1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 247 The Lonely Gun (Part 2)

Song Changhe's eyes instantly reddened. Grabbing Xie Hong's hand, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Senior Brother, is the news accurate? Have they really found those beasts?"

His hands were trembling, and his expression was agitated with intense hatred.

Eight years!
Through the changing seasons, he never dared to slack off in the slightest.

Now, his Emei spear technique is only second to his master and senior brother.

For the past eight years, he has been thinking about revenge every single moment.

My mother was violated to death, and my father was beheaded. How could I ever forget this blood feud?

Eight years have passed, and he still has nightmares from time to time.

Every time he went down the mountain, he would inquire about news.

The other senior brothers were also searching for that band of mountain bandits from back then.

Zhou Yan watched from the side, his heart also stirred with emotion.

He had witnessed Song Changhe's hard work and dedication over the years, and revenge was his strongest will.

Now that he has achieved academic success, news has finally reached his enemies, and his mind is naturally far from at peace.

"Changhe, don't rush, let me tell you slowly." Xie Hong pulled Song Changhe to sit down on the bed and said in a low voice, "This time when we went down the mountain, we caught a bandit who was scouting the area. I originally just casually asked about the case of the hunters' family massacre at the foot of Mount Emei eight years ago. In order to save his life, this little thief told us everything he knew like spilling beans."

Eight years ago, this gang of bandits wandered near your house. Seeing a light, they crept over, tricked the woman into opening the door under the pretense of needing water, and then…

Back then, there were eight of them. After killing your parents, they stayed for one night before leaving. Now, they are bandits on Qiuming Mountain, thirty miles away, causing harm to the local area.

This gang of bandits has grown to more than thirty people, and they have four long guns. Their leader, Black Wind Li, also has a pistol.

In recent years, they have committed dozens of cases, large and small, harming the people, raping women, and their evil deeds are too numerous to count. They have been wanted by the government for many years, but have always been at large.

"If you want revenge, you can't do it alone. We brothers have already discussed it and will accompany you down the mountain tomorrow to Qiuming Mountain to wipe out the bandits!"

"Black Wind Li! It's him!" Song Changhe clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "I will definitely take the heads of these beasts to appease the spirits of my parents in heaven!"

“The other side has guns, so we must be extremely careful. Gao Yuan said that his cousin often goes to Qiuming Mountain to collect herbs and is very familiar with that area. He once accidentally wandered into the vicinity of Black Wind Li’s stronghold. He has already sent word back to have his cousin act as our guide, so that we don’t enter the mountains in complete darkness and get caught by the bandits,” Xie Hong said.

Song Changhe took a deep breath to calm himself down, cupped his hands and said, "Thank you all for your planning. If we can avenge our great enemy, I am willing to serve you all like a slave for the rest of my life."

"We're brothers, why talk like that?" Xie Hong pressed his hand down and said in a deep voice, "Your blood feud is our blood feud, and we will make these bandits pay for their debt in blood!"

“That’s right! Changhe, it’s my duty as your senior brother.” Lu Feiyang patted his chest and said, “We’ve kept this grudge from the first day you came up the mountain. We’ve been asking around for years, but we never expected that this band of bandits would come back to the vicinity of Mount Emei.”

Zhao Hui nodded and said, "Don't worry, with us here, we will definitely avenge this great grudge!"

“Senior brother…” Song Changhe looked at the three of them, his eyes filled with tears.

Gao Yuan pushed open the door, slipped in, and, his usual playful expression gone, asked in a low voice, "Has everything been discussed?"

Xie Hong nodded and said, "It's settled. We'll go down the mountain first thing tomorrow morning, go to Qiuming Mountain first, find out the terrain and defenses, and then take action at night. The other side has guns, so we need to be careful. We must capture Black Wind Li first."

Gao Yuan said, "If we're going to leave, let's leave early, before dawn, so we don't have to do morning exercises and can save energy for the journey."

"Alright," Xie Hong nodded.

"Won't Master be angry?" Zhao Hui asked softly, somewhat worried.

"Don't worry, Bao will be angry. Just wait to be punished when he gets back." Gao Yuan grinned. "You still want Master to praise you?"

Xie Hong and Lu Feiyang both laughed upon hearing this.

Zhao Hui scratched his head awkwardly and laughed along.

The group gathered together and discussed the plan and precautions again in detail before blowing out the oil lamp and going to bed early.

Before dawn the next day, the group took their spears and hidden weapons, dressed in black, and went out in the dark, heading down the mountain path without making a sound.

Among the group, Song Changhe was the last to join.

However, his current agility and marksmanship are already second only to Xie Hong among his fellow disciples.

Even Gao Yuan, who usually loves to slack off, has excellent agility and stamina.

By the time everyone descended the mountain, it was already daylight.

In the town at the foot of the mountain, we found a noodle shop, had breakfast, and then boarded the horse-drawn carriage that had been prepared in advance to head towards Gaojiazhuang, pick up Gao Yuan's cousin who was gathering herbs, and head towards Qiuming Mountain.

Gao Yuan's cousin, Zheng Yan, was thin and dark-skinned. After getting into the carriage, he looked at the five people in silence for a moment before asking, "Do you have guns?"

"Cousin, I learned how to use guns, and everyone has one," Gao Yuan said with a smile, pointing to the five red-tasseled spears lined up together.

