Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1312 615: Helping Him Cut the Line (Part 4)

That day, Song Demei went to visit Pan Dehai. On the way, she checked out the local gang Yaojiazhai at Hai Chi Ridge, coincidentally arriving at Ma Songquan's stall just as he was having a rough time. Song Demei wanted a bowl of porridge before leaving, so she ended up at Ma Songquan's stall.

Virtue Cultivation eating porridge definitely had to reveal some virtue. Song Demei first said the rice didn't taste right, then claimed the water was off, and finally remarked the cooking was wrong; altogether, the porridge was unsatisfactory.

Ma Songquan had gained experience through the Jianghu, and he had quite a temper, so he argued a couple of lines with Song Demei.

The Young Village Chief from Yaojiazhai was present and ordered people to overturn the soup porridge stall, beating Ma Songquan half to death.

Ma Songquan, possessing cultivation level, could not swallow this humiliation and sought to fight with Yaojiazhai's men.

Seeing the situation, Song Demei quickly made concessions, spoke a few words, and mediated, allowing the matter to pass.

Does this count as gratitude?

Depends on one's perspective.

If Ma Songquan had swallowed his anger and let the matter pass, it would soon be forgotten, and Song Demei wouldn't remember it as such.

However, after the incident, Ma Songquan refused to live a life of submission. He rebuilt himself, starting a gang known today as the Soup Porridge Gang, always sporting a handkerchief on himself no matter where he went, thus still appearing as a porridge seller.

Having built the gang and strengthened his cultivation, Ma Songquan went to Yaojiazhai, pinned the then Young Village Chief to the ground, stepped on his face, and demanded Yaojiazhai pay twenty Ocean Dollars to redeem him, or else he would take his life.

Song Demei interceded again, exchanged pleasantries between both sides, resulting in Yaojiazhai paying a hundred thousand Ocean Dollars, saving the Young Village Chief, adding another story of gratitude to Yaojiazhai.

The event spread throughout the Jianghu, and these two stories of gratitude circulated.

Seeing Ma Songquan, Song Demei definitely revisited the incident. Ma Songquan, tearing up, responded: "Sister, with your words today, our Soup Porridge Gang will not take a step out of here! Brothers, let's go back!"

As the leader of a sect, his word is as solid as nails! Ma Songquan promised not to step out from the West Village Entrance and did exactly that!

He led his men out through the East Village Entrance.

Walking on the path, Ma Songquan mumbled to himself: "Old sister, I'll sincerely make a wish for you; if I lose these old bones next year, I'll bring you a bowl of porridge at your grave to see if the cooking's right."

The gang members left, leaving Song Demei at the village entrance on Pai Fang Road, contemplating strategies. She called her three sons over to provide ideas.

The eldest suggested this matter should stop: "Mother, let's not argue for the Local Deity; you have your territory outside, why fixate on De Song Cliff?

We don't know where Wang Zhengde's Contract Book is buried, and many surrounding villages don't accept us. Peddlers also avoid us and have sent a Foreigner to disrupt us, plus now Li Qi has intervened. If we continue to fight, we'll gain nothing and risk exhausting our resources."

Song Demei didn't respond; her intention was indeed for all three sons to provide ideas, but she didn't like the eldest's idea.

The second son hesitated to speak: "Mother, let me think this through a bit more."

The youngest, spirited and bold, remarked: "Li Qi, what's he anyway? Daring to come to our door causing trouble?"

The eldest glared at the youngest: "Don't know who Li Qi is? At least go find out; he's not someone to mess with."

The youngest retorted with a sneer: "You think I haven't heard about him? Isn't he just a new figure from Greenwater City? Whatever he does there is none of our business, but at De Song Cliff, he can't act arrogantly!

Those Jianghu folks were terrified; we're not asking for them. I'll summon the elders from nearby villages shortly, and we'll invite Li Qi for a drink tonight. If he dares not show up, he's a coward; if he dares come, we'll take him at the table."

Song Demei said nothing, but a smile appeared on her face; she evidently liked the youngest's idea.

The second son grasped Song Demei's mind and quickly continued pleasingly: "We don't necessarily need to resort to violence. Virtue Cultivation disciples emphasize conquering through virtue. If Li Qi is reasonable, understands the pros and cons, we can spare him, no harm done."

Upon hearing this, the old lady was even more delighted.

