Chapter 131: Car Door Mountain (2)

A faint trace of melancholy always lingered on Nangong Wang’s delicate, refined face, even though he was smiling at this moment. "Chief Meng, please, there is no need for such formalities. I have brought my brothers from Hongze to Chemen Mountain to seek refuge with Junior Sister Nie. We are willing to serve under your command, asking only for a place to stay."

The woman in red let out a crisp, bright laugh. She stood up and said, "Senior Brother, why must you be so distant? We are family. Now that the Chemen Mountain stronghold is expanding and our forces are thriving, we could accommodate not just your hundred men, but a hundred more! From now on, you and I will unite here at Chemen, striking down corrupt officials and plundering greedy tyrants to protect the common folk. How carefree and joyous that will be!"

Nangong Wang smiled but said nothing.

Compared to Nie Chuchen’s "long-term plans," his foresight was much deeper. In these chaotic times, being a mountain bandit or a river pirate was merely a temporary expedient. Once the imperial court and An Lushan decided the outcome of their struggle, whoever ultimately secured the throne would never tolerate the existence of illegal armed forces. The Chemen Mountain stronghold would inevitably face annihilation by the imperial army.

Though Chemen Mountain appeared prosperous and well-fortified, confronting the full might of the imperial military would eventually lead to a dead end.

Therefore, Nangong Wang never intended to be a mountain lord for the rest of his life; he still needed to seek another way out. However, he understood his junior sister’s temperament too well to dampen her spirits to her face.

He had originally gathered his followers at Hongze to protect his base in Huanggang, where he lived quite comfortably. Unexpectedly, a large force of rebel cavalry—some five or six hundred strong and fierce—arrived from the direction of Chuzhou. Finding no spoils in Chuzhou city, they were unwilling to retreat empty-handed and detoured to raid the villagers of Huanggang.

Huanggang was the base Nangong Wang had painstakingly built. He had no choice but to lead his men into battle. Despite his profound grasp of strategy and his ability to train his hundred-odd river pirates to move in disciplined unison, he was simply outnumbered. To ensure survival, he had to perform a strategic retreat—a retreat that brought him all the way to Chemen Mountain.

The woman in red was named Nie Chuchen, known in the martial arts world as the "Red Heroine of the Piercing Cloud Arrow" for her exceptional archery. She had a fiery temperament and a deep hatred for evil. The two had been disciples of the same master, the renowned wandering knight Fan Yuncong. Due to his physical constitution, Nangong Wang could not practice martial arts and instead specialized in strategy, tactics, and exotic arts, while Nie Chuchen focused on martial arts and archery, inheriting the true essence of Fan Yuncong’s "Piercing Cloud" style.

As for how they ended up here—one becoming the leader of the Hongze river pirates and the other a mountain lord at Chemen—that remained a mystery.

***

Nie Chuchen was forthright and devoid of feminine reserve. She laughed and looked at Meng Zan. "Old Third Meng, what news did you gather down the mountain?"

"Reporting to the Great Chief, that rebel force is still in a standoff with the people of Wang Family Fort. The fort’s walls are high and sturdy; although the rebels are numerous, I suspect they will find it hard to conquer and will eventually retreat. That day, I personally witnessed a small troop ride out of the fort to fight the rebels to the death. The leader was a youth of only sixteen or seventeen, remarkably brave... However, strangely, after fighting for a while, he suddenly slipped away with his three companions, heading toward Sizhou. They are currently about to pass by our mountain, and it looks like they are bound for Suiyang."

Meng Zan cupped his hands and laughed. "Great Chief, that youth is truly extraordinary. Despite being a mere scholar, he charged through the rebel ranks, and his gleaming silver spear was unstoppable. It was truly breathtaking."

"Great Chief, the white horse that youth rides is definitely a rare, divine steed of immense value. Why not let me lead some men down the mountain to seize it and present it to you?" Meng Zan added.

In this era, a fine horse was merely a decorative accessory for a scholar to show off his elegance, but for a warrior, its importance went without saying. A horse like "Chasing Wind," a king among Turkic steeds, would arouse greed in anyone who saw it. Meng Zan had long set his sights on Kong Sheng’s mount; he returned to the stronghold hoping to persuade Nie Chuchen to take action, all for the sake of that horse.

Before Nie Chuchen could speak, Nangong Wang slapped the table and stood up. "Chief Meng, could this person be Kong Sheng, a traveling scholar from Jiangning? A party of four, with a white-clad swordsman and two burly men of foreign descent accompanying him?"

Meng Zan replied gravely, "Mr. Nangong, I do not know his name, but he does indeed have three attendants, one of whom is dressed in white and carries a long sword at his waist."

Nangong Wang’s eyes narrowed as he sighed softly. "Then it must be Kong Sheng. Junior Sister, this is the Jiangning scholar I told you about, hailed as the greatest talent in the South. He is not only gifted in literature but, more surprisingly, possesses innate, god-like strength. His ferocity in battle is akin to the reincarnation of Prince Wei, Li Xuanba. He is truly a remarkable young hero!"

Nangong Wang turned to Nie Chuchen. "Junior Sister, although this man caused the deaths of several of my brothers at Hongze, in the clash of armies, one’s fate is one’s own; we cannot blame him. I see that he is skilled in both letters and arms and will surely be a man of great consequence in the future. Furthermore, the white-clad swordsman at his side is difficult to deal with. It is better not to invite trouble for the sake of a horse. Let them pass."

Nie Chuchen’s eyes darted about. Her expression suddenly turned cold as she shouted, "Since these men harmed our brothers at Hongze, we cannot let them off lightly! A mere Jiangning scholar dares to be called the reincarnation of Li Xuanba and invincible? Wait until I take men down the mountain to meet him! Senior Brother, rest assured, I will capture him and bring him up the mountain to vent this anger for your brothers!"

***

Nangong Wang watched Nie Chuchen with a faint, inscrutable smile, fanning himself with his folding fan, yet he ultimately remained silent. He neither opposed nor supported her.

He had brought his men to the Chemen Mountain stronghold to seek refuge with Nie Chuchen, but whether it would be a temporary stay or a long-term alliance, he had not yet decided. Despite their bond as fellow disciples, he knew his junior sister’s temper all too well; in her territory, he was, frankly, still living under someone else’s roof.

He could not control what Nie Chuchen chose to do, nor should he try. Nangong Wang knew clearly that Nie Chuchen’s desire to go down the mountain was partly out of greed for the horse, but also due to a certain curiosity about Kong Sheng himself. Perhaps she was truly unconvinced that a mere scholar from the South had managed to best her Senior Brother.

Nie Chuchen stood up abruptly, grabbed the longbow from the table, and shouted, "Meng Zan, prepare the horses! Summon a hundred brothers to follow me down the mountain!"

Meng Zan was overjoyed; he bowed and hurried off to carry out the order.

Nie Chuchen glanced at Nangong Wang, waved her hand, and strode out of the assembly hall. Her silhouette was athletic and graceful, her long, lithe figure clad in red as vivid as fire—she was a natural beauty, a temptress to the bone.

Watching her retreating back, Nangong Wang could not help but let out a soft sigh. He stood up slowly and said to Tang Genshui behind him with a wry smile, "Genshui, let us go and see as well. Chuchen’s temper is as fierce as fire, and she acts with impulsivity. I fear she may get into trouble."

Tang Genshui acknowledged the order with a nod.