Chapter Sixteen: The Chivalrous Li Zhao

"Skinny Monkey."

In the village, Li Yun watched as Peng Hai and the others departed, then spoke: "Take two men and keep an eye on them."

Skinny Monkey, whose real name was Li Zheng, was the old chieftain’s paternal nephew—Li Yun’s cousin. Though wiry and lean, he possessed a talent unmatched by anyone else: in the mountain forests, he moved as if treading flat ground, the swiftest runner in the entire Cangshan stronghold.

He would never lose track of Peng Hai’s group.

Skinny Monkey acknowledged the order and asked, "Second Brother, how long should I watch them?"

"See if they…" Li Yun spoke slowly, hands clasped behind his back. "See if they return to Erlong Mountain, or if they meet any suspicious people."

"Once you’ve found out, return to the stronghold immediately. I may be away when you get back, so discuss matters with Eighth and Ninth Brother. If it’s urgent, let Ninth Brother come to notify me."

Skinny Monkey nodded, then asked, "Second Brother, where are you going?"

"I have some business to attend to," Li Yun replied, patting his shoulder with a smile. "I’ll be back in some time."

Skinny Monkey nodded again, "Are you leaving the mountain today?"

"I am," the chief replied, stretching. "Once you’re gone, I’ll be on my way too."

Skinny Monkey thumped his chest, grinning. "Don’t worry, Second Brother, I’ll keep a close eye on them."

He glanced at Li Yun, then reminded him, "You be careful too, Second Brother. There are still warrants for your arrest posted in the towns below…"

Between them, at least, there was the bond of kin. Among all in the stronghold, Skinny Monkey supported Li Yun the most.

Li Yun nodded and smiled, "Relax, nothing will happen to me."

At last, Skinny Monkey nodded, turned, and darted away to trail Peng Hai and his men.

Li Yun then summoned several stewards for a brief meeting in the main hall.

Seated in the tiger-skin armchair, he looked at them with gravity. "Gentlemen, the uproar outside has died down, but danger remains. I must descend the mountain to settle this matter once and for all."

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I can’t say there’s no risk at all, so I must entrust some things to you."

"In my absence, handle the affairs of the stronghold together as you see fit."

This, in essence, was a non-committal statement. Li Yun had not granted any real authority to anyone, ensuring that during his absence, there would be no major upheaval within the stronghold.

"As for work…," he continued, voice lowered, "not one person is to leave the mountain for work before I return. Anyone who disobeys will no longer be considered a brother of this stronghold."

"The storeroom will remain under the management of Eighth and Ninth Brother."

With that, Li Yun rose and made his way outside. "That’s all I have to say. Once I return from this journey, life in the stronghold will improve greatly—not only will you no longer need to live in fear, but there may even be new ventures to pursue."

"If I do not return…"

Here, Li Yun hesitated, frowning, then broke into an easy smile. "Then you’ll have to fight for it. Whoever wins gets to be chieftain."

With those words, he turned and strode away without looking back.

The second-in-command, Yuan Zhengming, watched Li Yun’s departing figure, then glanced at Zhou Liang beside him and murmured, "He’s become a totally different man."

Zhou Liang, the third-in-command, nodded silently.

"The chief is nothing like he used to be."

…

Outside in the yard, Li Yun shrugged on the bundle he had packed the night before. He looked at Xue Yun’er with a calm gaze.

"Let’s go."

She nodded, but then looked around nervously, "Shouldn’t we wait until nightfall to leave? If your men see you taking me down the mountain in broad daylight, it might not look appropriate…"

Li Yun chuckled. "What would be inappropriate about it?"

Xue Yun’er hesitated, her thoughts tangled. "The people in the stronghold—won’t they…"

She trailed off, unsure how to finish. "Never mind, do as you please."

Li Yun seemed to understand. "Don’t worry. I have the final say up here."

"Besides, to them, Miss Xue is already my woman. Wherever we go, it’s none of their concern."

In just over a month, Li Yun’s status in Cangshan Stronghold had soared—not only through his own martial prowess, but also with a bit of political maneuvering. Even if his tactics were crude, they were devastatingly effective here. The older stewards had mostly accepted him, while the younger generation followed his every order.

There wasn’t much luggage to carry, and soon the two departed the courtyard. No one dared block Li Yun’s path, and so they walked openly out the main gate.

Li Yun had descended this path countless times—he could walk it with his eyes closed. But Xue Yun’er, unaccustomed to mountain trails, moved unsteadily, as this was no paved stairway.

At the more treacherous spots, Li Yun had to help her along; in the latter half, when she was too exhausted to continue, he carried her on his back down the mountain.

Though there was no one around to witness this, the intimacy still brought a blush to her cheeks.

Li Yun, however, thought nothing of it. His views differed from those of this era; to him, such actions were perfectly normal.

After about an hour, close to noon, they finally reached the foot of the mountain and the level road.

He set her down and asked, "Miss Xue, do you know which way Qingyang lies?"

Her blush only just faded, and she shook her head in confusion.

Li Yun had no choice but to lead her to the main road and ask a passing traveler about the direction to Qingyang County. Only then did they set out in earnest.

The journey spanned over thirty miles. Li Yun, lacking proper identity papers, couldn’t stay at an official inn. Fortunately, he remembered a certain inn that would take them in, and thus they found lodging.

The next morning, after resuming their journey, Xue Yun’er developed a blister and could walk no further. With no other option, Li Yun hired a cart, and the two rode toward Qingyang.

By late afternoon, as dusk approached, they arrived at the county gates. Li Yun paid a few copper coins, got off, dusted the mud from his trousers, and grumbled, "A vegetable cart—no wonder it’s all mud."

Xue Yun’er didn’t answer. Instead, she gazed up at Qingyang City, tears welling in her eyes.

Li Yun followed her gaze and regarded the modest county town. After a moment, he was struck by a sudden realization. "I’ve been here before…"

Xue Yun’er turned to him, curious, "When were you here?"

He rubbed his temples. "Two months ago," he replied softly.

He looked at her, murmuring, "In early spring, I saw you in the city…"

He left the rest unsaid.

For in his memories, the former Li Yun had indeed visited Qingyang, had seen Xue Yun’er at first sight, and had told his companion—the Bald One—that he simply had to seize her as his bride.

Later, after making inquiries, he found out she was the magistrate’s daughter, about to be married off.

"So it wasn’t a random seizure after all…" Li Yun mused inwardly.

Beside him, Xue Yun’er nudged him, glancing at the constables at the gate. "What should we do now?"

Li Yun returned to himself and looked at the county seat. The walls were not high; he could easily vault them. There probably weren’t many constables inside, and if he wished, he could even lead others in… Ahem, he was getting ahead of himself.

He turned to Xue Yun’er and smiled. "I have no household registration here, so I’ll have to rely on you, Miss Xue."

"You’ll need to… make a bit of a scene."

"Otherwise, I won’t be able to enter, and nothing can be explained."

Xue Yun’er lowered her gaze, clenched her fists, and nodded firmly.

She took several deep breaths, then strode toward the city gate.

When two constables blocked her path, she spoke calmly but clearly, "I am the magistrate’s daughter."

She turned back to look at Li Yun, and raised her voice. "And this is the hero who saved me."

Behind her, Li Yun nodded and replied in a clearly foreign accent, "My name is Li Zhao. Passing through your county, I happened to rescue Miss Xue."

Xue Yun’er snapped her head toward Li Yun in surprise.

His accent was nothing like that of Qingyang or Cangshan.

Thus, the story of a passing hero seemed all the more convincing.

The two constables exchanged a look, then stepped aside.

"Please, both of you, go in."