While Zhao Sheng was "observing" at Gao Village...
Huanglong Mountain.
Dian Dengzi's men carried another ten dan of grain up the slope. Everyone cheered. "Master Bai of Bai Family Fort is truly a good man!"
"I said wealthy men were all bad—I was wrong."
"Now we have tomorrow's food secured!"
The Qingjian refugees rejoiced.
Just as they celebrated, a hunter rushed back, shouting: "Trouble! Another group's coming up the west slope—Seventh Team's Night-Ranger!"
The shout sent panic through the Qingjian folk.
Seventh Team leader Night-Ranger—reportedly a fierce, formidable man. He'd been an elite scout for the Yan-Sui border garrison, but when pay stopped coming, he deserted and turned bandit.
(The term Night-Ranger (夜不收) literally meant "night-not-return"—a Ming military designation for special reconnaissance troops who operated behind enemy lines. These weren't ordinary deserters but trained intelligence assets, making their turn to banditry particularly dangerous.)
Though ranked seventh, he was notoriously ruthless—more dangerous than the first six teams combined.
"Strange. Night-Ranger was supposed to take a different route. Why's he on Huanglong Mountain?"
"He's crowding us out!"
"Disaster! Master Zhao isn't here—he went down the mountain with Master Bai to find us a way out. Now Night-Ranger arrives. How do we handle this?"
Chaos erupted among the Qingjian refugees.
Eventually, they pushed forward the village head from Xiejiagou to temporarily act for Zhao Sheng. The headman was elderly—fifty-two, frail and thin.
He went to the west slope. A large banner rose there—"Night-Ranger" glaring boldly. A small force of about fifteen hundred ascended the mountain trail.
"Definitely Seventh Team!"
"Seventh Team has fewer people, but also fewer elderly, women, children—stronger than our three thousand."
The Xiejiagou headman's heart pounded, but he steeled himself. "Seventh Captain, why come to Huanglong Mountain? The chief assigned Second Team this route."
Night-Ranger was a wiry middle-aged man—not bulky but agile as a leopard. He wore Ming border garrison armor, carried a bow, and had a sword at his waist—clearly not someone to trifle with.
"What old man are you?" Night-Ranger frowned. "Where's Second Captain? Why isn't he greeting me?"
The village head hurried: "Second Captain went down the mountain for food."
Night-Ranger, as a border garrison elite scout, instantly assessed the mountaintop—roughly three thousand people, Second Team's full strength. He frowned. "Second Captain went for food without taking you all? How's that work?"
The village head hesitated. "Well..."
He dared not say Second Captain was mingling with local gentry—who knew what would happen.
Night-Ranger snorted. "Fine. I'll wait here for his return."
The village head panicked inwardly, wanting this man gone. "Seventh Captain, you can ask me anything. No need to wait for Second Captain."
Night-Ranger sneered. "What would I ask you?"
Village head: "..."
Night-Ranger's eyes swept the Qingjian refugees, soon lighting upon the ten dan of grain just carried up. "Well! Your Second Team's quite wealthy—ten dan of grain lying here. Which landlord's bounty did you grab?"
The village head forced a smile. "We... robbed a great tyrant... yes, a cruel rich man."
Night-Ranger: "Lucky you, grabbing good stuff. I've hit several rich households and got little grain. My brothers are starving. We're all rebels together—brothers. Sharing your grain with us is reasonable, no?"
The village head broke into sweat. "This... this old man dare not decide... better wait for Second Captain's return... then... discuss."
Night-Ranger considered seizing the grain by force, but reconsidered. Second Captain Dian Dengzi is a scholar—rare among these illiterate rebels, highly valued by Bu Zhan Ni. If I rob Second Team, Bu Zhan Ni might punish me later. My strength isn't enough yet—if First through Sixth Teams gang up, I'm dead.
Better wait for Dian Dengzi. If he refuses me grain, then I'll turn hostile, accuse him of disregarding brotherhood. Even if it goes to the chief, I'll have justification.
Suppressing displeasure, he waved. "Fine. I'll wait for Second Captain."
He led Seventh Team to a nearby grove and settled.
The village head returned anxiously to the Qingjian refugees, summoning a hunter. "Slip down through the grass. Go to Bai Family Fort, find Master Zhao... tell him what's happened on the mountain."
...
Bai Yuan drove the carriage bringing Zhao Sheng's party back from Gao Village.
Throughout the journey, Bai Yuan beamed. "Hahaha! Driving that giant vehicle isn't hard at all—just flip the switch, and it runs along the tracks by itself! I learned instantly! Hahaha! Add 'charioteering' back to my skills!"
Zhao Sheng also glowed with excitement. Since being forced into rebellion, he'd constantly worried about his own and his three thousand villagers' future. Before him stretched only dead ends—every day passed adrift in a fog of uncertainty.
(The term 迷茫—mí máng—carries particular weight for a Confucian scholar. More than simple confusion, it describes losing one's moral "way" or 道, leaving one directionless in both practical and existential senses.)
But now, he'd finally emerged from the fog!
A future existed. The mist parted, revealing a path to survival. Step boldly forward, and all could live.
Two elated men returned to Bai Family Fort, barely dismounting when a retainer rushed up. "Master! Terrible news—more bandits have arrived on Yellow Dragon Mountain."
Both Bai Yuan and Zhao Sheng startled.
They hurried inside, up to the wall where Cheng Xu had been waiting. Seeing Bai Yuan, he reported, "Shortly ago, new bandits ascended the mountain, joining Dian Dengzi's group. Roughly fifteen hundred. They've taken no hostile action yet."
Zhao Sheng paled. "Fifteen hundred... must be Seventh Team's Night-Ranger. Only Seventh Team has that few."
"Night-Ranger?" Hearing the alias, Cheng Xu's eyes narrowed slightly—wasn't that a military scout's designation? His mind raced: If a Night-Ranger has joined this rebellion, that means they've acquired professional reconnaissance capabilities. This changes everything.
As he pondered, a bow-carrying hunter approached the fort outside, dodging and weaving to the gate, calling up to the sentry: "I'm Dian Dengzi's man! Let me in! Urgent report for the captain!"
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
[Geographical & Symbolic Note]
Huanglong Shan (Yellow Dragon Mountain) is a real ridge in northern Shaanxi's loess plateau. Its name combines 黄 (huáng — yellow, imperial color) with 龙 (lóng — dragon, imperial symbol), creating layered irony: starving rebels occupy an "imperially-named" mountain while the actual emperor's authority crumbles.
The mountain's yellow earth comes from wind-blown loess deposits centuries thick—fertile when watered, but in drought, it becomes dust that chokes crops and hope. That rebels gather here reflects the land itself: once imperial, now sustaining only desperation.