Book 7 - Chapter 3 – General Assembly in Bamboo Forest (1/2)
Book 7 Chapter 3 – General asse crouched on a pile of rocks by the beach, staring blankly at the salt boat tilted at 45 degree, wedged between the reefs; they wanted to cry, but no tears caash opened up on the hull fro at the bottom of the boat
Even if someone were able to take the salt boat off the reef, it would still be difficult to repair the vessel
When they set off, they were filled with heroic spirit; who could have guessed that before they even reached Jiangdu, the boat was destroyed, their ; the blow they experience was understandable
The two boys lost their interest, they did not feel like hauling the salt down the boat
Kou Zhong said with a wry sraduate our first disciples, our boat is already destroyed; this does not seehed and said, “After daybreak, we’ll search along the river, to see if we can find their bodies and give the hatefully punched both fists into the air, with an angry hu’s shi+mei, her character and broad-’s, she refuses to understand that there are also good and bad as”
Xu Ziling said, “Thinking about howthe co troops’ iron hoof, we can’t really bla coldly said, “Listening to the tone of your voice, e ht treat her leniently Don’t you think Duan Yucheng and the others died an unjust death?”
Xu Ziling s her is that easy? Fighting one-on-one, we are still a level below her This Poniang’s qinggong is really for dejectedly said, “How’s your internal injury?”
Xu Ziling replied, “Although ourtechnique is actually inco all over, but now I a roused hi is really exceptional; if it weren’t for you bu her back, I am afraid ere still unable to injure her And if eren’t able to injure her, it wouldabout it, it was extre knitted his brows in deep thought, “But her Yijian technique is really quite profound Sword battle is just like playing chess, the battlefield is the chessboard Hoould we know if the next move is ‘double rook seize the warrior’, or ‘abandon the rook to protect the commander’?” [not sure about this,laughed and said, “Theyto Gaoli chess, don’t think tooabout chess, the principle of chess is the same as the principle of h the opponent’s opening [in chess], only then can we decide how to attack or defend, to advance or retreat Formerly we only kno to counter every move; ‘the troops arrive we resist’ really can’t be considered first-classwas about to reply when suddenly they heard unusual noise co their senses to listen carefully, unexpectedly it was Duan Yucheng and the others, four men’s familiar footsteps
The two boys were pleased beyond their expectation; they rushed forward to meet them After the calamity, renewed life, there was only joy in their hearts
Turned out Fu Junyu was being lenient to the them into the Great River, she unsealed their acupoints first Whether they wanted it or not, Kou and Xu’s ill feelings toward her was greatly reduced
Pulling theether, they moved the sacks of salt frole They also chopped the broken boat into pieces of boards and logs, and floated the pieces along the river
By daybreak, the surface of the river was back to normal, as if thistossed fro and the others, fourordered the the salt In thewent to the nearby town to see whether they could by a oods
When the two boys reached the official road, Xu Ziling said, “You are proficient in astronoo”
Kou Zhong confidently said with a laugh, “I knew you wouldn’t let su the day before yesterday, plus we hid for half a day, so we should not have reached Jiangyin yet If uess is correct, if alk to the west for a couple of sichen, we should reach Jiangyin! Ha ha! Are you convinced?”
Xu Ziling sneered and said, “Are we there yet? Just use your feet, not your mouth!”
The two boys unfolded their shenfa, and sure enough, less than a sichen later the city of Jiangyin appeared in the distance
Kou Zhong said triumphantly, “When you come withJiangyin city nowadays has fallen into whose hands?”
Xu Ziling looked up at a caravan of horses and hed and said, “Can’t you go up and ask?”
Kou Zhong bumped into hi ran after him But when they were about to reach the caravan, the people of the caravan shouted repeatedly, telling them to stop
Five or six riders from the caravan reined their horses and turned back to block them An old man who appeared to be their leader shouted, “Who’s there!”
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were greatly surprised; why did they act nervous and tense as if they were facing an enemy?
The two boys had no choice but to stop Kou Zhong cupped his fist and said, “Gentlemen, Lao Ge [old elder brothers] please do not misunderstand, o brothers, only wanted to inquire about the situation of Jiangyin, to see if it is safe to enter the city”
Aeyes next to the old man nodded and said, “You don’t look like vicious disciples of Tieqi Hui [armored horses society] What is it that you wanted to ask?”
Kou Zhong suddenly understood, “Turns out Lao Ge , he went on, “Do you knoho is the leader of the Tieqi Hui? Could it be that he took the name ‘Xiao’ [little]?”
Those several hed; they understood that Kou Zhong deliberatelyImmediately the distance between the two sides diminished considerably
[Translator’s note: this is hard to carry over to English Ren – to take/appoint/assu said ‘took the naht-gang ten-society In the recent years they enan [south of Yangtze river] area Their Bangzhu [gang leader] ‘Green Dragon’ Ren Shaoether with the Huizhu [society leader] of Poyang Hui, Lin shi+hong, who recently called hie whose foot’s nan [Translator’s note: here the ‘dragon’ (蛟 jiao) is legendary dragon with the ability to control rain and floods, not the usual 龙/龍 (long)]
It was ru Clan’s Heavenly Saber Song Que in a fight over territorial dispute, Ren Shao had never met a well-matched adversary From this, it could be seen that he was indeed exceptional
The old e and insight; so which Sect’s disciples are you?”
Kou Zhong put on a respectful look as he said soleeneration disciples of Zhuhua Bang [barandpa [or ‘master’]”
The old man was stunned, “The Yan Kuan as zhou?” he asked
This ti’s turn to look at each other in dismay
First, they did not expect that the old nificant character like Yan Kuan; second, how did Yan Laoda become a martyr due to his loyalty?
The man with thick eyebroho had spoken earlier suddenly ’shastily returned the politeness with another Zhuhua Bang’s secret signal
All the sixthe Zhuhua Bang insignia on the lapel of their clothes It was only then did Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong realize that they had come across ‘one of their own’
However, even when they were still in Yangzhou Yan Laoda and the two boys were inter, they had not reached enough seniority to have a bania of Zhuhua Bang disciples, embroidered on the lapel of their clothes; let alone this o, in order to hide from the authorities, o brothers, wandered around everywhere, hey!”
“We understand,” the big man said, “Yan Kuan was the first faithfulas killed by that muddleheaded ruler; if you did not flee, your lives would not be guaranteed”