Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan
/ Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 7 Chapter 8 part2
Anyway, here's the end of Chapter 8. Weekend is here, I will try to catch up.
The two boys did not find any cave down below. Without any choice they had to crawl back to the cliff above. They waited until the rain eased up, then very gently and cautiously they left the mountain area.
Rushing toward the northeast, they crossed over a green mountain ridge, and picked up some wild fruits in a dense forest in a small valley to allay their hunger. Only after resting for the night and restoring their strength did they continue their journey.
After going through these three days as fugitives, the two boys felt that they had renewed life after the calamity, and that they finally saw light again.
Two days later, they came into a village. Upon entering the village, they asked around and found out that Baling was actually only about fifty li south of this place, and were pleased beyond their expectations. After buying two sets of coarse clothes from the villagers, they found a place to stay overnight, and the next day, even before the sky brightened they already hastened on their way toward Baling.
Aware that sooner or later they would meet either Ba Fenghan or Fu Junyu, those formidable opponents, they were more interested than ever in training their martial art skill, delving into the newly gained insight of the Yijian principle.
As they took a rest along the way, Kou Zhong said, "Do you remember those two disciples of Bi Xuan, one man and one woman? Looks like they cannot deal with Fengshi Han at all.”
Xu Ziling let out a bitter laugh and said, "Are you talking about Tuoba Fang [sic, it was Tuoba Yu in Book 5 Chapter 9] and his pretty Shimei? Of course I do. We still have the appointment to meet at Luoyang, but it looks like we are going to miss it.”
Kou Zhong said, "We are forced by circumstances, nobody can do anything about it. Ay! We are in such a mess because of that wicked Ah Yi and Fengshi Han, I am afraid even my business deal with Song Yuzhi will come to nothing.”
"What business deal?” Xu Ziling asked in surprise.
Kou Zhong dejectedly replied, "Her Song Family will support Xiliang to become Zhuhua Bang's Bangzhu, I will kill Tieqi Hui's Ren Shaoming for her Song Family.”
Xu Ziling was horrified, "Have you thought well what kind of person Ren Shaoming is? If he is someone without an oil lamp [this is literal translation, I don't know what it means, but I think we can guess …], he would have been slaughtered by the Song Family early on; why would they need to inconvenience you, Zhong Shao?”
His spirit aroused, Kou Zhong said, "Do you remember what I said about our goal must be far-reaching? Supposing we can make a plan to assassinate Ren Shaoming, Tieqi Hui will received the most severe blow, Lin Shitong will also be like he is losing an arm. One eliminated the other diminished, Zhuhua Bang and Song Clan's power will rise. It would be a lot more interesting than it is now.”
But then he turned dispirited and downcast, "But now I lose contact with Song Yuzhi, how could we achieve that?”
Xu Ziling said, "I am not averse to assassinate Ren Shaoming. This man has always been notorious, his bad deeds are too many, indeed death cannot wipe out his crimes.”
Kou Zhong's eyes lit up, he said excitedly, "Obtaining Ling Shao's approval, things are greatly different. Come! Let us go to Baling first to find Su Jie before discussing this matter further!”
By dusk that day, the city of Baling finally appeared ahead.
The two boys entered the main road and not long afterward they reached the city gate. They saw a flag fluttering from the top of the city wall with one character ‘Liang' embroidered on it. The security was very tight, those who entered the city must show their passes.
When their turn came, Kou Zhong braced himself to say, "We are here to pay a visit to our friend.”
The city guard eyed them up and down before saying, "Right now the situation is very tense, all unauthorized people are prohibited from entering the city. Quickly get lost!”
Kou Zhong giggled and said, "The friend we are looking for is a Baling Bang people, would officer please make things easy for us?” And then leaning closer, he whispered in the guard's ear, "Would ten taels of silver be enough?”
The soldier coldly sized them up; seeing that the two boys were dressed in coarse peasant clothes, he suddenly shouted, "Guards! Help me capture these two spies!”
More than a dozen city guards swarmed over to surround the two boys.
Kou Zhong waved his hands and said, "We are here to find Xiang Yushan; if you don't believe me, just ask him and everything will be clear.”
The soldier asked them in disbelief, "Are you really General Xiang's friends?”
