Chapter 35: The Remarkable Lady Ning Sanniang
Liu Shen’s expression grew solemn upon hearing this. He thought to himself that what was bound to come had finally arrived, so he set aside his bowl and chopsticks and said frankly, “I’m guessing your gang leader won’t choose to kill me.”
“Oh?”
Feng Jun crossed his arms before his chest, sizing him up with a sneer. “You brat are from the Redwater Gang—betrayed your own master and broke the code of the underworld. What makes you so certain we won’t kill you?”
“Just a hunch…”
Liu Shen pondered a moment, then explained, “And you’re mistaken, Hall Leader Feng. I’m merely a laborer at Redwater Gang’s dock, making a living. I’m not truly one of them.”
“My indenture is still held by Redwater Gang. Killing that scoundrel Zhang Shichen could indeed be called betrayal; I admit that. But, to tell you the truth, Hall Leader Feng, you might not believe it—I’d planned that very night to borrow some money and redeem my indenture from Redwater Gang the next day, then seek another path.”
“As for Zhang Shichen’s character, everyone knows it well. I’d long wanted to deal with him! The incident just happened suddenly, and I didn’t have time to redeem my indenture. So, strictly speaking, though it may seem I betrayed my master by killing Zhang Shichen, it wasn’t truly a violation of the underworld code.”
“…”
Feng Jun’s face remained cold as he snorted. He pressed further, “But your hands are stained with the blood of our Green Sand Gang brothers—how do you explain that? Why are you so sure we won’t kill you?”
“That, too, I admit!”
Liu Shen nodded, speaking earnestly. “It’s true I shed blood of your gang, but again, the circumstances that night were exceptional. Your gang launched a night raid on Redwater Gang; the two gangs clashed, and innocents suffered. Hall Leader Feng, if you were me, faced with that situation, would you have simply sat and waited for death?”
“I’m the one asking questions here, not you!” Feng Jun, repeatedly refuted, slapped the table in frustration and glared. “Stop dodging the issue—I want to know, what makes you so sure we won’t kill you?”
“It’s really just instinct…”
Liu Shen thought for a moment, then explained, “Redwater Gang has deep roots in Heyang County. Though your gang swept them away this time, their businesses still need tending.”
“If your gang wants to quickly take control of Redwater Gang’s operations, you certainly won’t slaughter all their people. First, too much bloodshed would make it hard to answer to the authorities; second, your gang doesn’t have enough skilled people to immediately take over all their businesses.”
“So I surmise you’ll likely kill some to establish your authority, dismiss some to show mercy, and after wielding both stick and carrot, recruit some to your own side.”
“I killed Zhang Shichen—the Redwater Gang’s heir—in full view of everyone. That’s a token of loyalty. If someone who’s demonstrated such loyalty ends up killed in your gang, how would the rest of Redwater Gang’s people dare switch over and work for you?”
“Therefore, I suspect your gang won’t kill me.”
Seeing Feng Jun nod thoughtfully, Liu Shen grinned. “And not only that—you’ll probably give me a middling position, let me serve as a mascot in Green Sand Gang, just to reassure those who are switching from Redwater Gang.”
“…”
Feng Jun gazed at him with narrowed eyes…
Inside, he was astonished. Had this kid attended today’s victory banquet? How could he guess their plans so flawlessly?
“Well said!”
At that moment, applause sounded outside the door. The door swung open, and a burly man with a full beard, looking about forty or fifty, strode in clapping.
“My sister told me days ago that you, young man, have quick wits—able to find a way out in a dead-end.”
The man clicked his tongue in praise. “Now that I’ve met you, I see not only quick wit, but a sense of the bigger picture and courage that’s uncommon.”
---
Feng Jun, as if expecting this, rose and introduced, “Kid, this is our Green Sand Gang’s leader, Ning Hongwu.”
Liu Shen also rose to greet him. “Junior Liu Shen greets Leader Ning.”
“Junior?”
Ning Hongwu was briefly taken aback by this self-effacing address. He stroked his beard and asked, “Do I look that old?”
