Chapter 3 third chapter.raid

The seventh bright sedan performed stunts amidst the sound of gongs and drums. The main lever hand whistled, and the twenty-four sedan chair bearers raised their hands high above their heads, and ran wildly and turned three dangerous turns. Tightly rubbing the red-painted wooden pole and dodging, the sedan chair shifted from the left shoulder to the right shoulder, and from the right shoulder to the left shoulder again; this move was all based on a three-character tactic: hurry up!ruthless!allow!Otherwise, even people and sedan chairs will fall off the pole. Amidst the thunderous applause from the crowd, Wan Hanying was so happy that she clenched her hands on the back of the chair and said to Baoye beside her: Hey, Brother Bao, although the sedan chair bearers at Shahekou are all newbies, I think it's pretty cool too!

It's a pity that Guan Baye didn't applaud.Master Bao laughed and said, "Fifth sister, you are the old king selling melons, selling melons and boasting."Then he turned to Guan Baye and said, "Baye, haven't you seen this five-phoenix sedan chair?"In terms of decoration, it is the top among the seven bright sedan chairs; in terms of effort in lifting the sedan chair, it is enough to wait. Oh, oh, Guan Baye woke up from his stupor, smiled apologetically and said: I'm really sorry, Lord Bao.I'm thinking now, if judge Zhu Si is in the den, I really want to know how Wan Jialou will deal with him?Ever since I promised to lead the legs of the Liuhe Gang to go west, I have paid attention to the tactics of the four judges.

You don't need to bother about Wanjialou's matter, Ba Ye, who is a guest, said, "You see, I have two empty hands, and I don't even bring any things with me. If I am worried that the fourth judge will come, I won't be there." So relieved! Ye Ye, Ye Ye, I have something to say to you A man squeezed up from the crowd over there, carrying a tin flagon in his hand, hurried up the steps, raised his palm and muttered a few words into Master Ye's ears and eyes, Master Ye turned his face down and said : Don't make a fuss, Big Banya, hang him on the second beam first, and give him a cane, and we'll talk about it when we're done.

Slow down, big die!Little Guy said: What are you catching? The undercover guy for the fourth judge, with his big teeth grinning and stretching his head, raised his front teeth upwards: that guy doesn't even know how to play a sedan chair, and he's showing off when he opens his mouth!I asked him to drink two jugs with wine, and he still hasn't sobered up to this day! Don't think it's all bluffing for the four judges to set up their maces and threaten to take down Wanjialou, Baoye, you should understand this.Guan Baye said: Don't you remember last year's Lantern Festival, the four judges swept away Chaijiabao?

I am clear.Paul said. Many people here have heard that Judge Zhu Si broke in during the Lantern Festival in Chaijiabao during the Shangyuan Festival; ; as soon as the gun was fired, Chai Jinlong, the head of the Chai family, shouted down; the crowd was in chaos, and the gun team could not gather. To kill a thief, fire a burst of empty guns into the sky.It's like letting off the dragon whip to send off the four magistrates. The gold and silver in Chaijiabao are soft, so the four magistrates are asked to release the four ox carts. I know well, Master Bao said again: Wanjialou is not like Chaijiabao. I know that the fourth judge is a tricky and slippery mouse. I just opened the mouth of the cage this time to catch him. the tip of the nose.

Guan Baye stared at the large square under his feet. In the center of the field were the bright sedan chairs and the rolling crowd. His two thick eyebrows were tightly frowned, as if there was a shadow that could not be pushed away, perched like a black bird. Flapped wings across his face.It's true that in some places, Mr. Bao is indeed a bit like old man Wan Jinbiao, but there are also some young people who are exaggerated; .According to Judge Zhu's calculations, if he didn't formulate a method to break your trap, he would never take the risk of breaking into the Chaijiabao. Exclusive; your Wanjialou's every move can never be hidden from the eyes of Judge Zhu Si who is hiding in the dark; don't look at the bustle and bustle in front of you, it will change in the blink of an eye.It's really like what Little Guy said, you don't need to worry about being a guest, that's good

I said Ba Ye, please rest assured, Bao Ye leaned half on the arm of the grand master's chair, resting his cheek on his palm, revealing a section of white inner sleeve, and said leisurely: If the fourth judge is a smart person, he won't be killed Like Li Shikun, Juan Wanjialou was just to get a coffin for himself and get rid of our Gu Ye’s gun team setting up an ambush in the wild reeds. There are people everywhere. Guan Baye also turned sideways, said with a wry smile: "Baoye, who here doesn't know that Wanjialou is an iron bucket?"I'm not worried at all about the four judges smashing the shell of the barrel hard, I'm just afraid that he will see a hole in the bottom of the barrel. Don't look at it, it's just a small hole, the barrel is not a barrel!There are so many people at the meeting, if something happens, where will your gunfire go?The four judges mixed in the den and drew their guns, why can't you throw your gun back at the man's head and throw him? !With people piled up as his shield, things will be difficult!

The two of them were talking, when they saw a red light rushing up from the street of Lao Erfang in the east, tracing a row of jagged ridges; someone in the crowd shouted: East Street is on fire!I don't know who ran over to call Little Guy, and said that the place where the fire broke out was the rolling room next to the old second room's barn. If we didn't rush to push the water hose (the water hose is an old-fashioned fire extinguisher), the barn might not be saved. The fire started too abruptly, Ye Ye said: I'm afraid it was the four judges who ordered his subordinates to set fire to take advantage of the chaos.Da Banya just caught an undercover agent, wait for me to interrogate him first.

I have to go and put out the fire first, before the fire spreads to the barn.Young Master Gu said: Here I think you have to clean up, Shibao. Seeing a fire on East Street, the crowd in the square rolled around like a pot of porridge. The seven bright sedan chairs, the seven gongs and drums, and some people at the flower drum festival were very calm. The bearded Niu En yelled, and the seven The sedan chair retreated to the bottom of the stone steps in front of the building, unfolding into a fan shape, and everyone took out a pistol, a duckbill gun, and a scorpion from the hidden box under the sedan chair; the iron door behind Master Bao opened, and Wan Liang came over to urge: Baoye, you and Guan Baye and these old buddies who handle the legs go first into the house, the forty quick guns downstairs are all loaded and waiting for the four judges!

