Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan
/ Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 4 Chapter 4 part2
The murderous aura of the two combatants in the arena diminished greatly. After a feint move, the two men moved back, and just stood respectfully to listen to the music.
For the first time the woman in white's frosty jade countenance revealed a subtle sign that her mind was shaken, as if she was somewhat affected by the music.
The flute sound seemed to be intermittent, yet continue to change, and linger endlessly. But it turned soft and quiet; although it continue to dominate every cun of hall, where no sound of breathing was heard, yet it also sounded hard to fathom as if it came from a far away place. The musical composition that could intoxicate people's heart continued to murmur quietly like a succession of the sounds of nature in some mysterious lonely place between the heaven and the earth, evoking pain and pleasure hidden deep within everybody's heart, which welling up and unbearably turning back to hurt their emotion, like a song, but also like a sigh.
The flute sound changed again. This time it carried some kind of restrained passion that bloomed through bright, shining notes, as if gently and tenderly telling the story inside everybody's heart.
And then it stopped abruptly.
Nobody in the hall was able to utter any word.
Wang Tong had already forgotten all about Ba Fenghan, the murderous intention in his heart has completely vanished. Facing upward, he sighed sadly, and then in desolate voice said, "It's finished! It's finished! After listening to Miss Shi's tune, I am afraid henceforth it would be difficult to hear an even finer sound. Miss' flute skill not only reaches the full potential of what your Niang taught you, it also surpasses the source [orig, ‘blue surpasses the green']. Wang Tong hereby salutes you.”
It was only now that everybody knew that there was a profound relationship between Wang Tong and Shi Qingxuan. Also, seeing how when he mentioned Shi Qingxuan's mother his eyes were glistening with tears, they conjectured that there was a case of unrequited love here.
Ouyang Xiyi's eyes, which radiated sharp power, also grew softer and gentler as he raised his voice, "Since Qingxuan's immortal self is already here, why not come in to let Bobo [paternal uncle, older than one's father] see how much you have grown to resemble Xiuxin.”
Everybody was astounded; only then did they realize that the reason they did not see this well-known but mysterious beauty was because it was only a moment ago that she honored them with her presence, right in time to dissolve a fierce fighting with her peerless flute skill.
In loud and clear voice Ba Fenghan said, "If I can see Miss' beautiful face, I, Ba Fenghan, will die without any regret.”
By this time his reputation has increased many times over, nobody dared to blame him for speaking conceited nonsense.
There was a gentle sigh coming from the eaves, and then a sweet, clear and soft female voice that no one can describe entered the hall, "Meeting in person is as if not meeting at all. Qingxuan received Niang's last wish to come with a specific purpose in mind to play a tune for two noble Uncles [bo - older than one's father]. Since this matter is accomplished, Qingxuan is leaving.”
The people in the hall immediately broke into an uproar, they all urged her to stay.
Shadows flashed to the door, Ba Fenghan and the woman in white disappeared together.
The hall remained extremely chaotic.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling came to their senses; hastily they lifted their feet and slipped out of the door and disappeared into the deserted street.
It could be said that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had become experts in escaping; taking advantage of the commotion, they swiftly left the mansion, but did not go far at all. They simply went hiding in firewood shed at the backyard of another big house nearby, congratulating each other on their luck.
The two boys lay comfortably on a pile of straw, both felt that their trip to the mansion this time was not in vain.
Kou Zhong sighed and said, "Although the evil Princess found out that we are still in the world of the living, but we were able to watch the martial art match between that Fengshi Han[1] and old fellow Ouyang. We also got to hear the flute skill of Jianghu's amazing woman. It was really worth it.”
Xu Ziling spoke with envy, "That Fengshi Han is only several years older than we are, but his skill is really strong; I wonder when will we be like him?”
Kou Zhong let out a cold snort and said, "That fellow can't be considered a good man, and he seemed to be very good at seducing women. Those women whom he cast a glance to, they seemed to lose their soul and drop their spirit. I think even your Princess has her soul hooked by him too!”
Xu Ziling sneered and said, "What your Princess my Princess? Only ghost would like that kind of woman who considers everyone else is beneath her. I don't care if she is a stinky fart princess.”
Kou Zhong sat up and raised his thumb. "You got guts!” he praised, "Ha! Even I seem to have forgotten my Xiuning Meimei too!”
Xu Ziling swayed his head, "Turns out to poise for battle we must put emphasis on imposing manner. My Niang! How do we build up imposing manner? We can't do that by simply being vicious or flaring out our hatred. If we can face the enemy while chatting and laughing, now that will be the first-class principle.”
Kou Zhong pondered for half a day, and then seriously said, "That must be the effect of spirit and internal energy merging together in harmony. Indeed stronger and weaker can be seen right away; this is something that cannot be forced.”
After a short pause, he continued, "Do you think that Fengshi Han can catch up with Shi Qingxuan? If she is seduced by him, we won't have any chance.”
