Chapter 163: Thunderous Advance

A biting cold wind howled, making the winter night in the mountainous region exceptionally chilly. The burly man rubbed his hands together, lifted the cotton curtain of the thatched cottage, and welcomed his guests with a cupped-hand salute, saying, "Two distinguished guests, please come in. My humble home is crude, so I beg you not to mind."

Though the burly man looked rugged and was coarsely dressed, his speech and manners were far from ordinary. This prompted Kong Sheng and his companion to feel a trace of goodwill while heightening their vigilance all the more.

The thatched cottage was indeed as crude as the burly man had described. It was divided into inner and outer rooms, and apart from a water jar, it was completely bare. Steam drifted from the inner room, clearly indicating a brazier was burning inside, and a faint, flickering light accompanied the muffled cough of an elderly woman.

The burly man hurriedly lifted the curtain to the inner room, stepped inside to inquire after an old woman lying on a bed with warm and solicitous words, and finally emerged after a long while carrying a bundle of dry straw. With nimble movements, he bent down to spread the straw across the floor and apologized, "Honored guests, please sleep on the floor and make do for the night. It is only because I have an elderly mother, bedridden with a cold and suffering from a persistent cough, that I must ask for your understanding."

Kong Sheng smiled faintly, cupped his fists, and said, "We are already endlessly grateful that you are willing to give us shelter for the night and spare us from the mountain chill."

The burly man smiled, returned the cupped-hand salute, and asked, "Have you two partaken of any food? If you do not disdain it, I have some air-dried wild boar meat and baked flatbreads that you can make do with."

Since the burly man was so enthusiastic, meticulous, and considerate, Mu Changfeng did not stand on ceremony and nodded. "We truly haven't had dinner yet. If it's no trouble, we would have to trouble you, brother. This is for our meal; please accept it."

With that, Mu Changfeng drew a handful of copper coins from the money pouch at his chest and offered them forward.

The burly man raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "A bit of food, coarse fare indeed. How could I accept your money? If you don't mind it, eat your fill. As for the copper coins, please put them away."

Seeing how forthright the man was, Mu Changfeng paused in slight hesitation. Realizing that further insistence might cause the man displeasure, he simply put the copper coins away.

The burly man immediately walked into the inner room and carried out a small, crude table made of wooden planks bound together side by side. Right after, he brought out four rock-hard flatbreads from within, along with a platter of long, dark strips of meat that had clearly been air-dried by the wind, leaving it impossible to tell whether they were raw or cooked.

The burly man then pulled a sharp dagger from his waist, casually wiped it against the animal skin tied around his hips, and handed it to Kong Sheng. "Mountain folk eat simple food; please bear with it."

Kong Sheng took the dagger and expressed his thanks, saying, "This is already wonderful. Thank you very much."

Needs must in times of urgency, and one had to make do with whatever was available. Besides, Kong Sheng never had those fastidious airs or excessive demands. Being able to lodge in a mountain villager's home in this impoverished valley and have flatbread and dried meat to eat was already a rare and precious stroke of luck.

Kong Sheng grabbed a strip of the dark dried meat and tested it; it was rather hard. Carefully, he used the dagger to slice off a piece, popped it into his mouth, and began to chew. The moment it entered his mouth, a raw, gamey stench rushed straight down his throat. Kong Sheng smiled bitterly to himself, instantly realizing this was simply air-dried raw meat that had never been cooked or prepared.

Yet, Kong Sheng immediately swallowed it in large gulps without showing any outward expression of abnormality. The burly man, who had been closely observing the subtle changes in his expression, smiled gently, sat cross-legged right there on the pile of straw, and asked with apparent casualness, "Are the two guests coming from Pengcheng? Judging by your direction, you must be heading toward Suiyang?"

Kong Sheng bit into a piece of the even harder flatbread, washed down with the astringent, sour raw dried meat, and handed the dagger in his hand to Mu Changfeng, who skillfully sliced off a piece of meat in the same manner and popped it into his mouth.

"Indeed, we come from Pengcheng and are heading to Suiyang."

