"You never heard of knacks? Lord Hongjiu here is known in the pugilistic world for being a master of myriad transformations. I can be the golden armoured guard Hong Daoqiang, the farmer Hong Tukang, the prostitute Hong Saolang and even you, Hong Dagang."
The sudden barrage of tripe during a serious conversation, not to mention the seriousness it was delivered with, gave Jin Wangsun an urge to draw his sabre and hack the man.
Hongjiu fanned himself with his hand. "I came straight back here through the night after the fight. I've yet to get any rest. But it only took two days to wipe the floor with all your minions."
The guard in golden armour was Hongjiu in disguise. The pugilistic world veteran, Master Eighteen, was also him. He was also Ming Feizhen, Tang Ye and company's helper in the imperial palace. It couldn't be any easier to replace an armoured guard in the imperial palace on a night as busy as New Year's Eve.
Jin Wangsun glared at Hongjiu. Voice muffled,, he asked, "What happened to the three thousand men I stationed at Hangzhou?"
"Old Patriarch…" muttered the family slave. "Old Patriarch brought a group of men to Hangzhou and gave the order for everyone to gather. He… took the majority of the three-thousand men back to headquarters. The remainder, who did not oppose Night Fortress, were all…"
"Smashed! Double kill!" picked up Hongjiu.
"Fuck you! Shut up!" Jin Wangsun fumed. Teeth clenched, Jin Wangsun declared, "My old man?! I already dismantled his forces. How many people could he possibly order around? Our sect's rules state that one is not allowed to train a private army unless they're the patriarch. Fine. Giving me grief, huh? Fine. Wait till I get back to headquarters. I'll have the elders get rid of him!"
Honjiu raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Dagang, don't do that to your dad. Your dad is actually a decent man. His only mistake was creating the waste of semen that you are. Don't punish him too harshly now. Plus, it's inappropriate for you to punish him."
"Shut up!"
"No, Old Patriarch did not actually violate any rules. He came to Hangzhou with… only about twenty men," stated the family slave. He then tried to recall the contents of the letter. "He brought over twenty seniors and elders in the sect. They were all our disciples and men's teachers and seniors…"
"So, they submitted?"
"No… Old Patriarch promised to allow everyone to stay in Jiangnan for five years if they went back with him."
Gold and Silver Sect's main priority was profit. No profit meant no budging. Members of Gold and Silver Sect were on the move frequently throughout the year and, consequently, rarely had the chance to stay at home. Giving the promise to allow them to stay for five years was a blessing. Jin Wangsun’s vision was much more short-sighted in comparison to his father. In mere months since his dethroning, his father's standing in the hearts of the sect members remained exalted. On top of that, by provoking their emotions and enticing them with a benefit, he was able to instantly win their support.
Jin Wangsun resentfully remarked, "Who do we have left at Hangzhou, then…?"
"… The Twelve Iron Gods' heads are hung at the front of Night Fortress. Their dominance scared off even our remaining members. Nobody is left."
"My third junior martial brother doesn't have very good vision…" Hongjiu said, stroking his chin. Tone calm, as if he was reciting a scripture, he elaborated, "You took my senior brother's Night Net Book, didn't you? I had men look into it. You taught the contents of the book to nineteen people. My senior brother already erased the martial skills of seven of the people at your lodging. As for the remaining twelve, they were fortunate if their heads were still on their shoulders after running into my third brother. Jin Wangsun, you managed to become patriarch thanks to Night Fortress. Night Fortress has been taken back. Meanwhile, your dad has gathered the elders to strip you of your reign. You said your final prayers yet? Your patriarch dream has come to an end."
"Hongjiu! Shut your trap! What right does a loser have to run his mouth?"
Hongjiu glanced at Jin Wangsun out the corner of his eye and snickered. "Loser? Did you ever beat me?"
With a light wave of his hand, Jin Wangsun lost his grip on Golden Moon Crow Eater, allowing it to escape over to Hongjiu's hand.
"Patriarch Jin, here is your sabre. Be careful not to lose it," loudly said Hongjiu, returning Golden Crow Moon Eater back to Jin Wangsun.
