Chapter 41: Return to the Mountain Stronghold

  Return to the mountain stronghold

  Wang Zhuangshan gazed at the soaring eagle, thinking to himself: "I hope someone discovers my predicament soon, or else it will be too late." A gunshot rang out, and he didn't feel any pain. He couldn't help but laugh, thinking: "So dying is this simple, without a hint of suffering. Wait, no... If I'm dead, how can I still be thinking?" He turned his head to look back.

  The one who fired the shot was Yun Xiang Tian, he shouted loudly: "Vice Captain Jia Lian, spare his life."

  Jia Zhongyong halted the execution order and asked Yun Xiangtian, "Young Master Yun, this man is a Japanese spy. I have received orders from the regimental commander to carry out the shooting. Why do you want me to spare his life? Do you know him?"

  Yun Xiangtian said: "I don't know him, but he has a great relationship with Fengling Mountain. Wait for a moment, I'll go talk to Huang Dage and see if Huang Dage can hand this person over to me?"

  Yun Xiangtian and Huang Min formed a sworn brotherhood, known to everyone in the camp. Jia Zhongyong naturally had to give Yun Xiangtian face, so he readily said: "This is no problem, as long as the camp commander agrees, you can take this person away at any time."

  Yun Xiang Tian successfully retrieved Wang Zhuang Shan's life from Huang Min. Huang Min didn't ask Yun Xiang Tian what he wanted it for, but he knew that Yun Xiang Tian had his reasons, and perhaps Yun Xiang Tian had discovered something valuable on Wang Zhuang Shan. What was it? Huang Min thought to himself, Yun Xiang Tian would definitely tell him when the time came.

  The warm sunshine on a winter day feels wonderful, making one feel like they're enjoying it. After two days of treatment and observation, the gunshot wound on Kawayoshi Mokuzu has improved. Unyuu Ten brings Kawayoshi Mokuzu and his companions back to their hideout. Along the way, Kawayoshi Mokuzu lies on a stretcher, unusually excited, occasionally joking with Unyuu Ten and Shuuzou, although she still addresses Shuuzou as "Miss". Unyuu Ten thinks: "It seems that Kawayoshi Mokuzu has regained her youthful innocence. As a twenty-something girl who left her hometown, infiltrated the enemy camp alone, hid her identity, and endured unimaginable pressure, it's no wonder she's overjoyed today after taking off her mask." Unyuu Ten glances at Fuu Tianxiong and Wang Zhuangshan, who haven't changed much. The two men silently follow the group. Unyuu Ten knows he must uncover Wang Zhuangshan's mysterious identity. Is it related to the information Wang Qi brought from Qilin Mountain?

  Back to the mountain stronghold, Yun Xiang Tian arranged for someone to inform Zhen Shan Hu and Ba Tian Long, and invited Wang Furen to gather with everyone at Anmin Stockade. Yun Xiang Tian concisely explained the Japanese army's plot, and together with the various stronghold owners, formulated a plan to defend Fengling Mountain.

  The night falls early in the mountains, perhaps outside it is still sunset, but the sky inside the mountain has already darkened. Yun Xiang Tian stood in Wang Zhuang Shan's room, his back to Wang Zhuang Shan, looking through the window at the twinkling starlight, chatting idly about family matters. He seemed to ask casually: "Is the river in front of your house still there?"

  Wang Zhuangshan glanced at Yun Xiangtian and said: "Sorry, sir, there is no river in front of my house. There is a river only in front of Third Uncle's house."

  Yun Xiang Tian turned around and calmly said: "Is that so? The river in front of Third Uncle's house, does it still have water?"

  Wang Zhuangshan also stood up from his seat and said: "There is, there is water, and inside there are red goldfish too."

  Two people looked at each other, and Yun Xiang Tian was about to speak. A shout came from outside the door: "Young Master Yun, are you there?"

  Yun Xiang Tian opened the door with a smile and said: "It's Yan Xue, what brings you here?"

  Yan Xue smiled and said: "It's the mistress who invited you. I'm just a maid, how dare I trouble you?"

  "Is that so? Then go back and tell your wife, it was Miss Yan Xue who came looking for me. She's the one who found me, yeah, I'm busy." He mimicked Yan Xue's tone and demeanor, joking around.

  Yan Xue burst out laughing and said: "I heard Cuiyu say that you're very bad. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do. You really are thoroughly bad!" After finishing speaking, she laughed so hard her body shook uncontrollably.

  "Really? I'm fine. Look at me, from head to toe, all my flaws are advantages, but they're different, all their advantages are flaws. I'm a standard flawed good man."

