Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 4 Chapter 8 part1

Book 4 Chapter 8 - Bird Inside The Cage

Indeed other than Zhai Jiao, Tu Shufang was the most influential person in the Longtou Mansion. That very same day they were excused from the drudgery of the kitchen work, and their accommodation was also upgraded to the guards' living quarters at the inner courtyard, where each person had a spacious bed to sleep on.

For the past many years, the two boys have been sitting and lying down together like form and shadow; momentarily they felt unaccustomed to it, but they also felt it was a novel experience.

Whenever Susu had spare time, she would visit them, she also sewed new clothes for them. The sister-brother feeling grew even deeper as they lived happily together.

Tu Shufang grew fond of the boys as well; he unreservedly passed on his most exquisite skill of ‘Twelve-hand Qinna Meridian-severing Technique', he even gave them pointers in their other martial arts.

Tu Shufang was able to become the Longtou Mansion's Zongguan, certainly it was not by luck at all. In Jianghu, he was an all-powerful figure [orig. ‘rebuke the Heaven and Earth']. Within the Wagang Army, in term of martial art skill he ranked under Zhai Rang, Li Mi and Wang Bo. Receiving this kind of martial art master's direction, naturally the two boys' skill advanced by leaps and bounds.

When this great Tu Shufang taught them acupoint sealing technique, he said, "Everybody's arteries, veins and qi are like the lines on our palms, no two are alike. Also, following the time of the day, the weather, different air circulation, the timing must be flexible, the response adaptable, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve the desired effect.”

"That's easy,” Kou Zhong cheerfully said, "As long as we send a stream of true qi first, and the mind following the qi, we can sense what is true and what is false.”

Tu Shufang was shaken, "Mind following qi?” he said, "Are you saying that after the true qi enters someone else's body you can still interact with the condition of that stream of true qi?”

Xu Ziling nodded, "Exactly,” he said, "We always do it that way, it's really fun!”

With an incredulous expression on his face Tu Shufang said, "That kind of realm, I am afraid even Da Longtou is not able to achieve. Could it be that ‘Secret to Long Life' is really that formidable?”

After spending time together for several days, Kou and Xu already told him what happened in the past, hence he was clear about the origin of the two boys' martial art.

Kou Zhong said excitedly, "Even that chicken freak Yuwen Wudi was beaten by us that he covered his head and sneaked away like a rat. Turns out our internal energy is so unusual.”

Tu Shufang said in shock, "You mean Yuwen Wudi of the Yuwen Clan?” This part they have yet to tell Tu Shufang, hence they told him what happened.

Tu Shufang shook his head and sighed, "Over time, perhaps the two of you will be added to Ning Daoqi's rank. When I learned ‘Twelve-hand Qinna Meridian-severing Technique' from Enshi [benevolent master], I had to train hard for three years before making a small progress. You only learned it for three days and already have clear and logical understanding; the only thing lacking is maturity. If I am telling it to others, nobody would believe me.”

Kou Zhong was about to speak, one of the underlings came to report that Shen Luoyan wanted to see them.

Tu Shufang was already aware of their conflict with Shen Luoyan; he said, "Even if she had gargantuan guts, she would not dare to behave atrociously in here. Let me come with you, I want to see what kind of trick she is going to play against you.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had their own difficulty, because they had not told Tu Shufang the matter concerning Duke Yang Treasure; naturally they were afraid Shen Luoyang might bring it up. Thereupon Kou Zhong said, "We are not afraid of her. Let us deal with her alone.”

Tu Shufang thought that he was showing off, hence he did not insist.

The two boys went to the main hall and saw Shen Luoyan was enjoying a pot of indoor plant.

It was the first time that the two boys set foot on this main hall, which Wagang Army considered ‘Main Conference Hall'. The lobby of this leader's mansion was magnificent and extravagant. The layout was set according to ‘seat on the north facing south, three pillars seven beams, resting-on-the-mountain style', which was heavy with meaning and symbolism.

The hall was furnished with primarily red wood furniture, the four walls were filled with famous paintings. Six octagonal palace lanterns were hanging from the beam; rich, beautiful, and elegant. Most impressive of all, beyond the rectangular window that all four sides were highly decorated, one could see the hundred years old tree and the dancing and swaying bamboo grove outside, along with the autumn sun, which shone its light into the hall, resembling the nature itself.

It was in this mesmerizing scenery that this beautiful Shen Luoyan, wearing her charming face barely hidden behind a fashionable veiled hat, appeared before the two boys. From their angle of view, the veil at back of the hat hung down to her waist, the skirt of the hat drooped down over her arms and was open, trailing over her shoulders, greatly amplifying the elegance silhouette of her back and shoulders. Watching all of these, the two boys momentarily could only stare blankly.

Shen Luoyan slowly turned around, with sweet, enthralling smile she said, "I came to make peace with you!”

Hearing this, the two boys looked at each other. If this b1tch was really willing to make peace, that means the sun could also rise from the west.

Kou Zhong smirked and said, "And the condition?”

