Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 247 Side Story: Huang Chao
The drums and gongs on the city walls thundered like lightning, while the enemy camps below resembled stars in the night sky.

Huang Chao remained calm and composed, standing in the center of the formation, his golden armor shining brightly in the sun, showing no change in expression even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.

His subordinates all felt that their General Chongtian, the undisputed supreme leader of the army, had never been so strong-willed and was the pillar of the army.

No matter how great the danger, Huang Chao would not waver in the slightest.

They also knew that Huang Chao had never been interested in women and regarded beauties as worthless.

Huang Chao married at the age of thirty. His wife died of illness when he was forty, and he never remarried. After becoming the commander-in-chief of the rebel army, he recently took two concubines to serve him. He did not even give them the title of concubines, nor were they great beauties. He only hoped that they would bear him children and have an heir.

Huang Chao himself finally understood that every strong person starts as a babbling toddler and a naive teenager, and gradually grows up.

A few days ago, Zhu Wen and Tian Jun were deeply in love and often flaunted their relationship in public. Huang Chao looked at the two young people and occasionally thought of his own youth.

Back then, he was a handsome young man with a round face, a straight nose, and beautiful lips. Beneath his thick, straight eyebrows, his deep eyes shone like stars.

He only needs to smile to make countless girls fall for him.

Huang Chao, however, ignored their affections.

He fell hopelessly in love with his senior sister.

My senior sister is the daughter of Nie Feng, a famous swordsman from Weibo. Her maiden name is Yinniang.

"You want to go to Weibo to learn martial arts?" Wang Xianzhi, the newly appointed leader of the Zhenyi Alliance who was eight years older than Huang Chao, smiled leisurely and put his hand on Huang Chao's shoulder, saying, "Join our Zhenyi Alliance, what powerful martial arts can't you learn?"

"I don't want to be your subordinate," Huang Chao said defiantly.

"Alright, alright." Even though he had already killed the peerless demon lord Qiao Beiming and become the number one in the world, Wang Xianzhi still seemed helpless when facing his close younger brother.

After all, he was just a young man who had just turned twenty.

“You are destined to be a prime minister, so it’s not suitable for you to work for me. It would be much more appropriate for you to find a master to apprentice under.” Wang Xianzhi thought for a moment and then asked, “What do you want me to prepare for you?”

"no need."

Huang Chao originally wanted to ask the other party what the girl liked.

Then it dawned on him that Wang Xianzhi had never been popular with women and was still a virgin at twenty, so he wouldn't know anything about this.

The reason why Huang Chao wanted to become Nie Feng's apprentice was...

It was because he was anxiously waiting at the foot of Mount Tai for the outcome of the decisive battle between Wang Xianzhi and Qiao Beiming.

A young woman in green with twin buns suddenly passed by, stopped and asked him, "What a handsome little fellow, what are you waiting for?"

Huang Chao told him the truth.

The girl smiled, patted his head, turned and left. A short while later, she returned with a large bag of roasted mutton wrapped in oil paper and a pot of peach cheese, all smiles.

Watching her hurry by, with beads of sweat on her forehead from her rapid steps, Huang Chao felt it was incredibly beautiful.

But the boy's pride made it impossible for him to accept something a girl he had just met bought.

The roasted mutton was skewered on red willow branches, making it exceptionally fragrant. The girl grabbed a branch, ate it herself, and unceremoniously stuffed several branches into Huang Chao's hands.

Huang Chao had no choice but to enjoy the food with her.

The meat skewers were sold by people from the Western Regions who migrated to Shandong, and the taste was quite authentic.

The girl ate very quickly, her mouth full of oil, but not a drop fell on her clothes.

While chewing on meat, the girl scooped up a bowl of peach cheese and drank it down in one gulp, just like an adult drinking fine wine. Her movements were very much like the flamboyant and unrestrained style of a northern beauty.

Her delicate hands, glistening with water droplets, reflected the sunlight and shimmered with a rainbow of colors, instantly captivating Huang Chao's gaze like a magnet.

It made him feel like he could never move away again.

"My surname is Nie, and my given name is Yinniang. I am the daughter of Nie Feng, a famous swordsman from Weibo Town." The girl's voice was clear and melodious, like a mountain spring splashing onto exquisite porcelain.

"Young man, you have extraordinary talent and are a good prospect. If you are interested, you can come to Jingshui Manor outside Weizhou City and become my master's apprentice. He will like you! Also, remember to bring more ice next time."

As they parted, she turned around on her horse, pressed her hands to her cheeks, and raised her voice to call out.