You guessed it. The technique Hongjiu just executed was none other than the authentic version of Empty Palms, not The Shoulder Belongs to Me Grant Art.
With a treacherous and somewhat aggressive expression, Hongjiu whined, "It took half a year of work to take back Night Fortress for Senior Brother. I never expected you were easier to beat than a broom. You aren't even worthy of being called an opponent. If you knew the group would break up, why… would you waste all that effort for nothing?"
Jin Wangsun felt a chill down his spine when his eyes met with Hongjiu's. He had doubts as whether or not he could actually win again against the man he once supposedly defeated. Nonetheless, Jin Wangsun wasn't despaired. He sneaked a glance at Princess Jingan. Proposing the marriage was Jingan's suggestion. The two of them were in a business relationship, with each using the other for their own ends; however, at present, it wasn't time for him to call it quits yet. As long as there was a single trace of hope, he would give it a try. Jin Wangsun forced himself to calm down. "So what? I already know your leader's secret. Unless you have the guts to kill me in His Majesty's presence, what can he do to me?"
"I knew you were trash," Hongjiu coldly snorted. "We've taken back Night Fortress. You won't be able to continue walking in the shoes of Gold and Silver's patriarch. The only thing you have going for you is the fuma post, which is hanging in the balance. That's why our leader suggested making a bet with you."
"Bet on what?"
"Initially, I suggested assassinating you," replied Hongjiu, avoiding the original question. "But our senior brother said, 'Jin Wangsun is scum. However, his father is benevolent and is dedicated to Jiangnan's well-being. He provides tuition and opens martial arts schools, allowing children from poor families to learn martial arts. You could say that he is one of few benevolent elders. I have yet mentioned his upright, honest, gallant and impartial character. He deserves to be commended by all. He has done countless good deeds in his lifetime. He is one of the seniors I respect in the martial world. I do not want to kill his only child.' That's exactly what our senior brother said. He won't kill you and won't let me kill you. You don't have sharp fangs; you're just being spared out of consideration for your father."
Jin Wangsun hated nothing more than people saying he depended on his father. Looking peeved, he asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Let's have a bet," suggested Hongjiu, with an innocent smile. Similar to a young man, he elaborated, "If you win, our leader will hand you Night Fortress, and we, as his martial brothers, will be at your beck and call. Besides Gold and Silver Sect, we'll conquer all of Hangzhou for you, as well. If we win, you naturally have to keep our leader's identity a secret. I also want you to publicly declare that you and your father are cutting off your father and son ties."
Murderous intent crept onto Hongjiu's expression, "Then, I'll kill the bastard you are, and I doubt anyone will have an opinion."
The two exchange hostile gazes.
The Emperor began to chat with the elder statesmen and Princess Hongzhuang's uncle for a while. When he looked up, he saw Jin Wangsun conversing with a guard to his amazement.
"A child who grew up as one of the Seven White Champion Princes has learnt to put aside ranks and converse with others as Ming Feizhen does? That's contagious now?" wondered the Emperor.
"*Cough, cough*. Our respite has gone on for long enough. Two fuma candidates, I hope you are ready."
Jin Wangsun lowered his volume and declared, "Deal! Get ready to be my slaves!"
Jin Wangsun then held his hands in a salute position. "Your Majesty, Wangsun is ready."
"Uhm. What about Constable Ming? Oh, he went out to eat. Call him back for me."
Hongjiu headed to the door before anyone else could as soon as the Emperor gave the command. He checked left and right and then with an act, came back and reported, "Reporting, Your Majesty, S-, Ming Feizhen is not outside the hall. Your subject does not know where he has gone."
Everyone present was stunned to hear that.
"Did the food spoil his brain?! No matter how easy going His Majesty may be, daring to vanish outside Wuying hall is just impudent. How many heads does he think he has?" the crowd thought.
"He's not there?" asked the Emperor. He thundered, "How can we delay this with so many guests present? If he's not present, I'm considering it a no show and will give Patriarch Jin the win for round two and three!"
