Chapter 408: Old Nan Feng Leaves Prison
Dive into Chapter 403 of "The Great Ming in the Box": Huanglong Mountain Prison was somewhat chilly early in the morning.Being high in the mountains, the... Find out more!
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 hadnât 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, âWeâre locked inside a prison. Why all this training?â
Old Nan Feng promptly kicked the soldier at the time. âNo oneâs killed us! Weâre just doing forced labor! One day theyâll set us free! When we get out, you canât farm the land, useless at any trade. And if you canât even fight anymore, what the hell would you be good for then? Youâd just become a thief, smashed to death with one slap from the Deity.â
His words jolted all the Guyuan rebels awake. None dared complain again, obediently drilling basics under Old Nan Fengâs command.
Though the air was cold, fine beads of sweat dotted Old Nan Fengâs 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, âCaptain Chen! See to the drilling!â
A Captain Chen answered instantly, âAye, sir!â
Old Nan Feng walked to the wallâs base, looking up at Zhong Gaoliang. âHead Guard Zhong, your orders?â
Zhong Gaoliang waved again. âYou can scale this wall, no problem. Climb up here.â
Old Nan Feng shook his head. âCanât! I donât have that skill.â
Zhong Gaoliang chuckled. âOthers might believe you, not the Deity. One night, around second watch, you climbed over this wall. Didnât escape, just scrambled back over after a bit. The Deity saw it all.â
Old Nan Fengâs 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, âGet up here. Got words for you.â
Old Nan Feng nodded. No more gamesâtime 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 handsâand in one fluid motion, flipped atop the rampart.
Zhong Gaoliang exclaimed, âTsk tsk! Impressive! Ten of me couldnât take you.â
Old Nan Feng shook his head again. âA hundred men like me arenât match for muskets.â
Zhong Gaoliang said, âCalling you out is the Deityâs command.â
Old Nan Fengâs spirit perked up. âWhat is the Deityâs divine will?â
Zhong Gaoliang replied, âThe Deity says⌠Over the past two years of your labor service, youâve performed well. You helped the prison guards catch escaped convicts multiple times, quelled several riots⌠But most importantâyou saved my lifeâŚâ
He grinned widely. âThe Deity says⌠saving me alone merits your sentence being commuted. So⌠Youâre free.â
Old Nan Feng surged with overwhelming joy!
Zhong Gaoliang added, âFreedomâs yours. Choose to leave Gaojia Village, or stay.â
What choice was there?
Without a second thought, Old Nan Feng declared, âI shall remain! These fighting skills hold no worth for emperors anymore. Now⌠I serve the Deity.â
For people in this age, âlearn civil and martial skill, sell both to the emperor.â But for those like him, there was no going back to serving imperial courts. Here offered hopeâs best path.
Zhong Gaoliang smiled. âGood. If you agree to serve, proceed immediately to Gaojia Villageâs Gaojia Fortress. Go to the discussion hall inside⌠An honorable and challenging task requires your presence.â
Old Nan Fengâs spirits soared. Men like him feared idleness more than hardship. Hearing duty called immediately invigorated him. âThen I go!â
Dropping beside the wall toward the yard below, he shouted at his drilling men below, âBrothers! By the Deityâs 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!â
More than 600 Guyuan rebels roared back as one: âAYE!â
âFine! Damn fine!â
No need returning to his prison cellâno belongings lay there anyway. Nan Feng strode straight through the jail gates. Outside, someone pressed a waiting horseâs 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 prisonâs walls⌠Labor offenders constantly rebuilt roads with cement, constructed cement houses, heavied loads, hewed limestone quarries⌠chaotic equipment shiftsâŚ
Through work duties, heâd observed distant Gaojia Villageâs 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 tenfoldâŚ
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 horseâs sides, he left the train coughing smoke behind himâŚ
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, âHellâs bells⌠Shouldâve boarded with horse!â
Fortunately, small railroad platforms dotted ahead. Years earlier this one wouldnât stopânearby 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.