Why bring ice?
Huang Chao gently touched his flushed and hot cheeks, as if he had realized something.

Watching the departing girl, Huang Chao felt that even if there were eighteen levels of hell in front of him, he would still wade through them and trek all the way to Weizhou.

Nie Feng was a kind-looking middle-aged man, but there was always a strange indifference in his eyes.

After hearing about Huang Chao's background, he smiled and accepted the disciple.

Nie Feng, courtesy name Churang, was known as one of the "Three Wonders of the North," referring to his unparalleled skills in the three arts of saber, sword, and spear, which rarely met an opponent.

His ancestor was Zhang Liao, a general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. Zhang Liao's ancestors were surnamed Nie, but for some unknown reason, his descendants changed back to the surname Nie.

Huang Chao was exceptionally talented and came from a wealthy family. He often brought precious gifts to show respect to his master. Nie Feng treated this disciple quite well, not only teaching him various sword techniques but also passing on his family's Northern Spear Technique.

However, during Huang Chao's time seeking a master, he often had to deal with strange and troublesome matters, which cost him a lot of money and he almost lost his life once.

He was saved by a man whom Huang Chao called "Junior Uncle".

When Junior Uncle Pang Xun heard that it was his senior brother who had sent him to do something to be tempered, he couldn't help but reveal a meaningful look.

This person is quite mysterious, but he visits the Nie family's Jingshui Manor every few months.

Huang Chao's master had told him not to inquire too much about this person.

A few years later, Huang Chao went into seclusion for three months to further his martial arts studies.

Upon exiting the border, they received news that struck them like a bolt from the blue.

My senior sister is getting married.

The groom was a young man who made a living polishing mirrors. Huang Chao often saw him on the streets of Weizhou when he went out of the mountain villa on business.

This person was certainly not as good-looking as Huang Chao himself, and he didn't have any other special skills.

But this was my senior's own choice.

Huang Chao drank alone all night, weeping as he drank.

He had always believed that his senior sister would marry him. During his seclusion, he constantly pondered how to give her a grand wedding. He couldn't understand why she would fall for a seemingly handsome but actually vain man. Wasn't all the care she had shown him over the years love? And why had their master tacitly approved of their intimate relationship?
Drinking to drown my sorrows only made them worse. Thinking this way, I kept thinking until I got so drunk that I vomited all over myself.

Huang Chao still prepared a very generous gift.

At the wedding banquet, my senior sister was dressed in a bright and beautiful manner, her beauty as stunning as a painting.

"May you enjoy health and happiness throughout your life," Huang Chao said with a forced smile.

"Thank you." My senior sister's smile was as bright as when we first met.

Huang Chao felt as if his heart was filled with lead.

He had many things to say, but he couldn't utter a single word, and could only leave dejectedly.

Huang Chao left Weizhou and returned to his hometown, where he inherited the family business from his elderly father and prepared to let time heal the scars in his heart.

Like Wang Xianzhi, he called his subordinates brothers and spent his days with them, arm in arm, shouting and yelling.

The atmosphere of a group of men gathered together in high spirits can make one too lazy to think about women.

Subsequently, Huang Chao received news that several of his capable subordinates, along with the entire caravan of over a hundred people, had been killed.

The person who killed them was his beloved senior sister.

The specific reason is quite simple: Nie Feng switched allegiance from He Hongjing, the military governor of Weibo, to Wang Yuankui, the military governor of Chengde. According to Nie Feng himself, He Hongjing was a vicious and intolerant man, while Wang Yuankui had the demeanor of a gentleman and was able to nurture talented people.

In Huang Chao's view, He Hongjing was certainly no good, but when did Wang Yuankui, a Uyghur, become a gentleman?

Previously, because Huang Chao himself had spent a long time studying martial arts in Weizhou, the Huang family had also established close trade relations with Weibo Town. However, this situation could not be changed immediately just because the Nie family switched sides.

Just then, He Hongjing and Wang Yuankui had a major argument, which involved the Huang family's caravan. Someone accidentally injured the senior sister's useless husband, who was only good at polishing mirrors.

In a fit of rage, the senior sister slaughtered the entire caravan.

Huang Chao stood in the courtyard for a long time. He ordered his servant to bring a jar of strong liquor, and he drank it down with his tears.

He knew that these things needed to be resolved one by one.

Huang Chao had long ago discovered what kind of people the Nie family father and daughter were.

They always teach themselves principles of integrity and chivalry, but when they do things, they only consider their own selfish interests and momentary pleasure.

