大唐双龙传 [Da Tang Shuang Long Zhuan] by Huang Yi

[akolaw]

可能有人对武侠小说的未来很悲观，但我对武侠小说依然很乐观

Maybe some people are very pessimistic about the future of the wuxia fictions, but I am still very optimistic about the wuxia fictions.

[akolaw]

我很期望武侠小说可以再出现一个盛世。每一个人都应该找寻自己的好小说，找寻真正的自己。当你 真真正正能表 达自己的时候，你才能发展出自己的风格来。这个世界没有一个人相同。每一部小说，我一定要找一 个新的说故事 的方式。我不知道会不会成功，但起码我是这么想的。
I wish there will be another flourishing age for wuxia fictions. Every one should be able to find their own good book, find their true self. When you are really able to express yourself, you can develop your own style. Every one in these world is unique. Each fiction, I feel I must find a new way to tell the story. I don't know if I will be successful or not, but at least this is the way I think.

End of interview.

[LuDongBin]

Thks foxs.

[chualot]

Thanks foxs, appreciated the work over a long weekend

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs.

BFH is starting to fall for the boys, like all the pretty girls.

[wangxiaohu]

Thanks foxs.

BFH is starting to fall for the boys, like all the pretty girls.

Aren't you, Sky?

[foxs]

HPC, Ysabel, DongBin, Chua, you are welcome. Xiaohu, Akolaw, thanks for finishing it. How about some novel now? Sky, are you saying if the girl is not pretty, she won’t fall for the boys?

---

Ba Fenghan laughed aloud and said, “It’s too late!”

Pulling the sword out, he launched the ‘sweeping a thousand-army’ style. Who did not fear his ability to kill from a distance of a zhang away? They only felt the invisible [lit. no-shadow no-shape] sword qi storming in; nobody did not stumble and stagger back in fear.

At this point, the forest behind the village caught fire; heavy smoke soared to the sky.

Ba Fenghan and his sword fused into one entity, he soared to evade Wang Bodang’s double-point spear, as well as Du Ganmu’s pair of sabers, and on to the roof. And then to avoid the men blocking his way, he soared once again toward the heavy smoke behind the village, and in the blink of an eye disappeared into the forest.

※ ※ ※

Kou Zhong was squatting. “Heavens!” he groaned good-naturedly, “We’re finally here. Niang! This is the Great River!”

The rolling water of Yellow River flowed swiftly under a low cliff.

This section of the River was quite narrow, but it was still about ten zhang wide. The water dashed against the rocks on both sides of the river, the billows rolled and the waves splashed, creating myriad changes in an instant; raging waves crashing onto the shore, surging up violently, creating a spectacular sight. On the opposite back was an endless stretch of virgin forest, interspersed with towering, strange-looking rocks.

Xu Ziling’s mind was also raging; moving closer to the shore, he stared at the water crashing against the rocks, which then flowed back swiftly, arousing smaller eddies, which roared wildly and disappeared just as quickly.

Ba Fenghan came over to Xu Ziling and exclaimed in admiration, “The first time I see the Great River was the section that runs through Longxi. The power of its surging waves was as if it tumbled down for the sky. It simply took my breath away.”

Dong Shuni has always been the center of attention of everybody around her, no matter where she was, whether around royal family and descendants of feudal aristocrats, or the sons of the high-ranking officials of the imperial court. Everybody was always trying to flatter her in every possible way.

Only these three men, who had saved her from danger, did not appear to have any regards toward her.

Like right now, for example; their amazement at the River far surpassed their pleasant surprise at seeing her for the first time.

A fresh, exotic feeling started to appear in her heart, mixed with resentment and jealousy. Visibly annoyed, she said, “The pursuing troops are coming! You are still chitchatting about the wind and the moon!”

With a solemn expression Kou Zhong puckered his lips to kiss the land by the riverbank. Ba Fenghan looked back and smiled, “Miss, don’t worry,” he said, “After the sun set behind the western hills, we’ll set out toward Yanshi. We just take this opportunity to rest a bit, while enjoying the spectacular view of the setting sun on the Great River.”

Dong Shuni felt that whether in his speaking voice, his tone, and his manner, there was some kind of intimidating charm that made people willing to submit; unexpectedly she did not dare to argue. Grumpily she walked to the side and picked a rock to sit down, but her eyes were fixed on Xu Ziling.

She had quite a good impression on this casual yet elegant, and standing-above-the-crowd, young man.

Yet Xu Ziling did not show the least bit of attention to her; he was preoccupied with an interesting discussion about the River with Ba Fenghan.

