Chapter 8 Who Dares to Accompany?

You and I are family, so why be so polite

Gao Shiyin was just about to grab the young man's topknot when a disdainful voice nearby interrupted: "You have the ability to kill the common people, yet you lack the courage to kill the Tartars. What kind of thing are you?"

He inquired about the situation earlier, and Zhong Dayong recounted that he heard Wang Dou had shot down a white-armored soldier of the Later Jin with one arrow. The three men inside the fort were still able to exchange fire with the Later Jin troops, which surprised him somewhat. His effeminate gaze shifted between Wang Dou and the three men, Han Chao and Han Zhong, and his tone was not without envy: "It seems that my brother-in-law has capable subordinates."

He threw his waist knife to the ground and swung a punch directly at Wang Dou's face. He wanted to show off, opting to use his fists instead of the knife, thinking it would be easier to teach this foolish Wang a lesson. However, before his fist could reach Wang Dou's face, a massive fist was already in front of him. Gao Shiyin was taken aback and hurriedly raised his guard to retreat.

Han Zhong called out loudly: "Gao Manzi, let’s go together, kill the Tartars and exchange them for reward money. Looking at you, it seems you haven’t had meat for many days. With money, you can enjoy delicious food and drink, isn’t that good?"

The scene was extremely quiet, and Wang Dou's cold gaze swept across the room, yet not a single person dared to meet his eyes; even Zhong Dayong's angry shouts were swallowed back. Upon seeing Han Chaoshi, a hint of shame appeared on his face as he lowered his head to look at his own shoes.

Wang Douxin felt even more pleased, as he now had Han Zhao and his brother Han Zhong by his side, which gave him greater confidence in slaying those few soldiers of the Later Jin army.

Everyone looked over, and indeed, several soldiers of the Ming army came rushing from the direction of the refuse fort. Judging by their attire, they should all be the garrison troops within the fort.

The situation before them took a sudden turn, leaving Zhong Dayong and Wang Youjin both dumbfounded, especially Zhong Dayong. He did not expect that the soldiers inside the fort had all sided with Wang Dou. A surge of anger welled up in his heart, but soon his thoughts shifted rapidly. This could be advantageous; if Wang Dou and his group were truly able to achieve a decisive victory, his own contributions would naturally be recognized. If they failed, then dying outside would be better, sparing them from the trouble of having that foolish Wang Da as a liability inside the fort.

Zhong Dayong was extremely angry when he found that the head he had in hand was gone. After hearing Wang Youjin's words, his expression changed even more, and he finally shouted angrily: "Wang Dou, you are so bold. After several instances of defying me, do you really think I dare not punish you? You must know that I am the head of a post."

He suddenly turned around, only to find Wang Dou staring at him coldly

Wang Dou nodded and said, "Alright, at last, a real man."

They supported each other as they slowly walked away, going further and further until only faint, indistinct sounds of weeping remained.

The people over there at the Refugee Mound have also heard of Wang Dou's "reputation". Upon hearing Zhong Dayong say this, they began to whisper among themselves, their gazes towards Wang Dou filled with suspicion

Wang Dou said lightly: "Even if you don't say anything, I will still go kill the Tartars. Is there anyone with the guts to go with me?"

At this moment, Wang Youjin turned his gaze to the several commoners beside him and quietly asked, "What is the situation with these refugees?"

At this moment, behind Wang Youjin, a person suddenly let out a cold snort. Following that, Wang Dou felt a provocative gaze directed at him. Wang Dou looked over coldly, only to see a person dressed in the attire of a night watchman behind Wang Youjin. This individual appeared to be around thirty years old, with a face full of flesh, a tall stature, and his tattered mandarin duck battle jacket bulging out. He loosely held a waist knife in his right hand.

Gao Shiyin shouted, "Who is speaking?"

He quietly pulled Wang Youjin aside, and the two whispered for a moment. Wang Youjin listened while nodding, his dark gaze shifting among the several commoners. Finally, he chuckled softly and said, "Very well, let's split the heads fifty-fifty; we can use them to exchange for some reward money. Who knows, you and I might even get a promotion."

At that moment, Qi Tianliang suddenly exclaimed, "There are officials and soldiers coming."

The old man knelt on the ground and bowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion: "Thank you, military officer, you are a good person, and you will surely be rewarded for your kindness"

Wang Douzan said: "Good, finally there is one with eggs, who else dares to go along?"

At the forefront stands a military leader holding a squad flag, dressed in worn armor, appearing to be in his forties. He looks like a stout military officer, and behind him are several soldiers clad in tattered mandarin jackets, all of whom exhibit tense expressions, glancing around anxiously, fearing that a few cavalrymen from the Later Jin might suddenly charge out from somewhere.