Recalling the past, Huang Chao felt the effects of the alcohol rise, and a murderous aura arose within him. He tilted his head back and took a deep breath.

The word "brother" cannot be just lip service; this matter needs to be addressed.

Carrying twelve knives, Huang Chao stormed into the Nie family's Jingshui Manor in broad daylight, amidst heavy snow.

The villa has, of course, been relocated to Chengde Town.

After he killed the first person, countless swords and spears came rushing at him.

Huang Chao was soon wounded and began to bleed all over his body.

As he gazed at the scene of carnage before him, the glint of his blade grew ever sharper.

The north wind was like a knife, and the white snow flying all over the sky was dyed a bright red color.

Huang Chao's heart also turned as cold as the north wind and snow. He didn't want to have any emotions and just killed based on instinct.

He heard Nie Feng's angry rebuke and his senior sister's exclamation, but they all passed by like a gust of wind. When he stopped, only four people remained alive in the manor.

Huang Chao was wounded in more than thirty places, bleeding all over his body, and five of his twelve knives were broken and dulled.

The Nie family father and daughter, along with Nie Yinniang's husband, lay injured on the snow, unable to move.

“You…” Nie Feng roared, “You traitorous bastard…”

"I came here prepared to die," Huang Chao said coldly. "All my martial arts skills were taught to me by you, Master. Yet, dozens of you couldn't kill me. Master, tell me, what's unfair about this?"

Nie Feng was speechless. He knew that Huang Chao was exceptionally talented, but he never expected him to become so powerful in just a few years.

"But you're willing to kill your master's entire family for just over a hundred insects?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Chao suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a chilling cruelty.

“Master, do you really think that by using the banner of gratitude for the governor's favor to serve him, killing people and eliminating dissidents, you are some kind of chivalrous hero? In the governor's eyes, you are all insects!”

Having said that, Huang Chao resolutely swung his sword, and Nie Feng's head fell into the snow.

When he was about to kill the mirror-polishing boy, his senior sister showed a pleading expression.

"You liked me, didn't you?"

Huang Chao was taken aback: "So what?"

"If you don't kill him, I can go with you."

What if I refuse?

"Then kill us all together."

Upon hearing Huang Chao's icy and chilling reply, the senior sister suddenly hardened her heart, and all fear vanished from her eyes.

"Senior sister, your last words made me realize that I wasn't completely blind back then."

After saying this, Huang Chao beheaded the couple, dug through the snow, and buried them together.

Then, with his last bit of strength, he struggled to walk out.

The sky was a blanket of silver, with snowflakes still falling, covering everything beneath it.

Huang Chao, covered in wounds, staggered and fell to the ground in the snow. The snow covered his body, making him feel colder and colder.

At this moment, Huang Chao felt that nothing mattered anymore.

I have said goodbye to myself and the past properly.

……

When Huang Chao woke up, he learned that Wang Xianzhi had sent Liu Yanzhang to follow him.

Liu Yanzhang rescued him from the snow, preventing Huang Chao from freezing to death.

Incidentally, they also took a large number of important files about Chengde Town from the Nie family's residence. With these secrets in hand, Wang Yuankui, the military governor of Chengde, dared not cause trouble for Huang Chao because his capable subordinates, the Nie family father and daughter, had been killed.

"You've always been much smarter than me. Even if you weren't going to tell me, why didn't you make any preparations?"

Wang Xianzhi said with a cold face.

Huang Chao scratched his head, speechless.

"I didn't think about anything at the time."

This is the only answer I can give in the end.

Perhaps every man needs to be crazy and foolish once in a while in order to say goodbye to the past.

……

Many years later, Pang Xun, Huang Chao's junior uncle, asked Huang Chao to save a child.

Huang Chao's junior uncle had once saved his life, so Huang Chao naturally wanted to repay him.

He broke into the prison and rescued the child without killing a single person. Afterwards, he even gave a huge sum of money to those involved.

“This child’s parents are both dead. They really don’t know where Pang Xun, the leader of the Ming Cult, is. You can’t get anything out of him by torturing him now.”

“As you all know, I, Huang Jutian, have absolutely no connection with the Ming Cult. I saved him only because my grandfather had a relationship with me before his death.”

He entrusted the child to Pang Xun, but still followed them out of concern.

Just like when he sought revenge against his master's family for the tragic deaths of his brothers, Wang Xianzhi sent people to follow him.

On the edge of a clearing in a dense forest, Huang Chao saw Pang Xun talking to a child.

The boy bit his lip hard, staring at the man in Confucian robes, his face gradually contorting into a ferocious expression.

