exploitation! Forget about influence, she doesn't even have ambition. I have to push her a bit, don't I?"
He emphasized, "So this tax money is very important."
Chu Yao didn't object; he only asked one question.
"How confident are you?"
Qi Shan replied, "Fifty percent."
That was already quite high.
However—
Chu Yao said, "But if things go wrong..."
Qi Shan tapped the pink pad of flesh on Su Shang's paw, indifferent. "Then they go wrong. Whether we get the tax money or not is not important. With Shen Yuli's feudalistic methods, he'll never lack food and resources in the future. The least valuable thing in this world is manpower. By employing refugees to help cultivate the land, he'll always manage. With this tax money, it's just a matter of saving that effort."
Chu Yao understood his intentions.
He was testing Shen Tang.
Chu Yao said, "Does Wulang seem like an ambitious person?"
Qi Shan replied, "Indeed, he doesn't seem ambitious, but does he seem content with his lot? Ordinary people would be scared to death at the mention of robbing tax money, let alone getting involved. Shen Yuli's biggest concern is actually 'low chances' and 'insufficient manpower,' rather than the inability to do it. Wine and wealth move the heart. This statement is not false. As long as we take this step, it will be impossible to stop or turn back."
Chu Yao said, "Even if he has ambition, it's not significant."
"It's not significant, but it can be nurtured."
"What if Wulang refuses?"
Qi Shan sneered and revealed the chilling truth, "Chu Wuhui, guess why I've changed so many lords? Do you really think they all suspected me actively?"
He understood the rules of the literati the best.
He couldn't actively betray his lord, but it wasn't forbidden to mislead the lord and instigate suspicion or even provoke murderous intent.
This was truly "killing one's lord."
Chu Wuhui's gaze darkened.
He said, "Seeing is believing."
There were indeed reasons for Qi Yuanliang to have enemies everywhere.
"Having the royal seal but lacking support is like a child holding a golden treasure in a bustling market. Some things, Shen Xiaolang can't choose whether he wants them or not. It's like that lady Wang—surrendering herself, what a disgraceful act! Most people would have committed suicide long ago to avoid humiliation. But can lady Wang die? She doesn't even have the right to choose her own death."
Similarly, Shen Xiaolang had no choice.
It was better for him to act than for Chu Yao to do so.
At least he would be more gentle, but Chu Yao's words—The three heroes of Chu in the past, none of them truly upheld the principles of righteousness.
Chu Yao nodded in agreement with this plan.
Suddenly, he asked, "As for Gongsuwu, will you persuade him?"
Qi Shan was a literary scholar, as was Wulang, and he was dismissed from the literary department. Gongsuwu was the most crucial part of this plan.
Qi Shan refused and tossed the responsibility back. "You go."
Chu Yao smiled calmly and rose gracefully. "Alright, I'll go."
Qi Shan said, "..."
He disliked Chu Yao's self-proclamation as "old man" in his presence. Although he was ten years older, he relied on his appearance to sell himself as old.
Meow~~~
Su Shang in his arms clawed at his hand.
Apparently, the cat was unhappy that the person responsible for cleaning the litter suddenly stopped feeding it.
Shen Tang didn't know what Qi Shan and Su Shang had been up to last night. The next day, seeing Gongsuwu, who had come "for a meeting" with injuries,
she imagined a prompt sound of "[Gongsuwu has joined your party]."
Flipping the table (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Shen, the only law-abiding citizen who wanted to follow the rules, Tang, felt immense pressure, at one point questioning if her worldview was thoroughly skewed.
Chu Yao made the first move. "This is the defensive map of Xiaocheng."
Qi Shan also produced a map. "The actual strength of the garrison near Xiaocheng shouldn't change much. To protect this tax money, the county government has released several false rumors to confuse matters. There may even be fake tax money convoys. The route of the tax money transportation and handover is here. After leaving the city, they will most likely take this route... The convoy will leave from the east gate, pass through the gorge, turn onto the official road, and then take the water route..."
Gongsuwu glanced at the numbers of the troops. "The defenses are tight."
Qi Shan subtly noticed Shen Tang's distraction.
He said, "It doesn't matter. If we can't take it, there's always a backup plan."
"A backup plan?"
Qi Shan nodded. "Yes."
For example, a bowl of wine.
It was unclear how Chu Yao persuaded him, but Gongsuwu trusted Qi Shan and him. He asked, "How do we ensure that the tax money convoy is genuine? If we miss, it'll be walking into a trap."