Chapter 104: The Creditor

On the ridge west of the Yellow River, the flags fluttering in the wind were hardly proper battle standards. Most were large pieces of plain or patterned cloth, bearing names like “Heaven-Defying Monkey” or “Celestial Monkey.” Among the myriad banners of mythical beasts, one black flag stood out for its fine material, flanked by a leopard-tail pennant and even the floral banner of a Mongol chieftain.

This flag bore a single character: “Rebel.”

Beneath it stood several leaders, each distinct in appearance but all relaxed as they watched their scattered troops crossing the river.

Under the Heaven-Defying Monkey's banner, a disheveled man pulled up his shirt, peeling off a patch of grimy skin to toss onto the road. He ruffled his tangled hair, plucked a louse from his scalp and crushed it with satisfaction, then turned to speak with envy, “Chief Gao, do you know why the King of Rebellion told us to head south? Monkey, I want to follow you.”

Not far from him, under the Rebel banner, a tall man with bronze skin wore clean clothes and armor beneath a white robe. A white cloth covered his helmet’s brow guard, and he leaned on a guandao planted firmly in the ground. He seemed deep in thought but was interrupted, frowning as he asked, “Why?”

The Heaven-Defying Monkey replied, “Because your name is good, nothing like mine.”

“Liu Jiusi – what’s wrong with that?” Gao Yingxiang said dismissively. “I think your name is good too.”

The Heaven-Defying Monkey shook his head. “You don’t understand.”

His rebellion had nothing to do with drought or corrupt officials. Even before the drought struck, he had lost all his family’s property in Qingjian through gambling, then roamed with other gamblers, deceiving and preying on others like a phantom.

When there was no one left to victimize, he joined a band of refugees and wandered elsewhere. When recruitment opened, he lied about being literate to get a job registering names for others.

How could an illiterate man record names? He only lasted one meal before being chased and beaten by the guard. In retaliation, he killed a man and embarked on the path of rebellion.

He thought, Gao Yingxiang’s name was truly good, damn good!

Whether it was Yingxiang, Yingxiang, or Yingxiang—these six characters were common in taverns, pawnshops, and gambling dens. He could write them all!

If Gao Yingxiang had come to register his name back then, perhaps he wouldn’t have gotten beaten.

His own name was less fortunate: “The last time I caught that storyteller, he had just taught me how to write the nine characters, didn’t get to learn how to write the character ‘Si’ before he was beaten to death.”

Gao Yingxiang had no time for him, concentrating on watching the army cross the river. The government troops gathered at Yonghe Pass, faces stern, and he said, “Wash up properly later, I’ll find someone to teach you.”

Though scorned, the Heaven-Defying Monkey showed no shame, smiling and pointing to the Yellow River: “Once we take Yonghe Pass, I swear I’ll jump into the river and bathe. Everyone’s always telling me off. That water would be better used for the brothers. I just don’t like bathing. Damn annoying!”

The Celestial Monkey nearby quickly waved his hands: “No, don’t jump in the river. You’re filthy like a ghost. If you bathe there, the people on both sides of the Yellow River will fall ill.”

“Enough! You two bicker with the King of Rebellion, bicker outside, and now you’re arguing before battle. You two fight it out—when one dies, the brothers will have peace.”

The speaker was Zhang Cunmeng, nicknamed No Mud, the chief leader of Suide.

He turned to Gao Yingxiang and asked, “King of Rebellion, the King of Heaven told us to head south to join the Luo Chuan King Tiger and the Black Fiend, taking along the Flying Mountain Tiger of Yichuan and the Big Red Wolf. We are to tear down all the post stations en route to Yaozhou. Why do we have to fight the government troops at Yonghe Pass in Shanxi? There’s nothing much worth taking there.”

Gao Yingxiang gripped his eight-pound long guandao, glanced at No Mud, and said, “You only know about tearing down post stations. Do you know whose idea that was?”

“Liu Chengzong from Yan’an Prefecture? Oh, I know.”

No Mud smiled. “I heard he took Yanshui Pass and moved into Shanxi. The King of Rebellion wants him to join us. But I also heard he’s different—he’s a scholar, and his troops are capable, probably border troops. Can they really join forces with us?”

Hearing this, Gao Yingxiang clenched his guandao tightly, his bronze face unmoved. “Let’s see… Ha.”

His tense expression suddenly broke into a smile as he shook his head. “How has the court driven even a man like Liu the Fourth to rebel? The title they gave your forced conscript should be Liu Chengzong’s.”

No Mud was puzzled. “Liu the Fourth? I heard Liu Chengzong was the second son, and the eldest was also a scholar. It’s funny—we rebel because we’ve never had a good life. What are they rebelling for?”

“I mean his eldest. He was an official in Mizhi before—I was caught by him.”

Gao Yingxiang’s expression was complex, a mix of anger and amusement. “A clerk, and the court gave him just two or three shi of grain monthly. My brothers offered thirty taels of silver in a wooden box. He refused, thinking it too little, then accepted eight pounds of silver, and still returned it.”

“No way… such an official?” No Mud slapped dust off his helmet’s plume, laughing. “I don’t believe it.”

“I’m serious.” Gao Yingxiang laughed. “I remember Liu the Fourth well. After that, I never went to Mizhi again.”

“Tsk. So you were still released in the end?” No Mud asked, “How much silver did they finally take?”

Gao Yingxiang held up three fingers. “Thirty taels. Gave it to the magistrate, and I was out of jail.”

The leaders laughed heartily. No Mud said, “That magistrate’s not bad, then. Thirty taels to release you—taking bribes to do one’s job, that’s a decent man.”

After laughing, Gao Yingxiang turned serious with the others. “Alright, prepare to cross the river. The government troops at Yonghe Pass dare not approach now; the most dangerous time is past. Celestial Monkey, guard Yanshui Pass. The rest, cross with me.”

Cheers erupted. The leaders gave orders, and soon several teams emerged from mountain paths, better equipped and lined up along the riverbank, numbering over a thousand.

These were the backbone of the troops.

As the leaders prepared to split into their formations, sentries on the mountain warned that a large contingent of government troops was gathering on a northern hill across the river.

Gao Yingxiang and the others halted, waving flags at the crossing troops.

They had all expected the government to make a stand at Yonghe Pass in the south, never anticipating they would appear from the northern hill.

“They don’t look like government troops.”

Many of Gao’s men were defectors from the government army or Mongol conscripts, so they were familiar with government banners. Pointing, one said, “No flags. Could it be Liu Chengzong? Send someone to ask.”

No Mud asked, “Even if it’s Liu Chengzong, how do we say this? That we belong to the King of Heaven and ask him to bow down and call us brothers?”

Gao Yingxiang slowly shook his head. “Tell him I’m Gao Yingxiang.”

“Damn, you’re bold. Why not tell him I’m Zhang Cunmeng?” No Mud sneered. “If he replies with ‘I’m Liu Chengzong,’ what good would that do?”

“Telling him you’re Zhang Cunmeng won’t help; he might even stab you. But telling him I’m Gao Yingxiang works. Don’t believe me? Try it.”

Gao Yingxiang looked up at the guandao’s blade glinting in the sun, pondering how to describe their relationship.

After considering, he found a fitting phrase.

“I’m the creditor; he owes me a meal.”