Let's not be too busy, Bao Ye said: The second room's gun team has been pulled out, and Young Guy went to collect water dragons to put out the fire. Neither he nor the group around him had guns; you immediately go upstairs and pull out 20 guns. Take him to patrol the streets, and if something happens, he can help the young master.Apart from the fire on East Street, we haven't seen the shadow of the four judges yet. We can't get flustered and mess up the situation. Although Mr. Bao could hold his breath, the crowd around the venue was in a mess. The fire spread quickly, turning half of the gray clouds in the sky into red; the shadows of houses swayed on people's eyebrows and eyes, which could be heard from afar Seeing the sound of ping-ping-pong-pong, tongues of flame rushed up, and a large burst of sparks engulfed in thick smoke drifted southward, and a corner of the sky and earth wrapped in the dark night turned strangely crimson, and the crowd stumbled amidst the crowd. , knocked down the person carrying the high pole, and the lantern fell on the person. A woman with a fire on her back ran towards the building screaming in panic, and fell down not far in front of the bright sedan chair.

A bullet from a shuttle gun came from nowhere, passing over the head of the man, and hitting the stone wall of a tall building. A man guarding Baoye was shot and fell down on the chair where Baoye had sat. back.Master Zhen, who was holding a gun in his hand, hid behind the chair in fright.Lei Yipao, the leader of the Liuhe gang, snatched down the stone steps, turned over the woman whose back was on fire, and dragged her sideways. The fire on her back was dragged out, but a long black mark was left behind. Get down!Get down!Guan Baye said. Only Master Bao was holding his bag in one hand and a leather robe fork in the other, and he was still standing on the high platform looking for the shooter.In any case, Guan Baye was right. Even though Wanjialou had prepared in advance, if something happened, he could only be beaten with his eyes wide open. Up and down the tall building, there were more than a hundred long and short guns, facing the crowd. , No gun can fire, this is heartwarming!One gunshot, four gunshots, needless to say, the four judges were forced to get involved on the first night of the Wanjialou Tournament, the sound of gunfire on the street was very dense, and the crowd dispersing outward was like a tide hitting a boulder. Instead, it poured into the square. Get down, Lord Bao!Guan Baye didn't finish his sentence, another row of guns swept by, Bao Ye threw the gun, covered his chest with his hand back, and stumbled two steps.He fell over a grand teacher's chair, and he fell on the stone steps like that. Paul got shot!who said.A girl screamed and threw herself on Baoye. It was Zhenye's younger sister Wan Hanying.When Guan Baye rolled over to support Baoye, three rows of bullets extinguished a torch on the stone wall; Baoye's hand covering his chest slowly let go, and a spring of blood gushed upwards, staining the He wears a purple satin tufted flower jacket. How is he?Wan Hanying cried and asked. He is finished!Guan Baye gritted his teeth and said. Gunshots rang out from all directions, and the Wanjialou gun team saw the bandits rushing through the crowd, and there was no place to shoot.How many bandits have come?No one knows; where are the four judges?No one knew that all the members of the Wanjialou gun team were circling under the four judges' whips like donkey blindfolds.The four judges only used six or seven pistols to surround the hundred or so guns led by Master Bao and Master Zhen in front of the square. Two bursts of fire poured down, and first Baoye was put down on the platform, leaving a hesitant Grandpa Zhen is even more helpless. I said that Baye Shibao fell down, what should I do?Master Zhen trembled and said, "You heard gunshots all around like this!"Can I hold the guns down here while Judge Yee clears up a few streets? ! The red and poisonous flames shook people everywhere, and many trampled lanterns were still emitting green smoke; after a period of confusion, 80% of the crowd watching the game had dispersed, leaving some who could not disperse, all huddled in the short Under the promenade at the corner of the street by the stone wall; in the darkness came the sound of knocking on doors and knocking on houses.On the opposite side of the square is a long white powder wall embedded with curved tiles. On the other side of the long wall is the house of the Baoye family. People are on a high place, and beyond the top of the long wall, you can see the gate tower of the Baoye family. The two large pendant lights below are still on, clearly illuminating a piece of water-milled square brick floor and the stone lion heads on both sides of the gate. This building has to be guarded, Guan Baye said, the terrain here is high, and the tile surfaces on all sides can be controlled.Those with short guns don't need to stay here; Brother Niu En will lead them to join the Yeye in the west.The undercover guys sent by the four judges, I expected them to rob the stables first, they broke the reins and let the horses go, so that Wanjialou could not pull out the pursuers, this is an old move of the four judges! As soon as Guan Baye mentioned horses, several animals tied to the stone piles on the side of the building neighed at the same time; two or three figures running wildly passed by at the intersection of the