Chapter 348: The Spirit of Chivalry Must Not Die
Wang Er's declaration sent a ripple of surprise through the gathered crowd.
Bai Mao protested, "Brother, this is far too dangerous! Have you forgotten about Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu? If we're going to leave, we should just slip away. Going back to tell them would be a mistake."
Wang Er retorted, "Just because others act without honor, must I follow suit? The betrayal by Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu was painful, yes, but the principles of upright conduct and the spirit of chivalry are still ones I must uphold. If I were to abandon Wang Jiayin and the others without a word, that would be a betrayal of camaraderie, making me no better than Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu — merely fifty paces from a hundred."
The others simply stared.
"Are you crazy?"
Several people nearly blurted the words out.
Yet, Li Daoxuan offered no critique; instead, he felt a profound sense of admiration.
There's nothing inherently wrong with chivalry!
Perhaps the fault lies with those who believe chivalry is wrong?
He couldn't quite recall.
All he knew was that everyone had grown increasingly selfish, prioritizing their own interests, forgetting many fundamental principles of human conduct. They had forgotten the spirit of facing a thousand men alone, forgotten that some things, even at the cost of one's life, were worth pursuing. Li Daoxuan then spoke, "Let him go, but he must be careful, so that what happened with Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu's ambush doesn't repeat itself."
Once Gao Yiye relayed his words, San Shier and Bai Yuan had nothing more to say. They both nodded in unison. "Very well, Hero Wang, you may go!"
Wang Er clasped his fists in salute. "Many thanks for your support, brothers."
Then, his expression grew serious. "Wang Jiayin's current objective," he declared, "is to establish a base in the Huanglong Mountain region. However, when passing through Yichuan County, he clashed with Hong Chengchou. His fifty-thousand-strong army was inexplicably unable to defeat Hong Chengchou's militia of fewer than two thousand. After that humbling lesson, he no longer dares to enter Huanglong Mountain via Yichuan County. He will inevitably have to land at Qichuan Ferry and proceed through Heyang County and Chengcheng County to reach Huanglong Mountain..."
Bai Yuan interjected, "So, regardless of whether you separate from Wang Jiayin's forces, he's inevitably going to attack Qichuan Ferry and move into Heyang County and Chengcheng County?"
Wang Er nodded. "Exactly! I'm informing you all of this in advance. If I can persuade Wang Jiayin to join Gao Family Village, that would, of course, be ideal. But if I go and don't return, you all need to be prepared for battle to confront Wang Jiayin's invading army of fifty thousand. Do not take them lightly."
Bai Yuan nodded. "Then, Hero Wang, we wish you a safe return."
Wang Er clasped his fists, then left Gao Family Village. He swiftly traversed Heyang County, arriving at Qichuan Ferry. The boat fleet was still waiting for him there. He left his most loyal followers, the villagers of Wangjia Village, on the bank, then boarded the fleet, intending to return north to meet Wang Jiayin.
Bai Mao also leaped onto the boat.
Wang Er turned his head and sharply commanded, "Bai Mao, you and the people from Wangjia Village, stay behind! I'll go back alone."
Bai Mao protested, "How can I? I must go with you, Brother!"
Wang Er said, "With you dragging me down, I wouldn't be able to escape even if I wanted to."
Bai Mao paused, then understood. He clasped his fists, no longer insisting on following. He returned to the bank, taking the fewer than a hundred older villagers from Wangjia Village, and remained at the ferry.
Wang Er, with a group of his more recent followers, headed upstream against the current.
With Wang Er wielding the oars, the small boat pushed through the waves, drifting and swaying. They passed Han City, then Yichuan, continuing northward until they reached Qingshuiwan in Yanchuan. A dilapidated fishing village appeared on the shore, where numerous vagrant rebels could be seen, sitting or lying, looking utterly dispirited.
They had found Wang Jiayin....
Wang Er disembarked from the boat and walked into the small fishing village.
