Volume 2 Chapter 40: Loyalty and Gallbladder
Yuan Xingjian said: "I'm afraid that Brother Xie will have to step forward at this time. It would be best if Brother Xie could inspect the Taihu Lake area at that time."
Lin Jianlan nodded and said, "In addition, Brother Yuan still needs to send a few trusted people to spread the news of rescuing the people in the army intentionally or unintentionally, and then drop some notices of rescuing the people everywhere. In this way, in half a month, you two will be able to see the results. More than 70% to 80% of the farmers will return to their hometowns."
Hearing this, Xie Zhongju's face lit up with joy, and he couldn't help but clasp his hands tightly together and said, "It's up to me now. Brother Yuan and Master Lin, please rest assured that I will arrange for the refugees to return home!"
Seeing Yuan Xingjian looking somewhat dejected, Lin Jianlan consoled him, "Although it is a great gathering for all of us, it is hard to avoid feeling sad if we disperse now, but this is indeed for the long term."
Yuan Xingjian's expression eased a little, and then he smiled and said, "All good things must come to an end, and we can't go on like this forever. I think Young Master Lin's plan is feasible, but we can't rush it. It will take more than a month."
Lin Jianlan nodded, then turned back to Xie Zhongju and said solemnly: "I believe what Lord Xie said that he can protect Brother Yuan. If Brother Yuan loses anything..."
Xie Zhongju interrupted hastily, "I have already made my attitude clear. I will never do anything dirty like selling out my friends for fame!"
When Lin Jianlan heard the words "selling out friends for glory", he felt a sharp pain in his ears, but he forced a smile and said, "I am not saying that Lord Xie will sell out Brother Yuan to the court, but it seems that Lord Xie is highly regarded. Wouldn't it be great if everything could be done perfectly? Otherwise, if Lord Xie says, then the court will lose a loyal minister, and the world will lose a chivalrous hero. What good is that?"
Xie Zhongju blushed and said, "I misunderstood Master Lin's good intentions. I will do my best."
Lin Jianlan smiled and said, "In that case, why don't you bring some incense and candles? Since you have long admired me, I don't believe you haven't prepared these items."
Yuan Xingjian and Xie Zhongju were both stunned. Xie Zhongju understood immediately and showed a happy expression. He hurried into the inner room to get out the incense and candles. Lin Jianlan took them and said, "Brother Yuan, don't be stubborn. Lord Xie is also a hero among officials. It doesn't disgrace us Jianghu people to become sworn brothers with him."
Yuan Xingjian said hesitantly: "What do you mean by humiliating me? I never meant that."
Lin Jianlan lit the incense and inserted it into the incense burner. He saw the two of them doing the eight bows to become friends. Xie Zhongju looked very happy, but Yuan Xingjian remained embarrassed, which was quite funny.
The two stood up and brushed off the dust on their clothes, but they heard the fifth watch outside. Lin Jianlan smiled and said, "No one can sleep now. Brother Yuan, Mr. Xie, I will call you Brother Xie in the name of Brother Yuan. I will hurry to Hangzhou in a while, so I bid farewell to you two here."
Yuan Xingjian said, "Are you going to the Kuangyi Gang headquarters? It would be nice to go and take a look. I have thought that Gang Leader Lin would go to Taihu Lake to look for me, but I have waited for a few days and there is no sign of him. Maybe I can go with you?"
Lin Jianlan said, "No, I was just about to say this. I met the man in white yesterday. His martial arts skills are unfathomable. Since he came to Jiangnan to work for King Liang, I'm afraid that other men of King Liang may also be here. I'm afraid Brother Xie knows this better than I do, right?"
Xie Zhongju's face changed, and he said, "I am not as strong as you two. The journey to Jiangnan was not peaceful. Su Wenshu and I went incognito and went our separate ways to escape. No matter what, I will do my best to wipe out the evil spirit in Jiangnan. I am not afraid of death, so why would I be afraid of these evil tricks?"
Seeing Yuan Xingjian's face darken and he seemed about to get angry, Lin Jianlan hurriedly said with a smile: "Xie brother, please don't talk about death lightly again. You and Brother Yuan are now sworn brothers for life and death. We must die on the same day of the same month of the same year. If you die, what will Brother Yuan do?"
Xie Zhongju felt quite embarrassed and said, "I will try not to mention it in the future."
Lin Jianlan said, "I've thought of this as well. You've started a killing spree in Suzhou Prefecture, and you're unwilling to go along with King Liang. I'm afraid he won't let you go. There will be trouble along the way. You and Su Wenshu both look like weak scholars who can't even lift a finger. How are you going to deal with them?"
Yuan Xingjian said generously: "In this case, I will just escort Brother Xie on his tour for a while."
