Gentleman Free-Flowing Cloud Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1  (1/2)  

 

The secret to longevity is to know one’s limits according to Wang Yun’s beliefs.   Her case is a classic case of name and personality mismatch.  The ‘Yun’ (澐) in her name refers to the big waves on the river, but she is only of average smarts, average charisma, average kongfu, and possess zero guts to boot.  It is ironical that she lives in Bai Ming Sect where people say things like “fight!” or “kill!” every other day. Thankfully, there are only small waves and no big waves so far….   No, she should be honest and acknowledge that there were times when there were big waves.  Luckily, she managed to tide through each crisis time after time, almost as if the heavens have no eyes or that it is blind.  Since she will be turning twenty this year, it seems that her luck is not too bad and she should be able to live till a ripe old age… As long as she did not walk into a snakepit called the Central Plains. And right into the heart of the enemy camp no less….   Speaking of the Central Plains… wow, this place is so prosperous, so amazing.  She looked around her and finally turned to the young man behind her “He Zai, are they looking at you?”   The young man in question looks around twenty-five or twenty-six.  He is a big man and has a pair of clear brows, full lips, and long hair which he let fall freely on his shoulders, giving him a wild look.  He wears heavy, exotic make-up like her with a snake painted on one side.  Without batting a lid, he answered: “They should be looking at both of us.”   She did not sound pleased at his answer and continued strolling with her hands folded behind her back.  The Sky Slave bell on her wrist matched the Sky Slave bell at his ankle and gave off a pleasant tinkling sound.  However, the people of the Central Plains did not seem to recognize good stuff when they hear or see one for she noticed they were the recipients of many unfriendly stares.

“They are looking at us because... we are Sky Slaves?”   “Miss is clever”   She continued to probe: “So the people in Central Plains are all aware that the bells and snake emblem are the mark of Sky Slaves?”   “Miss is very clever”

  “Yes, I do wish to live till a hundred, so you must remember to protect me especially if a sword suddenly come swinging towards me.”   He gave up and kept silent.

After a while, they reached a house with the words “Tian He Manor” hung prominently above the door.  Two white lanterns were hanging on either side of the door and there were numerous people in mourning clothes milling around.  At their appearance, everyone paused and looked at them warily.  Some even shifted their hands nearer to the hilt of their swords, disgust clearly showing on their faces.   One of the servants in mourning clothes scrambled through the door and shouted: “Young Master!  There are Sky Slaves!  The Sky Slaves from the Evil Sect are here!”   Does he really need to act so alarmed?  She fingered the snake emblem on her face and looked at her red robes.  Although she is dressed in male garb, she has styled her hair in the same way as a woman would from the Central Plains, so it should be obvious she is a woman.  To avoid unnecessary clashes, she has also plastered a friendly smile on her face so it is be unlikely that the people of Tian He Manor would start banishing their weapons.

While she is lost in her thoughts, a young man dashed out from the manor.  He recovered his composure when he saw them and graciously raised his fist in greeting. “I am the current Master of Tian He Manor, He Rong Hua.  May I enquire what you are doing at Tian He Manor?”

Seeing that He Zai is keeping mum, she has no choice by to reply “My name is Wang Yun, and he is He Zai.  We are passing by when we heard that the esteemed former Master of Tian He Manor has passed away.  We are here especially to pay our last respects.”

One pugilist stepped forward: “Young Master, they are Sky Slaves who have brought disgrace to our wulin[i].  If we let them pay their respects, it will be like a slap across the face for the Old Master.”    He Rong Hua looked troubled and said regretfully: “Miss Wang, we appreciate your thoughts but it is not convenient now…”

  He Rong Hua has turned rigid but Wang Yun was not too concerned: “Since it is not convenient, we shall not impose and will bade our leave now.”   He Rong Hua lowerd his eyes and kept silent.   He Zai finally spoke: “Miss, please wait. It was said that the Old Master of Tian He Manor has agreed to record all the things he did in the last sixty years after he died, regardless of right or wrong, and for the records to be given to Cloud Manor.  In doing so, he has hope that future generation will have a chance to read about and avoid the same mistakes he did. I admire a man of such high spirit from the bottom of my heart. If the Old Master is looking down from the heavens above, an admirable man such as him would surely not mind to see Sky Slaves among the mourners.”

