The Struggle of Chaos Chapter Fifty-Two Yang Hu of the Yang Family

Not long after, Lin Ni returned to the room.

“Gentlemen, I just checked the warehouse. At present, we have three thousand sets of lightweight silver scale armor, four thousand spears, five hundred sets of mountain-patterned light armor, and two hundred sets of black-hammered plate armor. I’ve already ordered these to be loaded onto carts. As for the rest, I will notify the Ironworks to forge them as soon as possible. Regarding warhorses, the quantity you require is quite large, so I don’t have that many on hand right now. But in a week, I’ll have them delivered to your location.”

Hearing Lin Ni’s words, the two nodded in satisfaction. In truth, they hadn’t planned to purchase so much at first. This amount was enough to arm a force of tens of thousands, but Ren Xingtian had suddenly decided to order everything they might need in the future, regardless of whether they had enough money, which had certainly put Lin Ni through his paces.

By the time everything was packed and loaded, it was nearly evening.

Lin Ni stood at the door of the trading company with the two, preparing to bid them farewell.

“You two could stay for dinner before leaving. Why rush off so early?”

Yang Ruiyun politely declined, “We’d better take the goods back as soon as possible, or our elder brother will worry.”

Lin Ni smiled, “Very well. I’ll send the rest of the equipment over as it’s ready. As for other building and daily supplies, we don’t have much in stock, so I’ll have Lin Shun transport them from Tang Country for you.”

“Thank you, Chief Steward Lin.”

At that moment, in the Lin family’s main hall.

“Explain this properly. Why is it that the armor I ordered is suddenly gone? What’s going on here?” A man dressed as a mercenary, clad in silver armor with a spear slung across his back, questioned the receptionist loudly.

The helpless receptionist could only respond, “I’m very sorry, Master Yang. Your armor was requisitioned by our steward for certain reasons. But our weapons factory will forge new armor for you as quickly as possible.”

“So this is how the Lin family does business? If you don’t bring out my armor today, I’m not leaving.” The man’s anger was palpable.

The commotion in the hall drew the attention of the three.

Lin Ni looked slightly embarrassed. “Forgive me, gentlemen, I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

“We’ll just—”

“Wait a moment, I still have something to do. You go ahead, we’ll wander around.” Ren Xingtian covered Yang Ruiyun’s mouth.

“All right.”

So, the two followed Lin Ni back into the hall.

Lin Ni walked into the center of the dispute and asked the anxious receptionist, “What’s going on here?”

Seeing Lin Ni, the young woman finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Chief Steward Lin, here’s what happened. Master Yang previously ordered a thousand sets of lightweight silver scale armor, and he came to collect them today. But this afternoon, you ordered all the scale armor to be put away, so we had no choice but to—”

Lin Ni quickly understood. He’d wondered why there was so much scale armor available, since it was broadly useful but not in such quantities. However, as Yang Ruiyun and Ren Xingtian were waiting, he hadn’t thought much of it and sold everything to them—unwittingly selling someone else’s goods.

But since the deal was done—and he owed them money besides—Lin Ni had no intention of taking things back. He knew the man in question: Yang Hu, commander of a mercenary regiment of about two thousand men, a formidable figure but not someone Lin Ni would risk offending Li Qiutong and the others for.

He said to Yang Hu, “I’m sorry, Master Yang. We made a mistake today and sold your armor to someone else. There’s none left now, but we’ll refund you double the amount you paid.”

But Yang Hu was not here to listen to apologies. “Do you know what that armor means? It’s my brothers’ lives! We have a dangerous mission in a few days. If we don’t have equipment, do you expect me to lead them to their deaths?”

Lin Ni fell silent, unsure what to say, for the fault was truly his.

“Chief Lin, is this a big problem?” Ren Xingtian, having wandered with Yang Ruiyun, returned.

But before Lin Ni could answer, Yang Hu stood up, surprised as he looked past Ren Xingtian to Yang Ruiyun.

“Is that you, Young Master?”

Yang Ruiyun hadn’t been addressed like this in a long time and was caught off guard. He quickly stepped away from Ren Xingtian. Upon seeing Yang Hu, he was equally shocked. “Yang Hu?”

Yang Hu, delighted to be recognized, said, “Yes, Young Master, it’s me. You still remember me.”

Yang Ruiyun moved closer, gripping Yang Hu’s shoulder with excitement. “I remember you disappeared five years ago. When I asked my father, he said you had a mission and would be gone for a long time. So you came to the City of Chaos.”

“It’s been so long, Young Master. You’ve grown taller.” Yang Hu looked kindly at Yang Ruiyun, the boy he’d watched grow up, who now possessed the same steady maturity as his father.

Seeing their familiarity, Lin Ni quietly breathed a sigh of relief and suggested with a smile, “Since you all know each other, why not go to a nearby inn and catch up? And I owe Master Yang an apology.”

Thus, at Lin Ni’s arrangement, the four went to an inn under the Lin family’s banner.

“Brother Yang Hu, why did my father send you to the City of Chaos?” Yang Ruiyun asked.

Yang Hu looked at him and spoke slowly, “General Yang foresaw a continent-wide war breaking out soon. After his petition to the Emperor went unanswered, he secretly ordered me to lead over a thousand trusted soldiers here to form the Silver Lancers as a precaution. But, before we were fully trained, bad news arrived.” He shook his head with a wry smile. “I hadn’t even finished training the men before disaster struck.”

“So Father was still thinking of Song at that time. Alas!”