The burly man let out an "oh" and asked, "Since you two are going from Pengcheng to Suiyang, why did you not take the main imperial highway, instead climbing mountains and ridges to walk these narrow mountain paths?"

"We have some urgent business and need to hurry," Mu Changfeng replied while chewing on the somewhat unpalatable raw dried meat.

"I hear that Suiyang is in turmoil right now; government troops and rebel forces are fighting each other. For the two of you to rush to Suiyang at a time like this is perhaps somewhat unwise. Furthermore, judging by your accents, you do not sound like people from Pengcheng," the burly man said after a brief silence.

Meanwhile, Kong Sheng cast a subtle sideways glance at the burly man, thinking to himself that this mountain dweller not only possessed considerable knowledge and articulate speech, but was also remarkably well-informed about the situation beyond the mountains. Suiyang was nearly a hundred miles away, yet he was aware that a battle was raging there. If anyone believed this burly man was just an ordinary mountain villager, they would have to be a fool.

However, the man's gaze was clear, his demeanor composed, and his bearing forthright; he did not seem like a deceitful person. As for whether he was a genuine mountain villager or not, it had no bearing on Kong Sheng and his companion. They were mere passing travelers seeking lodging for the night, and the man could hardly harbor any malicious intentions toward them.

"We come from Jiangnan... and are going to Suiyang to visit a friend. We were unaware that the flames of war had broken out there," Kong Sheng said with a solemn gaze. "May I ask you, brother, is it the rebel army of An Lushan from Fanyang that is currently besieging the Suiyang region?"

The burly man nodded, then suddenly smiled with a knowing, mocking glint in his eye. "The rebel troops of that scoundrel are running amok everywhere, and the greater part of Henan has fallen into their hands. The two of you are going to Suiyang to visit a friend? To be frank with you, I myself come from Suiyang, and I am living in seclusion in the mountains here with my aging mother to escape the ravages of war. Perhaps I even know this friend of yours."

Kong Sheng let out a slight "ah." He had merely spoken casually to brush the matter off, never expecting the burly man to trap him in his own words. If he failed to provide an answer, his earlier claim would be exposed as a lie. After a brief moment of reflection, a familiar name associated with Suiyang slipped right off his tongue: "My friend's surname is Lei, given name Wanchun. He serves as a company commander under the command of Zhang Xun, the magistrate of Zhenyuan County. I heard he is currently in Suiyang, and the two of us are heading there to join him."

The moment Kong Sheng uttered these words, the burly man abruptly raised his thick eyebrows, let out a cold laugh, and suddenly stood up, saying in a deep voice, "My surname is Lei, and I am the descendant of the very person you just mentioned! I have never once heard of him having two such friends from Jiangnan like you!"

The burly man's expression instantly turned hostile and fierce, his piercing gaze radiating an intimidating aura. "Who on earth are you two? You come to Lei's home seeking lodging—what is your true intention?"

Kong Sheng cursed his own bad luck and felt rather awkward, realizing that his casual fabrication had accidentally struck the direct bloodline of the real person. How could he possibly have imagined that randomly seeking lodging in these mountains would lead him straight to the descendants of Lei Wanchun, a historical figure of Suiyang?

Of course Kong Sheng did not actually know Lei Wanchun, but he did know that Lei Wanchun was one of the two most famous formidable generals under Zhang Xun's command, the other being the legendary Nan Jiyun—the celebrated hero Nan Ba, immortalized in numerous martial arts novels.

Kong Sheng was thoroughly familiar with the life stories and backgrounds of Lei Wanchun and Nan Jiyun, able to recite the relevant historical records down to the very last character. As the saying went: *"Lei Wanchun, the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery, followed the Mirror-Grinding Elder at Mount Chisong in the Forty-Eight Strongholds to study martial arts and military strategy for sixteen years before joining the army. Aspiring to serve his country, he had not yet found his opportune moment. He became acquainted with Nan Jiyun, and the two swore a blood oath of brotherhood. Upon the recommendation of his sworn elder brother Lei Haiqing, he joined the command of Zhang Xun, the magistrate of Zhenyuan County. During the An Lushan Rebellion, he followed Zhang Xun to defend Yongqiu, resisting the forces of An Lushan. Struck by six arrows atop the city wall, he stood firm without flinching. Later, he followed Zhang Xun to defend Suiyang, holding out with unyielding steadfastness. After the city fell, he was put to death alongside Zhang Xun."*

Therefore, when the burly man asked whom he knew in Suiyang, the name Lei Wanchun had immediately surfaced in his mind.

