Chapter 56

"Man! What do you mean by nonsense? You shout 'robbery,' and we all stay here to play with you! This Xu teacher's wife is pregnant, and now she must be trembling with fear in the carriage! And this Zhang instructor, his wife and daughter are right here, and you woke them up in the middle of the night. Who wouldn't be worried? You, on the other hand, start robbing and then stop robbing as you please. I can't even ask you a few questions without you getting angry?" Wang Lun shouted.

The man, hearing Wang Lun's rebuke, did not get angry but only mumbled, "If I tell you to leave, you should go. Who has ever heard of a victim holding the robber and asking endless questions? There's no such logic!"

Wang Lun, seeing the brute still talking about logic, was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He said, "Man, give us your name, and we'll let you go. The mountain may not turn, but the water will. We might meet again someday!"

"I am a wild man from the mountains. What name do I have? Just go, go!" The man covered his face, thinking, "What's the point of boasting if I can't win? If it gets out, people will laugh at me." He refused to say his name no matter what.

Wang Lun, seeing this, exchanged glances with Xu Ning and Zhang Instructor. All three nodded, intrigued by the brute's extraordinary axe skills and curious about his background.

After a long wait, the man, seeing that the group neither left nor spoke, became impatient. "What are you doing standing in the middle of the road? Aren't you delaying my important business? I still have another robbery to do!" He threw the large axe to the side and sat on the ground, complaining, "Tonight is really unlucky. I've had two fierce battles, and now I'm hungry! Well, if you're not leaving, give me something to eat!"

The three men, being refined, smiled at the corners of their mouths. Wang Lun waved to Zhang San, who reluctantly responded, went to the carriage, and took out a roasted chicken, handing it to the man. "This was supposed to be my midnight snack. Since my brother ordered it, I'll give it to you!"

The man didn't hesitate, tearing into the chicken and stuffing it into his mouth. Zhang San, seeing this, said resentfully, "You're a wanderer, and you've managed to survive this long. Aren't you afraid there might be knockout drugs in the chicken?"

The man, with his mouth full of chicken, mumbled, "What are knockout drugs?"

Zhang San almost fell over at this, opened his mouth to say something, but ultimately gave up on explaining.

The man, seeing that Zhang San didn't explain, didn't mind. He ate the cold roasted chicken like a whirlwind, still licking his lips when he was done. Zhang San asked, "Beggar, is it good?"

The man was suddenly startled, realizing that his behavior of begging for food was just like a beggar. His black face turned red, and he stood up abruptly, as if he had forgotten something, and quickly bent down to pick up his axe.

Zhang San, quick on the draw, quickly moved aside, fearing that the man might be angry and come to chop him. But the man didn't even look at him, just hid in the darkness.

Wang Lun, seeing the man about to leave, quickly said, "Man! I have one more question. Who are you going to give the loot to?"

The man stopped, turned back, and said, "If I answer you, it will be in exchange for the chicken! Alright, I'll tell you. I'm going to join a famous man in the江湖, named Wang Qing. I came to Tokyo to join someone but failed, so I thought I'd go to him. Since I have nothing, I came to rob a cart of gifts to present to him!"

Zhang San, seeing that the man, though fierce, was straightforward and not reckless, was not afraid of him. He said, "You must be crazy! You're giving up a thousand guan for a home and rushing to present a token of loyalty!"

The man's eyes lit up, "Brother, tell me more. Where is such a good deal? I crossed mountains and rivers to come to Tokyo, hoping to find someone who would recognize my worth, so I could have a good life and bring my mother back to the mountains to live happily!"

Zhang San, hearing the man trying to get closer, said proudly, "In the Jizhou region of the East, there's a Liangshan stronghold. The leader, Wang Lun, has a rule: any capable hero who joins will be given a seat and a thousand guan for a home! Haven't you heard of it?"

The man, hearing this, was deflated, "My brother also told me, if I can't serve the country, to go to Huaixi and join Wang Qing. He warned me not to go to a man named Baiyi Xiuzhi, who is narrow-minded and hates capable people, and only works with two men named Du Wan and Song Qian. If you tell me to go to him, you're leading me astray!"