"Five of you, carrying five red-tasseled spears, are you going to suppress bandits? What's the difference between that and suicide? I'm not going." Zheng Yan rolled his eyes and got up to leave.

The burly Lu Feiyang blocked the car door, while Gao Yuan put his arm around Zheng Yan and sat down, smiling as he said, "Cousin, we're already here, so why not go? You just take us up Qiuming Mountain and find the bandits' lair. Don't worry about anything else."

“Gao Yuan! Those bandits have guns! If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to your mother and father? No way, no way.” Zheng Yan shook his head repeatedly.

Gao Yuan smiled and said, "They have a total of four long spears and one short spear. The short spear is in Black Wind Li's hands, don't you agree?"

Zheng Yan was taken aback: "How would I know?"

"Look, we know exactly what we're doing, there's no need for any false alarms." Gao Yuan grinned. "Don't worry, we're prepared. This time we're going for revenge, not to throw our lives away. We won't do anything reckless. We're definitely going to get Black Wind Li's head in exchange for the bounty!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yan stopped talking, sat down next to Gao Yuan, and began to tell them some things to be aware of regarding Qiuming Mountain: "Qiuming Mountain isn't very high, but there are very few paths leading up it, and they are difficult to traverse. It's easy to defend and difficult to attack. The government has come here twice to suppress bandits..."

Zhou Yan squatted in the corner, watching a group of teenagers discussing countermeasures and plans on the bumpy carriage, and a smile couldn't help but appear on his lips.

The carriage had been traveling for two or three hours when Zheng Yan stopped it, peeked out, and said, "Going up the mountain from here will allow us to avoid their sentry posts, but the road will be a bit difficult..."

"You just lead the way. If we can't keep up, it's because we're not good enough," Xie Hong said with a smile.

“Exactly! Could it be even more precipitous than Mount Emei?” Gao Yuan laughed.

The group dismounted, carrying spears and knives at their waists, and followed Zheng Yan into the bushes.

Once inside the mountain, Zheng Yan moved like a fish in water, moving with incredible speed, and quickly scaled the cliffs and precipices.

Fortunately, Xie Hong, Song Changhe, and their fellow disciples climbed Mount Emei every day to practice their agility and speed, and were still able to keep up with Zheng Yan's pace.

An hour later, Zheng Yan pointed to several houses in the valley below and said, "Look, that's their mountain stronghold. Last time I came here, I found a family and wanted to ask for a drink of water, but when I got closer, I saw that it was full of men, and two sentries were holding guns. They were no good family at all, but clearly bandits. I was so scared that I almost sent myself to the wolf's den."

"It looks like a Taoist temple. These thieves must have seized the land of some unlucky Taoist priest and become bandits." Xie Hong narrowed his eyes, looking at the two newly built watchtowers. Indeed, there were armed bandits watching.

"Senior brother, shall we go down now?" Zhao Hui asked eagerly.

Song Changhe stared down the mountain, his eyes wide open, his knuckles turning white from gripping the spear so tightly.

"No rush, you guys stay here. Gao Yuan and I will go and explore the surrounding area first, get a clear understanding of the terrain, prepare for the worst, and determine the retreat route. We'll move out after dark." Xie Hong patted Song Changhe's shoulder, put down his spear, and led Gao Yuan down the mountain valley.

As darkness fell, the group huddled in the woods, silently eating their dry rations.

Laughter and curses echoed from below the mountain. A group of more than ten people with torches walked up the mountain path, their angry shouts still audible.
"Damn it! These peasants actually dared to resist! They almost killed seven or eight of my brothers!"

"Boss, let them go this time. Once our guns arrive, we'll wipe out their entire village!"

"Wang Mazi, go and urge them again! I paid the deposit half a month ago, why hasn't the gun been delivered yet? It's not like I can't afford to pay!"

"Get it, get it."

Song Changhe suddenly stood up, stared at the burly man with the thick beard who was leading the group, and gritted his teeth, saying, "It's him! It's his voice!"

For eight years, that voice haunted him like a nightmare.

Today, he heard that voice again, and eight years later, nothing had changed.

And that Wang Mazi!

This skinny guy was the one who tricked his mother into opening the door!
"Don't rush." ​​Xie Hong pressed him down, his eyes fixed on the group of bandits.

The leader, Black Wind Li, had a gun slung across his waist, followed by four bandits who also carried long guns. Including the two guns of the sentries, this group of bandits had at least seven guns.

They were tricked when they tried to capture that bandit yesterday.

Moreover, judging from Black Wind Li's words, they are planning to continue buying guns.

Tonight is the perfect opportunity for them to make their move.

Once the enemy gets more guns, it will be very difficult for them to break into the mountain stronghold with their red-tasseled spears.

"The boss is back!" the sentry shouted.

The gates of the stronghold slowly opened, welcoming Black Wind Li and his group inside.

"Is the food and wine ready?" Black Wind Li asked sharply.

"All ready! We're just waiting for the boss to come back!" someone replied obsequiously.

"Alright! Let's drink! We'll go attack Wan Family Village again tomorrow! I've heard that old man Wan's wives and concubines are quite beautiful, and I'd like to have a taste of them too!" Black Wind Li laughed.

The bandits laughed and walked into the main hall.

"Wan Family Village? These bandits still have their eyes on Junior Brother's family. We must eliminate them tonight!" Gao Yuan said coldly.

Xie Hong nodded in agreement: "That's right, we must eradicate evil completely tonight."

