Chapter 55: The Nine Bends of the Yellow River

  As soon as he left the mountain pass, he saw Feng Lian leading a horse with a flowing mane, standing by the side of the road. Seeing him coming, she suddenly smiled and called out: "Master, are you walking alone?" Liang Xiao was taken aback and murmured in response. Feng Lian pouted her small mouth and placed the Tian Fa sword horizontally in front of the horse, saying: "If you want to leave, you should bring this with you." Liang Xiao said: "This is your tribe's sacred sword, how can I possibly touch it?" Feng Lian snorted and said: "You used this sword to kill the Heavenly Wolf Child, doesn't that count as touching it?"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, unable to refute. Feng Lian continued, "Master, you are one of the top masters in the world, do your words count?" Liang Xiao replied, "I dare not claim to be among the best, but my words certainly count." Feng Lian said, "You promised to become my master and teach me martial arts, isn't that so?" Liang Xiao said, "I have business to attend to in Central Plains, I'll return after a while and teach you then." Feng Lian puffed out her chest, looked up at the sky with a cold smile and said, "No way, I don't trust you." Liang Xiao furrowed his brow and asked, "Why?" Feng Lian replied, "In the past, you left so heartlessly, saying goodbye just like that. This time, who knows when you'll return? A year, ten years, or a lifetime? I'd rather not wait foolishly for you, I want to follow you to Central Plains."

  Liang Xiao was silent for a moment, Feng Lian looked at him with concern, her heart racing with anticipation, fearing he would say something unpleasant. After a while, she suddenly heard Liang Xiao sigh and say: "If you insist on following me, I won't stop you!" He walked ahead, taking large strides. Feng Lian's heart was overjoyed, and she hastily urged her horse to follow him.

  The two of them traveled for half a day and met some herders, where Liang Xiao bought a mediocre horse and they continued on their way together. The master and apprentice would travel during the day and rest at night, and when it was time to take a break, Liang Xiao would teach Feng Lian martial arts. Feng Lian's natural talent wasn't exceptional, but she was very diligent and hardworking, so whenever Liang Xiao taught her a move or technique, she would practice tirelessly until Liang Xiao nodded in approval before stopping. Liang Xiao had a deep understanding of the mysteries of the universe and his skills were refined to perfection, what he knew could fill a whole cup, let alone just half of it, and yet he was even more patient with Feng Lian because he felt guilty towards her and wanted to make amends, so he taught her everything he knew.

  The mountain road is far away, wearing the moon and wearing the stars. Two people walked and stopped, arriving at the banks of the Yellow River on this day. Liang Xiao had been away from his hometown for a long time, and he couldn't help but ride his horse to the top of the high slope, looking south with reins in hand. All he saw was the continuous mountain range, clouds covering the long river. In fact, the east wind was fierce, the turbulent waves were rushing towards the sky, falling on the river dike, splashing pearls and jade.

  Liang Xiao's heart was stirred, and he pointed to the river water: "Wind Lian, look, perhaps it won't be long before a boatman on this Yellow River can control a giant ship as small as a mountain, and even the biggest waves cannot shake it; people will no longer need to drive cattle or horses, but use 'fire' power to drive big cars; mechanical birds will also be manufactured, carrying people and animals, soaring straight up to the sky..." He said this, seeing Wind Lian's puzzled expression, and couldn't help but sigh: "Wind Lian, I have three skills in my life: first is arithmetic and philosophical reasoning; second is strategic planning and cunning tactics; third is martial arts. Unfortunately, the first one is too profound and obscure, you're probably not capable of learning it. The second one is chaotic and harmful to the country, better not learn it. So even though I'm your master in name, I can only barely teach you that little bit of trivial skill."

  Feng Lian smiled and said, "Master, you're being too modest. That's also a minor skill, isn't someone else's skill even smaller than the eye of a needle?" Liang Xiao said, "You're talking nonsense again. No matter which school of martial arts is practiced to the extreme, there are things that can be learned from it. Don't think that just because you've learned a little bit of skills, you can look down on heroes all over the world." Feng Lian raised her nose and coldly said, "Are you making faces again? Humph, being a master is nothing to brag about? I'm half as fierce as you are, and no one in the world scares me!"

  Liang Xiao shook his head, speechless. Along the way, he had also tried to put on a stern face several times, wanting to discipline this female disciple, but every time they reached a critical point, Feng Lian would play dumb and confuse him with her words, making Liang Xiao lose his temper in just a few sentences, rendering him unable to uphold the dignity of being a master. Fortunately, he didn't care much about this nominal title of master-disciple relationship, so after arguing for a few sentences, he let it go.

  Feng Lian had just arrived in the Central Plains and couldn't help but be curious about everything. Along the way, she asked questions, and Liang Xiao patiently answered them all. The two walked along the river, with Liang Xiao speaking enthusiastically about water conservancy: where to build dams, where to divert the flow, where to set up waterwheels, and where to open canals for irrigation. As he spoke, his words became more and more grandiose, as if he were painting a picture of mountains and rivers, and governing the whole world with ease. Feng Lian had never seen Liang Xiao reveal such elegance since they met, and she couldn't help but be enchanted by his eyebrows, eyes, and expression. As for his lofty words, of course, she didn't listen to a single one.

  The two walked and talked, with Feng Lian suddenly pointing to a pagoda on the riverbank and asking, "Master, what tower is that?" Liang Xiao replied, "That's the Iron Tower of Kaifeng, known as the number one tower in the world. Below it lies the ancient capital of Bianjing, where the former dynasty once flourished with unparalleled prosperity. Unfortunately, it has been ravaged by war and river disasters, leaving only a shadow of its former self." He let out a long sigh, filled with regret. Feng Lian also felt a pang of sadness and asked, "Is there still anywhere good to go?" Liang Xiao thought for a moment before saying, "I remember that not far from the Iron Tower is the 'Nine Turns Pavilion', adjacent to the river dike, where one can enjoy wine while taking in the wind, gazing out at the nine turns of the Yellow River as it flows majestically." Feng Lian exclaimed with delight, "Wonderful! Let's go take a look!" Liang Xiao looked up at the clouds and saw that they were densely gathered, knowing that a heavy rain was approaching. He immediately agreed, and the two quickly spurred their horses on towards the Nine Turns Pavilion.

  Upon arriving at the loft, the slanting rain fell like silk threads. The two abandoned their horses and went upstairs. Just as they sat down, a rustling sound came from downstairs, and a scholar walked up from the bottom of the building, wearing a tilted hat, with a pointed chin and holding a bamboo fan in his hand. The wine shopkeeper saw him and hastily shouted: "Ah, another freeloader has come!" He opened his arms wide, ready to drive the man away.

  A scholar sat in the hall, laughing and scolding: "Let your mother fart, today you said the old master ate for free, but the old master will not eat for free." He turned his hand over and pulled out a large silver ingot from his sleeve, slapping it on the table. The wine keeper was both surprised and delighted, weighing its authenticity, and laughed: "Jia Xiucan, where did you steal this from? Is it from the Temple of the Great General or the He family?" The scholar rolled up his eyes and said: "Are you looking at people with dog eyes? This silver is white and bright, how can it be unrighteous? Wang Xiaoliu, shut your fart mouth, Master will use this silver to settle this banquet, remember that."

  The wine shop owner sneered, "Jia Xiucan, you still owe the boss 1.6 taels of silver from the other day, how do you plan to pay?" Jia Xiucan suddenly opened his fan with a flick, revealing its black surface, and lazily said, "Can't you see? Today I'm feeling generous, what's a small amount of money worth mentioning?" The wine shop owner was used to joking around with him, so he said, "Fine, today you can pretend to be the master, but when you're acting like a young whippersnapper again, I'll settle accounts with you!" He took two steps out, and the scholar called out, "Wang Xiaoliu, first pour Master a cup of fine wine, to rinse his mouth and moisten his throat."

  The wine shop owner cursed inwardly and went downstairs with a huff. Feng Lian whispered, "Master, what does this person do? His face is really thick." Liang Xiao thought to himself that you also see that he's poor but pretending to be rich, and smiled saying: "He's probably a fallen scholar, without any achievements but still arrogant and unwilling to yield to others!" The two of them were discussing in hushed tones when they suddenly heard Jia Shucai say in a drawn-out tone, "Damn it, talking about people behind their backs, be careful not to bite your tongue! Hmph, who told you that I'm a scholar?"

