Chapter 21: Iron Hyun? Iron Club!

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Two troublemakers, refusing to believe in superstition, raised their crossbows and aimed at Zhu Liang, who sat unmoving atop his horse. With a snap of his fingers, a pair of glowing green eyes silently crept toward them in the darkness.

Unaware, the two were about to cock their crossbows when a mouthful of gleaming white fangs suddenly snapped behind them.

After two chilling screams, a massive black-furred wolf appeared before Zhu Liang. It stood on its hind legs and affectionately rubbed its head against Zhu Liang’s hand like a loyal dog.

“Black Panther did well; tonight we have an extra meal,” Zhu Liang said, stroking its head. His eyes narrowed with a cold sneer as he looked at the Yuan soldiers before him. “Is there anyone else brave enough to face death?”

The giant wolf, stronger than a bull calf, stared at him with narrowed eyes and bristling whiskers. Its fangs dripped blood, as if Zhu Liang would be its next meal. Governor Song was so terrified he dared not even breathe.

Zhu Liang smiled and said, “Governor Song, I find beasts more endearing than men, for once men lose their humanity, they are worse than the very beasts before you.”

“Governor Song, doesn’t the Great Yuan Dynasty look like this granary? Though it seems immense, all it takes is pulling out this latch, and it will collapse with a thunderous crash.”

With that, Zhu Liang kicked the bolt of the towering granary door, revealing the truth inside. Beneath the surface layer of rice lay piles of stones.

“Speak now—whose mouths have these grains fed? If you don’t tell me, tonight you and Black Panther will be locked together.”

The wolf bared its fangs at Song Xing and licked its lips eagerly.

Song Xing trembled all over, tears and snot streaming down his face as he sobbed, “It was Lord Huang and Lord Wu. Lord Huang once served as an official in the Privy Council, and his daughter is a concubine of that notorious Yan. I dare not defy him. Lord Wu is the city’s largest grain merchant; his son is a court official, a favorite of the emperor. I have no choice but to turn a blind eye.”

“Oh? Don’t be afraid. I’ll share a secret: my father’s name is Zhu Yuanzhang. Yes, the very Zhu Yuanzhang you know.”

Song Xing panicked even more. The son of the greatest rebel in the land was also the son-in-law of the Prince of Yingchuan. Could he survive knowing this?

He hurriedly kowtowed, “Prince Zhu, spare me! I am but a pig and dog, unworthy to sully your blade.”

“Governor Song, cowardice, timidity, and incompetence are flaws, but in my eyes, they are virtues. Do you understand what to do now?”

“Rest assured, my lord, I am determined to abandon the darkness and join the righteous cause—to overthrow this corrupt and ruthless Yuan.”

Zhu Liang nodded in satisfaction. Just then, Qiu Fu arrived, puzzled. “My lord, why not just kill this corrupt official outright?”

“Qiu Fu, I told you to study more, but you only know how to slack off. Is Governor Song a corrupt official? No, he is a fighter against the Yuan. Without talented men like him, how could this damned Yuan dynasty be finished off?”

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“My lord, you can speak without hitting people.”

Zhu Liang, enraged, delivered a flying kick to the fool. Such worthless brutes! Fighting corruption in the Yuan dynasty—was he doing this for fun? If only loyal ministers and capable generals remained, how would he continue wreaking havoc on the Yuan?

Zhu Liang then led his men to the wealthiest gentry in Kaifeng, Lord Huang. The grand gate was made of rosewood; the pavilions and towers were even more magnificent than the Kaifeng prefectural office.

The gatekeeper, sensing hostility, summoned several guards. Before the leader could give his name, Zhu Neng swiftly slit his throat with a single stroke.

Startled, the gatekeeper fled to send word. Soon, a portly, large-eared gentleman in an embroidered robe appeared, bowing respectfully. “I am Huang Tiangui, retired official of the Privy Council since the 22nd year of Zhizheng. I wonder what business the general has with me?”