This time it was the two boys who looked at each other in disbelief; how could that Xiang kid suddenly become General Xiang?
Xu Ziling hastily said, "That is certainly the case. We will have to trouble Officer to pass on the message, just tell him that Su Jie's brothers are here looking for him!” He did not dare to report his name, for fear that it might bring unnecessary trouble.
The soldier stared blankly for a moment, and then said, "Turns out Madame Susu's relatives. Guards, report to General Xiang immediately!”
"Madame Susu!” the two boys blurted out.
The soldier looked at them with an odd expression on his face, "Could it be that you don't know your virtuous older sister has married General Xiang?”
The two boys' scalp went numb; they could not utter even half a sentence.
Xiang Yushan, wearing full military regalia, jumped down the horse, walked over to the two boys, and said with great delight, "Thank Heaven and thank the Earth! I have been hoping two Dage's arrival.”
Seeing how respectful Xiang Yushan was toward these two boys who professed to be relatives and were dressed in coarse peasant garments, also hearing how Xiang Yushan addressed them as ‘Big Brothers', the soldiers were so surprised that they could not keep their mouth shut.
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, on the other hand, simply looked at each other with wry smile on their faces; they were not sure how to ‘deal' with this Jiefu [older sister's husband].
However, since ‘family scandal should not be told to outsiders', Kou Zhong wrapped his arm around Xiang Yushan's shoulders, and pulled him to enter the city. With a cold humph he said, "How could Su Jie be married to you? It must be that you, this kid, used some kind of shady trick to force her!”
Without saying anything Xu Ziling walked on Xiang Yushan's other side, so that they formed a left-right guard against him.
Xiang Yushan hastily said, "How can I, Xiang Yushan, be that kind of person? It is possible that your virtuous sister discovered my infatuation toward her and thus she agreed to give herself wholly in marriage to me. Ay! You don't know that each time Madame remembers you, she is so worried that she always cry. It is good that now you are here!”
Kou Zhong stretched out his arm out of his sleeve and said with a wry smile, "Did you see this? As soon as you said ‘infatuation', Laozi's hair immediately stood up.”
Xiang Yushan was greatly embarrassed; smiling apologetically, he said, "If I, Xiang Yushan, tell you even a single word of lies, let the Heaven strike me with lightning.”
Kou Zhong stared ferociously at him and said, "If you dare to be capricious toward Su Jie, even if you became the Emperor, I will hunt you down and take your little life. Are we clear?”
Xiang Yushan hurtfully said, "How could it be? Two Dage, please don't worry!”
The three of them walked briskly along the street, while behind them about a dozen of Xiang Yushan's personal attendants followed on horsebacks, which prompted the passers-by to look at them with raised eyebrows.
Frowning, Xu Ziling asked, "How did you become a general?”
Xiang Yushan was astounded, "Haven't you heard?” he asked, "After the muddleheaded ruler was killed, Xiao Er Dangjia [second chief] proclaimed himself to be the Emperor in Baling, taking the title of his dynasty ‘the Great Liang'.”
And then he lowered his voice and went on, "Er Dangjia is actually the descendant of the Southern Liang Dynasty's Emperor Wudi, Xiao Yan, so now he simply reinstated the title of the former days!”
Kou Zhong nodded and said, "And he always think highly of you; no wonder your face is glowing.”
Blushing, Xiang Yushan said, "That is by two Dage's grace, together with Xiaodi's own effort, so that now I recovered completely!”
Kou Zhong let go of his arm draped around Xiang Yushan's shoulders; he sneered and said, "It's good that you know your place and call yourself Xiaodi; don't you ever have any delusion by expecting us to call you Jiefu. Is that right, Ling Shao?”
Xu Ziling spread his arms and smiled wryly, "What can I say?” he said.
Kou Zhong gave Xiang Yushan a hard push as if he was venting his anger. "Come!” he shouted, "Let me increase my knowledge by looking at General Xiang's qinggong after you recovered from your injury. If we walked as slow as a snail like this, chances are even after daybreak we still can't see Su Jie.”
Xiang Yushan staggered two steps sideways, but then he shot up and landed on a private citizen's house, while the two boys hurriedly gave him a chase.
Chapter end
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