Book 9 Chapter 11 – Wholehearted Gratitude

Xu Ziling was about to slip out of the pastry kitchen when Kou Zhong grabbed him and pulled him back. Helplessly he smiled wryly and said, “The entire process of making the smoked fish has been prepared properly; to explain it, the famous chef Kou, whose mouth is like a torrent, can handle it singlehandedly with ease. By firmly detaining Xiao Ren in here, don’t you feel like you are wasting manpower?”

With pained expression on his face Kou Zhong said, “Just consider me begging you to stay this time, all right? Without you here, I am afraid things will go wrong. Hey!”

“What can go wrong?” Xu Ziling asked, “Give me an example?”

Clearing his throat, Kou Zhong said, “For example, in a moment of rashness, I might abandon the great undertaking in favor of my feeling toward the Princess. Or perhaps I will lose face as a real man to kneel in front of her, begging her to marry me. Ay! One lifetime, two brothers; please be obedient and stay here to give me moral support.”

Xu Ziling laughed in spite of himself, “You think she is coming to have a tryst with you?” he asked, “I can guarantee that Lan Gu will be by her side to lick her butts, even Beautiful Changzhu might be here, glaring like a tiger watching its prey, to see what dirty little secret you have with Li Xiuning.”

Kou Zhong shook his head and said, “Your experience with women is still somewhat inferior to Laozi’s. I don’t know if you noticed Princess’ demeanor last night; that kind of ‘her thoughts in a whirl’, ‘not knowing what to do’ expression, clearly represented the fact that she has no affection toward me at all. Therefore, she is not coming today for that, or else she will find all kinds of excuses to dismiss others.”

Xu Ziling said in astonishment, “Not only you grew an acupuncture orifice on your tian ling acupoint [i.e. top of the head], you also grew a pair of eyes there. I plainly saw last night you fixed your eyes on the floor, how did you see the subtle changes in her expression?”

A bit embarrassed, Kou Zhong said, “A martial art master [orig. gao shou, lit. high hand] like me, merely depending on my perception I would know a lot of things; do you understand? Xu ‘low hand’? So, get back in here!”

Xu Ziling raised his hands, “Can I go to the bathroom first?” he asked.

Kou Zhong changed tactics, hugging Xu Ziling as warmly as he could, short of giving him a kiss, he said, “My good Xiongdi, remember, the earlier you go, the earlier you’ll come back.”

Xu Ziling was indeed thinking of slipping away, but Kou Zhong preemptively said, “One lifetime, two brothers; we advance and retreat together.”

Unable to get away, Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said, “Such a timid guy, how could you contend for hegemony of the world?”

“Where are you two going?”

Stunned, the two boys turned around.

Shang Xiuxun and Li Xiuning were walking along the promenade, and would soon catch up with them. Surprisingly, there was no entourage.

Shang Xiuxun was still wearing tight warrior outfit, with a feather on her hat, so that in her loveliness, there was a vigorous heroic air.

Li Xiuning was surprisingly plain and simple; she wore a pure white long gown with blue vest with yellow-flower pattern on it. She appeared lovely and touching. This beauty was similar to Song Yuzhi, in that she also carried a particular grandeur and daintiness specific to women who were born in high-class family and big clan, a personality trait that can make any man feel small in her presence.

The two women were outside the corridor, basking in the beautiful sunlight, so that their glamour radiated all around, so that they appeared to be exuding some kind of exotic natural endowment that transcended the mortal world.

Momentarily the two boys could only stare blankly at them.

As the two women elegantly came to their presence, Li Xiuning graciously said, “I’m sorry! I made the two Great Shifu waiting for a long time!”

The two boys hastily saluted and answered humbly.

Shang Xiuxun spoke indifferently, “Xiao Ning, you explain to Princess, I need to talk to Xiao Jing for a moment.”

Seeing Li Xiuning, Kou Zhong forgot everything else. He also wished that he could have an opportunity to talk with her privately; thereupon he hurriedly took Li Xiuning to the kitchen.

Shang Xiuxun took Xu Ziling toward the garden at the rear courtyard. Reaching a pavilion, she stopped and said, “What did that Old Man tell you last night?”

“He taught us how to design garden and landscape,” Xu Ziling replied, “Would Changzhu like me to repeat it for you?”

Turning her back toward him, Shang Xiuxun asked, “He didn’t say anything else?”

Xu Ziling sighed and said, “He also told us about himself, how thirty years ago he was wounded by the enemy, and how these past few days the old injury flared out, that his days are numbered!”

Shang Xiuxun’s tender body trembled slightly, “What?” she blurted out.

