Chapter 120: Forced to Gulu Mountain

The bed curtain blocked the flickering light of the single candle outside, and Yang Du couldn’t clearly see the woman’s face. But at this moment, he didn’t want to see it either. He was eager to know who she really was, but since she refused to speak, then so be it.

Zeng Qi was already in his fifties and had dozens of concubines. His legitimate wife hadn’t been with him for a long time. At an age brimming with desire and hunger, the emptiness and loneliness were inescapable. After Yang Du’s relentless effort, the general’s wife initially tried to maintain some dignity, but it wasn’t long before her body’s reactions completely betrayed her.

A man in his thirties and a woman in her forties, both lost in their roles, fought with fierce intensity.

Early the next morning, at 6:15, Zhao Erxun arrived at General Zeng Qi’s residence as agreed. He hoped to safely bring back the general’s family. Yang Xiaolin personally opened the door and welcomed him in.

“Lord Zhao, you come so early. Do you not trust me?”

Zhao Erxun said nothing. “Yang Dagui, hand over the general’s family to me, then you go your way. I will handle what comes next.”

Yang Xiaolin smiled. “Of course. What we agreed upon yesterday stands. Though we are bandits, we always keep our word. I’ll release them now.”

Hearing this, Zhao Erxun finally relaxed, exhaling deeply. As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he suddenly saw the door of the east wing open. Yang Du emerged, buttoning his clothes, followed by a woman dressed in sheer silk.

Zhao Erxun was stunned upon seeing the woman’s face. The general’s wife’s expression instantly changed upon seeing him; the flush from last night vanished completely. Zhao Erxun froze, unsure how to act, then habitually bowed, “Your servant pays respects to the madam.”

His tone was somewhat dazed. But when Yang Du heard those words, it was as if thunder had struck. He looked at Zhao Erxun, then sharply turned to the woman behind him, his chest heaving violently. Slowly his gaze shifted to Yang Xiaolin, shooting him a look of deep hatred.

Yang Xiaolin chuckled, lighting a cigarette and watching him. “Ah, Xi Zi, I told you to go to the west wing last night. How did you end up in the east wing? You didn’t bully the general’s wife all night, did you? Did you make her sleep in the bed while you slept on the floor?”

Yang Du trembled all over. “You let me into the east wing!”

Yang Xiaolin shook his head. “Xi Zi, you must have misheard. I said west wing, right, Biao Zi?”

Biao Zi grinned mischievously. “Yes, I heard it too. The boss told you to go to the west wing.”

Yang Du shouted and lunged at Yang Xiaolin. “Yang Dagui, I’ll kill you!”

Biao Zi stood laughing nearby, making no move. Yang Du barely reached Yang Xiaolin when the latter threw him forcefully to the ground, stepping on him. Then he crouched down and whispered in his ear:

“Yang Xi Zi, I told you if you didn’t listen to me, you’d be infamous forever. This time I was just playing with you. Surrender? Our brothers can all surrender, but you can’t. If you become an official, the first person Zeng Qi will want to kill is you!”

Yang Xiaolin inhaled from his cigarette and blew the smoke all over Yang Du’s face. “Behave yourself and come up the mountain with me. Want to be a Song Jiang? First see if I’m Chao Gai!”

After speaking, he released Yang Du, who collapsed onto the ground with a wretched expression of despair. He didn’t get up—not because he was injured, but because he felt rising was utterly meaningless.

Yang Xiaolin approached the still stunned Zhao Erxun. “Lord Zhao, Xi Zi was drunk last night. But if everyone keeps this secret, it should be fine, right?”

Zhao Erxun smiled bitterly. What could he do now?

Yang Xiaolin then spread his arms and loudly shouted across the courtyard, “Listen up! No one is to speak of Xi Zi sleeping with the general’s wife last night! If anyone leaks it, I’ll crush him!”

Yang Du knew he was doomed. He realized that besides sticking with Yang Xiaolin to the bitter end, he had no other choice. If he had slept with one of Zeng Qi’s concubines or daughters, things might not have been so bad. Perhaps if he behaved well, Zeng Qi would have even given him a concubine or daughter. Not impossible.

But he had slept with Zeng Qi’s legitimate wife! No matter how low the status of women in the Qing dynasty, the legitimate wife was untouchable. This was tantamount to tearing a man’s face apart—especially since the woman herself was a person of status.

