RWNEFE -Chapter 24 Officials and Criminals in Collusion!

Liu Laohu had originally wanted to call more constables to rush inside, but when he saw the situation, he hesitated. His eyes flickered, and he scratched his nose, heading to find Shen Lanxi.

“Master, there are just too many people in the back courtyard. My men still have to watch the prisoners, so I really can’t spare anyone to subdue them!” Liu Laohu said, forcing a brave face.

Shen Lanxi already knew the situation in the back courtyard from Nu Bai, and she also understood Liu Laohu’s intention—it was simply that he didn’t want any of his men hurt.

She took the opportunity to suggest: “I actually have an idea.”

Liu Laohu’s eyes lit up, and he leaned in to listen.

In just a short while, Liu Laohu impressed Shen Lanxi completely. In her mind, the young master was both brave and clever!

Liu Laohu first briefed the constables, instructing them to obey Shen Lanxi in everything. Then he went to the main hall to stabilize the innkeeper and the servers.

About a tea’s worth of time later, Shen Lanxi returned from outside with a calm smile and sat steadily in her place.

Liu Laohu immediately shouted: “Innkeeper! Send a few people to give some food to the exiles outside! Hurry! Don’t make me keep chasing you. And here you are running the relay station—show some competence, or I’ll report you and have you removed!”

The innkeeper hurriedly called the servers over, murmured to them, and then smiled, trying to please: “I’ll have the kitchen arrange it right away. It might take a little while.”

Liu Laohu said, “No worries. Just bring some water first. Those damn prisoners will be parched on the road!”

The innkeeper exchanged glances with the servers and hurried to the back courtyard to organize.

Soon, three men and a woman appeared from the back, each carrying buckets and wooden bowls of water.

Shen Lanxi exchanged a glance with Liu Laohu and waited quietly.

After a short while, Liu Laohu began slamming the table again: “Damn it, innkeeper! Are the kitchen staff dead? I haven’t seen a single bun yet. Do you want to starve me?”

The innkeeper frowned, glancing outside—where were the people delivering water?

“Sir, don’t worry. Good food takes time. I’ll urge the kitchen. Please wait!”

Using the pretext of going to the kitchen, the innkeeper went straight to the back courtyard.

“Send a few people outside to check why the water hasn’t arrived yet.”

“Give them some food to hold them off. Add extra ingredients. You can’t catch the wolf without bait. Look at the big carts they have. Once we deal with them, all that stuff will be ours.”

After the innkeeper spoke, four people immediately ran out the back door. He took the extra food and headed to the main hall with a grim expression.

The four had barely appeared when they were grabbed, gagged, and pinned to the ground. Before they could shout, a crushing blow nearly burst their intestines, followed by relentless kicks to the head. In the blink of an eye, they were beaten senseless, unable to move.

The people in the back courtyard waited, seeing no news from the main hall or the back door. Something was wrong!

“Xiao Sanzi, take a few more people outside to check!”

Xiao Sanzi obeyed, leading four others out of the courtyard.

As soon as they appeared, they were ambushed by the exiles lying in wait, gagged, and beaten with shoe soles.

Main Hall

“Gentlemen, why aren’t you eating?” The innkeeper stared longingly at the fine food and wine. Normally, these starving wretches would pounce like wild dogs at the sight of food. Why were they just staring?

Liu Laohu glared at the innkeeper and server: “You two, come over here! If you didn’t want me to eat, just say so. Why put dead flies in the food to disgust me?”

Dead flies? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! A fly that large, could he not see it?

As the innkeeper and server approached, Shen Lanxi and Liu Laohu each knocked one out.

“Throw them out!”

At this command, Chunxue and Qiushuang each dragged one out.

Liu Laohu, feeling embarrassed, quickly called the constables for help.

“Brother Liu, you guard the main hall. I’ll go outside to check.” Shen Lanxi intended to investigate.

Liu Laohu nodded: “Good.”

Now, the bandits in the back courtyard were like mice trapped in a cage. Liu Laohu’s men were the cats waiting at the holes. Any mouse daring to peek would be caught immediately.

Back Courtyard

“No news from the main hall or Xiao Sanzi’s side. Should we check it out?”

“Fine. You take a few people there; I’ll take two to the main hall.”

Once the teams were set, they moved independently.

Shen Lanxi hadn’t expected that as soon as she stepped outside, her eyes would sting—what a surprise!

The bandits in the back courtyard were all tightly bound, stripped down to their underwear, exposed completely in the wind.

Just as she was about to ask for an explanation, the exiles’ actions spoke louder than words. Their pale statements were replaced with a vivid live demonstration.

The four who appeared were immediately ambushed by exiles lying in wait, gagged and beaten with shoe soles.

Most shocking of all, a fierce woman launched herself like a cannonball, crushing one with her weight and then quickly stripping them. She stuffed the stolen items against her chest, as if afraid someone else would snatch them.

Other women also joined, but none as skilled—at least leaving some underwear for the victims.

After the powerful woman finished, she stripped the other three of their underwear as well, stuffing it all to her chest.

Shen Lanxi felt like her soul had been updated multiple times in that brief moment.

Suddenly, a shout rang out: “Quick! Something’s happening outside!”

The back courtyard bandits were alerted and surged out.

Suddenly someone yelled: “Grab it! Whoever gets it keeps it!”

Shen Lanxi glanced sideways and saw a young man charging forward, brandishing a shoe sole while shouting.

Even more astonishing, two bandits rushed toward the Shen family’s main family. Her refined father rolled up his sleeves, took off his shoe, and charged at them.

Her pampered younger siblings all jumped in, pinning the bandits to the ground and searching them! The only rule: no tearing their clothes!

Shen Lanxi smiled wryly as she walked inside. In the main hall, Liu Laohu and the constables had already subdued a dozen bandits.

“Brother Liu, the back courtyard bandits are all dealt with!”

No constables were injured. Liu Laohu was extremely pleased and immediately ordered a search of the inn. Soon, a report came back: “Brother Liu, upstairs, thirty-five men, women, and children are bound and unconscious. They were likely drugged.”

Liu Laohu was furious, cursing as he marched upstairs: “Xiao Tian, bring a basin of water! Wake them up!”