Carefree Farmwife: Training the Husband, Raising the Bun - Chapter 121

The gambling house was unusually deserted. Compared to the times Ying Su had been here before, the difference was stark. Only a few scattered patrons lingered, proof enough that Wang Ba really was in trouble this time. Otherwise, it would never have affected the business like this.

Shen Changyun looked around curiously. He had never set foot in such a place, though he knew it wasn’t a good one. Back in the village, there had been a man who got addicted to gambling, eventually, he lost all his family wealth, his wife and children left him, and when he couldn’t pay off his debts, he was crippled by the gambling house’s enforcers.

Wang Ba led Ying Su upstairs to a private room. After they sat down, his face grew grave as he said, “This Brother has run into big trouble. The one who made a move on me today was Liu Huang.”

“Liu Huang? This is your turf. How does he dare?” Ying Su raised an eyebrow.

Wang Ba sighed. “This ties back to internal matters of the Canal Gang. I only know what our Hall Master told me. The Old Gang Leader’s health is failing. The Qinglong Hall Master has long coveted the Gang Leader’s seat. Of the four hall masters, his strength is the greatest. But the Old Gang Leader intends to pass the position to our Hall Master instead. The Qinglong Hall Master can’t sit still anymore, he wants to swallow up our Hall Master’s power.”

Ying Su nodded in understanding. So it was about the gang’s succession. She arched her brow. “Even so, this is your ground. Even if Liu Huang makes a move, how can he act so brazenly?”

At this point, Wang Yuan could no longer hold back and said angrily, “Our Hall Master has always been indifferent by nature. He has no desire to fight the Qinglong Hall Master for the Gang Leader’s seat. Knowing full well that Qinglong Hall wants to suppress us, he hasn’t sent any men to support us! This time Liu Huang brought plenty of people, and they’re all skilled men from the gang. How could a bunch of street thugs like us fight them?”

“Our Hall Master has his own considerations. He told me himself, if we can’t resist, then yield this place to Liu Huang. For the Hall Master’s sake, Liu Huang may not dare to finish me off.” Wang Ba’s loyalty to Heiwutang Hall Master is unwavering.

Ying Su curved her lips into a smile. “That’s not certain. Just earlier in the street, someone tried to shoot you with an arrow. If it had hit a vital spot…”

Wang Ba’s eyes widened. “What? That bastard even had archers lying in wait for me?”

Ying Su nodded. Wang Ba’s face turned livid, a chill of fear running through him. Sweat beaded on his forehead before he finally muttered, “But… to just pack up and walk away! To hand over everything I’ve built through all these years, how can I not feel unwilling?”

Wang Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said, “Father, wealth can always be earned again. But if you lose your life, then there’s nothing left. If our Hall Master refuses to fight, and one day the Qinglong Hall Master takes over as Gang Leader, what future will we have? Even our Hall Master won’t meet a good end.”

It was rare for him to call Wang Ba “Father.” With no outsiders around, he also spoke with unusual seriousness.

Wang Ba’s expression grew even more somber. He stayed silent for a long time, and the room’s atmosphere grew unbearably tense. The brothers closest to him also turned to watch, waiting for his decision.

At last, after a long pause, he lifted his eyes to Ying Su and asked, “Sister, what do you think?”

Everyone else stared in astonishment. They had heard this young woman was skilled, but this was about their very lives and futures, how could he ask a woman?

“It’s not impossible to fight,” Ying Su said, lips curving slightly, phoenix eyes narrowing. “The question is whether you fight for the moment, or fight for the future.”

“What does fighting for the moment mean? And what about fighting for the future?” Wang Ba asked, thoughtful.

The others still looked doubtful, some even muttering under their breath, what ideas could a woman possibly have?

Ying Su ignored them. Her mouth tilted in a sly smile. “If it’s fighting for the moment, the best way is for Brother Wang Ba to pledge allegiance to the Qinglong Hall Master right now.”

Her words sparked an uproar. Everyone began whispering among themselves. It was indeed a way to “win for the moment.” If Wang Ba and his men switched sides immediately, the Qinglong Hall Master, eager to show magnanimity, surely wouldn’t let Liu Huang seize his turf again.

But once the Qinglong Hall Master truly became the Gang Leader, he would surely sideline Wang Ba and replace him with his own people.

Wang Ba shook his head firmly. “No! Our Hall Master recognized my worth. Without him, I’d probably still be rotting as a useless gambler in some den!”

Several of his brothers, however, agreed with Ying Su’s suggestion. After all, they were only small fry. As long as they had the Canal Gang behind them, it didn’t matter who they served. And right now, the Qinglong Hall clearly has the upper hand.

“Then fight for the future, not just now, but later too,” Ying Su said firmly, her phoenix eyes shining darkly.

Wang Ba looked at her, puzzled. She went on, “Your Hall Master may seem indifferent to the Gang Leader’s seat. But he’s already a hall master, chosen and valued by the Old Gang Leader. If you can see that he’ll be doomed if Qinglong takes over, don’t you think he can see it too?”

“No matter how detached he seems from fame and gain, he can’t be indifferent to life and death, can he?” Ying Su asked with a bright, teasing smile.

Wang Ba thought about it and nodded slowly. “So you mean…”

Ying Su’s lips curved again, steering the topic back to Liu Huang. “Big Brother, do you know where Liu Huang and his men are staying?”

“Of course,” Wang Ba said with a nod. “I’m the local snake of Fengyang City. They’ve stirred up such a fuss here, how could I not have people watching them?”

“Do your men have the advantage if they face off directly with Liu Huang’s?”

Wang Ba looked embarrassed and shook his head. “The men Liu Huang brought are all trained fighters from the gang. My bunch of street punks can’t match them.”

Ying Su nodded in understanding and was about to speak when the door was suddenly thrown open. One of Wang Ba’s men stumbled in, panic-stricken, crawling to Wang Ba’s feet. “Big Brother, it’s bad! Liu Huang has brought his men to attack us here!”

Wang Ba’s face darkened instantly. He turned to Ying Su and said, “Sister, quickly take Brother Shen out the back door.”

But Ying Su stood up, a bloodthirsty smile flashing across her delicate face. Her voice was calm, “Didn’t you say you wanted to fight, Big Brother? Then let’s do it.” Her crisp voice rang with steel.

Wang Ba was moved. Though he’d told Ying Su to leave, in truth he had hoped she would stay. With just his ragtag bunch, they had no real chance against Liu Huang. “Then we’ll do as Sister says. Damn it, let’s fight them!” Wang Ba spat fiercely on the ground, rolling up his sleeves, ready to rush down and clash with Liu Huang.

But his men still looked at Ying Su with doubt. They didn’t know just how skilled she really was. All they’d heard was Lu Da’s talk. Seeing Wang Ba defer to her like this, many of them felt dissatisfied.