Chapter 10: Now He Had a Justification

Night fell over Blackwind Stronghold. Outside it was quiet and deserted, but the great hall was alive with noise.

Chief Zhou Xing sat in the center on a tiger-skin-covered armchair, with Second Chief Xu Mazi beside him and slightly below. Several hundred bandits occupied the tables farther down. Wine and meat stood before each man, and many swallowed hungrily at the sight.

Zhou Xing raised a coarse earthenware bowl full of wine and laughed. “Today we owe everything to our brothers, especially Gao Yuan, who drove Wu Xiangbei off single-handed! He’s the strongest fighter in our stronghold. Come on, drink deep and eat your fill! Nobody leaves sober tonight!”

The bandits raised their bowls.

“Drink!”

“Nobody leaves sober!”

“Hell, Dangyang’s soldiers aren’t so impressive! We sent them running, didn’t we?”

Gao Yuan sat near the front. Men came one after another to drink with him, showering him with praise. At another time he might have let their flattery go to his head and drunk too much, but Feng Lingxue’s warning had made him cautious. After six or seven bowls, he pretended to be drunk and slumped over the table.

Zhou Xing and Xu Mazi exchanged a look, murder in their eyes. They waited a little longer. When the time seemed right, Xu signaled Yao Dachong across the hall.

Yao nodded. With Fourth Ding and the others, he staggered over carrying a bowl and called through a belch, “Brother Yuan, have another! Huh? Drunk already? You can’t hold your wine at all! Ha!”

He drained his bowl and looked at Xu Mazi. “Second Chief, Brother Gao’s had too much. We’ll take him home.”

“Go on,” Xu said with a wave. “Take good care of him.” He placed particular emphasis on *take care*.

Yao and Fourth Ding lifted Gao Yuan between them and led him out. Gao waved his arms as they went. “What are you doing? Don’t pull me! More wine! Keep drinking!” He played the part to perfection.

Zhou Xing watched him go, hesitation in his eyes. Lowering his voice, he asked Xu, “If you kill him and the army comes back, what will we have to stop them?”

Xu had clearly prepared an answer. “Brother, we’ve got plenty of money now. We can reinforce the stronghold, recruit more men, and buy weapons. Why fear them then?”

Zhou rubbed his chin. True. Dangyang’s retaliation had come too quickly this time. Given a little breathing room, Blackwind could turn its plundered gold and silver into weapons and men, greatly increasing its strength. If they still could not win, they could always join Beimang.

Seen that way, killing Gao Yuan was a small matter. Zhou drained his bowl and looked into the distance, his face hardening. Brother, blame yourself for being so formidable that you made me uneasy.

……

Beyond the hall, there was no one in sight except a few sentries near the gate. Supported by Yao Dachong and the others, Gao Yuan stumbled along an increasingly secluded path until they reached a cliff. It was a dead end, visited mostly by those disposing of waste.

Bright, pale moonlight poured through the branches, throwing jagged shadows. The mountain wind howled like wandering ghosts.

Yao set Gao Yuan on the ground and called to him several times. When he received no answer, he sneered, drew a dagger from inside his clothes, and approached.

“Brother Yao,” a man behind him said, “could we not do this?”

His name was Sun Shuanghu, an honest, simple-natured fellow. Yao spun around, his single eye full of murderous intent. “We’re all in this together. If you fucking back out, I’ll kill you too!”

Sun Shuanghu fell silent.

Yao advanced, the dagger gleaming coldly in the moonlight. He tightened his grip, ready to drive it into Gao Yuan’s heart.

Gao Yuan’s eyes snapped open, dark and cold as a bottomless pool.

Yao’s heart jolted. Gao Yuan had been pretending! But there was no way back now. With a shout, Yao stabbed down.

Gao Yuan caught his wrist and drove an elbow into his chest. Yao grunted and dropped the dagger. Gao twisted his arm and threw him to the ground. Before Yao could rise, Gao had picked up the dagger and pressed it against his neck.

It was over in an instant. The others had no time to react. Fourth Ding and two more bandits stood with blades in hand, their legs shaking, unable to advance or retreat. Sun Shuanghu watched with a complicated expression.

Gao Yuan surveyed them, then asked Yao, “You wanted to kill me? You should have considered whether you were capable. Who put you up to it?”

Yao said nothing. Gao pressed harder, drawing a thin line of blood.

“Don’t kill me!” Yao wailed. “It was the Second Chief! He made me do it!”

Xu Mazi? Gao Yuan frowned and drew the dagger across his throat.

Blood poured out. “You… you broke your word!” Yao clutched his neck, forcing out his last words.

Gao kicked him over. “When did I promise not to kill you?” Yao twitched in the spreading pool of blood, then lay still.

Gao turned a cold gaze on the others, blood still running down his dagger. In the moonlight, he looked like a demon.

“Fourth Ding, are you here to kill me too?” he asked, turning the blade in his hand.

Fourth Ding collapsed. “Brother Yuan, I had nothing to do with it! Yao Dachong forced us!” Everyone knew what Gao could do, and with Yao dead before him, Ding feared he would be next.

“I really didn’t want to do it, Brother Yuan,” Sun Shuanghu said. “Yao forced us to come.” The other two nodded frantically. Though they outnumbered Gao, Yao had compelled them; with him dead, they had lost their leader.

Gao Yuan gave a quiet laugh. Feng Lingxue had guessed correctly. Before he could make his move, Xu Mazi and Zhou Xing had already acted against him. All the better. He had been wondering what reason to give for taking Zhou’s stronghold. Now they had handed him one.

He could act openly.