Chapter 50: Jiangdong Li Mu

  Taizhou and Jining Prefecture are adjacent, with a mountain range at the border of the two prefectures. The main peak is Sifang Mountain, which stretches for dozens of miles, resembling a straight sword from afar. The mountain is steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack, making it an ideal place for bandits or rebels to occupy.

  At the foot of Sifang Mountain, there is a winding and zigzagging small road. Originally, there was no road here either. It's just that the firewood cutters who came to chop wood at the foot of the mountain walked so many times that they naturally walked out this mountain path.

  At this time, on this small path, a young man in green clothes held a folding fan and strolled leisurely. He was dignified and extraordinary, and no matter how you looked at him, he didn't seem like a villager from the countryside, let alone a woodcutter. Looking at his noble attire and leisurely demeanor, it seemed more like he had come to tour the mountains and rivers. However, have any of you gentlemen ever seen a young master who travels alone without even a single servant by his side?

  "The four-sided mountain has steep peaks on all sides, east, west, north and south. Only the southern side looks a bit more comfortable. Never mind, for the sake of meeting Brother Duan, I'll make an effort this once!" The man put away his folding fan, tucked it into his waist, and walked up the mountain along the relatively gentler slope. At this moment, if someone were standing at the foot of the mountain looking up, they would see a green figure jumping and leaping between the trees, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, until he disappeared into the forest."

  After walking for about half a watch, the road became flat and no longer resembled a thorny forest. As I reached the middle of the mountain, I suddenly saw a cool pavilion, with two guards standing on either side, wearing short jackets and long boots. The two men saw someone swaggering up the mountain and tacitly pulled out their swords, stepping forward to block my way, shouting: "Who goes there?"

  The man in green clothes smiled and drew out the fan from his waist, but this action caused the two men to become flustered, thinking he was going to make a move. Just as they were about to take action, the man in green clothes laughed and said: "Gentlemen, no need for such alarm, my surname is Li, I've come specifically to pay respects to Brother Duan."

  One of them looked him up and down and asked, "Are you Li Mochou, the Young Master of Jiangdong?"

  "Haha, not bad, it's me." Li Mu seemed unsurprised that these people knew him, and his face didn't show any puzzled expression.

  "Is there any token of identification?" Another person, although thinking that this young man didn't look like someone with a great reputation, still asked respectfully. If this person was indeed the Young Master's sworn brother, he couldn't afford to offend him.

  Li Mu took out a jade pendant from his waist and handed it to the man, saying: "You can present this object, Brother Duan will see it and naturally send someone to come and receive you."

  He took the jade pendant and pulled out a whistle, put it to his lips and blew a loud blast. Before long, a mounted scout arrived, took the pendant and galloped up the mountain to report the news.

  "Please sit down in the pavilion for a while, young master." The two men exchanged pleasantries and ushered Li Mu into the pavilion. It was already late winter, and the weather was bitterly cold. On the stone table inside the pavilion, a small earthenware stove had been placed, along with a set of tea cups and utensils. One of the guards lit the stove, heated some water, brewed the tea, and handed it to Li Mu, saying: "Please make do with this, young master, and have a cup of tea to quench your thirst!"

  Li Mu didn't pretend, took it and drank. He was still fanning himself with a fan, looking like a young master. When he had drunk half of the tea, the sound of horseshoes came from afar, "dang dang". The guards by the pavilion thought it was the dark guard returning with news, but when they looked up at the person on horseback, his sword-like eyebrows and majestic appearance made him look extraordinary, and his whiskers added to his character.

  The two of them hastily came forward to greet him, "Your subordinate has seen the leader."

  He didn't have the mood to care about those two, so he dismounted his horse and walked past them, striding into the pavilion. He grabbed Li Mu's hand and said, "Younger brother, you've finally arrived! I was worried to death!"

  Li Da Gongzi withdrew his hand without a trace and clasped his fist, saying: "Hasn't your younger brother arrived?"

  "Alright, alright, let's go up the mountain and have a chat." The big bearded man had a voice like thunder, and at first glance, he was an extraordinary master with exceptional internal strength.

  Li Mu looked at the horse he rode and said: "Duan brother, you don't think we two brothers will ride together on one horse, do you?"

  The big-bearded man burst out laughing and patted his own forehead, saying: "I'm all confused, let's get going!"