The village presented a scene of utter desolation and decay.
For years, every place Wang Er had passed through had been ravaged and desolate, leading him to believe the entire world had fallen into such a state. But his recent visit to Gao Family Village revealed that there were still places in Shaanxi where common people could live in peace and prosperity.
This world wasn't entirely gray and ruined!
There was still hope for this land!
Constant wandering and pillaging could not create a good life, certainly not a life as blessed as that in Gao Family Village.
He couldn't remain a vagrant rebel; that path would lead to no salvation for anyone.
With resolute steps, Wang Er walked, one foot after another, into Wang Jiayin's tent.
The tent was quite crowded!
Besides Wang Jiayin, several other leaders were present. Wang Jiayin's wife's younger brother, Zhang Liwei; his fellow townsman, Wang Guozhong; Zijing Liang; Chuǎng Wang; and others were all inside the tent, apparently discussing some important matter.
Wang Er casually glanced around, noting two new faces in the tent.
Both looked fierce, radiating a murderous aura, clearly not men to be trifled with.
Upon seeing Wang Er, the two men, surprisingly, did not act rashly. They simultaneously bowed, and one said, "I am the South Camp Eight Great King. Greetings, Elder Brother Wang Er."
The other said, "I am the West Camp Eight Great King. I've long admired the renowned Wang Er of Baishui. Meeting you today, your extraordinary bearing is truly apparent."
Wang Er noticed something. The South Camp Eight Great King referred to himself simply as "I," while the West Camp Eight Great King used the more deferential "this humble one." This subtle difference in address immediately revealed a distinction: the South Camp Eight Great King appeared to be a simple, rough bandit, whereas the West Camp Eight Great King seemed to possess some rudimentary education.
Wang Jiayin chuckled as he introduced them, "Brother Wang, you've returned at a perfect time. These two Great Kings have just started their uprisings and have come to join our ranks as valiant heroes."
Wang Er returned their salute with clasped fists.
His gaze first swept over the South Camp Eight Great King, who, upon meeting his eyes, immediately lowered his head and looked away, not daring to meet his stare.
Wang Er's gaze then fell upon the West Camp Eight Great King. This man, however, showed not a hint of shyness. He returned the stare with a smile, his eyes meeting Wang Er's without flinching.
Wang Er thought to himself, *This fellow is quite a character.*
The West Camp Eight Great King was also thinking: *The renowned Wang Er of Baishui is truly a formidable hero. If I could enlist him, he would undoubtedly be a first-rate vanguard general, fearless in battle. Moreover, this man adheres strictly to the rules of the jianghu; there would be no need to worry about his betrayal.*
Wang Jiayin then asked, "Brother Wang Er, what was the yield of your journey southward along the Yellow River?"
Wang Er replied, "I was just about to discuss that with you, Brother."
He had always been straightforward and honorable, and rather than speaking to Wang Jiayin in private, he addressed him directly in front of everyone in the tent. "In Chengcheng County, where I first rose up," Wang Er began, "there's a group of valiant heroes, appearing to be former Guyuan rebels. They've already occupied several villages, most of the county town, and even a portion of Huanglong Mountain. I observed that they manage the area exceptionally well, and the common folk who follow them live very happily..."
He deliberately withheld the name "Gao Family Village," speaking only in vague terms.
This was a lesson Zheng Yanfu and Zhong Guangdao had inadvertently taught him!
"One should not harbor malicious intent, but one must never be without caution." He couldn't casually reveal the name of Gao Family Village, lest he bring trouble upon them. Referring to them as former Guyuan rebels, however, was harmless.
Wang Er recounted some of his travel observations, detailing how well the former Guyuan rebels were developing, how happy the common folk were, and so on. Finally, he said, "Brother Wang, why don't we all join them? It would be far better than endlessly burning, killing, and plundering, constantly roaming about as we are now."
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