Chapter 108: Regarding the Future

Can Yang Xiaolin win this counter-encirclement?

No matter what others thought, Yang Xiaolin was now brimming with confidence. His greatest weakness lay in the blank spots within his intelligence network. Although he had long known the enemy intended to encircle him, he did not know when or from where the attack would come.

It was only when the Russians pushed their encirclement right before him that he could react in the final moment. Over eight hundred brothers had died behind him, their lives exchanged for this precious opportunity.

Now the Russians had to redeploy their encirclement, and from this moment on, they had no idea where Yang Xiaolin would escape to. The odds had evened out.

“Mr. Ren, let me support you as we walk.”

Yang Xiaolin saw that Liang Qichao’s steps had become unsteady, as if he might fall at any moment, so he hurried to steady his arm.

Liang Qichao was truly exhausted now, and so was Yang Du, though Yang Du was younger and still able to walk without issue.

Liang Qichao gasped out a few breaths. “Boss, if you really care for me, send me to the Japanese—they will protect me.”

Yang Xiaolin glanced at him. “I brought you both here all the way from Beijing. How could I possibly let you go now?”

Liang Qichao gave a bitter smile. “Xizi is exceptionally talented and destined for greatness. Boss, keep him—he can help you in the future. Aside from my words, I have no other skills. I can’t imagine what use I would be if you kept me.”

Yang Xiaolin smiled. “Mr. Ren, I’ll be frank. Once we win this battle, the region around Changbai Mountain will be under my command. I plan to stop being a bandit and become a rebel. I want to raise the banner of rebellion!”

Liang Qichao asked, “Do you want me to rebel with you, or are you just trying to use my reputation?”

Yang Xiaolin didn’t hesitate. “I want to use your reputation to attract some scholars. They may not wield guns, but they can teach.”

At this moment, Yang Xiaolin pulled out one of the bandits from the line. “Brother, tell Mr. Ren your age.”

The bandit’s youthful face was marred by a weary, worldly expression. “Fifteen.”

Yang Xiaolin patted him and let him continue forward, then turned to Liang Qichao. “Mr. Ren, he’s only fifteen! In Japan and Russia, boys his age are still sitting in school, learning knowledge! That’s why the Russians and Japanese can produce weapons far superior to ours.”

Liang Qichao fell silent. Yang Xiaolin suddenly exhaled deeply. “We’ve already lost! Even if I now take up arms and kill foreigners everywhere, shouting that I’m no worse than them and can beat them in battle, what does it matter? We have already lost! Mr. Ren, I can admit defeat because it’s an undeniable fact that we are inferior to the foreigners right now. To persist in the idea of ‘serving the country’ is self-deception! But the children cannot lose! We lose now, but if the children lose, then China has no future! When the youth are prosperous, the nation is prosperous. When the youth are strong, the nation is strong. When the youth surpass Europe, the nation surpasses Europe! Mr. Ren, I just want to try, to see if the path of the rising red sun is truly bright. When the river surges from its hidden currents, can its momentum break forth like a torrent? So I need you to help me—I won’t let you go.”

Liang Qichao’s expression suddenly grew very emotional. His cheek twitched, and he burst into tears. “After I wrote ‘On Young China,’ it was praised all around. Everyone said it was excellent. But all they did was praise—nothing more! I never imagined that the one to bring it to life would be you, a bandit! Yang Daguai!”

Yang Xiaolin said, “I intend to build a school, not only to teach the classics, mathematics, geography, and history, but also the knowledge the foreigners study—my children must learn it all! Every child will start school at seven and study for eight years! When conditions are right, I will establish a university! So our children can build airplanes and cannons!”

Liang Qichao listened, deeply moved, nodding vaguely. “Good! Good!”

Meanwhile, Yang Du suddenly asked, “Boss, I have two questions. First, can you win this battle? Although you escaped, nearly half your men were lost, and the Russians will surely come after you again.”

Yang Xiaolin smiled at him. “Xizi, don’t worry about that. Once I break out, it won’t be a simple foreign encirclement anymore. They should worry if their homes will be safe! I’m pushing forward to Liaoyang now. I’ll strike at the Russian commander’s headquarters and see how he likes that. Is there a second question?”

Yang Du nodded. “Of course. The second is—Boss, you just mentioned airplanes and cannons. I know what cannons are, but what exactly is an airplane?”

Yang Xiaolin was immediately caught off guard. Should he explain the construction and principle of airplanes? It didn’t feel right—better to say nothing.

At that moment, Biaozi suddenly ran back. “Boss, bad news! There’s a group of troops ahead, but we don’t know where they came from!”

Yang Xiaolin’s heart sank sharply. The bandits were already exhausted. They did not want to fight; they barely had strength left to walk.

“How many?”

“Four or five hundred!”

Yang Xiaolin waved his hand. “Everyone hide!”

They truly could not fight now. All Yang Xiaolin hoped was to remain hidden so the enemy wouldn’t find them. But this hope was slim—over a thousand people trying to conceal themselves in haste was almost impossible. Moreover, since Biaozi had seen them, they could see him too.

Yang Xiaolin moved to the front of the group, staring intently at the approaching troops. Their clothing was mixed and ragged, looking like bandits. Yet Yang Xiaolin did not dare to be careless. Many bandits had been absorbed by the court, and even some who still roamed the green forests might not be friendly. After all, Yang Daguai’s head was very valuable now.

The approaching group had clearly noticed them and stopped not far away. Soon enough, a man came forward and shouted, “Brothers from Gulu Mountain ahead? I’m Tang Dahu—tell your leader to come out and meet me!”

Yang Xiaolin finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although people’s hearts are hard to read, someone like Tang Yulin would never help the Russians and Qing to wipe him out. No need to explain—if he were that kind of man, he wouldn’t have dragged Yang along to help Feng Delin last year.

Yang Xiaolin stood up. “Brother Tang, you scared me!”

Tang Yulin hurried over, grasping Yang Xiaolin’s shoulder and scrutinizing him closely. “Brother, are you okay? I heard the Russians and Manchus rose up, so I brought the brothers to help. I never thought I’d see you here—it’s truly wonderful!”

His sincerity moved Yang Xiaolin deeply. Yang Daguai’s reputation was poor now—even Feng Delin, who once vowed to come to Gulu Mountain’s aid if the Russians attacked, avoided him. Tang Yulin’s arrival was a testament to his loyalty.

Yang Xiaolin grasped Tang Yulin’s shoulder in return. “Brother Tang, thank you!”