Chapter 27: Seeing Who Can Hold Out

Chapter 27: Let’s See Who Loses Their Nerve First

As Li Yunlong had anticipated, when Xiao Wuzi and his men appeared at the graveyard with digging tools, the puppet soldiers of Qiu Family Village spotted them and immediately reported it to Qiu Dabai.

Qiu Dabai was busy playing mahjong with his three concubines.

"Five Thousand!"
"Four Bamboo!"
"Seven Dots!"
"West Wind!"
"Hu!"
"Hu!"
"Hu!"

Qiu Dabai had discarded a West Wind, only to find he had been hit by all three players at once.

"That's cursed," Qiu Dabai grumbled. "Who would have thought a single West Wind would pay off three hands?"

"Commander," a puppet soldier reported, "a group of Eight Route Army soldiers have arrived at the graveyard with digging tools. It looks like they’re going to dig up the Old Master’s grave again."

"What? The Eight Route Army is at it again?" Qiu Dabai pretended to shove the mahjong tiles aside. "Don't they ever quit?"

"Yes, sir. They have tools, and it looks like they're about to—" The soldier was cut off.

Qiu Dabai snarled in irritation, "Those damned Eight Route Army soldiers. One day, I’ll wipe every last one of them off the face of the earth."

After shouting this, he ordered that no one was to attack, and stormed off to his room.

"Let them dig. We’ll just send men to repair the grave after they leave," said Qiu Yaozu, Qiu Dabai’s son, as he stepped in to take his father’s place at the mahjong table.

"Understood," the soldier replied and retreated.

The sound of shuffling tiles resumed.

Back at his post, the soldier looked toward the graveyard again, his expression puzzled. "Huh? What’s wrong with these Eight Route Army soldiers? Why aren't they digging up the Old Master’s grave anymore? They’re breaking ground at the doctor’s grave instead."

The other puppet soldiers were equally confused.

"What’s gotten into them? Why aren’t they touching the Old Master’s grave?"
"Isn't it better that they aren't? It saves the Commander from getting angry."
"But isn't that doctor beloved by the people? Digging up his grave is just ruining their own reputation."

"Who cares about their reputation? As long as they aren't digging up our Commander’s ancestral grave, it’s fine by me."
"Hurry and report to the Commander. Those Eight Route Army soldiers must have lost their minds; they're digging up the doctor’s grave."

...

"White Dragon!"
"Nine Dots!"
"Two Thousand!"

Qiu Yaozu was in the middle of a game with his three aunts when the soldier came sprinting back. "Report, Young Master! The Eight Route Army must have lost their minds—they’ve stopped digging the Old Master’s grave."

"Is that so?" Qiu Yaozu paused, staring at the soldier. "Didn't you say they had tools? They stopped?"

"No, they're still digging, but they're digging at the doctor’s grave..."

Qiu Yaozu’s face drained of color. "What? Did you say they’re digging up the doctor’s grave?"

The soldier looked at him, bewildered by his sudden tension. "Young Master, it’s just the doctor’s grave. Why are you so..."

Before the soldier could finish, Qiu Yaozu shoved the table over and bolted out the door. He scrambled outside and peered through binoculars at the graveyard. His face turned the color of ash. "How? How is this possible? How could the Eight Route Army know? Could that dog Cui Baozhong have..."

Without a moment’s delay, he rushed to Qiu Dabai’s room. Inside, the Commander was leisurely smoking opium, his earlier rage having been nothing more than an act for the troops.

"Father, it’s a disaster! A total disaster!" Qiu Yaozu snatched the pipe from his father’s hand. "The Eight Route Army is digging up the doctor’s grave! I suspect that traitor Cui Baozhong..."

"What? The doctor’s grave?" Qiu Dabai’s leisure vanished, replaced by sheer panic.

"Yes, Father, look for yourself..." Before his son could finish, Qiu Dabai ran out of the room, not even bothering to put on his shoes.

Reaching the perimeter wall, Qiu Dabai saw the soldiers truly digging at the grave. His face twisted with murderous intent, and his knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists.

Seeing Qiu Dabai appear on the wall, Li Yunlong shouted, "Qiu Dabai, you crafty bastard! You actually moved your father’s corpse into the doctor’s grave! Your little ruse has been exposed. Just wait, I’m going to dig up your old man’s bones and put them on display for everyone to see!"

"Father, what do we do? Should we lead the troops out now?" Qiu Yaozu asked, frantic.

Both father and son were obsessed with geomancy. Ever since they had secretly moved the corpse into the doctor’s grave, their fortunes had soared, and they had gained the favor of the Japanese commanders. If the grave were disturbed and the geomantic energy broken, it would be disastrous. More importantly, they could not allow the corpse to be unearthed by the Eight Route Army.

"Don't panic!" Qiu Dabai, despite his boiling rage, forced himself to stay calm. "The Eight Route Army must have an ambush set up outside. If we charge out, we’ll be walking straight into a trap."

"But they’re digging up Grandfather’s corpse! They’re digging so fast, we can't wait!"

"Shut up!" Qiu Dabai glared at his son, then sneered at Li Yunlong. "Ha! You Eight Route Army soldiers have no shame, digging up a doctor’s grave just to claim I’m hiding something. It’s laughable. Go ahead, dig! I want to see if you have the guts to keep going all the way down."

"Father, if they’re willing to disturb the doctor’s grave, they must have learned the truth from Cui Baozhong. This delaying tactic won't work," Qiu Yaozu warned.

"Do you have a better idea?" Qiu Dabai snapped.

Qiu Yaozu fell silent.

Hearing the defiance, Li Yunlong laughed. "Qiu Dabai, you treacherous dog, you won't cry until you see the coffin, will you? Fine, let’s keep digging. Let’s see who loses their nerve first."

Li Yunlong turned to Xiao Wuzi and roared, "Xiao Wuzi! That bastard is holding out! He claims it’s not his father’s grave—speed it up!"

"Understood, Commander!" Xiao Wuzi commanded his men, and the pace of the digging doubled.

Chunks of earth flew into the air like a whirlwind. Watching this, the veins on Qiu Dabai’s neck and face began to bulge, his eyes nearly popping from their sockets. His feigned indifference had backfired; instead of stopping, the Eight Route Army was digging even faster. If they didn't act, the coffin would surely be exposed. But he was certain the Eight Route Army was prepared for an ambush.

"Father, we have to strike!" Qiu Yaozu looked like he was about to cry. "If Grandfather is dug out, the Eight Route Army won't show him any mercy!"

"They have an ambush waiting for us!" Qiu Dabai groaned in despair.

"Are we just going to watch while Grandfather is dug out?"

"We cannot attack! We cannot fall for their trap!" Qiu Dabai closed his eyes in agony, trying to shut out the sight.