Finally Kou Zhong rose up and walked over to a rock next to her and sat down. Revealing a bright smile, he spoke softly, “Are you hungry?”

“At last someone cares about Shuni!” Dong Shuni happily said, “I am not only hungry, I am starving as hell. Do you have something to eat?”

Seeing her brightening mood, Kou Zhong felt that she had some kind of innocent and unaffected, touching look, but every frown and every smile also carried some kind of seductive-to-the-bone charm. He spoke cheerfully, “Ol’ Ba still has a few slices of air-dried meat; I personally dressed it, it’s very tasty. Would you like to try some?”

Dong Shuni shook her head straightaway.

Kou Zhong was surprised, “Aren’t you starving?” he asked.

Dong Shuni leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I don’t want to eat his food, he is so mean to me!”

Hearing that, even Kou Zhong’s ear was melting. Unable to help laughing, he called out, “Ol’ Ba! When did you offend Big Miss Dong, so that even though she is starving, she refused to eat your food?”

Ba Fenghan laughed aloud. Walking over, he offered a piece of dried meat, while solemnly laughed and said, “Miss Dong, a person of great moral stature does not remember the offenses committed by one of low moral stature. Please be my guest!”

It was obvious that Dong Shuni enjoyed this treatment very much; pursing her lips, she giggled softly, while her pretty face blushed slightly. Her demeanor was extremely attractive.

Swiftly she took the slice of dried meat offered to her, tore a piece and ate it. “That’s more like it,” she said.

Ba Fenghan shook his head and smiled despite of himself; patting Kou Zhong’s shoulder, he stuffed the rest of the meat into his hands, and then returned to Xu Ziling’s side without saying anything.

Kou Zhong was pleasantly surprised that Ba Fenghan was giving him so much face, and he knew that Ba Fenghan was thinking of Dong Shuni’s importance to him; he could not help feeling warm in his heart, and Ba Fenghan’s standing in his heart rose up.

Ba Fenghan’s original character was not like this at all.

Dong Shuni was eating very fast; taking the second piece of dried meat, she laughed and said, “Your handiwork is indeed not too shabby.”

This moment Ba Fenghan came over again. Signaling Kou Zhong with his eyes, he said, “Ziling and I are going up to a high place to look around. Zhong Shao, you stay here to accompany Big Miss taking a rest for a while, as soon as Ziling and I come back we’ll be on our way.”

Kou Zhong agreed. After the two left, he changed the subject, “Actually, who wanted to harm your Da Jiujiu? Is it King of Yue and Yuan Wendu?”

After finishing the second piece of meat, which she ate with gusto, she knitted her beautiful eyebrows and said, “What do they have that they dare to conspire against Da Jiujiu? Naturally there is another big power in the background supporting them!”

Kou Zhong was stunned, “You are not talking about Li Mi, are you?” he asked.

Dong Shuni wrinkled her cute little nose, “You are wrong!” she said, “However, who it is, I can only tell Da Jiujiu. Da Jiujiu has taught me to make it clear which matter I can tell others, which matter I must keep from others. Hey! The sun is set.”

Kou Zhong was upset; he thought that if merely you, a baby girl, can confound me, how could I vie for the world against the outstanding heroes?

After racking his brains, an inspiration suddenly flashed in his mind. He laughed and said, “Even if you don’t want to tell me, I know who it is. Must be the Dugu Clan, am I right? Ha!”

Dong Shuni stared at him in disbelief with her big beautiful eyes. Just by looking at her expression Kou Zhong knew he was right.

A bit unwilling to concede, she said angrily, “You indeed have a bit of skill, no wonder Da Jiujiu pays attention your affairs. I do not like a single person from the Dugu Clan.”

After a short pause she went on, “Especially that Dugu Feng. Every time he sees me, he always looks at me from head to toes, as if he wanted to strip me off with his eyes; I loathe him very much.”

That kind of talk coming out from such a stunning, enchantingly beautiful pair of lips, Kou Zhong could not stop his heart from being swept away. But recalling the business at hand, he promptly pushed his wild fantasy far away. “How’s the current situation at Luoyang?” he asked, “Has it fallen into the Dugu Clan’s hands?”

“In their dram!” Dong Shuni spoke in disdain, “The city guardians, Lang Feng Shushu [uncle] and Song Mengqiu Shushu are Da Jiujiu’s trusted aides; only the Imperial Bodyguards of the Palace are under the Dugu Clan’s control. Their strength is merely five thousands; if they do not use dirty trick, they are not Da Jiujiu’s match.”

