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Kou Zhong was shocked. He flashed to protect Zhen Sao [sister-in-law] and the big archenemy Yuwen Huaji; the Moon in the Well deflected Fu Junqiang’s treasured sword upward, he called out, “Qiang Yi [auntie], please hear Xiao Zhi [little nephew] out!”

Fu Junqiang’s jade countenance blushed slightly, she spat and said, “Who’s your Qiang Yi? Get out!”

With a light twist of her waist, her treasured-sword created an exquisite and mysterious change that even Yuwen Huaji, who was completely without the mood to enjoy it – had to exclaim in admiration; she evaded Kou Zhong’s Moon in the Well just by a hairsbreadth. And then her tender body spun on the spot like a top, her long sword also swept around and swiftly stabbed Kou Zhong’s face. She showed no quarter, ferocious and ruthless to the extreme point.

Since Kou Zhong did not dare to offend her, he had his hands and feet tied, and had no choice but to respond accordingly, blocking each move, while pulling back the Moon in the Well’s offensive, and held the saber across his chest as a shield.

Unexpectedly Fu Junqiang was greatly angered, “Such a disappointing move,” she said, “Get lost!”

Her demeanor was dainty beyond human’s comprehension, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with innocent and unaffected youthful impression. Her leg flew, without avoiding arousing suspicion at all she kicked the vital point under Kou Zhong’s abdomen [i.e. genitalia].

Xu Ziling, who was on her right, and Hou Xibai, who was behind her, felt a rush of excitement by her touching mood. But only Xu Ziling understood her resentment toward Kou Zhong.

The Yijian Technique specialized in antic.i.p.ating the enemy’s essence first; the prerequisite was to grasp the level of the opponent’s martial art skill, to understand clearly the opponent’s foundation before making any judgment.

Her evaluation of Kou Zhong was clearly very high; who would have thought that because Kou Zhong did not dare to offend her, he did not use the skill with which he made his name, so that her Yijian Technique was hard-pressed in antic.i.p.ating the enemy’s moves and could not be unleashed, just like as if she was making an error in judgment.

‘Bang!’

Kou Zhong’s left palm pushed down to seal Fu Junqiang’s kick, which was launched in complete disregard of the sentiment between an aunt and her nephew. But her inner energy separated itself into eight layers and burst in. Kou Zhong had to stake everything not to be shocked by her strike so that he did not knock against Zhen Sao’s tender body behind him.

Aghast, he called out to this Aunt Qiang, who was a year or two younger than he was, “Qiang Yi, you have mastered the Great Method of Nine Mysteries to level eight! Formidable!”

Fu Junqiang had never expected that Kou Zhong would be able to block her full-force kick head-on; unexpectedly she let out a burst of light laughter and said, “This palm is more like it. Look! I am going to cut off your wild-words-random-talk tongue.”

She withdrew backwards first, but quickly spun around forward; her sword turned into millions sharp rainbows, like raindrops blowing toward Kou Zhong, fantastic, fierce and severe.

Unexpectedly Hou Xibai took out the brush and ink that he always carried with him, opened the Fan of Beauty, and quickly painted her on the side that had Shang Xiufang’s picture. Obviously, to him, Fu Junqiang’s beautiful appearance was quite stunning.

Zhen Sao suddenly turned around pulled Yuwen Huaji tight into her embrace. To her, Yuwen Huaji was the only man in the world who loved her dearly, with all his heart and soul.

His liver and guts cut to pieces [idiom: grief-stricken] Yuwen Huaji pulled his Madame Wei into his bosom. With his conceited character, plus his long-term position at the peak of power, how could he ever imagine that there was a day that he could not even protect his own woman? Perhaps it was also because of the sin he committed in his previous life, but the first time Yuwen Huaji saw Wei Zhenzhen, he could not help falling in love with her. Before, there were other women who moved his heart, but after obtaining them, he always abandoned them like worn out clogs. Only this time his feeling grew a deep root; it was totally different from those other times in the past.

The battle drum suddenly stopped, just as sudden as it had started.

