“At that time I was alone inside the Zhao Palace; I had nobody to help me and my situation was precarious. My father did not know my whereabouts, so even had he wanted to rescue me, he would not have been able to. Isn’t that right?” Huang Rong continued. Ouyang Ke knew she was trying to win sympathy from her father and incite her father’s hatred toward him, but what she said was a fact, so he had no choice but to nod his head again.
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Huang Rong reached out for her father’s hand and said, “Father, you don’t love Rong’er anymore.
If Mother was still alive you wouldn’t treat me like this …” Huang Yaoshi heard her mention his beloved wife and he felt a stab of pain in his heart. He reached out his left arm and hugged her.
Ouyang Feng was smart and he felt something was not right; before Huang Rong could ask another question he interrupted her. “Miss Huang,” he asked, “Those well-known martial arts characters wanted to capture you; but since you have mastered your family’s peerless skills in wushu [kung fu]
they could not overcome you, could they?” Huang Rong nodded her head and smiled sweetly.
Huang Yaoshi listened to Ouyang Feng praising his family’s martial arts and showed a faint smile.
Turning to Huang Yaoshi, Ouyang Feng said, “Brother Yao, ever since my nephew first saw your daughter his heart was captivated by her beauty and excellent skills. He sent a pigeon to summon me and I came from the White Camel Mountain, thousands of li away, crossed the Central Plains and the sea to Peach Blossom Island to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage. You have considered my haste and, although unworthy, have received me well. Other than Brother Yao, there is no one in this present age that would do such thing.”
“I do not dare to accept such compliments,” Huang Yaoshi smiled. He thought that even with his high position, Ouyang Feng was still willing to travel a long way to see him and he felt honored.
Ouyang Feng then turned to Hong Qigong and said, “Brother Qi, we uncle and nephew admire Peach Blossom Island’s martial arts; but you…how could you belittle us by bullying the juniors? If my nephew had been unfortunate, he could have died from your unique skill of the ‘Steel Needle Rain’.”
Actually, it was Hong Qigong who saved Ouyang Ke from the ‘Steel Needle Rain’ launched by Huang Rong, but now Ouyang Feng had placed the blame on him. He knew Ouyang Ke must have lied to his uncle and his uncle was using that to discredit him. Hong Qigong was an honest, straightforward man and he did not want to argue; he simply laughed a big laugh, unplugged his wine gourd and took a big gulp.
Guo Jing could not keep his patience any longer, “It was Senior Qigong who saved your nephew’s life; how could you say such thing to blame him?”
“Kid, we are still talking, how dare you interrupt?” Huang Yaoshi barked.
“Rong’er, tell him … tell your Father what happened to Miss Cheng,” Guo Jing hastily said.
Huang Rong knew her father’s temperament very well; he was not one who followed customs and traditions. He often said, “What do those customs have to do with us?” His way of thinking was different from the common people of his time. What other people thought to be right, he would consider it wrong; what other people thought to be wrong, he might think it to be right. That was how he earned his title ‘Eastern Heretic.’ Huang Rong thought, “Ouyang Ke’s behavior is really disgusting, but Father might think that he did what any normal romantic young man would do.” She noticed that her father was looking at Guo Jing with fiery eyes so she hastily came up with an idea.
“I am not done with you,” she said turning to Ouyang Ke, “That day when we were having a martial arts contest at the Zhao Palace you tied both your hands behind your back and said that you didn’t need any hands to subdue me, did you not?” Ouyang Ke admitted with a nod of his head.
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“Later on after I took Senior Qigong as my master we met again in Baoying,” Huang Rong continued. “You said that no matter what kind of martial arts I used, whether it be from my father or the ones taught by Hong Qigong; you would only use your Uncle’s martial arts to defeat me, didn’t you?”
Ouyang Ke thought, “It was your own idea; I did not say such thing.”
Seeing his hesitation Huang Rong quickly continued, “You drew a circle on the ground with your feet and said that if I could get you out of the circle using the martial arts I learned from my father you would admit defeat, didn’t you?” Ouyang Ke nodded again.
