Chapter Fifty-One: The Drum on High, the Mites' Way of Purity and Delegation

  "So you came in, and coincidentally saw Lai Baicao coming out of the secret door. Hearing my cries for help, you thought Lai Baicao was going to harm me, so you directly wanted to rush in to save me." Shi Jin listened to him speak up to this point, and then also guessed about 90% of what happened next, so he took over the conversation and spoke it out.

  Shi Qian smiled: "That's exactly what I meant, I reckon he originally wanted to pretend there was no secret door, but unexpectedly the door closed quickly and his hem got caught in the door seam. He was stuck there and wouldn't let me in. I was anxious for a moment and just about to stab him in the throat with my dagger when, coincidentally, big brother you opened the door and came out. Ah, what a close call! Fortunately, as long as you're safe, I have no other wishes."

  Shi Jin's series of suspense was resolved, and he also felt at ease. But at this moment, he still had an important matter hanging in his heart, eager to go and take care of it immediately, so he opened his mouth and pulled him back from his fantasy, saying: "Shi Qian, brother has one more thing to entrust you with, and you need to leave right away."

  At the time, I didn't know what was going on, but it was so lively here, how could he bear to leave? But for the sake of doing things for his brother, there's no room for other talk. So he firmly said: "Whatever brother says is what I'll do."

  "I owe Li Baicao too much, now Li Baicao's wife and children are still in the big prison of this county, their lives unknown. I urgently need you to go to the big prison to investigate the situation and try to rescue them safely."

  At that time, Shi Yan thought it was something else, but it turned out to be going to the county government's large prison. At this moment, the city is in chaos, and no one knows what the situation is like with the officials and soldiers on the other side of the prison. If Chen Da Gege surrenders, then Shi Yan will lead his brothers into the prison with a swagger, just like Shi Jin, pretending to be a big shot, showing off his power and having some fun. If the officials and soldiers inside the prison don't know what's good for them, it would be even more interesting, sneaking in and releasing all the fierce and evil prisoners together, making a big fuss inside.

  These past few days, after meeting Shi Jin, his entire life seemed to have changed. Things he didn't dare think about before, he now dared to think about, and what made him even more ecstatic was that not only did he dare do them, but he could also accomplish them. So, Shi Qian once again fell into a fantasy. But while lost in this fantasy, he almost forgot the key point, so just as he was about to leave, he hastily asked Shi Jin: "Brother, I almost forgot to ask, since I've never seen his wife and children, how can we rescue them?"

  Shi Jin smiled as soon as he heard it: "So to speak, I seem to have seen it? Li Bai Cao is very famous in this county town. If you go and investigate, you will know."

  Shi Qian listened and laughed, saying: "Lei Jia's sister-in-law must be a formidable figure. I'll just find that outstanding female prisoner and bring her out."

  Shi Jin was puzzled and didn't know how to think about it, so he curiously asked him: "How did you know that Auntie Li is formidable?"

  Shi Qian smiled foolishly and wiped his face with a grin: "Just now I was pressed by Li Bai Cao, and I knew it."

  Shi Jin immediately knew that Shi Qian was joking and laughing, couldn't help but smile at him, saying: "Let Li Bai Cao know, you must be pressed for one night! Alright, go quickly!"

  Shi Qian finished speaking and laughing, then put away that hypocritical appearance, tightly twisted the brass lamp post, opened the door and wanted to leave.

  Just as Shi Xiang's figure was about to disappear outside the closing door, Shi Jin suddenly remembered something and hastily shouted at Shi Xiang's back: "What happened to Chui'er?"

  "I've been kidnapped by a mountain stronghold!" With that, Shi Qian disappeared out of the door.

  Now that the house was quiet, Shi Jin began to think about the next thing. In Shi Jin's eyes, although Chui Er is a bandit, but because of his last bow at the city gate, Shi Jin felt that there was still some chivalry in him. Moreover, he had good martial arts skills, and if he could correct his habit of robbing and stealing, Shi Jin thought it would be great to have him on their side. If he could persuade Chui Er to join their camp, that would be even better. But how to win him over, Shi Jin had to think carefully about it.

  Shi Jin sat here quietly thinking for half a day, and roughly came up with an idea. Just then, Li Bai Cao brought over some porridge he had cooked. Shi Jin chatted and laughed with Li Bai Cao as they drank the porridge, their bellies warm and full, and soon felt sleepy.

  After a night of tossing and turning, I thought I'd take a short nap, but unexpectedly slept through the whole thing, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

  This secret room had a door but no window, and he didn't know what was going on outside. When Shi Jin slowly woke up, he only felt that the herbal medicine given by Li Bai Cao was hot and burning on his skin, but his body felt very comfortable. Lying on the pillow, it seemed as if he could hear the sound of blood flowing happily in his body, and even the sound of his bones and muscles regenerating.

  Shi Jin lightly lifted his arm and felt a surge of power in his body. Li Bai Cao's medical skills were indeed not exaggerated, although he had only injured some skin and flesh, but was able to recover so quickly, it couldn't be denied that the medicinal effects were truly remarkable. Shi Jin was overjoyed, and with a push from both arms, he sat up. The numbing effect of the anesthetic had already dissipated after such a long time, but Shi Jin's spine still hadn't fully recovered, and when he suddenly sat up, there was still a faint pain in his waist.

  Shi Jin looked around the room, but there was no one in this cramped secret chamber. He didn't know where Li Bai Cao had gone, nor whether Shi Qian had already finished his business and returned, or to what extent Chen Da had controlled the situation outside. With so many things on his mind, he couldn't sleep. He hastily put on his clothes and jumped out of bed. Opening the secret door, he strode out. The outer room was quiet, with only the faint glow of sunset shining through the open doors and windows, casting a patchy light on the ground.

  Shi Jin walked out of the backyard and saw a red sun hanging low in the western sky. It was only then that Shi Jin realized he had slept for a whole day.

  "What a great master!" Lei Baicao came out of the side room, shouted, and fell to his knees.

  Shi Jin hastily rushed forward and wrapped his arms around him, helping him up. At this time, a slender woman with a floral jacket and green skirt walked out of the side room, her seven-inch golden lotus feet walking towards Shi Jin, with a child of seven or eight years old holding her hand behind her.

  This must be Mrs. Li and her children.

  As expected, the woman walked up to Shi Jing and curtsied, saying: "Thank you, big brother, for saving my life."

  Shi Jin hastily made a bow and changed the subject. Then, Li Bai Cao introduced his wife and asked his son to kowtow in gratitude. Shi Jin refused to accept it, but after some persuasion, the child still cleverly knocked three times. Seeing them reunited as a family warmed Shi Jin's heart. However, as he looked on...he couldn't help but think of Zhong Ling, and his heart suddenly ached. Shi Jin knew he didn't have the courage, nor did he dare to touch that sensitive spot in his heart. He suppressed the faint bitterness rising from the bottom of his heart and quickly found an excuse to press down this feeling.

  "Hey, Chen Da, have you been here before?"

  Li Bai Cao's face changed slightly as soon as he heard this, and then sank down...