Chapter 128 - 127 Brotherly Loyalty

Chapter 128: Chapter 127 Brotherly Loyalty "Brother Hu, I’m not good with words." Yang Gong was silent for a good while before looking at Hu Ma. "I, Yang Gong, don’t have many friends, just a few sworn brothers, and none of us knows when we might lose our lives. You are my first friend. I’d only met you once, yet I begged you to save us. It sounds absurd, I know, but you were so righteous, rushing over that very night and using this treasure to save our brothers’ lives. I..." He paused, then suddenly stood up, intending to kneel. "I’ll remember this favor..." "Hey, don’t do this!" Hu Ma had been watching Yang Gong rise and quickly stopped him. He used his other hand to hold back Shen Bangzi, who was also about to kneel. "Joking aside, it was only a matter of one incense. What could be more important than a brother’s life? If you really consider me a friend, don’t say such things in the future." Yang Gong listened, and his eyes reddened slightly, though he forced a smile. "You might not care, but I do. If I were in your shoes, I might not have been so selfless. But I’ve been in the Red Lantern Society for so long and finally met a good brother. God has treated me well." Shen Bangzi, who had been listening quietly, added, "Manager Hu really is a good brother. You can’t rely on the people from the city; those of us who’ve climbed up together are more reliable." Seeing the two brothers holding back their emotions but clearly meaning every word, Hu Ma knew when to let things be. He just waved a hand. "Enough with the sentimental talk. As long as I can help, that’s what matters. Now that this jar of Blood Food has reached the Manor, you two will probably earn a great merit, won’t you?" "More than just that!" Yang Gong, appreciating Hu Ma changing the subject, silently committed the kindness to memory. He patted the jar in his arms with a smile. "I know how much the higher-ups need Blood Tai Sui this year. Given the previous situation, I was worried we wouldn’t even meet the basic quota for them. Bringing this jar back, at least one of us could be rewarded with three incense." He chuckled. "That fellow Zheng is blind to what’s good for him. I’d like to see him try and give us trouble after this!" "A quota for the higher-ups?" Hu Ma picked up on this detail, slightly surprised. "The Red Lantern Lady’s Club needs to turn in quotas too? She already has such high cultivation; who would she be handing it over to?" These weren’t questions he could press right now, so he just made a mental note. Figuring this much out, however, brought him some relief. Actually, he had been worried that the merit Yang Gong and the others earned might not be significant enough. After all, they had lost two men. If the merit wasn’t substantial, then upon submission, it might merely balance out their losses, or worse, the losses might outweigh the gains. In that case, his own efforts would have been for nothing. But confirming this was a major achievement allowed him to relax. "It’s good I could help," Hu Ma said. "It’s not easy for us brothers to make a living out here. We just need an opportunity like this." He knew, deep down, that Yang Gong was incredibly lucky. His original plan was merely to snatch some white food or green food. This jar of Blood Tai Sui was exceptionally rare, the kind of fortune only someone as daring as Yang Gong would stumble upon. Of course, all Hu Ma could do now was congratulate him. If things had gone according to the initial plan, Yang Gong likely wouldn’t have secured this great merit, but then again, his two brothers probably wouldn’t have died either. "Exactly! We all have one head on our shoulders. Why should others get to feast while we struggle?" Yang Gong particularly liked what Hu Ma said, nodding solemnly. "As long as we brothers look out for each other, we won’t fare worse than anyone else." Just then, Li knocked on the door from outside. "The meal is ready!" Hu Ma invited Yang Gong and Shen Bangzi out to eat. In the courtyard, a square table was already set with a large bowl of green food, a plate of pig’s head meat, steaming hot buns, a few stir-fried vegetable dishes, and even a jar of wine. However, none of the Manor’s workers were anywhere to be seen. Glancing into the distance, Hu Ma felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. The Manor staff had seen Hu Ma leave for the night and return at dawn with these men and a mysterious jar. Their curiosity about its contents was entirely overshadowed... by the young, yellow-haired girl Hu Ma had brought back. For the moment, they cared little about what Hu Ma and Yang Gong were up to. Li, however, seemed to possess a saintly detachment, watching the others crowd the window. He found it amusing. "What’s so interesting about a woman? Aren’t any of you worried Brother Ma Zi won’t have anything to eat?" Hu Ma and the others paid the workers no mind. After a long night, they were all exhausted and sat down to eat. Yang Gong was in high spirits and reached for the wine, but Hu Ma stopped him. "Not right now." Yang Gong protested, "What’s wrong with a little drink?" "This is a serious matter," Hu Ma said. "I expect people from the city to arrive this afternoon. What kind of impression will it make if you’re drunk? Wait until everything is settled, then come back to the Manor and drink with me." Yang Gong usually