Chapter 83: Sun Erniang

"Young sir and this mighty warrior, please come over and warm yourselves by the fire."

The bearded giant invited warmly.

"This humble scholar thanks you."

After slightly bowing, Zhang Jie sat down calmly beside Lao San.

Then Lao San saw Wu Song looking down at him.

"I—I, mighty warrior, please, you take it."

Lao San glanced at Wu Song’s arms, thicker than his own thighs, and decisively chose to yield, rising to give up his seat.

"Thank you."

Wu Song sat down after thanking him.

"He—he thanked me!"

For a moment, Lao San felt strangely elated.

His earlier dissatisfaction vanished instantly.

"Greetings, friend. My four brothers and I are sworn brothers."

The martial world has honored us with the nickname 'Five Righteous Men of Cangshan.'

I am Lu Congyi; may I ask your name and that of this mighty warrior?"

The bearded giant introduced himself.

A thin but sharp-eyed middle-aged man bowed to Zhang Jie:

"I am Lin Xu."

A tall man with a broadsword beside him, radiating a faint aura of menace:

"I am Song Yunlong."

A short man with two mouse-like whiskers and darting eyes:

"I am Hu Liu."

Even Lao San introduced himself: "I am Wang Han."

Though he had never heard of the Five Righteous Men of Cangshan,

Zhang Jie, well-versed in the art of mutual flattery, feigned astonishment:

"I had no idea I was in the presence of the famed Five Righteous Men of Cangshan. This humble scholar Zhang Jie greets you."

At this, Wang Han and the others were puzzled, momentarily confused:

'Has our reputation already reached Shandong?'

"So you're Master Zhang."

Lu Congyi shot Lao San a glare before smiling broadly.

"Wu Song."

Wu Song replied flatly.

"Mighty Warrior Wu."

Lu Congyi bowed.

Wu Song, unused to such deference, felt slightly embarrassed—he was the type who yielded to kindness, not force.

"Greetings, Brother Lu," Wu Song returned the bow.

After the introductions, the two groups grew more at ease.

"Hehe."

"I never expected so many heroes would grace my humble inn today—it’s truly an honor."

At that moment, a tinkling laugh came from behind the hall.

Zhang Jie and the others turned to see a voluptuous woman in a green gauze blouse, adorned with hairpins and ornaments,

wearing a bright red silk skirt, her chest exposed to reveal a peach-colored belly band, her face painted with rouge and powder,

swaying her hips as she approached with seductive grace.

"Gulp!"

Hu Liu involuntarily swallowed.

This woman was no less alluring than the top courtesans he’d visited in the brothels!

In Wu Song’s words, this landlady had strength—

"I assume you’re the owner of this tavern?"

Lu Congyi asked, recalling the waiter who had first greeted them.

"Hehe, I’m not the owner—just the owner’s wife."

The woman giggled.

"So you’re the landlady. May I ask your surname?"

Lin Xu, the second brother, his eyes gleaming, asked.

"My surname is Sun, name Erniang."

The landlady replied with her smile unbroken.

"Landlady, where are our steamed buns?"

Neither as infatuated as the fifth brother nor as courteous as the eldest or second,

Wang Han, his stomach growling, shouted out.

Sun Erniang kept smiling:

"Coming soon, coming soon—please wait a moment, guests."

Watching her smile, Song Yunlong felt a sudden unease.

It wasn’t that her smile hid malice—it was her eyes.

The way she looked at them reminded him of a farmer eyeing his livestock!

'We’re too many. Even if this place is suspicious, she wouldn’t dare do anything.'

Song Yunlong shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Still, unconsciously, he moved his hand closer to his broadsword.

"And who is this young sir?"

Her gaze swept over Zhang Jie and brightened.

This young man was far handsomer than her dead husband.

"This humble scholar Zhang Jie greets the landlady."

Zhang Jie replied calmly and respectfully.

"Master Zhang, it’s your first time here—why not try our steamed buns?

Free of charge—I treat you." Sun Erniang beamed.

