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Lin Ning, along with Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu, spent joyful days on Yunshan Island. Before they knew it, it was late October when Lin Enzhe and his wife suddenly arrived at Yunshan Island. The situation in the Borderlands, particularly in Jinzhou and Guangning, had become dire. Xiong Yanbi had managed to recruit ten thousand soldiers, but the court was not providing them with weapons. Upon receiving this news, Lin Enzhe immediately summoned all the blacksmiths in Jinling to the Enze Gang to forge bows, arrows, swords, and other weapons. Now that these weapons were ready, Lin Enzhe and his wife returned to Yunshan Island to discuss with Hu Chuanmao and Cheng Yun how to transport the weapons to the Borderlands.
Hu Chuanmao called for Hu Xueyan, Lin Ning, and Lin Xiu. Lin Enzhe asked Hu Xueyan whether it was still appropriate to transport the weapons by sea for the Ming army. Hu Xueyan shook her head and replied, "Uncle Lin, there will be a great storm at sea in the next few days; we absolutely cannot transport these weapons by water."
Hu Chuanmao inquired, "What if transporting by land is too conspicuous?" Lin Ning responded, "Uncle Hu need not worry. While we transport the goods from Jinling, we can send someone to notify Uncle Xiong to dispatch officials and soldiers outside Shanhaiguan to meet us."
Lin Enzhe said, "That's a good idea! Ning'er, how many days do you have left before your Silkworm Poison acts up?" Lin Ning replied, "There are still twenty days before it acts up, Father. That gives us enough time, so I can escort this batch of weapons to Jinzhou tomorrow."
Lin Enzhe said, "Very well. You will come back to Jinling with me now so we can load the already forged weapons onto the carts and set off tomorrow morning." Lin Xiu added, "Father, let me go with second Brother as well!" Lin Enzhe agreed, "That's fine; you siblings can look out for each other on the road."
Hu Xueyan quickly interjected, "Uncle Lin, I want to go with Brother Ning too; our iron triangle cannot be separated." Hu Chuanmao said, "Eldest Brother, let Xueyan come along as well; having one more person means one more strength!" Lin Enzhe replied, "In that case, you three should return to Jinling with me right away."
After returning to Jinling, Lin Enzhe sent his third disciple Li Jianping on a swift horse to inform Xiong Yanbi in the Borderlands that the weapons would begin transportation tomorrow morning and were expected to arrive in Jinzhou in five days. That night, Lin Ning lay in the Purple Bamboo Pavilion tossing and turning unable to sleep. He thought of the tense situation in the Borderlands; if this continued and their country fell apart, it would be the common people who suffered most. Standing at his desk overwhelmed with sorrow, he picked up a brush and angrily wrote a poem titled "The Beauty of Yu":
"When will the barbarian invaders be destroyed? How much sorrow and anger must we bear! The war in the Borderlands is about to reignite; our homeland cannot withstand further ravaging. Though the Great Ming's state exists, we fear thieves lurking. Can you protect our home? Just like General Yue loyal to his country!"
Just as Lin Ning set down his brush, Hu Xueyan pushed open the door and walked in. Seeing that Lin Ning's poem was still wet with ink and exuding a faint fragrance of ink, he said to her, "Sister, you came at just the right time! Come see my poem 'The Beauty of Yu' which expresses my anger." After reading Lin Ning's poem, Hu Xueyan picked up a brush and wrote her own version:
"When will peace come to the world? When will conflicts cease? Swords and axes are raised in haste; women and scholars cannot bear nightmares of fear. Though the southern border remains intact while the northern region falters, crises arise everywhere. Can you slay the barbarians like Li Guang and Wei Qing fighting against fierce enemies?"
The two expressed their aspirations through poetry and conveyed their shared feelings of anger! They hoped for peace across the land so that people could live safe and prosperous lives.
The next morning, under the expectant gazes of Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan, Lin Ning and others set off. Four horses pulled each cart for a total of fifteen carts. They traveled by day and stayed overnight at inns along the way. For four consecutive days they encountered no issues. On the fourth night, they stayed at an inn near Tianjin; after tonight’s rest, they would travel all day tomorrow before finally reaching Jinzhou in the evening.
