Book 8 Chapter 7 - The Mysterious Giant Ship
Early morning the next day, Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong supervised and urged Duan Yucheng, four people to train and spar against each other.
While Kou Zhong, using a whip, was straining Bao Zhifu and Shi Jie to their limit, Yun Yuzhen came to stand by Xu Ziling and watch. Amazed at the situation in the arena, she said, "These two's martial art skill is indeed not bad, how did you get them back here?”
‘Dang!'
Bao Zhifu's broadsword was coiled by Kou Zhong's whip and was pulled away.
Xu Ziling cast a sidelong glance toward the radiant-looking Yun Yuzhen. His eyes then fell onto the double-spear wielding Duan Yucheng, who was taking over Bao Zhifu's position. "Ma Gui, your turn!” he barked his order.
Ma Gui shouted his acknowledgement, his left and right hands successively shot three iron bullets toward the vital points on the pit of Kou Zhong's stomach and his crotch.
Yun Yuzhen immediately jumped in fear, thinking that even the training looked a lot like a life and death struggle.
Kou Zhong laughed aloud, his body swayed, Ma Gui's secret projectiles all hit empty space.
Only then did Xu Ziling smile and asked, "Beautiful Shifu, why are you up so early?”
Casting him a flirtatious glance, Yun Yuzhen replied, "I was concerned over you guys!”
Forcing a laughter, Xu Ziling said, "Shifu seems to mistake me for Kou Zhong again!”
Yun Yuzhen's pretty face blushed slightly. Awkwardly she glowered at him and said, "I thought you are not going to bring that matter up anymore.”
By ‘that matter', naturally she was referring to she was throwing herself in Xu Ziling's bosom and kissing him, mistaking him for Kou Zhong.
Xu Ziling laughed indifferently, stepped into the arena, and shouted, "My turn!”
Kou Zhong retrieved his whip and withdrew to Yun Yuzhen's side. Xu Ziling used his bare hands to face the four men.
Kou Zhong laughed and said, "These four boys are getting more and more formidable. It proves that we have original insight, and that we use the correct method in teaching them. Humph! With me by your side last night, Beautiful Shifu naturally tossed and turned restlessly, hard for you to sleep.”
Yun Yuzhen's powdered face turned even redder; she spat and said, "I don't know how fragrant and sweet my sleep was. Why is it that men always arrogantly thought that girls can't do anything without them?”
Kou Zhong breathed a sigh of relief. "That's very good,” he said, "I was afraid Beautiful Shifu could not do without me. In that case, when I leave in a few days, I won't have to rush back anytime soon.”
Albeit knowing that Kou Zhong was teasing her, Yun Yuzhen could not help getting angry, "Kou Zhong!” she snapped, "You bully me too much!”
Kou Zhong smiled and said, "I was just testing Yun Bangzhu's heart. Hee! Su Jie is here, do you want to go out and have fun with us?”
Yun Yuzhen cast him an angry look and said, "Only ghosts want to accompany you!”
After giving him a sweet smile, she simply left.
The carriage left the General Mansion. Eight riders opened up the path, eight riders protected from behind, plus Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling riding leisurely side by side with Susu's carriage.
Susu was relaxed and was in a very good mood, every now and then she chatted and laughed with the two boys through the window; they were happy and were in harmonious relationship.
The cavalcade exited the city via the north gate, their destination was Linjiang Pavilion at the upper reaches of the River, a well-known scenic spot outside the city of Baling, from which they would be able to feast their eyes on the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River.
Outside the city, Susu followed the two boys' suggestion to take a break in the wayside. Kou Zhong noticed that not only Xu Ziling seemed to be deep in thought, his face also seemed a bit pale. "What are you thinking?” Kou Zhong asked.
Xu Ziling hesitated for half a day before relying, "I suddenly remembered Yang Xuyan. I wonder whom does he work for?”
Frowning, Kou Zhong said, "Didn't somebody say that he is in pursuit of Yang Shichong's beautiful daughter? They all surnamed Yang, naturally it should be easy to get close to each other!” [I think it ought to be Wang Shichong. Author's error?]
After a quick and thoughtful glance toward the dock outside the city, Xu Ziling said, "Of course I remember that. I just think something does not fit here. Right now the person Yang Shichong fears the most ought to be Li Mi, and then Xiao Xian comes after him.”
Deep in thought, Kou Zhong commented, "It won't make sense even more if he is working for Lin Shihong. Someone like Yang Xuyan, who is of the royal family origin, would not have anything to do with Lin Shihong, who is of lulin [lit. green forest, i.e. criminal world] origin. But you are also right, if I were Yang Shichong, how could I have time to deal with the things in the south?”
"If Yang Xuyan is not Yang Shichong's man,” Xu Ziling continued, "He must be related to one of the Four Major Clans. The Song Clan is at odds with the royal family, plus they tend to stay in the south, so we can eliminate them. That leaves us with the Li Clan, the Dugu Clan, and the Yuwen Clan.”