Standing to the side, Zhou Yan also felt a bit nervous and expectant.

They waited until late at night.

The laughter and chatter below the mountain subsided, and the two bonfires that had been lit were now reduced to wisps of black smoke.

The two sentries went down to get some wine midway through their shift, got completely drunk, and fell asleep leaning against the railing.

"Let's go, take out the sentries first, then go into the main hall and disarm them. If they resist, don't hesitate, just kill them!" Xie Hong said to the crowd in a low voice, "These are vicious bandits, their hands are stained with blood. Don't feel any guilt when killing them!"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"Then... what about me?" Zheng Yan's legs were numb from squatting, but he finally managed to get a word in edgewise.

Xie Hong laughed and said, "If we win, you can come down and help us carry the heads of the bandits. If we lose, you can go down the mountain to report to the authorities and collect our bodies."

“Okay…” Zheng Yan nodded.

The five brothers, carrying long spears, darted down the mountain along the route they had planned in advance at noon. Their steps were light, and they reached the area below the sentry post without making a sound.

Xie Hong and Song Changhe exchanged a glance, dropped their red-tasseled spears, and began to climb the sentry post at the same time. In a few moments, they had scaled the four-meter-high watchtower.

He pulled out a short knife from his waist, covered the bandit's mouth, and slashed his neck.

"Well--"

The bandits, who were fast asleep, were suddenly awakened, but it was too late to make a sound.

Song Changhe reached out and touched the spear beside him, then gently placed it back on the ground, his expression cold as if it were not the first time he had killed someone.

Xie Hong whistled.

Lu Feiyang and the other two immediately climbed over the wall and joined them.

The five of them walked towards the main hall, their steps as soft as cats', without making a sound.

The bonfire in front of the main hall had gone out, and a few embers were stirred up by the mountain wind.

Xie Hong was about to push open the main hall door when it opened from the inside, and a drunken, skinny man staggered out, loosening his belt as he did so.

It was none other than the cunning strategist Wang Mazi.

Song Changhe stared at him in the darkness like a bloodthirsty cheetah. He stepped forward, covered his mouth, and plunged his short knife into his waist and abdomen.

One knife, two knives, three knives...

Wang Mazi sobered up instantly, mumbling incoherently, his hands flailing wildly in the air before finally falling limply to his sides.

Song Changhe, panting heavily, slowly laid him down on the ground. His hand holding the knife trembled slightly, and blood stained his face, making him look rather pitiful.

Xie Hong and the others watched him but did not stop him. Over the years, they had watched Song Changhe wake up from nightmares time and time again.

The blood feud between my parents is greater than the heavens!
"Come in." Xie Hong waved his hand, pushed open the half-closed door of the main hall, and slowly walked in.

Inside the main hall, twenty or thirty bandits lay sprawled about, and a few nearly burnt-out candles still shone, barely illuminating the hall.

Xie Hong immediately spotted the four long spears lined up against the wall and winked at Gao Yuan.

Gao Yuan understood immediately. He stepped forward, slung the three guns behind his back, picked one up, and quickly loaded it with bullets.

After entering the room, Song Changhe stared intently at Hei Feng Li, who was slumped in the head seat, and walked towards him with his spear in hand.

Bang!

A wine jug placed on the ground was knocked over with a thud.

"Damn it, which one..." Black Wind Li opened his eyes groggily and saw a young man with a blood-covered face, carrying a red-tasseled spear, rushing towards him.

"Damn it..." Black Wind Li's drunkenness and drowsiness vanished instantly, and he subconsciously reached for the pistol slung at his waist.

Swish!
Song Changhe's spear flashed like a dragon, piercing Black Wind Li's right hand that was holding the spear, pinning his hand directly to the chair.

what--

Black Wind Li let out a scream.

The bandits in the main hall were instantly awakened. When they saw the hall doors wide open and several young men with long spears of unknown identity inside, their expressions changed drastically.

"Fuck your mother!" One of the bandits got up and swung his long knife at Song Changhe.

Song Changhe drew his spear and thrust it back, piercing Song Changhe's throat.

Blood gushed out like a jet of blood. The bandit slowly knelt down, clutching his throat as he lay in a pool of blood. He kicked his legs twice and then died completely.

Black Wind Li gritted his teeth and reached out his right hand to grab the gun, but Song Changhe did not give him the chance. He withdrew the spear, lowered his waist and thrust his shoulder forward, piercing through Black Wind Li's shoulder with a single thrust. With a lift of his hands, he actually lifted Black Wind Li up and pinned him to the wall!
This scene left the bandits in the hall dumbfounded.

Black Wind Li howled in pain, looking at Song Changhe and crying out, "You...who are you!"

“Eight years ago, the son of the hunter whose entire family was wiped out by you in the back mountain of Hekou Village has come back to seek revenge,” Song Changhe said coldly, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at him.

"They've all been killed, so where did the son come from?" Black Wind Li was somewhat apprehensive, but even more so, puzzled.

Song Changhe drew his dagger and stabbed Hei Feng Li again and again, his expression somewhat crazed: "This stab is for my mother, this stab is for my old man, this stab is mine..."

"Don't kill me... I was wrong... I was wrong..." Black Wind Li cried out in agony, his face full of terror.

"Damn it!" Several bandits scrambled to their feet, knives in hand.

Swish! Swish swish!