“But at least you’re here, Young Master. Now I have two thousand Silver Lancers ready for battle under my command. If you return with us to Song, reveal the General’s foresight to the world, we can clear his name and surely repel the Celestial Empire’s invasion, defending Song together.” Yang Hu’s eyes were full of hope.

Yang Ruiyun seemed troubled and didn’t know what to say.

Seeing Yang Ruiyun’s silence, Lin Ni spoke instead, “So you’re scions of the Yang family. No wonder you needed so much silver scale armor. But according to my information, Song is already on its last legs. The Celestial Army reached the capital easily five days ago and will soon capture it. Song Zong and his ministers have already fled south, just barely hanging on.”

“That’s impossible! How could our northern defenses break so easily?” Yang Hu, who had been on the front lines, knew perfectly well the arrangements Yang Yan and Deng Fei had made. Even if the Celestial Empire had formation troops, the northern army could hold them off for a long time.

Yang Ruiyun sighed, “Father’s trusted subordinates in the front-line forces were all demoted or reassigned.”

“What?” Yang Hu sat down in disbelief.

“And if my information is correct, Young Master Yang Ruiyun escaped from Song after being hunted by the regular army, didn’t you?” Lin Ni looked at them.

Yang Hu glanced at the silent Yang Ruiyun and realized the truth of the matter.

“Young Master, my life belongs to the Yang family. Now that the Master is gone, I don’t know what path to take. So I want to follow you—no matter what you do, I’ll follow you through fire and water.” Yang Hu’s voice was resolute.

“Thank you, Brother Yang Hu.”

Twenty years ago, Yang Yan found a five-year-old orphan on the battlefield and brought him home, naming him Yang Hu. When Yang Ruiyun was born, the older Yang Hu naturally took on the role of elder brother. They trained and grew up together. Though master and servant in name, they were closer than brothers.

“Come, let’s toast. I, Lin Ni, wish you both success in your endeavors.” Lin Ni raised his cup happily.

At the table, Yang Ruiyun and Yang Hu recounted the events of the past years, while Ren Xingtian chatted idly with Lin Ni, asking seemingly trivial questions about the Lin family. Still, Lin Ni couldn’t shake the feeling he’d let something slip.

In the end, the two who were supposed to return to North Tong Pass by evening drank until midnight.

“Young Master, why not stay at my place tonight? Tomorrow we can gather things and head to North Tong Pass together. I’m sure the brothers will be delighted to see you.”

It was late, and Yang Ruiyun, aware of the perils of the City of Chaos at night, agreed. He and Ren Xingtian accompanied Yang Hu back to his mercenary group.

Yang Hu’s mercenary regiment was of modest size for the City of Chaos, with just over two thousand men and a headquarters in the crowded north of the city.

“Young Master, most of the funds have gone toward military expenses, so our living quarters are a bit humble. I hope you won’t mind,” Yang Hu said, somewhat embarrassed.

Yang Ruiyun didn’t mind. “It’s nothing. I remember a time when my family’s finances suddenly became strained. I suppose Father was putting all his money into this.”

Yang Hu nodded in silent agreement. Yang Yan, though a general of the court, was honest and upright, disliked business, and his family was never wealthy. Later, as he built a formation army with his own resources, he exhausted his family’s savings. When Song later confiscated the Yang family’s property, there was nothing valuable left.

Qin Renhui made much of this, loudly declaring that all the Yang family’s wealth had been spent on rebellion, silencing those who might have spoken in their defense. The irony was that Yang Yan had indeed been building an army, not to rebel, but to protect Song.

“Young Master, we’re here.”

“Let’s go in.”

Yang Hu pushed open the half-closed door and led them inside.

“Brother Hu, where have you been? Why are you back so late?” A mature and gentle female voice greeted them.

Wang Ying hurriedly appeared before them, her face anxious. Yang Hu smiled and went to comfort her.

Turning, he introduced her, “Young Master, this is my wife, Wang Ying. Ying’er, this is the young master I’ve told you about, Yang Ruiyun.”

Wang Ying smiled politely, “Hello, Young Master Yang.”

“Hello, sister-in-law. I didn’t expect Brother Hu to be married already.”

Yang Hu scratched his head, embarrassed, “Circumstances dictated it.”

“But sister-in-law is truly beautiful. Brother Hu, you’re a lucky man.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

At their invitation, Yang Ruiyun and his companion entered the inner room. Unseen by him, Wang Ying had already pinched a piece of flesh on Yang Hu’s back.

In fact, Yang Ruiyun was not wrong. Yang Hu’s success in building up a well-trained force of two thousand Silver Lancers owed much to his wife’s support.

When Yang Hu first arrived in the City of Chaos with his men, they started as the lowest mercenaries, living a hard life. On one return trip, they rescued Wang Ying from kidnappers and became acquainted. Wang Ying, with her careful mind, greatly improved the lives of this group of rough mercenaries.

As they grew closer, feelings developed between them, but Yang Hu kept his promise to Yang Yan in his heart and hid his feelings. Later, Wang Ying’s father, seeing his daughter’s heart had been won, sought out Yang Hu.

It was then Yang Hu learned that Wang Ying’s father was once a famous mercenary captain in the City of Chaos. Though retired, his presence was formidable. Thus, the two were betrothed on the spot and married a week later.

After the wedding, the old man did his utmost to help his son-in-law recruit and strengthen his force, enabling Yang Hu to reach his current strength. Only later did Yang Hu learn that his father-in-law had long been gravely ill. For his daughter’s future, he’d made these efforts, hoping only for her peace and safety.