Kou Zhong analyzed, "Dugu Clan has always been an ally of Baling Bang, so they can also be eliminated. That leaves us Yuwen Clan and Li Clan. It seems to me that Yuwen Clan has a slightly higher possibility. Ay! But Yuwen Clan is also too busy with their own problems; just like Yang Shichong, they don't have time to meddle with the south. My Niang, could it be that Li Shimin guy?”
Xu Ziling was emotionally moved, "That possibility is really high,” he said, "That Li guy has an acute foresight [orig. stand tall and see far], a man with power, aptitude, and broad outlook. Only he has the ability to see through the Xiang kid's importance; if he were killed, Xiao Xian would turn half-blind. From this, it could be seen that that Li guy thinks highly of Xiao Xian.”
Kou Zhong nodded, "In Sunzi's [Sun Tzu] Art of War, it is said ‘know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated'. Speaking about the vastness and density of the intelligence network, no hole left un-entered, nothing surpasses Xiang kid's network of brothels and casinos all over the country. Hey! Li guy plus Yang Xuyan, won't you say they are an interesting combination?”
This moment Susu opened the curtain and stuck her head out, "Hey! It's so boring here! Come and chat with Jiejie, all right?”
Back at the General Mansion that evening, Duan Yucheng reported, "Subordinates followed two Bangzhu's instruction: from the time the carriage left the door, we monitor any movement all around, but we did not find anybody following your track, or any unusual activity.”
The two boys returned to their room, totally mystified, and even more disappointed.
Could it be that they have guessed incorrectly? Or perhaps the enemies were clever enough to evade Duan Yucheng, four men's detection?
Slapping the table, Kou Zhong exclaimed, "It does not make sense. Yucheng and the others' monitoring positions are strategically located and carefully selected; as long as anybody was following our trail, they would definitely see it. Unless … hey!”
Xu Ziling caught on, "I don't believe that the Evil Monk and Amorous Nun would be willing to swallow their pride to do it personally. That Evil Monk is irascible, he won't have the patience to wait for long. Unless …”
The two boys looked at each other, with myriads of thoughts flashing through their minds.
Unless they were waiting for reinforcement, there was no reason to miss their chances of attacking and killing them outside the city.
Supposing Evil Monk and Amorous Nun were really Yin Gui Pai people, the reinforcement must be from Yin Gui Pai or perhaps martial art masters from Qu Ao's side; this was definitely not a trivial matter.
Kou Zhong blew a mouthful of cold air. "We must never take Su Jie out of the city,” he said, "We'll simply use an empty carriage as a decoy and forget about it.”
Frowning, Xu Ziling said, "We must find a way to have our passive situation reversed; it would be best if we can do it ahead of the enemy's martial art masters' arrival, we need to be one step ahead by getting rid of Evil Monk and Amorous Nun, otherwise we will meet a disaster.”
Grabbing his own head, Kou Zhong said, "Have you ever thought that this matter is really strange? On the surface, basically Evil Monk and Amorous Nun don't even know that we are related to Baling Bang, they did not even know that after the killing we would slip away to Baling. Why do we always think that they clearly know our whereabouts and are ready to ambush us anytime?”
"This is purely some kind of almost supernatural intuition,” Xu Ziling replied, "I can't explain it.”
Kou Zhong sighed and said, "It is thus clear that the ‘Secret to Long Life' is indeed a Taoist treasure, plus in this aspect you are much more keener than I am. Simply because your state of mind is closer to ‘real warrior' cultivation. No! You are basically an authentic [orig. replacement guaranteed if not genuine] Ziling Zhenren [lit. true/real person, Taoist Master]. Hee! The only thing lacking is the Taoist robe. It would be best if you and that Shi Feixuan make a pair, and snatch away Hou Xibai's heart of love. Ha!”
Xu Ziling spoke in anguish, "In time like this you are still talking nonsense.”
"This is not nonsense,” Kou Zhong seriously replied, "Supposing you really have this kind of supernatural intuition, we might as well exploit it to our advantage. For example, can you feel the approximate position of the enemy?”
Xu Ziling was silent for half a day; he slowly shook his head and said, "No! I simply have an ominous feeling. That's all.”
Kou Zhong rose up to his full height and said, "We'd better conduct an experiment. Let's go around the city first, if it doesn't work, then we'll go out of the city. Supposing the feeling of danger in your heart is getting stronger, it will mean that we are getting closer to the enemy. I guarantee that this kind of investigative method has not been used since the dawn of time until today. It will be unimaginable, and it can kill the enemy unprepared.”
Severely shaken, Xu Ziling said, "We won't need to go around the city. Do you remember when we first came out of the city this morning, you asked me what am I thinking? I replied by asking you if you remembered Yang Xuyan; actually, that matter came later. At that time my feeling of danger was increasing substantially, my heart felt very uncomfortable. It was just like the feeling I got before Yang Xuyan mounted a sneak attack on us that day. That was the reason I was thinking of Yang Xuyan. But after we headed west, that singular sensation gradually disappeared.”