Chapter 10: Stick Drinking

  The drizzle lasted for three days before stopping, occasionally revealing half a sun from the clouds, but it didn't bring much warmth to the earth. Frost can be seen everywhere on the grass and mountain paths.

  News of the two officers' deaths had not reached the remote Zhenzong Temple, and during this time, Chengzong went down the mountain to visit the wounded in Tianjia Village. After returning, he didn't mention the matter either, but instead asked more about Wu Ming's practice of the Taoist secret technique Wuxing Shisanquan Fist, what difficulties he had encountered, and remained tight-lipped about other matters, as if nothing had happened.

  Wu Ming, who was secretly anxious, couldn't help but admire Cheng Zong's skill in concealing his emotions. Since Cheng Zong didn't want to bring up the matter, Wu Ming didn't dare ask more questions. However, from Cheng Zong's words and attitude, he inferred that no one suspected him, and the beautiful woman who was rescued must have also been deceived by his words.

  In this era of war and chaos, with bandits roaming around, a few deaths are nothing unusual. Moreover, it's in a remote and impoverished mountainous area where the emperor is far away, I reckon after some time has passed, the news will naturally die down, and soon no one will remember this matter.

  With this in mind, Wu Ming's knot was untied, and he had a big appetite for dinner, eating two more bowls. At night, under Cheng Zong's guidance, he practiced martial arts diligently and humbly asked for advice on difficult points.

  In fact, the situation was the opposite of what Wu Ming had guessed. The city of Shangrao and the town of Huanggu were in an uproar, with rumors spreading like wildfire. The military officer killed by Wu Ming was not just a low-ranking officer, but a lieutenant colonel who served as the deputy commander of the Jiangxi Provincial Chairman Xiong Shihui's security regiment. This person had been left behind in Shangrao to take charge of recruiting and training a new battalion of soldiers. The troops under his command were not ordinary soldiers, but rather a group of over 150 instructors and officers responsible for recruiting and training 3,000 new soldiers. Once they completed their tasks, they would all be promoted one rank and become officers in the new soldier battalion.

  On the evening of receiving the news of the deputy captain's death, more than 150 officers from Nanchang were extremely shocked and rushed to the scene immediately. At almost the same time, Wang Donghan, the county magistrate of Shangrao, who had just received an urgent report, was greatly shocked and hastily ordered Yang Zhisong, the commander of the guard team, to gather his men and rush to pursue and assist the Yunnan army in capturing the murderer.

  That night, the surrounding villages and towns of the ruined temple were harassed by the brutal and evil soldiers, with fires burning everywhere within a radius of over ten miles. The next morning, the head of the security team, Yang Zhisong, received intelligence and all the soldiers gathered in the small town of Huanggu.

  Town head Chen Jieyao faced the furious Nanchang military officer without fear, flatly denying that his daughter-in-law had seen any soldiers, only encountering bandits on the way home, and the coachman drove recklessly out of danger, successfully shaking off the bandits and arriving safely at home.

  Over a hundred officers from Nanchang, where would they dare to disobey? But again, they did not dare to mess with Chen Jiyao, whose house had a heroic martyr's photo and Chiang Kai-shek's inscription in the main hall. They quarreled until the end, insisting on seeing Chen's wife, who had encountered danger, to ask for clarification.

  The Chen family, whose ancestors were all imperial scholars for three generations, was furious at the Nanchang officials and soldiers for their tyranny and ignorance of shame. He then took out a letter of condolence and commendation from the Political Department of the National Revolutionary Army Headquarters, and shouted at the brutal officers: "My eldest son Chen Bo'an, an officer of the Huangpu Military Academy, has already sacrificed his life for the country. My second son Chen Zhongkang is now working in the Nanchang branch of the Central Party Department. The Chen family is full of loyalty and martyrdom, how can we tolerate you tarnishing the reputation of my Chen family?"

  Fortunately, County Magistrate Wang Donghan arrived in time and explained that Chen's wife was his own niece, who was well-versed in books and reason, and would never be involved in this matter. It must have been someone with ulterior motives who framed her.