Xu Ziling continued in low voice, “According to Mr. Lu’s own estimate, he would only live eight to ten more days. Perhaps because of this he kind of look upon us with favor!”

Shang Xiuxun slowly turning her tender body around, her beautiful eyes looked deep into Xu Ziling’s eyes for half a day, before she said softly, “Have you two thought about your own future? Will you be satisfied being two chefs for the rest of your life?”

She suddenly changed the subject like that, Xu Ziling was caught off guard and was at a loss of how to respond, hence he only gave her noncommittal answer, “If we don’t become chefs, what can we do?”

Displeased, Shang Xiuxun said, “You are originally not chefs anyway, you were merely salt smugglers; how dare you say such thing to me.”

It was only then did Xu Ziling remember what Kou Zhong had told these people; he calmly said, “Whatever we do, in the end it’s just looking for money. Smuggling salt carries very high risk, we may lose our life savings at any time; how can it be compared to earning steady income of half a tael of real gold each month?”

Shang Xiuxun’s eyes shot sharp rays, her words contained deep meaning as she asked, “After earning enough money, what are you going to do?”

Xu Ziling improvised on the spot, “It depends on the current political situation; if the world is back to its unified peace, we will return to our hometown and open a small restaurant. Hey! For us, this is terrific!”

Shang Xiuxun smiled and said, “You are still lying to me? Just by listening to your clear reasoning, the elegance of your style of conversation and response, I know that you are definitely not ordinary folks. Besides, Lu Miaozi is haughty and conceited, how could he have any interest in spending any time with you? Who are you? Why did you come here?”

Xu Ziling groaned inwardly; fortunately his mind churned an idea, immediately he found a countermeasure. Smiling wryly, he said, “Changzhu is indeed formidable. The two of us are actually Yangzhou people. Niang’s family was aristocratic family in Yangzhou, we ran a restaurant that had good reputation locally. Afterwards the muddleheaded ruler was assassinated, Yangzhou was thrown into chaos, the mobs and the soldiers looted all over the place, implicating us that we were left destitute and homeless. We wandered around and ended up in Yuhang. At first we worked in a restaurant; later on we saw how profitable salt trading was, hence we took the risk to run one. Who would have thought that we met robbers along the way, and were barely able to escape with our lives? And that was how we ended up here.”

What he said was half truth and half false; unless Shang Xiuxun was able to confirm certain details of his story, it would be difficult to find any flaw. He was not concerned that this beauty might find out their real identity in Yangzhou, because other than Yuwen Huaji and a limited number of people, nobody knew that they were actually Yangzhou’s ruffians.

Shang Xiuxun stared at his face for a moment; her jet-black eyebrows knitted slightly, she asked, “Where did you learn your martial art from?”

“We were Shi Long’s martial school disciples,” Xu Ziling replied, “Later on Shi Long offended that muddleheaded ruler, he was executed, along with all his relatives. Fortunately [maternal] grandfather spent a lot of money on our behalf, so that we were not implicated [orig. guilt by association].”

Shang Xiuxun looked as if she did not know what else to ask; she was silent for a long time. Only now did Xu Ziling really breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that she has not heard anything about Shi Long’s relationship with the ‘Secret to Long Life’.

Shang Xiuxun suddenly looked at him up and down several times, and then calmly said, “Honestly, people with physical and personality traits like you, two brothers, are really rare in the world, otherwise the Old Man would not have high regards on you. However, because you have missed the prime age to start training martial art, no matter how hard you train, your accomplishment would be limited. Ay! Being chefs is a waste of talent for people like you; therefore, while the Old Man has not died yet, you might as well ask him to impart on you some kind of unique skill, perhaps I will consider hiring you in different capacity, and thus you wouldn’t have to waste your lives.”

For the first time Xu Ziling started to have a good impression on her; he respectfully said, “Thank you very much for Changzhu’s direction.”

Somehow Shang Xiuxun let out a gentle sigh before saying, “You may go back now! Li Xiuning ought to finish learning about how to make smoked fish; what’s so attractive about firewood anyway?”

The last sentence made Xu Ziling stared blankly at her.

As soon as Kou Zhong stepped into the kitchen, he pointed to the various ingredients neatly organized on the table, and in deadly earnest expression he started to explain, “This is the seasoning, and here we have the sauce; this …”

“There’s no one else around!” Li Xiuning cut him off.

It was as if Kou Zhong’s acupoint had just been sealed; he froze for half a day, before finally hung his hands and said dejectedly, “Princess, please grant your advice.”

Li Xiuning moved up behind him and said softly, “Er Ge [second brother] was very concerned over you, because you were unwilling to follow him in conquering the world, he often felt unhappy. This time I can see you again, it’s really great. Ay! How did you end up hiding here and being chefs? Was it because you were afraid of Li Mi?”

