The ‘Six Freaks’ thought what he said made sense, and admired the Quanzhen Sect’s extensive knowledge. Zhu Cong said, “Priest Wang has seen the ‘Nine-Fingered Divine Beggar’ display his kung fu?”
Wang Chuyi said, “Over twenty years ago, my late Shifu competed in the Mount Hua Tournament with the ‘Nine-Fingered Divine Beggar’, Huang Yaoshi and the other Greats. Elder Hong’s kung fu was truly outstanding but he is also very gluttonous and Mount Hua was short of delicacies. Feeling extremely bored, he took sword as wine and fist as dishes and began chatting about the theories of Eagle Shooting Hero
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sword and fist with my late Shifu and Elder Huang Yaoshi. At that time I was serving my Shifu and was very lucky indeed to have heard these brilliant theories. In fact, I learned a lot.”
Ke Zhen’E said, “Oh, so of the group, ‘Eastern Heretic’, ‘Western Poison’, Huang Yaoshi must be the so-called ‘Eastern Heretic’?”
Qiu Chuji replied, “Correct.” He then turned to Guo Jing and said jovially, “Although Elder Martial Brother Ma taught you some internal energy, luckily you are not officially his disciple. If you start comparing seniority, you’ll be one level lower than your future wife! You’ll never be able to raise your head in this life.”
Guo Jing went red. “I’m not marrying her.”
Startled, Qiu Chuji said, “What?”
“I’m not marrying her!” Guo Jing repeated.
Qiu Chuji’s face sank and he stood up. “But why?”
Ever doting on her disciple, Han Xiaoying saw that Guo Jing was in a tight spot and hurriedly explained on his behalf: “We received word that Master Yang’s child was a male. Thinking that the betrothal agreement was nullified, Jing’er has already become engaged in Mongolia. The Khan of Mongolia, Genghis Khan, has appointed him as his imperial son-in-law.”
Qiu Chuji’s face hardened and he glared at Guo Jing. Laughing icily, he said, “Brilliant, that girl is a Princess and a precious imperial descendent so commoners can’t hold a candle to her. Are you just going to conveniently ignore the wishes of the dead? You lust for riches and betray your roots, so how are you different than that scoundrel Wanyan Kang? And what of your late father’s wishes?”
Panicking, Guo Jing kowtowed. “I never met my father and my mother has never mentioned anything about his wishes. Priest, please enlighten me.”
At this, Qiu Chuji lost his cold smile and his expression softened at once. “So you are really not to blame. I was too quick to jump to conclusions.” He then explained everything from beginning to the end – his meeting with the Guo and Yang sworn brothers eighteen years ago at Ox Village, the slaughtering of soldiers that night, his search for the Guo and Yang family wives, his misunderstanding with the ‘Seven Freaks of Jiangnan’ and the wager that followed, et cetera.
Now knowing the circumstances of his birth and how everything had begun, he broke down in sobs.
His father died a horrible death and had yet to be avenged; he then thought of the great kindness of his seven Shifus -- how could he even hope to repay them in this lifetime?
Han Xiaoying said kindly, “It’s very common for a man to have more than one wife. Just let the Khan know about this and marry both women. That way, all your problems will be solved. I reckon the Khan himself has more than a hundred wives.”
Wiping away his tears, he replied, “I can’t marry Princess Hua Zheng either.”
Surprised, Han Xiaoying asked, “Why?”
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“I wouldn’t like her as my wife.”
“But haven’t you always been on very good terms with her?”
“I regard her as a younger sister and a good friend; but I certainly don’t want her as my wife.”
Qiu Chuji said happily, “Good child, you’ve got backbone! Khan or not, Princess or not, who cares?
Just obey your father and Uncle Yang and get married to Miss Mu.” Unexpectedly, Guo Jing shook his head again.
“I won’t marry Miss Mu either.”
Everyone present was bewildered, not knowing what was running through his head. But Han Xiaoying was a woman and she paid heed to details. “You like someone else?” she asked gently.
Guo Jing blushed and, after a moment or two, nodded his head.
Han Baoju and Qiu Chuji asked sternly in unison, “Who is it?”
Guo Jing opened his mouth to answer but faltered. During the fight with Mei Chaofeng and the others at the Jin Palace the previous night, Huang Rong had caught the attention of Han Xiaoying.
