After the two had their meal and went through the day’s events, they felt restless and couldn’t settle down before bedtime. Seeing that no amount of coaxing or trickery could make Yu Huishui eat more, Zang Liujiang, understanding his preferences, suggested taking Yu Huishui to see his study room.
“Study room?” Yu Huishui furrowed his brows, hesitating for a moment before repeating the seemingly out-of-place words. A bandit hideout having a study room was as unlikely as Fu Cong and Fu Ming both passing the imperial examination as top scholars—not impossible, but mostly a daydream.
“Yes,” Zang Liujiang confirmed, lighting a lantern and holding it in his hand. The cloak he had given Yu Huishui earlier in the day was stained with blood and had been taken to be washed and hung outside. Zang Liujiang rummaged through the cabinet and found a thick garment for Yu Huishui, wrapping him tightly in layers.
“It was left by my old man, a whole room full of books.” As Zang Liujiang led him outside, the lantern light illuminated the path, and Yu Huishui was secretly surprised. Wasn’t it said that Zang Liujiang’s family had been bandits for generations? How could they have a room full of books? Could it be that his father was some hidden master, ruling the mountain to conceal his identity? It wasn’t impossible; that’s how the storybooks often wrote it.
On a winter night, few households were willing to go out. Sparse lights shone through the windows, and occasionally, voices could be heard. Other than that, there was no sound. Yu Huishui exhaled a warm breath, watching the mist disperse, and secretly glanced at Zang Liujiang holding his hand.
The stronghold had night patrols arranged. After all, with so many people, if any dishonest actions were discovered, they could be dealt with promptly. A few bandits, carrying sharp guns, walked past Zang Liujiang and Yu Huishui with a serious demeanor. Those who knew were aware it was a bandit hideout; those who didn’t might think it was a military camp.
Yu Huishui couldn’t help but remark, “This place really doesn’t look like a bandit… ” Just as he was speaking, sneaky footsteps came from behind. Yu Huishui turned to look and saw the bandits they had just passed. Those young lads had already lost their serious demeanor and were gossiping, following behind to eavesdrop on their conversation.
“… ” Well, they did look like bandits after all. Zang Liujiang also heard the commotion behind them. Seeing the young bandits staring at Yu Huishui without blinking, he immediately pulled him closer and shouted a few curses, causing the young bandits to run away laughing.
“They’re just some young rascals, don’t mind them. They were probably the ones eavesdropping by the wall yesterday.” Zang Liujiang’s arm circled Yu Huishui’s waist, showing no intention of letting go.
“Let go, stop being so handsy.” Yu Huishui was annoyed by his protective hen-like behavior, as if he really treated him like a girl to be cherished. He pushed a couple of times but couldn’t break free. Yu Huishui raised his eyebrows and reached behind Zang Liujiang’s waist, pinching hard.
“Ouch, that hurts!” Zang Liujiang exaggeratedly cried out, though it didn’t hurt much. Still, he obediently let go of Yu Huishui’s waist.
“There’s no one watching, who are you putting on a show for?” Yu Huishui wondered why he was so clingy, looking around to confirm there was indeed no third person present. Zang Liujiang smiled without answering, winking mischievously, and continued leading Yu Huishui forward.
After passing Zang Liujiang’s bedroom and a few other rooms, they arrived at a courtyard enclosed by a fence. Inside the courtyard stood several rows of wooden racks holding weapons of all kinds, with a few red-tasseled spears scattered on the ground.
“Must be some brat sneaking in to play again.” Zang Liujiang used his foot to skillfully flick a spear into the air, catching it with one hand. The spearhead vibrated with a hum. After quickly tidying up the rack, Zang Liujiang led Yu Huishui into the courtyard and opened the door. Peering inside, the room was dark, but rows of wooden shelves could be vaguely seen, neatly lined with items.
“Come in, it’s cold outside.” Zang Liujiang pulled Yu Huishui into the room, closing the door to block the cold wind. He lit two candle stands and placed them on the table, bringing light to the room.