Kong Sheng knew he had already aroused the burly man's suspicion. If he failed to explain himself clearly, it would likely spark a needless conflict, or worse, get them driven out of the house to spend the night exposed to the elements in the mountain wilderness.

A descendant of Lei Wanchun? Why would he be living in seclusion in these mountain woods? Thoughts flashed through Kong Sheng's mind like lightning as he rapidly sorted out his thoughts. Maintaining his composure, he cupped his fists and smiled, "May I ask your esteemed name, brother?"

The burly man snorted coldly. "My surname is naturally Lei, and my given name is Leitingjin. And what might your names be? Do not bother trying to deceive me; nobody by the name of Lei in Suiyang has friends like you two!"

"I am Kong Sheng from Jiangnan, and this is my friend, known in the martial arts world as the White-Clothed Swordsman Mu Changfeng," Kong Sheng said, a look of profound astonishment washing over his previously calm face as he spoke in a resonant voice. "So you are none other than the third young master of General Lei's household! We two have been disrespectful!"

Lei Wanchun was a native of Zhuozhou in the Tang dynasty and had three sons: the eldest was Leitingfa, the second was Leitingjun, and the third was Leitingjin. Kong Sheng never imagined that the burly man before him was actually Lei Wanchun's youngest son; this coincidence was sheer perfection.

Lei Wanchun's son Leitingjin was stunned. He looked up at Kong Sheng, took a deep breath, and his voice softened. "Kong Sheng from Jiangnan? My late father had no dealings with the Kong family of Jiangnan... Just who on earth are you?"

Leitingjin could be said to be thoroughly astonished. At the time, Lei Wanchun was hardly a prominent figure—merely a low-ranking, grassroots officer under Zhang Xun's command—and as Lei Wanchun's youngest son who rarely showed his face in public, he was completely unknown to the world. Yet Kong Sheng knew his name. Could it be that he truly had an old connection with his late father, Lei Wanchun?

Yet how could his father have such a young old acquaintance from Jiangnan? Seeing Kong Sheng's scholarly attire, Leitingjin felt the whole situation growing increasingly bizarre and suspicious.

Kong Sheng let out a long breath. He gazed deeply into the burly man Leitingjin's eyes. Having judged people across his past and present lives, he could read facial expressions and body language well enough to know that Leitingjin was not lying, nor was there any reason for him to lie. After all, since Lei Wanchun was currently a nobody, this man had no motive to impersonate Lei Wanchun's son.

Suddenly, Kong Sheng felt this must be a destined bond decreed by fate. Lei Wanchun was a historical figure he deeply respected from his past studies of that era—unwaveringly loyal, righteous, and fiercely brave, a rarity in this world. Since this man was Lei Wanchun's son, there was simply no need for further concealment.

With that thought in mind, Kong Sheng smiled, stood up, and said, "I have been appointed by imperial decree as the magistrate of Songcheng County in Suiyang, and I am passing through this place on my way to assume my post. To have the unexpected fortune of meeting the third young master of General Lei's household is a supreme honor indeed. Brother Mu, please show my appointment edict and official credentials to Brother Lei."

Mu Changfeng smiled, drew Kong Sheng's imperial documents and official credentials from his pack, and handed them to Leitingjin. Leitingjin took them and cast his gaze over them. Although he was a martial artist, he was also somewhat literate and recognized them as authentic imperial credentials for appointing an official, complete with the grand seal of the Ministry of Personnel and the personal seal of the Emperor himself. They could not possibly be forged.

Leitingjin handed the documents back to Mu Changfeng, then straightened his expression, bowed deeply, and said, "So it is Magistrate Kong! I was rash and clumsy, and I beg your forgiveness for any offense given!"