Deep Brotherly Love (Seeking Reads)

"Blood vengeance!"

At his words, Yao Dang's expression darkened. Gritting his teeth, his right hand unconsciously clenched the armrest of his chair.

The chair had been crafted from precious, sturdy rosewood.

Yet the instant his anger flared, the armrest crumbled between his fingers into tiny grains of wood, scattering over the floor of the Hall of Brotherhood like falling snowflakes.

"Big Brother!"

Seeing this, Might King, seated to his right, hurriedly tried to dissuade him.

"No need..."

"I know my limits."

Yao Dang sighed and waved Might King off, indicating that he was fine.

He turned his gaze to Earth King and praised, "Third Brother still sees things most clearly. Your foolish elder brother nearly made a mistake. Bringing the two wanted criminals, Xu Xing and Chang Ji, into Four Brightness Mountain may indeed mean a mighty dragon suppressing the local snake, but without them, how can we speak of great ambitions? How can we speak of demanding blood vengeance from the imperial court? Now is not the time to split hairs over every little thing."

No one was born an ambitious schemer.

If the imperial court had not been so unjust, driving everyone on Great Snow Mountain to their deaths, why would he have needed to raise arms against it and become one of the Eighteen Rebel Kings?

Compared to impractical dreams of ruling alone and calling himself king, he would rather make the imperial court repay its blood debts in blood.

"Besides..."

Yao Dang paused. "I heard that Xu Xing is quite loyal to his friends?"

Of course, he knew what had happened between Xu Xing and Chang Ji in the imperial prison. For his friend Chang Ji, Xu Xing had willingly refused to leave the prison. What he was asking now was Earth King's opinion of Xu Xing's character.

Compared with rumors, Yao Dang trusted Earth King's words more.

"This..."

Earth King was left speechless.

Though he believed Xu Xing was a man of loyalty, he was not completely certain that Xu Xing truly was one. Before the elder brother he respected, he could not simply lie through his teeth.

"A man capable of writing such a rebellious poem..."

"Big Brother, I do not believe he is someone whose outward face differs from his heart."

Earth King shook his head and spoke earnestly.

"Good!"

"Third Brother!"

"Your big brother... believes you!"

A smile appeared on Yao Dang's face as he patted Earth King's shoulder. "Since he wants the position of Fourth Chief, then his big brother will give it to him. Four Brightness Mountain is not your big brother's private property. Let the capable rise above."

That night.

The moon shone bright, while the stars were sparse.

At around the second watch of the night.

Led by Lu Little Monkey and the others, Xu Xing and Chang Ji arrived at the Hall of Brotherhood on Four Brightness Mountain. They had only made it halfway when they saw that the area around the hall was already packed with people.

Each of the stronghold's residents held a torch, lighting up half the mountain in a blaze of firelight.

When the two drew near, the residents parted to form a broad passage.

Following that passage, Xu Xing finally saw the famed Mourning Heaven King and Might King. Of the three Heavenly Kings of Four Brightness Mountain, Mourning Heaven King alone looked like a wealthy country gentleman; the other two both carried a certain bandit air about them.

As he approached the three Heavenly Kings, he saw more clearly.

In the open space some thirty paces before the Hall of Brotherhood's entrance stood an offering table.

Upon it were the Three Sacrificial Offerings, an incense burner, a live chicken, a jar of wine, and a thin booklet.

Written on the booklet's cover were the three words: "Brotherhood Register."

At the sight, Xu Xing felt at ease.

"Mr. Xu..."

"Or rather, Fourth Brother."

Yao Dang held a bundle of burning incense in his hands, bowed three times toward the incense burner, and inserted it into the ash. Then he half turned around and carefully studied Xu Xing's appearance and every movement.

Only after a short while did he speak. "Third Brother acknowledges you as a brother and has sworn brotherhood with you. By rights, that makes you the fourth brother of both me and Second Brother as well. This mountain stronghold is a humble place, and it took the men under us so long to scrape together the things needed for the oath..."

"As the saying goes, rites must not be neglected. Today, you will swear brotherhood with the three of us once more."

"From this day onward, we shall be brothers together!"

