Chapter 20: Stormy Day, the Gang Leader Appears

Chapter 20: Stormy Day, the Gang Leader Appears

That afternoon, Ning Xishi had intended to take his leave of Xie Jingxing. They had already reached the Jiangnan region, less than a hundred li from Shaozhou, and continuing to follow the army would only take him further away from his destination.

But the heavens had other plans—thunder rumbled overhead by midday, and soon rain came pouring down in bean-sized droplets.

The rain in Jiangnan was different from that of the northern lands. In the north, rain usually brought coolness, but here the weather remained unbearably hot and humid. The rain only made the air feel more stifling, like being trapped in a steamer basket.

"Young Master, with this rain everything around us is a blur of white—can't see a thing. Perhaps we should hold off on traveling today," Dongshuang suggested.

Ning Xishi had been thinking the same thing.

The rain was coming down hard, and they were in the mountainous terrain of Jiangnan. Traveling on their own would be too dangerous.

In the past, with the Beggar Gang brothers to back him up, Ning Xishi wouldn't have been afraid. But now, to keep a low profile, he'd told them all to stay away. If Xie Jingxing caught them, wouldn't that be like walking right into his hands?

Watching the rain grow heavier, Ning Xishi said, "Alright, we'll take our leave tomorrow morning instead. By the way, how much mosquito repellent did we bring along?"

"All of it. I used to make batches with the folks in the courtyard whenever I had spare time—we'd built up a large stash, and I brought it all this time."

Ning Xishi glanced at the soldiers resting nearby and said to Dongshuang, "Go see Strategist Qiu. Tell him we won't be needing these medicines. They're heading to Chuzhou and still have mountain roads to cross—lots of leeches in those waters. Extra medicine will come in handy."

Dongshuang hesitated, glancing up at his young master. But realizing he truly wouldn't need much himself, he gave a reluctant nod.

As Dongshuang walked toward the carriage holding their luggage, he thought to himself—when they'd set off, the young master had insisted on bringing all these medicines. He must have meant them as a gift for General Xie all along.

Over there, Qiu Changyu and Xie Jingxing shared a carriage. Qiu Changyu was laying out his ideas and strategies for suppressing the bandits.

The rain created a natural barrier against eavesdropping—they'd been talking for nearly an hour already.

Hearing that Young Master Ning had sent his study boy to see him, Qiu Changyu was confused. He shot a glance at the general, then said, "Let him in."

Dongshuang came in and passed along Ning Xishi's message word for word.

He added, "My young master said the general's men are mostly hardened northerners, not used to the southern climate and likely to get sick. With these medicines, the mountain roads ahead should be easier to handle."

Qiu Changyu was taken aback. He hadn't expected this good-for-nothing to be so thoughtful. He had someone go collect the medicines from Dongshuang.

Once the medicines arrived, Qiu Changyu personally thanked Dongshuang. But the second Dongshuang walked away, his expression changed—he had the physician thoroughly check what these medicines actually did.

The physician was the Master Healer who treated Xie Jingxing's leg, a man with deep medical knowledge.

He hadn't wanted to travel this far, but his worry over Xie Jingxing's leg had finally convinced him to come along.

And now, he could conveniently check whether Dongshuang's medicines were safe.

The Master Healer pinched some of the powder between his calloused fingertips, rubbing it apart. "Whoever ground this was careful—not too heavy-handed, not too light, the grain size just right. They must do this kind of work a lot."

If he were a few decades younger, he might have taken on a few more diligent apprentice apothecaries.

He then held it to his nose, closed his eyes, and took a deep whiff. "Marvelous. This formula is excellent—the ingredients are perfectly balanced. It keeps leeches away, perks you up, and protects against miasma. Excellent, excellent."

Qiu Changyu's smug smile froze on his face—could Young Master Ning really be that kind-hearted, just trying to help them?

Xie Jingxing said casually, "What would Ning Xishi get out of deceiving you?"

It was a rhetorical question, basically saying Qiu Changyu was being paranoid.

Qiu Changyu felt there was an odd familiarity in the way Xie Jingxing talked about Ning Xishi—something strange he couldn't quite put his finger on.

But his mind was still on the powder, and he missed the subtle note of protectiveness in his general's tone.

Qiu Changyu asked the Master Healer to double-check that nothing else had been added.

The Master Healer was offended: "Are you questioning my skills?"

Qiu Changyu certainly wouldn't dare admit it. He could only apologize over and over, but it still angered the Master Healer, who snorted coldly, stroked his white beard, and stormed out in a huff.

Qiu Changyu had no choice but to drop the matter.

He'd been reluctant to use the powder at first. But when one of the men got bitten by a leech, blood running down his leg, and it drew hungry wolves from the woods, he finally had the powder handed out to everyone.

Xie Jingxing had no objections—after all, a strategist was a commander's mirror. If a strategist had no doubts or independent thoughts, battles were rarely won.

That evening, when the rain finally eased up a bit, Ning Xishi finally got to see Xie Jingxing after his long meeting, and took his leave in the tent.

"Shaozhou is less than a hundred li from here. Dongshuang and I plan to cross the next mountain and then head east to my grandfather's place." Ning Xishi sighed as he spoke, putting on an air of reluctant attachment.

After spending these past dozen or so days with him, Xie Jingxing had learned that Young Master Ning talked to everyone in that same tone.

If you took it to heart, well... ha.

Knowing full well this ungrateful little brat was nothing but a flirt who broke hearts wherever he went, Xie Jingxing's heart still softened against his will.

"General, I've written my grandfather's address here. Once you're done with the bandits, send someone to find me here."

With that, he handed Xie Jingxing a small piece of paper.

