Ba Fenghan laughed aloud and said, "It's too late!”
Pulling the sword out, he launched the ‘sweeping a thousand-army' style. Who did not fear his ability to kill from a distance of a zhang away? They only felt the invisible [lit. no-shadow no-shape] sword qi storming in; nobody did not stumble and stagger back in fear.
At this point, the forest behind the village caught fire; heavy smoke soared to the sky.
Ba Fenghan and his sword fused into one entity, he soared to evade Wang Bodang's double-point spear, as well as Du Ganmu's pair of sabers, and on to the roof. And then to avoid the men blocking his way, he soared once again toward the heavy smoke behind the village, and in the blink of an eye disappeared into the forest.
※ ※ ※
Kou Zhong was squatting. "Heavens!” he groaned good-naturedly, "We're finally here. Niang! This is the Great River!”
The rolling water of Yellow River flowed swiftly under a low cliff.
This section of the River was quite narrow, but it was still about ten zhang wide. The water dashed against the rocks on both sides of the river, the billows rolled and the waves splashed, creating myriad changes in an instant; raging waves crashing onto the shore, surging up violently, creating a spectacular sight. On the opposite back was an endless stretch of virgin forest, interspersed with towering, strange-looking rocks.
Xu Ziling's mind was also raging; moving closer to the shore, he stared at the water crashing against the rocks, which then flowed back swiftly, arousing smaller eddies, which roared wildly and disappeared just as quickly.
Ba Fenghan came over to Xu Ziling and exclaimed in admiration, "The first time I see the Great River was the section that runs through Longxi. The power of its surging waves was as if it tumbled down for the sky. It simply took my breath away.”
Dong Shuni has always been the center of attention of everybody around her, no matter where she was, whether around royal family and descendants of feudal aristocrats, or the sons of the high-ranking officials of the imperial court. Everybody was always trying to flatter her in every possible way.
Only these three men, who had saved her from danger, did not appear to have any regards toward her.
Like right now, for example; their amazement at the River far surpassed their pleasant surprise at seeing her for the first time.
A fresh, exotic feeling started to appear in her heart, mixed with resentment and jealousy. Visibly annoyed, she said, "The pursuing troops are coming! You are still chitchatting about the wind and the moon!”
With a solemn expression Kou Zhong puckered his lips to kiss the land by the riverbank. Ba Fenghan looked back and smiled, "Miss, don't worry,” he said, "After the sun set behind the western hills, we'll set out toward Yanshi. We just take this opportunity to rest a bit, while enjoying the spectacular view of the setting sun on the Great River.”
Dong Shuni felt that whether in his speaking voice, his tone, and his manner, there was some kind of intimidating charm that made people willing to submit; unexpectedly she did not dare to argue. Grumpily she walked to the side and picked a rock to sit down, but her eyes were fixed on Xu Ziling.
She had quite a good impression on this casual yet elegant, and standing-above-the-crowd, young man.
Yet Xu Ziling did not show the least bit of attention to her; he was preoccupied with an interesting discussion about the River with Ba Fenghan.
Finally Kou Zhong rose up and walked over to a rock next to her and sat down. Revealing a bright smile, he spoke softly, "Are you hungry?”
"At last someone cares about Shuni!” Dong Shuni happily said, "I am not only hungry, I am starving as hell. Do you have something to eat?”
Seeing her brightening mood, Kou Zhong felt that she had some kind of innocent and unaffected, touching look, but every frown and every smile also carried some kind of seductive-to-the-bone charm. He spoke cheerfully, "Ol' Ba still has a few slices of air-dried meat; I personally dressed it, it's very tasty. Would you like to try some?”
Dong Shuni shook her head straightaway.
Kou Zhong was surprised, "Aren't you starving?” he asked.
Dong Shuni leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I don't want to eat his food, he is so mean to me!”
Hearing that, even Kou Zhong's ear was melting. Unable to help laughing, he called out, "Ol' Ba! When did you offend Big Miss Dong, so that even though she is starving, she refused to eat your food?”
Ba Fenghan laughed aloud. Walking over, he offered a piece of dried meat, while solemnly laughed and said, "Miss Dong, a person of great moral stature does not remember the offenses committed by one of low moral stature. Please be my guest!”
It was obvious that Dong Shuni enjoyed this treatment very much; pursing her lips, she giggled softly, while her pretty face blushed slightly. Her demeanor was extremely attractive.
Swiftly she took the slice of dried meat offered to her, tore a piece and ate it. "That's more like it,” she said.
