Chapter 51: Unifying the Lanjiang Is No Longer a Dream

Yunmeng Marsh.

"Uphold justice! Uphold justice!" The people inside the house seemed to be under some kind of spell, their fervent cries nearly lifting the roof off.

Lu Wei sat in his seat, utterly transfixed. Was this the power of the learned?

Lu Jin hadn't expected much from the start. He had been making things up as he went, treating this place more as an experimental field—taking a shot in the dark, just in case.

But he had overlooked the context of the age, failed to account for the suffering of ordinary people. These people were not seasoned, worldly-wise folk of later times; when you spoke words that truly struck their hearts, no one could remain unmoved.

In the days that followed, Lu Jin scarcely had a moment to rest. He either organized grievance meetings for the river bandits or led them in drills and training.

Today, he had someone fetch a few tattered pieces of cloth and ink from a boat. He wrote “Lanjiang Water Guild, Uphold Justice” on them, fashioned them into banners, and planted them on the island.

Everyone below bustled with excitement. Never had their lives felt so full of hope as they did these past few days.

Aboard one of the boats, Lu Wei, Ma Su, and Xu Zhong watched the busy bandits, sighing in frustration.

This was truly baffling! What exactly was wrong here?

No one doubted Lu Jin’s sincerity anymore. Even if he was hiding something about his identity, it was understandable.

But now the situation was awkward.

If, during the earlier probing, Lu Jin had taken the chance to leave, it would have proved that his high-minded rhetoric was nothing but a ruse, treating them all like fools. In that case, Lu Wei would have either chopped him up for fish food or risked everything for that half-million reward.

But as things stood, this man was more determined to be a bandit than any of them, more fervent, more convincing. His stirring words had forged a scattered rabble into a single, united force—what a terrifying ability!

So what now? Lu Jin was clearly too valuable to kill, but for this very reason, they couldn't afford to offend the Shen family either.

Otherwise, how would they face either side in the future?

They couldn't just tell Lu Jin directly, “We know you're Shen's son-in-law, your family is looking for you, you’d better go home.” That would only leave both parties in an impossible situation, parting with nothing to show for it.

"It's been days now. Have either of you thought of a solution?" Lu Wei asked.

"I do have an idea, big brother. Hear me out," Ma Su replied.

"What is it? Out with it!" Lu Wei, scratching his head in frustration, quickly turned to him.

"We send someone to inform the Shen family—just tell them the second-in-command is here as our guest, but he doesn't want to go back, and there's nothing we can do. That way we won't offend the Shen family, and whatever happens is their internal matter; we don't have to get involved."

Lu Wei frowned at this, feeling the plan wasn't perfect, but there seemed to be no better option.

Even if Lu Jin learned the truth in the end, surely he would understand their good intentions.

"Let's do it, then. No more waiting—let's not let a good thing turn sour. Tomorrow, we'll send word to the Shen residence. As for the rest, we'll just have to see."

—

"This second-in-command is truly odd—a son-in-law of the Shen family, yet he's always talking about overthrowing landlords and upholding justice," Xu Zhong said, bewildered.

Lu Wei and Ma Su furrowed their brows, equally puzzled.

"Do you think he has a grudge against the Shen family?" Xu Zhong exclaimed.

"If so, why would the Shen family offer half a million to find their son-in-law? If they wanted him dead, wouldn't it be better for the bandits to finish him off?"

Xu Zhong fell silent.

"Hey, big brother, didn't we solve the problem? Why do you still look so worried?" Ma Su asked.

"It's nothing."

But in truth, it was far from nothing. The energy Lu Jin had shown these days was overwhelming—so much so that it frightened Lu Wei. In just a few short days, everyone was rallying around Lu Jin.

Had Lu Wei been a fully-fledged schemer, he'd be plotting to get rid of Lu Jin by now.

But as things stood, Lu Wei was still just a rough-edged hero, caring more about brotherhood and honor. Lu Jin was precisely the sort of man he liked.

With all their camaraderie and brotherly talk, how could Lu Wei betray that bond?

But such worries couldn't be spoken aloud.

"Big brother, your brother is working himself to the bone, while you lot seem quite at leisure," Lu Jin said, coming over.

"Haha, now that you're in charge, big brother can take a break."

"Big brother, what are you saying? Everything I’m doing is for your great ambitions! Why do you think I made that banner? Once those eight characters are known far and wide, won’t your name echo throughout the land? How many heroes will flock to your side then? How many will pledge their allegiance? Don’t underestimate those words—we are fighting for the hearts of the people. Once you have the people, what is there to fear on the road to greatness?"

Lu Wei smiled, saying nothing. Who knew whose ambitions would win out in the end?

"Big brother and the two deputies, come with me," Lu Jin said, taking Lu Wei by the hand.

"Why not just say what you have to say here?" Lu Wei wondered aloud.

"You'll see soon enough, big brother."

Soon, Lu Jin led the three of them to a clearing—there simply wasn't a bigger room available.

The three stared in amazement. When had this been set up? The second-in-command was tireless.

In the clearing stood several cobbled-together chairs, the central one made especially tall, with two banners behind it bearing the words, "Lanjiang Water Guild, Uphold Justice."

Most striking of all, the previously unruly bandits were now lined up in perfect formation.

Leading them through the crowd, Lu Jin brought the three up to the chairs.

"Big brother, please take the seat of honor!" Lu Jin gestured with a single hand.

Lu Wei felt as if he were dreaming and somehow found himself seated.

No sooner had he sat than a commotion below startled him.

The rows of bandits, who had stood as straight as spears, suddenly dropped to one knee and shouted in unison:

"Chief, lead us to unite the Lan River and uphold justice!"

"…"

"Chief, lead us to unite the Lan River and uphold justice!"

They chanted it three times, their voices shaking the sky.

Lu Wei had never witnessed such a scene. In an instant, tears welled up in his eyes—guilt and remorse surging within.

Truly, he had been small-minded.

At the same time, ambition flared anew in his heart—this was what it meant to be a man!

Ma Su and Xu Zhong were just as shaken by Lu Jin’s grand gesture; were they even bandits anymore?

"Brother, this…" Ma Su stammered.

"Forgive me, big brother. With our meager resources, this is the best I could do. One day, when we unite the Lan River and sweep across the land, I’ll see you seated on a real throne."

"Good, good, good—so long as you’re with me, I’ll surely claim that throne…"

—

Shen Residence, Brook Garden.

Shen Yanxi had completely broken down, bedridden and unconscious, her illness showing no sign of improvement.

Lu Jin was dead, burned alive in the fire.

A stifling, anxious atmosphere hung over the Shen estate; everyone was on edge, but there was nowhere to vent their anger, for those damned bandits were dead as well.

Dozens of boats had combed Yunmeng Marsh, but all they brought back was a single charred corpse, shriveled to less than the size of a lamb.

The body lay in the Shen family's mourning hall, sealed in a box.

No one in the Shen family knew what to do with it. Until Shen Yanxi awoke, no one dared make a decision.

Most troubling of all, Xiao Bai claimed there had been two people in that room, so it was impossible to confirm whether the body was truly Lu Jin's. They couldn’t even hold a funeral.

All that remained was to wait. But wait for what? No one could answer that.