  "Yes, Master's orders." The two thought that this person was indeed Li Mu and didn't dare to have any doubts, so they quickly listened to Duan Xing's instructions.

  "Get another good horse ready." No wonder the magpies were chattering nonstop on the branches today, it seems we have a noble guest arriving.

  "Yes." The man picked up the whistle again and put it to his lips, blowing a different pitch this time. As soon as the whistle fell silent, a horse ran out of nowhere and stopped in front of the pavilion. The guard led it over, waiting for Duan Xing and Li Mu.

  "Brother, the horse is here, let's go up the mountain!" The two of them rarely met, and they must drink to their heart's content for a whole day and night. It had been three years since they parted ways with this young man, and who knows if he had changed his ways or not. If they could pull him into their gang, that would be the best!

  Li Mutong and Duan Xing walked out of the pavilion together, mounted their horses, and galloped away, heading straight for the mountain top.

  In the Jianghu, few people don't give face to the Green Gang.

  The Green Gang was a gang that was formed over a hundred years ago. At the time of its founding, it was just a small group of around 100 people and didn't have much prestige in the Jianghu world. Even ordinary scholars with some reputation didn't take the Green Gang seriously. However, later on, an extraordinary figure emerged within the gang. This person's martial arts skills were average, but they had a remarkable mind and provided many good ideas to the gang leader. Within a few years, the Green Gang absorbed several neighboring small gangs and even stirred up trouble for several powerful large gangs, allowing the Green Gang to reap the benefits. The gang's influence grew stronger day by day, attracting more and more talented individuals who came to join them. The former small-time figure had become the leader of the Green Gang, leading it to a position of unparalleled power in the Jianghu world.

  However, as the years went by, things changed. Although the Green Gang still had a good reputation 100 years later, there were no longer any talents like their predecessors, and although their sphere of influence had shrunk, they could still be considered to be dominant in one area.

  "Brother Xian, you're a busy man. It's been three years since we parted ways in Wu Chuan. Who else but the leader of the Qing Bang, Duan Xing, would dare to speak so loudly in the main hall?"

  Good wine and good dishes on the table, but they can't shut this guy's mouth. Li Mu felt helpless in his heart, but he also knew that Duan Xing was a person who would not hesitate to die for you if you got along with him; but if you offended him, even if the king of heaven came, he wouldn't give you a second glance.

  "Brother is right." Li Mu also felt a sense of nostalgia when he thought back to the various things that had happened since his first encounter with this barbarian.

  Daxing poured a full bowl of wine for him and asked, "Brother, why do you seem to be troubled? What's bothering you?"

  Li Mu smiled bitterly and downed the bowl of wine. Even Duan Xing, who was not very perceptive, could tell that he had something on his mind, was it that obvious?

  Duan Xing saw that he had been drinking all along, and didn't make any excuses, his mind was even more puzzled. Three years without seeing each other, this eight-bai-jiu (sworn brother) of his still had the same charm, but seemed to have something different about him. Li Mu was a businessman, thinking about the messy things behind him, and thinking about the entanglements of those forces, it wasn't hard to understand why his mood had changed now.

  Three years ago, he was a free and easy, happy young master, although he was a businessman, he valued emotions and righteousness, very much to his own taste, which later led to the two of them being close friends and becoming sworn brothers.

  Three years later, he still had his usual demeanor, and with every gesture, he was still that elegant young man, but somehow, his expression seemed to have a hint of melancholy...

  "Brother, but if there's something that's been bothering you and getting on your nerves, just tell me about it. Whoever has been annoying you is also annoying me. With just one word from you, I'll mobilize the entire Green Gang to take care of that guy." Duan Xing patted his own chest as he made this promise, causing Li Mu to burst out laughing.

  He still hasn't changed, I really don't know how he handles things normally, looking at him like this, where is the majesty of the Green Gang's leader? He looks more like a butcher. Thinking again, although the Green Gang's power isn't spread all over the world, it can't be underestimated either. With his relationship with Duan Xing, as long as he speaks up, Duan Xing won't have any reason to refuse. But would the Green Gang's hundred-year foundation really be ruined in Duan Xing's hands? When he himself is in trouble, he still wants to drag his brothers down with him, what kind of logic is that?

  "I'm afraid this person can't move..."

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