Hong Dou frowned at Luosai Huzi. “What’s wrong?”

Mountain bandits always had so much nonsense.

Luosai Huzi tremblingly held up one finger. “One plate, one plate of crystal pork is enough.”

Robbery was impossible now—being able to leave alive later would be good enough.

One plate of crystal pork cost ten taels of silver. Fortunately, he’d hidden some broken silver in his waistband. Scraping it together, it should barely be enough.

Sob sob sob, he’d kept this broken silver thinking that if they couldn’t find Brother Lu, at least he and Xiao Hei wouldn’t end up homeless on the streets.

Who knew they’d successfully find Brother Lu, but the promised room and board hadn’t materialized. Now his last bit of savings would be gone after eating one plate of meat.

Hearing this, Zhuang Han was displeased and pressed down Luosai Huzi’s finger. “Brother, what are you doing? Today eat freely—no need to save money for me.”

As he spoke, he vigorously winked at Luosai Huzi.

Free food! Not eating would be a waste.

Fill their bellies to the brim—only then would they have the strength to rob.

“No, no, no, one plate of crystal pork is enough!” Luosai Huzi was nearly in tears, frantically winking back at Zhuang Han.

Big Brother, you’re truly my dear big brother! Can you give me a chance to explain things clearly?

“Bring what I ordered earlier!” Zhuang Han shouted magnificently to Hong Dou.

“One plate of crystal pork!” Luosai Huzi shouted even louder.

Hong Dou was annoyed. “Why are you shouting so loudly? Fortunately the other customers have already left, otherwise if you scared them, would you compensate?”

Seeing the commotion here getting intense, Kou’er turned and walked over, smiling warmly. “Coming to drink wine is about being happy. Whoever’s treating gets to decide. All this arguing won’t do…”

Zhuang Han slapped his chest. “I’m treating, listen to me!”

Luosai Huzi quickly said, “I’m treating, I’m treating!”

Zhuang Han grabbed Luosai Huzi’s arm, truly getting a bit angry. “Brother, you’ve traveled a thousand miles to seek refuge with me. The very first meal and you want to treat instead? Are you looking down on me?”

Luosai Huzi froze.

He’d never looked down on Brother Lu! Brother Lu had always been a dragon among men in his heart.

Cough cough, though after coming to the capital he’d discovered things were slightly different from what he’d imagined, he still greatly respected Brother Lu.

After all, he was someone who could wash his hands of the trade and come mix it up in the capital.

In just that moment of Luosai Huzi’s daze, when he came back to his senses, the food and wine had already been placed on the table.

Zhuang Han picked up a braised duck tongue and placed it in Luosai Huzi’s plate. “Brother, try this braised duck tongue. I don’t know how this tavern braises their duck tongues, but the flavor is especially good.”

Luosai Huzi numbly picked up the braised duck tongue and stuffed it in his mouth. With a jolt, he immediately snapped out of his numbness.

Delicious!

How could duck tongue be this delicious!

“Xiao Hei, try this—the braised duck tongue is good.” Luosai Huzi picked up a braised duck tongue for the dark-faced youth.

The dark-faced youth ate without even lifting his head.

What to do later? That was for adults to worry about. He just had to eat.

“The oil-drizzled chicken is also good…” Zhuang Han continued serving his good brother.

Luosai Huzi’s mouth was stuffed with tender, fragrant chicken meat as he nodded repeatedly. “Good, good.”

Poor him—he hadn’t studied much and couldn’t find better words to praise it.

Zhuang Han picked up another helping of braised beef for Luosai Huzi. “I love this tavern’s braised beef the most. A bite of beef, a sip of burning liquor, a sip of burning liquor, a bite of beef—wouldn’t trade it even for being an immortal.”

He’d heard the waiter say this before, though it was about the roasted pig head on opening day.