Just past midnight, Lin Ning suddenly heard rustling sounds on the roof. He knew that the intruder had malicious intent and was likely after the weapons on the carriage. Lin Ning grabbed the Xuanning Sword placed on his bedside and quickly rushed out of the room, but the figure on the roof had already vanished. He glanced at the fifteen carriages in the courtyard, which remained intact in the center. His heart eased slightly. Suddenly, someone shouted loudly, "Not good, the stable is on fire!" The stable was located to the west of the inn, and that night the wind was particularly strong; once the hay was ignited, the flames quickly blazed up fiercely. In an instant, flames shot into the sky, thick smoke billowed, and the horses in the stable neighed incessantly. Hu Xueyan, Lin Xiu, Su Dongliang, and others ran to the center of the courtyard. Lin Ning said to them, "You all stay here and do not move. No matter what happens, do not leave this spot to avoid falling into the enemy's trap. I will go check on the stable." After saying that, Lin Ning leaped onto the roof and headed toward the west side of the inn.
Lin Ning saw a masked man in black near the stable throwing torches inside; anger surged within him. He struck down the torch from the black-clad man's hand with his Xuanning Sword and then used his left index finger to press on that man's Yangguan acupoint. Lin Ning pulled off the black cloth covering the man's head and discovered he was actually a disciple of Sun Moon Gang; he had seen this person when he accompanied Princess of Yue Ming County to Sun Moon Gang. Lin Ning pressed his Xuanning Sword against the black-clad man's neck and asked, "How many people did Yang Yan send this time to steal our weapons?" The man knew that Lin Ning was highly skilled and thought it would be easy for him to kill himself; he stammered, "Hero, spare my life! Yang Gang Leader sent a thousand disciples to rob your weapons."
Lin Ning thought about how heroic Sun Moon Gang's former leader Yuan Qingtian was; he acted justly in the martial world, punishing evil and promoting good—an embodiment of justice and fairness. He never expected that now Sun Moon Gang's disciples would ally with Later Jin under Yang Yan's leadership, tarnishing Sun Moon Gang's reputation! Considering Yuan Qingtian's significant contributions to the martial world, Lin Ning did not want to kill his disciples; instead, he bound their hands behind their backs and tossed them into a guest room. At this moment, the innkeeper along with waiters and guests were all using buckets and basins filled with water to extinguish the fire while Lin Ning opened up the stable to drive the horses into the courtyard.
Just then, disciples of Sun Moon Gang rushed into the inn with swords drawn, attacking Lin Ning and others. Lin Ning wielded his Xuanning Sword; wherever its blade or palm wind went, some were injured while others were struck at their acupoints. In an instant, dozens of Sun Moon Gang disciples fell to the ground.
Hu Xueyan, Lin Xiu, Su Dongliang, and others also repelled several Sun Moon Gang disciples. Seeing that flames surrounded the entire inn, it was clear that Sun Moon Gang's disciples had encircled them. Without these weapons, breaking through should not be difficult for them; however, with weapons in hand now hindering their escape made it much harder. At this moment, Lin Ning heard Zhao Qing from Sun Moon Gang shout, "Shoot arrows!" Everyone was taken aback. Lin Ning said, "Everyone stay calm; let's retreat into a guest room first." Su Dongliang and Ruan Qiang protected Lin Xiu and Hu Xueyan as they entered a guest room. Lin Ning held back; his Xuanning Sword flashed coldly as he knocked down arrows flying like locusts.
Zhao Qing then commanded again, "Throw torches into the inn to burn them alive." Unable to endure any longer, Lin Ning leaped out of the courtyard and swung his Xuanning Sword to knock down torches from several disciples' hands. However, a few torches still landed inside the inn. Sparks flew onto windows as flames erupted violently in an instant.
Hu Xueyan and others rushed out of their guest room to regroup with Lin Ning. Zhao Qing smugly said, "Lin Ning, you should surrender quietly and come back with me to Sun Moon Gang; I will spare your life." Lin Ning retorted angrily, "I fear you lack that capability." Zhao Qing feared Lin Ning's Xuanning Sword's power and did not dare engage him directly; she ordered her fellow disciples from Sun Moon Gang nearby: "Capture him alive! The gang leader has commanded that whoever can capture Lin Ning will be heavily rewarded!" The disciples obeyed her command and charged at Lin Ning with their swords drawn.
