Water Margin: Did we kill Zheng Tu today?

Chapter 88 My Cousin

"Just when I was dozing off, someone brought me a pillow!"

As Zheng Tu reached the street corner, pondering how to send a message to Wu Song, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure ahead. His eyes lit up, and he shouted loudly.

"Second Uncle Zheng!"

The young servant, with his rosy lips and white teeth, turned around upon hearing the voice. Seeing that it was Zheng Tu, he hurriedly ran forward and greeted him with a smile.

It was Dai'an'er who had just delivered a message for Ximen Qing and was on her way back to the mansion.

He ran until his forehead was sweating and his little face was flushed.

"I just finished relaying a message from my eldest uncle. What does my second uncle want with me?"

Zheng Tu beckoned him closer and, without beating around the bush, asked directly, "Dai'an'er, do you know any reliable way to send the letter to Yanggu County? It needs to be fast and delivered to the designated person."

Dai Ansheng was a clever and quick-witted man. He immediately understood Zheng Tu's meaning and patted his chest, saying:

"That's easy! If you trust me, Second Uncle, just give me the letter, and I'll find a familiar porter and arrange for it to be delivered by fast horse. I guarantee it will be done perfectly, and it will arrive in no more than half a day!"

Zheng Tu smiled upon hearing this, secretly praising: This Dai'an is truly convenient to use; no wonder Ximen Qing relies on him so much.

The more he looked at the servant, the more endearing he found him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of silver, weighing about half a coin, which he handed over, saying, "Thank you for making this trip."

Dai'an waved his hands repeatedly: "It's just a small errand, not worth any reward from you, Second Uncle! It's my duty."

He said this, but his hand had already taken the silver and pocketed it quickly.

Zheng Tu chuckled inwardly, but didn't point it out. He simply took out the letter he had written and solemnly handed it to him: "This letter must be delivered to Yanggu County and given to Wu Song, the head constable, in person. Remember, it must be given to him."

Dai'an accepted the letter with both hands and saw the words "To be opened by Commander Wu" written on the envelope, knowing that it could not be taken lightly.

He said solemnly, "Second Father, don't worry, I know what's important. I'll go find a reliable porter right away. Yanggu County is close to here, so we can get there today at top speed."

After saying this, he carefully hid the letter on his body, bowed deeply, and then disappeared in a flash.

The figure weaved through the crowd and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Zheng Tu watched him leave, feeling a little relieved, having accomplished another important task.

With Dai'an handling things, there shouldn't be any problems.

Next...

It's time to go and meet that Wang Qilang!

…………

……

Meanwhile, Wang Qilang was sunbathing in his courtyard.

Strangely enough, ever since he met his cousin Huang Silang that day, his illness of fear, anxiety and insomnia has been getting better day by day.

Now she can get out of bed and walk around, and her originally pale complexion has become rosier.

Today, it seems that he will be fully recovered.

His quick recovery was not due to medicine, but entirely because he trusted his cousin too much.

From childhood to adulthood, he never failed to do anything his cousin Huang Silang promised.

Wang Qi still clearly remembers that when he was five years old, he became fascinated with the green-backed frogs in the pond at the entrance of the village.

The frog was very agile, hopping and leaping in the grass. He chased after it for a long time, but couldn't even touch a frog. He sat on the ridge and cried his eyes out.

The next day, Huang Silang brought a wet sack.

When it was poured in front of him, more than a dozen green-backed frogs came out!

They all had their hind legs broken by his homemade slingshot, and they thrashed about on the ground in vain.

When Wang Qi was seven years old, he saw a bamboo horse made by a mischievous boy from a neighboring village. It was exquisitely crafted and ran very fast when ridden on it, and he was extremely envious. The boy protected the bamboo horse and wouldn't give it to him, so Wang Qi went to find Huang Silang crying.

Without saying a word, Huang Silang tied the naughty boy to a tree and, in front of Wang Qi, broke the bamboo horse's "leg" with a stick. He then worked through the night to make a wooden horse inlaid with copper bells and painted red, which Wang Qi rode and showed off in front of everyone.

When Wang Qi was twelve or thirteen, he got into a fight with a tall boy. They fought for a while, but Wang Qi lost and ended up with a bruised and swollen face, looking for Huang Silang. This time, Huang Silang didn't help him get revenge, and Wang Qi was very disappointed, but he forgot about it after two days.

Four or five days later, news came from the village that the tall boy had accidentally fallen into the lake and drowned.

Wang Qi vaguely felt that this matter was related to his cousin, but dared not ask in detail. From then on, he became more and more lawless, gradually turning into a hooligan.

His relationship with his cousin gradually grew closer, until that day.

That day, he complained that his mother's soup was too bland, so he threw the bowl on the ground.

His mother, unable to bear it any longer, cried and cursed him as a "wicked child" and an "unfilial son." Wang Qi had no patience to listen to this and shoved his mother, causing her to stumble.

Little did they know that Huang Silang would witness this.

This time, Huang Silang did not help him.

For the first time, such a terrifying expression of anger appeared on that usually gloomy face.

He strode forward, grabbed Wang Qi by the collar, and slapped Wang Qi across the face.

Wang Qi swore he had never been slapped so hard in his life! His mind was just buzzing.

Then came several more increasingly vicious slaps, slamming him to the ground. Huang Silang kicked him in the stomach like he was kicking a football, each kick heavier than the last.

Wang Qi even thought at the time that Huang Silang was really going to kill him!

He kicked him until blood streamed from his mouth and nose, and the boy begged for mercy, "Brother... I was wrong... I'll never do it again..."

But it was no use, until even his mother couldn't stand it anymore and came to beg for mercy.

Huang Silang then stopped, bent down, grabbed his hair, forced him to look at his weeping mother, and said, word by word:

"I've spoiled you so you could grow into someone important, not a beast! I'm sparing your life today, but if you dare to act tough in front of me again..."

Huang Silang's eyes flashed with a fierce light.

"I'll cut off both your legs, so you'll live your whole life crawling like those frogs!"

Wang Qi lay on the ground, looking into Huang Silang's cold, lifeless eyes, feeling both respect and fear.

From then on, he gradually dared not contact Huang Silang, and their relationship faded away.

Wang Qi still had unwavering faith in his cousin's abilities.

"That burly man surnamed Zheng... my cousin will definitely have a way to deal with him."

Wang Qi leaned back in his rattan chair, squinting as the warm autumn sun streamed down, a pleased smile spreading across his face. He murmured:

"I just wonder what drastic measures my cousin will take?"

Although he didn't know what his cousin was going to do, he was convinced that the strong man was doomed.

After this one battle, Wang Qi gradually realized that his cousin was no ordinary person.

I was so blinded by greed and stupid that I didn't rely on such a powerful figure, but instead fawned over some nobodies.

When my cousin returns, I will definitely reconcile with him!

Wang Qi firmly believed that his cousin Huang Silang was currently a hidden dragon in the abyss, just waiting for the right opportunity to rise to prominence!

By then, all that talk of Ximen Qing and the county magistrate will be utter nonsense!