Mu Yi remained silent, as though he was thinking about some other thing. Wanyan Kang continued,
“My father has gotten into trouble because of me. The emperor even reprimanded him three months ago. If my father learns about this now, he will never agree to the marriage. I hope that Hero Mu keeps this a close secret.”
Mu Yi became furious, “If I listen to what you say, then my daughter will suffer because everything has to be kept under wraps.”
Wanyan Kang replied, “I have everything planned. I will get some grand officials to ask for her hand in marriage; it will be a grand and joyous affair.”
Mu Yi’s faced suddenly paled and he said, “Please ask your mother to see me so that I can discuss the matter with her.”
Wanyan Kang smiled and said, “How can my mother meet you?”
Mu Yi yelled, “If I don’t get to meet your mother, I won’t give in to you no matter what you come up with.” With that, he picked up the jar of wine and threw it.
By the time Mu Nianci finished fighting with Wanyan Kang, she’d already fallen for him and was delighted when she heard his plan. But her father’s sudden outburst changed everything and she didn’t know whether she was surprised or dejected. Wanyan Kang moved quickly, caught the wine jar in time, and put it back on the table. He laughed and said, “I’m leaving.” before turning to go.
After hearing Wanyan Kang’s words, Guo Jing felt that the Prince was reasonable and had a very good plan; but who would expect Mu Yi to lose his temper. He thought, “I’ll try to convince him.”
He was about to go to him when Huang Rong pulled his sleeve and took him out of the building.
They heard Wanyan Kang ask a servant, “Have you brought it?” The servant nodded and raised his hand to reveal a rabbit. Wanyan Kang took the rabbit from him and broke it’s hind legs, before placing it in his pocket and hurrying off. Guo Jing and Huang Rong were curious and followed behind him. After a while, they saw a small three-roomed hut. It was a normal looking hut like any commoner’s, but looked out of place amongst the grand surroundings of the Zhao residence. Now they were very curious. Wanyan Kang opened the door and entered the hut. They silently moved to the back of the house and peered through a window. They were sure that there was something secret Eagle Shooting Hero
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about the hut, which Wanyan Kang kept to himself. Then they heard something they did not expect when he called out, “Mother!”
A woman’s voice answered him and Wanyan Kang walked into the room. Huang Rong and Guo Jing saw a middle-aged woman sitting beside a table, gazing blankly into space. The woman looked no more than forty, had very delicate features with little powder on her face and wore very common robes. Huang Rong thought, “This princess is indeed prettier than Miss Mu, but why does she dress so shabbily and live in a hut like this? Has she fallen out of Prince Zhao’s favor?”
Guo Jing thought the same thing at first but later regarded it as nothing special. He mused, “She must be like Rong’er. She purposely dresses like a peasant just for fun.”
Wanyan Kang walked to her side took her arm and said, “Mother, are you ill again?”
The woman sighed, “I was worrying about you.”
Wanyan Kang leaned on her and giggled, “But your son is standing healthy in front of you.”
The woman replied, “With swollen eyes and a broken nose? You call that healthy? You are getting more and more disobedient. It’s alright if your father knows, but if your teacher learns about it, you’ll be in hot soup.”
Wanyan Kang giggled again, “Mother, do you know who the Taoist priest is that came today?”
The woman asked, “Who?”
Wanyan Kang replied, “He is my teacher’s martial brother and is my elder. I purposely pretended to be ignorant of that fact and called him Taoist this, Taoist that. He scowled and was furious but couldn’t do anything.” With that, he started laughing.
The woman was alarmed and said, “Oh no! I’ve seen your teacher flare up before and he can kill people. It’s really a frightening thought.”
Wanyan Kang was curious and asked, “You’ve seen teacher kill before? When? Why did he kill people?”
The woman lifted her head and gazed at the lamp, as if she was somewhere far away and said gently, “That was a long time ago. Ah, I cannot remember anymore!”
Wanyan Kang did not probe further; instead he grinned smugly and said, “That Taoist Wang came to ask me how was I going to deal with the marriage and I told him that if he brought Miss Mu to me, I would listen to whatever he said.”
The woman asked, “Have you asked your father’s permission? Has he agreed?”