Lin Jianlan said happily, "That's the best, but we can't delay in Taihu Lake. In my opinion, Brother Xie should not go incognito again. Traveling and hearing cases need to be grand. The subordinates of King Liang don't dare to openly assassinate the court officials. Besides, Brother Yuan is guarding beside, so it should be fine. According to Brother Xie's arrangement, we can reach Hangzhou in about ten days. At that time, I should still be in Hangzhou. Although my martial arts are much worse than Brother Yuan's, I can still hold on for a while. You can replace Brother Yuan and let him go to Taihu Lake to arrange all matters. After everything is settled, he can come to Hangzhou. You two can go to Taihu Lake together. By then, it will be almost half a month after arriving in Taihu Lake. Brother Xie will set up a government office in Taihu Lake to hear cases and build up his prestige, and Brother Yuan will return to the rebel army to make arrangements. There may be some discrepancies in the time in between, and the calculation is not accurate. We will adapt to the situation at that time."
Seeing that he was talking so logically, Yuan Xingjian was concerned about Xie Zhongju's safety. He couldn't think of a better arrangement for a moment, so he nodded and said, "Then it's settled. We'll meet again in Hangzhou!"
Xie Zhongju smiled and said, "Brother Yuan is really a man of the underworld. He doesn't know how to be polite. Master Lin wants to leave, but he doesn't even see him off." Then he turned to Lin Jianlan and said, "Master Lin seems to have something urgent to do. If you don't mind, I will take you to pick a government horse and help you get to Hangzhou quickly."
Lin Jianlan only said that he would rush to Hangzhou immediately, but he really didn't think about the problem of the horse. He slapped his head and said, "Oh, I was so busy teaching the villain a lesson yesterday that I forgot the horse at the entrance of Wuyuan Temple. I'm afraid it's already gone."
Xie Zhongju said: "What a pity."
Lin Jianlan smiled and said, "It's not a pity at all. I lost a horse, but I got to know you two. I'm lucky."
The three of them chatted and laughed as they came to the stable. Yuan Xingjian looked around and led out a rather sturdy horse, saying, "This is a pretty good one here. It should be able to travel a long distance."
Lin Jianlan took the reins and said, "Brother Yuan, Brother Xie, I'm leaving now. See you in Hangzhou!" After that, he jumped on the horse and left. The two men saw him galloping on the horse on the path, and he disappeared after a while. They looked at each other and smiled.
Xie Zhongju said, "Mr. Lin is a kind-hearted man, eager to help others, and has broad horizons." But he heard Yuan Xingjian burst into laughter. Just as he was wondering, Yuan Xingjian told him about the "good match" that Lin Jianlan had arranged for Xie Zhongju and Miss Xiaohui by the rocks by the lake. Xie Zhongju's face suddenly turned red, and he stammered, "Nonsense..."
Just as Xie Zhongju was about to explain, he heard the sound of horse hooves approaching him. It turned out to be Lin Jianlan who had gone and returned. He looked a little confused and said, "I walked on my own for a while, but there was a knot in my heart that I couldn't untie. I almost forgot about it when I was with you, but I remembered it again when I was alone. I wanted to ask Brother Xie and Brother Yuan anyway."
Yuan Xingjian knew that he must be extremely confused, so he said, "Go ahead."
Lin Jianlan said: "In order to achieve the goal, can we use any means necessary? Alas, I don't know how to describe it. If the goal is for the benefit of the people of the world, then can we sacrifice the lives of a small number of innocent people? Doesn't this seem worthwhile?"
Yuan Xingjian didn't expect him to ask such a strange question. He was a little confused. Just as he was about to ask another question, he heard Xie Zhongju say, "Mr. Lin, your question was wrong from the beginning."
Lin Jianlan was surprised and asked, "Ah?"
Xie Zhongju said in a very serious voice: "There is nothing worth talking about. This is not a transaction, and human life is not a bargaining chip. Human life is precious because it cannot be measured by quantity. For the country and the war, hundreds or even tens of thousands of lives are like grass, and for the family, even losing one person is a deep pain. For some people, human life is like a chess piece in his hand. He can use it however he wants, sacrificing the pawn to save the rook. However, is there anyone in the world who does not have his own thoughts and emotions, and is willing to be a 'pawn', to be used when he wants, and abandoned when he wants?"
Lin Jianlan felt that these words were familiar. When Lei Kan committed suicide, Yue Lingfeng once said, "People should not be traded easily. Even if they are chess pieces, they have their own hearts. Brother Lin, you have misjudged his heart."
Lin Jianlan said: "But there are always people who are willing to sacrifice for others, right?"
Yuan Xingjian continued, "Of course, if Brother Xie has any problem at this moment, I will go through fire and water to help him. Similarly, if I have any problem, Brother Xie will do the same. This is what it means to be a like-minded friend."
Lin Jianlan was a little sad. Tang Zimu, Luan Song, his father and others crossed his mind one by one. He lowered his head and said, "Yes, if you regard the other party as a chess piece, you will naturally not live and die with the chess piece. You are just using it."
