Snake (Five Ancestors #3)(23)
Author: Jeff Stone

“There is a price on her head,” NgGung said. “My sources seem to think she survived the assault, and the soldiers who attacked Shaolin have been spreading a rumor that Hok assisted them in destroying Shaolin.”

“That’s impossible!” Seh said.

“I’d agree with you,” NgGung said. “However, the damage is done. The soldiers claim that Hok arrived at Shaolin ahead of the troops and opened the gates for them in the middle of the night. They say if it wasn’t for her, they never would have gotten access.”

“What else do you know?”

“Nothing,” NgGung replied. “I’m sorry, Seh.”

“We have to do something,” Seh said.

“You’re right,” NgGung said. “And we will, after Mong returns. We can’t have the locals believing a former Cangzhen monk was responsible for the destruction of the mighty Shaolin Temple.”

Seh looked at NgGung. “Why did you leave Cangzhen?”

“Me?” NgGung said. “Basically, I didn’t see eye to eye with Grandmaster. The same is true for the others.”

Seh rubbed his long chin. “So you, Mong, Hung, Gao, and Sanfu left Cangzhen and formed a… gang?”

“A few others left, too,” NgGung said. “Some of them still work with us. Some of them don’t.”

“And you … steal things?”

NgGung frowned. “We don’t steal anything. We’re bandits, not thieves. Thieves steal from innocent people for selfish reasons. Bandits intercept shipments of gold and such from tax collectors.”

“How is that not stealing?” Seh asked.

“Because we give it all back to the people,” NgGung replied.

“Oh,” Seh said. “So you don’t keep any of the money?”

“No. Several of the bandits would love to keep at least a small percentage, but Mong won’t allow it. That’s why our stronghold is so independent. Everyone here has a job in addition to being a bandit. We’re very busy.”

Seh pointed to the skeleton of lumber that was to become the bandit banquet hall. “‘Busy’ is an understatement. You really plan to finish that in two weeks?”

“That’s right,” NgGung said. “Two weeks.”

For two weeks, Seh, Malao, and Fu worked their fingers to the bone. So did the rest of the stronghold’s residents. Their efforts paid off. They finished the banquet hall the morning Mong returned.

Seh didn’t get to see Mong, but he did get the rest of the day off. He spent his time meditating. Alone except for the snake sleeping coiled on his arm, Seh slipped into a deep trance. He didn’t come out of it until early evening. The banquet was in full swing by the time he stepped through the banquet hall’s front doors.

The single, gigantic room was illuminated by rows of lanterns that Seh had helped install. He grinned. They looked good. Another project he had helped with was the huge banquet table and long wooden benches. They were filled with more than a hundred bandits clanging bowls and toasting one another. Their laughter echoed around the immense wooden interior.

Spread across the tabletop lay more food than Seh had seen at any ten Cangzhen banquets. There were rice dishes, noodle dishes, soups, buns, vegetables, sweets, meats, fish, nuts—even a few fruits. Seh also saw what appeared to be the leg of a lamb and several baby pigs roasted whole. Thankfully, he didn’t see any monkeys, a meat he remembered Hung favored.

“Hey, Seh!” Malao shouted. “Come sit by me!”

Seh glanced at the head of the table and saw Malao sitting near Mong. Gao sat on one side of Malao, NgGung on the other. Malao was wearing a new purple robe and matching pants. Seh wondered where he’d gotten them. Seh was still wearing the same blue silk robe and pants NgGung had given him the night Cangzhen was destroyed.

Malao wasn’t the only one to receive new clothes. Fu sat across from Malao, wearing an oversized robe and matching pants made of brilliant white silk. He looked like a big puffy cloud. Hung sat next to Fu.

Seh stifled a grin and headed toward Malao. NgGung and Gao scooted over so that Seh could sit with them. Seh adjusted the three scrolls in the folds of his robe, pulled his sleeve down over the snake on his wrist, and sat down.

Someone growled across the table and Seh glanced over, expecting to hear a complaint about bringing a snake to the dinner table. Instead, he saw Fu and Hung both grabbing hold of the same steamed chicken. Fu had one leg. Hung had the other.

Fu snarled and yanked the chicken in his direction. Hung held fast. Fu was left holding only one leg.

Fu reached for the rest of the chicken, and Hung snatched it away. Hung raised the entire carcass to his face and sank his teeth deep into the breast meat. Golden juice dribbled through his heavy beard down his neck.