Wanyan Kang smiled, “Mother, you are too honest. I asked my men to trick them into coming here and locked them up in the back cell earlier. How can Taoist Wang find them now?” Wanyan Kang was going through the events in an excited manner while Guo Jing fumed outside.
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Guo Jing thought, “To think that I actually thought that he had good intentions! Luckily Hero Mu was wise enough not to fall into his trap.”
The woman answered exasperatedly, “How can you make fun of this man and his daughter and lock them up? Hurry up and release them now. Remember to apologize and give them some money.”
Guo Jing nodded his head and thought, “That’s more like it.”
Wanyan Kang said, “Mother, you don’t understand! These people don’t care about money. If I release them and they go round telling people what happened, father will hear about it.”
The woman became anxious, “Do you plan to lock them up forever?”
Wanyan Kang smiled, “I tried to sweet talk them into going back to their village and stupidly wait for me forever.” With that, he burst out laughing.
Guo Jing was shaking with fury by this time; he raised a palm towards the window frame and was about to yell when he felt a soft and smooth hand cover his mouth and grab his left wrist. A gentle voice whispered into his ear, “Calm down.” Guo Jing recovered and turned towards Huang Rong with a faint smile before looking back into the room again.
Wanyan Kang continued, “That Mu fellow is really cunning; he didn’t take the bait. Let’s see how long he can last if I keep him locked up for a couple of days longer.”
His mother replied, “I’ve seen Miss Mu and I find her beautiful and talented. She is quite likeable.
Why don’t I talk to your father and ask him to let you marry her; then everything will be solved.”
Wanyan Kang laughed, “Mother, for the last time, we are royalty. How can I marry a commoner?
Father always tells me that he will arrange a respectable match for me. But it’s a pity that we are Wanyans.”
The woman asked, “Why?”
Wanyan Kang replied, “If not, I could marry the princess and become the crown prince.”
The woman sighed and said in a low voice, “How can you look down on poor commoners…do you really think that…”
Wanyan Kang laughed, “Mother, I have a joke for you. That Mu fellow says that he will only believe me if he meets with and discusses it with you.”
The woman responded, “I won’t help you to lie and do such despicable things.”
Wanyan Kang giggled and walked around in circles. He said, “Even if you were willing to do so, I will not allow it. You don’t know how to lie and will be exposed on the spot.”
Huang Rong and Guo Jing studied the room, which was furnished with normal wooden furniture and normal farming tools. On the wall hung a moldy sphere, a broken plough and an old wooden cart was placed in the corner of the room. Both of them thought, “This woman is a princess. Why is her house so plainly furnished?”
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Wanyan Kang pressed his chest and the rabbit in his pocket let out a squeal. The woman asked,
“What’s that?”
Wanyan Kang replied, “Ah, I almost forgot. I saw an injured rabbit just now and picked it up.
Mother, please tend to it.” He took out a little white rabbit and placed it on the table. The rabbit’s hind legs were broken and it couldn’t move.
The woman said, “Good child!” She hurriedly took out some implements and medicine and tended to the rabbit’s injuries.
Guo Jing began to fume again and thought, “This man purposely injured the rabbit because he knows that his mother is kind-hearted and will tend to its injuries. Then she’ll forget about the bad stuff that he has done. How can he be so evil as to make use of his mother’s kind nature to deceive her?”
Huang Rong was leaning on him and felt Guo Jing’s whole body quiver. She knew that he must be burning with anger and was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to control it and burst out at Wanyan Kang. She pulled his hand and said, “Let’s ignore them; come, let’s go and find the medicine.”
Guo Jing asked, “You know where they’ve hidden the medicine?”
Huang Rong shook her head and said, “No. So we have to go and find out.”
Guo Jing thought about how huge the Zhao residence was and wondered where to start the
‘finding’, “It will be disastrous if we alert Shao Tongtian and the rest…” he was about to discuss this with Huang Rong when there was a flash of light in front of them. A man came carrying a small lantern while humming a tune and he was walking closer and closer to them. Guo Jing was about to slip behind a tree when Huang Rong rushed forward, towards the man. The man was alarmed and before he could say anything, Huang Rong flipped her palm and shot out a shiny steel object which pierced his throat. She asked, “Who are you?”