Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan Volume 8 Chapter 1 part1

Jaya, Ysabel, Anh, ycb, HPC, Abhay, you are welcome. Bocah, I stand corrected. Xu Xiong, thanks. So you see, what we know about Shan Wanjing so far is from what other people ‘think' about her. Sky, I would not say that she was smitten. I mean, although I am married and don't have any intention to cheat, but if I see an attractive, smart woman, I would also admire her. Or am I the only one who's like that? Again, my opinion is based on what Huang Yi wrote. At least, to my recollection, Huang Yi had never explicitly said that Shan Wanjing was a loose, or even a greedy, woman like Fu Junyu or Shen Luoyan or Yun Yuzhen. I kinda agree with Akolaw's analysis the other day. Not that I like Shan Wanjing too much, but I do feel that she really cared about Xu Ziling, too bad Xu Ziling did not reciprocate the feeling. Anyway, new chapter, new book.

Book 8 Chapter 1 - Meticulous Planning

The next morning, the situation inside the city was still very tense. Tieqi Hui's warriors and Lin Shihong's Chu Army could be seen galloping on horsebacks back and forth on the streets, patrolling and searching.

Fortunately Niu Fangcai was in good relationship with the high-ranking military officer guarding the city gate; therefore, Yun Yuzhen, Xiang Yushan and the others were able to leave the city and went on board their ship without any surprise without any danger, so that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling breathed a sigh of relief.

After Niu Fangcai returned, he fetched a map of the City of Jiujiang, and coached the two boys in detail. He said, "Jiujiang is located at the heart of the route connecting the north and the south. Those who want to travel from south to the north will most likely take the waterway first and then abandon their boat here to continue by land. There is a stone pier at the north side of the old city that has a reputation as ‘southern boat northern horse'; it is very prosperous.”

Kou Zhong said, "This time Lin Shihong and Ren Shaoming are forming alliance in Jiujiang and announced it all over the world, their intention must be to display their strength to the heroes and warriors from both the north and the south. Ay! Vying over the world is really not a simple matter.”

Niu Fangcai went on, "On the south Jiujiang is connected to Dongting [Lake], on the north it is connected to the Great River, network of waterways crisscrossing the city. The main part is the old city district. The city wall reaches fifteen zhang high, with four city gates and three sluice gates. My Xing Fa Long and the Chun Zai Lou are both located at the old city district, only one in the south the other in the north, at the ends of the North Gate Avenue and the South Gate Avenue, respectively. These two streets meet at the city center, where the city hall, Zhen Jiang Lou [lit. river town building] is located.”

Xu Ziling said, "Fifteen zhang is such a high wall, we will need some kind of tool to climb over it.”

"Or, find a way to slip out via the sluice gate,” Kou Zhong said.

Niu Fangcai said, "The sluice gate is reinforced with double steel walls, extremely sturdy. Plus all three sluice gates are especially equipped with monitoring posts and are being patrolled regularly. Trying to destroy it in advance is also very difficult to do.”

Xu Ziling asked, "Does Niu Shu [uncle] know the patrolling schedule and the times of the changing sentry guards?”

Niu Fangcai proudly replied, "That is our main task, we have all the records. All together there are ten different schedules, which is changing once every five days, and then the schedule will cycle.”

Kou Zhong's eyes brightened as he said, "As long as we conduct the assassination operation with an accurate grasp of the schedule of the patrols and the changing of the guards, we can get out from the sluice gate before the enemy finds out. But of course we need special tools.”

Niu Fangcai frowned and said, "But that would alert the guards.”

Kou Zhong said, "In that case we might as well get rid of them.”

Niu Fangcai smiled wryly and said, "The guards' post is on top of the city wall. If you can reach that place, you might as well climb over the wall to escape. But from the city wall, the closest house is at least twenty zhang away, if two Gongzi show yourself in that range, you will be immediately found out, and they are going to shoot arrows from the elevation; it is very difficult to deal with.”

"That shouldn't be a problem,” Xu Ziling said, "We can stay underwater for a long time without needing to take a breath, we might as well take the water route, we break the sluice gate underwater and escape from there.”

Niu Fangcai agreed, "If two gentlemen have this kind of diving ability, it is indeed a feasible strategy, because the enemy surely won't expect that you can hide underwater for a long time.”