street, shouting all the way: "The north gate is wide open, the four judges!" The horses are kicking over!There was no end to the shouting, as a torrential rain of horses' hooves knocked across the street, the people on horseback threw a spout of fire, two of the running figures fell down on the spot, and the other staggered into the square, only three or five steps away. It changed to crawling. Guan Baye was really fast, just as the horses passed by Baoye's gate, he fired his gun horizontally, and the four fires hit the heads of the four horses, and the horses hit the west end of the white powder long wall. When galloping out, there were three more empty horses dragging the reins, and when the other guy planted the horse, one of his feet was stuck in the stirrup, and the corpse was dragging backwards on the side of the galloping horse. Thunder shot, hurry up and put out the torches on the stone wall behind you!Guan Baye said: Come on, they are going to let them back! Sure enough, the herd of horses did not go straight to the west, and immediately took the reins after leaving the long wall, and ran along the low stone wall on the west side of the square to the west of the building. Said: Guan Baye, the leader of the Liuhe gang, listen, our boss told us to let go, this time we went to Wanjialou, and we have already set up spikes to tell friends from all walks of life in the rivers and lakes!Please don't meddle in this matter!If you insist on taking it in, I'm afraid that the legs of the Liuhe gang will not be able to see the great lake by that time, but there is (salt) the first word about cooking tofu with pickled vegetables, so we can't blame us! Leaving you to send a message to the fourth judge in one breath, Guan Baye replied in the shadow of the wall of the tall building: Intervene or not, it is a matter of the surname Guan, don't get involved with my Liuhe gang.The four judges have wine and food, guns and fire, and those who don't care about martial arts will all be recorded in my Guan Batou in the future, and everyone with the surname Guan will be in charge! The surname Guan, we have to tell you, the man said: Our boss really thinks of you so we waste these words, if you are really ignorant, I'm afraid you won't see the sun in the east tomorrow morning! you are right!Guan Baye broke out a series of hot smiles: Tomorrow morning will be another cloudy day. Seeing that the man was too tough, he softened his words and began to chatter again. Lei Yipao and Xiang Laosan poured a whole box of gunfire, sealing his mouth.The bearded Niu En led seventy or eighty sedan chair bearers and rushed towards the West Street after the group of horses. Lei Yipao also followed Guan Baye's order and led the fourteen men from the Liuhe Gang back to the East Street. Go to the Wanliang shop, inside and outside the high-rise building, there are still Wanliang, the shopkeeper of Wanliang shop, brother and sister Zhenye, and dozens of long guns. After the herd of horses passed by, the gunfire became louder and denser. It was estimated that Judge Zhu Si and his group were all involved tonight; Can the fire be saved in the rain of bullets? !The fire is also getting hotter and hotter. There are still too many guns here, Guan Baye said to Zhenye: If you fight with the gangsters like the Four Judges in the dark, even if you are condescending, you are blind without eyes. He only needs to use a few guns to lock you up If he doesn't move, he will be able to rob as he pleases! When Master Bao fell his head, I was completely blinded. Master Zhen said: "Fortunately, Master Ba, you are here, so you can do whatever you want!" Master Zhen is a weak man, and Wan Liang also said at the same time: If you talk about dispatching the gun team and swinging guns in battle, it really won't work.The Wanjia Building was in a state of chaos tonight, the leader of the gun team, Mr. Ye, was trapped in the West Street, and the little Gu, who was so powerful that he could shoot, was called to the east, and the head of the clan, Mr. Bao, was put down here; Lord, you are helping others to the end. When things get to this point, only you can clean up this mess. You, the treasurer, led the group of people on the platform, and turned them over to the tiles on both sides in two ways, leaving a few guns at each section of the street; Go into the ridge and shoot in the shadows.Guan Baye said: Please take care of the buddies on the gun team, pay attention to which direction the gunshots are dense, and rush in that direction. Let's run away faster than those gangsters walking around the street. Be flexible and collect quickly, whoever will take advantage. That eighth master you? Guan Baye shrugged his shoulders: I am used to playing singles, and I am here waiting for Judge Zhu Si. Wan Liang led dozens of long guns, and when they shot at the roof ridges along the wing walls on both sides of the tall building, all seven or eight rifles of the other party spit fire behind the low stone wall, and the bullets hit the stone wall of the tall building. The ricochet shot straight into the air with a piercing sound, the sound made one's heart palpitate.The dozens of long guns that were lying on the roof of the building had a chance to return the guns, but the opponents were all hiding in the dark, either running along the walls or along the pillars of the corridor. The fire in the street was so intense that we couldn't open our eyes, and shooting the guns was just a matter