Kou Zhong thought, ‘So that’s how it is’. He thought that if he were the King Dong of Yue, he would want to make a plan to kill Wang Shichong as well.

Dong Shuni suddenly said, “It’s very interesting talking with you! You are smart, and you are good-looking as well!”

Kou Zhong did not know whether to laugh or to cry, “You are the true stunning beauty,” he said, “Your beauty is capable of causing the downfall of a country. Have your Da Jiujiu betrothed you yet?”

“I am only seventeen!” Dong Shuni said, “I don’t want to get married that soon! Hee …! Do you want to marry me?”

Kou Zhong was stunned, “You are not only pretty, but you are very special as well. This is the first time that a pretty girl asks me that question.”

Dong Shuni was slightly annoyed, “Can’t we talk about it?” she pouted, “We are not talking for real anyway. You, Han people, are really overly cautious.”

Kou Zhong was dumbstruck. Grabbing his head, he said, “Are you saying you are not a Han?”

Dong Shuni was snappy, “Who told you I am a Han? Everybody knows Da Jiujiu is not a Han, only you don’t.”

Kou Zhong examined her flowery jade countenance closely, “What are you, then?” he tried to pry her.

Very pleased with herself, Dong Shuni said, “You are so smart; why don’t you guess?”

While Kou Zhong was left speechless, Xu Ziling and Ba Fenghan stormed in, “Let’s Go!” they shouted.

[wangxiaohu]

Ah... thank you foxs..

[LuDongBin]

This lady has a different character of her own. Thks foxs.

[CFT]

I like her too. Very spirited.

[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.

[Ysabelkid]

Thanks foxs

[徐中銳]

Scanning my YouTube subscriptions, might interest some of you :
« We were joined in London by Shaolan Hsueh who shared the journey behind Chineasy, and taught us some Chinese characters along the way... »


And thanks for your steady pace foxs, have been busy keeping up with other matters too, so not as much feedback to you as before

[SkyWalker]

Thanks foxs!

Isn't Susu's mistress really ugly? And she hated the boys right? Hahaha

Aren't you, Sky?

I think I'm falling for BFH.

[HPC7595]

Thanks foxs

[spynet]

Thanks foxs!

[foxs]

Xiaohu, Jaya, Ysabel, HPC, spy, you are welcome. DongBin, CFT, she is different alright ... Xu Xiong, thanks for sharing. Sky, it was a response to your comment about 'pretty girls'. Short update today, been really busy.

---

Book 12 Chapter 9 – Brilliant Scheme to Escape

The four people hid behind a mountaintop. On the distant, from all directions came long queue of torches, moving slowly like a fiery dragon. It appeared that they had fallen into another heavy siege.

Kou Zhong pointed to a place about five li to their left, where several lanterns of three different colors, red, white and yellow, were hung on bamboo poles, each one reached several zhang high. “Xiao Ling,” he said, his voice was filled with hatred, “Your Shen sweetheart is no good; were it not for her directing her people using those lanterns, how could we fall into the situation we are in now?”

Dong Shuni, who was behind Xu Ziling, pushed him and said sourly, “Shen Luoyan is your old flame?”

Xu Ziling crossly said, “You need to stop listening to Zhong Shao’s nonsense; she and I don’t have the least bit of involvement.”

“That’s really good then!” Dong Shuni excitedly said.

Seeing that while being surrounded by the enemies, isolated and without help, yet she still maintained her blunt demeanor and expressed her jealousy openly, the three men could only shake their heads and smile ruefully.

Letting out a cold snort, Ba Fenghan said, “If I am guessing correctly, Li Mi and the Two-Malevolent of Changbai are all here. Otherwise their morale would not be this high.”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were shocked. Speaking about martial art skill, Li Mi might rank in the top three among the warlords vying for supremacy over the world, while the Two-Malevolent of Changbai were second only to Wang Bo. Merely these three, they would have to struggle to cope with, not to mention the rest of the people, plus they had to protect this pampered girl.

Ba Fenghan went on, “Were it not for tracking experts like Fu Zhen presiding over the general situation, we would not be stuck in this predicament.”

Kou Zhong nodded and said, “We already used all kinds of techniques, and still cannot get rid of them, and now their hidden troops are pressing from all sides that we can’t advance or retreat. By this time they ought to know our position in general, and are gradually tightening the net around us. This is an extremely brilliant scheme.”

Pointing to the southeast, Xu Ziling asked, “Isn’t Yanshi in that direction?”

