Book 14 Chapter 9 - Meeting Again After a Long Period of Separation
Under everybody's gaze, somebody appeared outside the window, looking inside the hall with a smile on his face.
This man looked about fifty, tall and thin, his waist and back perfectly straight, with short moustache that looked like a brush above his lips, his clear and handsome face carried harsh lines of someone who experienced long and arduous years in tempering himself; perhaps it was due to the melancholy wrinkles appeared on his face and around his eyes, which strengthen his appeal. His eyes were bright and shiny, as well as deep and solemn, inciting fear on those whom he was staring at. However, the perpetual smile hanging on his mouth seemed particularly out of place, making his overall appearance seemed extremely odd.
This expert composer, whose name was well known nationwide, the one acclaimed as the Number One Martial Art Master of Liaodong, Wang Bo, has come in person.
Kou Zhong and the others groaned inwardly. Not only because they felt that he totally did not believe them, but also because they knew he was not easy to be deceived.
His eyes looked like they could see through lies.
With a cold snort, You Chuhong said, "What the hell are you doing in Luoyang?”
Nodding slightly, Wang Bo said, "First of all, Wang Bo pays his respect to Hong Jie [older sister]. This time Shaodi [younger brother] came to Luoyang, at least half of the reasons pertain to Hong Jie.”
It was only then did everybody else know that not only these two knew each other, the relationship between them was not shallow either.
Giggling, Kou Zhong said, "While two Qianbei [senior, older generation] are having heart-to-heart chat talking about the past, why not allowing us, the younger generations, to go out to handle some private affairs, and come back later for advice?”
Wang Bo looked at Kou Zhong with astonishment, "You ought to be Kou Zhong!” he said, "Didn't others say that you are both shrewd and cunning? Why is it that disaster is looming over your head and you still don't know it?”
Ba Fenghan laughed aloud and said, "Less bullsh!t! If you want to fight then fight! The Jade Annulus of He Clan was stolen by us; if you want to stick your head out for Liao Kong, come and get it!”
Combined with earlier denial, which also came out of Ba Fenghan's mouth, this ‘truth' sounded more like it was spoken in anger, which was more effective than any ‘apology'.
Dugu Feng seemed to have a slightly better impression on Ba Fenghan; she scolded tenderly, "If you didn't do it, don't talk nonsense.”
Calmly Wang Bo sized up Ba Fenghan. It was half a day later that he finally said, "I don't care if you steal the treasure or not, but just based on what you said just now, Ol' Wang has to teach you a lesson.”
With repeated sneers, You Chuhong said, "In that case, this Old Woman has to see how much you progressed these past several years. You'd better not disappoint me.”
Wang Bo was surprised, "Have you fought with him?” he asked.
You Chuhong stomped her jasper staff on the ground, creating a deep, gloomy sound like a muffled thunder, shaking up the sole of everybody's feet.
Kou Zhong, three men, were secretly dumbstruck; they were glad that while going all-out in battling her, they did not injure her by mistake.
After scanning the crowd with her eyes, the old woman nodded and said, "I believe the Jade Annulus of He Clan is not in your possession. First of all, based on your combined power, you don't have the capability of stealing the treasure, hence it is more presumptuous to think that just one of you could do it. Secondly, you don't look like fools, so you knew that stealing the Jade Annulus of He Clan must be useless; it will bring you more harm than good.”
Then her eyes opened; she looked up, revealing a pair of brightly lit pearl-like pupils. With a laugh that sounded like a screeching owl, she addressed the crowd, "You'd better leave Luoyang. Otherwise, next time you run into me, I am not going to be lenient for the sake of the Jade Annulus of He Clan like this time. Do you understand? Let's go!”
Naturally the four men did not expect her to be this ‘understanding', as soon as she said it, she was willing to put this matter down. They watched quietly as Dugu Feng helped You Chuhong disappeared beyond the shattered courtyard door.
Then four pair of eyes turned toward Wang Bo.
All they heard was a fluttering noise, and Wang Bo's shadow had disappeared.
Coming and going without neither trace nor vestige, he was worthy to be called a martial art master whose name spread far and wide around the world.
The sun had moved above the western hill, casting its slanting light on the City of Luoyang.
Upright and unafraid, Xu Ziling and Ba Fenghan wandered side-by-side along the street, among the gradually thinning pedestrians.
The latter burst out laughing and said, "With Wang Bo's ego, why did he slip away before fighting? According to reason, he can't be afraid.”
"Of course not,” Xu Ziling replied, "This man's prestige in Wulin has always been above Li Mi and Du Fuwei; although he can't defeat the three of us fighting together, he surely has enough power to hold his ground or run away. In my opinion, it was because he heard that Yin Gui Pai might be involved that he hurried back to deal with it.”
Lowering his voice, Ba Fenghan said, "Yin Gui Pai definitely has to bear this black pot on their back! It would be more wonderful if we could find Yin Hui Pai people and confront them. And the best part is that Yin Gui Pai has all the reason to thwart Shi Feixuan's good deeds. This Xu Xingzhi is indeed a genius; just with one word he is able to overturn the universe.”
Smiling ruefully, Xu Ziling said, "Lying with my eyes open wide is really unbearable! This kind of thing, once is enough, I don't care to have the next time.”
Tranquil and calm, Ba Fenghan replied, "Two armies facing each other, how could one prevail over the other without resorting to some ‘misleading the enemy' tactic? Are we going to admit straight out that we stole the treasure? It was not the first time that you told a lie anyway.”
Muttering irresolutely, Xu Ziling said, "Of course not for the first time, but previously the target of our lies was evil people and scoundrels. This time the target of our lies are martial art experts representing two righteous ways; hence I feel so uncomfortable.”
With a cold humph Ba Fenghan said, "Rules are made by men; so why can't it be up to us to decide? Being led by the nose, how it make a good man under current situation?”
Shrugging, Xu Ziling said, "Things have come to this, the only thing we can do is not to do anything that will result in death, otherwise we would tie deep enmity that cannot be resolved.”
Ba Fenghan smiled and took the lead to cross a long street; he said, "Hence the reason this tactic of misleading the enemy can only be used for goodwill and not for evil intention. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of deadly battle.”
Xu Ziling sighed and said, "Just think about it that way then.”
Ba Fenghan pointed to a signboard hanging in front of a restaurant that said ‘River Luo Tavern'; he said, "This is it!”
He pushed the door and walked in.
At this time the tavern has not started dinner rush yet. Two waiters were wiping seventeen, eighteen tables inside the shop.
‘Pow!'
Ba Fenghan tossed an ingot of gold onto the table and shouted, "I reserve this shop tonight!”
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