Xie Hong, Lu Feiyang, and the others stepped forward with their spears, slashing and sweeping, cutting down the bandits.

In close combat, this rabble was no match for their fellow disciples.

Snapped!
A gunshot rang out, and a bandit who was trying to rush towards the door fell to the ground with a bloody hole in his forehead, from which blood gushed out.

Gao Yuan stood at the doorway, gun in hand, pointing at the bandits and saying, "All of you, put your hands behind your heads and squat down! Otherwise, I'll shoot you all one by one and send you to meet the King of Hell!"

Everyone stared at him, none of them daring to move.

Who are these teenagers? Not only are they highly skilled in martial arts, but how do they also know how to use guns?
After killing five or six bandits, Xie Hong, Gao Yuan, and the other three successfully intimidated the remaining bandits, who all crouched against the wall with their heads blown off.

Song Changhe stabbed Li Fang thirty-six times, each time avoiding vital points, until Li Fang finally breathed his last.

With a single stroke, Song Changhe severed Black Wind Li's head. The short sword fell to the ground, and Song Changhe's legs went weak, causing him to collapse to the ground. He muttered to himself, "Mother! Father! I've avenged you!"

The bandits were terrified at the sight.

Looking at Song Changhe sitting in a pool of blood, Zhou Yan felt both heartache and a touch of relief.

Now that he has avenged his great grudge, he should be at peace, right?

He finally understood what Mr. Song meant; Zhou Ming was indeed different from him.

Zhou Ming learns martial arts because he loves it, so he persists; he has no hatred in his eyes, so he is pure and kind.

He, burdened by a deep-seated blood feud, has remained steadfast for eight years, never daring to slacken his efforts.

Gao Yuan roared angrily, "You eight bandits who went to Hekou Village eight years ago, get out here! Report each other, or I'll kill you one by one. You all deserve to die anyway!"

The crowd hesitated.

Snapped!
Gunshots rang out, and the bandit closest to Gao Yuan fell to the ground.

"He's been there! He was one of the earliest followers of Black Wind Li!"

"Him too! Don't kill me, don't kill me!"

Before long, the four bandits were implicated and knelt before Song Changhe.

Two others had already been killed.

“We were just lookouts, we didn’t do anything, we didn’t do anything…” The two bandits trembled, their faces filled with fear.

“I was hiding in the water tank that night. I know exactly what you did.” Song Changhe picked up the knife from the ground and walked towards the four men.

The screen gradually darkened.

When it lit up again, it was a bright, sunny day.

Song Changhe and his five fellow disciples, including Xie Hong and Gao Yuan, rode tall horses with bright red ribbons tied around their chests, accompanied by the deafening sound of gongs and drums, and were greeted by pedestrians lining both sides of the road.

"Young hero! Annihilate the bandits of Qiuming Mountain and rid the people of this scourge!"

"Black Wind Li has committed countless evil deeds. Today, his head is hung on the city gate for all to see. It's a great relief to see the people of the city gratified!"

"I heard these young men are disciples of the Li Family Martial Arts School on Mount Emei. Their Emei spear skills are truly formidable!"

"The government awarded them five hundred silver dollars, and the county magistrate even presented them with a commendation order. They truly brought glory to their ancestors!"

Pedestrians were talking about it, their eyes full of admiration.

Looking at the five men standing tall and proud, Zhou Yan couldn't help but smile. These young men truly deserved the saying:

The spring breeze is proud of horseshoe disease, seeing Chang'an flowers in one day.

The commendation order was sent all the way to the foot of Mount Emei.

Li Lingfeng, Huang Chuyu, and Li Susu were already waiting at the foot of the mountain, all dressed in their most presentable clothes.

Wan Shuyu stood on the rock, saw the approaching people in the distance, and called out loudly, "They're here! My senior brothers are back!"

Li Lingfeng stood up and saw a group of disciples riding tall horses, adorned with red ribbons, approaching. A smile appeared on his face.

"You were furious yesterday, how come you're smiling today?" Huang Chuyu said with a smile.

"Look at them, how much do they resemble me when I was young?" Li Lingfeng looked at his disciples, his eyes filled with a smile and a sense of nostalgia.

Huang Chuyu looked at him with gentle eyes: "At least eight out of ten. Back then, when you killed that bandit leader and paraded him through the streets on horseback, you were just as triumphant as he is now."

Li Lingfeng smiled and shook his head: "I wanted to buy osmanthus flowers and share wine, but it's not like the carefree days of my youth. In the blink of an eye, we've all grown old."

"It's good to leave this martial arts world to them," Huang Chuyu said with a smile.

"Senior brother! You didn't even call me when you went down the mountain to suppress the bandits!" Li Susu ran over, looked up at the group on horseback, and said angrily.

"Me too! Me too!" Wan Shuyu ran over, jumping up and down, "Senior brothers! You guys are amazing!"

"Haha, junior sister, we wouldn't dare bring you along, otherwise it wouldn't just be a matter of standing in the corner for two hours when we get back," Gao Yuan laughed.

Everyone laughed along. "Master!" Song Changhe dismounted, took the commendation order, walked to Li Lingfeng, knelt down with a thud, held the order above his head, and said with tears in his eyes, "I have avenged my parents!"

"Good!" Li Lingfeng helped him up and patted his arm hard. "Well done!"

Huang Chuyu looked at her, her eyes also filled with tears.

"These bandits are your enemies?" Li Susu stared at Song Changhe with her mouth slightly agape, her expression full of shock.

