Chapter 130: Chemen Mountain (1)

At dusk, Kong Sheng and his three companions had long since left the territory of Chuzhou, which belonged to the Wang family estate, and entered the borderlands between Pengcheng and Sizhou. As for the dozen or so rebel stragglers who had been pursuing them, they had turned back in frustration after chasing for over ten miles without success.

Once inside the borders of Sizhou, the main road became broader, yet travelers remained scarce. The surrounding landscape was still desolate, far removed from its former prosperity as a bustling thoroughfare in the land of fish and rice. In truth, having reached this point, the four men had officially entered the Henan Circuit, as Sizhou was currently under its jurisdiction, encompassing the six counties of Linhuai, Lianshui, Xucheng, Xiapei, Suqian, and Hongxian.

In other words, they were now on the fringes of the territory controlled by the Jiangbei Army under the Prince of Guo. However, the main force of the Jiangbei Army was occupied with defensive deployments on the outskirts of Pengcheng, bracing for a major offensive by An Lushan’s Yan forces, and had no time to spare for the region behind them. This was a key factor in the breeding and proliferation of the Hongze water bandits and the Chemen Mountain outlaws.

Mu Changfeng reined in his horse, waved his hand, and smiled, "Young Master, if we bypass Pengcheng and head north, we will reach Suiyang in at most two hundred miles. If we press on, we can arrive in two days. We have now entered Jiangbei territory, which falls under the influence of Li Ju, the Prince of Guo; the likelihood of encountering the rebel forces of the traitor An is slim. However, there is Chemen Mountain ahead, and a band of outlaws resides there. Should we avoid it?"

Mu Changfeng’s implication was to ask if they should circumvent the mountain. It was the safest and most prudent choice; since Suiyang was close at hand, a detour of a few dozen miles was hardly a burden. But Kong Sheng had already studied the map. Chemen lay directly on the only path to Suiyang, and avoiding it would mean cutting diagonally into the heart of Pengcheng.

While entering Pengcheng would technically be safer under the control of the Tang army, Kong Sheng feared being detained by the Prince of Guo, Li Ju. He was absolutely unwilling and refused to become a lackey for the powerful—a sentiment that had been the crux of his firm refusal of Lady Li Xuan’s recruitment. Serving the imperial court and taking orders under the Prince of Guo might seem similar, but in reality, they were worlds apart.

Kong Sheng pondered for a moment, then softly said, "Brother Mu, we have no wealth on us, and there are only four of us with four horses. We are unlikely to attract the greed of bandits, are we? Besides, this journey has been fraught with twists and turns. Surely our luck cannot be so wretched that we encounter bandits at the very end?"

Since leaving Jiangning, they had weathered a once-in-a-decade snowstorm that blocked the roads, clashed with Li Xuan’s retinue, encountered Nangong Wang’s Hongze water bandits at Huanggang, and dealt with the rebels at the Wang family estate. The journey had been a series of hardships and near-death experiences. To Kong Sheng, after the depths of misfortune, surely the tide would turn. As they neared Suiyang, could they really be plagued by bandits once more?

Mu Changfeng laughed heartily, "That is true. I only wished to avoid unnecessary complications. In truth, mere bandits are nothing to fear. We have already faced water bandits, the Jiangbei Army, and the rebel forces of An Lushan along the way; I doubt a few petty thieves could stir up any trouble."

Wu Xian chuckled, "The Young Master is invincible, and Brother Mu is a master of the sword. Add to that us two brothers, and what is there to fear from bandits? To hell with it, let’s go through Chemen Mountain!"

Wu Xie remained silent. By nature, he was taciturn and followed his brother’s lead, rarely expressing personal opinions. But in his heart, he did not hold the Chemen outlaws in high regard either. Having survived great storms, why fear a small ditch?

Kong Sheng looked around at the group and smiled slightly, "Since you all agree that taking the route through Chemen is feasible, then we shall proceed directly from here. We will rest at the town ahead tonight and cross Chemen Mountain tomorrow!"

The following morning, at Chemen Mountain.

Compared to the majestic, craggy ranges of the north, Chemen Mountain at the border of Sizhou and Pengcheng was at most a low-lying hill. It was neither high nor deep, but because it sat amidst a vast, flat plain, it gave the illusion of being a towering peak reaching into the clouds.

The Grand Canal wound around Chemen, nourishing the land. Bordered by Lake Luoma to the north and Lake Hongze to the south, the mountain was dense with forests. Starting two years prior, it had begun to nurture a group of outlaws.

Originally, there had been only a few dozen people holing up in the woods, but after An Lushan’s rebellion, the Henan Circuit was plunged into chaos. Deserting government soldiers, displaced refugees from Henan and Hedong, and desperate locals all flocked to the mountain to join their ranks. This led to an unprecedented surge in the number of bandits, and the vast mountain stronghold now accommodated four to five hundred people. This was something neither Kong Sheng nor Mu Changfeng had anticipated.

The rising sun dyed the eastern clouds and forests red. In the crisp, cold wind, the simple gate of the Chemen stronghold, located halfway up the mountain, stood open. A horse galloped up the gentle mountain path. A scout dressed in black shouted as he entered the stronghold, dismounted outside the Great Hall, and hurried inside.

The so-called Great Hall was little more than a spacious thatched hut. In the center, behind a low table, sat a woman in her twenties, beautiful and dressed in fiery red. Even the headscarf she wore was made of crimson silk. On her desk lay an exquisite longbow wrapped with gold thread, its string gleaming, and a quiver inlaid with gold and jade, filled with arrows, rested against the bow.

To the woman’s left sat another table, behind which was a man in linen robes, looking like an elegant, delicate scholar in his thirties. His long hair flowed loosely down his back—an unconventional look for the era.

Had Kong Sheng been present, he would surely have recognized this as Nangong Wang, the leader of the Hongze water bandits. Behind Nangong Wang stood the formidable, bearded Tang Genshui, his arms crossed over a precious sword, his expression stern. Tang Genshui was Nangong Wang’s most ferocious warrior. His previous defeat at the hands of Kong Sheng, where he lost his spear, had been due to unexpected and accidental factors; it did not accurately reflect his true combat prowess.

Below them stood two rows of bandit leaders of varying heights and builds. Though their posture was somewhat casual, the atmosphere in the hall was heavy and silent. Not a single person spoke out of turn, suggesting that this group of outlaws was truly distinct from the common rabble.

The black-clad scout cupped his hands, "Meng Zan presents himself to the Red-Clad Chief."

The woman in red remained composed, gesturing to Nangong Wang at her side, "Third Brother Meng, this is my senior martial brother, Nangong Wang, leader of the Hongze Water Stronghold. A few days ago, he led over a hundred brothers of the Hongze volunteer army to join us here at Chemen. Come forward and pay your respects!"

It was evident that these Chemen outlaws were no strangers to Nangong Wang; the two groups were clearly in frequent and close contact. Meng Zan was also familiar with him. He turned and bowed, "Meng Zan pays his respects to Master Nangong!"

Whether they were Hongze water bandits or Chemen outlaws, they addressed Nangong Wang as "Master" rather than "Chief." It was a customary title, but also one of genuine respect. Those in the inner circle of Chemen Mountain knew that their leader’s senior brother was exceptionally talented, well-versed in military strategy, statecraft, metaphysics, music, and the arcane arts. He was unfathomable and a master of calculation, known in the martial world as the "Little Zhuge." To be associated with Zhuge Liang, even in name, was a testament to Nangong Wang’s intellect and wisdom.