Prince Li You of the Great Tang Dynasty begs the noble families to their deaths!

Zhou Chuji suddenly realized, and then laughed, "So you're in the same trade! That yellowish, inferior charcoal that the people of Xiangzhou used to use, was it produced by you?"

The guy on the other side's face changed: "Damn it, looking for a fight? Brothers, go get him! Give him a good beating!"

Zhou Chuji said, "Wait! To tell you the truth, we didn't burn the charcoal; we just got it from someone. We're all just trying to make a living, and it's not easy for anyone. How about this, I'll take you to see the owner, and you can talk to him directly, okay?"

The person on the other end paused for a moment: "Are you serious?"

"I'm a businessman, and I have a family to support. There are so many of you. If I don't tell the truth, you'll beat me up, beat me to a pulp, and maybe even kill me. In that case, to save my own life, I'll have to tell the truth. Rather than that, I might as well tell you the truth now. Don't you agree?"

"You're such a chatterbox! Now take us to see the owner!"

"Oh, brother, you're in such a hurry... then come with me."

Zhou Chuji walked ahead with a smile on his face.

The man opposite looked suspicious, but thought that this "Boss Liang" wouldn't lie, so he followed him.

After walking for several miles, they arrived at the entrance of Liang's Wood Shop.

"Wait a minute, the source of the goods you mentioned, it's not this company, is it?"

"That's right, I got my charcoal from Boss Liang. Didn't you notice that our two companies set the same price? You can afford to mess with me, but you can't afford to mess with Boss Liang?"

"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of, you bunch of out-of-town scum?"

Zhou Chuji knocked on the door, gave Gao Shun a look, and then briefly explained the situation to him.

Gao Shun chuckled inwardly.

"So that's how it is. Let's all make money together, why resort to violence? May I ask your name, sir?"

"My name is Zhao Hongliang, and these people are all my brothers."

"Alright, you've got quite a few people following you... Actually, the charcoal we make is sourced from another company. The real charcoal seller lives on Lao Jun Mountain outside the city. Would you like to come up there with me and take a look?"

Zhao Hongliang's eyes widened: "Damn it, how dare you cheat me?"

"Brother Zhao, we're all in business, you can't joke like that. We'll be seeing each other all the time, we're practically family, why would I lie to you?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm also really envious of the charcoal-making method on Lao Jun Mountain. I wish I could just snatch it away and start my own business. We'd have no costs to make charcoal ourselves, and we could make so much money, don't you think? How about this, a few of us team up, storm Lao Jun Mountain, kidnap the charcoal maker, and under duress, we'll easily get the charcoal-making method, right?"

Zhou Chuji clapped his hands: "Manager Huang is truly resourceful! Brother Zhao, our rise to prominence begins today!"

Zhao Hongliang said, "How come you outsiders are even more ruthless than me?"

Gao Shundao said, "If a person isn't ruthless, how can they build a large business? How can they support their family? What will their wife and children eat? Are you going to let them starve to death in bed?"

Zhao Hongliang pursed his lips; he felt like he had just said those words himself.

"Alright, then we'll work together. If you dare to play any tricks, I'll burn you all to ashes and scatter them in the latrine behind the temple, so you'll never be reincarnated!"

Upon hearing such a curse, Gao Shun suddenly felt an evil urge to kill someone.

But Zhou Chuji, who was standing next to him, decisively pulled him back.

"Brother Zhao, do you think we should leave now, or wait until tomorrow to set off?"

"Let's go now! If we wait until tomorrow, I'm afraid you'll sprout wings and fly away!"

……

Gao Shun lit a torch and led the way.

Zhou Chuji was a talkative man, and he chatted idly with Zhao Hongliang in the back.

They traveled until midnight, and all of them were quite tired, so they rested in a pine forest.

Fearing that Gao and Zhou might escape, Zhao Hongliang ordered his henchmen to take turns keeping watch at night.

The next morning, they continued their journey.

When they came across a village by the roadside, Zhou Chuji found the villagers, bought some food, and fed them.

Only when you're full will you have the energy to continue your journey.

After walking for a whole day, at dusk, we arrived at the place where charcoal was burned on Laojun Mountain.

When Zhao Hongliang took a look, he was amazed to find over twenty kilns with hundreds of people burning charcoal, and thatched huts for living nearby.

"Manager Huang, there are so many of them."

"Don't worry, these charcoal burners are all defenseless, what are you afraid of? You wait here, I'll lure their foreman here and take him down in one fell swoop!"

"Alright, Manager Huang, be careful," Zhao Hongliang reminded him.

Gao Shun walked over, and the soldiers who were working gathered around him when they saw their leader arrive. Gao Shun gave them instructions in a low voice, arranging them in their positions. Everyone understood, and at Gao Shun's command, the soldiers grabbed their weapons and charged forward.

Zhao Hongliang's heart skipped a beat. Where did they get their weapons?

Zhou Chuji kicked Zhao Hongliang in the lower back, knocking him to the ground. Then, with a lunge, he took down another henchman next to him and punched him several times, knocking him unconscious.

Huang Chao's army surrounded the fifty-odd ruffians from Xiangzhou and tied them all up, one by one.

Gao Shun waved his hand, and the soldiers hoisted up the bandit leader Zhao Hongliang and lit a pile of charcoal under his legs.

Feeling the heat emanating from below his buttocks, Zhao Hongliang was terrified.

"Brother, Manager Liang, please spare me, please spare me!"

"Zhao Hongliang, how is the quality of the charcoal produced by my Huang Chao army?"

"Okay, very good, but you...you can't use this thing to roast me!"

"Why can't a robber like you be roasted?"

……

Looking around, he realized he was still bound and suspended in the air, but the pile of burning coals between his legs had been removed.

"Who exactly are you people?"

"That's a question I should be asking you! Tell me, which bastard sent you to sabotage our business?"

"...Nobody sent me...Brother, let's talk this out. You guys are amazing, I admit it, okay?"

"Really not?"

"No, we really don't. I have elderly parents to support, young children to raise, and a wife at home. My men all have families too. Brother, please spare us!"

Gao Shun pondered, "You have families to support, this is troublesome... Brother Jing, what do you think we should do?"

"Our lord is short of manpower, so let's send them all there."

"With so many people missing, what should be done if their families suspect something and report it to the authorities?"

"I once heard the lord say that a family should always be together..."

"Hey, Brother Zhou, you're really something!"

……

Zhao Hongliang never imagined that his impulsive decision would not only cost him all his henchmen, but also his own wife and children, as well as the wives and children of his henchmen.

More than 300 people, including their servants, were first lured to Laojun Mountain, and then transferred to Tongbai Mountain in batches.

When Li You learned of Gao Shun's method of handling the situation, he couldn't help but applaud.

First, mistakes must be punished; second, the whole family must be together.