The merchant group has been on the road for over a month since leaving Xiangyang, and after being robbed in Nanyang Prefecture, Wang Hu ordered the escorts to be more vigilant. As they traveled north, nothing out of the ordinary happened again, and the sweltering Huguang weather turned into the crisp autumn breeze of the northern regions.

  Since that day, Wang Bao saw Zhang Feng's martial arts skills that could hurt people but not kill them, he no longer underestimated Zhang Feng, a half-grown teenager. Instead, every time they had meals together, he would come over to chat with Zhang Feng and exchange feelings. From time to time, he would also spar with Zhang Feng, and gradually the two became familiar with each other.

  On this day, the team rested and had a meal in the wild. Zhang Feng also got off the car to eat some dry food to fill his stomach. Just then, Zhang Feng had just gotten off the car when Wang Bao came over with food.

  "Zhang, come try some of the rabbit meat I just roasted, it's absolutely delicious."

  "Haha, Wang Ergou's BBQ skills are indeed impressive." Zhang Feng didn't stand on ceremony and took the rabbit meat from Wang Bao's hand, devouring it in big mouthfuls.

  "Little brother, what was the last move you used to defeat me in our previous spar? Can you teach it to me?" Wang Biao asked Zhang Feng in a low voice.

  Zhang Feng just kept his head down and ate the rabbit meat without responding to him. Wang Bao saw this and curled up his mouth, saying: "Alright, alright, it must be another of your Wudang's unspoken secrets. Can't I not ask about it?"

  "It's still good to be a famous door son like you, Zhang Lao Di, with a master's inheritance and a master's guidance. Unlike us, we're just a bunch of rough men who have learned some superficial skills from the streets. It's just that most of our masters in the Zhengwu Escort Bureau used to be soldiers, so they still have some experience on the battlefield and some remaining skills from their military days. Otherwise, how could we have established ourselves in Xiangyang City..."

  Wang Bao sat by the fire heap and poured out his bitter water to Zhang Feng.

  "Scram, stop spouting nonsense here. Zhang's kung fu is a genuine transmission from Wudang Mountain, not something to be casually taught to anyone."

  "Ah, big brother I know, it's not just me casually muttering a couple of sentences, after all Zhang is not an outsider, right?"

  Wang Bao smiled and said to his brother Wang Hu who was walking over.

  "Ah, it's alright, Big Brother Wang Hu. I know Second Brother Wang has a straightforward personality, but there's nothing I can do about this matter. After all, these are the rules of our sect. I hope you two brothers won't mind." Zhang Feng said to Wang Hu as he threw away the rabbit bones he had finished eating.

  "Alas, where can it be?" Wang Hu hastily waved his hand.

  "Alright, Second Brother, you've eaten your fill, hurry up and go patrol, we're almost at Beiping, don't cause any more trouble." Wang Hu kicked Wang Bao's butt.

  "I'm off, wait a bit and I'll be back, we can have another bout then, Zhang the younger brother." Wang Bao smiled and patted his butt as he stood up and left with the escorts to patrol.

  Wang Hu said helplessly to Zhang Feng: "Sorry to trouble you, little brother. My younger brother is straightforward and today's troubles are really sorry."

  "It's nothing, Second Brother is a good person, no trouble at all. On the contrary, I'm the one who ate so much game and felt a bit embarrassed. As they say, 'no work, no gain', accompanying Second Brother to hone our martial skills is only right."

  "That's good, that's good. By the way, Zhang, you said you were going to come north, but didn't say exactly where. Now that the merchant caravan is about to arrive in Beiping, our escort agency's task will also be completed. Brother, are you going to stop with us in Beiping or continue on? If brother wants to go further north, then I won't be able to help you, can only wish you a smooth journey." Wang Hu asked casually.

  "To be honest with you, I decided to head north because of some things, but I haven't thought about where to go specifically yet." Zhang Feng replied after taking a sip of water.

  "That old brother then took the liberty of asking a question, what was it that made you, little brother?"

