Chapter 3, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Uncle Li Er spoke for most of the day, and only then did Li Chongjiu understand. He was momentarily taken aback, thinking that the internal discipline of the Qianqian stronghold required the execution of more than ten people all at once, and it was still because of him. This could explain why the bandits looked at him with such strange expressions.

The吊篮 is made of sturdy mountain wood, with a considerable area, capable of accommodating even a horse.

In light of the situation encountered on the way up the mountain, this is clearly quite unfriendly. After all, Li Chongjiu is the young master of the stronghold; such treatment indicates that something unfavorable has occurred within the stronghold.

Upon learning the details of the other party, Li Chongjiu felt a chill in his heart. Could this person be the general of Wagangzhai, Wang Junkuo, who, barring any mishaps in the future, would undoubtedly rank among the Twenty-Four Generals of Lingyan Pavilion? He had not anticipated that such a small stronghold would harbor hidden talents.

Li Chongjiu nodded and was just taking a few steps when Uncle Li Er hurriedly caught up to him and whispered in his ear: "Xiao Jiu, do not offend the second leader"

During this time, when Li Chongjiu was gravely ill, his father, Li Hu, went to the county town to purchase old ginseng, and Li Chongjiu was under the care of his Uncle Li. Over the past three days, Li Chongjiu managed to gather a considerable amount of information from Uncle Li.

It turned out that this time Li Chongjiu was beaten to the ground, spitting blood, by Li Sanniang. The bandits beside him, seeing this situation, abandoned him and fled, which is indeed an act devoid of loyalty. Upon entering the mountain stronghold, everyone had sworn an oath and shared drinks, claiming to face hardships together. Those who are afraid of death and abandon their brothers to escape are regarded as utterly lacking in loyalty. Therefore, in such circumstances, it is often necessary to execute one as a warning to many.

Li Chongjiu, along with his father, the chief of Qiqianzai, Li Hu, and several hundred brothers from Qiqianzai, all lived here. It cannot be said that they were completely detached from worldly affairs, but they were not oppressed by officials. Li Chongjiu jumped from his cradle, descended the ladder, and walked towards the mountain stronghold.

He looked up and gazed around, finding mountains rising and falling in all directions, seemingly endless. Unlike the south, the mountains in the north appeared desolate, with sparse trees, exuding a sense of vastness and desolation. The location of the stockade is called Qiqianzhai Mountain, currently under the jurisdiction of Shiai County in Taiyuan Prefecture.

The man was tall and robust, dressed in an eye-catching green robe, and even while sitting on a stone, he resembled a mountain. Behind him, a bandit held up a weapon for him, which was a long-handled, fully iron cleaver. Without the prior guidance from Uncle Li Er, Li Chongjiu could deduce the identity of the person merely by observing his appearance.

Armored and adorned with floral patterns, the stronghold enforces the most severe penalties within the band of mountain bandits. These measures are implemented according to the different seasons.

"What happened?" Li Chongjiu asked

Because their families and companions are facing disaster because of them, they feel discontented when they see themselves. Of course, once these more than ten individuals are executed, their families and friends, though they may not dare to express it openly, will certainly harbor resentment towards Li Chongjiu. In the future, it will be difficult for Li Chongjiu to establish himself in the stronghold.

Li Chongji strode down the mountain slope, walking for about half an hour. Just as he began to break a light sweat, he reached the valley of Qiqianzhai, arriving at a place known as the "One Line Sky." This One Line Sky is the only path to enter the mountain village. The road appeared as if a giant stone had been cleaved in two by a sword, leaving only a narrow mountain path in the middle that could not accommodate two people walking side by side.

Li Chongjiu nodded slightly. He could see that these bandits were greeting him with words, but their actions remained languid, showing little respect towards him. In their gazes, there was even a hint of mockery. It was evident that the news of him being severely injured and nearly killed by a mere woman had spread within the bandit camp, leading them to regard him with a degree of disdain.

Within the several acres of the outer wall and the mountain wall lies the core residence of the stronghold. With such mountainous terrain and the fortitude of the stronghold, it is sufficient to withstand an army of ten thousand. Li Chongjiu's father, relying on this stronghold, has established himself in this place for over a decade, neither paying silk nor submitting to the local authorities. After some arrangements, the local government also turned a blind eye to the existence of this defiance against the imperial rule.