“So many… ” With the light, Yu Huishui looked at the rows of bookshelves, even he was surprised by the sheer number of books here, definitely not just for show. The carved wooden shelves were neatly lined with books of various sizes, bound and trimmed differently, seemingly categorized and tied with different grass ropes.
This study was detailed and orderly, not like the kind of library one would expect in a bandit hideout. “These books were my old man’s. A few years ago, my fifth brother studied here. I occasionally came by, but it was empty for a while. I tidied it up for you, make do with it.”
Zang Liujiang wiped the dust off the table, finding it relatively clean. He turned to call Yu Huishui over to sit, only to see him standing in front of the bookshelf, seriously looking at the tied books. Yu Huishui wasn’t very tall, tilting his head up, his focus making one’s heart soften.
“Can I take a look?” Yu Huishui turned to ask, pointing at the books on the shelf, his face showing an interest he hadn’t had since arriving at the stronghold. Zang Liujiang’s heart melted, quickly moving to take down a bundle of books for him, untying the grass rope and placing the books on the table.
Seeing Yu Huishui’s eyes light up, Zang Liujiang wanted to make him even happier. “Of course, from now on, these are all yours. Take whatever you want to read. If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll get it for you as fast as I can, and it’ll be the best.”
Yu Huishui unwrapped the paper-covered book, just about to see what good books were hidden in the bandit hideout, only to find the cover inside read… “Jianghu Romantic Tales and Secrets”? The title didn’t seem like a proper book. Zang Liujiang saw Yu Huishui’s face scrunch up and couldn’t help but be curious about what he saw. Leaning over to see the title, they both instinctively exchanged a glance, clearly not expecting this kind of book.
“This one’s good, let me see.” Zang Liujiang, intending to tease him, reached out to grab the book from Yu Huishui’s hand. Knowing Zang Liujiang’s slick tongue, Yu Huishui feared he’d become even more shameless after reading it, so he immediately hid the book behind his back, refusing to hand it over.
“What are you looking at? You’re too young to be reading this.” Yu Huishui, two years older, scolded with a stern face, but Zang Liujiang wasn’t afraid at all. “What does a bandit need to learn? Give it here, let me see!” Snatching things was a bandit’s talent, and Yu Huishui naturally couldn’t outmatch Zang Liujiang. After a brief struggle, Zang Liujiang snatched it away, and they ended up in a playful tussle, nearly knocking over a row of bookshelves behind them.
Yu Huishui, biting his white teeth, covered his backside, thinking this bandit was sneaky, managing to grope him three times in the blink of an eye. “Old man sure knew how to hide things. I don’t usually read this stuff.” Zang Liujiang flipped through the book with a rustle, glancing at it, and it was indeed a half-serious, half-joking storybook, exposing his old man’s secrets.
“Then what do you read?” Yu Huishui didn’t expect Zang Liujiang to be literate. Seeing him raise his eyebrows and focus on the book, he seemed to have a bit of a scholarly air, making his handsome face even more attractive. It would be better if he wasn’t reading these messy storybooks.
“I’m a proper person.” The best man in the ten-mile radius closed the book with a slap, patting his chest. “Come, let me show you.” Zang Liujiang’s demeanor suggested he didn’t read anything good, but when Yu Huishui saw the books Zang Liujiang brought out, he was more surprised than seeing the entire room.
It was a stack of military books. And not just that, the six-tiered shelf on the left side of the desk was filled with strategies, tactics, and military classics. “You read this?” Yu Huishui opened his mouth, stepping forward to pull out a book and flip through it, wanting to see if there was any miscellaneous content under the military book cover.
Unexpectedly, these books were genuine, inside and out. Zang Liujiang wasn’t bluffing; he was indeed reading serious books. “Since I learned to read, my old man made me study. Those sour articles aren’t as interesting as these.” Zang Liujiang patted the half-human-high stack of books on the table, not finding it unusual.
