Chapter Thirty-One: Untitled

The group feasted on the pickled cabbage hot pot, washing it down with plenty of liquor. Once their ravenous hunger was quelled and they were halfway full, they slowed their pace, and the conversation began to flow more freely.

Drunkenness reveals the true character of a man.

Wang Guihe was the type to flush deeply when he drank. After two bowls, he crossed his legs on the kang, dominating the conversation so completely that no one else could get a word in edgewise; all they could do was listen to him ramble.

When it came to his own "grand ambitions," Wang Guihe spoke with such fervor that spit flew everywhere. The way he carried on, you would think he was ready to drop his chopsticks, march on Fengtian, cross the border tomorrow, and proclaim himself emperor in the capital the day after. At the height of his excitement, he even insisted that the sentries outside fire a few shots into the mountains—not for any strategic reason, but just to hear the blast.

Yet, the man had a certain knack for leadership. Even though everyone with eyes could see he was spouting nonsense, they were still drawn in by his charisma, occasionally cheering him on. It was clear that he wasn't a chief for nothing; he had his own ways of winning people over.

"Brother Hai!"

Wang Guihe’s tongue was thick with drink as he grabbed Jiang Chenghai’s hand, slurring his words. "We’ve had a good time tonight, brother! My tolerance is low, and I’ve reached my limit. There’s something I’ve been holding back, something I’ve been wanting to say. If I’m out of line, please don't take it to heart, all right?"

Jiang Chenghai had also drunk his fair share, but he had a high tolerance. His forehead was beaded with sweat, and when he wiped it away, the air smelled of liquor, but he was far from drunk.

"Guihe, if you have something to say, just say it!"

Wang Guihe let out a hiccup. "Brother, why don't you come back? Stop hanging around Fengtian! Your reputation as 'Sea Owl' carries weight in the underworld. Everyone knows you get things done, and you do them clean. But if I may be blunt, no matter how tough you are, aren't you still just running errands for Zhou Yunfu?"

Jiang Chenghai remained silent.

The other five brothers looked at each other, their faces flickering in the shifting light of the stove fire.

Emboldened by the alcohol, Wang Guihe couldn't stop himself: "That’s right! Everyone knows 'Sea Owl' is a man of honor and loyalty—you’re top-notch! But brother, you’re walking down a narrow path. Take the case of the Changfeng Security Firm—Zhou Yunfu’s nephew got into a feud with He Lishan, and you were the one sent to settle it. Don't take it the wrong way, but every time you leave a job unfinished, you’re just adding another wolf to your trail!"

Li Tianwei, the second in command, though usually hot-headed, couldn't help but nod. "He’s right! Big Brother, I’ve wanted to say this for a long time. We can’t just keep being Zhou Yunfu’s blade, can we?"

"Exactly!" Wang Guihe slapped his thigh. "Brother, if you come back, my life is yours again! I’ve got about twenty men and a dozen rifles here. With your brothers and the Third Brother acting as our strategist, we can set up our own shop, start our own outfit, and we’ll surely make a name for ourselves! That Du Lisan in western Liaoning has been getting too cocky lately; it’s high time someone took him down a peg!"

Jiang Chenghai looked at his brothers, pondered for a moment, and ultimately shook his head with a smile.

"Guihe, I appreciate your kindness. But I’m getting old now. It was hard enough to step away; I don't want to go back up into the mountains."

"Brother, what’s age got to do with it?" Wang Guihe picked up his rifle. "It’s not like the old days where we fought with broadswords. Nowadays, it’s all about this! This thing is much more useful than a bird gun. With a gun in your hand, what’s the use of fancy martial arts? Even a woman could take you out!"

The fourth brother, Jin Xiaoyi, who came from a background in the bandit guilds, felt his lip twitch at this remark. He was annoyed but couldn't refute it, so he just sat there, gloomy and silent.

Jiang Chenghai mused for a moment, then declined again: "The old man did me a great favor. Without him, I wouldn't be alive today, so let’s just leave it at that."

"How about this, then? Once Zhou Yunfu kicks the bucket, will you come back? I don't think that old geezer has many years left anyway. In any case, I’ll put it out there: whenever you’re ready to come back, all the men I have are at your command. How about that?"

"We'll see, we'll see."

Since the conversation had reached this point, there was no need to press further.

A piece of firewood in the stove snapped with a crack, and the room grew slightly dimmer. The once-bright light faded into a dying, dark red glow. Wang Guihe’s face looked somber for a moment, then he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! Brother! I was just talking nonsense. You know how I am—once I’ve had a few, my mouth runs like an old woman’s apron strings, just flapping about. Don't you take it to heart!"

Jiang Chenghai patted Wang Guihe on the shoulder and smiled. "Guihe, no need for that. You’re the only one who can talk to me like that. If I couldn't even tell the difference between good intentions and nonsense, I’d have lived these years in vain."

"Right!" Wang Guihe stood up and hitched up his trousers. "Brother, it’s getting late. Look at how sleepy your son is. Let’s call it a night and drink again tomorrow!"

"Huh? I didn't say I was sleepy. You guys keep talking!"

Jiang Xiaodao had been sitting on his bench, listening with rapt attention, and was caught off guard by being brought into the conversation. Although he had acknowledged Jiang Chenghai as his father, the two had never truly opened up to each other. Jiang Xiaodao knew very little about Jiang Chenghai and had been hoping to use this opportunity to better understand this "great mountain" of a man, so he had been listening intently.

But Guan Wei, sitting beside him, nudged him twice and winked, whispering, "Xiaodao, didn't you just say you were tired?"

Jiang Xiaodao caught on, hesitated for a second, then quickly said, "Ah... yes! It’s been a long day of travel, I am a bit tired. Uncle Wang, I’m sorry for spoiling the fun."

Wang Guihe waved his hand with a smile. "No worries, nephew. Stay here for a few days! When I have time, I’ll teach you how to shoot, how about that?"

"Really?" Jiang Xiaodao’s eyes lit up. "Uncle Wang, I’m holding you to that!"

Jiang Chenghai smiled as well. "Son, go back to your room. Keep sleeping with your Sixth and Seventh Uncles. You’ve probably got a lot on your mind today; we’ll have a good talk tomorrow morning."

"Let’s go, Xiaodao," Guan Wei said, standing up.

The party broke up, and the others left the room one by one. Eventually, only Jiang Chenghai and Wang Guihe remained, seemingly with more to discuss.

Snow began to fall outside again.

"A timely snow promises a good harvest," Guan Wei remarked as they walked. "Let’s hope Fengtian can stay peaceful for another year."

"I don't think there will be any more fighting," Jiang Xiaodao said, looking up at the snow and exhaling a plume of white breath. "It’s not the first day the Russians have been here. If they were going to fight, they would have already. Why wait until they finish building the railway?"

"Who knows! First the Japanese came, then the Russians. God knows who else is coming. Sigh, this place is like a brothel—anyone can walk in and mess around."

"It’s worse than a brothel," Jiang Xiaodao muttered.

Guan Wei didn't respond. He pushed open the door and beckoned to him. "Alright! Quit standing out there like a fool. You’re a Northerner, for heaven’s sake—why are you acting like you’ve never seen snow before?"

Jiang Xiaodao turned around, his boots crunching in the snow. As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and looked at Guan Wei with a strange expression.

"Sixth Uncle, you’re the one with the missing front teeth from the Wang residence that night, aren't you?"