  Liang Xiao was far away, and his voice was small, but unexpectedly the scholar had extremely good hearing and heard him. Liang Xiao smiled and said: "Sorry, it seems that you are a fake Confucian scholar, not even a real one with the surname Jia." The scholar smiled and said: "Who said I'm a fake? My surname is indeed Jia, my full name is Xiaosheng, and people call me Jia Xiusheng." He was smiling on his face, but his tone was very arrogant. Liang Xiao didn't notice, but Feng Lian glared at him angrily.

  Jia Xiūcái smiled at her and said, "Hú Niáng'ér is born beautiful, why not marry Jia as a cheap daughter-in-law!" Fēng Lián's cheeks flushed red, clenched her fists, but Liáng Xiāo frowned and waved his hand, saying: "Don't bother with this foolish person, it would only lower your status for nothing!" As soon as the words fell, they heard Jia Xiūcái laugh and say: "The Master said: 'It is better to have no ruler among the Xia than to have one among the Yi and Di', you barbarian mice, mixed with beasts, what status do you have?"

  Liang Xiao was taken aback, remembering that he and Feng Lian were both dressed in foreign attire. Feng Lian's blue eyes and snowy skin made her look like a barbarian from the north. Now that the Yuan people ruled the country, the relationship between the Han and Hu peoples was like that of enemies, so it was no wonder that this person spoke out of turn. However, at a time when the Hu were strong and the Han were weak, he dared to insult the Hu people right to their faces, which took some courage. Liang Xiao just smiled and didn't bother to respond.

  Feng Lian saw that he wasn't reacting and couldn't help but feel angry and stifled. Just then, she heard a childish voice behind her laughing and saying, "How interesting, how interesting." Feng Lian became even more annoyed and turned around to see a beautiful young boy sitting not far away, about ten years old, wearing a crown with two dragons and a pearl, dressed in a white satin robe, holding a small golden fan made of mud.

  Feng Lian couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of this little kid, who looked like a ball of powder with a small face, dressed up as an adult. The child guessed that she was laughing at him and pouted his mouth, looking displeased. Feng Lian found it even more amusing and stole glances at Liang Xiao while trying to stifle her laughter.

  Before long, the wine waiter brought up the wine. Jia Xiucun took it over, filled a cup to the brim, and spilled it on the ground. This wine was the best Fen wine, and the wine waiter couldn't bear to see it wasted, so he cried out: "You poor fool, have you gone mad?" Jia Xiucun ignored him, composed his expression, and sighed: "This cup is in honor of Wen Tianxiang, the Minister of Literature. Today is his memorial day." The wine waiter's face turned green with rage, and he dropped the tray from his hands, shouting: "Jia Xiucun, what nonsense are you talking about?" Jia Xiucun rolled his eyes and shouted: "Shut your beak! When the master invites people to drink, it's none of your business!" The wine waiter was so angry that he trembled with rage, stammering: "Y-you... can a dead man drink wine?"

  Jia Xiutai raised his face and recited in a long, drawn-out voice: "Hardship has befallen me since the beginning of time, with troubles scattered all around like stars. The mountains and rivers are shattered, and my life is tossed about like a leaf on a windy day. I speak of fear at the edge of the cliff, and sigh at the vastness of the ocean. Since ancient times, who has not died? Let us take our crimson hearts to illuminate the ages!" His tone was melancholic, with an endless sorrow and indignation in his chest. After finishing his recitation, Jia Xiutai drained the remaining wine from his cup, and coldly laughed, saying: "Some people may die, but their crimson heart will shine forever; some people may live, but they are nothing more than a stinking bag of flesh. In the past, Wen Wengong was imprisoned in the capital for three years without yielding, and died a heroic death; nowadays, scholars only know how to fawn upon foreigners, seeking fame and fortune from them, with hardly any of them having backbone... How shameful! How pitiful!" The wine shop owner listened to his unbridled words, growing more and more intolerant, until he suddenly grabbed Jia Xiutai's chest and shouted: "If you say one more word, I'll throw you out... Ah..." Amidst the sound of screams, the wine shop owner's large body was lifted into the air and sent tumbling down to the floor below.

  Everyone was shocked, but Liang Xiao knew that Jia Xiutai had martial arts skills. The waiter stretched out his hand to pull him back, but was instead grabbed by the chest and thrown away. However, he moved too quickly, and ordinary people couldn't understand what happened. Feng Lian also saw it and thought that this rascal's abilities were not small. She then heard a shout, and the waiter flew up to the second floor again, accurately hitting Jia Xiutai. Jia Xiutai laughed and said, "You've come at just the right time." He stretched out his folding fan and swept it across the waiter's waist, turning him over. However, the person downstairs had used too much force in throwing him, and the waiter's two feet touched the ground but he couldn't stop himself, rolling towards Liang Xiao. He was both shocked and frightened, loudly wailing, but Liang Xiao remained calm, casually supporting the waiter's waist with his hand. The waiter suddenly stopped moving, feeling his legs go soft, and plopped down onto the floor, his face already pale.

  Jia Xiutai secretly clenched his fist, this group of borrowed strength had a force of several hundred catties, intending to knock Liang Xiao off balance and make him fall over. Unexpectedly, the foreigner lifted him up with ease, carelessly supporting him. Just as he was surprised and suspicious, suddenly loud thuds echoed from the stairs, mixed with heavy panting sounds, and in an instant, a fat head emerged from the staircase entrance. The face was almost invisible under layers of fatty flesh, and the whole body shook and trembled with each step up the stairs, dripping with sweat.

  Jia Xiutai stared at the man, his eyes wide with surprise. The man walked straight to his table, pulled out a stool and sat down, but heard a cracking sound, the stool broke in two, and the man fell to the ground. Fortunately, the floor was thick and sturdy, and it made a soft creaking sound as it held him up. The man panted heavily, muttering: "Just sit on the ground, just sit on the ground!" Jia Xiutai finally came back to his senses, exclaiming in surprise: "Bai La'er, is that you?" The man's small eyes flashed with anger, and he said coarsely: "Jia San, are you pretending not to recognize me? Hmph, you owe me 500 taels of Snowflake Silver, and now you're here!"

  Jia Xiutai gazed at him for a while, then suddenly clutched his belly and burst into loud laughter. Bai Laore shouted in anger: "Laughing at your ancestors!" He picked up two broken stools from the ground, one in each hand, and threw them at Jia Xiutai. Jia Xiutai lowered his head, fanning left and right with his fan, sweeping away one of the stools which flew out the window and fell into the river, while the other stool crashed against the wall. Bai Laore jumped up, waving his palm, and Jia Xiutai retreated half a step, fanning and smiling: "Bai Laore, don't be impatient, you can't beat me like this." Bai Laore shouted: "Less nonsense, return my silver!" Jia Xiutai smiled: "Bai Laore, we're sworn brothers after all, why quibble over a mere 500 taels of silver?"

  Bai Bu Chi took a bite, scolding: "You farting brother, half of the silver is borrowed, and half is cheated by you. I can lose money on silver, but I won't be fooled." Jia Xiucan's eyes rolled around, thinking of a countermeasure, when suddenly someone downstairs chuckled and said: "Bai Bu Chi is right, a life for a life, a debt repaid with money, Jia Xiucan, you cheating people out of their wealth is even more wrong." A yellow shadow flashed by, and a woman holding a pipa appeared, standing elegantly in the middle of the floor. Feng Lian whispered: "This person's lightness skill is quite impressive."

  A woman in a yellow shirt and green skirt, about thirty years old, with a clear and beautiful face, and a mole on her eyebrow that added to her elegance. Jia Xiucan smiled and said: "Jin Cuiyu, when did you get together with Bai Buxiao?" The woman in the yellow shirt scolded: "You're a good-for-nothing, your tongue is rotten to your gut! I'm just stating the facts." Jia Xiucan laughed and said: "Alright, today I'll admit defeat. Bai Buxiao, let's make a bet. If you win, I'll double the silver back to you. If you lose, 500 taels of silver will be thrown into the river." Jin Cuiyu said: "You're up to something again, good-for-nothing! White Second Brother, don't fall for his trick!"

