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DongBin, Sky, also the start of new confrontation. Ysabel, ycb, Abhay, kink, spy, Jaya, HPC, critical, you are welcome. Kowloon, thanks. Xu Xiong, maybe … or just showing how tensed the situation was.

Book 10 Chapter 11 - Under Heavy Rewards

By midday the next day, the boat reached Hannan, another big city before Jingling. Entering the full harbor, they cast anchor at the dock. They saw boats coming back, but not one boat heading towards Jingling. The boatman went out to ask around, but the opinion differed.

Some said there were pirates blocking the water ways, some said the City of Jingling had been taken over by the Jianghuai Army, some even said that there was a water demon in the river, boring into the passing boats. In short, the people were in turmoil, nobody dared to proceed toward Jingling.

Naturally this boatman was no exception. No matter how Xu Yang and the others tempted him, offering more money, he was unwilling to take the risk. Finally the boatman said, "How about if I sell this boat to you, and you can take it to Jingling yourself?”

Xu Yang and the others looked at each other in dismay; simply because no one knew how to sail.

Kou Zhong ‘stepped forward bravely'; he slapped his chest to indicate ‘leave it to me'.

And thus the transaction, involving a huge amount of money, took place.

After the boatman and his sailors left, carrying their gold in great delight, Kou Zhong said, "We left our luggage and supplies at Xiangyang, and now since we are already in Hannan, we might as well go into the city to buy some supplies and make preparations. It would be best if we could buy a dozen or so strong bows and a thousand or so arrows, so that if something happens, we would not be caught in a difficult situation.”

He added, "Also, some kerosene, oil cloth, and other materials. I am skilled in water battle; we will use fire to attack, so must not be unprepared.”

Shang Xiuxun, who was still wearing men's clothing, asked in doubt, "You really know how to do it?”

Immensely proud of himself, Kou Zhong said, "Haven't you heard about my bold and powerful victory over the Haisha Bang? If I did not have any weight in maritime warfare, how could I deal big blow on Haisha Bang?”

Liang Zhi modestly asked, "So what else do you want to buy?”

Seeing Xu Ziling snickering on the side, Kou Zhong shouted, "What's so funny?” And then he gave them a shopping list.

Wu Yan, Luo Fang and the others listened with respectful attention, and then they left noisily, entered town and spread out to do some serious shopping.

With nothing else to do, Kou Zhong proposed that they go to a restaurant by the dock to eat lunch.

Liang Zhi shook his head and said, "This is not a good time. It was not easy for us to obtain this ship. You go ahead! I'll stay to guard the ship.”

Shang Peng and Shang He also refused to go ashore.

Seeing Kou Zhong looking at her expectantly and making an eye signal, Shang Xiuxun's heart softened. "Very well!” she agreed.

Xu Ziling wanted to go back to his room to rest, but Kou Zhong pulled him to come along.

※ ※ ※

As soon as Shang Xiuxun stepped into the restaurant, she wrinkled her brows.

Turned out the inside was crowded to its bursting point; the restaurant was full with people from all trades, so that all thirty or so tables were filled to capacity.

Shang Xiuxun turned around and was about to leave. But Kou Zhong pulled her sleeve and said, "Changzhu, don't worry, subordinate can make arrangement.”

Shaking off his hand, Shang Xiuxun said, "If you want me to sit on the same table as these people, just forget it. If you want to squeeze in, just squeeze in yourself!”

Giggling, Kou Zhong's said, "I told you not to worry. Changzhu's temperament, we are quite clear about it. Just give me a few taels of silver first! I'll clear up a table immediately. You'll see.”

Shang Xiuxun crossly said, "You have no money?”

Smiling mischievously, Kou Zhong said, "I have a little bit, but how can I be compared to Changzhu whose riches rank high in the world?”

Shang Xiuxun painstakingly held her temper in check; she grabbed three taels of silver and dropped it on his outstretched palm.

Kou Zhong took the money and boldly marched away.

Shang Xiuxun scooted over toward Xu Ziling, who was standing quietly with his hands behind his back. She spoke gently, "I have not yet had the opportunity to thank you!”

Xu Ziling knew she was referring to that night, where they fought a hard battle side-by-side; he smiled and said, "That was an unforgettable memory; I should be the one who thanks you.”

"Pfft!” Shang Xiuxun burst into a tender giggle and said, "You and Kou Zhong are practically two very different kinds of people, I really don't understand how you can mingle together. He loves to brag about little things and speaks about it as if it was a big thing; but you love to play down big things as if it was an insignificant matter.”

Xu Xiling said, "Under normal circumstances, he is indeed, as you said, that kind of person; but in really important matters, in no way would he act willfully and make a scene. Otherwise everybody would have seen his other side!”