Shen Luoyan lightly took jade steps, lithely and with flair went over to the two boys. It was only then did they find out that her clothes was rather revealing. It was an embroidered butterfly gown with round neck and narrow, straight sleeve, reaching down toward her feet. The line and pattern were delicate, the color simple yet elegant; but the neckline was low, almost reaching to her cleavage, exposing her fully rounded, milky white breasts.

Noticing the two boys' stare was dead centered her silky bosom, she was greatly displeased, "How can you be this rude, staring on certain place on my body?”

‘Glug!' Kou Zhong swallowed his saliva; having difficulty breathing, he said, "Clearly it was you who came here to seduce us; just consider us surrendering to you. All right, I'll take you as my wife for the night.”

Shen Luoyan cast him a sidelong glance and said, "A woman cannot have two husbands, which one of you should I marry?”

Xu Ziling was more clear-headed; he cautiously said, "Are you thinking of driving a wedge between us, brothers?”

Shen Luoyan forced a smiled and said, "Is the brotherly feeling between you that weak? Ay! I am not here to blather with you; back to the topic: may I ask, do you want these two antidotes?” Spreading her jade palm, she showed two light green pills, which, in the two boys' eyes, looked dazzling.

Kou Zhong recalled that they had already fallen into her trap once, he was on alert inwardly. He smiled and said, "How do we know this is not ‘piercing intestine poison'? And then when we get to the Yellow Springs, you would jeer at us.”

Shen Luoyan returned the pills into her bosom. Nonchalantly she said, "If you don't want it, then let's forget about it. Just don't say that I, Shen Luoyan, did not remember you. Those who took ‘strength-scattering' drug and did not take the antidote within ten days will become useless people who cannot train internal energy forever. At that time, don't you regret it!”

Seeing her coy smile and flirtatious manner, Xu Ziling knew clearly that her words were incomparably sinister; anger arose in his heart, "Even if we die, we won't need people like you to feel sorry for us.”

Shen Luoyan pretended to be surprised, "Why do you treat me like you have ten grievances and nine animosities against me? Whatever Luoyan did, I do it all for the sake of Wagang Army. Since you sincerely want to rely on Da Longtou's help, we are on the same side; we ought to make peace now!”

Kou Zhong sneered and said, "You just did it all for your Pushan whatever Duke Mi. Ha! You still want us to have a good impression on you? Just like last time, not only we helped you breaking Qin Shubao's heavy siege, we helped you turned defeat into victory. Those many different kinds of favor, you repeatedly harmed us in return. Now I have thought it through, I don't want you, this b1tch, to accompany me even for one night!”

Shen Luoyan did not seem to take any offence at all, she only said crossly, "Even though you repeatedly insulted me, I have yet made any move against you, two little demons; are you still saying I don't remember past friendships? All right! En garde!”

The two boys were startled; they have forgotten all about any ‘moon in the water' mental cultivation, and retreated hastily and in fear.

Actually, Shen Luoyan did not have any intention to make any move; laughing merrily like quivering flower stems she said, "Turns out somebody already neutralized the poison in your body. No wonder you don't want to be seduced. But your experience is really shallow; with only an empty threat others can see through you clearly.”

The two boys lost too much face; without any choice they had to curse their own uselessness. At the same time they realized that if they were not confused and disoriented by the seduction of her alluring beauty, how could they fail to see whether her move was fake or real? A real martial art master would never be confused by the charm of a woman.

Shen Luoyan turned around and walked over toward a redwood table and chairs set on the corner. She sat down, placed her elbows on the table, struck a very charming posture with her hands supporting her chin, and said tenderly, "My two Xiao Didi [little younger brother] who want to marry me, sit down! The time to talk has come.”

Displeased, Xu Ziling said, "What makes you think that you can boss us around?”

Shen Luoyan calmly replied, "Does the word ‘someone's treasure' carry enough weight?”

Immediately the two boys' countenance changed.

Just based on this one sentence, they knew that Shen Luoyan had planted a spy in the Big Boss Mansion. Moreover, the spy's status could not be low, so that she knew that the two boys have concealed the ‘Duke Yang Treasure' matter from the people in the Big Boss Mansion.

If this matter leaked out, it would be greatly disadvantageous to the two boys. Worse yet, nobody knew what kind of method Zhai Rang was going to take to deal with them.

Helplessly they had to sit across from her.

Shen Luoyan rolled her beautiful eyes on the two boys' faces for a moment before smiling sweetly and said, "If I could pick, I will choose Xiao Ling as my husband, and Xiao Zhong as my lover. Then the two little demons could share nujia's cup of soup.” [reminder: nujia - female slave, a humble way a woman referring to self.]

Kou Zhong dejectedly said, "Beautiful must not toy with us, just be direct!”

In all honesty, even Shen Luoyan herself did not understand why she loved to tease them. All along she had always been showing her proud and arrogant side to men, and that was not a fake display. But when dealing with these two boys, unwittingly she had the urge to tease and make fun of them in regards of men-women relationship.

Chapter end