Chapter 72: Oath of the Peach Garden

  Blood is thicker than water, Lu Haoshan gave enough trust and investment to Yuan San and his men, and Yuan San and others did not disappoint Lu Haoshan, giving him clear answers and rich returns.

  Lu Haoshan was straightforward, and apart from hosting a grand banquet to welcome them, he also took out 300 taels of silver to reward their merits. During the banquet, he advised Yuan San to give the troops a day off, allowing the officers to relax in the county town. It has to be said that wine is the best catalyst for friendship at banquets, and soon everyone became very familiar with each other.

  After three rounds of wine and five dishes, the private guards were all in high spirits. At first, they gathered together to drink and compete with each other, but later on, they even went outside to gamble loudly, creating a lively atmosphere. Only Lu Haoshan and Yuan San continued to chat while sipping their drinks slowly. They started by exchanging polite words, but as the conversation went deeper, they began to share stories about their lives. It turned out that Yuan San was an orphan who had lost both parents and had suffered greatly. He was later taken in by a fellow soldier who helped him with chores such as cooking and washing dishes. By chance, he was discovered by Yuan Chonghuan and eventually joined his private guards.

  Lu Haoshan, although he had a glorious and prosperous life in his previous life, suddenly found himself in the late Ming dynasty. Despite being under the same sky, the separation of time and space made it impossible for him to reunite with his loved ones. Upon hearing Yuan San's words, he thought of his family from his past life, especially his parents, who had to send off their children without seeing them again, and couldn't even see their bodies after they passed away. He could imagine how heartbreaking that must have been for them. Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness and tears welled up in his eyes. However, these feelings couldn't be shared with Yuan San, so he had to embellish the story of Lu Wenhua's misfortunes instead. This speech was filled with genuine emotions, and his voice trembled with sorrow, which actually earned him some comforting words from Yuan San.

  The two of them opened their hearts and their friendship drew much closer.

  When they had drunk about half of the wine, Lu Haoshan suddenly put down his cup and said with a serious face: "Yuan San Ge, I have an idea, but I don't know if I should say it or not."

  "It doesn't matter what adults say"

  Lu Haoshan paused for a moment, then said with a serious face: "It's all said that at home one relies on parents, and outside one relies on friends. Yuan San Ge, we met here by chance, so let's make the most of it and become sworn brothers like the Peach Garden Oath. That way, we can look out for each other in the future. What do you think?"

  "Sir, aren't you drunk?" Lu Haoshan suddenly said. Yuan San was taken aback for a moment, and when he came to his senses, his first feeling was that the county magistrate in front of him was joking.

  "No, Lu Xiang is absolutely not joking, but speaking from the heart. If Yuan San Ge feels it's not suitable or Lu Xiang is not worthy, then let's just forget this was ever mentioned."

  Yuan San said with some emotion: "Adding flowers to brocade, many people can do it, but those who can send charcoal in snowy weather are few and far between. I, Yuan, was originally fleeing, but Lord Shengmeng lent a helping hand, giving us and our families a place to settle down. We are eternally grateful; Moreover, Lord Shengmeng looked up to me, never treating me as an inferior person, showing great respect and favor, even addressing me as 'Third Brother'. It can be said that he has won me over. Since the lord has spoken, I, Yuan San, have no further objections. If the lord is not disdainful of my humble origins, I am willing to form a bond with him, this brother, I acknowledge."

  "Yuan San-ge, did you really agree?"

  "Indeed," Yuan San said seriously: "It's clear that you have some concerns about us, and we also have some reservations about the adults. This is a normal human emotion, and there's nothing wrong with it. However, if things continue like this, it won't be good for either of us. To be honest, I, Yuan, also have my own motivations. If Old Man Yuan could come out, we wouldn't bring our families to the front lines again; they're already tired enough and don't want to rush around anymore, just wanting to live a peaceful life. And they're very satisfied with Jiangyou. If we become sworn brothers, even if we leave, you won't have to worry about your family having no one to take care of them; there will be brothers to look after them. To say something unpleasant, all of us have a feeling that Old Man Yuan is unlikely to come out."

  "Yuan saw that the adult was a man of great loyalty and wisdom, not someone to be underestimated. Yuan San had great respect for the adult's character, and after becoming sworn brothers, he gained an extra layer of protection and also gained a new expectation. It can be said that it was a win-win situation."

  Lu Haoshan thought Yuan San would consider it, but he didn't expect him to agree so readily and treat him sincerely, sharing his concerns and "private thoughts". Upon hearing this, he immediately exclaimed with joy: "That's great! I admire Brother San the most for being a hero. Being able to be sworn brothers with Brother San is like a dream come true."