He signaled for Ghost Hand at the side to bring over a dagger.

Next...

He first used a dagger to sever the rooster's neck, and blood splashed into the bowl of wine.

Then.

He drew the blade across his palm.

Crimson blood dripped into the wine bowl.

Might King and Earth King likewise took the dagger and repeated Mourning Heaven King Yao Dang's actions.

Xu Xing did not hesitate in the slightest. He promptly followed the same steps, cutting his palm and drinking the blood wine with Yao Dang and the other two, swearing an oath of brotherhood.

At this point, hesitation was useless anyway.

The four of them then began reciting their oath together.

"Today, the four of us become sworn brothers here. Let the azure heavens above and the bounteous earth below bear witness..."

"...We shall forge brotherly bonds, entrust life and death to one another, rescue each other in fortune and misfortune, share blessings and calamities, and stand together through hardship..."

Once the oath had been recited line by line.

"This is the fourth seat of Four Bright Mountain."

"From now on..."

"It belongs to you, Fourth Brother."

Yao Dang ordered the incense table and other items removed, then led Xu Xing by the right arm into the Hall of Brotherhood. Pointing at the fourth seat beside the main seat, he said in a deep voice.

"Thank you, Eldest Brother."

Xu Xing hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

Next came the ceremony in which the major leaders of Four Bright Mountain Stronghold paid their respects.

Four Bright Mountain Stronghold had twelve banner divisions, each commanding five hundred stronghold soldiers. Apart from the twelve banner divisions, there was also the Heaven-Deaf Earth-Mute Army directly under Mourning Heaven King Yao Dang.

This army numbered one thousand men, all hardened elite troops.

Of course, Four Bright Mountain Stronghold also possessed the character of the greenwood, and aside from its military, it had established the Five Tigers Hall.

Within the Five Tigers Hall were the Five Tigers Envoys, who commanded the greenwood heroes of West Jiangnan Circuit.

Ghost Hand was one of the Five Tigers Envoys.

"I'll assign two banner divisions to you, Fourth Brother..."

"And I'll send Ghost Hand along with you as well."

Yao Dang began assigning subordinates to Xu Xing, without the slightest hint of stinginess.

"Eldest Brother."

"Your younger brother has only just arrived and is unfamiliar with military affairs."

Xu Xing directly refused Yao Dang's proposal.

He was not a shortsighted man.

Even if Mourning Heaven King Yao Dang truly meant well and he accepted these troops, would they really obey his commands? Most likely, he would only be a commander in name.

Moreover, taking command of troops right from the start was no good thing; it would inevitably invite jealousy.

If that happened... he might appear to have become the Fourth Heavenly King, but in reality, he would truly become a lone man at Four Bright Mountain, unable to take a single step.

Rebellion and power struggles, when all was said and done, came down to reducing enemies and making more friends.

Everything else, all those dazzling tricks and flourishes, was a trap.

"This..."

Yao Dang frowned, seemingly displeased.

"Fourth Brother..."

"Listen to Eldest Brother!"

Might King's expression turned stern as he pressured Xu Xing.

"That's right, Fourth Brother. Eldest Brother is doing this for your sake."

"The three of us all have subordinates, except for you..."

Although Earth King did not understand the meaning behind Mourning Heaven King Yao Dang's words, he felt that Eldest Brother was being loyal and generous, and wanted Xu Xing to accept Mourning Heaven King Yao Dang's "gift."

"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother..."

Xu Xing drew a deep breath and said, "I understand Eldest Brother's care for his brother. But I have never commanded troops before. If I were made to train and lead soldiers, I would only be endangering the brothers' lives. This matter must never be raised again. What I am skilled at is handling internal affairs and transporting provisions..."

He took a step back.

The three Heavenly Kings fell silent.

Xu Xing swept his gaze over the expressions of those below the hall, then continued, "Chang Ji is a fifth-rank Pacifying Distant General. Eldest Brother can have General Chang command the troops..."

He pushed the authority to command the army onto Chang Ji.

Sorry for the delay. The oath of brotherhood was too hard to find—I couldn't find a suitable one, so I simply summarized it briefly.