  Finally, the Nanchang military officer who was worried in his heart but had nowhere to vent his anger suddenly burst into a rage in the town and immediately rushed back to report to Nanchang. Lu Diping, who was criticized by the Nanjing Central Government for not doing enough to suppress bandits, was furious and immediately ordered a thorough investigation into the case.

  Chapter 12 is about to arrive, and the Qi Zhen Guan is busy again. Cheng Zong, who is in charge of specific affairs, is even more busy, with his feet not touching the ground. Only Wu Ming, this fake Taoist, is the most leisurely. Every day, he comes to the Taoist temple in the morning to help out, and returns to his own secluded residence in the afternoon to read books, practice calligraphy, and study medical books. At night, when it's quiet, he stands on the empty ground in front of the wooden house to practice boxing, then takes a cold shower, sits by the fireplace, takes out two long and short guns, wipes them repeatedly, and then picks up the long gun again, hangs a stone weighing nearly 10 kilograms to practice aiming. His days are spent leisurely and comfortably.

  Qinglong Festival, Tian Gong made beauty, morning sun shines everywhere, thousands of believers from surrounding villages and towns flocked to the mountain, usually hidden in the quiet Qingchen Temple was bustling with noise like a busy market, unexpectedly this Qinglong Festival was more lively than the previous Shangyuan Festival.

  All this seems to have nothing to do with Wu Ming, after getting up in the morning to practice boxing, he tightened his legs, took a hatchet and put it on his back, and drove the sheep group alone to the mountain. It is now the best season for picking wild mushrooms, spring shoots and other mountain treasures. For half a month, all the mountain treasures entertained by Zhenzhen Temple were offered by Wu Ming, and he could only show his respect and gratitude to Zhengzhen Taoist and Chengzong Shixiong through this way.

  The sun was setting in the west, and the Xiang Ke followers had all gone down the mountain. The villagers who came to help also bid farewell and left. Wu Ming, loaded with a heavy burden, carried a bundle of firewood on his back and entered the backyard through the side door. Chongyuan, with a bright red face, immediately ran up:

  "Brother Wu, that beautiful sister came again today. She went to the small wooden house but couldn't find you, so she called me over and asked about you. I told her you had gone up the mountain and didn't know when you would return. Brother Wu, that sister was very sad when she left the mountain, constantly looking back in the direction of the small wooden house, it's clear she misses you."

  Wu Ming suddenly felt a headache and walked quickly into the kitchen to put down his basket: "I don't know that person at all, what did she say to you?"

  "She didn't say anything, but it seemed like she had something to tell you."

  "Come on! Help me get the broom, today's harvested mushrooms are all top-grade, later you light the charcoal fire and roast them well, tomorrow when we head back down the mountain to the Dragon Tiger Mountain Ancestral Hall, bring them along."

  Thinking of parting tomorrow, Cheng Yuan put down the dustpan and stopped talking. His clear eyes gradually turned red: "Brother Wu, after returning to our ancestral home, I won't be able to see you again. I don't know when I'll be able to come down from the mountain to study. I know that once we leave, you will also leave this place. If you leave, where can I find you after I finish my apprenticeship?"

  Wu Ming's nose slightly itched, and before he could turn around, footsteps were heard approaching.

  Cheng Zong appeared at the door, he glanced at his little brother who was hastily wiping away tears, and said in a low voice after a moment of silence: "Brother Wu, I've got a jar of good wine, many dishes, and your favorite spicy pot, all in your small room."

  Wu Ming's heart was exceptionally heavy, he patted Cheng Yuan's head and nodded: "Alright!"

  Flickering flames in front of the fireplace, copper pot boiling on charcoal fire, fragrance overflowing.

  Wu Ming and Cheng Zong drank six cups of strong liquor one after another, ate a lot of food, but didn't say many words. They both felt reluctant to part with each other in their hearts, which was not a pleasant feeling.

  Xiao Chengyuan's small face turned red after drinking two small cups of wine, and he stumbled a bit before putting down the bowl. He took a few steps to climb onto Wu Ming's bed, pulled open the quilt to cover his head, and silently wept.