Two mountain bandits on the city wall were strenuously turning the winch, and the sound of it rumbling echoed above Li Chongjiu's head. Li Chongjiu found it somewhat amusing; for someone who took the elevator to work every day, riding this primitive lift offered a completely different experience

Although the layout of the bandit stronghold is small, its distribution is well-ordered. At the back of the mountain, against the sheer cliff, lies the central assembly hall of the stronghold. In front of the assembly hall, there is a large open space designated for martial arts practice. Surrounding the assembly hall are armories for storing weapons and granaries for stockpiling food. The remaining bandits' houses are arranged in a circle around the assembly hall.

On the training ground of Qiqianzha, a row of jujube trees is planted. Every year, during the harvest season in August and September, the jujube trees are laden with heavy fruit. The villagers of the mountain stronghold gather to harvest and use the jujubes for offerings. However, at this moment, the jujube trees are not adorned with fruit, but rather with a line of strong men, their hands bound and hanging from the trees.

The name Taiyuan is all too familiar to Li Chongjiu, a millennium later. Currently, the seat of Taiyuan County is in Jinyang. In the past, Jinyang was once part of Bingzhou, and the administrative seat of Taiyuan County has alternated. In the third year of the Daye era, the system of counties and prefectures from the Qin Dynasty was restored, and the administrative seat was changed from Bingzhou to Taiyuan County. As for Shiai County, it is over a hundred miles away from Taiyuan County.

The fog is thick at the mountain top, and the damp cold makes it difficult to linger any longer

Li Chongjiu did not speak, nor did he glance at the man who called out to him. He walked straight to the jujube tree and, facing a man, first respectfully said, "Greetings, Second Uncle"

The mountain path has been renovated, with stone steps carved into it. Over the past three days, Li Chongjiu has become familiar with this route. A few bandits armed with hunting bows are crouched on the rocks, keeping watch. Upon seeing Li Chongjiu, they greet him, saying: "Young Master!"

Little Chef

As the winch turns, the thick rope is pulled up inch by inch, and the scenery of Qianqianzhai is brought into view. If one were to describe it in a single sentence, it would be a truly formidable mountain! Even the birds cannot pass, and the monkeys lament their inability to climb over.

Li Chongjiu thought for a moment, then walked to the door of a house and called out from behind the fence, "Uncle Li Er, may I have a word with you"

Without much thought, Li Chongjiu had already arrived at the foot of the stockade. The stockade was approximately two zhang high, constructed with large logs that two people could barely encircle, stacked one by one and deeply embedded in the ground. There was no main gate in the stockade; during the day, entry and exit relied solely on two hanging baskets.

For many years, he engaged in theft, acquiring a remarkable set of martial skills. He gathered a group of brave men and plundered Changping County, killing numerous officials and soldiers. Subsequently, he was surrounded by the heavily armed government troops. Wang Junkuo led his men to break through the encirclement, barely escaping with his life. Afterward, his subordinates dispersed, and he himself was gravely injured, only to be rescued by the father of Li Chongjiu. Although Wang Junkuo was fierce in nature, he understood the importance of gratitude and repaying kindness. To repay the life-saving grace, he decided to stay at Qiqianzhai and unreservedly became the second-in-command.

Wang Junkuo, four to five years ago before entering Qiqianzha, was originally from a family of peddlers. Later, due to the oppressive taxation by the authorities, he fell into a state of disarray and began to rob on the road. He crafted a fishing tool from bamboo, which contained barbs, and whenever he saw solitary merchants passing by, he would use this tool like a blood-dripping device, covering it over the heads of his targets to seize their goods and escape

This is the home of Li Chongjiu

Uncle Li Er looked up at Li Chongjiu, then took a step closer, covering his mouth with his hand and said: "It is not good for the young master."

Uncle Li Er was precisely the elder who guided Li Chongjiu after his time travel. He also learned from him that the other party was originally an old brother from the stronghold. During a business trip, he lost his wind and was captured by the authorities. After enduring torture, he stubbornly refused to betray his accomplices. Subsequently, the entire Qiqian stronghold worked to establish connections with the authorities and rescued Uncle Li Er. Because Uncle Li Er had been severely beaten by the officials, the people of Qiqian stronghold not only supported him but also respected his loyalty, treating him with fine wine and meat. Each time funds were dispatched for business trips, it was all thanks to his contributions.

Three days later

The second-in-command is furious this time and intends to take all the younger brothers who escaped during this mission with the young master, along with the *Tu* and *Shu* brothers, and hang them on the tree to be displayed as a warning

At the foot of the mountain, the stockade stands facing south with its back against the mountain, behind it a towering row of cliffs reaching into the clouds, which is the main peak of Qianqianzhai Mountain. Anyone attempting to climb it would surely fall to their death. Surrounding it is the outer wall made of massive timber, which blocks all paths in and out.