Zhu Liang clasped his fists. “I am Ne’erbuhua, captain under the Prince of Yingchuan. I have come to borrow something from your esteemed household.”

Huang Tiangui sighed in relief. “Ah, so you are the captain under the young general. We are all on the same side. What do you wish to borrow? Anything I have, I will gladly offer for the captain.”

“Since you are so hospitable, I shall borrow your head.”

With that, Zhu Liang drew his curved sword and, with lightning speed, cut across.

The once smiling Huang Tiangui could no longer smile.

“Zhang Yu, Zhu Neng, take all valuables inside and bring them away. Also seize the ledgers, land deeds, and IOUs. Shoot to kill anyone who resists.”

Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng led their fierce soldiers into the Huang estate. Qiu Fu pointed at his own nose, eager to prove himself.

“You take Governor Song and find the wealthy households on the list. I want to have a frank talk with them.”

Qiu Fu obeyed, dragging Song Xing away like a dead dog. Zhu Liang rode alone back to the camp outside the city.

As he entered the central command tent, he found a man lying face down, naked and barely breathing.

Wasn’t this Tie Xuan, known as Iron Rod? Those bastards beat him and left him for dead without even tending to his wounds, dumping him in Zhu Liang’s tent without pants. What kind of business was this?

Zhu Liang called for a medic, who treated Tie Xuan’s injuries. Then he ordered two soldiers to dress him and carry him to his bed.

Softly, he asked, “Scholar Tie, does it hurt?”

Tie Xuan frowned. “Why do you ask if you already know, my lord?”

“I mean, if it doesn’t hurt, have them beat you with ten more military rods.”

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Hearing this, Tie Xuan jumped up despite his pain and cursed, “Tyrannical and foolish ruler! You shall perish like Jie and Zhou!”

Zhu Liang nodded. “Do you know why I struck you?”

Tie Xuan gripped the bed in anger. “Did I say anything wrong?”

“No, you spoke the truth.”

“You... you bastard!”

For the first time in his life, Tie Xuan swore at Zhu Liang.

Zhu Liang moved his finger away slowly. “A friendly reminder: my mother is the Empress of Ming. Iron Rod, be careful about your entire clan.”

Tie Xuan’s face turned as dark as pig’s liver with fury. Never had he met such a shameless man.

“You spoke correctly, but have you not betrayed me?”

“Betrayed you? We’ve only known each other one day. Have some shame!”

“In my eyes, your empty rhetoric of a hundred hollow principles is worth less than a single practical deed that benefits the people and the realm.”

“The land is filled with starving and disaster-stricken people. Others may turn a blind eye, but I cannot—because Heaven brought me into this world. If I see people dying and do nothing, I betray not Heaven, but my own conscience. Without conscience, I would lose my way and become no different from the beasts dressed in crimson robes atop the palace.”

“You, Tie Xuan, are a disciple of the sages and a follower of Confucian teachings, but you only know how to read dead books. Why does Confucianism place self-cultivation first? What is being cultivated? Not mere ritual, but morality. Laws govern only our baseline; what elevates man above beasts is morality. I may not understand Confucianism, but I grasp this—since ancient times, sages were only mortal; conscience and keeping to one’s principles are true teachers.”

“You understand the saying ‘How can one govern the world without first sweeping one’s own house,’ but why not ‘How can one save the world without first saving one person’?”

“I dislike the Confucian classics and prefer history, always pondering whether Confucius’s lifelong pursuit of ‘restraining oneself and returning to ritual’ truly meant restoring Zhou’s rites as Cheng and Zhu claimed, or was it rather that Confucius wanted us to seek morality? The world changes ceaselessly; so too does the standard of morality.”

“Scholars often speak of governing as Yao and Shun did, but in their time, productivity was low and most people went hungry. I wonder, did the scholars long for Yao and Shun, or did the common people?”

“Thousands of sages pass like shadows; conscience is my teacher. I hope you, Tie Xuan, will become a practical and capable talent who revives the nation, not an empty talker who ruins the country.”