Xie Jingxing took it—it was still warm from being clutched in Ning Xishi's hand.

He was about to say something when the white-haired, white-bearded Master Healer came over with a bowl of medicine.

Ning Xishi had long noticed Xie Jingxing took four doses of medicine a day, but he'd never asked what for.

Probably his bad leg or some internal injury.

They weren't close enough for him to ask about that anyway.

Ning Xishi smiled and excused himself, heading over to Dongshuang.

Xie Jingxing watched him walk away—no hesitation at all, yet so dashing and carefree—and for the first time, he felt a sense of helplessness.

·

The next morning, Ning Xishi and Dongshuang drove off in their carriage loaded with luggage. Xie Jingxing still insisted on having two soldiers escort them.

Ning Xishi turned it down repeatedly but ultimately couldn't refuse the general, so he gave in.

By now, Ning Xishi was getting anxious—his senior brother had been silent for five days. Whether he couldn't get word out or had been caught by the Ming family, it wasn't good news either way.

He'd originally planned to change clothes and head straight to the Beggar Gang headquarters once they split from the main force.

But with two escorts watching him, he couldn't slip off just yet.

Luckily, Wang Liniang's shop wasn't far from here. They got there half a day later, and Ning Xishi used the rain as an excuse to stay the night before heading on to Shaozhou.

"You two, no need to escort us any further. We're already off the mountain paths, and Sister Liniang often travels this route to Shaozhou. What could happen to two men like me and Dongshuang?" Ning Xishi said.

Wang Liniang understood Ning Xishi's intention and chimed in, "Sirs, it's very close from here to Shaozhou. Even a woman like me travels this road often; it's all main roads, not a single bandit in sight. Besides, you must have urgent military matters to attend to, so don't delay. Please take these dried rations..."

Wang Liniang had gotten good at persuading people over her years in business.

Her voice was soft, but her tone was firm, and before they knew it, the soldiers were agreeing.

The two soldiers ended up not eating lunch and rode back quickly to report.

Meanwhile, Ning Xishi changed clothes and, escorted by nearby Beggar Sect disciples, headed to the Shaozhou headquarters. Dongshuang and a stand-in disguised as Ning Xishi continued driving the carriage towards his maternal grandfather's home.

At the same time, Xie Jingxing, who was discussing plans with Qiu Changyu, heard the two soldiers' reports.

"Young Master Ning said he was too tired and wanted to rest for a night in the town, so he told us to come back first," one soldier said.

Another soldier interjected, "Not a town, it was a shop."

Qiu Changyu asked, "What shop? What town?"

"Oh right, the shopkeeper there is named Wang Liniang. Apparently, she's done business with Young Master Ning before. Young Master Ning plans to rest for a night before returning to Shaozhou."

Before the soldier could finish speaking, they saw their general's face turn black as coal.

Qiu Changyu waved a hand to dismiss the two soldiers.

After they left, he looked at Xie Jingxing with a mournful look, squeezed his hand, and hung his head. "General, my condolences."

So what if he was being cuckolded?

After all, the general didn't really like men, so he definitely didn't care where that Second Young Master Ning went to fool around.

Qiu Changyu muttered to himself, "I knew it—why was he so generous before leaving, giving so much medicine? It must be because he felt guilty."

"Guilty about what?"

Startled by the icy question, Qiu Changyu trembled and quickly said, "General, I'm different from Young Master Ning. I'm totally loyal to you."

Xie Jingxing told him to scram.

Just then, the Holy Hand came in with another bowl of medicine. Seeing Xie Jingxing's face, he said, "The general won't rest, insists on going south to fight bandits, and now he's constantly moody and quick to anger. I guess you don't want those legs anymore."

With that, the Holy Hand set down the medicine bowl and took away the little bird Ning Xishi had left behind.

"This bird's wing is almost healed. I'll take it back and look after it."

As the curtain fell, Ning Xishi heard the Holy Hand's voice: "A grown man like you, can't even match a little bird."

Actually, Ning Xishi had originally wanted to take the bird with him, but birds belong in the sky. What he was about to do was too complex and dangerous; the bird was safer left in the carriage.

Once it recovered, it could be set free back into the wild.

That night, Ning Xishi, wearing a mask with intricate patterns, appeared at the Beggar Sect headquarters.

Also present were two protectors and four elders, who had clearly already heard about the Ming family's situation and were all outraged.

"Chief, let's just go straight for the jugular and destroy that old Ming's lair, see if he dares to cause trouble again," said the hotheaded Left Protector.

The Right Protector, a calm and seasoned woman with her hair neatly combed, replied, "And then make that old man spread the young chief's identity, dragging our young chief down with him?"

"Then what do you suggest we do?" one of the elders asked.

"Go negotiate with him, see what demands he has and what kind of bargaining chips he wants," said the Right Protector.

"Everyone knows that old Ming can turn black into white. Negotiating with him is just asking to be led around by the nose."

"Exactly, his reputation has been growing these years, as if he's always in the right."

The Right Protector, who usually couldn't stand these old men who only begged and fought, said, "Since old Ming wants our young chief to become the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, he's counting on the young chief being the general's in-law now, hoping General Xie will show mercy and use this to expand the martial arts sects. Since we know what he wants, we can use that as a bargaining chip—no need to worry about him not coming to the table."

Among all these uncles and aunties, Ning Xishi, as the chief, timidly raised his hand.

The Right Protector looked at him with a fond look and said, "Young chief, do you have any token or keepsake from the general?"

Ning Xishi quickly shook his head but said firmly, "Auntie Ye, can you not call me 'young'... chief?"

==========Author's Note:==========

He's not a little kid anymore!

Second update.