But then he sighed and said, "The biggest problem is still that it is impossible to get near Ren Shaoming's place at Chun Yuan [spring garden] without being detected. This is, of course, assuming that Ren Shaoming will go there to visit Huo Qi tonight!”

Kou Zhong said in a heavy voice, "In that case we'll ambush him on the way to Chun Zai Lou.”

Niu Fangcai shook his head and said, "Because Ren Shaoming is ruthless and has killed a lot of people, he has a lot of enemies; therefore, he never takes the same route to a certain place. This method will be difficult to implement.”

Having a brainwave, Kou Zhong said, "Aren't there several banyan trees outside Chun Zai Lou? We can swing the tree up, borrowing the force to cross over the thirty some zhang distance and land on the back of the Xiang Yuan [fragrant garden] roof. Ay! But the escape will not be as easy.”

Xu Ziling said indifferently, "It's always difficult to have one's cake and eat it too in this world!”

Kou Zhong took out the aerial drawing of the Chun Zai Lou and spread it out on the table. Pointing to the big tree at the southwest corner outside the Chun Yuan, he traced his finger to another big tree, which scale-wise was about five zhang away from the first tree to the north. He said excitedly, "If we can tie a strong and elastic rope across the top of these two trees, we can escape by catapulting ourselves out. Oh, heavens! If we could lay out several elastic ropes on high places, won't we be able to come and go like flying? My only concern is that the enemy would notice it first.”

Niu Fangcai was emotionally moved; he said, "That is a wonderful ‘opening the heaven' idea, but it is feasible. I'll find a way to make arrangement for the ropes. If we put iron hook on both ends, and paint it black, plus we put it high up in the air, hopefully nobody can see it. The only problem remaining is how to conceal all these preparations from the enemy's eyes and ears. Furthermore, can the two Gongzi land your feet on these ropes without missing a hairbreadth?”

Kou Zhong said, "Let the two of us worry about these two issues.” Standing up abruptly, he laughed aloud and said, "We'll scout the site first. Unless Ren Shaoming does not go to Chun Zai Lou, he will lose his life tonight.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sat on the table by the window on the second floor of a restaurant, both were looking out the window.

The first thing that entered their vision was the wide street outside, wide enough for five four-horse carriages to come and go at the same time, and then they looked at the row of shops across the street from the main entrance of the restaurant, five of which were pharmacies. It can clearly be seen that since Jiujiang has always been prosperous, it was the common practice of the residents to frequently rely on medicaments. The other shops were grain retailer, oil mill, cloth shop, grocery store, et cetera.

Every seven or eight zhang, there was a tree planted by the side of the road, to provide shade to the passerby.

Toward the south, the high wall at the northeast corner of Chun Zai Lou's rear courtyard was barely visible. Beyond the wall, behind the trees, patches of dark green roof tiles could be seen. It was a massive building, and was quite imposing.

Inside the courtyard, fresh and green, verdant trees: elms, Chinese scholar trees, old banyan trees, had their luxuriant leaves rustling in the breeze. The trees did not seem to know that a life and death battle involving the fate of the world [tian xia] would happen that night.

Taking a deep breath, Kou Zhong said in a low voice, "We will install the first batch elastic ropes on the trees in this side of the road, and then when we get to the treetops at the other side of the road, we'll install the second batch of ropes with which we can shoot into the courtyard. This way with just a few ups and downs we could reach the Chun Yuan. We will get out following the same route.”

This moment the waiter came with some noodles. Kou Zhong quickly engaged him in some chitchats.

After the waiter left, Xu Ziling started to eat his noodles and said, "It would be best if we could be one step ahead of Ren Shaoming, lying in wait for him outside the Chun Yuan, so that we won't have to take the trouble of making our move inside the room. Also it would be a bit easier to escape.”

Kou Zhong nodded his agreement. Looking down, he concentrated on eating and drinking for a moment. But when he drank the soup, he suddenly said in heavy voice, "If we fail to kill Ren Shaoming, we will die instead. We won't leave unless we succeed. Do you understand?”

Xu Ziling smiled, "Fully understand,” he replied, "If we don't set up an impassable aspiration, we will never succeed.”

Kou Zhong sighed and said, "This is actually my business, you should not get involved.”

Chapter end