The hill was not high, only a few dozen metres, and with no miscellaneous noises in the mountains, the several big leaders at the foot of the hill clearly heard Old Black’s words.
“Double?”
Scarface could not help showing a tempted expression.
Among all the bandits in Jinchuan, who did not know that the current Xihe Bay was rich?
If Jin Feng was willing to spend double the price to buy their lives, it would be a good choice.
“Scarface, has your head been kicked by a donkey?”
Big Toad saw Scarface’s tempted expression and almost laughed from anger. “Jin Feng is clearly trying to sow discord among us. Do you really believe his nonsense?”
“Scarface, although Big Toad’s words are harsh, they are not wrong.”
The fat bandit said, “In the entire Jinchuan County, probably no one hates us bandits more than Jin Feng. His words absolutely cannot be trusted.”
“Who are you looking down on? Of course I know this is Jin Feng’s divisive tactic! Who said I believed his nonsense?”
Scarface said with his neck stiffened.
The other big leaders were too lazy to argue with him. Seeing Scarface give up the idea, they looked up at the mountaintop again.
Old Black’s previous shouting was aimed at the several big leaders.
Seeing that the big leaders were not tempted, he followed what Jin Feng had taught him and continued to shout,
“Bandit brothers, I know many of you were forced to become bandits. You work yourselves to death every day for the big leaders, but the money and women you finally rob, the big share goes to the big leaders. You can only get a bit of bone scraps like the wild dogs under the table. Have you ever thought that this is too unfair?
Now my master gives everyone a chance. As long as you let us go this time, you can come to Xihe Bay to find me, Old Black. I guarantee to take you to participate in the escort master assessment!
See the knife in my hand? This is made by my master. It cuts iron like mud and severs hair when blown. Each one is worth a thousand taels of silver. As long as you pass the assessment, everyone can get one.
Moreover, joining our Zhenyuan Escort Bureau, my master will re-register your household for you. You no longer have to live sneakily. You can bring your wives, children, and parents to live openly in Xihe Bay. If you have children, they can study for free in the Xihe Bay school, and even meals are provided by the school.
Also, I believe everyone has heard that if our escort masters die in battle, the master not only gives a large pension to the escort master’s family but also takes responsibility for supporting your parents until their death and raising your children!
The benefits of joining the escort masters could be talked about for three days and three nights without finishing. I just mentioned a few. Brothers, come to Zhenyuan Escort Bureau!
My master said that being a bandit has no future. You live sneakily your whole life, and when you die, how can you face your ancestors? Your descendants will forever bear the stigma of being bandit offspring!
Brothers, think about it. Is what I said reasonable?”
After Old Black finished shouting, the entire hillside became quiet.
The faces of the several bandit big leaders changed at the same time.
The people can be made to follow, but not to understand. The same applies to bandits.
The vast majority of bandits are rough people with little knowledge. They only care about what to eat and drink today, whether they can get a warm bed from the big leaders. They do not think. Whatever the big leaders say, they listen.
This is also the kind of bandits the big leaders like most.
The words Jin Feng had Old Black shout just now were aimed at the bandits.
Very simple and straightforward, yet every sentence struck directly at the bandits’ hearts, stimulating them to think.
Xihe Bay has been recruiting soldiers and buying horses for so long. The treatment of escort masters is no longer a secret.
In fact, many bandits have been tempted before.
But an organisation like escort masters that controls force is of great importance. Once a traitor appears, the harm is inestimable.
Not to mention anything else, if among the escort masters responsible for guarding in Xihe Bay someone wants to assassinate Jin Feng or Guan Xiaorou and others, it is impossible to prevent.
So on the issue of recruiting veteran soldiers, Jin Feng has always insisted on the principle of preferring shortage to excess. The first targets are retired Tielin Army personnel, then acquaintances introduced by other veteran soldiers. Strangers are basically not considered.
Let alone bandits. Do not even think about it.
But Old Black said that Xihe Bay is willing to recruit bandits?
Many bandits showed tempted expressions.
If they can live openly, marry, and have children, who would want to live sneakily?
Moreover, they have to bear the curse of being bandits. When they die, they have no face to see their ancestors and also implicate their descendants.
“He is inciting the people. Brothers, do not believe it!”
The fat big leader saw that things were going bad and quickly shouted, “Jin Feng has never looked up to us bandits. Have you forgotten the Tiegushan bandits? There were hundreds of them. Jin Feng did not even blink and killed more than half. The deaths were more miserable one after another. The rest were sold by Jin Feng to the county office for rewards. Not one was spared!”
“Yes, brothers, the threshing ground at the entrance of Xihe Bay village is still red now. The wormwood grows more vigorously than in other places, and having drunk human blood, the leaves are red!”
Big Toad also shouted, “Look up at the mountain again. Has Jin Feng’s people ever shown a bit of mercy? They are deceiving you. Everyone must not fall for it!”
Following the big leaders’ words, the bandits looked up at the small path on the mountain.
At this time, the small path was full of bandit corpses. Blood had gathered into small streams, flowing down the gullies on the mountain path, gurgling downward, already forming a small blood pit in the depression at the foot of the mountain.
“What are you doing? Are you going to rebel after hearing a few words?”
The fat man and Big Toad played the white face, and the hot-tempered Scarface played the red face. “Come on, whoever wants to betray me and join some damn Zhenyuan Escort Bureau, stand out for me. Let me have a good look!”
The big leaders had accumulated prestige for a long time, and with Scarface’s ferocious face, the bandits all lowered their heads.
“You little bastards, after hearing a few nice words, you forget your own names!”
Scarface took the opportunity to shout, “Where is the suicide squad that escaped earlier? All stand out for me!”
“Old Three, don’t hide back there. Didn’t you hear Scarface boss’s words? Bring your people and get out here!”
“Brothers of Heifeng Village, we cannot let other mountain strongholds look down on us. If you are men, stand out! Kill Jin Feng, and every brother in our Heifeng Village suicide squad will be rewarded with twenty taels of silver, three warm beds, and they will not be taken back in the future. They will be your wives!”
…
The other several big leaders also spoke up to cooperate with Scarface.
Under threats and inducements, the suicide squad that had just escaped gathered again at the foot of the mountain.
Old Black opened his mouth, preparing to shout a few more sentences, but the fat bandit gave a wink to his subordinate small leader.
The small leader immediately started yelling, “Hurry up, it’s getting dark…”
Old Black was at the mountaintop after all, and his voice was suddenly suppressed by the small leader.
“Sir, what now?”
Old Black turned his head and asked, “It looks like the bandits are determined to fight one more time.”
Jin Feng glanced at the west and said, “Forget it. The sun has set. It’s about time to act.”
“Bandit brothers, I have a treasure here. If you don’t believe my words, all watch carefully!”
Old Black raised the bamboo tube in his hand and shouted while the small leader shut up, “You’ll understand after you see it!”
All the bandits, including the several big leaders, looked up at Old Black and the bamboo tube in his hand.
