During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a Panlong village on the outskirts of Beijing. The owner of the village was Shi Meng, and he often took his subordinates to do some robberies. On that day, on a small road leading to the capital, Shi Meng and a group of people lay in ambush among the trees.

At this time, a group of carriages and horses walked over, led by a young master. Just looking at his imposing mount and his silk and satin, he could tell that he was of a noble background. The second leader was about to make a move, but Shi Meng held him back and whispered, "Wait a minute! Do you see the servants behind him? The burden that guy carried looks very heavy, and there must be a lot of money in it, so you and I each bring a few brothers and outflank them, and we can't let one go."

Soon Shi Meng and the second master attacked back and forth, and with almost no effort, they captured the master and servant back to Panlong Village.

In the stockade, the young master was forced to confess his identity. It turned out that this person's name was Li Xun, the only son of a wealthy merchant in the capital. Shi Meng's eyes turned red when he heard that, and he couldn't wait to grab the burden on the servant's back.

Li Xun explained, "I love books as much as my life. I met a bookseller halfway, so I spent money to buy these."

Shi Meng was, of course, not reconciled, so he said to Li Xun's servant, "I will let you go down the mountain now, and you tell your master to give 5,000 taels of silver to redeem his son within ten days. If he doesn't send the silver, I will send his son's head over. Do you understand?"

The servant's legs were so frightened that he trembled and said, "I understand, I understand."

In this way, Li Xun was imprisoned by Shi Meng and imprisoned in a secret room. That night, he was about to sleep when Shi Meng ordered someone to bring him out.

Shi Meng saw him and asked with a smile, "Since Young Master Li loves books like his life, he must be able to read, right? I have something to ask Young Master for help."

Li Xun asked him what was going on, and Shi Meng said, "Yesterday, I snatched a sedan chair at the foot of the mountain. There was a little girl in the sedan chair, and the sedan chair said that she was the daughter of Zhao Yuanwai in Hebei. I asked the sedan chair to send a message to Zhao Yuanwai, asking him to take 3,000 taels of silver to redeem his daughter. The little girl was robbed by us and went up the mountain. I found a letter from the little girl and asked her what was written on the letter. She kept gesturing, and I found out that the little girl was dumb, and no one in the stockade could read, so I had to trouble the young master to help take a look."

Li Xun took the letter from Shi Meng and looked at it. After a while, his face sank and he said to Shi Meng, "Your Majesty, this girl is not small, I am very worried about you and your brothers."

Shi Meng said disapprovingly, "Isn't his father just a member What's there to be afraid of?"

Li Xun said: "His father is nothing, but his grandmother is too powerful. She is the general soldier of the capital infantry battalion, so she can't be provoked."

When Shi Meng heard that, his head was about to explode, and he hurriedly asked Li Xun what was written in the letter. Li Xun said: "The letter was written by Zhao Yuanwai to his father-in-law. Because his father-in-law is the general soldier of the capital's infantry battalion, with a high position and a wide range of contacts, Zhao Yuanwai wanted to ask his father-in-law to find a doctor in the capital to see his daughter, and the rest is just nagging, nothing more."

Shi Meng nodded, holding the letter without saying a word. That night, after discussing with his subordinates, he decided to release the little girl to avoid getting burned. The next day, Shi Meng was about to release him, but he heard the servant come to report that Zhao Yuanwai had sent money. Shi Meng did not dare to neglect, and hurried out to greet him. Seeing Zhao Yuanwai standing trembling and looking like he had no master, he was surprised in his heart. Zhao Yuanwai suddenly bent his knees and fell to the ground, crying that he was incompetent. In recent years, he had lost money in business, and he really couldn't get 3,000 taels of silver. The four sides borrowed only to raise 2,000 taels. Looking at Shi Meng, he raised his hand and let his daughter go back.