Upon witnessing this scene, the faces of the people at Jingbian Dun all displayed a sense of compassion, and everyone turned their faces away. Han Zhong opened his mouth as if to say something, but Han Chao quickly pulled him back.

Han Zhong suddenly jumped up and exclaimed: "I will go too, damn it, what does it mean to kill common people? Being able to kill the Tartars is the real skill. Brother Wang, I support you"

He glanced at the brutal scene in front of the platform, let out a long sigh, and asked: "Have the Tartars left?"

Ma Ming, who had been silently caressing his wife's corpse, slowly stood up and said: "Brother Wang, I will go with you. Er Ya is dead, and I no longer wish to live. I want to kill the Tartars to avenge her."

Wang Dou felt a chill all over his body. He had long known that during the late Ming Dynasty, military discipline was in disarray, and the killing of the innocent to claim merit was common. There was even a case where a Ming soldier would disguise a woman's corpse as that of a man, earning great respect in the army. Every time he read historical texts, he was filled with indignation, but he never expected such a morally reprehensible act to occur right before his eyes

Yang Tong, remaining, said: "There is only one person left in the entire post, which is rather too sparse. The situation with the Tartars is still unclear, so I will stay in the post and guard together with Zhonghou."

As soon as these words were spoken, the disdainful gazes of everyone in Jingbian Dun turned towards him. His wife, Liu, also cast a disappointed glance in his direction. Yang Tong forced a smile, turned his head away, and did not dare to meet the eyes of the crowd

Provoked again by Wang Dou and Han Zhongyi, he shouted: "Who is afraid? To kill the Tartars, who has ever feared anyone?"

Zhong Da's face alternated between shades of blue and white, and before he could speak, someone from the other side of the table interjected: "Are you saying you want to go and behead those Tartars? Hmph, what a bold claim!"

No one dared to stop the departure of the common people, while the soldiers of the captured Dun stood awkwardly there. It was not until the figures of the common people disappeared that Wang Youjin coughed softly. His expression was somber as he said to Zhong Dayong: "Dayong, your subordinates are brave, but they are just too unruly. You, as the captain, heh heh..."

At this point, he recalled the disrespect shown to him by Wang Dou on that day, and his expression darkened once again

At this moment, Gao Shiyin was indeed moved. Having been poor for a long time, he was genuinely afraid, and the military merit reward silver at hand was considerable. This time, as the Later Jin army invaded, in order to boost the morale of the Ming army, the Ming Dynasty established a reward of thirty taels of silver for each enemy general beheaded, along with all the horses, cattle, and goods obtained going to the individual. Although this was not as substantial as the fifty taels of silver reward for each enemy general beheaded during the early Ming Dynasty, it had returned to the scale of the Jiajing period, which was enough to entice many desperate individuals.

Suddenly, a muffled grunt was heard as Gao Shiyin was struck heavily in the chest by Wang Dou's fist. He felt a salty taste rising in his mouth and, with great effort, managed to suppress the urge to spit out blood. However, at this moment, his legs had already gone weak, and he could no longer support himself, falling heavily to the ground.

Gao Shiyin glared at Wang Doushi, the flesh on his face trembling, and he shouted sternly: "Wang the Fool, do you dare to insult me in front of everyone?"

The scene before them left everyone present dumbfounded. Such a perilous life-and-death battle was something they had never witnessed before. The Ming soldiers who had refused to surrender had long since ceased their actions, merely staring blankly at the unfolding situation, each feeling a chill rise within. This Wang... Wang Dou, when did he become so fierce?

Wang Dou knew that this person was named Tan Jinrong, who was also one of those who refused to accept captives at Duntou. He had a good relationship with Gao Shiyin, and today, since Gao Shiyin had lost face, he naturally felt uncomfortable. At this moment, seizing Wang Dou's words, he began to speak sarcastically.

Zhong Dayuan's face lit up with joy as he hurried forward and exclaimed, "So it is my uncle, I truly did not expect you to come to my aid"

The common people suddenly cried out in anguish, huddling together in fear. They had just escaped the massacre by the Later Jin army, only to face the brutal hands of the officials and soldiers. An old man wept and shouted, "The heavens are clear, the heavens are clear..."

He exchanged a glance with Wang Youjin, and indeed they were relatives, as if they shared a tacit understanding. Wang Youjin slightly nodded, while Zhong Dayong cleared his throat and said sharply: "Good, the morale of the troops can be utilized. To fight against the enemy for the country is the duty of us, the soldiers of the great Ming. If there are any achievements, I will certainly request commendations and rewards from the higher authorities for you. Of course, as the captain of this stronghold, I have the responsibility to remain here and await your triumphant return."