Ba Fenghan shook his head and smiled despite of himself; patting Kou Zhong's shoulder, he stuffed the rest of the meat into his hands, and then returned to Xu Ziling's side without saying anything.
Kou Zhong was pleasantly surprised that Ba Fenghan was giving him so much face, and he knew that Ba Fenghan was thinking of Dong Shuni's importance to him; he could not help feeling warm in his heart, and Ba Fenghan's standing in his heart rose up.
Ba Fenghan's original character was not like this at all.
Dong Shuni was eating very fast; taking the second piece of dried meat, she laughed and said, "Your handiwork is indeed not too shabby.”
This moment Ba Fenghan came over again. Signaling Kou Zhong with his eyes, he said, "Ziling and I are going up to a high place to look around. Zhong Shao, you stay here to accompany Big Miss taking a rest for a while, as soon as Ziling and I come back we'll be on our way.”
Kou Zhong agreed. After the two left, he changed the subject, "Actually, who wanted to harm your Da Jiujiu? Is it King of Yue and Yuan Wendu?”
After finishing the second piece of meat, which she ate with gusto, she knitted her beautiful eyebrows and said, "What do they have that they dare to conspire against Da Jiujiu? Naturally there is another big power in the background supporting them!”
Kou Zhong was stunned, "You are not talking about Li Mi, are you?” he asked.
Dong Shuni wrinkled her cute little nose, "You are wrong!” she said, "However, who it is, I can only tell Da Jiujiu. Da Jiujiu has taught me to make it clear which matter I can tell others, which matter I must keep from others. Hey! The sun is set.”
Kou Zhong was upset; he thought that if merely you, a baby girl, can confound me, how could I vie for the world against the outstanding heroes?
After racking his brains, an inspiration suddenly flashed in his mind. He laughed and said, "Even if you don't want to tell me, I know who it is. Must be the Dugu Clan, am I right? Ha!”
Dong Shuni stared at him in disbelief with her big beautiful eyes. Just by looking at her expression Kou Zhong knew he was right.
A bit unwilling to concede, she said angrily, "You indeed have a bit of skill, no wonder Da Jiujiu pays attention your affairs. I do not like a single person from the Dugu Clan.”
After a short pause she went on, "Especially that Dugu Feng. Every time he sees me, he always looks at me from head to toes, as if he wanted to strip me off with his eyes; I loathe him very much.”
That kind of talk coming out from such a stunning, enchantingly beautiful pair of lips, Kou Zhong could not stop his heart from being swept away. But recalling the business at hand, he promptly pushed his wild fantasy far away. "How's the current situation at Luoyang?” he asked, "Has it fallen into the Dugu Clan's hands?”
"In their dram!” Dong Shuni spoke in disdain, "The city guardians, Lang Feng Shushu [uncle] and Song Mengqiu Shushu are Da Jiujiu's trusted aides; only the Imperial Bodyguards of the Palace are under the Dugu Clan's control. Their strength is merely five thousands; if they do not use dirty trick, they are not Da Jiujiu's match.”
Kou Zhong thought, ‘So that's how it is'. He thought that if he were the King Dong of Yue, he would want to make a plan to kill Wang Shichong as well.
Dong Shuni suddenly said, "It's very interesting talking with you! You are smart, and you are good-looking as well!”
Kou Zhong did not know whether to laugh or to cry, "You are the true stunning beauty,” he said, "Your beauty is capable of causing the downfall of a country. Have your Da Jiujiu betrothed you yet?”
"I am only seventeen!” Dong Shuni said, "I don't want to get married that soon! Hee …! Do you want to marry me?”
Kou Zhong was stunned, "You are not only pretty, but you are very special as well. This is the first time that a pretty girl asks me that question.”
Dong Shuni was slightly annoyed, "Can't we talk about it?” she pouted, "We are not talking for real anyway. You, Han people, are really overly cautious.”
Kou Zhong was dumbstruck. Grabbing his head, he said, "Are you saying you are not a Han?”
Dong Shuni was snappy, "Who told you I am a Han? Everybody knows Da Jiujiu is not a Han, only you don't.”
Kou Zhong examined her flowery jade countenance closely, "What are you, then?” he tried to pry her.
Very pleased with herself, Dong Shuni said, "You are so smart; why don't you guess?”
While Kou Zhong was left speechless, Xu Ziling and Ba Fenghan stormed in, "Let's Go!” they shouted.