Hu Liu, ignored entirely by Sun Erniang, felt a pang of envy:

'Is being handsome really that special?'

Watching Sun Erniang practically cling to Zhang Jie, he had to admit:

Being handsome really was that special…

Zhang Jie politely declined her offer, saying coolly:

"I’ve been fasting these past days—just bring me a bowl of plain noodles."

As he spoke, he subtly moved away from Sun Erniang’s groping hands.

Wu Song was startled—he had no idea Zhang Jie was fasting.

And hadn’t they just devoured a whole roasted chicken this morning?

When did fasting start only in the evening?

But he knew Zhang Jie never acted without reason, so he added:

"I’ll have a bowl of plain noodles too."

Faced with Zhang Jie’s indifference, Sun Erniang silently cursed:

'A pig won’t eat fine bran.'

Though annoyed, Sun Erniang had run this inn for years—

Her smile remained: "Please wait a moment, gentlemen."

With that, she glided toward the kitchen.

The hall now held only Zhang Jie, Wu Song, and the Five Righteous Men of Cangshan.

In casual talk, Zhang Jie learned the five men were also heading to Bianliang to seek fortune,

hoping to catch the eye of some noble and secure a future.

Zhang Jie understood their ambition well,

for Gao Qiang, the Grand Coordinator, was the prime example of someone who rose to power in Bianliang.

That man clung to the most exalted person in Great Song,

becoming the very thing he’d dreamed of: 'a man who could kill without facing trial.'

But soon after climbing that ladder, he became corrupted…

"Why go to Bianliang? Why not join Elder Zhong’s Grand Coordinator’s service? Earn your future with sword and spear?"

Wu Song, blunt and forthright, suggested.

Old Master Zhong, the Grand Coordinator, is Zhong Shidao—the leader of the Western Army, the most elite border force in today’s Great Song.

According to the intelligence and analysis he received from Zhang Jie, a war between the Great Song and the Western Xia is inevitable in the coming years.

It is truly the perfect moment to seize glory, wealth, and official rank through military service.

“Join the army?”

Upon hearing this, Lu Congyi and the others all shook their heads.

Who in the Great Song doesn’t know that our army is filled with convict-soldiers?

Most of them are branded thugs, ruffians, thieves, and prisoners.

Though the Five Righteous of Cangshan hold no official titles or merit, they are not ignorant common folk.

In our Great Song army, civil officials have always controlled the military; victories are credited entirely to the supervision and strategy of the civil overseers.

What?

You say the credit belongs to the soldiers who fought bloody battles?

Without the strategic planning of our civil overseers, could a band of convict-soldiers ever win a battle?

And when they lose, it’s always the convict-soldiers’ fault for disobeying orders!

Wu Song realized he had spoken carelessly—there’s a popular saying in our Great Song countryside:

Good iron isn’t made into nails; good men don’t become soldiers.

Only after following Zhang Jie did he learn of the Old Master Zhong and Young Master Zhong among the Grand Coordinators in the Western Army, and gained a sliver of confidence in our military.

But from the reactions of Lu Congyi and the others, that sliver of confidence was clearly illusory.

After all, can an army win battles without the trust and support of the people?

“Do you know who you plan to join, Brother Lu?”

Seeing the mood grow heavy, Zhang Jie casually changed the subject.

He had nothing more to say about the vast majority of absolute failures in the Great Song army.

“I… don’t know yet.”

Lu Congyi let out a bitter laugh upon hearing this.

Precisely because he had no connections, he claimed he was going to Bianliang to try his luck.

On the faces of Lin Xu, Hu Liu, and the others, confusion also appeared.

Their journey to Bianliang was truly uncertain!

“Buns are here!”

At that moment, a waiter carried two large baskets of buns into the hall.

“Brother Zhang, why not join us for a bite?”

Temporarily setting aside his worries about the future, Lu Congyi, feeling a strong rapport with Zhang Jie, invited him.

Suppressing his worries about the future, Lu Congyi, who felt a strong kinship with Zhang Jie, invited him.

Zhang Jie waved his hands rapidly.

He didn’t want to find anything strange in the buns.