The eldest was truly aging; as people get older, they can become stubborn, knowing his mother disliked it, he still spoke.

"Younger brother, you know about Li Qi killing Xiao Zhenggong at a Jiang Xiang Gang banquet? You really think you're cunning? Do you believe Li Qi hasn't faced this before?"

The youngest jeered: "Xiao Zhenggong is nothing compared to us."

The eldest replied: "He was the Sect Leader of Jiang Xiang Gang, which Li Qi obliterated just like that!"

Song Demei's face was getting worse.

The second brother hurriedly tried to smooth things over: "Big brother, Jiang Xiang Gang was unprepared and got hit by Li Qi's surprise attack, but we have made all the preparations to deal with Li Qi. It's not the same thing, is it?"

Besides, what is Xiao Zhenggong's cultivation level? What's our mother's cultivation level? They shouldn't be compared in the first place!"

The eldest brother was still worried: "But what if that foreigner comes along too, then what should we do?"

The second brother was also a bit concerned about this point. If Li Qi came along with that foreigner, Song Demei might not be able to hold up.

The third brother, however, had a strategy: "If the foreigner comes along, we'll play it by ear. If we can capture the two of them, we'll find a way to do it. If we can't capture them, then can't we just avoid acting?"

We could invite them to a meal, finish the meal harmoniously, and then the matter would be over, wouldn't it? That's the foolproof plan!"

The eldest brother still felt uneasy: "But the key is..."

Pa!

Song Demei slapped the eldest brother: "The ancestors of the Song family are all watching from above. When you speak, pay attention to your own bloodline."

The eldest brother lowered his head and glanced at the archway above him.

This archway indeed belonged to the Old Master Song, but the eldest brother still wanted to say something. His own bloodline really didn't have much to do with the ancestors of the Song family, as he didn't have the surname Song.

But this remark certainly couldn't be spoken out; if said, it wouldn't just be a slap anymore.

Moreover, the third brother's words had some merit. If Cui Tiq came along, invite them for a meal, and leave some room for maneuver, nothing major should happen.

With the plan set, the third brother would go to invite the village elders, the second brother arranged the banquet, and the eldest brother had the toughest task of all: he needed to go to Decheng Mountain to deliver an invitation to Li Qi.

The eldest brother didn't want to go, but Song Demei insisted he go, saying it would help him build courage.

The banquet was scheduled for the next day, and the eldest brother delivered the invitation to the mountain by dusk. Li Banfeng indeed accepted it.

Seeing the eldest brother return safely, the third brother laughed: "Big brother, didn't I say it right? This is the foolproof plan. We either win or break even, but absolutely won't lose!"

Although the strategy was thought out thoroughly, the details couldn't be overlooked. Song Demei, a meticulous person, spent the night preparing with her three sons, going over everything they could think of.

If Li Qi turned hostile midway, what would they do? What if he chickened out? What if he remained ambiguous and didn't take a stance?

What time to speak, what time to drink, when to draw a blade, which words are crucial, what tone to use, and which words serve as code, who should act first, all needed careful preparation.

The next day's dusk arrived, and the banquet was ready. Hearing that Li Banfeng planned to attend alone tonight, without Cui Tiq, Song Demei was overjoyed, ready to eliminate Li Qi.

The eldest brother was prepared, the second brother was prepared, and the third brother?

"Mom!" The second brother rushed into the room in panic, "Something happened to the third brother, it happened at Pai Fang Road!"

Song Demei quickly rushed to Pai Fang Road, only to find the third brother hanging from Old Master Song's archway.

After taking the person down, the third brother had already cooled off.

Song Demei sat on the ground in a daze, unable to speak for a long time.

The eldest brother could hardly say anything, only wiping away tears silently at the side.

The second brother recalled what the third brother had repeatedly said before, asserting that it was a foolproof plan.

The plan was indeed quite comprehensive, but who could have foreseen that Li Qi wouldn't follow the plan at all.

On Decheng Mountain, Li Banfeng was eating noodles with fried sauce made by Cui Tiq.

Cui Tiq looked down the mountain and asked Li Banfeng: "Is it okay to do this?"

"There's nothing inappropriate," Li Banfeng served a bowl of noodles to Old Luo, "Old Luo told me, there's a bunch of people in De Yuan Village waiting in line to be enshrined. I think their third brother looks good, so I hung him on the archway, as a way to help him cut the line."