Lin Ning executed a move called "Xizi Holding Heart," leaping over their heads toward Zhao Qing. The speed of this sword technique was incredibly swift; Zhao Qing could not dodge in time and had no choice but to draw her sword defensively. In their clash of blades, Zhao Qing's long sword snapped in half. Before she could react further, Lin Ning's Xuanning Sword was already poised at her neck.
Lin Ning declared loudly, "Tell your people to drop their weapons and retreat!" With her life in Lin Ning's hands, Zhao Qing had no choice but to comply; her disciples dropped their weapons and retreated behind her. At this moment, sounds of galloping hooves approached from north to south; they grew closer until a large group of soldiers clad in Ming Dynasty military uniforms surrounded Sun Moon Gang’s disciples completely.
The leading officer clasped his fists and said to Lin Ning, "May I ask if you are the young hero Lin Ning?"
Lin Ning replied, "That is indeed me."
The officer continued, "Lord Xiong has sent me to escort you, Young Hero Lin."
Lin Ning was overjoyed. He moved the Xuanning Sword away from Zhao Qing's neck and said to her, "I won't kill you today. Go back and tell Yang Yan that I will visit him at the Sun Moon Gang in a few days."
Zhao Qing realized that there was no way to seize the weapon or capture Lin Ning today. She bitterly replied, "Fine, it's a deal. Whoever doesn't come is a coward!"
Zhao Qing led the disciples of the Sun Moon Gang southward. At that moment, flames engulfed the inn, smoke billowing everywhere. Lin Ning remembered the Sun Moon Gang disciple he had tied up still in the guest room. He covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief and rushed into the room, finding the man and tucking him under his left arm before quickly exiting. Just as he left the room, a beam suddenly fell from the roof, causing Hu Xueyan and others to break out in a cold sweat.
Lin Ning used the Xuanning Sword to cut the ropes binding the man and said, "I won't kill you today; you can go now." The man knelt on the ground and thanked Lin Ning profusely, saying, "I am Zhang Lei. Thank you for your mercy, hero. If you ever need my help in the future, I will do anything for you!" After saying this, he stood up and vanished into the night.
By this time, the fire had reduced the inn to ruins. The innkeeper, seeing that there was no hope of saving it, sat on the ground crying out in despair. Lin Ning helped him up and took out ten taels of gold from his pocket, handing it to him as he said, "I apologize for your loss, Innkeeper. Here are ten taels of gold; once the fire is over, you can rebuild your inn. I hope this is enough."
The innkeeper stopped crying and quickly replied, "It's more than enough! Thank you so much, honored guest!"
Lin Ning and his companions followed the soldiers of the Ming army past Tianjin, and after passing through Shanhaiguan and Ningyuan, they finally arrived at Jinzhou. Xiong Yanbi came out of the city to greet them. Upon entering Jinzhou City, Lin Ning discovered that the garrison consisted of only five thousand men. After inquiring about the situation from Xiong Yanbi, he learned that due to Yuan Yingtai's defeat at Liaoyang, the situation in Liaodong had worsened. As a result, Xiong Tingbi was once again appointed as the military governor of Liaodong. At this time, Xiong Tingbi proposed a new strategic plan: a three-pronged strategy that had yet to be implemented; however, the court sent Wang Huazhen to take charge of Liaodong. The discord between the military governor and the provincial governor had become a customary issue.
Upon taking office as the military governor of Liaodong, Xiong Yanbi quickly identified a critical weakness: he could not command Wang Huazhen at all. While Wang Huazhen advocated for an offensive against Later Jin, Xiong Yanbi favored a defensive approach. Although Xiong Yanbi held the position of Minister of War and Vice Chief Censor, which was higher than Wang Huazhen's rank as Deputy Censor, the provincial governor was an official directly dispatched by the court. According to the personnel system of the Ming Dynasty, the military governor could not bypass the court to directly manage the provincial governor. The current situation in Liaodong was vastly different from when Xiong Yanbi first served as its military governor; now he commanded only five thousand troops loyal to him, while control over the remaining forces lay with Wang Huazhen.