"Spit! Who is the idiot spreading lies about my brother? The mountain is thriving now! Let me count the names for you: the 800,000-strong army instructor Lin Chong, the former official Lu Zhishen, the imperial guard Xu Ning, and the master of killing scoundrels, Guanghui of Pingfeng Ridge, are all part of his group. Who is spreading lies about jealousy and envy?" Zhang San said angrily.

"My brother wouldn't be wrong! He is more knowledgeable and wouldn't deceive me! Besides, I don't know you, and you've already eaten my chicken, leaving me with nothing. Why are you being so kind and giving me directions? This must be suspicious, I won't go, I won't go..." the man said firmly.

Zhang San, hearing this, was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He said urgently, "I am from Liangshan, why would I lie to you! If you want to join, I'll give you the thousand guan now. The man standing there is my brother..." He was interrupted by Wang Lun's timely cough. Zhang San, being quick-witted, quickly changed his words, "My brother... the military advisor!"

The man, hearing this, was surprised, "So you are from Liangshan? How can bandits command the soldiers to clear the way? I grew up in the mountains, but I know that soldiers and bandits are enemies. Don't fool me!"

Wang Lun, hearing this, said, "Man, have you not heard that money can make the devil grind? Besides, the soldiers don't know our identities! I see you as a straightforward person, so I'll tell you. The man beside me is the imperial guard, and the master you fought earlier is also from our mountain! You said Wang Lun is petty, but why don't we feel that way? Since you are filial, take the thousand guan, and if Wang Lun is as petty as you say, you can take the money and go back to your mother. I have some status on the mountain, and I'll guarantee that Wang Lun won't ask for the money back. Xu Instructor, Zhang Instructor, and Zhang San will be witnesses. What do you say?"

Xu Ning and Zhang Instructor exchanged smiles and chimed in, "Man, we've been training all day. I swear by this golden spear that I'll be your witness!"

"That young man, I'm old, and I won't lie to you! If Wang Lun can't tolerate you, I'll send you down the mountain myself!"

Zhang San also said, "If Wang Leader deceives you and you want to leave, and I don't help you, may I be reborn as a chicken and sent to your mouth!"

The man, hearing these assurances, was somewhat moved, "Really a thousand guan? Don't fool me!"

Wang Lun, hearing this, laughed and called Zhang San to get the money. Zhang San took a fifty-liang bar of garlic-shaped gold and gave it to the man. The man, receiving it, was delighted, "Such a large bar of gold, it must be worth a thousand guan!"

Wang Lun laughed, "This is only five hundred guan. We've spent the rest on armor and horses. The remaining five hundred guan will be given to you when we return to the mountain!"

The man looked up, "Advisor, you are a good man, not deceiving me for not knowing gold! If Wang Lun is half as generous as you, I'll stay and bring my mother from the mountains to live happily!"

Wang Lun smiled, "Now can you tell us your name?"

The man laughed foolishly, blushing, "My name is Mi Fei, a hunter from the mountains. I often fight wild animals, and a strange man taught me this axe technique. This is my first time out of the mountains, and I didn't expect to meet the advisor. It's really a coincidence, a coincidence!"

Mi Fei!?

Wang Lun was instantly surprised!

This name left a deep impression on him. When Song Jiang led the government forces against Wang Qing, Mi Fei fought fifty rounds with Suo Chao at Longzhong Mountain. Qin Ming, seeing Suo Chao unable to win, joined the battle, but was stopped by others.

In the ensuing chaos, Mi Fei split Wen Zhongrong in two with one axe. Cui Ye and Tang Bin came to avenge him, but Mi Fei first fought Cui Ye. Seeing Tang Bin about to join, Mi Fei suddenly burst out and beheaded Cui Ye on the seventh round. He then fought Tang Bin, and Zhang Qing and his wife threw stones to help Tang Bin, but both were dodged by Mi Fei. Later, Xu Ning and Dong Ping, seeing this, joined the battle, and Mi Fei, seeing the situation, left the battlefield.

Thinking that Mi Fei was one of the top three warriors under Wang Qing, Wang Lun couldn't believe he had met him in the wilderness. Wasn't this a stroke of luck!?

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