He cast a sidelong glance and said lightly: "Gao Shiyin, do you have the courage to join me in striving for military merit in exchange for reward money?"

The old man and the few surviving townsfolk stood dumbfounded to the side, feeling the increasingly apparent hostility from the government troops before them. Their unease grew, with the old man taking the lead as he trembled and said: "Gentlemen of the army, we still need to head to Weizhou to seek refuge with our relatives and friends. If there are no further orders, we shall take our leave."

The two exchanged a few words, and at that moment, Wang Da's wife, of the Wang family, also came to see Wang Youjin, calling him "brother." A smile appeared on Wang Youjin's face: "Sister San, it's good that you are fine"

Gao Shiyin approached with a sneer and said, "You lowly wretch, are you speaking?"

Wang Dou said lightly: "Hour, aren't you blaming me for obstructing you from killing Liang and taking credit? If you want a head, I can go and chop off some Tartars for you."

Wang Dou scoffed disdainfully and said, "This is out of fear, a worthless coward. Besides showing off in front of women and children, what other abilities do you possess?"

Zhong Dayong expressed with relief: "They have left, but a few common people have unfortunately suffered."

The officer in question is Wang Youjin, the squad leader of Julu Dun. He is tall and thin, with a pale complexion, which gives him an odd and eerie appearance. His sister, Wang, is married to Zhong Dayong, making him Zhong Dayong's brother-in-law. At this moment, he is leading a few subordinates to rescue Zhong Dayong, demonstrating his affection and loyalty to family.

Han Chao calmly said: "I will also go, following Brother Wang to kill the bandits, only looking to the horse's head for guidance"

From memory, Wang Dou knew that this person was named Gao Shiyin, one of the notorious figures who had not accepted captives for two nights at Ju Lu Dun. He had always been known for his brutality and had a history of killing innocents to claim credit for their achievements. In the past, Wang Dou had suffered from his bullying.

Wang Dou did not even glance at Yang Tong, but merely looked faintly at Gao Shiyin over there. This fellow, after being knocked down by him, still wore a fierce expression, glaring at him with hostility. However, this guy's skills were quite good, and there were places where he could be of use.

Wang Dou shouted loudly: "Alright, another hero has joined us, who else is there from m.hetushu.com?"

Hearing that this softie in front of him could actually shoot down a white-armored soldier of the Later Jin, Gao Shiyin was utterly unconvinced. If it were the Han-Chao brothers, he might believe it, but Wang Dou... Gao Shiyin sneered inwardly. He knew Wang Dou well; although this soft fellow was tall and strong, he was nothing but a coward. In the past, he had beaten him to the ground, and Wang Dou had not even had the courage to retaliate. Could he really shoot down a Tatar white-armored soldier with a single arrow? What a joke. With this thought, his hands itched a bit.

As he retreated, Wang Dou pressed forward relentlessly. The sound of blows echoed, and in the blink of an eye, the two were engaged in a life-and-death struggle. Gao Shiyin lost the initiative and could only keep retreating, barely using his arms to shield his face. Wang Dou advanced step by step, showing no mercy. His fists were powerful and wide-ranging, each strike weighing like a thousand pounds, leaving Gao Shiyin in a state of unbearable suffering, filled with deep regret for underestimating this seemingly weak opponent

Zhong Dayu spoke in a soft voice, saying: "Uncle, may I have a word with you in private."

Zhong Dayong suppressed his inner pride: "The three of them are indeed valiant, though they are somewhat impulsive on ordinary days"

Wang Dou said to the old man: "Old sir, you may leave now, and please be careful on the road"

Wang Dou let out a cold snort and could not be bothered to glance at him again. His demeanor only served to infuriate Gao Shiyin even more, who gritted his teeth in rage, wishing he could tear Wang Dou apart with his bare hands

Wang Dou shouted loudly: "Alright, we are all good brothers from the same mound. Let us work together with one heart and one mind to kill the bandits and achieve merit."

Gao Shiyin glared at Wang Dou with resentment, his face dark and silent.

After hesitating for a moment, he muttered, "Damn it, could this guy really be without guts? Is it true, as Wang said, that this fellow only dares to kill commoners and not the Tartars?"

His wife Tao was somewhat worried and tugged at him from the side. Qi Tianliang, with great bravado, declared: "Damn it, if I die, so be it. Living in a cowardly manner is worse; I might as well fight!"

Qi Tianliang gritted his teeth and said, "I will go too!"

At this moment, Wang Youjin exchanged a glance, and Gao Shiyin along with several Ming soldiers from Julu Dun stepped forward. Each of them drew their waist knives, their faces displaying expressions of greed and cruelty. Gao Shiyin, with a sinister grin, approached a younger-looking man and said, "This big brother, may I borrow your head for a moment"