She had secretly marveled at this girl with her graceful movements and a face as delicate as those you only see in paintings. Thinking back, Huang Rong did seem very affectionate towards Guo Jing and had been especially looking out for him. Han Xiaoying asked, “It’s the young girl who dressed in white, isn’t it?” Guo Jing went red as he nodded.
Qiu Chuji said impatiently, “What young or old girl in white or black?”
Han Xiaoying muttered to herself, “I heard Mei Chaofeng call her Little Martial-Sister and addressed her father as Shifu…”
Qiu Chuji and Ke Zhen’E stood up at once and said together, flabbergasted: “She’s Huang Yaoshi’s daughter?”
Holding Guo Jing’s hand, Han Xiaoying asked, “Jing’er is her surname Huang?”
Guo Jing answered, “Yes.”
This response left Han Xiaoying speechless.
Ke Zhen’E muttered, “You want to marry Mei Chaofeng’s Younger Martial-Sister?”
Zhu Cong asked, “Her father has betrothed her to you?”
Guo Jing replied, “I’ve never met her father, nor do I know who her father is.”
Zhu Cong asked again, “So you have an illicit engagement?”
Not knowing what an ‘illicit engagement’ meant, Guo Jing widened his eyes and did not reply. Zhu Cong continued, “You’ve told her that you will definitely marry her, and she’s also said that she’ll definitely marry you, is that right?”
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Guo Jing replied, “I never said that.” After a brief pause, he continued, “We don’t have to say it. I can’t do without her and she can’t do without me. We know this in our hearts.”
Having never experienced the feeling of love, Han Baoju was displeased hearing this and said impatiently, “What nonsense is this?”
However, Han Xiaoying’s mind flitted to Zhang Ahsheng as she thought, “Amongst us ‘Seven Freaks’, Fifth Brother’s character was the most similar to Jing’er’s. He loved me in secret – he always thought he wasn’t good enough for me - and so he never expressed his feelings. Was it like Jing’er and that girl, what with the ‘we both know it in our hearts; I can’t do without her and she can’t do without me’? If I had let him know, just a few months before he died, that I actually couldn’t do without him, he would have at least had a few months of true happiness in his lifetime.”
Zhu Cong said calmly, “Her father is a ruthless monster who kills without blinking, did you know that? If he found out that you got close to his daughter in secret, how could you even hope to live?
Mei Chaofeng hasn’t even learned one-tenth of his kung fu and she is already so formidable. If the Master of Peach Blossom Island decides to kill you…who will be able to save you?”
Guo Jing said softly, “Rong’er is so nice, I doubt… I doubt her father will be a bad person.”
“Bullshit!” Han Baoju berated. “Huang Yaoshi is utterly evil, how could he not be a bad person?
Quickly vow that you’ll never see that little demoness again.”
Because the ‘Twin Killers of the Dark Winds’ had killed the ‘Smiling Dhuda’ Zhang Ahsheng, the
‘Six Freaks’ bore a grudge as deep as the ocean towards them and they hated their Shifu to the core.
They all thought that the kung fu the Twin Killers used to kill Zhang Ahsheng had been taught by Huang Yaoshi; had there been no Huang Yaoshi in this world, Zhang Ahsheng wouldn’t have died.
Guo Jing was in an extremely difficult position. On the one hand was his deep gratitude towards his Shifus and on the other was a love both sincere and true. If he could never see Rong’er again, how could he live? His Shifus’ eyes were fixed sternly on him and with an aching heart he dropped down to his knees with tears streaming down his cheeks. Han Baoju stepped forward and said harshly, “Say it! Say that you’ll never see that little demoness again.”
Suddenly, a clear female voice shouted from outside the window: “Why are you bullying him like that? How shameless!” Everyone was startled. The girl called, “Jing ge ge, hurry outside.”
Surprised and delighted to hear Huang Rong’s voice, Guo Jing dashed outside and saw her standing in the courtyard with his ‘Blood-Sweating Horse’. The little red horse saw Guo Jing and let out a long neigh, raising its front hoofs.
Han Baoju, Quan Jinfa, Zhu Cong and Qiu Chuji followed him out of the room. Guo Jing said to Han Baoju, “Third Teacher, that’s her, she’s Rong’er. Rong’er isn’t a demoness!”
“You ugly and short fatty, why did you call me a little demoness?” Huang Rong scolded. She then pointed to Zhu Cong and said, “And you, sly and sloppy scholar! Why did you say my father is a monster who kills without blinking?”