“What are you going to do then?” Guo Jing lifted his head and asked.
“Little Brother found out today, that my surname is actually ‘Yang’, the name ‘Wanyan’ does not have anything to do with me. From now on, I will be called ‘Yang Kang’,” Wanyan Kang answered.
“Good!” Guo Jing exclaimed. “Finally you are a real man who does not forget your origins. I am going to Beijing tomorrow to kill Wanyan Honglie. Are you coming with me or not?”
Yang Kang still remembered Wanyan Honglie’s kindness in raising him from childhood; he hesitated for a moment. But seeing Guo Jing’s stern expression he hastily answered, “Little Brother will accompany Big Brother to seek revenge.”
Guo Jing was delighted. “Good! You know that our late fathers were sworn bothers and my mother told me that they made a pact to make us sworn brothers too. What do you say?”
“That is precisely my wish,” answered Yang Kang. So they asked each other their respective ages, it turned out that Guo Jing was born two months before Yang Kang. They kneeled in front of Guo Xiaotian’s memorial, bowed eight times toward each other and became sworn brothers.
With everything under control, they turned in to take some rest in Returning Cloud Manor. Early the next morning the Six Freaks, Guo Jing and Yang Kang bade farewell to Manor Master Lu and his son. The Manor Master presented each guest with a generous amount of money as a farewell gift to cover their traveling expenses.
Leaving the village Guo Jing said to his six Masters, “Disciple and Brother Yang are going north to kill Wanyan Honglie. I am asking Masters to give me some advice.”
“The mid-autumn festival is still weeks away, while we do not have anything pressing to do. I think we’d better accompany you to take care of this important business,” Ke Zhen’E said. Zhu Cong and the rest voiced their approval.
“Your kindness towards your disciple is as heavy as a mountain. Wanyan Honglie’s martial arts are mediocre. With Brother Yang’s help, I am sure killing him will not be a difficult task. For your disciple’s sake my Masters have been away from Jiangnan for more than ten years. Now that you Eagle Shooting Hero
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are back in your hometown, your disciple does not dare to trouble Masters with my personal business.”
The Six Freaks thought Guo Jing was being very reasonable; also, they had seen with their own eyes that Guo Jing’s martial arts had improved tremendously. Hence they did not press him and one by one they gave their blessings to him.
Finally Han Xiaoying said, “On the matter of Peach Blossom Island, I don’t think you should go.”
She knew Guo Jing was uprightly honest and that Huang Yaoshi was hot-tempered and strangely cruel. If Guo Jing went to Peach Blossom Island chances were he would meet some unfortunate events.
“If disciple does not go, wouldn’t that mean I broke my promise to him?” Guo Jing asked.
“When dealing with a monster we don’t have to have good faith,” Yang Kang countered. “Big Brother, I think you adhere too rigidly to old-fashioned values and traditions.”
Ke Zhen’E snorted and said, “Jing’er, as chivalrous heroes we have to do what we say. Today is the fifth day of the sixth month; we will meet again on the first day of the seventh month at the
‘Pavilion of the Drunken Immortal’ in Jiaxing [in modern day Zhejiang]. Then we will go to Peach Blossom Island together. Now you’d better rush to Beijing on your red horse to seek revenge. You don’t always have to be with your younger brother. If you can achieve your goal, that would be great. If not, we can always look for the Quanzhen Sect’s priests to help us kill the traitor. Their righteousness is as heavy as a mountain; they certainly will not turn down our request.”
Guo Jing understood his First Master’s love toward him as shown by his willingness to go with him into a dangerous situation. His heart was overwhelmed and he kneeled and kowtowed respectfully.
“Your younger brother comes from a rich and honorable family, you must be careful,” Nan Xiren reminded him. Guo Jing did not understand, he only looked at his master. Han Xiaoying smiled,
“You don’t understand your Fourth Master’s words. It’s all right. You will understand later. Just be careful at all times,” she said. “Yes,” Guo Jing said.
Zhu Cong smiled, “Huang Yaoshi’s daughter is actually very different from her father,” he said.
“We shouldn’t provoke her anymore, should we, Third Brother?”
Han Baoju twitched his moustache. “That little brat scolded me even though she is as short as a winter melon; she even thinks herself pretty.” Speaking thus he could not restrain a smile.