At this moment, Xiong Yanbi's predicament could be aptly described as being beset by internal strife and external threats. He faced Nurhaci's menacing gaze over Guangning and Jinzhou while simultaneously contending with slander and schemes from factions within the court, such as the Eastern Lin Party and the Jiu Party. This forced him to both sustain the precarious situation in Liaodong and fend off attacks from political rivals in court. Lin Ning was deeply concerned for Xiong Yanbi's safety and shared his worries with him. With a sigh, Xiong Yanbi replied, "Child, as a subject of the Great Ming, I have devoted my life to loyalty and righteousness towards my country and court. I have long set aside concerns for life and death; sacrificing myself for justice is my destiny."
Hearing Xiong Yanbi's words brought tears streaming down Lin Ning's cheeks. He thought about how the atmosphere in court was filled with indifference towards national affairs, fierce party struggles, and a pervasive silence where no one could be relied upon. Only Xiong Tingbi stood firm against overwhelming odds, disregarding his own perilous circumstances to repeatedly save the Great Ming from crisis. Yet his fate felt like a drifting leaf on turbulent waters—unstable and uncertain… Lin Ning's heart ached.
Originally, Lin Ning planned to wait until this batch of weapons arrived in Jinzhou before heading to Hetuala with Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu to search for treasure. However, he changed his mind upon realizing that it was more urgent to go to Sun Moon Gang to eliminate Yang Yan, a menace to the martial world. Without delay, Lin Ning and his companions stayed only one night in Jinzhou before bidding farewell to Xiong Yanbi. Free from the burden of transporting weapons, they rode swiftly and reached Jinling four days later.
Back at Enze Gang, Lin Ning recounted their journey and Xiong Yanbi's situation to Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan. He then shared his intention to seek revenge on Yang Yan at Sun Moon Gang. The couple expressed their concern for Lin Ning's safety and opposed his plan to go there again. Lin Ning reassured them, saying, "I will go with Xue Yin's sister and Xiu'er to Sun Moon Gang; we can look out for each other on the way." Seeing that Lin Ning was resolute in his decision, Lin Enzhe ultimately agreed with his plan.
Lin Ning, Hu Xueyan, and Lin Xiu only stayed one night in the Enze Gang before setting off for Nanchang. They arrived at the sea of Drunken Peach Blossoms south of Nanchang three days later in the evening. Having learned from their previous experience, each of them took an antidote for the sedative powder, and they also administered the antidote to their three horses.
Lin Ning said to Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu, "You two wait for me here. I will go investigate the situation in the Sun Moon Gang. If I haven’t joined you by tomorrow night, don’t wait for me any longer. Something must have happened; you two should hurry back to Enze Gang and inform Father and Mother to send someone to rescue me!"
After giving his instructions to Hu Xueyan and Lin Xiu, Lin Ning crossed through the sea of Drunken Peach Blossoms and the surrounding woods to reach the Sun Moon Gang. The gatekeeper immediately reported Lin Ning's arrival to Yang Yan. Upon entering the conference hall of the Sun Moon Gang, Yang Yan sneered at Lin Ning and said, "Lin Ning, you’ve come at just the right time. Let’s see where you can run this time!"
Lin Ning replied, "I’ve come this time to rid the martial world of you, a scourge who has caused so much harm!"
Yang Yan laughed maniacally, "What a coincidence! You’ve come right into my hands without any effort on my part. This time, I will ensure you never return!" He swung his large blade at Lin Ning. Unfazed, Lin Ning dodged the strike and countered with a thrust of his Xuanning Sword towards Yang Yan's abdomen. Yang Yan evaded and blocked with his large blade, and the two began to clash their internal energies.
Suddenly, Lin Ning felt his body weaken and lose strength; his internal energy dissipated. He was soon overwhelmed by dizziness and blurred vision as golden stars danced before his eyes. The Xuanning Sword slipped from his grasp as Yang Yan’s blade knocked it to the ground. Everything around him became increasingly unclear, and with a thud, Lin Ning collapsed onto the ground. In his haze, he seemed to see the Princess of Yue Ming County walking towards him… (End of Chapter Eight)
The happiness of life is not in the absence of suffering, but in the presence of courage to face it.
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