Pang Xun stood casually, his white gauze crown fluttering in the cold wind, making him look like a learned scholar.

“Meng Kai, logically I am your maternal grandfather, and emotionally I am the one who saved you from dire straits. Why do you dare to call me by my name?”

Pang Xun spoke, but his smiling face gradually turned cold.

"My parents were implicated by you and tortured to death by the government. You only saved me because I have some use to you, didn't you?"

Meng Kai clenched his fists, his knuckles turning blue: "Feelings are for people who are compassionate and righteous. What feelings can you talk about with someone who is heartless and righteous and only cares about interests?"

This boy was incredibly strong; even in his extreme grief, he didn't shed a single tear.

“When your mother betrayed me and chose to leave the Ming Cult to marry that sickly man from the Meng family, her life and death were no longer my concern. It was her own choice.”

"Was it really her choice? Grandfather, are you still trying to deceive me? Mother's choice is more like your wish. She has always been compliant. When has she ever gone against your wishes?" Meng Kai's voice was hoarse. He paused for a moment and then continued.

"You schemed and plotted to obtain the Meng family's secret marrow cleansing medicine formula. Unexpectedly, after Grandpa fell in love with Mom, he gave you the invaluable formula as if it were worthless. But they were implicated because of you, and you were afraid of being exposed, so you watched them being tortured to death. Am I right?"

"call……"

Pang Xun let out a long sigh, and wisps of white mist condensed in the air.

“Meng Tianzheng, your son is truly outstanding. Compared to my mediocre daughter, your son Meng Kai is the true descendant of the Pang family.”

"At the moment when the Ming Cult is about to rise, even I can be sacrificed. As my daughter, your mother should bear this responsibility." Pang Xun put his hands behind his back, and a heavy, oppressive aura, like a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​blood, spread outwards.

Meng Kai's face turned deathly pale, and his body trembled violently, whether from confirming the truth of his mother's death or from being intimidated by Pang Xun's chilling murderous aura.

Pang Xun gave a cold smile and cut to the chase: "You're a smart kid, otherwise I wouldn't have specifically sought you out for a private talk."

"You will be the successor of the Ming Cult. After my death, you will be the next leader."

Meng Kai said sadly, "Do I have the right to choose? If I don't agree, this forest will be my burial ground."

Pang Xun said solemnly, "Of course there is. You can die as a traitor to the Ming Cult, or live on as my successor. You are only eleven years old, and your life has just begun. We have plenty of time to improve our relationship. Of course, if you cannot let go of your resentment towards the Ming Cult, you can choose to die now."

Meng Kai hesitated for only a moment, then raised his head, his eyes sharp as needles: "Kill me, and I will curse you with the resentment of my family's deaths. Pang Xun, the court is indeed incompetent and corrupt, and deserves to perish, but it will never be a place where someone like you takes over!"

Pang Xun's expression finally changed.

"Junior Uncle, stop."

Just before Pang Xun made his move, Huang Chao knew it was time for him to appear.

"Why are you meddling in my affairs?" Pang Xun asked in surprise, then said in a cold voice.

Huang Chao sighed: "Every young person's experience is different, but at least they should have a chance to say goodbye to the past."

“When my junior disciple bid farewell to the past, he had no other considerations but what he needed to do in the present. It is probably the same today.”

"Chao wants to take this young man away today. If Junior Uncle doesn't give in, only one of us can live."

Huang Chao spoke slowly and deliberately, then drew his sword with a whoosh, the blade flashing like snow.

The air seemed to freeze.

When only he and the boy's frail figure remained in the empty forest, Huang Chao knew he had won his gamble.

Pang Xun must have discovered the hidden agents he had planted, but they were all secretly subdued by his own men.

After bringing the boy home, Huang Chao watched as the boy wailed in his arms, but he didn't know what to say to him.

Having brought him back, I have a responsibility to heal the wounds in his heart.

Huang Chao, however, was not very good at comforting people.

"Stop crying, kid," Huang Chao said loudly. "Here, you'll be no worse than becoming the successor of the Ming Cult."

"Also, it's strange for a rough guy like me to say this—don't trust women too much, it will cause you unnecessary trouble." Huang Chao added, thinking of his experiences in his youth.

"You might not need to use these words later, but it's always good to keep them in mind... Hahahaha..."

Huang Chao patted the boy on the shoulder and burst into laughter.

Infected by Huang Chao's cheerful mood, the boy gradually stopped crying.

He raised his head and looked at Huang Chao with bloodshot eyes.

Despite having shed so many tears, those eyes still shone brightly.

(End of this chapter)