Chapter 52

In the biting wind, the two men stood in silence, staring at each other for a long time, both feeling a sense of loss.

If it were up to Wang Lun's inner thoughts, he would naturally want to bring Xu Ning back to the mountain with him.

Xu Ning, the Golden Lance Warrior, was a man of extraordinary martial arts, not a top-tier expert, but certainly above average. Wang Lun felt that this man could be seen as the dividing line between a skilled warrior and a first-rate expert; anyone who could surpass him would surely be considered a top-tier warrior.

Moreover, he was skilled in training troops. With a group of lightly armed infantry trained in a short period and equipped with cheap weapons, he had defeated the heavily armored cavalry led by Huyan Zhuo, a descendant of a founding hero, causing the once mighty general to flee in disarray.

Furthermore, this man had no ambition. His greatest joy was not on the battlefield or in officialdom, but in spending his leisure time with his wife and children. In the original timeline, unlike the former government army officers under Song Jiang who longed for amnesty from the court, Xu Ning's attitude toward amnesty was rather indifferent, always giving the impression of a lack of enthusiasm. Perhaps it was his easy-going nature that made him adaptable to the new life on the mountain, but this trait also became a constraint, making him reluctant to change his current life.

How could Wang Lun not want to invite such a man to the mountain?

However, after much deliberation, he still said what he had just said. Wang Lun knew clearly that if certain things were not clarified now, there would never be another opportunity like tonight. If Xu Ning found out the truth in the future, even with his reserved nature, the resentment in his heart would never disappear. There is a saying in the martial world: "What goes around comes around." If one does not want to suffer the consequences, one should not sow the seeds of trouble.

Since he had been transported to this turbulent era at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, if he relied solely on deceitful and despicable means to win people's hearts, even if he gathered a group of people, how would he be any different from Song Jiang and Wu Yong? Even if he formed a team that seemed to be full of talented and capable individuals, he could not prevent them from forming cliques and becoming disunited. The more people joined the mountain, the more prominent the contradictions would become, and the greater the centrifugal force would be, which would go against his original intentions. How could he resist the elite Western Army that had defeated Fang La, or the Jurchen iron cavalry that had crushed the Western Army?

In the past, Wang Lun had studied swordsmanship for over a decade with an old Taoist in western Hubei. The most valuable thing he learned was not just sword techniques, but the old Taoist's deep sense of chivalry, which he admired greatly. It was this sense of chivalry that helped him secure his position as the leader of Liangshan.

Therefore, he put himself in Xu Ning's shoes. If Xu Ning could not forgive his unintentional mistake, he would not force him to join the mountain. If he pursued short-term gains at the cost of his principles, the martial world might gain another Wang Jiang but lose a Wang Lun.

Wang Lun, oh Wang Lun, don't ruin your chances with a good hand just because of a little temptation. If you don't take a bold step, how can you experience the final joy?

...

Seeing the two men locked in a silent standoff, everyone felt it was difficult to interject.

Xu Ning's eyes turned bloodshot, the redness growing more intense, while Wang Lun's eyes remained calm and clear, unaffected. Lu Zhishen, seeing this, shouted, "Wasn't it right to castrate Gao Qiang? Why are you taking the blame, brother? I don't agree!"

This sudden outburst made Tang Long realize there was more to the story. He quickly said, "Please, Leader Wang, explain!"

Wang Lun nodded and calmly recounted the events of the New Year's Eve rescue of Lin Chong's family, concluding with a sigh, "It was my impatience that led to the castration of Gao Qiang, which made Gao Qiu more cautious. I have wronged you, Teacher Xu!"

Zhang San and Li Si, hearing this, immediately protested, "Sir, it was our decision, not your fault!"

Wang Lun waved them off, stopping their attempts to clarify, and said calmly, "You are my personal guards; your actions are as good as mine." Zhang San and Li Si were speechless, feeling a lump in their throats, but could only bow their heads and wipe away their tears.

Hearing this, the murderous intent in Xu Ning's eyes disappeared. He realized that this man had not deliberately plotted against him. He was still the chivalrous person he remembered, and now he showed great responsibility. At this moment, all the people he had met and the events he had experienced flooded his mind, leaving him with a mix of emotions. He suddenly felt a sense of relief, wondering if he had been hoping for this outcome.

But then Tang Long asked, "Is that all?"

Lu Zhishen sighed, "Although I wasn't there, I trust Brother's character! If Brother says that's what happened, I believe it! If you don't believe him, you can ask Lin Chong's family!"

Tang Long thought for a moment and shook his head, "I don't need to. I trust Brother!" He then looked at his silent brother.

Though the moment was brief, it felt like an eternity to everyone. Finally, after a long silence, Xu Ning looked up and smiled, "Brother, let's go back to the mountain!"

Hearing this, Wang Lun did not show excessive joy but smiled with relief and said, "Brother, it's time to go home!"

"Um... um... um..."

At this moment, the other sack on the ground began to move. Zhang San, standing beside Wang Lun, wiped away his tears and said loudly, "How could we forget this man? Brother, should we kill him to silence him?"

Wang Lun, who had just crossed a moral boundary and felt a sense of accomplishment, suddenly felt both amused and exasperated. He said, "Alright, you do it!"

Zhang San put on a fierce expression and grinned as he approached the sack, but the tears still visible in the corner of his eyes betrayed him, making everyone both laugh and feel touched. Before Zhang San could take two steps, he was hit on the head by Wang Lun, who had returned to his normal self. "Are you playing around? Release him!"

Zhang San immediately fled, and Li Si, wiping away his tears, came to help, still complaining about Zhang San. Zhang San, however, thought to himself, "This sir is really good at playing around. I wonder why he always keeps a serious face..."

In a moment, a tall man was released from the sack. Wang Lun, realizing they couldn't stay here long, said, "Man, you can go now."

But the man did not leave. He sat on the ground and said, "You have offended Grand Marshal Gao Qiu and are carrying a grave crime. Aren't you afraid I'll inform on you?"

Wang Lun found this amusing. He had considered the man's identity but concluded that he was likely an unknown. If he hadn't been rescued, his fate would have been one of two things: either he would be tamed by Shi En and become his enforcer, but given Shi En's later defeat by Jiang Men Shen and his lack of capable subordinates, this man must not have been very skilled. Or, if Shi En had no intention of keeping him, his stubborn nature would likely lead to his death in prison. However, Wang Lun didn't recall Shi En harming any famous heroes.

Where did this man come from?

After some thought, Wang Lun gave up and said, "If you dare to inform on us, don't be surprised if we silence you first."

Everyone laughed at this, and the man also laughed, saying, "Leader Wang, I overheard your conversation with Teacher Xu. I also want to join Liangshan!"

At this, Lu Zhishen asked, "Who are you?"

The man, delighted to be asked by the famous Lu Zhishen, said, "To be asked by the great Lu Zhishen is an honor! I am Jiang Zhipeng from Luzhou, a lone trader who also engages in robbery, but I have never taken a life. I carry two fine steel straight-bladed Tang knives and am skilled with both single and double knives. When I wield my knives, not even water can penetrate, and the speed is astonishing!"

Lu Zhishen laughed and said, "You're not shy, but I like you. Why don't you follow me?" He then turned to Wang Lun, "This kid is my kind of person. Brother, why don't you take him to the mountain and let him follow me?"

Wang Lun smiled and said, "If the master wants to enlighten him, it's his good fortune! I think we shouldn't stay here long. Let's go!"