Xu Ziling frowned and said, "Can you save what little spirit you have not to indulge in wishful thinking? Is Li Xiuning lesson not hard enough for you?”
Embarrassed, Kou Zhong lay back down on the straw. Closing his eyes, he heaved a deep sigh and then dejectedly said, "Very well! First thing tomorrow morning we'll set out to Xingyang to find Susu Jiejie; I will no longer think about anything else.”
Xu Ziling suddenly said, "What do you say, based on our qinggong, will we be able to jump over the city wall?”
Kou Zhong was jolted awake, "Are you afraid that government official already recognized us?” he asked.
"Outstanding people like us?” Xu Ziling said, "Ha! We are actually very easy to recognize. If you were him, what would you do?”
Kou Zhong's countenance changed, "Naturally he would inform Yuwen Huagu.”
Xu Ziling said, "If we travel far just like this, my main concern is that he would catch us himself. Just by looking at his eyesight and listening to him commanding that low hand Chen Dangjia to back off, I know that compared to us, he knows more than a thing or two. Therefore, the one I am afraid of right now is him, not the smelly fart Princess.”
"What should we do then?” Kou Zhong asked.
Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said, "I was just thinking of asking you the same question, yet you still have the face to ask me?”
Kou Zhong racked his brains, and then he slapped his forehead and said, "We only need to hide in here and do not go out of this woodshed for three days, only go out to steal food and drink in the deep of the night, and then after everybody thinks that we have gone far away, we can set out on our journey. Don't you think this brilliant idea is not brilliant enough?”
Xu Ziling forced himself to exclaim, "Good! Just let us hide in here, training our skill for three his mother's days. Based on what we experienced these past few days, we'll master the subject by comprehensive study of what we saw and heard. If we succeed, then we won't have to desperately run around every time anybody came to kill us.”
Kou Zhong said, "But even after resolving this problem, we still have another problem. That is, after helping Susu Jiejie settling down, will we go to Yangzhou to submit our accusation on Yuwen Huagu to the old Emperor, or are we going to the Eastern Capital and try our luck on the Jade Annulus of He Clan, or go to the Capital to retrieve the Duke Yang Hidden Treasure?”
"What do you think?” Xu Ziling asked in return.
"Do you think I am asking you simply out of respect toward you?” Kou Zhong said.
Xu Ziling crossly said, "If you ask me, then I'll say that avenging Niang is the most important thing.”
Kou Zhong was upset, "Didn't I say the same thing?” he said, "Let's just go to Jiangdu first, alright?”
Xu Ziling laughed and said, "I actually made you lose your temper. Alright! Just consider it I misunderstood you.”
In the dark, Kou Zhong was silent for half a day. Finally he said, "You are my good brother, the only family I have in this world. No matter what you say to me, I will not lose my temper to you.”
Kou Zhong sat up again. Holding his head in his hands he pondered for a short moment, and then he nodded and said, "You are always more adaptable than me, it is easier for you to feel content, while I always want more. Ay! Living our live, if we don't achieve anything, how dull will that live be?”
"I absolutely agree with what you said,” Xu Ziling replied, "Honestly, it's just in terms of girls that I do not have as much interest as you do; only in the case that I met someone who can make me unable to restrain my emotions, otherwise my heart won't be moved so easily. But if I really like her, I will not change forever; I definitely will not have ‘three hearts two intentions' [i.e. indecisiveness].”
Hugging his knees, Kou Zhong buried his head between his legs. He mumbled, "Do you think it is so easy for me to fall in love with different girl? Like Li Xiuning, evil Princess, even our beautiful Shifu, and that b1tch Shen Luoyan, I always thought that they are not bad at all. But I know that I won't fall in love with any of those women. When all is said and done, am I more passionate than you, or am I more heartless than you?” [Translator's note: although I am a bit hesitant to translate ‘poniang' as b1itch, I can see that this is a recurring term, hence I decided to just use ‘b1tch' for lack of better term.]
It was quite a while later than Xu Ziling finally responded unenthusiastically, "I think because girls are not your ultimate goal at all, at least I feel that you, Zhong Shao, are a natural born leader, what you like the most is to stick out your head to be in charge, plus I also like it that way very much. Ay! It's late! I want to practice.”
Listening to the sound of Xu Ziling breathing evenly, Kou Zhong could not help replaying each stance each style of the fierce fighting between Ba Fenghan and Ouyang Xiyi. For a short while his mind was entranced, and completely oblivious to the loss of time.
By the time Xu Ziling woke up, the sky was already bright.
[1] Fengshi Han - From ‘Ba Fenghan', feng means ‘point/tip/edge of a tool/weapon', han means ‘cold', Fengshi (different ‘feng' character) means ‘rheumatism', same ‘han' character.
Chapter end
|
Report
|
|
Donate
Oh o, this user has not set a donation button.
|