  He Rong Hua looked troubled again and glanced at He Zai.   Wang Yun smiled.  “No problem. Main door, side door, both are doors.  We are fine with whatever is convenient.”   So Wang Yun and He Zai entered the manor through a small side door while He Rong Hua waited for them inside.  Wang Yun shot He Zai a look, and with a familiarity borne from years of companionship, both started towards the hall with He Zai in front and Wang Yun following closely behind, the sounds of their bells tinkling with every step they took.   She looked at the back view of He Rong Hua and thought to herself that here is someone from the orthodox sect.  He does not have a devilish glint in his eyes and he is not tall or big as He Zai. Even if he is a Manor Master, she does not find him pleasing to the eyes…   No, it is not merely unpleasing. It is actually bad. Very bad in fact.  Is this fellow suffering from an unknown illness?  Why are his hands trembling so badly?

  “He is also one of the most handsome man in the pugilist world. Refined and elegant, flawless like a beautiful piece of jade.  Be it young or old in the pugilist world, the feeling you get from him is as if he came from the nine heavens. With him around, it is as if a piece of free-floating cloud has floated from the sky to grace our mundane world.”   “… wow, great!” She nearly clapped to complement his admiration.  Where did this nincompoop come from to have such blind devotion? or could it be that Gentleman Xian Yun knew black magic that can beguile people?

Before Gu Shao De could carry on more about Gentleman Xian Yun this and Gentleman Xian Yun that, they heard a commotion at the entrance. “Gentleman Xian Yun is here!” as he rushed out “Open the main doors wide and welcome the gentleman into the Manor!”

The servants rushed obey.  From her corner at the hall, she noted that the side door was so small, it was almost like a pet entrance.  So she came in through the small door like a dog while another waltzed through the main door like a king…. these people in Tian He Manor were indeed a bias lot.    She decided to stop looking and took a cup of tea from a nearby servant. A good listener who can say the right things at the right time must take good care of her voice … 

The commotion got louder as everyone present seemed to swarm around the new arrivals. Are these people really here to mourn, or are they waiting for Gentleman Xian Yun?

“Gentleman Xian Yun, this way please.”   “We are like family Brother Shao De, please do not stand on ceremony.”   The voice sounded like warm jade with a hint of coolness in it.  The voice is much more pleasant-sounding then He Zai’s and if the owner has a beautiful face to match, how great would that be?  Although she was wary of beautiful things, she appreciated eye-candy and so it is with great anticipation when she tried to locate the owner of the voice.   When she saw a dashing figure in white, she froze.  This is the like-a-flawless-jade Gentleman Xian Yun?

“Oh I see.”  What a clever move!  The next time there is a crisis, she could take a leaf from Gentleman Xian Yun’s book, and throw He Zai to the wolves while she escape. Seamless collaboration – that has always been the best word to describe her relation with He Zai.   When Gentleman Xian Yun has finished paying his respects, Gu Shao De informed him that the young master of the manor has brought a Sky Slave to see the body, and that he should will be back soon. A fleeting look crossed Gentleman Xian Yun eyes but he was expressionless as he replied: “Old Master is indeed a man of high standing, that even Sky Slaves would come pay their respects to him.”   He turned to her: “I am Gong Sun Xian Yun (闲云) [meaning: free-floating cloud].”   “Young missy here is Wang Yun (王澐)” she replied.  So much etiquette! She suspects a normal person in the Central Plains would probably spend half of his life on such polite exchanges.   He repeated her name slowly “Wang Yun (王云)?”    “Gentleman is a free-floating cloud high up in the skies, while I am but a puff of cloud above the water.”  For some reason, she felt her skin crawl when he repeated her name, although his voice sounded somewhat familiar….

He looked at her for a while before continuing: “So Miss is the waves above the river (澐). It is indeed a good name. Would Miss be so kind to enlighten me on who you work for?”

“Are you leaving so soon?” He Rong Hua summoned a maid to serve tea.  “Brother He, Miss Wang, if you leave so hastily without even drinking some tea, it will really be too remiss of me.”   “The fact that Young Master allowed us to pay our respects already spoke volumes on your magnanimity. Old Master must be smiling from the heavens to know that he has such a worthy successor.”  She saw a maid passing a tray of tea to Gu Shao De, which He Rong Hua then took a cup from the tray for He Zai.  He Zai passed the first cup to her before taking another cup for himself.   Gong Sun Yun said “It may not be safe for Sky Slaves to travel in the Central Plains so Miss Wang and company must remain vigilant.  If you encounter trouble, you must look for people to help you out.”   “Of course, of course.”  She sipped her tea and found it to her liking.  If she has the chance, she must find a way to bring some tea home.

Chapter end