But Xu Ziling did not have time to pay attention to it. He was still having his hands bound and was unable to do anything about the difficult problem before his eyes. How could he make Fu Junqiang understand their between-the-devil-and-the-deep-blue-sea [idiom: dilemma] situation?

Kou Zhong knew that if he held his hands, forget about protecting Zhen Sao and Yuwen Huaji, perhaps even his own life would be difficult to preserve, because this Auntie Qiang, who was younger than him – was really too formidable, each move was meant to take his life.

Sighing inwardly, he straightened his back and shoulders, and became bold and powerful without equal, the Moon in the Well continuously chopped like cutting melon and chopping vegetables, each saber strike shook and parried Fu Junqiang’s long sword accurately without any mistake, as if he already knew Fu Junqiang’s treasured-sword changes in advance. Unexpectedly it was Yijian Technique versus Yijian Technique.

Fu Junqiang suddenly retreated away and put her sword back into its sheath; her charming eyes staring fixedly at Kou Zhong, she said, “I can’t beat you.”

Everybody was stunned.

Kou Zhong hastily put his saber back into its scabbard; bowing, he said, “Qiang Yi Daren please be magnanimous, forgive Xiao Zhi’s guilt of disrespect. Ay! Please allow Xiao Zhi to explain the inside story to you.”

Fu Junqiang’s pretty face was as cold as frost; she looked coldly at the rain of snow outside, but the tone of her voice was unusually calm. She said, “No need to explain. When Shizun is coming to the south, he will find you to talk.”

Retreating some more, when she was by Hou Xibai’s side, she still had the leisurely mood to look; with tender and naïve demeanor she said, “Good kid, unexpectedly you drew nujia [I, your servant (usually used by young female)]; are you looking for a beating?”

Hearing that, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling your eyes looked at mine; this beautiful Auntie Qiang could be very ruthless and cool-headed one moment, but could suddenly turn innocent and unaffected, confusing and hard to pin down. It’s a pity that the two boys already lost the mood to admire her. Inwardly they thought that this misunderstanding could have serious consequences, yet they were unable to fix it.

Overwhelmed by favor from superior, Hou Xibai replied awkwardly, “My character cannot change even if I am dead; I do deserve some beating!”

Fu Junqiang laughed and said, “Seeing your painting can be considered not too shabby, your head can momentarily stay on your neck!”

She continued flying backward, and disappeared outside the main door of the inner hall.

Kou Zhong dejectedly turned to Xu Ziling, “Why didn’t you help me talk?” he said accusingly.

Xu Ziling replied with a bitter smile, “What can I say?”

Kou Zhong also responded with a bitter smile.

Yuwen Huaji’s voice suddenly said, “Two gentlemen cherish your old friendship with Zhenzhen, I, Yuwen Huaji am very grateful.”

Hearing his unusual tone, Kou Zhong turned around in shock; he said in astonishment, “Do you know our relationship with Zhen Sao?”

Yuwen Huaji embraced Zhen Sao tightly, his expression was calm as he replied, “I know everything about Zhenzhen, how could I not know your relationship with Zhenzhen? I have a last wish: I hope you could, for the sake of Zhenzhen, help us, let Zhenzhen and I be buried in the same hole.”

The three where shocked; knowing that something was amiss, they rushed toward the two.

Yuwen Huaji sank back into his chair, both hands were still embracing Zhen Sao, but fresh blood was flowing out of his eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Unexpectedly he shattered his own meridians and died.

A dense sound of footsteps was heard outside the hall.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were even more shocked to find out that Zhen Sao already took the poison and died early on. Instantly their hands and feet turned cold, their mind went blank, they did not even know where they were. The tragedy in front of their eyes was too cruel, and there was nothing they could do to change it!

Hou Xibai put his arms around the two boys’ shoulders, he spoke in distressed, “This is perhaps the only way that their love, which is unchanging in life, would continue forever.”

Zhen Sao’s expression was still so tranquil and serene, as if it was a testament that for her, death was the best place to return to.