  White didn't eat, his small eyes spinning rapidly, slapped his thigh and shouted: "Bet, how do you bet?" Jin Cuiyu sighed and shook her head slightly. Jia Xiucan took out three copper coins from his pocket and smiled: "My method is very simple, called 'look up at the sky to cast a divination, fall to the ground to return money', I will throw these three divination coins into the air, if one of them falls to the ground, it means I lose, if none of them fall, it means you lose." White didn't eat thought: "A poor household actually wants to compete with me in speed." A faint smile appeared on his chubby face.

  Jin Cuifei rolled her eyes and smiled, "You're a poor loser, White No-Eat. Your 'Cloud Hand' technique is no match for me in the Guanluo region. If you try to throw the copper coins far away, your lightness skill won't be enough to save you from losing." Jia Xiucun's face changed color, and White No-Eat suddenly realized, "If it weren't for Old Four Jin reminding me, I would have fallen for it again." He immediately spoke seriously, "Jia Lao San, I'll add a condition: the copper coins cannot be thrown out of the pavilion. If they are, that's considered losing too." Jia Xiucun shrugged and said, "Alright, watch closely." With a flick of his hand, three copper coins shot out, and before White No-Eat could react, they all sank into the beam with a hiss.

  Jin Cuiyu was stunned, shaking his head and sighing: "You're a ruthless one, Broken House." Jia Xiuzai glanced at Bai Buke with a smile: "Bai Buke, what's going on?" The copper coin had fallen into an extremely deep place, and the only way to retrieve it was to shatter the beam. Bai Buke shouted angrily, jumping up, but he was too fat, and his jump only reached three feet. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a stool and threw it at the wooden beam.

  Jin Cuiyu saw, slender fingers slightly curved, on the pipa a strum and a pluck, with a clang, a yellow light burst out from between her fingers, striking the long bench in mid-air. The yellow light landed, revealing a small brass hairpin. Jin Cuiyu had struck down the long bench with just this small hairpin, although she had borrowed the strength of the pipa strings, it was still quite astonishing.

  "Alright, alright," said Jin Cuiyu with a smile, picking up the abacus. "White Brother, let's not demolish someone's wine shop for 500 taels of silver! What would we do when the Divine Eagle Envoy arrives?" White Bu Chi snorted in anger, and Jia Xiucan suddenly opened his broken fan, laughing: "White Bu Chi, you agreed that if a single copper coin fell to the ground, you'd lose." White Bu Chi's eyes blazed with fury, but seeing Jin Cuiyu's expression, he stomped his foot and shouted: "Fine, I admit defeat!" He sat back down on the ground, still fuming.

  Jin Cuiyu sat down with a pipa in her arms, smiling and saying: "Three of the four heroes from Guanluo have arrived, how come Chi Lao Da hasn't come yet?" Jia Xiucan said: "You were also summoned by Chi Lao Da?" Jin Cuiyu said: "Yes, I heard that the Divine Eagle Envoy has arrived." Jia Xiucan poured a cup of wine and smiled: "The Divine Eagle Envoy hasn't crossed the Yellow River in three years! This time he comes back, deliberately choosing to gather at the Jiuchu Pavilion, causing me, the host, to lose a lot of money. It's really terrible!" Jin Cuiyu covered her mouth and laughed lightly: "If the Divine Eagle Envoy hears this, it will be even worse."

  Jia Xiutai smiled and said, "Bai Ergou, let's talk about it, how did you change your appearance?" Jin Cuiyu also asked with concern, "Yes, three years without seeing each other, Second Brother, you've gained weight." Bai Bu Chi glared with anger, saying, "Gained weight? I'm suffering from a disaster!" Jin Cuiyu was shocked and said, "What do you mean by that?" Bai Bu Chi patted his round belly and said angrily, "If there's a way, who would want to look like this? Hmph, I've been harmed by someone!" Jia Xiutai and Jin Cuiyu looked at each other in surprise. Jia Xiutai composed himself and said, "Tell us what happened, the four heroes of Guanluo will stand together as one, and Jia will risk his life to help you."

  Bai Bu Chi's eyes flashed with emotion, and he sighed: "Three years ago, Chi Lao Da asked me to collect grain for future events. I worked hard to gather 20,000 dan of grain and stored it at home. Who would have thought that the Yellow River flooded that year, washing away the fields nearby? Suddenly, many refugees came to my door asking for food. Alas, brothers and sisters, it wasn't that I was stingy with family wealth, but rather because Chi Lao Da entrusted me with this task, I couldn't just give out grain...". Jia Xiu Cai spoke seriously: "Bai Er Ge, this is not right. In times of crisis, people in the jianghu help each other without hesitation. Opening the granary to relieve disaster is a matter of course." Bai Bu Chi sighed and said regretfully: "Now that I think about it, you're absolutely right. At the time, I was confused and drove away those refugees with a stick... Alas, this is all in the past. You know I'm a glutton and love to eat, which is why I have the nickname Bai Bu Chi. That day, after driving away the refugees, I killed chickens and cows, prepared a sumptuous feast, invited some friends, and even found some courtesans to indulge in food and drink at home..."

  Jia Xiutai put away his folding fan and sneered, "The rich have meat to eat, the poor have bones to freeze on the road. Bai Laore, at that time I saw you wanting to turn against me." Jin Cuiyu also sighed, "You're right, this move greatly violates chivalrous principles. If Chi Lao Da finds out, who knows how he'll deal with you?" White Not Eating's eyes rolled upwards and he shouted loudly, "I'm saying it in front of all of you, I don't care about life or death anymore. What's the difference when I've become like this, anyway? It's not living, but not dying either." His words were filled with great despair.

  Jia Xiutai exclaimed, "Could it be that a noble person has come to discuss justice?" Bai Buji nodded and said, "Everyone was eating and drinking happily when three people suddenly arrived outside the door. The leader of the group was quite polite and spoke some kind words, saying something about Heaven's blessings and asking me to open the granary to help the people. At that time, I was drunk and didn't take them seriously, so I said: 'Release the grain? I'd rather drink the northwest wind! If you keep making noise, I'll use you as a side dish for my wine, I've eaten everything except humans!' I also said many other rude things. However, that person had a good temper and didn't get angry or impatient no matter how unpleasantly I spoke. He just kept speaking kindly. I got annoyed and, fueled by the excitement of drinking, went forward to fight, but unexpectedly, the helpers he brought were very tough and with one push, they sent me flying..." Jin Cuiyu was shocked and asked, "Were you drunk?"

  Bai refused to eat, shaking his head and saying: "What are you talking about? Second brother, I have a share of wine and a share of energy. Moreover, that day was just right, not yet reaching the point of intoxication." Jia Xiucan shook his folding fan and coldly smiled: "People can make mistakes, horses can slip, one move can also be wrong." He and Bai had similar martial arts skills, but hearing that he lost with one move, he felt somewhat discontented.

  "I thought the same at that time, I flipped over and kicked him in the abdomen. Who knew I was caught again by the ankle and thrown to the ground once more. I refused to give up, got up again, but was thrown down again. After being thrown back and forth five or six times, I was finally awakened. However, as a martial artist, even if you lose a fight, you can't lose your breath. My anger surged, I grabbed a large spear from the weapon rack, thinking that to capture the thief, one must first capture the king, and thrust it at the leader of the group. Unexpectedly, those hands laughed and stretched out, grasping the spearhead again, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't retrieve it." Upon hearing this, Jia and Jin exchanged a glance, their faces slightly pale.