When Shi Meng saw Zhao Yuanwai's pitiful appearance, he didn't look like the son-in-law of the general soldier? He couldn't help but doubt his identity. So he took out the letter last night and said to Zhao Yuanwai, "Yuanwai, this letter was found by your daughter. Tell me, what is written in this letter?"

Zhao Yuanwai replied that this letter was very common because his daughter was sick, and his father-in-law happened to be in the medicinal herb business in the capital and knew many Langzhong, so he wanted to send his daughter to recuperate.

When Shi Meng heard that, he laughed a few times, and suddenly said fiercely, "I want to redeem your daughter for 2,000 taels of silver, but there is no way! Listen carefully, if you can't get 3,000 taels within three days, you can only let your daughter be my wife!"

Shi Meng called Li Xun out again, slapped him twice when they met, and then said, "Good boy, how dare you play me and want to be a hero to save the beauty? Listen, now your ransom has increased to 8,000 taels. One tael less, chop your finger off!" After saying that, he kicked Li Xun a few more times, and was about to leave, but he heard the noise of the servants outside the door. After asking, he found out that a large group of people had killed Panlong Village.

Shi Meng went out to take a look, and saw the military flag fluttering under the stronghold, and the warhorses were nearing. Just as he was confused, the second leader hurriedly ran over to report: "It's not good, the general soldier of the capital infantry battalion is here with the army!"

Shi Meng was so frightened that he couldn't help but regret that he had been too rude to General Zhao just now and wanted to release Miss Zhao, but the second head said that the general soldier came to rescue Li Xun, saying that Li Xun was his grandson. Shi Meng suddenly realized, hurriedly ran to Li Xun, personally unchained him, and knelt down and begged Lord Li Xun to have a lot of money and let Panlong Village go.

Li Xun said calmly, "I will plead with my grandfather. Also, let Miss Zhao go, and I will take her down the mountain."

How dare Shi Meng say no? He hurriedly brought Miss Zhao to Li Xun, and just like that, Li Xun took Miss Zhao down the mountain.

Shi Meng saw Li Xun walk into the army formation and started talking to the leader. Shi Meng was looking forward to the army turning around and returning to the camp, but he didn't expect that with the leader's order, the army would come up the mountain in a hurry.

There was no way to retreat. Shi Meng had no choice but to fight to the death. However, with just a few dozen grass bandits, how could he be an opponent of hundreds of officers and soldiers?

When Shi Meng was tied up and dragged to the front of the formation, he looked up and didn't feel confused. He saw that the person sitting side by side with the commander and giving orders was the servant who was caught with Li Xun that day.

Shi Meng asked Li Xun what was going on, and Li Xun told the truth.

It turned out that the person on the horse was not a slave at all, but the grandson of the general soldier of the capital infantry battalion, and Li Xun was his servant. Passing by Panlong Village that day, Li Xun suggested that the two temporarily exchange clothes, reverse their identities, and change back after passing through the dangerous zone. He didn't want the two to really be captured by Shi Meng, and Li Xun's suggestion also came in handy. Shi Meng really mistook the young master as a servant and let him go back, but left Li Xun behind.

Having said this, Li Xun smiled bitterly and said to Shi Meng, "Now you understand, it's useless for you to plead with me, I'm just a servant."

Shi Meng was stunned when he heard that, and then knelt down in front of the young master again, begging the young master to spare his life.

The Young Master turned to seek Miss Zhao's intentions and let her decide Shi Meng's life and death.

Miss Zhao solemnly said: "When I was in Panlong Village, I saw with my own eyes that they killed ordinary people and robbed their daughters. If such people don't die, what is the law of heaven?"

When Shi Meng saw Miss Zhao speak, he couldn't help but be taken aback. Only then did he realize that Miss Zhao was pretending to be deaf and dumb, but it was just a means for her to protect herself.

The young Master listened to Miss Zhao's words and felt that she was right, so he executed Shi Meng on the spot. As for Miss Zhao and Li Xun, they cherished each other because of the same life and death and shared hardships, and soon became husband and wife under the auspices of Young Master.