Liu Heita’s majestic voice came from the main door, “Congratulations two Laodi for avenging this big enmity.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s four eyes met, they wanted to cry but they could not cry. There was not the slightest bit of hatred toward Yuwen Huaji in their hearts; whether it was love or hate, everything ought to end here and now.

※ ※ ※

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling drove a sealed carriage carrying Yuwen Huaji and Zhen Sao’s coffins, going out of the city via the east gate. Liu Heita personally escorted them for a section of the journey.

The flag flying above the city of Xucheng had changed to the Great Xia banner. Army camps were spread across the wilderness outside the city, there were lantern lights everywhere, troop arrangement was in full bloom, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with the atmosphere of the victors.

It was only a couple of sichen since Yuwen Huaji and Zhen Sao killed themselves, the sky has not yet brightened, the snow was still raining without letup from the dense darkness of the night sky above. The two boys’ feeling was still a blank numbness.

Because of his terrible crime in murdering his superior by a.s.sa.s.sinating Emperor Yang Guang, although Yuwen Huaji was dead, there was still a very high price for his severed head. If the ones asking to protect his corpse intact and bury him secretly were not Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, how could Liu Heita agree? Therefore, due to his relationship with Zhen Sao, even after his death, Yuwen Huaji could be considered a bit lucky.

This moment Liu Heita galloped to the two boys’ side and said, “How about I wait around here for two Laodi to come back and we’ll drink water-downed-and-filthy wine together?”

The two boys voiced their agreement. They proceeded to drive the hea.r.s.e to gallop toward the snow-covered mountain and fields ahead.

Kou Zhong cast a glance toward Xu Ziling, who was holding the reins; noticing that Xu Ziling’s blank eyes were fixed on the open country blurred by the snow rain, he sighed and said, “Fate is really difficult to foresee; who would have guessed that Zhen Sao unexpectedly became the beloved imperial concubine of our archenemy, so that the plight of today happened?”

Xu Ziling looked at him; revealing a hint of bitter smile, he spoke heavily, “Zhen Sao already aspired to die early on. When she turned around into Yuwen Huaji’s embrace, she took the hidden poison pill. At that time, only Yuwen Huaji knew it. Ay! I wonder how does it feel to look at your beloved woman dying in your arms?”

Kou Zhong felt as if his heart was cut out; he was speechless.

They heard the sound of hoofbeats running after them from behind.

Kou Zhong looked back. Turned out it was Hou Xibai, who just now said that he had something he had to do and thus could not come with them.

Hou Xibai urged his horse to ride side-by-side with the carriage, “Success!” he spoke cheerfully.

The two boys’ quick-witted was reduced substantially so that they could not fathom what he was talking about.

“Success in what?” Kou Zhong asked in bewilderment.

Hou Xibai replied, “I finally finished that roll of silk painting; I have it with me here to be buried with these two persons.”

Kou Zhong raised the horsewhip and lightly hit the horse’s b.u.t.tocks. The four strong horses pulling the hea.r.s.e immediately sped up; they galloped into the depth of the heaven and earth under the boundless snow.

※ ※ ※

Inside a wine shop by the main street of the south gate of the city of Xucheng, which has not been used for a long time, Liu Heita, Hou Xibai, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sat around the table, drinking wine.

The sun had just disappeared behind the western mountains. The funeral arrangement to bury Yuwen Huaji and Zhen Sao had taken them the entire day.

After three rounds of wine, Liu Heita spoke to Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling in low voice, “Buried and at rest, no one can avoid death; question is who’s going to go one step ahead? If there is another world after death, won’t someday we meet again over there? At that time we might even find out that all grat.i.tude and grudges in life are just a big basket of jokes.”

‘Swish!’ Hou Xibai opened the Fan of Beauty, showing the side with the painting of Shang Xiufang, Fu Junqiang to the three men, while with the other hand he slapped the table in praise, “The last two sentences were very well said! It can clearly be seen that not only Liu Shuai [commander] is a broad-minded, vastly optimistic person, but is also a hero who view death as a return home.”