didn’t care much for such proprieties, but Hu Ma’s reasoning was sound. "Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you." Shen Bangzi, the Red Fragrance Disciple who had accompanied Yang Gong, initially shared the typical arrogance of his peers, looking down on the green clothes Disciples in the Manors. However, after Hu Ma saved his life and hearing the conversation between Yang Gong and Hu Ma, his perspective had shifted. He addressed Yang Gong as "Big Brother," and since Yang Gong and Hu Ma interacted as equals, he now also called Hu Ma "Brother Hu." "They’re here, they’re here!" They had just finished their meal and barely taken a few sips of tea when the worker Hu Ma had posted as a lookout rushed back, excited. "Lots of people are coming! They’re carrying big lanterns!" "It seems the city values this batch of Blood Food very highly indeed," Hu Ma mused with a smile. He glanced at Yang Gong, who was squatting on a chair nearby, sipping tea. "Aren’t you going out?" Hu Ma had guessed correctly. As soon as the jar of Blood Food arrived at the Manor, the city had been notified. Normally, this would just be a routine report from the Manor. If it were ordinary goods, the city would wait until the next day to send someone or have the Manor deliver it. But upon hearing it was such a large quantity of Blood Tai Sui, the people in the city couldn’t sit still. They immediately dispatched several capable individuals on fast horses to this Manor outside the city to collect it and ensure its safe return. Seeing them arrive, Yang Gong, though clearly excited, feigned indifference. He hugged the jar, rolled his eyes, and said, "Why should I go out to meet them? Let them come in to see me! Those fellows act all high and mighty, but I bet they haven’t dug up as much Blood Tai Sui all year as I have in this one jar." Seeing his arrogant display, Hu Ma frowned. "What are you putting on an act for now? Take my advice: go out, greet them politely, and secure your merit first." Even Shen Bangzi, standing nearby, glanced over, knowing Yang Gong wasn’t usually one to take advice. Surprisingly, Yang Gong listened to Hu Ma and just smiled. Though he feigned nonchalance, the sound of hooves outside the Manor told him the arrivals were at the gate. "You’re right," he said to Hu Ma. "We should extend them this courtesy. Come on, Brother Hu, let’s go welcome our great merit!" "You’re the ones who risked your lives for it. I just provided some support. I can’t take credit for this!" Hu Ma smiled and shook his head. "You go on. Don’t make too much of a scene." Yang Gong was slightly taken aback. He looked deeply at Hu Ma and sighed. "Good brother, you’re great in every way, but you’re too honest. Behaving like this in the Red Lantern Society will get you into trouble. Everyone in the city knows about the trouble you faced here in this Manor; they’re all talking about it privately..." Saying this, he shook his head at Hu Ma with a sigh of regret, then hugged the jar and went out. Even Shen Bangzi gave Hu Ma a surprised look before quickly following Yang Gong out of the room. Li, who had been listening nearby, glanced at Hu Ma in astonishment. He seemed surprised that Hu Ma wasn’t rushing to claim a share of such a significant merit. He was also rather puzzled by Yang Gong’s mention of "the trouble you faced here in this Manor." Hu Ma sat quietly at the table, knowing Yang Gong was referring to the incident with the Shopkeeper. Previously, the Shopkeeper had killed members of the Tan’er Sect, and Hu Ma had shared in the merit. On the surface, everything seemed fine. However, there were many astute people in the city, and quite a few had probably guessed that the Shopkeeper had used him. It had likely become a topic of gossip. Yang Gong’s concern about him being too honest stemmed from this. He offered no explanation, simply listening to the clatter of hooves and the ensuing conversations outside the Manor. It was difficult to make out the details until Yang Gong’s voice rose clearly: "This jar of Blood Food is something we brothers fought tooth and nail for! Not only did Shen Bangzi and I earn merit, but our brothers Niu Laojiao and Zhu Changzi also laid down their lives! Before the Red Lantern Lady, they each deserve one incense! And, of course, we can’t forget our Brother Hu! Thanks to him for coming to our aid, risking his life to get us across the river. Otherwise, forget this jar of Blood Food—even our own lives would have been taken by that green clothes gang!" Inside the Manor, sipping his tea, Hu Ma sighed. Yang Gong was certainly hot-headed and reckless, but he was loyal... At the same time, in the inner courtyard, the old shopkeeper, who had remained unseen, listened intently to the exchange outside. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of emotion. Though his heart wasn’t truly in the Manor’s affairs anymore, he knew the current year’s desperate need. Who would have thought that the largest haul of Blood Food this year would be secured by a few Red Fragrance Disciples who had only joined last year? And even more unexpectedly, his own young manager had played a part in this significant achievement. A talented person will always find a way to rise above... "Girl..." he called out, looking towards the inner room with a sigh. "You don’t need to hang on any longer. We can both leave with peace of mind now..."