Shang Xiuxun's pretty face suddenly reddened; she said in a low voice, "I suddenly feel very happy. Do you want to know why?”

A peculiar feeling crept into Xu Ziling's heart; he asked in astonishment, "What makes Changzhu suddenly opens up your heart?”

Shang Xiuxun shrugged her tender and beautiful shoulders, and said nonchalantly, "No reason at all. Since I became Changzhu, this is the first time I feel happy for no particular reason. I only had this kind of feeling when I was little; I had never expected that today I can relive my childhood feeling.”

Xu Ziling nodded and said, "Changzhu's remark is really thought-provoking. Hey! That kid succeeded!”

Under heavy rewards, the waiter led them to a small table by the window. Not only nobody else try to sit on it, they could also their eyes on scenic view of the Han River pier.

After taking the order, the waiter bowed respectfully and left.

Satisfied, Shang Xiuxun said, "You do have a knack on doing things like this; but three taels of silver to buy an empty table is kind of expensive.”

Kou Zhong smiled and said, "Only one tael of silver.”

"What about the other two?” Shang Xiuxun asked in surprise.

Without even thinking, Kou Zhong replied, "To pay the bill later, of course! Right now you are dressed like a pampered, spoiled brat, a white-faced Gongzi of noble family; naturally you'll have attendants like us who'd settle the bill. Look! There are already people who stare at you with drools on their mouth.”

Shang Xiuxun's entire face was burning; she spoke ferociously, "Really dog's mouth won't grow ivory; can't you speak a bit more proper and polite?”

Xu Ziling laughed in spite of himself; he said, "Changzhu has fallen into a trap. He deliberately said those things to divide your attention, so that you won't force him to spit out the money he already pocketed. Do you think the wine and food we ordered will cost as much as two taels of silver?”

Shang Xiuxun was delighted, "Very good!” she said, "Xiao Ling is helping me!” Turning toward Kou Zhong, she spread her palm wide and protested coquettishly, "Give it back!”

Kou Zhong grabbed her delicate jade-palm; scrutinizing it, he analyzed, "This palm has three peaks, meaning fame and profit of every kind!”

Blushing profusely, Shang Xiuxun pulled her hand back, and crossly said, "How could you be this rude?”

"Not fair!” Kou Zhong cried, "Just now Changzhu let Xiao Ling pulled your hand to have a heart-to-heart talk, but now I can't even read your palm?”

Greatly embarrassed, Shang Xiuxun said, "How can there be such thing?”

From the corner of her eye she caught Xu Ziling was bursting out laughing; she realized she had fallen into his trap again. Stomping her feet, she said, "Don't think that I will fall into your trickery again! Quickly take out the silver you embezzled.”

Finished speaking, she covered her laughing mouth again, prompting more people to stare at her charming, pretty beyond human comprehension, pampered son of a wealthy family look.

Kou Zhong's tiger-eyes flashed with cold rays; sweeping the restaurant, he scared those people that they hastily averted their gaze.

Shang Xiuxun laughed until she was out of breath; she said, "If you, Kou Daye is in urgent need of some money, eight or ten ingots of gold, I won't be stingy; why would you bother embezzling me a mere two taels of silver?”

Kou Zhong heaved a sigh of relief; flashing his brilliant smile, he said, "Men who stretch out their hand to ask for money are the most useless. Only those who have guts will earn money with all his heart and all his strength.”

Hearing that, Xu Ziling's heart was moved.

These sentences pretty much summed up Kou Zhong's frame of mind in his endeavor to vie over the world; he disdained to do it just by hanging his hands by his side. The more difficult and the more challenging it was, he would be most interested; otherwise, he would have accepted Du Fuwei's hard to refuse proposal the other day.

Shang Xiuxun seemed to be in very good mood; she no longer argued with Kou Zhong. Meanwhile the waiter returned with their food. The two boys leaned over and started to chew. But she cast her gaze outside the window, looking at the boats turning back from the Han River.

"Who could tell me what had actually happened in Jingling?” she mused.

With his mouth full of food, Kou Zhong mumbled, "One ingot of gold!”

"What?” Shang Xiuxun blurted out, "I have not even settled the account of those two taels of silver with you, and now you want to be a hopeless ghost who demand money?”

Deadpan, Kou Zhong said, "Under heavy rewards, there will be brave men. You want news, others want gold. It's fair and square!”

Seeing his outlandish behavior, Shang Xiuxun could not help glowering at him; but in the end she fished out an ingot of gold, while speaking disdainfully, "It's easy for you to say; one tael of silver to buy an empty table, one ingot of gold to buy ghost news, but you don't know whether the person wanting to earn the gold will tell you rubbish.”
People from all trades - Orig. Three Religions (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) and Nine Schools (Confucians, Daoists, Yin-yang, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Political Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturists).

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