Casting a glance toward Hou Xibai’s folding fan, Kou Zhong grabbed his head and said, “Any one of these three women can make me suffer from headache; all three of them together, it’s desperately serious for the old man.”

Liu Heita and Hou Xibai were doing their best to ease their anxiety, suddenly they found out that Kou Zhong was so ‘normal’, as if he did not have the slightest bit of grief; they looked at each other.

Remaining indifferent, Xu Ziling calmly raised his cup and said, “We have been hit by poison; fortunately, there’s the antidote here. Let us, four brothers, have another dose of the antidote.”

Everybody cheered loudly; they drank the water-downed-and-filthy wine until not a single drop remained.

Liu Heita raised his thumb and praised, “Good! You are worthy to be my good brother; what we can raise up, we can also put down. Then we might as well talk less idle chat, and go straight into the main issue; what do you think?”

Kou Zhong slapped his forehead and said, “Fortunately you reminded me; I nearly forget that I am w.a.n.g Shichong’s special envoy, receiving his stinky order to curry favor with your, Liu Dage’s boss.”

Laughing involuntarily, Liu Heita said, “Ha! Boss? But Dou Ye might like this appellation, because it was given by Kou Shaoshuai, whose name shook the world.”

A heroic, grand, deep and rich voice came from up the street, saying, “Heita is absolutely right; anything that is given by Shaoshuai, I, Dou Jiande will definitely accept cheerfully.”

The four hurriedly stood up to welcome him.

Upright and unafraid, Dou Jiande walked in. The entire group was covered in dust; apparently they had rushed over a long and difficult trek. His attendants were ordered to guard outside the shop. Dou Jiande crossed over the doorstep, his eyes swept around at the three, and finally rested on Kou Zhong. Letting out a long laughter, he said, “Meeting in person surpa.s.ses hearing the name. Kou Xiongdi is indeed a dragon among men; it’s nice to meet you.”

Promptly Kou Zhong declined modestly.

After Liu Heita introduced Xu Ziling and Hou Xibai, all five men raised their cups back and forth and drank half a jar of wine.

Dou Jiande smiled and said, “The Tang Army knew that we captured Xucheng, they began to withdraw from Weixian; do you think we ought to seize the opportunity to pursue and attack?”

Inwardly Kou Zhong was shocked. The Tang Army withdrew, the Wei territory would entirely fall into Dou Jiande’s hands, making his momentum even more flourishing. Moreover, with the Tang Army no longer had any buffer, the war could happen at any moment.

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Liu Heita said, “I, Heita, still don’t have any regards toward Li Shentong, but Li Shiji is a famous general of the present age. Just by looking at how when Li Mi surrendered he still had the capability to fight w.a.n.g Shichong, I know that he is a talent. This time he got the wind and retreated, while admittedly he is afraid of our army’s might, but it is not without the intention of luring the enemy. In my humble opinion, our top priority right now is to consolidate the outcome of the battle first, and to proclaim our army’s benevolence to the people of old Wei. After the people’s heart is won, we could deploy our troops to the west to root out Li Shiji’s old Wagang Army troops.”

Listening to him, Hou Xibai could not help admiring from the bottom of his heart.

Dou Jiande said, “Currently Song JinGang has captured Jinzhou and Longmen, two strategic towns one after another. Li Yuanji and Pei Ji abandoned Bingzhou and ran away in defeat, Taiyuan is in a state of emergency. If we do not seize this opportunity to defeat Li Shiji’s Shandong Army, by the time Li Shimin stabilize Taiyuan, we would have been sitting and wasting a good opportunity. Shaoshuai, what do you think?”

Kou Zhong was drinking wine until the sky turned hazy the earth turned dark; the wine entered his intestines, his heart was filled with emotional stirring, only he did not show it. Hearing the question, he fought hard to focus his attention, and said in astonishment, “Unexpectedly Li Yuanji is that quick to be defeated; I wonder if Li Shimin was dragging his hind leg?”