  The man who was in charge sighed and said, "Bai Bu Chi, I'll ask you again: are you willing to open your granary and distribute the grain?" I gambled on his tone and immediately refused. The man said, "Fine, the grain is yours, I won't force you. But you beat up starving people, which is wrong; outside, there's suffering everywhere, but you indulge in drinking and pleasure, how can you bear it? And now, you're using cruel tactics to take people's lives. For these three reasons, I'll punish you." I said, "You have the guts to kill me? You want me to lower my head? Absolutely not!" The man said, "I won't kill you, but I've heard that you love good food and drink, so I'll punish you: for three years, you can't eat meat or drink wine." I asked, "Do you plan on locking me up?" The man smiled and said, "I don't have the leisure to do that. If you change your ways within three years, I'll lift the ban, but if you reveal my whereabouts even a little bit, you'll never see me again." After saying this, he called over two helpers and left. I listened to his harsh words, but thought it was all bark and no bite, so I scorned him in my heart, cursed at him, and continued drinking and eating with the others. Who would have thought that the next morning, I'd wake up feeling sore all over, my body swollen? I didn't think much of the injury from the previous day and went out to eat and drink with friends again. This went on for three or five days, each day more painful than the last, until the seventh day when my whole body felt like it was going to explode! Alas, I, Bai Bu Chi, thought I was a tough guy, but I was in so much pain that I almost died. But no matter how many doctors I sought out, none of them understood what was wrong with me.

  Bai Bu Chi's face was filled with bitterness as he said, "I'm telling you, it's all because of that person. Jin Cui Yu asked, "Bai Er Ge, didn't that person do something to you before he left?" Bai Bu Chi replied, "I'm also puzzled, that person didn't move a single finger from start to finish, how could he have plotted against me? But I was in so much pain, and suddenly remembered what that person said. I quickly called for someone to cook some vegetables and radishes for me to eat. It's strange, but after eating vegetarian food for a few days, my pain reduced significantly. I ate vegetarian food for three consecutive days, and the pain completely disappeared. However, when I practiced my martial arts, my movements felt slightly sluggish. When I looked in the mirror, I was shocked to see that I had gained weight. As you both know, I love to eat meat and drink liquor, how could I bear to eat vegetarian food every day? After four or five days, I couldn't resist the temptation again, and this time there were no adverse effects. Unbeknownst to me, my body began to expand like a balloon, growing bigger and bigger each day. In just one month's time, I transformed from a robust man into a big fat pig-like person. It wasn't until then that I understood the meaning behind that person's words, and I couldn't help but feel afraid. I started eating vegetarian food again, but I was worried that after three years, that person wouldn't come to save me, and I would be forced to open my granary to feed the starving people. Alas, I'm used to eating meat and drinking liquor, how could I give up those delicious foods? Every ten days or half a month, I would break my vow and indulge in meat and liquor again. And so, three years passed, and I ended up looking like this." He let out a long sigh.

  "Hasn't that person arrived yet?" Jia Xiutai asked. Bai Buxi's face fell, and he said, "Perhaps the time has not come, or perhaps they have forgotten. Besides, I've become so fat, who knows if there's still hope for me?" Jin Cuiyu angrily said, "Killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, using such cruel methods to torture people is too hateful!" Jia Xiutai laughed and said, "I think this plan is absolutely wonderful, this is called self-inflicted suffering!" Bai Buxi angrily said, "Jia Laosan, are you trying to get under my skin?" Jia Xiutai was annoyed that he wouldn't open the granary to help the people, and with a hint of mockery, laughed and said, "As the saying goes, it's better to live in shame than to die in glory. Second brother, try to be more open-minded. We three haven't met for a long time, today we must get drunk together, hahaha!" Bai Buxi glared at him with anger and shouted, "You're trying to make things difficult for me on purpose, aren't you?" Jia Xiutai laughed and said, "You've already become so fat, getting fatter once more won't matter. The 'Yellow River Carp' of the Jiǔ Qū Gé is unparalleled in the world, its flavor is rich and tender, today we can't not eat it." Bai Buxi's eyes widened in anger, and he panted heavily. Jia Xiutai beckoned to the wine server with a wave of his hand: "Wang Xiaoliu." The wine server saw that he was showing off his skills, and although he hated him in his heart, he repeatedly responded with agreement.

  Jia Xiutai smiled and said, "Let's have two yellow river carp to go with the wine for Master." Feng Lian heard this and her heart itched, so she said, "I want one too!" As soon as she spoke, the little servant boy also chimed in unison, "Me too!" Feng Lian glanced at him and smiled slightly. The little servant boy was embarrassed by her smile, his small face turning bright red, and he opened a small golden fan to cover his face. On the fan was painted a sprig of orchid grass, with several lines of cursive script on the edge. When Liang Xiao saw those written characters, his eyes changed slightly.

  The wine keeper swept a glance over the crowd, and said coldly, "Sorry, these two days the wind is high and the waves are urgent, not a single fisherman dares to go down to the river to catch fish. This big carp, really doesn't exist." Jia Xiucan looked away, the river was surging with waves, the rain was pouring down like hemp, knowing that what the wine keeper said was true, and couldn't help but feel disappointed.

  Just as the wine shop owner was about to retreat, he suddenly heard someone on the river singing loudly: "I've lived by the great river for a long time, not relying on heaven or earth. My small boat rides the waves, and I catch fish to pay for my drinks." The song was loud and clear, covering up the sound of the rain hitting the trees, and had a stirring effect. Liang Xiao followed the sound with his eyes, and saw a small boat floating up and down on the waves, with a boatman standing on it, wearing a rain cape and a bamboo hat, rowing with both oars, rising and falling with the boat but never being engulfed by the wind and waves.

  Before long, the boat arrived under the building. The boatman tied up the boat and held two carp in his left hand and a long pole in his right hand, which he used to steady himself on the shore. With a slight push of his hands, he glided through the window like a swallow flying through clouds and landed lightly in the center of the room. He laughed and said: "You three have arrived early." Zhai Xiucai and the other two had already stood up and bowed their hands, laughing and saying: "Old Pool". The boatman opened his bamboo hat and revealed himself to be Chi Xiao Yu, the leader of the four heroes of Guanluo. He was over fifty years old, with a refined and elegant demeanor, and his temples were already gray. He held up two big carp that were jumping about and said: "The wind on the river is strong, ordinary people can't get into the water. I was afraid there wouldn't be any fish to eat, which would have ruined everyone's fun. So I especially went early to the river to catch a couple."

  Jin Cuiyu laughed and said, "Big brother is meticulous as a hair, really thinking thoroughly." Jia Xiucan said, "Wrong, it should be little brother's mind occupying one divination, not yet divined but already knowing, so I pointed out this good dish, specially waiting for Pool Old Big's carp." Jin Cuiyu gave him a white eye and snorted, "Declining household, your ghostly divination is almost enough to cheat fools." Jia Xiucan made a surprised expression and said, "Strange, did I deceive you?" Jin Cuiyu was so angry that her face turned pale, about to scold. Chi Xianyu stretched out his hand to separate the two, laughing loudly and saying, "Old three, old four, I thought you two would have been married for three years without seeing each other, how are you still so stubborn?" Jin Cuiyu's face was swollen red, her lotus feet stomping once, angrily saying, "Pool Old Big, don't speak nonsense, which good woman in the world would marry this despicable and shameless declining household who deceives people?" Jia Xiucan snorted and lazily said, "Are you a good woman? I think it's like a pig's nose inserting big scallions - pretending to be an elephant!" Feng Lian watched with amusement, thinking, "This guy is fine otherwise, but this dragging long tone is especially annoying."

  As expected, Jin Cui's face sank again, and Chi Xianyu waved his hand with a smile: "Blame me for being too talkative, you two want to vent your anger on me!" As soon as he said this, the two of them couldn't argue anymore. Chi Xianyu saw that Bai Bu Chi was not eating and looked plump, furrowing his brow just about to ask, when suddenly a soft and tender child's voice said: "Old sir, how much does this carp sell for?" Chi Xianyu turned his head to look over, but it was the little boy from the corner of the house who was dressed like an old man. He couldn't help but chuckle and say: "Little friend, isn't your adult at home?" The little boy's face sank, and he said in a low voice: "Who is your little friend? Hmph, do you think I'm not big enough?" Chi Xianyu was taken aback, and burst out laughing. He compared the length of his two fingers and laughed, saying: "It's just this big!" The little boy's face looked even more unpleasant, and he started to get angry: "Old man selling fish should just sell fish, why so much nonsense?" Chi Xianyu's expression changed slightly, and Bai Bu Chi, who had a violent temper, got angry and said: "You little brat, are you trying to die? Speaking to your grandfather like that?"

