He heard a man cursing, and Thomas Ross's lips moved twice, but before he could speak, a large foot stomped down on his face. The sole of the shoe flattened his nose and, in passing, also covered his mouth.

He reached out with both hands, trying to move the foot away, but both his arms were pinned down by two other feet, leaving him unable to move, so he could only twist his body like a maggot.

Just as he thought he was about to die, the foot on his face moved away, and only then did Thomas Ross manage to gasp for air, savoring the hard-won gift of life.

"Pay up!"

At this sharp shout, Thomas Cole immediately understood that he would live.

He made no attempt to argue, pulling a handful of copper coins from his chest and placing them at the strongman's feet. The strongman picked up the coins and gave Thomas Ross another hard kick before finally preparing to leave, satisfied.

The newlywed woman in the red jacket also followed the strongman and his group, ready to leave. Thomas Ross, eyeing the woman's full, moon-like hips, called out on impulse, "Hero, please wait!"

The strongman stopped, the woman in red stopped, and the strongman's companions all stopped as well.

Thomas Ross climbed up from the ground, patted the dust from his clothes, and hurriedly cupped his hands, saying, "Hero, I have some business to discuss with you over there."

The strongman saw that Thomas Ross's nose was still bleeding from his beating, yet his lecherous eyes were still fixed on his wife, and he laughed loudly: "What? Still can't let go of your lust? This woman was traded to your grandpa for two big blue mules. You give grandpa two mules, and you can have her for a few days."

Thomas Ross quickly cupped his hands, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. Just now, I was reckless, but now that I know she's your wife, how could I dare be disrespectful?

It's just that I saw how brave you were, brother, and I have a way to make some money. I wanted to borrow your strength, if that's possible?"

The strongman came over and squatted beside Thomas Cole, saying, "Who do you want to kill?"

Thomas Ross put on a fawning smile, "Brother, you take on killing jobs too?"

The strongman sneered, "I kill pigs all the time, so killing a person or two for some money isn't bad.

As long as you can pay!"

Seeing that others were far away, Thomas Ross lowered his voice and said to the strongman, "May I ask your name, brother?"

The strongman laughed, "West Market Butcher Bolton! Now tell me your money-making scheme. If you dare fool me, I'll cut off your legs and use the meat for buns!"

Thomas Ross leaned in close to Butcher Bolton's ear and whispered, "Making money off the dead!"

The strongman Butcher Bolton was stunned for a moment, then also lowered his voice, "Whose dead?"

"James Dean's family."

The strongman sucked in a breath, "From Half-town Dean's family? You're looking for death!"

Thomas Ross chuckled, "If it were before, I'd never dare think of such a thing, but now things are different.

James Dean's elder brother Edward Dean was defeated at Pidao in Liaodong. I heard he lost the army and shamed the country, and General Young ordered Edward Dean beheaded. Not just Edward Dean, even his superior Samuel Moore wasn't spared.

Losing an army and shaming the country—that's a crime that dooms the whole clan. The Dean Family is finished."

Butcher Bolton frowned, "If The Dean Family is finished, why don't we go after their fortune?

And where did you hear about all this?"

Thomas Ross brushed the dust from his clothes and cupped his hands to Butcher Bolton, "I am Thomas Ross, a courier at the post station. Yesterday, I served two officials at the post station and overheard them talking.

You'll see, in a day or two, this news will be out. The The Dean Family people have already started to flee.

As for The Dean Family's wealth, I advise you not to get any ideas. Yan'an Prefecture isn't that big or that small, but every official is eyeing The Dean Family's property. If we get involved, we might be wiped out in one go. If they accuse us of being The Dean Family's accomplices, we'll lose our heads come autumn.

But right now, no one cares about The Dean Family's graves. Those officials wouldn't stoop to grave robbing, and this kind of small job is just right for people like us.

So, brother, are you in or not?"

Butcher Bolton's eyes darted around, then he gave Thomas Ross a heavy kick in the hip, sending Thomas Cole staggering, and spat, "You filthy scoundrel, grave robbing isn't much of a skill. I'm not doing it!"

With that, he strode off.

Thomas Ross grinned, licking his lips as he watched the plump figure of the woman in red, "Maybe grandpa will get a feel after all."

The bangzi opera had long since ended, and there was no one left under the stage. Thomas Ross stretched his body, feeling the pain gradually fade, and finally got up slowly, limping home.

Thomas Ross's home was outside the city. Passing Anping Street, he stopped, gazing at a large black-lacquered door flanked by two stone drum pixiu statues. He thought for a moment, smiled slightly, then dragged his injured leg and continued toward the city gate.

James Dean's elder brother Edward Dean was indeed killed by General Young, but when the two officials at the post station discussed the matter, they never said that James Dean was doomed.