“Big brother, let’s eat ourselves!”

Wang Han, offended by Zhang Jie’s refusal, grabbed a steaming hot bun and took a huge bite.

“Delicious! Delicious!”

The moment Wang Han bit into it, his eyes lit up—the filling was generous, the skin thin, the meat fatty and juicy.

Yes, in the Great Song, “buns” are actually what 21st-century people call baozi—filled with meat.

“Big brother, you guys eat too.”

In a few bites, Wang Han devoured one large bun, grease dripping from his mouth, then picked up several more and handed them to Lu Congyi and the others.

“Brother Zhang?”

Lu Congyi invited again.

“No.” Zhang Jie gave a slight shake of his head.

Seeing Zhang Jie refuse once more, Lu Congyi could only give up.

Though he felt Zhang Jie and his companion were no ordinary men,

he had no reason to beg for their favor.

He raised the bun toward his mouth.

Zhang Jie wouldn’t eat, but they had to—after all, they’d already paid.

Come to think of it, this inn was truly a swindle—just a few baskets of buns,

plus a night’s stay, cost them five taels of silver.

Remember, a strong laborer in the Great Song earned barely a dozen taels a year.

Just as Lu Congyi’s bun was about to reach his lips,

Zhang Jie’s voice drifted softly into their ears:

“I think you’d better not eat either.”

Zhang Jie’s words drifted softly into their ears:

Lu Congyi frowned.

Yet he believed Zhang Jie, whose speech was so refined, would not jest with them.

“Put down your buns—for now.”

Lu Congyi ordered.

The other four, even Wang Han, who had been eating heartily, set down their half-eaten buns.

This showed how high Lu Congyi’s authority stood among his brothers.

“Brother Zhang, have you noticed something?” Lu Congyi asked.

“Big brother, isn’t this a den of thieves?” Lin Xu guessed.

“I knew it—this inn is nowhere near a village or town; it must be running a racket on the side!”

Song Yunlong, who had sensed something wrong and felt the aura of violence clinging to the place, hurled his bun aside and grabbed his broadsword.

“Who’s accusing my inn of being a den of thieves?”

At that moment, Sun Erniang stepped out, her voice sharp and confrontational.

“Who’s accusing my shop of being a den of thieves?”

Zhang Jie rose calmly.

“Young sir, you can’t joke about this!”

Sun Erniang’s eyes turned dangerous.

Zhang Jie waved a hand to fan the air. “Joke?

The stench of menghan medicine in this place nearly knocked me out.”

“Menghan medicine?”

Wu Song stepped in front of Zhang Jie.

*Shhh!*

Lu Congyi and the others drew their weapons, on guard.

They had traveled the martial world for years and knew well the reputation of menghan medicine.

No matter how mighty the martial hero, how fearsome the bandit, or even how official the constable—

one packet of menghan medicine, and they’d sleep like dead pigs, helpless and captured.

“Young sir, you can’t speak recklessly!”

Sun Erniang pointed accusingly at Zhang Jie, confident.

“He hasn’t reacted yet!”

She pointed at Wang Han.

“He hasn’t reacted yet!”

The Five Righteous of Cangshan stared at Wang Han, who showed no sign of reaction, and hesitated.

If there were menghan medicine in the buns, Wang Han, who had eaten several, should have shown some effect—even if not fully knocked out.

“I didn’t say the buns contained menghan medicine. I said the inn itself has menghan medicine.”

Zhang Jie spoke calmly.

“Then what’s this if not reckless talk?

You can smell menghan medicine in my inn?

Is your nose a dog’s nose?”

Sun Erniang jabbed her finger at Zhang Jie’s nose, relentless.

Do you think I can smell Mongolian sleeping powder in my own shop?

Zhang Jie was speechless.

Could he tell Sun Erniang that his nose, enhanced by martial arts, was indeed as sharp as a dog’s?

That would be insulting himself!

Zhang Jie was speechless.

Could he tell Sun Erniang that his nose, enhanced by Wu Gong, was indeed as keen as a dog’s?

That would be insulting himself!