of occasion. Guys, keep an eye on the doorknob, don't let him get away! Don't worry, he can't take it off! In the middle of this question and answer, Guan Baye threw out a grand teacher's chair, and just as half a head popped out of the stone wall to the west, Guan Baye turned that head into a blood watermelon. Eighth Lord, you'd better retreat in the door.Master Zhen squatted behind the white stone lion by the door and said: The row of wooden chairs on the platform can't cover people, so many guns are aimed at you, it's too dangerous. You pour a shovel of fire first, and I'm coming! Master Zhen really poured out a box of fire, and Master Guan dragged Master Bao's body into it.Someone closed the iron gate, and several people fell into the darkness. I didn't expect this kind of thing to happen, and it dragged you, Ba Ye, into it.Master Zhen said: Earlier, Young Master Gu and Master Bao were going to have a match, and I thought that the Fourth Judge would not have the guts to get involved in Wanjialou! Please don't say any more polite words, Master Zhen.Guan Baye said: I had expected that the four judges would be involved. Just because of the kindness that Mr. Wan showed to the Liuhe Gang back then, I, Guan Ba, deserved to stay here; I was caring about my brothers. The family has a mouth, if you bring it in, I'm afraid it will be settled in the future!If the fourth judge knew that Liuhe was helping this group of people to fight, how could he not hold grudges? !Therefore, I decided that if I have the breath tonight, I must find the fourth judge and settle the account with him one-on-one, so as to avoid disputes in the future. Baye, Wan Hanying said tremblingly: I don't think you should take such a risk for our Wanjialou, sell your life, brother Shibao, he has always been a courageous person, and he is really heartbroken. Don't worry, girl, Guan Baye said: Now it's up to me to work hard or not. Shorty Shi Er hit two jugs on the head, and then began to dream; he dreamed that the yellow flat moon was hanging on the wings of the Wanjia Building, and the seven tables were decorated with colorful glass and necklaces. The bright sedan chair whirls like a revolving lantern, and countless gongs and drums are beating wildly, as if to overturn the canopy; Shi Er dwarf dreamed that there was a jug of wine in front of him, and the mellow smell hit people's nostrils, and he stuck out his tongue to lick it. It really is wine, it doesn't look like a dream at all; and then the mother shook her head, it was neither the sound of drums nor the sound of drums, ping, ping, pong, pong, it was actually a string of endless fireworks; listen again, my God , Where is the firecracker? It's gunshots like a pot of porridge. How the hell did I get it? !Shorty Shi Er moved his body, and his body swayed on the big twig of the jujube tree. Son of a bitch, I'm falling for that guy!The second dwarf Shi said with grinning grinning, "you actually hang me here with four horses' hooves?" ! The back of the head is numb, and the top door is swollen with small bowl-sized pimples, which are stretched across the shoulders and the back, and the wine is all poured on it. The hands and feet have been tied for a long time, and even the short Shi Er himself doesn't know where his hands and feet are?Open your eyes and look down, there is a small earth temple under the branch of the jujube tree, the rope to which you are tied is tied under the flagpole and bucket, and there is no one in front of or behind the temple. The red light is sticking to people's eyelids and jumping. Isn't the Wanjia Building on fire?Hey, if I am wronged, God will punish it!Hmm, something's wrong? !There was a lot of gunfire over there, shouting and shouting, could it be that the four judges were really fucking involved? !Do you think I'm getting in the way at this terrible time?Want to hang Lao Tzu in half-empty space? ! The fire in the east is very strong, people are hanging from the trees, looking at everything with their heads upside down, and the quivering red fire rises from below, making itself like a duck about to be grilled; , must slip, hula, flying against the branches of the trees, as close as it can scratch a person's ear.Even though his head was dizzy, Shorty Shi Er woke up from the fright. Taking advantage of the firelight to take a closer look, the small temple was on the back corner of the west of Wanjia Building. There was a small brick yard in front of the temple. Facing a Wangtang, the red fire all over the street and the red clouds on the zenith are all reflected on the surface of the pond. There is a long wall in the west of the pond, and several stables are built inside the wall, and blue muzzle fire sprays from the ridge of the shed At first glance, it looks like a bunch of stone orchids. People are hanging in this unlucky remote corner, wondering who will put themselves down, at least tonight, there is no hope. In the reed bushes along the long wall, there will be waves of water from time to time, turning the fire on the water. He was shaking with the clouds, obviously someone was hiding there and wanted to beat the stable; Shi Er dwarf didn't dare to shout rashly, so he had to wait with his teeth gritted on the legs of the bed. How many people did Judge Zhu Si kick into Wanjialou?Make all the streets and alleys messy.Shorty Shi Er thought of the big bear, his legs resting in front of Wanliang's porch, Guan Baye and those brothers in the nest, and he felt