Though they were bandits by origin, Zang Qiang never indulged the sons he took in. Those who studied, studied; those who practiced martial arts, practiced martial arts. They had to have a skill. As parents, they had to think long-term. Yu Huishui’s impression of Zang Liujiang’s old man changed significantly.
“Sit down and try it. If you like it, this will be your study from now on.” Yu Huishui was pressed to sit by the desk by Zang Liujiang. The chair had a cushion, the desk was just at chest height, and the writing tools were all prepared, showing the care of those who used this study before.
“Tomorrow, you have to accompany me somewhere.” Seeing Yu Huishui sitting comfortably, looking relaxed, Zang Liujiang knew this was the best time to talk to his wife, so he quickly moved closer.
“I have five brothers, four of whom are in the village now. We need to meet them one by one.” Yu Huishui knew this meant pretending to be the new bride again, feeling a bit melancholic as he touched his forehead.
“Alright… As long as it’s to cooperate with your act, your family knows you well, just don’t let it slip.” Having eaten and taken from others, Yu Huishui, who was living under someone else’s roof, had no reason to refuse.
“You don’t have to worry about anything. My brothers are all good-natured. Just follow me, and it’ll be like we’re going down the mountain for fun.” Good-natured, that would be best. Yu Huishui thought, feeling relieved.
The next day, standing at the courtyard gate, holding snacks and fruits, Yu Huishui stared wide-eyed at the burly man in front of him. The big man held a shiny, sharp kitchen knife, stepping on a squawking, struggling live chicken. With a raised hand, he brought the knife down, and the chicken stopped squawking and struggling. The big man, stepping in the blood, cursed, “Damn it, try running again!”
Is this considered good-natured? This guy looks more like a bandit than Zang Liujiang! Returning from tying the horse, Zang Liujiang didn’t expect to see this scene. He quickly shielded Yu Huishui behind him, fearing the sight of blood might scare him.
“Big brother, why make such a scary scene just to kill a chicken?” Zang Liujiang glanced at the scattered bloodstains in the courtyard, clearly the work of the chicken under Zang Dashu’s foot.
Zang Dashu only then noticed the two standing at the gate. He quickly tossed the knife aside, wiping his hands with his apron as he approached, his face full of a loving smile, though his words were crude. “Killing a chicken is nothing scary. Your guts are getting smaller.”
Zang Liujiang whispered to Yu Huishui, “My big brother was the first one our old man picked up. Left in the bandit crowd, he picked up some foul language, but he’s a good person.” To marry, Zang Dashu opened a pharmacy a few years ago, buying mountain herbs. His business in the village was booming, with a group of bandits backing him. Not to mention anyone daring to cause trouble, it was good enough that he didn’t bully others.
Thanks to Zang Qiang, though he had a fiery temper, the sons he raised weren’t bad. They weren’t exactly refined and gentle, but they were reasonable people. A tanned young boy dashed into the courtyard, glancing at Zang Liujiang and Yu Huishui at the gate, then ran inside, shouting, “Mom! Uncle Liu brought his new bride!”
Zang Dashu, busy with the chicken feathers, told Zang Liujiang to take Yu Huishui inside, as the wind was strong outside, and he didn’t want him catching a cold. “Wife.” Zang Liujiang held Yu Huishui’s hand. He was healthy, his palm warm like a hot coal, rubbing Yu Huishui’s cold fingertips.
“When you go in, don’t be shy. Just call her sister-in-law.” His expression was so serious that Yu Huishui didn’t realize he was being taken advantage of. A scholar’s hand was soft, smooth. Thinking this, Zang Liujiang couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his heart. Feeling fluttery, he couldn’t control his face, and his smile was caught by Yu Huishui. When Yu Huishui tried to pull his hand back, he held on tightly.
Carrying the plucked chicken, Zang Dashu entered the door, seeing his brother with a lovestruck look, holding Yu Huishui’s hand without letting go. “You brat!” Zang Dashu, unceremoniously, kicked Zang Liujiang’s butt with the chicken. “Look at you! Bullying the girl, what for!”