Xie Zhongju said, "Mr. Lin, it's good that you understand. This is not a doubt. In my opinion, the kind of person who kills people and then cites some great principles to defend himself is not as lovable as the one who kills for his own sake. Did Mr. Lin meet an unpredictable person, so he asked this question?"
Lin Jianlan sighed, "Alas, I just hope I am just being suspicious. I should go now."
Xie Zhongju said, "Time will tell, don't be anxious, Master Lin. I regret it now. I just admired Brother Yuan so much that I should have sworn brotherhood with Master Lin."
Lin Jianlan smiled and said, "Thank you for your kindness, brother. It's not difficult. I'll be waiting for you two in Hangzhou to get sworn brothers." After saying that, he ran out of the government office again.
Although the confusion in his heart was resolved, he was still suspicious of people. He didn't know whether it was good or bad, but he didn't care to think too much. Lin Jianlan thought to himself, "I came here to find out the whereabouts of Lin Longqing and others. I was delayed in Suzhou for two days. Yuan Xingjian didn't even know their whereabouts. Where could they go?"
The horse was an official horse and seemed to be accustomed to long journeys. It was still quite energetic when it arrived in Hangzhou. Lin Jianlan had been riding madly for days and although he was a little tired, he had no time to rest. He casually found an inn, but after thinking it was not appropriate to bring weapons with him, he simply left his sword in the room. He did not dare to delay for a moment and ran out of the city towards the headquarters of the Kuang Yi Gang. However, he had no plan at all. When he arrived at the entrance, he saw that the dense forest next to it was still there, and some tree barks still had traces of burnt marks. Looking from a distance, he saw buildings at the foot of the oncoming mountain. The setting sun reflected a fiery red.
He had been in and out of this forest path several times. Now he finally experienced a change and realized that things had changed. Without Lin Longqing's protection, he didn't know if he could enter safely without any hindrance. However, it was no use stopping at the entrance, so he had to walk in slowly.
After walking a few steps, they heard a whistle and several people jumped out of the jungle. They were all stunned when they saw each other, but they were all acquaintances in the gang. One of them raised a knife and crossed it across his chest, saying, "Mr. Lin, please don't make things difficult for us. Don't go any further."
Lin Jianlan couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "I also spent quite a long time in the gang, and I know the rules of the gang very well. I have no intention of breaking into the gang. I would like to trouble you brothers to pass on a message to Gang Leader Cao for me. If he refuses to see me, I will turn around and leave, and will not embarrass you at all."
Lin Jianlan was not a naughty person in the gang. He was always sincere when interacting with others. Therefore, the man could not refuse after hearing this. He whispered a few words and turned to run inside. After about half an incense stick of time, he hurried out with a confused look on his face. He said, "The gang leader invites you in."
Lin Jianlan was delighted and rushed inside in a hurry. But when he reached the door, he stopped and said, "I wonder if the bridge can be changed? I don't want to be fed to the fish."
The man shook his head and pointed inside without saying anything. Lin Jianlan was puzzled and turned around. He saw a young girl standing at the end of the bridge. She was in plain clothes with a black circle on her right arm, as if she was in heavy mourning. She stood facing the wind with her hair fluttering in the wind. Her hair was casually tied into a bun with a plain white hairpin. Her skin was as white as snow, with only a hint of pink on her slightly pursed lips. Her eyes were still a little cold.
Lin Jianlan couldn't help but step forward and said, "Yin Yin..."
Cao Yinyin did not speak, but turned to walk up the bridge, taking several leaps in a row, spinning and soaring, sometimes like a dragonfly lightly touching the bridge pillar, sometimes like a wild goose gliding gracefully, with such a beautiful posture that Lin Jianlan did not dare to just stare at her figure, but watched where she landed without blinking, and leaped to follow her. After crossing the Nine-Zigzag Bridge, he thought to himself, "This bridge is more difficult to walk on than when Uncle Qing was here. I'm afraid it's to prevent Uncle Qing from coming back. But why did she tell me this step?"
Lin Jianlan had thousands of questions in his mind, but he couldn't ask them as he watched Yin Yin walking in front of him, who was as silent as ice. He could only follow closely behind her. The summer day shaded by flowers was a little chilly. When they arrived at the waterside pavilion, Lin Jianlan couldn't help but look over there.
Although Cao Yinyin did not look back, she seemed to know what he was thinking and deliberately slowed down her pace. When Lin Jianlan saw the water pavilion slowly disappearing from his sight, he felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. He turned back and looked into the distance a few more times. Although he did not look at the road, the roads were all very familiar to him. It didn't take long before he arrived outside the Kuang Yi Hall.
The two walked into the empty lobby. Lin Jianlan looked around and felt that something seemed a little different. Then he heard Cao Yinyin say, "Mr. Lin, please take a seat. May I ask what brings you to our gang?"
