novelraw Chapter 408: Old Nan Feng Leaves Prison
Chapter 408: Old Nan Feng Leaves Prison
Huanglong Mountain Prison was somewhat chilly early in the morning.
Being high in the mountains, the altitude was great, and the temperature low.
Yet Old Nan Feng had left his cell early, running on the exercise field. His more than six hundred rebel band soldiers from Guyuan followed behind him, running as well.
They had started the rebellion in Guyuan near the end of Chongzhen Year One (1628 C.E.). Arriving at Chengcheng County roughly at the start of Chongzhen Year Two, now it was late in the Third Year of Chongzhen.
These border army men had been labor offenders for nearly two years.
But during this time, they hadn’t stopped training. Each morning, Old Nan Feng would gather everyone to stand in formation on the open ground, practice running, drill with imaginary spears, then switch to practicing grappling and subduing techniques in pairs.
An old subordinate once whispered to him, “We’re locked inside a prison. Why all this training?”
Old Nan Feng promptly kicked the soldier at the time. “No one’s killed us! We’re just doing forced labor! One day they’ll set us free! When we get out, you can’t farm the land, useless at any trade. And if you can’t even fight anymore, what the hell would you be good for then? You’d just become a thief, smashed to death with one slap from the Deity.”
His words jolted all the Guyuan rebels awake. None dared complain again, obediently drilling basics under Old Nan Feng’s command.
Though the air was cold, fine beads of sweat dotted Old Nan Feng’s head. Since becoming labor offenders, they ate their fill, with meat regular meals. His men were physically stronger now, training harder than their frontier soldier days. Utterly bizarre.Just then, Zhong Gaoliang appeared atop the prison yard wall and waved at Old Nan Feng.
Old Nan Feng called over his shoulder, “Captain Chen! See to the drilling!”
A Captain Chen answered instantly, “Aye, sir!”
Old Nan Feng walked to the wall’s base, looking up at Zhong Gaoliang. “Head Guard Zhong, your orders?”
Zhong Gaoliang waved again. “You can scale this wall, no problem. Climb up here.”
Old Nan Feng shook his head. “Can’t! I don’t have that skill.”
Zhong Gaoliang chuckled. “Others might believe you, not the Deity. One night, around second watch, you climbed over this wall. Didn’t escape, just scrambled back over after a bit. The Deity saw it all.”
Old Nan Feng’s heart leapt with shock!
Unseen by him, Li Daoxuan often shifted his godly view to Huanglong Mountain Prison while others slept, using the mystical lens to scrutinize where trouble most brewed. One night, the device recorded Old Nan Feng not only scaling the high wall but ascending cliffs beyond the valley. He sat pondering awhile atop the mountain before returning.
Zhong Gaoliang said, “Get up here. Got words for you.”
Old Nan Feng nodded. No more games—time to show his hand.
He retreated several paces, burst into a sprint, slammed a foot hard against the wall, vaulted upward, grabbed the top edge, pulled tight with both hands—and in one fluid motion, flipped atop the rampart.
Zhong Gaoliang exclaimed, “Tsk tsk! Impressive! Ten of me couldn’t take you.”
Old Nan Feng shook his head again. “A hundred men like me aren’t match for muskets.”
Zhong Gaoliang said, “Calling you out is the Deity’s command.”
Old Nan Feng’s spirit perked up. “What is the Deity’s divine will?”
Zhong Gaoliang replied, “The Deity says… Over the past two years of your labor service, you’ve performed well. You helped the prison guards catch escaped convicts multiple times, quelled several riots… But most important—you saved my life…”
He grinned widely. “The Deity says… saving me alone merits your sentence being commuted. So… You’re free.”
Old Nan Feng surged with overwhelming joy!
Zhong Gaoliang added, “Freedom’s yours. Choose to leave Gaojia Village, or stay.”
What choice was there?
Without a second thought, Old Nan Feng declared, “I shall remain! These fighting skills hold no worth for emperors anymore. Now… I serve the Deity.”
For people in this age, “learn civil and martial skill, sell both to the emperor.” But for those like him, there was no going back to serving imperial courts. Here offered hope’s best path.
Zhong Gaoliang smiled. “Good. If you agree to serve, proceed immediately to Gaojia Village’s Gaojia Fortress. Go to the discussion hall inside… An honorable and challenging task requires your presence.”
Old Nan Feng’s spirits soared. Men like him feared idleness more than hardship. Hearing duty called immediately invigorated him. “Then I go!”
Dropping beside the wall toward the yard below, he shouted at his drilling men below, “Brothers! By the Deity’s grace, I am free! Now I labor under the Celestial One! Keep drilling hard! Captain Chen commands you! Keep discipline! This Old Nan Feng WILL gain your freedom!”
More than 600 Guyuan rebels roared back as one: “AYE!”
“Fine! Damn fine!”
No need returning to his prison cell—no belongings lay there anyway. Nan Feng strode straight through the jail gates. Outside, someone pressed a waiting horse’s reins into his hand. With a nod, he mounted and kicked his steed into a gallop bound for Gaojia Village.
Caged nearly two years, he was quite familiar outside prison’s walls… Labor offenders constantly rebuilt roads with cement, constructed cement houses, heavied loads, hewed limestone quarries… chaotic equipment shifts…
Through work duties, he’d observed distant Gaojia Village’s prosperity… Seen Gaojia Fortress tower mighty above it all… Learned long ago of powers deep as oceans lurking there. Serving the fortress outweighed any rebel bandit life tenfold…
His warhorse passed Bai Family Fortress… Trains chuffed at a station yonder, but train travel sparked no interest: Why ride steel rails clutching his mighty steed? Snorting softly, he kicked his horse faster. The little train? Ho! This mount outraced any smoky engine!
Digging heels into the horse’s sides, he left the train coughing smoke behind him…
But no fiery steed sustains its peak stride long… Soon the fine stallion tired, slowed… and the small train whistled triumphantly, surging past rider and mount.
Old Nan Feng muttered, “Hell’s bells… Should’ve boarded with horse!”
Fortunately, small railroad platforms dotted ahead. Years earlier this one wouldn’t stop—nearby village stood uninhabited… With lands reclaimed later, Gaojia Village sent agricultural teams planting corn surrounding this depot… so now trains did pause there.
Reaching this minor station, Nan Feng saw the train just preparing to leave… He urged his weary mount hastily scrambling aboard just seconds before departure… Only then did Nan Feng let out a sigh.
Chugging at 60 kilometers per hour, the little train carried Old Nan Feng racing toward a dreamt-of new life.