  Yan Xue was taken aback, but laughed even harder. She caught her breath and said, "What's the difference? A good man is a good man." Noticing Yun Xiang Tian staring at her intently, she asked, "Young Master Yun, what's wrong?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said dully: "You look so beautiful when you smile! Unfortunately, it's wasted in a ghost town."

  Her face turned red and she said, "You're so bad, even teasing me. Let's go, your wife is still waiting for you." Yun Xiang Tian's words made her feel comfortable in her heart, but also a little lost. She secretly took a glance at the man who had dressed her up as a ghost to tease her. Finding that Yun Xiang Tian was also looking at her, she quickly turned her head back, and the calm lake in her heart couldn't help but stir up a layer of ripples.

  Madam Wang was sitting in the cave, saw Yun Xiangtian come in without getting up, and only said: "Sit down! I want to ask you, how do you think we should deal with Wang Zhuangshan? Is he really a spy for the little devil?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said respectfully: "Looking at him, he doesn't seem like a spy either, but some things are still puzzling. I think it's better to spend some time talking to him carefully, maybe he has an unavoidable reason. What do you think?"

  Madam Wang's face showed a faint smile, and she said: "Wang Da Ge is my husband's sworn brother. Although he has done many wrong things, as long as it's not treason or betrayal of the country, I still hope that you, Yun Xian Sheng, will spare his life."

  She changed her words and called Yun Xiang Tian as Yun Xian's nephew, not Yu Er. Yun Xiang Tian naturally understood the reason behind it. He smiled slightly and said: "Don't worry, madam. Even if Yu Er had the audacity to do something wrong, he would still ask for your judgment after investigating the right and wrong of the matter. How could he dare to take matters into his own hands? However, I have talked to Wang Zhuang Shan a few times, and it seems that he is not a deceitful and shameless person, but rather has some heroic spirit."

  The smile on Mrs. Wang's face grew thicker, she was very afraid that Wang Zhuangshan was a Japanese spy, which would humiliate her late husband, and people would say that her husband had befriended the wrong person by mistake. Hearing Yun Xiangtian say that Wang Zhuangshan still had some heroic spirit, she was naturally delighted. With a smile all over her face, she said: "Oh, you think so? Great." Suddenly realizing that she had lost her composure, she was a bit embarrassed. She coughed dryly and said: "What I mean is that Brother Wang is indeed a man of great integrity, and it's not in vain that my late husband befriended him back then."

  Yun Xiang Tian burst out laughing and said: "That's natural, how could a hero like Uncle Wang associate with bandits?"

  Madam Wang heard Yun Xiang Tian praise her late husband and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, she also became more relaxed and said: "A generation of heroes can't bear the weight, but they have done some earth-shaking things. He and Wang Zhuang Shan Feng Er Xia were once allies in the Jianghu world, besides being strong and supporting the weak, they had iron bones. Once, they even sneaked into a military camp and killed a corrupt military officer who had robbed a civilian woman, and on the wall of his house, they wrote the blood-stained words 'Heavenly Three Heroes, killing all injustices'. Those lawless military officers were frightened to the point of self-doubt, while Jianghu people praised them to the extreme, regarding them as heroes, and it was a story that spread far and wide for a time. Later, the warlords and local corrupt officials colluded to capture my husband and his two sworn brothers, they suddenly became enraged and killed the unlucky county magistrate. After that, they washed their hands of the matter and returned home to retire from Jianghu." She let out a faint sigh and said: "Wang Zhuang Shan was originally a person who valued chivalry, with a clear sense of right and wrong, and a strong sense of justice. When my father-in-law drove him out of the house, it wasn't malicious, but rather to protect him from being caught by the authorities. I don't know if he understood that?"

  Yun Xiang Tian saw Wang Fu Ren immersed in the happy memories of the past and couldn't bear to interrupt her recollections. He picked up the fragrant tea that Yan Xue had brought over for him, but found Yan Xue gazing at him with deep affection, leaving him feeling flustered. He put down the teacup again, and couldn't help but blame himself for being too outspoken.

  Yan Xue saw Yun Xiang put down his teacup and asked: "Has the water cooled? I'll get you another cup."

  Yun Xiang Tian covered up his inner embarrassment and said: "No, no it's not cold. It's just a bit hot."

  Madam Wang smiled and said: "It seems that Xue'er is a bit hot, and Yu'er's face has been scorched red."

  Yan Xue looked exceptionally panicked, her face turned pale in an instant, she knelt down and said: "Madam spare my life, Yan Xue didn't do it, Madam please investigate."