Gao Yiye, Thirty-Two, Bai Yuan, Wang Er, and White Cat gathered around the table and took their seats.
The five of them exchanged glances, each feeling a tinge of nostalgia.
Wang Er spoke up, “Back then, I received much care from all of you. Over these years, moving from place to place, I always worried how everyone was doing. Never imagined that Gaojia Village had grown to such a scale. Truly astonishing.”
Thirty-Two said, “We, on the other hand, often heard tales of Brother Wang’s exploits. We heard that after you left Chengcheng County, you first stord Yijun County, then went north and soundly defeated the patrol officer in Luochuan. After traversing Luochuan, you reached the Yulin region. There, you rged forces with Wang Jiayin, King of Disruption, Zijin Liang (Wang Ziyong), and others. Across Northern Shaanxi and Yansui, you won every battle you ever fought.”
Wang Er shook his head with a bitter smile. “Causing trouble all over the land can hardly be called impressive. When I first rebelled, it was rely to help the villagers vent their anger. Later, filled with lofty ambitions, I wanted to go out and save more common folk. But alas… these years of moving from place to place, I ended up harming many without truly saving anyone. I feel… sigh…”
Everyone fell silent.
A faint smile touched the corner of Li Daoxuan’s lips: So you’ve realized? Hm, recognizing it is good!
Wang Er was a heroic man with ideals, or rather, dreams. But his perspective was limited. Back then, he believed that with sheer passion, roaring out to kill the corrupt officials, smashing the imperial court into pieces, slaughtering the heartless wealthy, and distributing their riches to the poor would sohow save the people…
That’s why Gaojia Village couldn’t hold him back then!
However, after more than two years of these experiences, he had seen things with his own eyes and learned through his struggles.
He shouldn’t be quite so naive anymore!
Li Daoxuan began, “What did you co to realize? Tell us.”
As he spoke these words, they erged through Gao Yiye. She opened her innocent, untouched eyes, looked at Wang Er, and repeated Li Daoxuan’s question verbatim. Yet, filtered through her, the tone completely changed.
Li Daoxuan had used an “inductive,” probing tone. But when Gao Yiye relayed it, it beca a simple tone of “inquiry” because her own experience and perspective remained narrow – the farthest she’d ever been was the county town.
She genuinely wanted to know what Wang Er had witnessed outside.
Wang Er glanced at Gao Yiye’s clear, unsullied eyes and sighed deeply. “Rebelling the way I did… it doesn’t seem to save people, only harm them. Moreover, those forest heroes I joined up with… well, many weren’t so heroic after all…”
“They killed without less rcy than the officials! Their plundering was even more savage than the governnt’s tax collection! When people say the governnt ‘eats you alive’, it’s a taphor… but what they did… is a simple statent of fact…”
Wang Er’s expression beca troubled as he spoke this part.
Li Daoxuan sighed inwardly: So you finally saw?
Wang Er continued, “Lately, I’ve often questioned what I did back then. Until this ti, returning to Gaojia Village, seeing its bustling prosperity and the common folk living and working in peace. That confird it even more deeply… I was wrong. Had the folks in Wangjia Village stayed here instead of heading north with … they’d probably be living very happily now.”
By the end, his voice carried a hint of depression.
White Cat spoke up quickly beside him, “Big brother, don’t say that! Whatever choices you made, we’d follow you. Only by your side do we find our true happiness. That is what everyone firmly believes.”
Wang Er: “But look here… the people from Zhuangjia Village and Zhengjia Village are living in abundance now, so much better off than us. I saw Zhong Gaoliang outside the village earlier. Rember how destitute he looked when he followed Zheng Guangdao and joined our cause? Now he’s dressed neatly and is in high spirits. Not a trace of hardship remains! Have you ever seen anyone living like that under Wang Jiayin, King of Disruption, or Zijin Liang?”
White Cat: “…”
Li Daoxuan spoke: “Turning back now isn’t too late! Wang Er, since you’ve returned, stay. Don’t leave. Gaojia Village is no longer what it was. When you decided to leave back then, many villagers actually wanted you gone because they feared being implicated by you. They were terrified the authorities would launch bandit suppression and drag Gaojia Village into chaos. But now… nobody fears that anymore.”
As soon as Gao Yiye finished conveying these words, Bai Yuan followed with a laugh: “Exactly right! Back then, when the issue of your staying or going ca up, I, too, wanted no part in it. Frightened of getting involved with rebels and muddying my own standing. But that concern has vanished completely. Our Gaojia Village has already taken in quite a few rebels, hehehe… the so-called rebel band in Guyuan, salt smugglers, bandits… chaotic equipnt, all sorts of characters. And we fear none of them.”
Hearing them speak like this, Wang Er was slightly startled: “Huh?”
He swept his gaze over the people seated at the table, his eyes finally settling on Thirty-Two: “Third Lady… your village dares to harbor the rebel band in Guyuan now too? Tell , who’s the rebel here? , or you lot?”
Thirty-Two spread his hands: “That’s what you call ‘Wu Que Liu Yan’ (Five Sparrows and Six Sparrows).”
Wang Er couldn’t help but be confused: “What does that term an?”
Gao Yiye was also puzzled: “Yeah, what does it an?”
Li Daoxuan was equally baffled internally: Hell, my illiteracy strikes again?
Bai Yuan swished as he flicked open his folding fan, revealing the words “Gentleman” painted on the leaf, and cleared his throat: “Thirty-Two, you’re misusing idioms again! ‘Wu Que Liu Yan’ (Five Sparrows and Six Sparrows) cos from ‘Nine Chapters of Mathematical Problems: Equations’. It describes things where the quantity adds up right, or things roughly equivalent in weight. It’s a mathematical term, not appropriate here. Luckily, I place high importance on the art of ‘numbers’ (‘shu’ – mathematics). Otherwise, I might have been fooled!”
Thirty-Two was also bewildered: “That phrase cos from Nine Chapters of Mathematical Problems? Oh dear, I had no idea.”
The group: “…”
Thirty-Two chuckled sheepishly: “Well, irrelevant! Focus on the key point. Brother Wang and us? We’re all rebels. So, doesn’t that make us equivalent… roughly the sa weight?”
The whole table burst into laughter.
Wang Er said, “No wonder you dared to shelter back then. Turns out even then, you already had no respect for the authorities.”
Thirty-Two stated, “Brother Wang, our operations have expanded greatly now. It’s not just Gaojia Village that’s part of our territory; practically all of Chengcheng County is under our control. We’re currently setting our sights on Heyang County – that’s why you encountered Mr. Bai at Qiachuan Port. Moreover, we’re making plans for Huanglong Mountain, intending to establish a base in the mountains. Now that you’re back… the Huanglong Mountain area would be just the place for you to station your n.”
Wang Er’s heart began to pound upon hearing this.
Gaojia Village’s situation seed vastly superior to that of Wang Jiayin, King of Disruption, Zijin Liang, and their cohorts.
White Cat urged, “Big brother, let’s just stay then!”
Wang Er nodded: “Alright. We stay.”
His words brought joy to everyone present.
However, Wang Er swiftly turned serious: “But I can’t just stay directly like this. Doing so would be tantamount to betrayal towards brothers Wang Jiayin, King of Disruption, and Zijin Liang. I must return to see them once. I’ll urge them to co join us as well. If they refuse to co… then I must bid them a proper farewell. I’ll entrust those brothers among my n still willing to follow them… to their care.”
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