[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-stealing-ming":3,"chapter-stealing-ming-stealing-ming-chapter-136":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Stealing Ming",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1220753,1614,"Chapter 136: Section 20: Friendship","stealing-ming-chapter-136",136,"\u003Cp>When heading to Dongjiang Island, Huang Shi only brought Zhang Pan along. Ever since that incident, Zhang Pan had been despondent for the better part of a month. Huang Shi had always felt he owed the Zhang family a great deal, and now his benefactor’s family was missing, their fate unknown. So on the sea vessel, he began telling Zhang Pan all sorts of stories again, and the two brothers chatted quite happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…in came a naked woman, and the child threw himself on her, biting and kissing, and the man followed suit — that’s the first thing…” Today Huang Shi launched into that famous wager story, and after finishing it he burst out laughing to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother’s stories are indeed amusing, heh heh.” But Zhang Pan’s laugh was very forced, and after a few stifled grunts he fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi stared at him in astonishment for a long moment, then asked slowly, “Little Brother, is there something on your mind you want to tell me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pan gave a hollow laugh, then raised his head with grim determination. “Big Brother, I made up my mind last night. After we return to Changsheng, I will go back to Shanhai Pass once more, to apologize to the Zhao family and explain everything clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at this naive innocence, Huang Shi could neither laugh nor cry. He could only pat him lightly on the shoulder. “It’s no use. Whatever you say, the Zhao family will never believe it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought of that yesterday too. If they don’t believe me, I will draw my sword and take my own life as atonement, so they will know this matter truly had nothing to do with you, Big Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Huang Shi’s expression turn very grim, Zhang Pan hurriedly argued, “Doesn’t Big Brother always tell me that a man must take responsibility for what he does?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of man are you — just a snot-nosed kid,” Huang Shi mocked him, half amused and half exasperated. It seemed that from now on he needed to instill some ideas about the value of life into him, and tell fewer stories about knights-errant and gangsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing that Zhang Pan was very unconvinced, Huang Shi turned serious. “This matter — both you and Zhao Manxiong did it for me, with my prior approval. Therefore, you bear no responsibility.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Pan grew anxious. “But this matter will be very disadvantageous to you, Big Brother. Didn’t you say that all under Heaven would know of it, and your future prospects would be utterly ruined?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not as serious as I made it sound that day. Your Big Brother’s reputation is good enough; this tiny stain counts for nothing. I naturally have foolproof preparations.” Huang Shi smiled and patted Zhang Pan on the shoulder. “Don’t forget, I am a famed general who leaves nothing to chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that his little brother still wore a look of half-belief, half-doubt, Huang Shi closed his eyes and reminisced for a moment. Only after a while did he open them and ask, “Do you still remember, on our first journey to Dongjiang, when I took the blame for Jin Qiude?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do you still remember what I told you at the time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother said: ‘Jin Qiude is my subordinate, so I must take the blame for him. I must take the blame for every one of my subordinates.’ I remember that passage very clearly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That must have been hard on you — you really do remember it clearly. Little Brother, let me tell you: in this matter, whether you were the one who carried it out or not, I would shoulder all the responsibility. Because when doing things, mistakes are always hard to avoid; some things are done well, some poorly. If I don’t take responsibility for my subordinates, then in the future no one will help me get things done. So don’t think this is special treatment for you. If you truly want what’s best for me, then stop dwelling on this matter. I will never sell out any loyal subordinate — whether it’s you or anyone else, it’s all the same.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother, I understand now.” Zhang Pan let out a long breath, and his expression became lively again. After all, no one wants to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that a few words could untie the knot in Zhang Pan’s heart, Huang Shi was very satisfied with his own speaking skills. “Good that you understand. When we get back, I’m going to organize an Internal Guard unit. You’ll take charge of it — it’s time you got some training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Internal Guard was the final piece of Huang Shi’s pyramid plan. Zhang Pan’s loyalty was undoubtedly beyond doubt, and this KGB would necessarily have to remain vigilant even toward the Great Ming imperial court, which required someone absolutely reliable to lead it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Dongjiang dock, the moment Huang Shi stepped ashore he spotted a familiar face. He darted forward in one quick stride and warmly grasped Kong Youde’s hand. “Elder Brother, how is it that you’ve come to receive me? This truly overwhelms your little brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Youde’s expression seemed very awkward. He gently withdrew his hand from Huang Shi’s grasp, cupped his fists, and said, “General Huang, by order of Lord Mao, I have been awaiting General Huang here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Shi looked at Kong Youde in surprise, then smiled and said, “Elder Brother Kong, why are you treating me like an outsider?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, Kong Youde’s expression grew even more awkward. Red-faced, he said in a low voice, “I am Mao Yongshi. General Huang, this way, please.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Kong Youde had already become Mao Wenlong’s adopted son. Since even his surname and given name had been changed, the sworn brotherhood between Kong Youde and Huang Shi was now effectively at an end. Now going by the name Mao Yongshi, Kong Youde held only a Dongjiang Garrison Commander military post and could no longer treat Huang Shi as an equal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two men set off in silence, taking the same road they had walked together last time, but their state of mind was now completely different. Behind them, the personal guards Huang Shi had brought flicked their wrists and unfurled two banners, which snapped open with a sharp crack in the wind. The foremost, the Great Ming military banner, bore the three large characters “Assistant Regional Commander Huang,” and the serpent banner behind it displayed the words “Firefighting Camp” very conspicuously. This immediately announced the visitor’s identity to the officers and soldiers of Dongjiang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That is General Huang, whose might shakes Liaonan — the finest hero of our Dongjiang Army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huang Shi, General Huang, who routed six thousand with eight hundred — he has come this time to receive the imperially bestowed silver warrant arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everywhere they passed, the cheers and exclamations of praise were even more fervent than last time, but Huang Shi’s heart felt as if blocked by a great stone. Kong Youde had shared his fate and endured hardship with him. Last time, the two had ridden side by side, talking and laughing, full of high spirits. This time, Huang Shi rode in front, while Kong Youde, as the receiving officer, lagged behind by a full half a horse length.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“General Huang won a great victory over the Jianzhou slaves in Liaonan. When I heard of it, I was filled with admiration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Kong Youde’s flattering words reached his ears, Huang Shi angrily reined in his horse. “Elder Brother, you and I have a bond forged through life and death. Why has it come to this today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kong Youde fell silent, turning his head away to avoid Huang Shi’s indignant gaze, his expression somewhat complicated. “I am Mao Yongshi. I cannot bear General Huang addressing me so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking around and seeing no one else nearby, Huang Shi leaned over and said in a low voice to Kong Youde, “If Elder Brother is willing, your little brother will simply swear brotherhood with you once more.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1340,"2026-06-04T07:54:30.907Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","c64b279d4ab90e5831b2d620cd385a0011f97428e6df3e1065b1c5f92b2dc271","stealing-ming-chapter-137","stealing-ming-chapter-135",323,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstealing-ming-cover.jpg"]