========
Though I moved the entire table out of the hall, I didn't take a single bite. To begin with, it was my excuse to sneak off. I presumed that Second Brother had begun to enact the plan by telling Jin Wangsun what I told him to say. Meanwhile, I had something to do, obviously.
I took in a big breath. "I'm leaving things in your hands for now."
Tang Ye, who followed me out, nodded, "I'll do my best."
"All right."
"Big Brother," suddenly called Tang Ye. "Your plan is risky, though. We don't know how His Majesty will react. Even if you are lucky enough to pull it off, you must come back quickly. Qinhuai River is far from here, you know?"
I calmly responded, "It'll be fine. Stick to the plan; I'll be back."
"If you don't come back, then…"
"…" I had no instant response. "Then, let it take its course. There's nothing in this world that's worth the risk of losing her."
I went on my toes. Everything in my line of sight appeared blood red.
Like a pulp, yet like a wave, like a mist that was blown away by the breeze, Ming Feizhen vanished from sight.
Long Zaitian, who was at the imperial city's main doors, fumed, "Stand straight! Stand straight! I must've been cursed with nine lives worth of retribution to be stuck here on guard duty with you kids who are still wet behind the ears. Raise your spirits. With your Baihu Long here, not even a ghost will get past, let alone a human."
The two guards straightened up after being lectured by Baihu Long. They replied, "But Baihu Long, we do not want to stand here. There is something weird about this entrance. Your subordinate is slightly afraid."
"Obviously. Just half a month ago, we realised how spooky it is when we were stationed here. We saw a dark figure dive through the doors. By the time we blinked, it was gone. Whatever or whoever it was, was faster than a hawk chasing down a rabbit. It was freaky. Do you think it was some martial arts expert? The supreme type of master."
"Ridiculous. What is all this nonsense at this time of the day?" mocked Long Zaitian, looking askance at the two new guards. "Let me educate you. Such a level exists; however, if you reach that level, it's no longer called martial arts. Vanishing before your eyes is called ‘absolutely impossible’ by Buddhists. Daoists call it profound dao cultivation. As martial artists, we call it the Divine Realm."
Long Zaitian stroked his stubble and sighed. "I doubt there are many people who have reached that realm left nowadays. Despite the unfathomable skills of the Supreme Ten Saints, I wonder how many of them have actually broken through to that realm. My teacher, Mount Zisheng's Zhen Weiguan's disciple, would most likely have to overcome countless challenges to reach that realm. It would probably take him over a century and ascending to the status of an immortal two or three times to reach it. You think there are so many martial artists in the divine realm that you'd look up and catch one?"
"So you are saying that there is nobody in that realm?"
"So what if there is one? My eyes have been refined in a pill refinement cauldron! My eyes are never wrong. Every time I've identified someone as a criminal, he was a criminal. Let me put it this way: see this stone lion statue? if my eyes make a mistake, I'll eat this stone lion statue right before your eyes."
The two guards were elated and convinced after hearing Long Zaitian's affirmative claim. Long Zaitian sighed with a firm gaze and smug look.
*Gasp!*
Long Zaitian gasped all of a sudden. Something zipped past overhead. Long Zaitian drew his broadsword and pointed up to the sky. He yelled, "Announce yourself, fiend!"
The three looked up at the same time, only to see the moon and sky. Indeed, it was beautiful night. The moon was clear.
There’s a poem that goes as so.
The moon is silver.
The insects cry at night.
The so-called smoke and rain that envelopes Jiangnan is merely scattered dust.
…
…
*Cough. Cough.*
Baihu Long's face turned red. He sheathed his broadsword and cleared his throat before explaining, "When I was a kid, I was a dao cultivator. My shifu often told me that I possessed extraordinary senses and had eyes that could see light and darkness, deities and demons. I just sensed something appear before, but when I looked up, there was nobody there, so…"
Baihu Long pointed to the sky with his ugly finger. Voice serious, he stated, "That was definitely a deity that soared past!"
Having run some distance forward already, thereby having a considerable amount of forward momentum, I almost fell from the sky.
'Fuck you! Can you not be a comedian for just one chapter?!!'
Glossary
*The so-called poem is made up. There's no such historical poem.
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