Song Changhe nodded.

Li Susu's eyes immediately reddened, and she hugged Song Changhe tightly, saying happily, "That's wonderful! This is wonderful!"

Song Changhe froze on the spot, holding his hand up in a daze for a long time.

Li Lingfeng and Huang Chuyu exchanged a glance, both of them smiling.

"What's going on? Why are they hugging?" Zhao Hui scratched his head.

"What else could it be? In two years, when we go back to the mountain, it'll be to attend Changhe and Junior Sister's wedding, you idiot," Gao Yuan laughed.

"what?"

"Hahaha--"

The scene shifts, and everyone is back on the mountain.

A large round table was set up in the courtyard, laden with food and wine. The plate for the salted braised pork belly was exceptionally large, and even the spare ribs were huge.

Li Lingfeng raised his wine cup, stood up, and looked at everyone, saying, "Today you rid the people of a scourge and bravely killed the bandits. As your master, I am very pleased. I hope you can maintain this courage, serve the country and the people, and become heroes, so that you will not waste your martial arts skills!"

"We will obey our master's orders!" Everyone raised their wine cups and drank them down in one gulp.

"Cough cough cough-"

Song Changhe and Zhao Hui had never drunk alcohol before, and they choked and coughed incessantly, which drew laughter from everyone.

Everyone took their seats, drank heartily, and chatted about everything under the sun, having a great time.

After several rounds of drinks and having eaten most of the food, Xie Hong looked at Li Lingfeng and said, "Master, my brothers and I have discussed it and are planning to go down the mountain and go home tomorrow. We will no longer be able to accompany you and your wife, but if you summon us, we will definitely return to the mountain immediately."

"Are all the senior brothers leaving?" Li Susu, who was eating sunflower seeds, suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with surprise and reluctance.

"Senior brother, you guys..." Song Changhe, slightly drunk, also looked bewildered.

"Very well. Your families have urged you to do this more than once in the past two years, but you have always made excuses that your martial arts skills are not yet proficient and that you want to continue to study in the mountains." Li Lingfeng slowly put down his wine cup and looked at his four disciples with satisfaction, nodding: "All good things must come to an end. I wish you all a bright future after you go down the mountain."

Huang Chuyu turned her face away, secretly wiping away her tears. After so many years together, she had long regarded all the disciples as her own children.

"Thank you, Master!" Xie Hong and the others knelt down on one knee to express their gratitude.

"Get up." Li Lingfeng stepped forward and helped everyone up.

Xie Hong looked at Song Changhe and said with a smile, "Changhe, your great revenge has been avenged, and our worries are also over. We should all go home and inherit our family businesses. You grew up on the mountain, so you should take good care of our master and mistress. If you have time, bring your junior sister to visit your senior brothers' homes."

"Okay." Song Changhe nodded.

"Senior brother, I can't bear to part with you all..." Li Susu couldn't hold back anymore and cried her heart out.

From the time she could remember, several of her senior brothers came up the mountain one after another and stayed by her side, practicing martial arts together and going down the mountain to play together, as close as brothers and sisters.

Now that her four best brothers are going down the mountain together, she can't bear this blow.

Her crying made Wan Shuyu cry along with her.

Xie Hong and the others felt a little uneasy. Zhao Hui, the youngest of them, couldn't help but hug Wan Shuyu and start crying.

Li Lingfeng looked at the group of people crying and shook his head helplessly.

"Go ahead and cry. When you and your fellow disciples parted ways, you cried even harder than this," Huang Chuyu said, wiping away her tears and unable to suppress a laugh.

……

The scene shifts, and the entire martial arts school is now ablaze with festive cheer, with "double happiness" characters pasted everywhere and large red lanterns hanging at the entrance.

Zhou Yan's eyes searched around and he noticed the date on the wall: May 16, 1930.
It was three years after that bandit suppression incident.

Li Lingfeng, dressed in a dark blue robe, and Huang Chuyu, dressed in a black cheongsam, greeted the guests with smiles.

Xie Hong, Lu Feiyang, Gao Yuan, and Zhao Hui were all present. They first greeted their master and mistress, and then surrounded the groom, Song Changhe.

Gao Yuan, dressed in a suit with his hair slicked back, looked at Song Changhe, who was dressed in wedding attire, and teased with a smile, "Junior brother, you really did get married to your junior sister!"

Lu Feiyang had gained some weight, with a slightly protruding belly, but he still looked very robust. He chuckled and said, "I knew a long time ago that Junior Sister had feelings for Changhe, so I secretly hid buns for him."

"Changhe and Junior Sister are a perfect match, a match made in heaven." Xie Hong straightened Song Changhe's collar, gently placed his right hand on his shoulder, and said with a smile, "Changhe, you must treat Susu well. She is the younger sister I watched grow up. If you dare to betray her, I will not let you off easily!"

“That’s right! She’s our own sister too!” Zhao Hui added.

"Please rest assured, fellow disciples, I will definitely treat Susu well and serve Master and Mistress well," Song Changhe said earnestly, cupping his hands in greeting.

"Good! I'm relieved to hear that." Xie Hong nodded with a smile.

"Fellow senior brothers, please come in and have a seat so we can chat." Song Changhe greeted everyone and led them to their seats in the courtyard.

"Senior Brother, your daughter can walk now, right? Is your wife pregnant again?"