Guo Jing knew his masters no longer bore any grudges toward Huang Rong; he was delighted. But then he remembered her whereabouts was unknown, he couldn’t help feeling depressed.
“Jing’er,” Quan Jinfa said, “The sooner you leave, the sooner you will be back. We will wait patiently in Jiaxing.” With that the Six Freaks of Jiangnan headed south.
Guo Jing held his red horse’s reins and followed his masters with his eyes until he no longer could see them. Then he turned his head toward Yang Kang. “My worthy younger brother [xiandi], this red horse of mine is extremely fast; we can go to Beijing and back within ten days. What do you say I accompany you and spend several days looking around?” Yang Kang agreed. Two young men mounted the horse and headed slowly to the north.
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Yang Kang sighed with heavy feelings. Only a month ago he lived a luxurious life. He came to Jiangnan with a great company as a special emissary of the Great Jin, with all the power and prestige that came with it. Now he was traveling back to the capital quietly, with nobody pampering him along the way. It was like he was having a pleasant dream and suddenly woke up to the harsh reality of life. Guo Jing might not necessarily take him along to kill Wanyan Honglie; which made him more distressed. He contemplated warning Wanyan Honglie, but could not make up his mind about it.
Guo Jing, noticing his grim expression, thought that he was mourning the death of his parents and so tried to console him.
Around noon they arrived in Liyang and straightaway tried to find a restaurant for some refreshments. Out of the blue, someone who looked like a restaurant worker, approached. “Are you gentlemen Mr. Guo and Mr. Yang?” he bowed as he asked, smiling broadly. “The table is ready, please come with me and eat.”
Guo Jing and Yang Kang were baffled. “How did you know us?” Yang Kang asked.
“A guest arrived earlier and asked us to prepare a meal for you. I was even given a detailed description of how Mr. Guo and Mr. Yang look,” he said, still with a smile on his face. He then took the horses’ reins and led them to the stable.
Yang Kang snorted and cynically said, “The Returning Cloud Manor Master Lu is so kind.” They entered the restaurant and sat down. As it turned out, the food was exquisite and the wine was superb. Guo Jing even found some chicken that he liked very much. They ate to their hearts’ content and were about to pay the bill, but the restaurant worker simply smiled and said, “No need to pay gentlemen, everything has been taken care of.” Yang Kang laughed and tipped him generously. He thanked them profusely and led them out of the restaurant, bowing and smiling the whole time.
Guo Jing praised Manor Master Lu’s generosity. Yang Kang, however, still bore a grudge because he had been captured and held prisoner. “I assume he uses this trick to befriend the people of Jianghu; no wonder he’s the leader of the Lake Tai area,” he said.
“Isn’t Manor Master Lu your martial uncle?” Guo Jing wondered.
“It’s true that Mei Chaofeng taught me some martial arts,” Yang Kang answered. “But that doesn’t necessarily make her my master. If I had known they came from a heretical sect, I would not have wanted to learn any of it and I wouldn’t have fallen into this situation.”
“How so?” Guo Jing was confused.
Yang Kang realized he had made an indiscreet remark. He blushed and said with a smile, “Little Brother feels the ‘Nine Yin White Bone Claw’ and her other martial arts are unorthodox.”
Guo Jing concurred. “What my worthy younger brother said is correct. Your master, Priest Changchun’s [Eternal Spring] martial arts are exquisite and he comes from an orthodox Taoist school. If you tell him the truth and repent, I am sure he will be willing to forget past matters.”
Yang Kang silently agreed.
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That evening they arrived at Jintan. Again, another restaurant worker welcomed them and led them to a table full of choice foods and wine. This happened for the next three days. The next day the two crossed a river and arrived at Gaoyou and received the same welcome. Yang Kang sneered and said,
“I want to see just how far Returning Cloud Manor extends their hospitality.” However, Guo Jing was starting to get suspicious; every time they ate, he would find one or two bowls of his favorite food. If it was Lu Guanying, how would he know what he liked?
After they finished eating Guo Jing proposed, “My worthy younger brother, let me go ahead and investigate.” Mounting his red horse he quickly rode ahead, passing three scheduled stops and soon arrived at Baoying. Sure enough, nobody welcomed him there. Guo Jing found the biggest inn in town and checked into the best room. That evening he heard a horse with loud ringing bells galloping and stopping right in front of the inn. Someone entered and ordered some food scheduled for tomorrow, for Mr. Guo and Mr. Yang.