Kou Zhong suddenly straightened up his back and said coldly, “We are not afraid of anybody!”

Li Xiuning cheerfully replied, “No wonder Er Ge praises you without cease; just by looking at wherever you go you turn the sky and the earth upside down, I know your ability. Now I understand Er Ge’s evaluation on you in those days was not simply exaggerated praise.”

The fragrance of Li Xiuning’s breath as she spoke was wafting gently into Kou Zhong’s nose; he shook his head with a bitter smile as he walked over toward the window. As he stared blankly outside the window, at the scenery of people moving about in the courtyard under the bright sunny sky, his mind was in turmoil.

He has finally made it. But he could not go back to the former days. If Li Xiuning had said those words in the past, he would not have to bow out sadly, did not dare to compete with Chai Shao over her fragrant heart, because of low self-esteem.

Seeing he walked over and was lost in thought, Li Xiuning sighed inwardly.

Based on her orchid heart’s intelligence, she already understood Kou Zhong’s feeling for her even then. But with her family’s power, talent, and beauty, there were an untold number of men who fell for her; therefore, she did not take it seriously.

But this time seeing Kou Zhong again, not only he had turned into a dignified, handsome and great man, the most attractive thing about him was that he exuded some kind of hard-to-describe personality traits. It’s just that the matter between Chai Shao and her had already been settled conclusively; no one could alter it, including her. But she did not wish to change it either.

While she was in dilemma, not knowing whether she should stay where she was or should walk over toward Kou Zhong, Kou Zhong’s voice entered her ears, “Are you married?”

Li Xiuning’s tender body shook dramatically; hanging down her small head, she sadly said, “Although I am not yet married, my situation is not much difference to a married woman.”

Kou Zhong threw his head back and let out a long laugh; like a whirlwind he turned around and with his eyes shooting lightning-like light he said, “Very well! I’ll consider you as someone else’ wife. Perhaps you’ll find it difficult to understand, but I really am happy with your answer, because from now on I can get rid of the distraction in my heart and wholeheartedly fight for my ideals.”

In Li Xiuning’s eyes, he seemed to be changing into another person, revealing Kou Zhong’s insufferably arrogant, overbearing heroic spirit, that she had never imagined would appear from him. Shocked, she was momentarily unable to say anything.

Kou Zhong’s awe-inspiring, radiating all around air suddenly turned into an incomparable tenderness; revealing his bright, sunshine-like signature smile, his flashing snow-white teeth, he said apologetically, “Xiaodi was momentarily unable to restrain emotions, and have frightened Princess; I am terribly sorry. Looks like Princess’ interest today is not in smoked fish, but is us, the two boys, instead. So now Princess ought to know the answer.”

Taking a deep breath, Li Xiuning fought to keep her emotion, which was fluctuating endlessly due to Kou Zhong’s instigation, under control. She nodded and said, “Although Xiuning understood Kou Xiong’s kindly feeling, it is still hard for me to avoid feeling extreme regret and disappointment. I wonder whether there is still room for amendment?”

Kou Zhong nearly turned from hero [ying xiong] to a coward [lit. gou xiong, black bear] and blurted out, ‘Only if you are willing to marry me!’ Fortunately he remembered Song Yuzhi and the Shuanglong Bang he personally founded; pressing hard this urge, he calmly smiled and said, “Life is interesting because although we lost a lot of things, we also gained a lot of other things. There are moments of joy, there are also days of wounded spirit and broken soul.”

And then, striding in front of Li Xiuning’s tender body, he looked down and stared deep into the beautiful princess’ beautiful eyes; his tiger-eyes shooting out ocean-deep emotion that stirred her heartstrings and made her shivering inside. With an incomparable tenderness in his voice he said, “Perhaps Xiuning has never had me, Kou Zhong, in your heart, but in my, Kou Zhong’s heart, you, Xiuning, was the first woman that made me fully enjoyed the kind of feeling that made me difficult to sleep at night, that made me worry about personal gains and losses, but also made me enjoyed the matchless excitement of the first love. Although it was only for a night, it has made me extremely grateful. Thank you.”

“Ah!”

By the time Li Xiuning was crying out tenderly, Kou Zhong already left the kitchen in big strides.

And he never looked back.

Shang Xiuxun and Xu Ziling, one in front of the other, arrived at the kitchen door. Seeing Kou Zhong strode out with grim expression on his face, they were both stunned.

Without waiting for Shang Xiuxun to ask any question, upright and unafraid Kou Zhong walked past the two and muttered, “I am going to the latrine.”