Chapter 61

  "Anyone passing under the Toad Hill must pay a toll of two cents." Cheng Dalai knocked on the wooden sign beside him: "No cheating, young or old."

  "Cheng Dangjia, I advise you not to bully people too much!" Lu Hong had already clenched his teeth.

  "Hey, get it straight, this has the signature and seal of Lord Xue. Don't randomly pin on me the big hat of deceiving people." Cheng Dairen didn't get angry.

  "No money." Lu hummed out two words, he thought he understood that to deal with a rascal like Cheng Dalai, he had to use the same rascal attitude to treat him.

  "It's not right to say that, money is like a sponge - the water in a towel, squeeze it and there will always be some. Lu Jiang is of such high status, he won't be without even a single copper coin." Cheng Da Lei blinked his eyes: "Moreover, with your current state, do you have confidence in safely leaving Qing Niu Mountain? Our Frog Village takes money, but we also provide escort services, you know."

  Lu Hong's heart skipped a beat, his experience this time was extremely miserable, even his weapons were confiscated by the King of Youzhou, including Lu Hong's iron rod. So now Lu Hong and his team are unarmed, if the gangsters on Qingniu Mountain want to beat them while they're down, they may not have the confidence to leave Qingniu Mountain alive.

  If there is a guarantee of safety and protection, this is naturally nothing, in any case, Cheng Daren's face is now available.

  The problem is, Lu Hong really has no money now.

  "Why don't you leave two people for me?" Cheng Dalai said, his eyes scanning the soldiers behind Lu Hong with tattered clothes. The Hama Village is currently short of men, and Cheng Dalai has to set his mind on Lu Hong, regardless of whether they are turtles or tortoises, all are welcome.

  A small tolerance can ruin a great plan, a small tolerance can ruin a great plan... Lu Hong comforted himself with these two sentences, his eyes fixed on the soldiers behind him. Suddenly, he clasped his fists and said: "Sorry, they are my men, I brought them out, and I will take them back home."

  As he spoke, Lu Hong took out a jade pendant from his body and handed it to Cheng Dairen.

  "This ancient jade... will serve as my toll."

  Cheng Dali was taken aback, then suddenly smiled and didn't take the jade pendant. "Please, Qin Man, see General Lu off over the mountain."

  Lu Hong's eyes turned serious and he clasped his fists: "I bid you farewell, Master Cheng. May our paths cross again someday."

  Watching Lu Hong's back as he walked away, Cheng Dairen understood that next time they met, they would probably be speaking with their weapons.

  This scene had a great impact on the people of the Liu family. They had heard that the Bullfrog King was in Qingniu Mountain, but they thought it was just a rumor, and now they saw it with their own eyes. Even the government soldiers passing through the mountain had to pay protection fees to Cheng Daren, so how could this rumor be false?

  Roger, received fear value 10

  Roger, received fear value 9

  Beep, received fear value...

  Cheng Dairen was stunned for a moment, but he didn't expect to receive fear value in this way. He glanced at the crowd below and continued his recruitment work after going up the mountain.

  This scene caused several people to waver, and they went up the mountain to join the Toad Gang. By nightfall, about fifty or so people had joined the Toad Gang, leaving behind thirty or so people, some of whom were eliminated by Cheng Dairen, while others were led by Liu Muyun's family members, including Liu Zhi and Meng Ziyun.

  Cheng Daire stood on the mountain, looking at them. Across the rising mountain mist, their eyes met, as if in a standoff.

  Cheng Dali did not confront them, instead he ordered someone to move the table and shut the gate.

  One night was approaching, and compared to the previous one, this night would be even more unbearable. Hunger tormented their souls, and what made it even more painful was that a hot meal was just within reach, yet still so far away.

  The treatment in the frog village is still quite good, the aroma of dinner has floated here, making everyone drool.

  A murmur of complaints arose from the crowd, at first it was very small, but grew louder and louder.

  Some people have already started blaming Liu Mu Yun for inciting everyone to make things difficult for Cheng Da Lei back then. Can honor be eaten as food?

  "At first, the family treated us poorly, but they bought us out of slavery and provided us with food and shelter. We were ungrateful and mistreated them like a donkey's liver and lungs, we owe an apology to the Cheng family."

  "If I had to say it, Cheng is still quite righteous..."

  "En, Cheng is quite good as a family member."

  Cheng Dangjia is not bad, then who is wrong? It's naturally Liu Muyun, who incites everyone to stick to so-called honor.

  Authority is being dismantled, and the moral principles of ruler-minister, father-son that have been in place since birth are collapsing.

  Liu Mu Yun sat alone in front of the bonfire, a night without words.

  The next day at dawn, Cheng Dairen set up the table again. Today there were a few more people on the mountain, but those led by Liu Muyun had solidified even further.

  Finally, in the afternoon, Liu Zhi slowly climbed up the mountain.

  "Cheng Dangjia, can you go down the mountain and talk with Grandpa Liu and them? They are actually still very grateful to Cheng Dangjia."

  Cheng Darui actually understood that these people's persistence had been shaken, and now they just needed a step down to comfortably walk away.

  But this step is not prepared for you by Cheng Da Lei, the higher you climb, the more severely I will let you fall down, and it's your own doing that you climbed up there.

  "Miss Liu, I really want to talk to Old Master Liu too, but as you can see, I'm so busy here and can't leave for now. Let's do it another day, another day."

  Liu Zixin felt a chill in her heart, and had to admit that when Cheng Darui descended from the sky to save her, she was moved for a moment or two. However, this cold and icy confrontation did not leave any room for tender feelings.

  She went down the mountain alone and dejectedly, a solitary figure.

  By afternoon, no one else went up the mountain, and only a few dozen people were left at the foot of the mountain.

  One on the mountain and one at the foot of the mountain, both can see each other, with icy gazes.

  As the sky was about to darken, Liu Qi went up the mountain again. Faced with her pitiful expression, Cheng Dalie showed an unprecedented coldness. But the first sentence that Liu Qi uttered left him stunned.

  "The Liu family is willing to offer me to the Cheng family, only asking the Cheng family to show mercy and take in the Liu family's old and young, giving them a way out."

  "Dedicated to..." Cheng Dairen's eyes widened: "What does it mean?"

  Liu Zhi handed over a paper, which roughly stated that Liu Zhi would be given to Cheng Dali in exchange for Cheng Dali's ability to take in the Liu family's elderly and children, with several elders led by Liu Muyun signing below.

  The meaning of "dedication" is that as long as Cheng Dairen nods, he will have ownership of Liu Zhi.

  This power is not in the way of human, Liu Zhi becoming Cheng Dairen's wife or concubine, but in the way of objects. Cheng Dairen will completely own Liu Zhi's body and even her soul, he can make her lay out his bed, warm his bed and wash his feet, and also can hand her over to others at will.

  In this matter, Liu Zhi has no autonomy at all. Her life and future belong to Cheng Dali.

  Cheng Dali suddenly realized this and was stunned for a long time, then blurted out a muddled sentence.

  "It's so simple!"