  The little boy sneered, "Is he worthy of being my grandfather? Hmph, one finger of my grandfather can crush all four of you!" Bai was furious and jumped up suddenly. Chi Xianyu stretched out his hand to stop him, thinking, "This child is fearless, could he be the son of a noble family? Moreover, Guan Luo's Four Heroes are old, how can they be treated as ordinary children?" He smiled faintly and said, "Little friend, this fish isn't for sale!" The little boy pouted, "You're old in years and your face is also old, you don't blush even when telling lies." Chi Xianyu was surprised, "How did I tell a lie?" The little boy said, "When you were singing just now, didn't you say 'catching fish to make drinking money'? Now you say it's not for sale, going back on your word, that's not being a good man."

  The young boy's eyes widened in surprise, and he thought to himself: "After all, this is just a child, I was just joking with him." But he had always been proud and wouldn't go back on his word, even when facing women and children. He thought for a moment and said: "I said it would be like that, but I'm afraid you won't be able to afford it." The young boy raised an eyebrow, reached into his waistband, and pulled out a string of pearls, which he clattered onto the table. The pearls were each larger than a thumb, smooth and lustrous, emitting a soft glow.

  Everyone was shocked and amazed that this young child had such a precious treasure, and they couldn't help but stare at the pearl. The child suddenly opened up a small golden fan and smiled, "Is this string of pearls enough?" Chi Xianyu took a deep breath, moved his eyes away from the pearl necklace, looked at Liang Xiao's disciples, and said seriously, "Young friend, an ordinary person is not guilty, but possessing treasure is a crime. Quickly put the pearls away so that bad people don't see them." The child raised his head, sneered coldly, and said, "I have my own plans, no need for you to worry."

  The little boy looked puzzled, and Chi Yan Yu laughed and said: "Look at your clothes, you must be the son of a scholarly family. I'll give you a couplet to test you. If you answer correctly, I'll give you the fish for free. If not, haha, don't blame me!" The little boy smiled and said: "Couplet? That's my specialty!"

  "Ha! This young whippersnapper doesn't know the height of heaven or the thickness of earth. Can he really match wits with me?" After a brief pause, he chuckled and said: "The other day, the weather was stifling, and I strolled along the riverbank. I saw a carp jumping out of the water to breathe. Unexpectedly, a plum from the tree on the shore fell into the water and hit the carp right on the head. Ah, young one, I'll use this as a theme and come up with an upper verse: 'Plum hits carp, carp sinks to the bottom, carp sinks, plum floats.'" Jia Xiucai clapped his hands in delight, saying: "This upper verse is ingenious, but I'm afraid it's a bit too difficult!"

  The little boy thought to himself, "This pair is related to the carp, and it's a perfect match. The sound of 'Li' is similar to that of the carp, but it's not good enough." He furrowed his brow and looked towards the corner of the room, where he saw a pot of autumn chrysanthemum placed as decoration. A bee was trapped inside by the rain and flew around the flower, when suddenly a strong gust of wind blew into the room, causing the bee to fall to the ground. The little boy's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "The wind blows the bee, the bee falls to the ground, the wind stops and the bee flies again." As soon as he finished speaking, the wind stopped, and the bee flew back up into the air. Chi Xianyu was taken aback, clapped his hands in praise, and said, "Wonderful match, wonderful match!" He was a straightforward person who acknowledged defeat graciously, and was about to hand over the carp when Bai Buji interrupted him, saying, "Wait!" Chi Xianyu asked, "Bai Laodier, what do you have to say?" Bai Buji replied, "Chi Laoda, how can the four heroes of Guanluo be defeated by a mere child?"

  Jia Xiutai chuckled and lazily said, "Bai La'er is right." Jin Cuiyu didn't speak, but her eyes showed agreement. Chi Xianyu thought to himself, "These three siblings are all proud and arrogant, if I were to hand over the carp to them, they would definitely lose face." Then he said, "Alright, what do you think?"

  Bai Bu Chi said, "We're businessmen, not as refined and talented as Eldest Brother and Fourth Brother, but since it's a competition, I'll test this kid's arithmetic skills." Chi Xian Yu thought to herself, "Second Brother is obviously trying to make things difficult for him. This kid just got lucky with the couplet, you're good at managing finances and calculating precisely, how can he compare to you in arithmetic?" But she couldn't say it out loud due to their relationship, so she listened as the young boy chuckled and said, "Okay, go ahead and give me a problem." Bai Bu Chi looked at him with a calm demeanor, but his heart was slightly itching, and after clearing his throat, he said, "There are 7 catties of live carp and 2 catties of grass carp, totaling 426 copper coins..."

  Jia Xiutai interrupted, "A few pounds of fish, how can it be so expensive?" Bai Bu Chi snorted, "You don't understand anything. When something is scarce, its value increases. Now that the river is not yielding any fish, naturally the price has gone up. Ah, let's not waste words. Suppose we caught three pounds of carp and four pounds of grass carp today, for a total of 280 coins. Tell me, how much would each pound of carp and grass carp cost?" He finished speaking in one breath, then picked up his teacup and took a sip, looking at the young boy with a pleased expression. The young boy smiled faintly and said, "This is just a simple subtraction problem." Bai Bu Chi's teacup suddenly fell to the ground with a clatter.

  The little boy took a pair of chopsticks and arranged them to the left and right, saying: "Right carp, left grass carp. Multiply the seven rows on the right by the left row, then subtract three times from the right row. The result is that each catty of grass carp costs 31 cents. Substitute this into the right row, and you can get that each catty of carp costs 52 cents." White Not Eating was stunned, his mouth watering uncontrollably as he watched him finish calculating. Pool Admiring Fish couldn't help but laugh and say: "What a clever kid! I wonder who his parents are, they must be envied by others." White Not Eating wiped away his saliva and angrily said: "No, no, start over!" Golden Peacock Feather laughed and said: "White Second Brother, you've met an expert. As the saying goes, 'an amateur meets a master, don't provoke him, losing face once is enough.' Let him listen to me play a tune, guess what song it is." The little boy passed two tests in a row, his eyebrows flying and his face flushed with excitement, smiling and saying: "Please, please!"

  "Is this young child not yet familiar with music?" Jin Cuiyu thought to herself, forcing a smile as she held her pipa and sat up straight, plucking the strings to test the sound. The little boy closed his eyes, shaking his head in praise: "The turning of the axis and the plucking of the strings are only two or three notes, but they already have emotion." Jin Cuiyu was delighted by the child's praise, her heart bursting with joy as she covered her mouth to laugh: "This young child is so sweet-tongued and silver-mouthed at such a young age, won't he be able to deceive people to death when he grows up?" Zhai Xiuzai coldly sneered: "What's the point of flattering? The child is still wet behind the ears, can his words be taken seriously?"

  Jin Cuiyu shot him a glance, gritting her teeth in silent rebuke: "This fool truly doesn't understand the nuances of music." She adjusted her expression and plucked the strings, and at first, the melody was smooth and leisurely, clear and elegant. The audience felt as if they were standing by a mountain stream, with distant mountains and far-off waters unfolding before their eyes; but then the notes suddenly changed, becoming low and mournful, like the calls of birds in an empty mountain, answering each other from afar. Just when the audience was about to become completely entranced, Jin Cuiyu removed her silver hairpin, and with a flick of her wrist, she drew a stroke across the air, and the pipa's sound burst forth like a mighty warrior drawing his sword, a general donning his armor, with the sound of galloping horses and shouting crowds rushing forward like a tidal wave. In an instant, the audience felt as if they were on a bloody battlefield, with the wind howling around them, and the clash of swords ringing out. But just when the music reached its climax, the notes suddenly dropped to a low, mournful tone, like the sound of a river flowing sluggishly, a defeated horse whinnying, the distant sun setting behind the hills, the sky and earth bathed in blood, with an even greater sense of desolation added to the somber mood. This round of pipa music flowed away like water, gradually slowing down, until it finally changed back to a bright and clear tone, rising up like a swirling eddy in the river, carrying aloft a wheel of ice. In this way, the music ebbed and flowed for the length of an incense stick, and when the piece ended, the sound dispersed, and nothing more was heard.