“Exactly,” Ba Fenghan replied, “Less than thirty li.”

This moment Dong Shuni also realized the gravity of their situation; she spoke in low voice, “Can we forcibly break our way through?”

“That would be our contingency plan,” Kou Zhong replied, “The enemy is already cleat about our strength. If they do not have any confidence, they would not foolishly come here to provoke us. Just by counting the torches’ light, I can estimate that the opponent has at least two, three-thousand men; how many can we kill?”

Subconsciously Dong Shuni squeezed herself between Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, “What can we do then?” she asked, “Think of something!”

Ba Fenghan coldly said, “Aren’t we thinking of something? Panicking now will only be a bad thing.”

Ba Fenghan’s eyes flashed sharp gaze at her, Dong Shuni shut up immediately.

Xu Ziling said, “Is there any way to alert Yanshi? Have them send help here. According to reason, Wang Shichong ought to station men on the hills outside the city to monitor the situation around.”

Hearing that, Dong Shuni’s sprit was greatly aroused; she whispered excitedly, “Shuni has two special signal flares on my back, if my Da Jiujiu’s men saw it, they would know one of our people is in danger. Can we do it?”

Smiling wryly, Kou Zhong said, “Question is: can we hold on until the reinforcement arrive?”

Dong Shuni dejectedly shut up.

If they release the signal rocket, it would be tantamount to revealing their position. Li Mi’s side would definitely go into an all-out attack at once. On the other hand, from the moment the sentinel saw the flare and transmitted the news to Yanshi via fire beacon and so on, supposing Wang Shichong was able to make prompt decisions and immediately moved his army and sent his generals, it would take at least one or two sichen for the help to arrive. By that time they would have been done for.

While they were talking, Xu Ziling and the others, four people, were paying attention to the situation. This moment they noticed that a line of torches was moving straight to their hideout; they promptly ran away again.

Ba Fenghan led them groping in the dark downhill, toward a sparse wooded area at the bottom of the hill. Finding a stream, they quickly continued their escape by wading in the water. After covering approximately two li, the terrain was sloping up, turned out the source of the stream was a small waterfall from up the mountain, with water flew out from hundreds of small cracks, pouring down into a small clear deep pool.

By this time the moon was high overhead, so that the reflection of the moon made the water glistened. The scenery was exceptionally beautiful, too bad the four people were not in any mood to enjoy it.

Dong Shuni heaved a deep sigh and said, “We are getting farther and farther away from Yanshi.” Dispiritedly she sat down by the pool, with a mentally and physically exhausted, as well as pitiful, expression on her face.

Kou Zhong nodded and said, “This is exactly the enemy’s tactic: forcing us to constantly on the run to the south, so that in the end they can take care of us without much trouble.”

Ba Fenghan suddenly came close to Dong Shuni and asked, “Miss Dong, what kind of perfume are you wearing?”

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were shaken; their burning gaze was fixed on Dong Shuni.

Dong Shuni was crossed, “What kind of question is that?” she asked.

Kou Zhong understood suddenly; he said, “That was the precisely the reason why Du Ganmu was able to track you to the village. It was simply because he was accustomed to the perfume Big Miss is wearing, and that was also the reason why presently we can’t throw off our pursuers.”

Xu Ziling said, “I don’t know if we are already accustomed to her scent, but I don’t smell anything.”

Ba Fenghan smiled and said, “Clear pool under the bright moon, why don’t Miss Dong be the beauty who takes a bath here? We will act as lookouts for you, and I guarantee no one will be able to watch.”

Dong Shuni revealed a sweet, sweet smile; reaching up, she started to unbutton her gown, and cheerfully said, “So what if someone is watching? As long as they don’t do anything, I am not afraid. Ay! Perhaps I will have to wash my clothes as well; everything I wear is already soaked in my fragrance.”

Even under this extremely tense situation [orig. wind sighing and crane calling, i.e. panic at the slightest move], and Ba Fenghan, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were not lechers, yet such an alluring, captivating words coming from cherry-red lips of a stunning beauty, the three could not help palpitating with excitement.

Xu Ziling suddenly reached out and pressed his hand against Dong Shuni’s lily-white hand, stopping her from taking off her clothes. “I have a better way,” he said.

Puzzled, Ba Fenghan and Kou Zhong looked at Xu Ziling.

[Ysabelkid]

Thanks foxs

[Jayariyin]

Thanks, foxs.

[wangxiaohu]

Foxs, why stopping while Dong Shuni started to unbutton? Why not after Foxs? Why?...
Anyway... thank Foxs.