Turning to her father Huang Rong said, “Father, did you hear that? He did not have any respect for Hong Qigong and he did not have any respect for you. He said that the martial arts of the two of you are inferior to his uncle’s and even if you two came together you still cannot defeat his uncle. I don’t believe it.”
“The little girl has a long tongue [she’s stretching the truth],” Huang Yaoshi said. “Who among the people under the heavens do not know that Eastern Heretic, Western Poison, Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar’s martial arts are like a pound to sixteen ounces? No one is superior to the others.”
Although his mouth said those words, he resented Ouyang Ke’s arrogance, but he did not want to discuss this matter anymore. He turned his head to Hong Qigong and asked, “Brother Qi, your presence has brought honor to Peach Blossom Island. I wonder if there is anything I can do for you?”
“I’ve come here to ask you for a favor,” Hong Qigong replied.
Although Hong Qigong loved to joke around, he was an honest and straightforward man, always upholding justice. His martial arts skill was very high, so Huang Yaoshi had always respected him.
Huang Yaoshi knew that whatever business Hong Qigong was dealing with, it was always taken care of, if not personally, then with the help of his numerous Beggar Clan members. This time Hong Qigong was asking him for a favor. He was extremely delighted and said, “We have been friends for dozens of years; if Brother Qi has anything to ask, how can your younger brother not oblige?”
“Don’t comply too quickly,” Hong Qigong said, “I am afraid this matter is not easy to manage.”
Huang Yaoshi smiled, “If the matter was easy, Brother Qi wouldn’t think of asking your younger brother.”
Hong Qigong clapped his hands. “That’s right!” he laughed, “That is the sign of a real friendship!
You have decided to comply to my request then?”
“Speak up!” Huang Yaoshi said. “Even if it means going through fire or water, I’ll do it.”
Ouyang Feng swung his snake staff and opened his mouth, “Slow down Brother Yao, first we must ask Brother Qi what it is that he wants.”
Hong Qigong laughed. “Old Poison, this matter does not concern you. You are being nosy. You’d better prepare your belly to drink ‘celebratory wine’.” [xi jiu - the term used for wine served at a wedding banquet.]
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“Drink ‘celebratory wine’?” Ouyang Feng wondered.
“That’s correct,” Hong Qigong replied, “‘Celebratory wine’.” Pointing to Guo Jing and Huang Rong he continued, “These two are my disciples; I have agreed to ask Brother Yao on their behalf to let them marry each other. Brother Yao has agreed to it.”
Guo Jing and Huang Rong were both frightened and happy at the same time. They exchanged glances with each other. Ouyang Feng and his nephew, as well as Huang Yaoshi, were startled.
“Brother Qi!” Ouyang Feng said, “You are wrong! Brother Yao’s ‘precious one’ [qian jin -
thousand gold’] was betrothed to my nephew earlier. We came to Peach Blossom Island today to deliver the dowry and arrange for the ceremony.”
“Brother Yao,” Hong Qigong asked, “Is that so?”
“I am afraid so,” Huang Yaoshi replied, “Brother Qi, please don’t play jokes on your younger brother.”
Hong Qigong put on a sour face. “Who plays jokes on you?” he said. “You have betrothed your daughter to two families; your family’s reputation is at stake here.” Turning his head to Ouyang Feng he asked, “I am the Guo family’s primary matchmaker, where is yours?”
Ouyang Feng was dumbfounded; he did not expect Hong Qigong to ask him that question.
Stammering he tried to answer, “Brother Yao has consented to this marriage, I have also consented; why would we need a matchmaker?”
“Are you aware that there is somebody who has not consented to this arrangement?” Hong Qigong cut him off.
“Who?” Ouyang Feng asked.
“Ha ... ha … it’s yours truly, the Old Beggar Hong!” Hong Qigong laughed.
As soon as Ouyang Feng heard this and knowing Hong Qigong’s character to be strong-willed and his conduct to be firm and resolute, he knew a fight was unavoidable; his face did not show even a slight change but he delayed saying anything.
Hong Qigong smiled, “Your nephew’s behavior was improper. How could he be compared to Brother Yao’s beautiful-as-a-flower daughter? If you force them to get married, they will fight over all kinds of things everyday and they might end up killing each other. What good would it do?”