  The room was quiet for a moment, and Chi Xianyu let out a long sigh and said, "It's been three years since we last met, and Fourth Sister's pipa skills have become even more exquisite." Jin Cuiyu bowed her head and smiled, "I'm grateful to receive Big Brother's praise." She gazed at the child with beautiful eyes and asked, "Little one, can you tell what tune this is?" The child, who had been listening with his eyes closed, opened them and laughed, saying, "Is this a tune?"

  The golden phoenix's face changed slightly, but then a young boy shook his head and said: "This tune is divided into five sections. The first section has a elegant melody, it's 'High Mountain and Flowing Water'. The second section has a sense of emptiness in the mountains, with a hint of mystery, it must be 'Fisherman and Woodcutter's Dialogue'. The third section suddenly changes to a heroic tone, it's a part of 'Ambush from Ten Sides' about the struggle between Chu and Han. The fourth section is desolate and mournful, it's the tune of 'Evening Sun and Xiao Drum'. As for the last section, with the moon shining on the great river, it must be Chen Houzhu's 'Spring River Flower Moon Night'." He spoke with relish, his innocence revealed, his hands dancing and feet tapping.

  Jin Cuiyu was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly sighed and said: "Little kid, you really have your own opinions." The little boy smiled and said: "Your pipa playing is extremely good, it's even more difficult to mix the five tunes into one tune, connecting them seamlessly without revealing any traces. However, there are still some minor flaws in your technique!" Jin Cuiyu couldn't help but say when she heard him speak with such an air of authority: "I don't know what flaws you're referring to, please enlighten me?" The little boy said: "Women usually lack wrist strength when playing the pipa. Your finger techniques, such as 'lun zhi' and 'gun zhi', are not yet extremely smooth, there's a slight stiffness at the joints." Bai Buji was furious and said: "My fourth sister's pipa skills are unmatched, what nonsense are you spouting?"

  Jin Cuiyu listened attentively, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. When she heard the words, she said, "Second Brother, don't be angry, this child is telling the truth." Bai Bu Chi was taken aback, but then he saw Jin Cuiyu roll up her sleeve, revealing a wrist as white as snow, and at the joint of her palm and wrist, there was a thin, long red scar. Jin Cuiyu said, "My younger sister's hand was cut off two years ago!" Everyone was shocked by this revelation, and Chi Xian Yu asked, "How did this happen?" Bai Bu Chi jumped up, exclaiming, "Who has such great audacity?!" Jia Xiucan pursed his lips, saying nothing, but a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

  Jin Cuiyu said, "Two years ago, I was singing on the Western Liang Road when I met the two ghosts of Liangzhou." Bai Buxiang angrily said, "Good, are those ghostly brats again?" Jin Cuiyu said, "Exactly. We killed five of the seven ghosts of Liangzhou, leaving only Da Gui and San Gui. These two beasts slaughtered a village, killing people and stealing goods without mercy, and even insulted the women in the village. Since I encountered them, how could I just stand by?" Jia Xiucan suddenly whispered, "Da Gui and San Gui have excellent martial arts skills!" Jin Cuiyu's face sank, and she shouted, "Eliminating evil and supporting the weak is a knight's duty. Don't mention Da Gui and San Gui, even if I met a great demon like Liang Shao, I wouldn't retreat half a step."

  Feng Lian's heart skipped a beat as soon as she heard the two words "Liang Xiao", and she couldn't help but glance at her master, only to see him calm and collected, lowering his head to down the strong liquor in one gulp. Feng Lian was filled with doubts, and she suppressed her temper to listen carefully.

  Jia Xiutai asked, "Fourth sister is right, but how did you manage to win out when you were alone and in danger?" Jin Cuifei gave him a white eye and said, "I took advantage of the surprise attack and used the 'Five Sound Arrows' to shoot dead three ghosts, but I didn't hurt the big ghost. That guy was quite fierce, his wind-splitting knife was so fast that water couldn't get in, and while fighting he said some dirty words to disturb my mind. I fought with him for over 50 rounds, and due to a moment of carelessness, he cut off my right hand. He took advantage of the situation and used the move 'Wind Rolls Up the Clouds', swinging his knife towards my neck..." Jia Xiutai couldn't help but interrupt her, "What happened next?" Jin Cuifei angrily said, "What could have happened? You think I'd let him chop me up, take a good look, am I human or ghost?"

  Jia Xiutai rubbed his head and chuckled, saying: "Three points like a human, seven points like a ghost." Jin Cuiyu spat and said seriously: "When I was in a critical situation, I suddenly heard the sound of wind whistling by my ear, and a stone flew over from the side of my ear, hitting that wind-splitting knife far away. The big ghost's mouth was bleeding as he retreated five steps, but he was also clever and knew that someone powerful had arrived, so he turned around and ran. Unexpectedly, another stone flew in and hit his back, causing the big ghost to fall to the ground. I rushed forward and saw that the thief had only closed off his acupoints, thinking that I should eliminate evil thoroughly, without saying a word, I raised my pipa and smashed his head into pulp."

  "Refreshing, refreshing! From now on, the Western Liang Road will have a few more points of peace." Jin Cuiyu nodded and smiled, saying: "I killed the big ghost, turned around to look, and saw three people standing behind me. I made a courtesy and thanked them, but one of them shook his head and sighed, 'Sister, your method is too ruthless, why must it be you or me?' I felt that this remark was absurd and didn't take it seriously. At this time, another person rushed forward, picked up my severed hand, and said: 'I'll reconnect it for you.' I don't know what technique he used, but he stretched out his hand and sealed off my blood vessels, then took out a small needle and thread, and in three or two stitches, reattached my severed hand. From start to finish, I only felt numbness and no pain in my arm. The person who reattached my wrist also applied some medicine and gave me a prescription, instructing me on how to take it internally and externally. I didn't dare to slack off, so I followed his instructions and found a place to recuperate for three months. My wrist healed like new, and after another half year, I could play the pipa again. Alas, as the little girl said, this hand will never be as agile as before, and when playing at the joints, there is always a bit of stiffness."

  The little boy interrupted, "If the broken hand can be reattached, that person's medical skills are amazing!" The crowd nodded in agreement. Bai Bu Chi thought for a moment and asked, "Old Fourth, what did those three people look like?" Jin Cuiyu sighed, "The three benefactors forbade me from revealing their whereabouts, please forgive me, Second Brother." Bai Bu Chi said, "Then at least you can say whether the person who reattached your wrist was male or female?" Jin Cuiyu hesitated for a moment before saying, "It was a man, very young." Bai Bu Chi furrowed his brow and muttered to himself, "That doesn't seem right." Jia Xiucai asked, "What doesn't seem right?" Bai Bu Chi just shook his head without speaking.

  Feng Lian listened with interest and looked back at Liang Xiao, seeing him staring out the window in a daze. He said, "Master, there's actually such a medical technique in the world, it's truly amazing!" Liang Xiao replied calmly, "Reattaching a severed hand is nothing, there are even more powerful medical techniques in the world!" Feng Lian laughed and said, "I suppose you can't reattach a chopped-off head?" Liang Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled wryly and said, "That's not possible." Feng Lian chuckled and stuck out his tongue, when he heard Jin Cuiyu say, "This little kid is really something, even able to pick up on this subtle point. Truly, it's a case of 'the family teaches the child well'! I, Jin Cuiyu, am convinced. Big Brother, give him the carp!"

  "Wait a minute! Let me cast a divination first to see if this carp is auspicious or not." Jin Cuiyu said displeased, "You're just making up nonsense again!" Jia Xiutai took out three copper coins and smiled, saying, "The Book of Changes says: 'Good fortune and misfortune depend on gain and loss.' Even when building a house, one must consider the timing." He scattered the coins on the table, looked at them, and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! The hexagram is Jia, which says: 'No fish in the bag, disaster will strike. No fish means great calamity for the people far away.' In other words, it's not good if we don't have this carp."