Li Chongjiu asked, "Where are those more than ten people now"

Li Chongjiu smiled at that moment, indicating his relief

The bandits of Qiqianzha, Li Yuan, the princess of the Li Tang dynasty; thinking of these, Li Chongjiu couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly.

After Li Chongjiu approached, these strong men, upon seeing him, immediately exclaimed: "Young Master! Young Master!"

Since I have come, I shall make my peace with it. Li Chongjiu remarked that he had worked too hard in his previous life, so in this life, he would take a long vacation for himself. Being a mountain bandit is not necessarily a bad thing; one can eat meat heartily, drink wine generously, and weigh gold in large amounts. This is the kind of life that the heroes of Liangshan enjoy

These individuals must be the ones who accompanied me to rob Li Sanniang that day. Although they returned in great defeat, they abandoned their companion, who was left alone. It is a pity that now they recognize Li Chongjiu, but Li Chongjiu does not recognize any of them.

He heard that the current Emperor Yang of Sui is ambitious and eager for achievements, leading to a tragic situation in the north where the people are suffering due to the campaign against Goguryeo. At this time, the man who calls himself the Scholar of the World must be singing in Shandong, proclaiming that the deaths in Liaodong are of no concern. Do not go to Liaodong, for the journey is long and arduous; gather the people to become the first to rise against the Sui Dynasty, joining the ranks of the rebel leaders. Although life in the Qianqian stronghold is currently impoverished, in this boiling era, it is akin to a small paradise.

"Wearing flowers" is used in the summer. It involves stripping a person of their clothes and binding them to a large tree in the wilderness. By nightfall in the mountainous areas, various mosquitoes, small insects, and horseflies abound. At dusk, they swarm in like mist, clustering around the person, and throughout the night, they drain the person's blood. These two forms of punishment are specifically intended to penalize those among the mountain bandits who have committed serious offenses.

Uncle Li Er said: "Right in front of the assembly hall, at the training ground."

"Hanging Armor" is used in winter. First, strip the person of all their clothes and tie them to a tree. Then, pour cold water over them. In Taiyuan County, the winter temperatures are extremely low, and within just one night, the person will freeze into a snow-white ice stick

Note 2: "Zhangkuai", referring to a type of intermediary merchant known as a "Yahang" in ancient times.

To casually meet figures like Li Yuan and Li Shimin again, and to marry a gentle and virtuous woman, would compensate for the regrets of a past life spent engrossed in career pursuits. Living in the present is what truly matters; as for raising an army to rebel and contend for supremacy against the Sui, let the Li family handle that.

From the inside out, layer upon layer, each household's main entrance faces north, while the southern side is adorned with a rammed earth wall. Such architecture is surprisingly designed for urban warfare. Li Chongjiu walked to the earthen wall and casually scratched it with his fingernail, leaving only a white mark, indicating that the rammed earth wall is indeed quite sturdy

After his rebirth, Li Chongjiu lay on the mountaintop with his hands clasped behind his head, gazing at the mist swirling around the mountainside opposite him. Li Chongjiu stood up, taking a deep breath and exhaling, savoring the fresh air of this era, free from any pollution.

This person has a face like a heavy jujube, with a long beard, exuding an imposing presence without anger; he is none other than Wang Junkuo, the second-in-command of the Qiqian Stockade. Before coming here, Uncle Li had pulled Li Chongjiu aside and seriously explained for quite a while, detailing the background of this second-in-command of the Qiqian Stockade.

What a great man from Yan and Zhao

I know

What is "Hanging Armor" and "Wearing Flowers"? Li Chongjiu still does not quite understand the terms used by Uncle Li Er regarding these mountain bandit expressions

This small stronghold, in terms of defensive capability, is hardly inferior to the fortresses of the border counties. As Li Chongjiu made his way, he encountered various mountain bandits. However, upon seeing Li Chongjiu, these men, women, and children all retreated to the side or turned to leave. Everyone hurriedly shut their windows. One woman even splashed a basin of water onto the ground before turning to close the door.

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it is the prototype of Wang Junke, the Five Tiger Broadsword of Wagang.

Note 1: The "Book of Tang" records that Wang Junkuo was a native of Shiai in Bingzhou. In his youth, he became a fugitive and formed a band of over a thousand thieves, raiding Changping and advancing towards Xiacounty.