Liu Shen blinked in confusion, quickly flattering, “Not at all, Leader Ning. You don’t look a day over thirty—still in your prime.”
Ning Hongwu’s face stiffened, while Feng Jun beside him suppressed a chuckle with a cough.
“Haha, you’ve got sharp eyes, young man. Actually, I’m over forty.”
Ning Hongwu laughed, stroking his beard, then took a sheet of paper from his person and slapped it on the table. “This is your indenture from Redwater Gang. I’ve had it changed to free status. Whether you burn it or keep it as a memento, it’s useless now.”
He paused, then added, “I heard from the docks that you’re literate and good with numbers. From now on, you’ll be vice hall leader of our Green Sand Gang dock—manage the laborers there.”
Liu Shen stared at the indenture on the table, momentarily lost…
Feng Jun coughed, signaling him, then scolded, “What’s wrong? You could eat Redwater Gang’s food, but won’t eat ours?”
“No, no…”
Liu Shen snapped out of it, bowing apologetically. “Since I fled to Anqing Prefecture at thirteen, this indenture has been like a shackle around my neck. Now the shackle is gone all of a sudden, so I lost my composure. I hope Leader Ning won’t mind.”
“No matter…”
Ning Hongwu waved it off. “The rest, I’ll leave to Feng Jun to explain.”
He seemed in poor spirits; after speaking, he left with a dark expression.
Liu Shen watched him go, then turned to Feng Jun. “Our leader seems upset?”
“Indeed…”
Feng Jun nodded meaningfully. “He’s only twenty-eight, yet you said he looks just over thirty and in his prime—of course he’s unhappy.”
Liu Shen stared in disbelief, murmuring, “How old is our leader?”
“Twenty-eight…”
“What did I say?”
“You said ‘just over thirty, just…’” Feng Jun emphasized the words, his face twitching from suppressed laughter.
“I…”
Thinking of that bearded face, Liu Shen scratched his tingling scalp. With a face like Ning Hongwu’s, saying forty or fifty would be reasonable; his flattery had missed the mark entirely!
He was silent for a while, then sighed, “I thought I looked anxious enough, but it turns out our leader beats me by a mile!”
Feng Jun burst out laughing, unable to hold back any longer.
Liu Shen, having stumbled into good fortune, didn’t worry about any repercussions. He recalled the heroic woman who rescued him and asked, “Hall Leader Feng, the deputy leader you mentioned—is she the remarkable lady who fought Zhang Wannian that day?”
“Yes…”
Feng Jun, proud at the mention, replied, “Deputy Leader’s name is Ning San-niang, our leader’s sister. You’re right, she’s quite extraordinary.”
“Years ago, she was taken as a disciple by a wandering Daoist. Four years ago, she reached the fourth stage of innate cultivation. After returning to Heyang County, our Green Sand Gang finally had the strength to challenge Redwater Gang.”
“In these four years, Deputy Leader has begun to make a name for herself in the underworld, known as ‘Little Flying General’ and ‘Iron Lady.’”
“The title ‘Iron Lady’ needs no explanation—she earned it with her fists. The ‘Little Flying General’ comes from the imperial court’s Flying General, Qin Feiyun—a renowned female warrior. People joke that our Deputy Leader is the underworld’s version. But she dislikes the title ‘Little Flying General,’ even finds it irksome. So don’t bring it up when you meet her.”
Liu Shen listened, his heart stirred, unable to help but praise, “Truly a remarkable woman!”
Thinking of that valiant lady striking down Zhang Wannian, and remembering it was her return four years ago that led to the Green Sand Gang’s banquet at Drunken Wind Tavern, he raised his brows and muttered, “By that reckoning, Deputy Leader has saved me twice.”
How should he repay her…
“Don’t bother thinking about repayment…”
Feng Jun seemed to see through Liu Shen’s thoughts, patting his shoulder as he advised, “There’s a victory banquet tonight. You and those switching from Redwater Gang must attend. Think carefully about how to handle your drinks—you wouldn’t want to end up under the table in disgrace.”
“…”