  Zhang Feng sighed and said, "Old brother knows I'm from Wudang Mountain, but actually I'm an orphan. I was picked up by my master near Xiangzhou. At that time, Master was on his way back to the mountain and happened to see two corpses. One of them should be my mother. The one who killed her was a Mongolian, according to Master's judgment. Last month, when I first came down from the mountain and inquired about Xiangzhou, an old man in the countryside told me that the Yuan soldiers had a bad habit of slaughtering villagers and looting money and grain. Since the one who killed my mother was also a Mongolian, I realized that it was probably the Yuan soldiers who occupied Xiangzhou that year and slaughtered my family."

  Wang Hu sighed and patted Zhang Feng's shoulder: "The deceased is gone, Brother Zhang should mourn in moderation and change for the better..."

  Zhang Feng wiped away the tears that had unknowingly appeared at the corners of his eyes and said, "It's okay, older brother. Although I don't know who specifically killed my family, as long as I know they were Mongols, that's enough for me. That's why I asked you to bring me north, because I want to come take a look at these damned foreigners and do something about it."

  "Old brother knows your suffering, back in the day when we were still in the previous dynasty, our family was just an ordinary farming household. Just because we couldn't pay the grain tax, the Yuan soldiers killed my parents to intimidate the other villagers. At that time, I took my younger brother and hid among the crowd, not daring to make a sound. From then on, I vowed to kill all the Yuan dogs to avenge my parents' death. Later, I joined the Red Turban Army with my brother to fight against the Yuan people. Because of our bravery in battle, we were promoted to hundred-man commanders. But that traitor Zhang Shicheng surrendered to the Northern Yuan, and in a fit of rage, I led my brother and those brothers who were willing to follow me to start a bandit business in Xiangzhou, targeting only those merchant caravans flying the Yuan dynasty flag. We managed to make ends meet, but later Xiangzhou was taken over by Chen Youliang. It wasn't until the current imperial army took down Xiangyang that we opened this Zhengwu Escort Agency with all the money we had plundered over the years."

  Zhang Feng didn't expect that Wang Hu's parents had also died at the hands of the Northern Yuan people, and for a moment he was filled with emotion. He opened his mouth to comfort him but couldn't say anything.

  Wang Hu saw Zhang Feng laugh and said: "Younger brother, no need to be like this. Older brother has experienced wind and rain over the years. In the past when I was a soldier, I killed many Yuan people. Now I have married and had children in Xiangyang, settled down, and our brothers' lives are not bad either. As people get older, they lose their youthful vigor. Although older brother can't go to the border to continue killing Yuan people now, you can, you're still young. But older brother hopes that you won't blindly fall into hatred. Revenge also needs to be done with a clear head and method..."

  Wang Hu finished speaking and turned to leave, this middle-aged man with a face full of vicissitudes had a deep blood feud with the Yuan people, but he was no longer young and had his wife and children to worry about. His parents in heaven might not want him to take revenge again, they just hoped he could live a peaceful life...

  Zhang Feng gazed at the departing Wang Hu, momentarily lost in thought. However, it was impossible for him not to seek revenge. His mind replayed the words Wang Hu had spoken earlier. Suddenly, Zhang Feng's eyes lit up as he thought to himself: "Why don't I join the army and become a soldier? Didn't Brother Wang join the Red Turban Army and kill Mongols in the past? The Ming dynasty has just stabilized its borders and is in need of soldiers now. If I were to enlist, I would have the opportunity to fight against the Mongols. This way, I can avenge my family's death and contribute to the empire at the same time. It's a win-win situation." With this decision made, Zhang Feng had found his future path.

  The merchant group continued to set off and arrived at the foot of Beiping City three days later. Beiping City is vastly different from Xiangyang City, with walls that are over 3 zhang high, compared to Xiangyang's 2.5 zhang. The city wall still bears the shadow of Xu Da, the Duke of Wei, who breached the Yuan capital years ago. Standing at the foot of the city, one can feel the grandeur and majesty of this ancient Yan capital.

  Zheng Wugang's mission was now complete, and Qian Guanjia had also settled the remaining payment and brought the goods into the city to rest. Zhang Feng bid farewell to Wang Hu and his brothers at the city gate.

  "The mountains and rivers will meet again, Zhang Lao Di, we'll part ways for now." Wang Hu led the group of escorts to bid farewell to Zhang Feng with a bow, then mounted their horses and left.

  Zhang Feng gazed after their departing figures, collected his thoughts, adjusted the bundle on his back and turned to walk into Beiping City...

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