  Although they had only been together for more than half a year, Cheng Yuan gained unprecedented happiness from Wu Ming, as well as many unimaginable experiences and knowledge. Especially with Wu Ming's brotherly care and encouragement, which was always present but never loud, the impending separation made it even more precious, making it hard for young Cheng Yuan to let go.

  Wu Ming gazed at the frequently trembling quilt, lightly sighed, and poured another glass of wine for Cheng Zong: "We'll meet again in the future, we're still young, and there's a long way to go."

  Cheng Zong didn't lift his wine cup, gazing at Wu Ming who was pretending to be relaxed: "Big brother, promise me one thing."

  "Alright, as long as it can be done, I promise." Wu Ming replied sincerely.

  "In six months, you are not allowed to leave this place. After six months, you can go wherever you want. If you really want to leave, please leave as soon as possible and don't come back for revenge or stay within the Shangrao border. The farther you go, the better." Chengzong said in a low voice.

  Wu Ming fell silent for a moment, staring at Cheng Zong's expectant eyes: "Are you worried that my martial arts skills are not good enough? Or is there another reason?"

  Cheng Zong shook his head: "It's not that, big brother has a high talent, intelligent and wise beyond ordinary people. Not only does he have determination and perseverance, but also the ability to think independently and come up with innovative ideas. Whether it's studying literature or practicing martial arts, he makes rapid progress that astonishes others. Given time, he will definitely achieve something, and may even surpass his masters. What I'm worried about is not this, but..."

  "Go on, what's with the beating around the bush between us?" Wu Ming said with a deliberately casual smile.

  Cheng Zong let out a long sigh: "Big brother, don't think I don't know that you often sneak to the back mountain, hiding in the dense forest to practice your marksmanship. In this past month, you've secretly taken the small path down the east side of the mountain twice. Once was on New Year's Day, when you quietly went to Wujiacun to repair your mother's grave. And once was on the eighth day, when you alone went to Huanggu Town to attend the fair, right?"

  Cheng Zong looked at Wu Ming, who was shocked, and continued with great sadness: "Big brother, I know you can't put down the hatred in your heart. I know that as soon as you come down from the mountain, the first thing you want to do is avenge your mother. But this revenge, you absolutely cannot take, not now, nor ever."

  Wu Ming's smile slowly solidified on his face, he picked up the wine cup and drank it in one gulp, gently placing the empty cup on the table: "Actually, I no longer have any hatred in my heart. The reason I secretly went to repair my mother's grave was just to take another look at where I grew up, it's completely a kind of... how should I put it? A sense of nostalgia, not about hatred. As for me going to Huanggu Town to attend the fair, it was just to take a look, nothing else."

  Cheng Zong didn't believe Wu Ming's words at all. He picked up his wine cup and slowly drank the spicy liquor, putting down the cup after hesitating for a long time: "Big brother, there's something I just found out this afternoon, and I have to tell you the truth before we part ways: everyone in Huanggu Town and Wu Village knows that you don't have a father. Your mother suffered greatly because of this, was kicked out of the Wu family after becoming pregnant with you, and raised you with hardship and bitterness. For more than 20 years, she endured all kinds of criticism, but she never revealed a single word until her death. However, there are a few people who know that before your mother became pregnant with you, she worked as a maid in Chen Jiyao's residence in Huanggu Town for over half a month...

  Here is the translation:

  "Up to this point, Cheng Zong looked at Wu Ming, who was shocked and stunned, and ruthlessly told him the truth: 'When I heard Master Shu say it, I was extremely shocked and saddened. The specific details Master Shu didn't tell me, nor did I dare ask. Master Shu only asked me to inform you that Chen Jiyao is your biological father. In the main hall of Chen Jiyao's residence, I saw a photo of Chen Bo'an, Chen Jiyao's eldest son who died in battle under Wuchang City. You two look very similar, like they were molded from the same template. Also, the woman you rescued is named Wang Yuehan, born into the large and influential Wang family of Yingtan County, and is the niece of County Magistrate Wang Donghan. Last autumn, she married into the Chen family as the wife of Chen Jiyao's second son, Chen Zhongkang.'"

  Wu Ming was shocked and couldn't say a word, staring at the wine glass in front of him, falling into a daze...