Dou Jiande ran his finger along the mouth of the wine cup; his gaze was fixed at Kou Zhong, he said, “With Pei Ji being the army supervisor, how could Li Shimin dare to play ghost [i.e. acting up/mischief]?”

Pei Ji was the cabinet minister, Li Yuan’s trusted aide, whose relationship with him was the closest. Li Yuan sending him with the army was precisely to be the buffer between Li Shimin and Li Yuanji.

Kou Zhong looked at Xu Ziling. He saw how Xu Ziling was absent-mindedly listening without saying anything, he knew that Zhen Sao’s suicide had caused him an indelible blow. Struggling hard to suppress the sorrow in his heart, he said, “Before Li Shimin defeats Song JinGang, Dou Gong [duke/honorable gentleman], you must defeat Li Shiji’s Shandong Army; otherwise Li Shimin might seize the opportunity to march to Luoyang, Li Shiji would be able to easily hold Dou Gong north of the Great River, waiting anxiously and watching Li Shimin’s whale to swallow Luoyang.”

Dou Jiande turned his gaze toward the wine inside his cup, he appeared to be in deep thought, giving the impression that he was an enigmatic figure.

Hou Xibai smiled and said, “Listening to the tone of Shaoshuai’s voice, it seems to me that Song JinGang will definitely lose.”

Kou Zhong wanted to divert Xu Ziling’s attention, he threw the topic at him, saying, “Ling Shao, what is your opinion?”

Smiling wryly, Xu Ziling said, “Gentlemen, please do not take offense; I wasn’t paying any attention to your discussion. This trick of Kou Zhong is definitely to play a joke on me.”

Liu Heita sighed inwardly. Naturally he understood what kind of man Xu Ziling was. Trying to smooth things over, he repeated what they talked about for his benefit.

Enthralled, Dou Jiande said, “This is really a very interesting discussion.”

Full of praise, Xu Ziling said, “I agree with Kou Zhong’s view; Song JinGang and Li Shimin are both military experts proficient in the art of war. Originally, the two are equally matched; the difference is that Song JinGang is just a dog who rely on the Tujue, not enjoying popular support, while Li Shimin is able to understand and exploit this weakness of his, so that he could make him suffer a total defeat of his army.”

‘Bang!’

Dou Jiande slapped the table and praised, “Good description: not enjoying popular support! Now even I believe firmly without any doubt that Song JinGang is absolutely not Li Shimin’s match. Since that’s the case, we must make good preparation against the Tang Army attacking to the west, and immediately move the army to force Li Shiji in a decisive battle.”

The unusual light in Liu Heita’s eyes was flaring out brightly; raising his cup, he said, “Let Heita toast Dou Ye one cup, to wish our army winning a victory on raising the flag [idiom: success in a single move], the horse arrives success is achieved.”

The two drank their toast with a loud bang.

But Xu Ziling was sighing inwardly. With Dou Jiande’s remark, he did not know how many people would be dest.i.tute and homeless, how many dead bodies would lie on the roadside – because of the war.

Due to Zhen Sao’s death, momentarily Kou Zhong’s great ambition and magnificent aspiration was greatly diminished and had not yet returned. He was only staring blankly at the excited and in high-spirit Dou Jiande and Liu Heita; he wanted to speak but remained silent.

In turn, Dou Jiande also toasted Kou Zhong and the others, saying, “What’s three gentlemen’s plan?”

Kou Zhong knew that this hegemon, whose name shook a region, wanted to see if Kou Zhong would support his idea; he replied, “Xiao Ling and I are going to visit Zhai Da Xiaojie. Xibai, what about you?”

Hou Xibai replied, “I want to go look for Lei LaoGe, to see how’s his recovery.”

Liu Heita said, “I did not expect us, brothers, to meet in a hurry, and will have to part right away. But I am extremely delighted already. Let me offer a toast to the three gentlemen, wishing you a pleasant journey, and soon all of us will meet again to drink wine together.”

Inwardly Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were grateful; they knew that Liu Heita was hinting that they ought to leave immediately. Promptly they raised their cups in response.

Snow powder was sprinkling from the night sky to the earth.