"My sister-in-law is already showing, and Gao Yuan had two children in three years. I heard she's pregnant again?"

"Gao Yuan, you just stay home and make babies all the time, right?" Lu Feiyang looked at Gao Yuan in shock.

"Second Senior Brother, don't talk about me like that. I heard your father is planning to take three concubines for you? He probably wants you to have ten or eight children." Gao Yuan grabbed a handful of pumpkin seeds and looked at Lu Feiyang with a smile.

Luffy Yang shook his head like a rattle drum, glanced back, and whispered, "Don't say it. My old man mentioned this a couple of days ago, and my wife beat him up. He hasn't dared to sit at the table for three days."

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"What? Your husband's word isn't law in your family, so your wife is in charge?" Gao Yuan laughed. "So fierce?"

Lu Fei Yang spread his hands: "You probably don't know, but my father-in-law was just promoted to head of the security regiment. My wife can shoot an apple every time from ten meters away without even aiming. I'm not kidding. There's no one in our family who can fight."

Everyone gasped upon hearing this.

Gao Yuan turned to Zhao Hui: "Hui, what about you? You little bastard, have you succeeded in pursuing that opera troupe leader's daughter? You've given her at least a thousand silver dollars in the past three years, if not eight hundred? Some decent families have already married two or three girls, and you haven't even held her hand?"

Zhao Hui blushed and stammered, "It'll be soon. Honghong is different; she's a rather traditional and conservative girl."

“It’s different from the hammer! The magistrate’s son is on good terms with a friend of mine. He said that last time the opera troupe came to his house to perform, that Honghong took the initiative to seduce him, and they slept together that night.” Gao Yuan rolled his eyes at him and earnestly advised, “The girl you can’t let go of, he’s already put down. You’re at home crying every day, while he’s sweating every day.”

"Impossible...impossible! Honghong isn't that kind of person!" Zhao Hui blushed and looked utterly unable to accept it.

"That friend also said that because she's pregnant with the county magistrate's grandson, she's about to marry into the magistrate's family, though of course, as a concubine." Gao Yuan sighed, looking at him wistfully, "She's already showing her pregnancy, and you still haven't gotten over it. Tell me, when was the last time you saw her? Did you even see her on stage?"

Zhao Hui opened his mouth, and after a long while he closed it, he shook his head. "I haven't seen her for three months, nor have I seen her on stage."

"Alright, that kind of woman is not good enough for you." Gao Yuan patted his shoulder and said with a smile, "I'll have your sister-in-law introduce you to her distant niece later. She's from a respectable family and looks pretty. You can just call me uncle from now on."

"Uncle, you're the best. It wasn't for nothing that I slept with you for ten years..." Zhao Hui cried while hugging Gao Yuan.

"Alright, alright, Changhe and Susu are getting married, don't embarrass yourselves in public." Gao Yuan pushed him away, looking disgusted.

The people around them laughed even harder.

"Senior brothers! You're back!" Wan Shuyu ran over. Three years had passed, and the little kid from back then had grown into a tall, thin young man with a scholarly air about him.

"Shuyu has grown taller again." Xie Hong looked at Wan Shuyu and said with a smile, "I brought you a box of books and left it in your dorm."

“I also brought you a box.” Gao Yuan pulled him over and whispered, “Your senior brother slipped you a copy of ‘Jin Ping Mei’ with illustrations. Read it discreetly.”

"Huh?" Wan Shuyu looked completely bewildered.

"I brought you pen, ink, and paper. Junior Brother, did you come up the mountain to learn martial arts or to study?" Lu Fei Yang asked with a smile.

Wan Shuyu smiled and said, "When I get tired of practicing martial arts, I read a book or write some characters. I feel quite happy."

"That's great. He'll be accomplished in both literature and martial arts, and become a pillar of society," Xie Hong said with a smile.

The fellow disciples hadn't seen each other for more than half a year, so they chatted freely and had a great time.

Li Susu was getting ready in her room when she heard the noise. She tried to come out and greet them several times, but the matchmaker held her back each time.

"How can a bride go out to meet guests before the wedding ceremony? Miss Li, you should stay here and rest." The matchmaker helped her put the veil back on and said with a smile.

“We are people of the martial world, we don’t stand on these formalities, you don’t understand.” Li Susu waved her hand, but didn’t rush to go out anymore, and sat obediently.

The auspicious time has arrived.

Amidst the blessings of relatives and friends, Song Changhe and Li Susu got married.

Xie Hong and Lu Feiyang, along with their fellow disciples, stood aside watching, all with smiles on their faces.

They watched Li Susu and Song Changhe grow up, and now seeing them get married, they feel like older brothers.

Zhou Yan, watching this scene from the side, also felt the beauty.

Having experienced the tragic death of his parents in his childhood, Song Changhe married his childhood sweetheart, his junior sister, at the age of twenty-one after successfully avenging his parents. He finally had a warm home again.

Compared to three years ago, Song Changhe looks gentler today. His eyes are bright, but not as sharp as before.

At the wedding banquet, Song Changhe, completely drunk, staggered into the bridal chamber, and the door slowly closed.

"Susu..."

"Senior brother..."

"Senior brother?"

"Brother!"

"Hu-hu-"

"I've been waiting all day, and you've gotten me drunk! It's so annoying!"

Li Susu ripped off her veil, her beautiful face showing a mixture of anger and helplessness.