annoyed. !Otherwise, I, my mother, would never go solo, to see what kind of bloody competition!Now people hang in the mid-air and are treated as living targets, guns are ringing, as long as one crutch is on the head, they will definitely not be able to eat tomorrow morning.Just as he was thinking, the snorting sound of horses came from the woods behind him, scaring Shorty Shi Er to hang his heart again. Boss, follow this six animal temple and bend across the pond, there is the ancestral hall of Wanjia!A voice said: "The surname Guan has already been trapped there, and Wanshibao has also been called down." First throw the stables to put the horses, and the thin middle-aged man on the leading gray zebra ordered in a cold voice: "Old man, you take a group of people and carry the mould (碓, the northern grain pounding agricultural tool, the mould) It is made of heavy and solid wood, which is used by bandits to break through doors.) Break open the fan of Wanshi Baojia; money is second, and all living creatures will be cut off for me! Hearing this, Shi Er dwarf opened his mouth and gasped; earlier, people said that the fourth judge was a poisonous scorpion with a hook on his tail, but today he personally experienced his ruthlessness, and he usually lifts the God of Wealth to steal households. The bandits are also unwilling to tear up a meat ticket easily when it is a last resort. It seems that the four judges got involved in the Wanjialou tonight not only to rob money, but also to seek revenge deliberately. Fourth brother, the guy named Lao Wu reined in his horse and said, "It's easy to kick open the house of Wanshibao's family. As long as you can subdue the surname Guan, I can use Wanjialou as a road to Pingyang!"Otherwise, Guan Ba's pistol is really difficult to deal with, and no one has so much brains to prepare! Brother, other people's pustules are fine, but your five Hades pustules are embarrassing to your fourth brother and me? !He only showed his skills in the black pine forest. Fate will give him a reputation as a hero. Don't let him be scared by this vain name. To be honest, I really didn't put him on your fourth brother. Right now, it's just that we don't interfere with each other, and don't provoke him when we are free. If he stretches his legs without knowing what to do, I have to let him and Wan Shibao go all the way to the west!The four judges waved back, and seven or eight horses rushed up from behind the forest: Hey, buddy, you can hear me clearly!You are dealing exclusively with Guan surnamed tonight, as soon as he moves, seven or eight guns will be aimed at him; Shorty Shi Er closed his eyes, thinking that this is terrible, according to the calculation of the fourth judge, not only Ba Ye can't escape, I'm afraid our brothers will also stick a few in, if you don't take advantage of this opportunity, Try to get down, and when I get down tomorrow morning, I'm afraid I can only help Guan Ba ​​Ye carry the coffin! When the horses passed the Six Animals Temple, which looked like the Temple of Earth, Shorty Shi Er grinned his throat and groaned on the branch of the tree; it just so happened that Judge Zhu Si's gray zebra was held diagonally by the flagpole. The hemp rope on the bucket stopped him, he looked up and said: Hey, who told the landlubber to hang here? ! Boss help, Shier shorty said: I got the gun team from Wanjialou knocked out and hanged here! Telling the brother at the back to put him down, the fourth judge said coldly, and when he pulled the reins, he suddenly added a sentence that made short Shi Er's scalp go numb: If he can't move around easily, just leave him here! Don’t try to dig out a cut-and-kill word from the bandit leader’s words. Shorty Shi Er understands what the fourth judge said about staying here, so he just shoots it out for me!The more I listened to him speak lightly, the back of my head seemed to be filled with wind, and it was cold to the bone.God Bodhisattva, you have to bless me no matter what, I can walk and climb, I, the second dwarf Shi Er, is not timid and afraid of death, in fact, I can't die tonight, I have to sneak to the Wanjia ancestral hall to report to Guan Baye, tell him Pay attention to the eight guns spit fire and cover him, if I put it here, Guan Baye will be finished soon! The horses rushed over immediately, and there were always more than a hundred bandits carrying long guns. After crossing the Six Animals Temple, they spread out and rushed towards the long wall to the west.Shorty Shi Er concluded that this group of people, including the four judges, did not go through the gate with the square fort nearby. Not convinced. The boss has explained to whom who told him: Please put him down, brother. The boss said: If he is inconvenient to move, he should be cut off so that he does not fall down and leave a place for the Wan family. Open your mouth. Um, um, another hesitant answer: Got it The man touched the knot on the flagpole and twitched, and the second dwarf Shi Er screamed in pain and was put down on the ground; Pressing the edge on the bridge of the nose, he took out a handful of sticks from his arms, strode over, not in a hurry to untie the knot, but stretched out his legs first, and turned the short Shi Er to his face upwards; The son knelt down and said, "Second brother, you should be more stable and stay here for me." The scorpion suddenly lifted upwards, and Shorty Shier burst out and yelled: "Big bear!"It turns out that the ashes picker