  The matter of becoming sworn brothers, Lu Haoshan had considered for a long time. Looking back at history, the most solid relationships were either those of sworn brotherhood or marriage. Emotions tied together with money were as fragile as glass, and who knew when someone would offer a higher price and leave their old master or betray them? It was far more reliable to become sworn brothers. Someone like Yuan San, once he became your sworn brother, not only didn't you have to worry about him, but he would also proactively help you resolve difficulties. In chaotic times, it's easy to find soldiers, but hard to find a general. A talent like Yuan San was the best recruitment opportunity right now.

  After passing this village, there is no such store, if one has a daughter, they would want to make him their son-in-law.

  So, the two men made a vow that day, swearing to be brothers, and after some polite refusals, they finally decided to determine their seniority by age. Yuan San took advantage of being older and became the elder brother, while Lu Haishan became the younger brother. It seemed a bit unconventional, as Lu Haishan was a seventh-rank county magistrate, while Yuan San was just a minor private guard, with a difference in status that could be said to be like heaven and earth. At first, Yuan San also took this into consideration, thinking of using their identities as the standard for determining seniority. However, Lu Haishan strongly opposed this, saying that would not be a sincere brotherly bond. In the end, under Lu Haishan's insistence, Yuan San became the elder and Lu Haishan the younger.

  Yuan San was somewhat moved. If Director Yuan hadn't fallen, he could have been called a "big brother" without hesitation. However, he wasn't what he used to be; a phoenix that has fallen is not as good as a chicken. Originally the commander of his private guards, he suddenly became a court convict. Nevertheless, his brothers didn't look down on him and instead treated him sincerely, letting him act like an elder brother. It was clear that they were genuinely trying to make friends with him.

  "Mountain Brother" Yuan San patted Lu Haoshan's shoulder and said, "No need for polite words, from now on your business is my business. Your third brother may not have other skills, but if you see someone who doesn't please you, I'll help you twist off his head."

  Lu Haoshan also sincerely said: "Third brother, rest assured, from now on your family is my family, as long as I have a mouthful of food, I won't let them go hungry."

  The two men exchanged a few more ambiguous words, then sat back down at the table, continuing to drink. After several more cups, Lu Haoshan suddenly asked: "Third Brother, aren't the subordinates in your private guard all old comrades who have been by Commander Yuan's side? I see that you all get along well and show great respect for him."

  "Brother," Yuan San said with a serious face, "those aren't just subordinates, they're also brothers who have been through life and death together. They're the kind of brothers you can entrust your back to without hesitation during a charge, the kind of brothers you can entrust your life to. Who knows how many times we've charged into battle together, fought bloody battles, and gone through life and death to forge the bond we have today."

  Yuan San said with a seemingly deep feeling: "Brother, this kind of emotion is hard to put into words, it can only be understood by going through it together."

  It is said that there are three kinds of friendships that are the most solid and unforgettable: going through thick and thin together, sharing a prostitute, and being sent to the countryside together. Yuan San's kind is the "going through thick and thin" type, and Lu Haoshan can understand this feeling.

  "I think I can relate," Lu Haoshan said with a serious face.

  Yuan San didn't say a word, just smiled and raised his cup for a drink.

  Lu Haoshan smiled and said: "Third brother, can you trust these brothers of yours? Are they tight-lipped?"

  "Don't worry, even if those barbarians use all sorts of torture, they won't be able to get us to utter a single word." Yuan San glanced at Lu Haoshan and said gruffly, "Alright, stop thinking about your own schemes. There's no outsider here, so just speak up. Now that we've become brothers, do we still need to test each other?"

  "Did Third Brother figure it out?"

  "With your personality, you wouldn't kill someone over a small matter." Yuan San pointed at his own eyes and said: "Your third brother is very good at reading people. That station chief was just a greedy little role-player, not the 'foreigner' you mentioned. He was a test for us, one that you set up because you didn't trust us from the beginning."

  Lu Haoshan also didn't deny it, nodding his head and saying: "Third Brother, we haven't been in contact for long, so we don't understand each other very well. It's better to be cautious, please forgive me."

  "Brother, what are you going to do?" Yuan San said in a low voice: "I'm afraid this time your action will make a big noise."

  Killing a posthouse attendant would make a big noise, but this was just a small test. From it, one could guess that Lu Haoshan's ambitions were not small.

  "Third brother, this is a matter of great importance. The timing, location and people involved are all crucial, but for now it's still in the planning stages and I'm not sure if it will go smoothly. Please forgive me for being cautious, but if everything falls into place, you and our brothers will definitely be needed." Lu Haoshan was as prudent as ever.