By I regained awareness of my surroundings, Huofeng had almost dislodged the doors on her way out with her kick.
“Big Brother Ming, what was she talking about?”
“Well… It’s… a story too long for now. In a nutshell, her senior was engaged to from childhood.”
“Oh my god! Soone would actually want you? Is she blind?”
“Shut up!”
Are you insulting even soone you don’t know now?
“Mm… Abbess Huofeng is the senior of Miss Lian, right? Given Abbess Huofeng’s high standing in their sect, her senior sister…”
I figured Su Xiao would know Huofeng’s senior sister’s na since she had made her na for herself in the pugilistic world.
“Yes, you’re right, she’s Wutong Jin Yuxuan’s interim patriarch, the heroine they call tal Yu Feiyuan.”
“You’re kidding . tal Yu Feiyuan is your fiancée?!”
I covered my ears: “What are you screaming for? My shifu set us up when he was drunk! There are no docunts to officiate it or dowries. Do you trust a thug? Why would you trust my shifu, then?”
“Isn’t your shifu a daoist?”
“So what if he is?” I pinched my nose: “You’ve never seen a ruffian daoist, have you?”
I should take you to Wudang so ti. I bet they’ll turn your beliefs on their head.
Our task was to find lodging, and we still hadn’t completed it. We picked up clues on Boss Shen but had no leads to follow. All that effort and we only ended up with Jie Daqian, who embraced his background as a beggar to the fullest, crawling toward the doors without any embarrassnt.
As Jie Daqian crawled, he counted, “Ten more steps. Nine more steps…”
Su Xiao and I refused to give Jie Daqian ground. Smiling, I sardonically asked, “Where are you going, Elder Jie?”
“You know who I am, ignorant runt?”
Cueing Su Xiao in with a tug of my brow, the two of us took one side each, poking Jie Daqian’s laugh ridians.
“Hahaha, you two sons of a hahahaha! How dare you to this to hahaha! I won’t say any haha!”
Fifteen minutes later…
“I’ll talk. I’ll talk! I’ll talk!”
If it wasn’t for our sects’ friendship and Huofeng, I’d have made you spill everything.
And so, Jie Daqian recounted how Chen Wanyun recruited him to help Green Prince. Jie Daqian didn’t know Green Prince’s true identity and assud the latter was a rich kid. They didn’t co from Luoyang but Shangxian City, a place far off in Nanjiang, which belonged to Emperor Yuansheng’s new domain in Nanjiang and was Green Prince’s territory. If anyone wasn’t convinced the fatty wasn’t Green Prince yet, that information should’ve validated it.
Green Prince didn’t co here on a whim; he had planned his trip to Huzhou months prior. What perplexed was that Emperor Yuansheng only heard about the convention on the way here, yet was worried about his son coming here. Also, why “Zhong Ming” of all nas?
I tossed a pancake I had to Jie Daqian when I heard his stomach growl. As he ate, he continued, “He ca up with the na ‘Zhong Ming’ himself. Several days ago, a fellow they call Young Master Zhong Ming beca an overnight sensation, assembling nurous heavyweights in Jiangnan overnight, yet nobody knew his background. Young Master reckoned Zhong Ming would avoid being conspicuous since he was hiding his true identity. Young Master, therefore, borrowed the na, believing he could leech off it and make the journey more convenient.
“There’s probably sothing wrong with his head. People from Luo Sword Manor visited him on multiple occasions and were courteous with him. Young Master Luo addresses him as an elder brother. I’m sure he could’ve asked for a ticket into the convention, yet he insists on snatching soone else’s weapon to enter. In the pugilistic world, loyalty and gallantry are the two most important things. You can’t go stealing from people just because you’re stronger.”
I hiked up the corner of my lips: “In other words, you deliberately attacked Huofeng?”
“Not entirely. I was pulling my punches, though. She, on the other hand, almost smote . I doubt I’m going to be able to ask her to repay the favour.”
“A true veteran of the pugilistic world - sly.”
“You flatter .”
Su Xiao visibly couldn’t keep up with the intricacies we didn’t explicate.
“How old is the Young Master Luo who addressed your young master as ‘elder brother’? What’s his appearance like? Is he the direct descendant of Luo Clan?”
“Not sure there. He’s a handso man and polite. I don’t care for rich young masters, so you’re throwing hard questions. Oh, his sword is all blue. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Bingo.” I got up and pulled Su Xiao to his feet: “Thank you, Elder Jie. If fate would be so kind, let us et again in the pugilistic world.”
Jie Daqian held the pancake in his mouth to salute .
By the ti Su Xiao and I were back outside, the yellow ball of fire had changed to hues of orange and then almost tangerine, rging with the sky. The clouds blushed at the warm touch of the sun.
“Wait, wait! Big Brother Ming, don’t tell you sll blood again.”
“I get it now. I know why we can’t go to a governnt office now.”
“Why?”
“Rember Master said he’s old friends with Patriarch Luo and are partially in-laws? What other reason might he emphasise ‘partially’ if it’s not for their children?”
“Mm… If they’re only engaged?”
“Exactly, but not right. Knowing how wise Luo Ming is, he wouldn’t betroth his daughter to him. Jie Daqian’s description has led to a speculation.”
“I… am completely lost.”
“The blue sword Jie Daqian ntioned should be the sword of the swordplay departnt’s leader’s sword - Siming. That ans the young master he ntioned must be Luo Sword Manor’s young master - Luo Siming. If the fatty is his elder brother, yet isn’t his brother-in-law, that ans they aren’t in-laws. The only conclusion you can draw from that is that the fatty has taken Luo Ming as his adoptive father! Hence, Master was imdiately alard upon hearing of this spectacle in Huzhou. He’s worried his son is involved in this. I figured out how His Majesty is connected after the fatty, Green Prince, showed up. Anyway, we need to go collect money now.”
“… Wait! You an that piglet was Green Prince?!”
Didn’t I already ntion it?
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