  Jin Cuiyu's mind was clear, and Jia Xiutai often set up a fortune-telling stall at the Dashang Temple. These three copper coins had been manipulated by him to produce a certain hexagram, which he could control at will. No matter what he said, he could always persuade his customers to part with their money. This hexagram was also deliberately thrown out by him. Just as Jin Cuiyu was about to expose this trick, she heard the little boy laugh and say: "If it's indeed the Jia hexagram, do you remember another sentence of the hexagram?" Jia Xiutai was taken aback and asked: "What is it?" The little boy said: "It says: 'Nine in the second place, wrapped fish, no blame, not beneficial for guests.' That means that keeping the carp will bring no harm to yourself, but it will be very unfavorable for your guests."

  Jia Xiuzai couldn't help but praise: "What a clever little guy! But we're just having a sibling gathering, what guests are there?" The young boy smiled and said: "None? Then I'll ask you, does the Divine Eagle Envoy count as a guest?" The four people's expressions suddenly changed, and they saw that the young boy had flipped his wrist and was now holding a white jade pendant in his hand, crystal clear and shaped like a divine eagle.

  The four Guan brothers stood up at the same time and exclaimed, "Shenying Command!" The little boy smiled and said, "You didn't bring any carp for me, this Shenying messenger is very disadvantageous!" The four brothers looked at each other in surprise. They had come to this gathering because they were summoned by the "Shenying Messenger", but they never expected that the "Shenying Messenger" would be a child.

  The little boy's smile didn't change as he swept his gaze over the four people, saying: "Three years ago when you joined the Divine Eagle Alliance, what did you say? 'Yellow River Husband' Chi Xianyu voluntarily gathered the heroes of the two rivers. How is it now?" Chi Xianyu had a look of shame on his face and said: "Those green forest people all have different hearts, it's hard to give them orders." The little boy said: "Then what about 'Changing Copper into Gold' Bai Bu Chi gathering grain supplies?" Bai Bu Chi was sweating profusely and stuttered: "Two years ago the Yellow River flooded, all the grain was donated." Chi Xianyu heard this with a start, but before he could ask more questions, the little boy said again: "Then 'Qian Zhong Qiu' Jia Xiucan gathering intelligence should also be labor in vain?" Jia Xiucan bowed and smiled: "I dare not, I dare not. I'm just lazy and doing this hard work is not my cup of tea. It's called 'using the right person for the job', it would be better if you gave me a more enjoyable task..." Chi Xianyu couldn't help but scold: "Old Three, don't be rude!" The little boy smiled coldly again and said: "Then what about 'Horseback Pipa' Jin Cuiyu arranging horses?" Jin Cuiyu's face turned white and he said: "This... I injured my wrist at the time and missed that deal to buy horses."

  The little boy opened the small fan made of mud and gold, shook his head and said: "The alliance leader has a high opinion of you all, often saying that the four heroes of Guanluo are the best in the northern martial arts world. But now three years have passed and nothing has been achieved." Bai Bu Chi's face turned red with anger, he shouted like a string of firecrackers: "Nowadays it is the Tartars' world, how can you expect to achieve something so easily? Moreover I..." Before he could finish speaking, only to hear Qi Xuan let out a thunderous roar: "Shut up!" Bai Bu Chi was startled by his shout and suddenly fell silent.

  The gaze of Chi Yan shot towards Liang Xiao like lightning, and he said in a cold voice: "This friend, we have something to discuss, please go downstairs. The wine and food expenses will be borne by me, Chi." Liang Xiao smiled slightly, raised his cup for a sip but did not get up. Bai Bu Chi became annoyed and angrily shouted: "You stinky barbarian, my brother told you to scram!" He rushed forward, pouncing on Liang Xiao's chest with his hands. Jia Xiu Cai knew that Liang Xiao was not someone to be trifled with and called out: "Bai Er Ye, don't be rash..." But Bai Bu Chi, although stout in build, had the "Cloud Hand" technique which was unparalleled in Guanzhong. Before Jia Xiu Cai's words were even out of his mouth, he had already grabbed onto Liang Xiao's shoulder. Suddenly, he saw Liang Xiao lower his shoulders and raise his hands, with a large sleeve flipping up to cover Bai Bu Chi's hand. With a gentle wave, he said: "Catch it." Bai Bu Chi only felt a whirlpool of energy surge forward, and his body moved involuntarily like a spinning top towards Jia Xiu Cai.

  Jia Xiutai had previously used this method to tease the wine guard, and now Liang Xiao was using it on Bai Bude. Jia Xiutai saw this and calmly smiled, using a move called "yawn that shakes the heavens", taking a deep breath, and leaning back. This was one of his lifelong masterpieces, the "Lazy Man's Fist", which had the wonderful effect of using four ounces to move a thousand pounds, and he had intended to use it to dissipate Bai Bude's momentum, but unexpectedly Bai Bude was fat and heavy, far beyond what the wine guard could compare to, and this collision also carried Liang Xiao's "whirlpool energy", which was truly not trivial.

  Jia Xiuzai had just received the blow, and suddenly felt a surge of hot blood rushing to his throat. He knew something was wrong and hastily called out: "Older Brother Chi!" He changed his move to "Lazy Man Pushing the Millstone", rubbing his arms together and turning White Not Eating towards Chi Xianyu.

  The fish in the pond envies the horse's steep and sudden sinking. He pushes out with both palms, one in front of the other. His "Lacking Moon Palm Power" is based on the waxing and waning of the moon. With his right palm like a crescent moon, he uses empty force to lead and transform the opponent's rotating force, not letting it affect his body. With his left palm like a full moon, he uses solid force to press against the opponent's back heart. In this way, emptiness and solidity alternate, repeating several times. White Not-Eating only feels his body suddenly light and heavy, his feet suddenly high and low, and suddenly a dizzying array of heaven and earth spinning around him, his legs going soft, sitting on the ground, his fat face like a burst pig's liver.

  Liang Xiao suppressed the three great masters with one sleeve, stretched out his hand and pressed it on the table, and floated down to Xiaotong's side. Jin Cuiyu shouted sternly, her fingers dancing across the strings of the zither, drawing out five small arrows that shot out with a "ting-ting-ting" sound. These five arrows were called the "Five-Tone Arrows", which emitted the five tones of Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, and Yu, varying in speed and trajectory, making them unpredictable.

  Liang Xiao didn't turn his head, but instead used his left hand to flip over and pluck the strings with all five fingers. Each finger hit the arrow shaft, producing a series of clear "ding" sounds. The "Five-Tone Arrows" suddenly changed direction, spinning like a windmill as they flew back towards Jin Cuiyu.

  Jin Cuiyu's heart was chilled, but her hands didn't panic. She raised her pipa and strummed several clear notes, causing the five small arrows to hang suspended in mid-air once more. Liang Xiao saw that her technique for catching the arrows was incredibly refined, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration. His right hand moved swiftly and surely, still reaching out towards Xiaotong.

  Xiaotong may have been young, but he didn't panic either. With a wave of his left palm, his right hand's index and middle fingers shot out from below, pointing at Liang Xiao's acupuncture points. Liang Xiao smiled and said, "The 'Piercing Flower Butterfly Shadow' technique?" Xiaotong's heart was thrown into disarray when his martial arts move was called out, and before he knew it, his wrist was already being tightly grasped.

  Guan Lu's four heroes saw the divine eagle messenger being captured, and none of them were not shocked and angry. Jia Xiūcái rushed out, using "Sun Above Three Staves" to directly strike Liang Xiao's face gate. Just as Liang Xiao was about to disentangle, Jia Xiūcái shifted his body to the right, changing to "Lazy Woman Embroidering Flowers", with swift and nimble hands and feet, he directly dug into Liang Xiao's waist eye.