Zhou Yan: ?
I never expected that Mr. Song would have such an embarrassing incident on his wedding night.

The scene begins to glimpse into Song Changhe and Li Susu's married life, showing their deep affection. One is reserved, while the other is lively, yet they are quite compatible.

The following year, Li Susu gave birth to a son, and three years later, she gave birth to another son.

During this period, many young people who had heard of Li's martial arts school came to learn martial arts.

The world is becoming increasingly chaotic, with warlords fighting each other and bandits running rampant. Everyone wants their children to learn martial arts for protection.

However, after Wan Shuyu, Li Lingfeng never formally accepted another disciple.

Teaching martial arts is just teaching the skill, not formally accepting disciples.

Li Lingfeng had no son, so his son-in-law Song Changhe became the heir to the martial arts school and has already begun helping to teach his students martial arts.

Xie Hong and the others would make an appointment to return to the mountain to visit their master and mistress during festivals, and the fellow disciples could also get together.

Through the changing seasons, the open space of the martial arts school is always filled with young people practicing martial arts, making it quite lively.

Something happened during that time.

1935.11.23
On his way down the mountain on business, Li Lingfeng encountered bandits who attempted to rob and rape women.

He intervened and killed three bandits with his gun, but was also shot in the right leg.

Fortunately, he received timely medical treatment, but it left him with lingering problems. He has been walking with a limp ever since, and his movements are not as agile as before.

"It's alright. I can walk, eat, and sleep just like before." Li Lingfeng sat on the steps of the martial arts school, looking at the boys standing on the poles, and laughed heartily. "I'm getting old anyway, so it's not bad to be able to teach these kids martial arts."

Li Susu sat down next to him with her youngest son in her arms and said with a smile, "It's good that you think positively. Anyway, Changhe can now take on the task of teaching at the martial arts school, so you don't need to worry about it."

“Alright, then I’ll teach my grandson some martial arts,” Li Lingfeng said with a smile.

“Let him choose for himself. I see how much he enjoys reading and learning to read with Shuyu. If he can become a cultured person, I think that would be great.” Li Susu shook her head with a smile.

Li Lingfeng shook his head: "In this world, everyone else sends their children to learn martial arts, but you, on the contrary, want your children to study literature and become cultured people."

"Shuyu has read too many books. Look at him now, even his old man is starting to worry. He refuses to come home and inherit the family business, and finding him a wife isn't working out either. Old Man Wan is already seventy and all he wants is a grandson, but I don't think we can count on that."

Li Susu was unconvinced and said with a smile, "Shuyu is great. He knows everything from astronomy to geography, he is very knowledgeable and can know everything happening in the world without leaving home. Moreover, he is also good at martial arts. He won third place in our Emei martial arts competition last time. Now people outside call him the Deadly Scholar."

"Deadly Scholar, that's quite a title," Li Lingfeng said with a smile.

"Grandpa! Play with me!" A little boy of three or four years old ran over and took Li Lingfeng's hand.

"Okay, Grandpa will play with you." Li Lingfeng smiled and got up, following the little boy to the small swing under the tree.

The scene shifts abruptly, showing the two children growing up day by day, their laughter and joy filling the air.

Then one day, a newspaper was delivered to the mountain.

Li Lingfeng sat in front of the mountain gate, smoking two pipes of tobacco, his brows furrowed in worry, for the entire day.

Song Changhe stood to the side, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back, his brows also furrowed.

Zhou Yan stood to the side, looking at the date and report in the newspaper, her heart clenching.

On July 10, 1937, Liu Xiang sent a telegram to the whole country, calling for a nationwide mobilization to unite against Japan.

The report listed the crimes committed by the Japanese army in occupying our land, killing our soldiers and civilians, and humiliating our sisters.

"The Japanese pirates have invaded our land again! They are truly despicable!" Li Lingfeng punched a tree next to him, breaking the thick pine tree in half with a single blow.

Song Changhe remained silent for a long time before looking at Li Lingfeng and saying, "Master, I want to join the army to fight against the Japanese!"

Li Lingfeng looked at him, remaining silent for a long time without saying a word.

That night.

Xie Hong, Lu Feiyang, Gao Yuan, and Zhao Hui brought wine up the mountain.

The teacher's wife prepared a table of dishes, and she and Li Susu took the two children to bed early.

The seven of them, master and disciples, remained silent, drinking bowl after bowl of wine.

The table was full of dishes, but hardly anyone touched them.

"Have you all read today's newspaper?" Li Lingfeng put down his wine glass and looked at everyone.

"Look!"

"I've seen them all!"

The disciples all nodded, their eyes filled with anger.

Xie Hong said, "The Japanese pirates have invaded our land. We warriors should go to the front lines to protect our country!"

"With our country shattered, where can we find a home?" Wan Shuyu slammed his wine glass on the table, his eyes wide with anger. "Loyal bones are buried everywhere in the green hills; why must we return wrapped in horsehide to die? I will answer General Liu Xiang's call and go to the front lines to fight the Japanese!"

Gao Yuan slammed his wine glass to the ground: "Damn it! I'm going too! Those Japanese devils are going too far! I don't believe in such a thing. They think they can wipe out China with this tiny place!"

“I’ll go too!” Lu Feiyang put down his wine glass and said.

“Me too!” Zhao Hui added.

“Let’s go together! Let’s go together!” Song Changhe clenched his fist and said.

