Chapter Ten: Brothers

After chatting with Meng Kai and Duan Hongyan, Zhu Wen returned to his own tent and immediately fell asleep.

He was a very disciplined man, typically washing up and going to bed at the fourth quarter of the Dog Hour, then rising at the fourth quarter of the Rabbit Hour, sleeping a full five time units at night.

Additionally, he usually took a brief nap of about half an hour at noon.

In his view, since all daytime tasks were completed, it was only natural to sleep more.

During his wandering years as a knight-errant, he had long endured wind and rain, yet his skin remained remarkably good, never once afflicted by acne. Having never used bovine marrow or face ointments for upkeep, Zhu Wen attributed this to the virtue of sufficient sleep.

If anyone disturbed his rest or roused him from dreams, Zhu Wen often fell into a rage, even feeling an impulse to tear the offender limb from limb.

“Get up already, the moon’s showing its backside!”

A voice, accompanied by a fierce shake of his body, abruptly jolted Zhu Wen awake from his slumber.

“Damn you!”

Zhu Wen roared, throwing a powerful hook punch, but just before striking the other’s jaw, he abruptly pulled back. “Second Brother?”

Before him squatted a towering youth, with a broad face, grinning mischievously, his hair shaved very short, top flat as a plain.

Had he thought before throwing the punch, he would have realized that even if Huang Chao himself came, his soldiers would have woken him first.

Only one person could silently slip into his tent.

Because the Copper Mountain bandits, the very troops Zhu Wen led to join Huang Chao, were initially subdued by him and Second Brother Zhu Cun together.

Yet he had not seen Second Brother for over half a year.

His memory of him remained stuck on the night before their parting: Second Brother laughing heartily as he tied rebellious bandits to a scorching iron plate, slicing their flesh piece by piece to feed the dogs, until their bodies were shredded and they breathed their last.

Such cruel and fierce scenes somehow felt warm and nostalgic.

That night, Zhu Cun, who had diligently managed the stronghold so Zhu Wen could roam freely, suddenly left behind a cryptic letter and disappeared without a trace.

“Third Brother, the master you’ve chosen is not bad at all.” The tall man scratched his neck, crushing a louse with such force that the sound seemed to shake the air.

“Shandong Salt Commander, righteous and noble, truly lives up to his name.” Zhu Wen sat up at once, grabbing his second brother’s broad shoulders. “Where have you been for these past six months? I’ve missed you so much...”

Of course, he couldn’t seek out Second Brother himself, as the stronghold still needed tending. Without his help, Zhu Wen realized managing a band of unruly men was truly troublesome.

“Women,” Zhu Cun replied simply.

Zhu Cun always grinned broadly, standing over nine feet tall, with rough features that looked nothing like their fair-faced third brother, as if they were not born of the same mother—a big, simple giant.

But if he were just a simpleton, he would never grin while tying someone to a red-hot iron plate, carefully slicing off the bandits’ flesh to feed the dogs, each piece uniform in size.

Zhu Wen was taken aback. “Second Brother, you really don’t care for women.”

“What if it’s the woman who used to be your second sister-in-law?” Zhu Cun said, “She bore me several children...”

“But didn’t you say a good horse doesn’t eat the grass it’s already passed? Besides...”

“Pfft, do you think I’m the type to go back?” Zhu Cun put his hands on his hips, snorting. “That woman really opened my eyes about women. Otherwise, how could I have told you: ‘When it comes to women, beat them—don’t be too polite!’”

He sighed. “Ah, when you were young and needed me most, I was chasing after that woman, only thinking of pleasing her, ignoring you completely, letting you suffer terribly all those years—I truly owe you an apology!”

Zhu Wen was stunned. “Second Brother, what are you saying? That was so long ago. You’ve worked so hard for me these years—I’m the one who should be grateful...”

“Ah, don’t mention it.” Zhu Cun waved his hand. “As for that unworthy woman, she was sold into a brothel.”

Zhu Wen gasped. “Could it be...”

Zhu Cun chuckled. “Funny thing is, there she was at the brothel’s gate, laughing and selling smiles. Then she suddenly cried, begging me to remember old times and redeem her.”

“She ate my food, drank my drink, stole from men, and ran off with others. A lowly woman like that—I hate her too much to want to rescue her!”

Zhu Cun’s teeth clenched fiercely.

“But, damn it, thinking about that bastard who treated my precious woman like a toy, then sold her off when bored—I’m really pissed.”

Zhu Wen already guessed the rest.

Sure enough, Zhu Cun continued, “I couldn’t use the stronghold’s money—that’s all yours. So I searched everywhere for over half a year, traveled thousands of miles, and finally found that bastard.”

“Second Brother here hung him upside down, whipped him till he was near death, then let him rest and whipped him again—until he confessed.”

“Then I gave him a proper beating, searched his pockets, but the money wasn’t enough. So I sliced off his flesh piece by piece, sold it as pork to the bread shop.”

“And then...” Zhu Cun’s face showed a hint of pride, “I took that money back, redeemed that damned woman, and gave her away to the old bachelor at the village entrance.”

“Third Brother, tell me—wasn’t that satisfying?”

“Absolutely satisfying!” Zhu Wen clapped his hands.

He did not know if the scar on Second Brother’s chest beneath that smile had fully healed.

As for the exhausting journey of tracking and searching, the hunger, thirst, and eating wild game—Second Brother, ever rough and straightforward, didn’t bother to mention a word.

When they were young, Second Brother was also mischievous and willful. After their father’s death, he became serious, and to this day, he had only been willful twice.

Both times were because of the woman who used to be his second sister-in-law.

Other than that, it seemed Second Brother’s whole purpose in life was for Zhu Wen, his younger brother.

“Third Brother, I hear you’re about to fight a big battle?” Zhu Cun changed the subject.

“The official army is led by Qi Kerang, the Taichang Military Governor, known as ‘The Snow Clears in Qilian.’” Zhu Wen nodded but made no mention of Song Wei’s name.

“Well then, let Commander Huang and his men see what your brother can do!”

Zhu Cun beamed proudly, clearly honored by his brother’s cleverness.

But then he said, “Third Brother, remember: ‘Speak only three parts truth to everyone you meet; never give your whole heart away.’ You’re smart, but often you act on impulse. The village fortune teller says boys like you will do great things, but I know many knights who met early deaths because of that...”

Zhu Wen was silent.

The unspoken tension between Huang Chao’s and Wang Xianzhi’s camps, the subtle atmosphere, were all seen clearly by this seemingly simple but wise Second Brother.

“To achieve great things, you must study, but many great truths don’t require books to understand.” Zhu Cun gave a sly smile. “If you want to do big things, I’ll be like the stone bridge’s pillars supporting you. I have sharp eyes; whatever you can’t see, I’ll be your eyes! They say ‘those involved lose clarity, but bystanders see clearly.’ I seek no fame or fortune, so I see things more clearly than most.”

Zhu Wen felt his heart warm, recalling how Second Brother used to shield him from their father’s rod, call their mother when he got into trouble—countless such moments. The debt he owed Second Brother might never be repaid in seven lifetimes.

He wanted to say something but didn’t know how, his eyes involuntarily moistening.

“All right, you’re always a heavy sleeper, so I won’t disturb you anymore. Now that I’m back, I won’t leave. Tomorrow morning, I’ll join you for a proper fight against the imperial troops!”

With that, Zhu Cun patted Zhu Wen on the shoulder and stood tall, his towering figure like a mountain. Striding out like a shooting star, he left the tent.

Zhu Wen stared long after the closing tent flap.

He felt suddenly light and comforted within his heart.