is you? ! Hush stopped the scorpion that was about to fall, and the big bear pressed the scorpion against his lips: dwarf!My son, why are you in such a mess? !If you don't shout this, I'm afraid you have entered the gate of hell now! Let go of me quickly, Shorty Shi Er begged, "My hands and feet are all swollen, and they've become bound hooves!" If you want to die, don’t yell, the big bear said: You bastard, you probably drank all the wine in the pot, look at the smell of wine all over you! Shorty Shi Er gritted his teeth with a bitter face: At this fucking time, why are you so careless? !Not only did I drink up all the wine, but I even gnawed the flagon flat. I don't have any teeth on my mother's head! The big bear made the scorpion break the knot of the second dwarf Shi Er, and whispered, "It's lucky to be at night, and it's easy to fish in the muddy water; the fourth judge will roll up Wanjialou this time, and he can twist all the bandits here into one." Come from the stock, this gang and that gang don't eat watermelon rind on the opposite side, otherwise, the two of us still want to keep this human skin?I can't stay here, if I want to survive, I have to go quickly and find Ba Ye. I can't do it!Shorty Shi Er grinned: I can't even climb at all, my hands and feet are numb like a thousand needles! I'm carrying you behind my back!The big bear said: Let's go to the dark alley over there, if it's too late, I'm afraid Guan Baye will really trap them. The arrival of the fourth judge was really like a gust of wind and sand carried by a hazy cloud, sweeping the brightly lit and crowded Wanjialou into the gloom in an instant!Yeye, who was in charge of the gun teams in each house in Wanjialou, was trapped to death in the stable in the West Garden when he first received the fire. Once Baoye was shot, there was no one in the whole Wanjialou to carry out orders; Riding a black horse, leading a group of empty-handed guns, bumping into the crowd, calling for people to push the water dragon everywhere, and when the panicked crowd heard the gunshot, they only regretted that they didn't grow a pair of wings. Still have the heart to fight the fire? !Young Master Gu had no choice but to kiss the East Gate and summon the gun team in the Fangbao to come out to fight the fire. As soon as the gate of the fort was opened, a group of bandits with quick guns came up from the dark, beat and charged, and smashed the gun team strangling the east corner of Wanjialou; They wrapped him up and beat him.In the Fangbao near the north gate, the gun team of Wanjialou put dozens of guns upside down, because they were always worried that Judge Zhu Si would break into the north gate. and in the vicinity of the stables at the west gate, the gunfire was so dense that it was impossible to tell. The group of sedan chair bearers led by the bearded Niu En rushed towards West Street. This group of people were all strong men selected from various families, and they all used repeating rifles. Breaking into the barn in Xiyuanzi and rescuing the trapped Yeye was not something that could be stopped by the four judges. Niu En led the people through the dark alley and turned to the west main street. There was no sign of a bandit along the way, but a bandit was climbing on a dyeing workshop frame. Niu En's left arm was colored, and another two or three people were knocked down. Niu En dodged to the corridor and returned the gun, causing the man to fall from the high wooden frame, and his body was lying on the ground. street. Master Niu, you are brilliant!The one next to Niu En said: You have to bandage it, you can't bleed like this! Calling a group of people to disperse, Niu En said: We are all dressed in the clothes of the competition, don't crowd in the middle of the street to be a living target for others, whoever has fast legs will rush to the West Garden first, and report a letter to Ye Ye, no matter what No matter how tight the stables are, Master Ye can't be trapped; otherwise, Wanjialou will be shaken apart by the four judges Niu En didn't even get wounded, and led his men along the eaves on both sides of the street to rush westward. Before he went out of the street, he ran into the Yishao horse bandit under the fourth judge. The bandit was wearing a red scarf, and the horses were galloping around, making the gunmen on both sides of the corridor very angry. No one wanted to shoot their own people on the other side of the street. Both sides of the corridor face the street and roll people in the heart. Fighting this kind of chaos, we have too many people but get in the way! Blood gushes out from Niu En's left shoulder, half of his body is hot, blood cakes are all on the wet cowhide jacket; The head is completely confused, and the time is rolled on the nail board, and blood is visible every inch. Now the four judges are resting on an empty scale without scales, and it is impossible to weigh how many catties he weighs; the famous Guan Ba Grandpa, Baoye with godlike marksmanship, and the young Guye who is so powerful, it seems that they are not in the eyes of the four judges.Fighting against fire is no match for Liangjiao. Although these strong sedan chairmen have good guns, they have never confronted bandits. When playing with real swords and guns, they seem to be at a disadvantage everywhere; The fire in the building was very fierce, and the West Garden was heavily fought, and there were constant sounds of horseshoes rolling around on the North and