Li Lingfeng looked at his disciples and nodded with satisfaction: "Good! This martial arts training hasn't been in vain! They've cultivated some chivalry!"

“If you want to serve your country and protect our land, I will support you with all my might.” Li Lingfeng’s gaze fell on Zhao Hui and Wan Shuyu: “But Zhao Hui and Shuyu are only sons in their families. Zhao Hui has been married for less than three months, and Shuyu is not even married yet. You have no offspring, so you should not go.”

“Master, I would risk my life for the country, how could I avoid it because of personal fortune or misfortune!” Wan Shuyu stood up, his expression stirring. “I have read so many books of sages and know what it means to be a slave to a conquered country. I am willing to protect my land with my blood! If the land is destroyed and the country is destroyed, even if I leave behind descendants, they will only be slaves of a conquered country!”

“That’s right! Me too!” Zhao Hui stood up as well, his expression equally agitated. “I didn’t ask Shuyu’s question, but I know that if I don’t go, my wife, sisters, and mother will all be humiliated by the Japanese devils!”

Li Lingfeng looked at the two of them, his fists clenched, tears welling in his eyes, and nodded heavily: "Good! Good lads!"

Gao Yuan said, "Since everyone has made up their minds, starting tomorrow, we will go to the back mountain to practice shooting."

"Practicing shooting? Third Senior Brother, haven't we practiced shooting for twenty years enough?" Zhao Hui asked, puzzled.

"You know nothing! We fight the Japanese with rifles!" Gao Yuan laughed. "I read in the newspaper that the Japanese are very accurate marksmen. They can crack your skull from a hundred meters away. I ask you, what are you going to use to fight them?"
I recently asked my cousin to buy me eight Czech-made .79 caliber rifles. I haven't even had a chance to warm them up yet, and I've also bought a good amount of ammunition. I'll use them to teach you guys how to shoot. Otherwise, you might end up on the battlefield unable to fire properly and just become cannon fodder.

“I don’t think my red-tasseled spear is any less effective,” Lu Feiyang said.

"You're so stubborn," Gao Yuan said, speechless. "Can your red-tasseled spear withstand bullets and cannonballs? Times have changed!"

The Japanese are now fighting us with their weapons and equipment. If we were still using knives and guns, what could those few Japanese soldiers possibly do? Even Empress Dowager Cixi wasn't driven around by the foreign devils.

“I think Third Senior Brother is right. Modern guns and cannons have been developed for many years. They are powerful and have a long range. If we want to fight against the Japanese devils, we must arm ourselves with modern weapons. We cannot be blindly arrogant.” Wan Shuyu looked at Gao Yuan and said, “Third Senior Brother, you have been in contact with firearms for many years. I will learn from you. Before leaving Sichuan, I will first learn how to use a rifle.”

Gao Yuan smiled upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "Good! People really do need to read more books so they can understand the principles."

Xie Hong said, "I'll learn too. I often use the homemade guns that my family guards use for hunting. Their power is truly extraordinary, much greater than that of concealed weapons in terms of range and power."

Zhao Hui raised his hand and said, "I want to learn. Last time I went up the mountain with my third senior brother, I killed a wild boar with one shot. That kind of power is quite terrifying."

“I’ll learn too,” Song Changhe said.

“Okay! I’ll bring the gun up tomorrow,” Gao Yuan nodded.

The crowd then dispersed.

For the next two months, gunfire continued to erupt from the back mountain.

The brothers reunited and practiced setting up their guns, aiming, and shooting every day, doing it with the same spirit and energy they had when they first learned martial arts.

Two months later, even Lu Feiyang, who had the worst marksmanship, could hit a target fifty meters away.

That day, Gao Yuan said to everyone, "My cousin sent me a letter today. General Liu Xiang has received military orders and is reorganizing and assembling his troops. The Sichuan Army is preparing to leave Sichuan to fight against the Japanese! I asked him to register six slots for us, and they have all been confirmed. We will set off for Chengdu tomorrow!"

"That's great!" Everyone exclaimed with excitement.

Gao Yuan added, "It's probably too late to go home. Everyone should write a letter home and have it sent back. We'll head to Chengdu first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Okay!" Everyone nodded and went to Wan Shuyu's room.

That evening, the teacher's wife prepared a huge feast, even more lavish than during the Chinese New Year.

Especially the salted braised pork belly, each person had a separate serving.

After practicing shooting all day, everyone was starving. They grabbed large bowls and wolfed down their food.

"Eat slowly, there's more in the pot," Huang Chuyu said gently, but her voice was trembling with tears as she turned away to wipe them away.

"Master's wife, your braised pork belly is so delicious! The pickled mustard greens are so fragrant, I could eat it forever!"

"Exactly! I ate plate after plate today, it was so satisfying!"

"Don't worry, Master's wife, we'll be back after we defeat the Japanese! If you see my wife and children later, just tell them this, so they won't disbelieve what I wrote in my letter."

Everyone chatted amongst themselves, enjoying their meal immensely.

Huang Chuyu couldn't help but cry. Looking at everyone, she said, "You must come back. Your master, your parents, wives, and children are all waiting for you."

"Senior brothers, I'm also waiting for you to come back." Li Susu was also crying with tears streaming down her face.

"Don't worry, we'll be back after we defeat the Japanese." Song Changhe embraced her and said gently, "Definitely."

　I've gone a little over budget again. I'll finish writing it tomorrow. That's all for now, I'm done.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)