Leaving Fengtian City with Yang Xiaolin, Yang Du’s face was expressionless. He felt the bandits around him scrutinizing him with strange looks. Even Liang Qichao, who had always been open with him, now seemed ambiguous in attitude.

Yang Du paid no mind. He was no gentleman. Knowing he could never turn back, after a moment of anger, he gave up and didn’t trouble Yang Xiaolin any further.

Yang Xiaolin turned to him. “Xi Zi, can you find a way so the Qing won’t bother me again?”

Yang Du snorted. “You’re clever and ruthless, boss. I’d better keep what I have inside to myself.”

Yang Xiaolin chuckled. “Xi Zi, are you angry? How have I treated you? Since bringing you to Gulu Mountain, I’ve fed and cared for you well. Last night I even found you a woman. Among our brothers, who gets such treatment?”

Yang Du suddenly roared, “Then why don’t you keep her yourself?!”

Yang Xiaolin suddenly turned serious. “Xi Zi, you don’t understand me. I may have no virtues, but I’m loyal! Giving a woman to a brother after trying her out myself—that’s not something I, Yang Dagui, would do.”

Yang Du glared at him, breathing heavily. “Where are you headed next?”

Yang Xiaolin said, “To Liaoyang. If I can take it, I will. If not, I’ll turn back right away.”

Yang Du said, “I advise you not to take Liaoyang. You only have a few thousand men; don’t be too arrogant. That won’t end well for you.”

Yang Xiaolin laughed. “Alright, I’ll listen to you. I’ll just circle around Liaoyang, fire a few shots, then leave. How’s that?”

Yang Du sighed. “And next time you send me a woman, find a younger one.”

The bandits around them couldn’t hold back their laughter anymore and burst out in boisterous guffaws.

General Zeng Qi and Commander Ropatekhin didn’t find it funny. They looked at the thoroughly ransacked government office and then at Zhao Erxun, who stood there terrified. Zeng Qi was furious.

“Lord Zhao! When I marched out, you said with you here, Fengtian City would be absolutely safe!”

Zhao Erxun fell to his knees with a thud, while the reporters around aimed their cameras at the Qing prefect.

The Russians standing nearby said nothing. Zeng Qi stepped forward and kicked Zhao Erxun. “Why didn’t you die defending the city? Then I could have answered to the Empress Dowager!”

Zhao Erxun kowtowed frantically. “General, forgive me. I originally intended to die defending the city, but then I thought—if I died, what would happen to the people of Fengtian? I have endured humiliation and hardship all this time to protect the city’s safety!”

Indeed, Fengtian City was safe. The citizens, though panicked, were unharmed by the bandits. But Zeng Qi cared little for this. The fact that the bandits had entered the city was a severe blow. How he would report this to the Empress Dowager required careful thought.

Due to time constraints, he had not yet returned home, unaware of even more devastating news.

Angered but still retaining some composure, Zeng Qi noticed the gaze of the reporters and suddenly realized that questioning Zhao Erxun so openly would be unbecoming for the empire’s dignity. Even if the Qing’s dignity was nearly lost in front of these foreigners, it was still not good to let them see the empire’s embarrassment.

“Rise. Tell me, where did Yang Dagui go?”

Zhao Erxun shakily stood. “General, you entered the city this afternoon. He left the city at noon, heading toward Liaoyang.”

General Akberil stood abruptly. “Are you sure?”

Zhao Erxun nodded. “I am sure. And when they left Fengtian, everyone was supplied with five days’ rations.”

Hearing this, Zeng Qi was initially stunned but quickly realized the city’s treasury was already empty. Where did the bandits get those rations? He looked at Zhao Erxun’s evasive eyes and suddenly understood. His heart yearned to return home immediately.

General Akberil instantly drew his saber. “Commander, we must set off at once to pursue Yang Dagui!”

Ropatekhin nodded. “Good. You lead the vanguard; General Zeng Qi and I will follow with the main force. We must move swiftly to besiege Yang Dagui outside Liaoyang and annihilate him.”

As he rose to issue the order, unexpectedly, Zeng Qi, who had always followed the Russians without objection, suddenly opposed.

“No! The troops are exhausted. The soldiers can barely move. We must rest here tonight and march at dawn!”

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