  Liang Xiao looked at his fist method with interest, slightly feeling curious, and grabbed the little boy with his right hand. With his left hand, he began to exchange blows with him. In an instant, Jia Xiucan used a series of moves from "Lazy Man Fist", including "Stumbling Steps", "Dark Heaven and Earth", "Food Comes Open-Mouthed", and "Clothes Come Outstretched Hands". Although they seemed careless, they were actually cleverly hidden killing moves. As the two exchanged blows, Jia Xiucan used a move called "Drunken Kick South Mountain" to sweep out with his leg, but Liang Xiao countered with a slanted left palm, causing Jia Xiucan to lose his footing and stumble backward. Liang Xiao quickly turned around, stretched out his arm like the wind, and grabbed Jia Xiucan's waist. Jia Xiucan hastily used the move "Lazy Man Removes Clothes" and swiftly dodged away, but not before Liang Xiao had snatched his Confucian robe from him. As Liang Xiao held the robe in his hand, he felt it was slippery and greasy, and upon closer inspection, found that it was covered in dirt and grime. Feeling disgusted, he tossed the robe aside.

  Jia Xiutai sprang to his feet, with only a pair of shorts left on him. He opened his folding fan with a swoosh and laughed loudly: "You stinky thief! Haha, my clothes are treasures, haha, touching them can earn you ten pounds of old mud... Haha..." His laughter was so loud that his face turned red and his ears were burning, but he couldn't stop. Although he dodged Liang Xiao's grab, he was caught by a gust of wind that hit the funny bone on his waist.

  Chi Xiuyu was a straightforward person who didn't like to take advantage of others, so he waited until Jia Xiutalented had fallen before loudly saying: "Your skills are impressive, I've come to learn from you." With one swift step, he leapt forward and slapped out two palms. Liang Xiao only felt the wind from his palms hitting him in the face, and swung up his own palm to meet them. With a smooth motion, he pulled Chi Xiuyu's two palms together so that they stuck in one place. Chi Xiuyu let out a loud shout and used his "Lacking Moon Palm Power", with his left palm solidly striking out and his right palm empty and pulling back. But unexpectedly, the inner energy of his left palm was like a mud cow entering the sea - it vanished without a trace. In an instant, a powerful surge of internal energy burst forth from Liang Xiao's palm and struck Chi Xiuyu's right palm. Chi Xiuyu's right palm had been empty and void, but this unparalleled inner energy crashed into it, causing his body to shake and his face to flush bright red. Hastily, he switched his palms so that the left was empty and the right was solid. But Liang Xiao also used the "Life and Death Way" from the Azure Sea Shocking Wave Palm, using emptiness to counteract solidity and solidity to charge against emptiness. In a brief moment, Chi Xiuyu was struck by the palm energy three times in succession, his face changing from red to green to purple. The other three people saw that something was amiss and cried out in unison: "Old Master Chi!" But they all knew Chi Xiuyu's temper, so although they were anxious, they didn't dare go forward to assist him.

  Liang Xiao saw Chi Xianyu's face turn purple, with a black aura emanating from between his eyebrows. He knew that if he continued for another moment, this person would either die or be injured. Thinking to himself: "These four people are all heroic and chivalrous, it wouldn't be right for me to harm them." He suddenly withdrew his palm force, Chi Xianyu stumbled backward three steps, and Bai Buqi quickly rushed forward to steady him.

  The little boy punched and kicked at Liang Xiao, shouting: "Scarface, let me go!" His small fists were light, and they landed on Liang Xiao's body without making a sound. Liang Xiao was quite self-conscious about the scars on his face, and he became angry, snatching away the little boy's mud-gold fan and coldly saying: "You're surnamed Hua?" The little boy was taken aback, blurting out: "How did you know?" Liang Xiao said: "I've seen 'Chuanhua Dieying Shou' - how could I not know? Besides, apart from the Tianji Palace, where else could raise a freak like you?" The little boy angrily retorted: "You're the freak!"

  Liang Xiao opened the small golden fan, gazing at the line of grass script, and read: "Fragrant flowers fill the courtyard, loving father Liang sends a round mirror to his beloved son." He closed the small golden fan, saying coldly, "Li Qingyuan is your dad, so you should be called Li Jingyuan?" The little boy's face turned bright red as he shouted, "So what? It has nothing to do with you!" Liang Xiao thought to himself: "This child really is Xiaoxiao's younger brother. Back then, I was tricked and caught by his father, and I saw this kid once when he was still in diapers. Now he's grown so big?"

  Hua Jingyuan was taken aback, but then saw Liang Xiao's gaze soften. He couldn't help but stare, and only heard Liang Xiao sigh softly, saying: "Jingyuan, how is your sister?" Hua Jingyuan furrowed his brow: "My sister? I don't have a sister!" Liang Xiao's body shook violently, his heart in turmoil: "It's true, back then, Xiaoshuang risked everything to save me, she must have infuriated Hua Wuyan. The old woman has always been ruthless, back then she forced Xiaoshuang out of the Tianji Palace, this time she might be holding her captive, not allowing her to see her parents and younger brother, or even letting Jingyuan know about his sister... Who knows how much suffering Xiaoshuang has endured over these past ten years..." Hua Jingyuan saw Liang Xiao's face turn pale, his eyes cold and piercing like lightning. Even someone as bold as him couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine. Suddenly, Liang Xiao burst into a loud, menacing laughter, slamming his hand onto the wooden table beside him with a deafening crash, shattering it to pieces.

  Huajingyuan, who had never experienced such a fright before, couldn't help but pout and tears streamed down his face. Feng Lian hastily said: "Master, you've scared him." She stretched out her hand to pull Huajingyuan into her arms, took out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears, and Huajingyuan, comforted by her concern, couldn't stop crying. Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment, then bitterly smiled: "Don't let him escape." Feng Lian looked puzzled and asked: "He's just a child, what do you want with him?" Liang Xiao said: "Don't ask too much, he's not an ordinary child."

  Chi Yan fish finished adjusting his breath and stood up, his face iron-green: "Today 'Guan Luo Four Heroes' was defeated, please ask your master to leave Wan'er here, so that we can understand the defeat!" Feng Lian interjected: "You ask my master? He is 'West magnificent, great Kunlun'!" The four heroes were stunned and didn't understand, Liang Xiao frowned and said: "Feng Lian, don't talk nonsense." Turning to face the four heroes, he said: "If you have time, please inform Tianji Palace Master Hua Qingyuan that Hua Jingyuan is in my hands. If he wants his son back, let Hua Xiaoxiao come to open the iron tower and see me."

  He hadn't finished speaking, but Guan Luo's face had already turned pale. Ten years ago, Liang Xiao's name had sent shockwaves throughout the land, and even before they had sworn their oath, Guan Luo had heard of his notorious reputation. Every martial artist in the world spoke of Liang Xiao with gritted teeth, wishing they could devour his flesh and sleep on his skin. Normally, the four would have fought to the death even if they knew they were no match, but now that Hua Jingyuan had fallen into enemy hands, they were hesitant and dared not act rashly.

  Liang Xiao finished speaking, turned around and went downstairs to lead the horse away. Feng Lian asked a shopkeeper for a paper umbrella with floral patterns and followed behind Liang Xiao, holding a round mirror. Bai Bu Chi watched as the two figures disappeared from view, then stomped his foot and said: "Pool Old Big Brother, is it just going to end like this?" Chi Xian Yu hesitated before saying: "This great demon has been gone for over ten years, but today he suddenly appears here - I'm afraid there will be many troubles in the world from now on. Third brother, your mansion is vast and wide, so use a method to report the news to the Tianji Palace; Fourth sister, quickly ride a horse across the Yellow River and go to the Jiangxi General Altar to request an audience with Yun Da Xia - this demon is his arch-nemesis, you must let him be on guard; Second brother, your body is not convenient, so stay in Kaifeng to monitor the movements of this beast." Bai Bu Chi urgently asked: "Old Big Brother, what about you?"

  "Brother, we should spread the news and gather all the good hands from all sides. This evil man has many enemies all over the world, if everyone works together, he will definitely not be able to escape." Bai patted his thigh excitedly and said: "Old Pool's idea is great!" Jia Xiucan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: "Old Pool, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but although Liang Xiao has a bad reputation, his demeanor is extraordinary, not as despicable as the rumors say." Chi Yan Yu sneered: "All big villains must have an extraordinary demeanor." Jia Xiucan sighed: "What you said is true, alas, such people always abandon goodness and follow evil, what a pity!" The four of them finished their discussion and each went their separate ways.