South Streets; fortunately, Mr. Bao had made some preparations in advance, otherwise, Wanjialou would have been even worse. The group of horses at the whistle seemed to be trying to hang Niu En and his group, running back and forth, not letting the dozens of guns go to the stables, the bearers were fooled, and immediately learned to be good. , when the horses galloped by, they leaned down behind the pillars and splashed fire. The dense gunfire was like clusters of lotus, and a row of guns was let go, and five people planted their horses in the street. But as soon as he got out of West Street, the three-hole long bridge was blocked by the spears of the four judges lying on the side of the bridge. Unable to move forward, he could only crawl forward under the cover of the stone railing, and moved to the bridge, where he could no longer move, so he had to be trapped in a nest.Niu En's gang couldn't help, and the stables were in danger. Guan Baye was not wrong, the fourth judge really regarded hijacking the horse as a first move; wandering in the wild reeds in the forty miles, as long as he can break through the stable of Wanjialou and let the horse go away, it is like cutting off the gun of Wanjia The team's legs made the people who got involved rest assured that they ransacked until the fifth watch, and then retreated in a calm manner.In order to make our side act quickly, the two groups of people who attacked the stables were drought bandits from the Northland Xu Si and Qian Jiu. In Guangpingyang, fat and healthy mules and horses are the wings of people. After hearing Da Banya's words, Ye Ye wanted to come to Xiyuan to question the ashes picker, but before he even got to the Six Animals Temple, the stable was already on fire.Lord Ye was trapped in the compound, with only fourteen guns in his hands. Outside the stable, there were thorn fences on three sides, and only one side facing east was a long wall; All the lanterns were lit in the shed. These lanterns were not extinguished, but the gun team guarding the stables suffered. The bandits hid in the darkness behind the thorns. It was very clear, and he hit the blind man with his eyes wide open, and the opponent couldn't even touch the place with his hand back. Seeing that there was no momentum, Master Ye hid behind the manger and yelled to turn off the lights. A guy in the west shed stood up stupidly. He wanted to go to the eaves of the shed to hold the lamp. , the man spun wildly twice with his hands raised on the spot, letting the swaying lantern shake his shadow, and then, like a whipped top, he turned and lay down on the manger, as if he was so thirsty that he wanted to scoop it up. It looks like drinking a handful of water.A few daring gunmen didn't care about scratching their ears with their guns, and used the kicking and jumping animals as cover to rush to the roof of the stable to return fire.Ye Ye, whose hands were shaking and flustered, fired four bullets in a row before knocking out the nearby lantern. Hey, horse watchers, listen up, there is a voice from outside the long wall saying, "Your man has taken a fancy to the horse in this shed!"If you don't retreat, Fourth Master Xu, I will tie your necks with hemp ropes and drag you for ten miles with alive horses! After a short pause to shoot, someone shouted from the west: I, Qian Jiu, have always been a Bodhisattva, and I can’t bear to kill them all. Big Mater, you have an idea, can you come up with an idea?Master Ye said: Our dozen or so guns are not too long ago. If Lord Shibao doesn't call some people over quickly, we won't be able to keep these animals! Da Banya held the horse-hitting post with one hand, and touched the back of his head with the other hand, squatting on the ground like a man with dysentery, his upper and lower teeth rattled, his tongue was stuck together and he couldn't speak a word. Lord Ye looked at the fire behind the long wall, and there were bursts of locust-like sparks floating on the pitch-black sky; the nearby gunshots stopped, and the distant gunshots blew into people's ears with the wind. West, facing north and south, there was a continuous sound, and it was estimated that the people involved by the four judges tonight were eight hundred if not one thousand, and there were two or three hundred people around the stables alone.With a dozen or so guns, even if everyone is a slinger, they will never be able to stop these people from rushing upwards. If they wait for another bag of cigarettes, the street will not be able to find people, and the horse on the West Garden will no longer be named Wan. that's it. well? !Ye Ye, listen, Dabanya seems to have heard something, and said with his teeth open: all the way the gunshots came across the bridge over there!Relying on the large number of people, Guisun wanted to snatch the horse, but it might not be so easy! Don't expect people to come from here or there, Lord Ye gritted his teeth: Our current method is to try to endure the time as much as possible, for a while.瞧罷，他們祗要耍花樣了！正說著，一梭匣槍彈潑過來，擊中了一匹馬，另一匹掙脫了韁繩，在棚外的枯草地上咆哮著，引得全棚的馬全發出驚嘶來。緊跟著東牆那條粗嗓門兒又發話了。 嘿，夥計們，裏邊那幾個不知死活的傢伙簡直不是個傢伙！他們既不要吃飯的傢伙，咱們就操它一傢伙！繡球風進澡堂，捧著它窮泡，咱們可沒那種消閒勁兒！ 緊跟著，槍聲又密集起來，在業爺頭頂的馬棚脊上，滑下一具軟軟的人屍；長牆外吆吆喝喝，到處都是人聲，業爺空理著匣槍，不知從哪面瞄人。 我我想起來了。大板牙抖索著說：咱們再不退，他們準會用火攻！天乾物燥的辰光，茅草棚見一著火，業爺，您曉得會叫燒成什麼樣兒罷？我連比方全不敢比方了啦！ 業爺沒答理，他祗是渾身震動了一下一支燒得正旺的火把業已扔上了馬棚。火把在風中一舐上了棚脊的乾草，立刻就擴燃開來，恁誰也救不了啦。 事到危急處，業爺心裏倒有了主意，悄聲吩咐大板牙說：你甭再死死的蹲在這兒了，快替我傳告過去斷韁放馬！土匪撲馬棚，跟就落在這群馬上，咱們如今雖守不住馬棚，卻也不能讓他們撿了馬去。這邊一放開馬，土匪準撇開人去攔馬，咱們押後催馬過橋，藉馬群的衝勢突出去！ 