Unfortunately that day, he’d been out of his mind and ate twenty bowls of spring noodles, completely missing out…

Thinking of this heartbreaking matter, Zhuang Han viciously stuffed two pieces of braised beef into his mouth at once and chewed hard.

But hearing “braised beef,” Luosai Huzi suddenly sobered up.

With the delicious braised beef in his mouth, his heart turned ice cold.

What to do, what could they do now?

“Brother, why aren’t you eating?” Zhuang Han asked puzzledly while chewing his braised beef.

Luosai Huzi glanced left and right, and seeing no one paying attention to them, lowered his voice. “Brother, the situation has changed!”

The situation changed?

Zhuang Han quickly swallowed the beef and put on a serious face. “What?”

After all, he was a chieftain chosen from hundreds—he still had this much alertness.

Luosai Huzi’s face looked pained as he lowered his voice even more. “Brother, remember how I told you about that time we tried to rob but got robbed instead?”

Zhuang Han nodded.

Such an embarrassing thing—he hadn’t expected Brother Feibiao to tell him about it, showing he really treated him like a dear big brother.

Luosai Huzi’s gaze drifted toward the counter as he whispered, “The people who robbed us—they’re all in this tavern.”

Zhuang Han: “…”

After a pause, Zhuang Han said in a low voice, “The beautiful young lady by the counter—they say she’s a refined young lady from a great family.”

How could she be among the people who robbed Brother Feibiao?

Luosai Huzi was nearly crying. “It’s her! She was the leader and even took Xiao Hei hostage.”

Zhuang Han looked blankly at the dark-faced youth.

The dark-faced youth with bulging cheeks quickly nodded and picked up a helping of crystal pork to stuff in his mouth.

Delicious!

Zhuang Han slowly turned his gaze back, his voice hoarse. “Brother, then today we—”

“It’s off!” Luosai Huzi’s eyes reddened.

Zhuang Han slowly turned his gaze again toward the table full of delicious food and wine. “Then these dishes—”

“We’re done for!” Luosai Huzi’s expression was grave.

Zhuang Han’s gaze went blank. “Then what do we do?”

He hadn’t forgotten about being single-handedly thrown out by that waiter yesterday.

Even one waiter was like that—add the demon woman’s gang who’d robbed Brother Feibiao, what could they do?

Thinking this, he involuntarily looked at Luo Sheng.

The young woman sitting not far from the counter had black hair and plain clothing, her expression indifferent.

Zhuang Han’s heart grew confused: such a beauty would rob people?

Seeing his big brother looking stunned from the shock, Luosai Huzi just wanted to cry bitter tears.

He’d tried to stop it! Earlier, he only needed to take out ten taels of silver to buy one plate of crystal pork, and they could have retreated unscathed.

Who would have thought—

What else could they do? Stuff their bellies and eat. After eating, they’d meet soldiers with generals and floods with earth. Worst case, they’d stay behind to wash dishes.

Luosai Huzi gave up completely and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Ten pots of burning liquor!”

Drinking for courage—get drunk and be done with it.

Luosai Huzi poured Zhuang Han a cup of wine. “Brother, I toast you. These years haven’t been easy.”

Zhuang Han clinked cups. “Yes, not easy at all.”

How would they escape later?

Never mind, eat and drink their fill first.

Hong Dou crossed her arms and said to Kou’er with her head tilted, “Kou’er, I think this table is planning to dine and dash.”

“That can’t be—do they not want to live?”

“Just watch and you’ll see.”

Half an hour later, Zhuang Han, Luosai Huzi, and the dark-faced youth were all drunk.

After getting drunk, Luosai Huzi slapped his forehead and asked in a low voice, “Brother, can we make our move now?”

It felt like he’d forgotten something important—what was it?

Zhuang Han set down his wine cup. “Make our move!”

The two suddenly stood up and headed straight for Shi Yan, not forgetting to bellow, “Xiao Hei, according to plan!”

Kou’er covered her mouth with her handkerchief. “Heavens, they even have a plan.”