業爺這著棋走得不錯，槍隊上僅餘下的六七個人，分在馬棚裏抽刀割斷馬韁，那些驚馬紛紛噓叫著揚蹄離開著了火的馬棚，踹開南面的柵欄，狂奔出去。混亂中，業爺領著那幾個槍手跳上無鞍馬，雙手扯住馬鬣，全身貼伏在馬背上衝了出來；夜暗加上混亂救了他們，那些土匪除了尾著亂放槍之外，沒人能攔得住狂奔的馬頭。 馬群一窩浪頭似的直朝三孔長橋捲將過去，可把牛恩領著的那批抬轎手惹上了。馬群從火光照不亮的黑裏竄過來，誰能立即分得清來的是誰？還以為又是四判官手底下的大群馬匪呢，一個喊打，個個伸槍，自己人跟自己人就這麼糊糊塗塗的窩弄上了，匣槍亂炸把馬群給驚散了，分朝各街各巷亂奔亂竄，一剎時，萬家樓各條街巷全灌滿了無主的馬匹的驚嘶，更替這槍聲喊聲交織的夜晚，刷上一層恐怖的氣氛。 儘管蚊蚋粘在蛛網上了，關八爺還穩穩沉沉的等待著最後的一個時刻；勿論他朱四判官怎樣豪強，他拿萬家樓比做柴家堡他就錯了；萬家樓各街各巷全攤在關八爺手掌心，甭說洗劫，單給他四判官一整夜時光，讓他挨戶擂門也擂不開這兒的千門萬戶；朱四判官贏祗贏在措手不及四個字上，以靜打亂；若等萬家樓槍隊喘過氣來，十個八個四判官也未必佔著便宜。 可是朱四判官腦瓜也夠靈的，西園上的馬棚裏沒搶著馬，就知道非使出快刀斬亂麻的手法不可，要不然，等到天亮之後，甭想安安穩穩的脫身。若要使萬家樓服貼，首先得踹開萬世保的宅院；若想踹開萬世保的宅院，又非先拔掉被困在宗祠裏的關八不可；若要拔掉關八這顆扎手的虎牙釘，單靠七八支快槍還不成，非得自己動手；主意打定了，夾馬就奔宗祠西邊闖過來。 朱四判官彎過水塘，西園上的馬棚燒得正烈，一群散了韁的馬匹到處奔竄著，路上碰見五閻王，牽著馬貼在後街的屋簷邊等著什麼似的；他領的那一撥人，亂七八糟的蹲成好幾攤，兩支碓木沒有人抬，空放在一邊。 我說老五，你怎麼弄的？四判官說：虧得你渾號叫閻王，我看還不如一隻縮頭烏龜！ 甭談了，頭兒。老五苦著臉說：那邊撲不上去，硬叫宅子對面宗祠裏的一匣槍鎖住了，我親眼看見五匹馬過來，對方連發五槍，四匹馬變成空的，還有一個拖在馬蹬上，這明明是點卯，馬快不如槍快，你叫這些夥計抬碓去撞門，那不是拿人屍去玩疊羅漢？ 我不信他關八的槍有這麼靈法兒？ !四判官下馬撩槍說：你跟我來，咱們先試試姓關的槍法。 倆人繞過幾戶人家，彎腰蛇行的到祠堂西邊的牆腳下面，那兒已經伏的有幾個快槍手，有一個把熊皮帽子歪壓在額上，好像睡覺的樣子，四判官使手一扳，那人倒顯得蠻親熱，投懷送抱，就勢躺到四判官膝上來了；藉著閃跳的火光一看，那人的眉心中了彈，槍眼很小，血都從後耳一側滴盡了，前面祗凝聚著一塊血疤，乍看祗像是一顆主紅運當頭的喜痣。 咱們拿姓關的簡直沒一點兒辦法，頭兒。旁邊不遠有個傢伙說：誰露頭，誰就硬的上去，軟的下來，姓關的壓根兒不准咱們爬牆。 讓我來見識他，四判官說：你們腦瓜紋路少，自然鬥不過姓關的。說著，從死屍手上取過一支匣槍，又把死屍戴的熊皮帽兒挑在槍口上，放在左手裏，抽出右手來拔下自己使的匣槍，掂了一掂。 What are you doing?老五說。 這他媽有個名堂，這叫做孔明借箭！四判官歪吊起嘴角獰笑說：我要是沒兩手，我敢領你們各幫合股直踹萬家樓？ !四判官說著說著，忽然把匣槍槍管挑著的皮帽兒朝牆頭上一舉，揚聲發話說：姓關的，甭仗你那手槍法欺人太甚，四爺我親來領教你來了！ 話沒說完，從宗祠的門縫裏響了一槍，聲剛起，四判官一露頭，右手橫著匣槍還了個兩點放，這才蹲下身察看那帽子。原來那頂帽子經這一槍，已經前後透風，開了兩個洞，不但帽子被打穿，連匣槍的槍管也叫打缺了。 要是人戴它的話，正在前額正中。四判官伸伸舌頭說：無怪你說關八狠，這手槍法，實在是高明。不過關八遇上我，他本事再大也不成！我在這邊窩住他不能拔腳，你還是催著那撥人，拾了碓木去撞門。關八一急，非露頭不可，那時我們再伸槍蓋他。 四判官這著兒夠狠的，匿守在宗祠裏的關八爺心裏也有了底兒了。東邊的大火沒熄，西邊的馬棚又延燒起來，樓堡前的廣場上空，不時捲騰過綹綹的煙霧，從廣場通向四邊的各街各巷，人影幢幢的盡是土匪，有十幾匹散韁的馬匹，被散廣場，東奔西突哀鳴的嘶叫著。在西邊的矮石牆外，同一個地方，總伸出那麼樣的半個戴皮帽的腦袋，一口一個四爺，四爺，估量著就是朱四判官。 奇的是，那腦袋明明中了槍，隔下一會兒，依舊冒將出來，還是打著同樣的嗓門兒喊叫著；關八爺又發現，每當腦袋挨槍之後，另一顆腦袋在一旁一晃，緊跟著發槍，槍法奇準，子彈呼呼呼的飛進門縫，射在背後的石牆上。不用說，朱四判官今兒晚上是存心把自己絆上了。影壁長牆那邊，不知何時已爬來一撥兒抬著碓木的匪眾，在那兒轟隆轟隆的撞門，那些人彎著腰，用長牆作途擋，使人無法伸槍，連樓上的長槍也射不進影壁牆根的死角，若想把撞門的那伙匪徒擊退，自己非離開這個被困的地方不可。 正想著怎樣擺脫糾纏，忽聽有人敲響堡樓背後通向宗祠天井的那扇鐵門，叫說：關八爺！關八爺可在裏面？一聽那嗓子，關八爺的精神就來了；因為他聽得出大狗熊那種砂擦般的粗糙的嗓門兒。 是誰在叫喚您？八爺。珍爺說。 開門罷。關八爺說：來人是兄弟領的響鹽幫裏的弟兄。 珍爺拉開門，大狗熊像扛鹽包似的把石二矮子給扛進來了，石二矮子不管怎樣，祗管哼哼唧唧說：八爺，咱們總算找到您了，我手腳全叫捆麻了，幫不上您的忙，如今四判官選了匣槍手把這兒困得死緊，你能溜，就趕快打後邊溜掉算了，我石二沒旁的本事，當替死鬼總行！ 關八爺沒答話，外面的匣槍響得像炸豆似的，有人喊著：射那匹大麥色騾子，那是姓關的坐驥，射倒牠，就好像砍斷關八的兩腿！隨著這樣的喊聲，關八爺的麥色騾子真的中了彈，掙斷韁繩，慘嘶著，狂跳一陣摔倒在一檯亮轎旁邊。 你替我在這兒頂著，關八爺跟大狗熊說：這是我跟四判官決死的時候了！ 誰知關八爺還沒動身，外面的情勢又起了變化；原在圍撲保爺家宅的匪眾，被一陣從街口方向潑來的槍火打得丟下碓木，抱著頭鼠竄，一條聲的驚呼著關八來了！關八爺蹲身在黑裏就著火光一瞅，來的正是自己遣到萬梁鋪去的響鹽幫裏那十四個弟兄。雷一炮和向老三，全都豁開衣裳，光赤著半邊胸脯，魔神般的橫著匣槍直撞過來，手腕一翻，卜卜的彈嘯流出槍口，使逃竄的匪眾像刀芟的高粱似的朝下倒人。 關八爺來了！雷一炮一面放槍，一面這樣的暴喊著：不怕死的快拿命來！ 關八爺來了！其餘的弟兄一條聲的咐和著。 關八爺很快就看得出，響鹽幫的這批弟兄，硬是在危難之中拿出對抗緝私營的那種捨死忘生的勇氣，他們這樣不要命的從東街闖向西街，威猛的氣勢已使匪眾喪魂落膽。但這夥弟兄闖佔那道長牆時，卻被伏在西邊矮石牆後的那幾支匣槍阻住了；很顯然的，祗有老奸巨滑的土匪頭兒並沒被這種喊聲驚倒，他那一手匣槍迎著人打，使長牆後的弟兄們無法露頭。 我說八爺，那邊的石二矮子不哼了，正經的說：您看，西邊那道矮石牆中段，常冒出來的腦袋定是假的，明明中了槍，還在那兒搖晃！ 假的！我也看出來了！大狗熊說：它伸出來，祗是誘人露頭放槍，誰露頭，他好瞄著打誰。 你先橫掃它一匣火！關八爺吩咐大狗熊說：我好出去把他拔掉！ 大狗熊一滾身伏到門後，理手潑出火去，匣槍子彈緊擦矮石牆上空飛過，把牆頭封住不讓對方探頭，關八爺趁著這空子飛身撲出，在廿多級階台上橫身飛滾下去；等大狗熊一匣火潑完，對方伸槍回擊時，關八爺業已撲在保爺那匹白馬的馬背上，馳到影壁長牆那邊去了。 關八爺這樣一從堡樓裏奔出來，和響鹽幫原有的弟兄合在一起，四判官也知道棘手，不到一剎功夫，匪眾就吹響牛角朝南邊潰退了。 你們留在街上防著殘匪舉火。關八爺跟雷一炮說：甭讓殘匪焚掠各房的宅子，我要追出去，跟咱們的恩人保爺報仇！ 連萬家樓的人也沒想到，原是極得勢的匪徒，怎會在突然之間潰退掉的？槍停了，火熄了，嘈雜人聲飄遠了，業爺的槍隊佔穩正街，好不容易把混亂的情況穩定下來，珍爺也帶者槍隊出堡樓，把散在各處的人槍集攏。 四判官究竟是怎麼回事？業爺說：馬棚被他們燒了，正街被他們佔了，沒大肆搶劫就退了？ 那得要謝謝關八爺。珍爺說：就憑關八爺這名號，業已嚇破他們的賊膽！響鹽幫的這批弟兄臨危拔刀，一條聲喊著關八爺，關八爺一出面，他們祗有潰退罷了。 我從沒見過像關八爺那樣的人，萬菡英像打惡夢裏醒過來似的，餘悸猶存的白著臉說：堡樓外面的那些匪徒，十來支快槍，三面圍著他，他跟我們伏在鐵門後面一動不動穩著打，一有機會，就像虎樣的撲出去了！ 一開頭，他們就死困著關八爺。珍爺說：他們原想放倒關八爺，再放手大掠萬家樓的，誰知他們放不倒他。 八爺呢？業爺問說。 他他他，石二矮子說：他單槍匹馬出南門，追賊去了。 那不成！業爺猛地跳起身來叫說：誰？誰領著一支槍隊去接應他？無論如何，咱們不能讓八爺他有什麼閃失的。 I go!剛從東街火場救火回來的小牯爺說：我剛著人把設伏在北面蘆葦蕩的槍隊抽回來，正好領他們去追賊去。 小牯爺領著響鹽幫的一夥人跟老二房的槍隊走了，留下來的事情，也夠業爺和珍爺分頭張羅的了。由關八爺遣出去的武師牛恩和萬家鋪掌櫃的萬梁都死在最後的混戰裏，各房的槍隊上，一共死傷了十九個人；四判官在七處地方縱火，西園上的馬棚和老二房的糧倉全被燒光，街南有三家店鋪被破門洗劫，珍爺家宅前的石獅子叫匪眾拖倒在街心；至於四判官手下，伏屍累累，黑裏也數不清多少，單在萬家樓廣場四周，就有廿多具死屍。 天，在萬家樓的忙亂中放亮了，雲層滾滾，寒風蝕骨，仍然是個陰霾的天色；業爺雖是穩沉的人，面對著這種光景，心裏也亂成一團。保爺的屍首就停在宗祠裏，準備裝殮，經過這場匪劫，萬家樓的元氣大喪，料理還料理不及，根本無力去追擊潰退的匪眾，小牯爺雖領著幾十桿槍去接應關八爺，天亮後還不見回來，即使心裏有些空茫無主，事實也非料理不可。清理火場，捕捉散韁的馬匹，覓屍收屍，熬得通宵沒闔眼；天亮後認屍的家屬圍滿宗祠淒淒慘慘的一片哭聲。 威名遠播的萬家樓，從鐵頭李士坤之後一直為黑道人物側目，這一回可算慘了，若沒遇上關八爺和他響鹽幫的弟兄們拔刀相助，逼使朱四判官趁夜遁走，祗怕硬會被土匪連根捲掉，就像柴家堡一樣。 能說是保爺有錯嗎？錯也錯不到精明半世的保爺頭上；以萬家樓的槍支實力，對付朱四判官實在不算一回事兒，業爺想過這一層，可是誰知朱四判官來得這樣快，算得這樣準？若沒有內線，保爺如今決不至於直腿直腳的陳屍在這兒了。 天亮了，灰黯的晨光落在宗祠的灰色瓦脊上，十幾具死屍橫陳在宗祠天井裏的草蓆上，儘管頭臉全蓋著白紙，仍掩不住那灘灘的血跡，死者的家屬披上孝服，圍著屍堆嚎啕哀哭著，誰聽到那種刺心的哭聲也會感到鼻尖酸楚，滿眶凝淚。 小姑奶奶萬菡英跪在保爺的腳前，哭得兩眼發黑，她雖是個野性的姑娘，可也有著一份款款的深情；在萬家樓，金打銀裝的大宅院裏的生活夠寂寞的，族裏人因為輩份之隔，沒人敢在她面前談什麼論什麼，同輩弟兄裏面，她最推重就是保爺，保爺平時也極愛護著這個年輕的妹妹；保爺中槍時，她沒嚎啕哭過，槍聲和殺喊把她推在惡夢裏，她如今哭著保爺，才想起她曾在保爺的屍首旁邊挨過了長長的一夜。 萬菡英身邊的愛姑也在哭著她的丈夫萬梁；她的心本就是碎的，萬梁縫綴過她。她永也忘不了身後的那串日子，爹豁著命釋放了落難的關八爺，跟關八爺一道兒走關東，臨走時把她托給卞三和毛六，誰知他們竟把自己賣了。幾經漂泊，她轉到淮河壩的鹽市上一家名叫風月堂的妓館裏為娼，花名叫做小荷花。凡是鹽市的大鹽商，闊綽的湖客老爺（指從洪澤湖來的鹽商。），沒有不知道紅姑娘小荷花的。 在鹽市整整過了三年日子，天知道有多少眼淚滴在噴香的緞枕上，她癡盼著有一天，爹跟豪勇的關八爺能把她從火坑裏搭救出去。鹽河的水波上走著無情的歲月，她的臂彎裏也不知換過多少無情的漢子，最後她落在萬梁的手裏。 萬梁是個誠厚人，沒對她說過花言巧語，她用久歷風塵的眼睛看出他來；萬梁中年喪偶，誠心要替她贖身，要她跟他過日子，她跟他來到萬家樓；在這座陌生的集市上，幾乎很少有人正眼瞧過她，後來她才知道，多少代以來，由於萬姓的族規很嚴，從沒有人娶過在風塵中打過滾的女人，儘管萬梁在族裏幾位長輩面前陳說過，她也不能算是明媒正娶的填房，族裏人都管她叫小娘。 昨夜聽說關八爺來了，她像沉船落難的人攀著一塊巨木似的歡喜，關八爺知道她，知道她的過去，她並不是天生淫賤，甘心操賤業的女人，她是落難落在風塵裏，像許許多多古唱本兒上的烈女的遭遇同樣哀淒。但老天不長眼，沒讓她見到關八爺，萬梁就已經死了，她哭著，一半是哭萬梁，一半是傷心她自己的命運。 天近傍午時了，趁夜追賊的關八爺沒有回家，接應關八爺的小牯爺和響鹽幫裏的漢子卻回來了。 八爺呢？業爺向小牯爺說。 沒見著。小牯爺說：並不是我在這兒信口評斷八爺的長短，俗說窮寇莫追，實在是有幾分道理。關八爺他再豪強，也祗是獨馬單身一個人，就算能追著四判官，又能把土匪怎樣？我領著幾十桿槍出南門，沙路上，帶霜的衰草上，盡是紛亂的人腳印兒和馬蹄印兒，我們尾著蹄印走，追到沙塹那兒，蹄印分成三路，可見四判官手底下的匪眾退散了，三路裏，怎知關八爺他追賊走的是哪一路？ 我寧願把舉喪的事壓著不辦，也不能讓八爺有險失。業爺斷然說：就算保爺沒死，他也不會批斷我一個不字。若沒有關八爺在這兒，萬家樓決不止死這幾個人，他能為萬家樓豁命，我們絕沒有袖手旁觀的道理。四判官分三路退走，我們就得集齊槍隊，分三路追，總有一路能接應得著關八爺。業爺正待吩咐集槍隊，就聽有人報說：業爺您甭著急，關八爺回來了！他騎著保爺的白馬一塊玉，馬毛全叫血水染得透紅，馬鞍兩邊，滴溜搭拉的掛著六七顆人頭！