Volume 11.5 Chapter 30

“Hua Gezi, this is your shifu?”

“What are you on about? My teacher is Beiping’s top thief, Marvellous Kongkong, Empty Glove White Glov-”

“Glove Wolf?”

“It’s Kongkong’er! You’re really rude, aren’t you? My shifu spent years teaching me. This, of course, would be,” Hua Qing glanced over to the elder wolfing down food at the table, “my shifu, I think.”

It shouldn’t have been a surprise for Ming Feizhen to recognise the name of the legendary thief, but he never saw himself beating the fragile elder in his sixties at their first meeting.

“This old one is Beiping’s Kongkong’er. Pleasure to meet you, young hero. This drumstick is delish.” Kongkong’er had a chicken drumstick in his left hand, fish in his right hand and grease spread around his lips.

“Nice appetite, elder. Let me refill your bowl for you,” Ming Feizhen expressed.

“No need! This is best done yourself. How can I bother you?” Kongkong’er picked up three more chicken drumsticks, had some wine and, once he had his full-course meal, exhaled a long breath. “I apologise.” Burp! There are some things this old one can’t talk about.”

“Yes, yes, you’ve had six drumsticks. Here, wipe your mouth.”

“Stop cutting my shifu off. Shifu, why are you here? I did not implicate you, did I?”

Hua Qing and Kongkong’er’s relationship wasn’t classified information by any means; Kongkong’er’s home in Beiping was vandalised way back when Hua Qing first gained the moniker Lord Wu, Hua Feihua. Today was their first time meeting up since the debacle.

Simpering, Kongkong’er said, “Heh, This old one spent half his life drifting from place to place. Any building, crack or hole can be a comfortable home. They just wanted him to tell them where Lord Wu was; we don’t have any grudges. Besides, even if they can find this old one, they still won’t necessarily be able to find you. What are the odds a miracle would happen for them?”

Eyes red, Hua Qing conveyed, “Sorry for implicating you, Shifu.”

“What sort of shifu would sell out his disciple? There’s no need to thank me.” Kongkong’er gently grabbed Hua Qing’s hands, eyes also wet.

“Why did you come here, Shifu?”

“There have been countless people from orthodox and unorthodox factions monitoring me ever since I left Beiping. They have the ruthlessness, but they need work to work their heads more.” Though Kongkong’er smiled, it wasn’t hard to imagine the dangers he faced based on his words alone. “I decided to sequester, only swapping hideouts once every three months. Instead of searching for you, I opted to wait for you to find me. Time flowed a little slow, but no matter. See? We’ve been reunited, no? Hahaha. This old one owes you for protecting his disciple, Young Hero. It shames him to say this, but he has a presumptuous request to make of you.”

Ming Feizhen saluted Kongkong’er. “Please speak without reservation.”

“This old one did not know if you were a thief of some sort when you attacked, so he pulled a little stunt.” Kongkong’er took out Ming Feizhen’s money pouch from his shirt. “This one took some precautions since he did not know your true nature. Please forgive him.”

“Shifu?! Brother Ming, please pardon us. It is my shifu’s occupational habit.”

Ming Feizhen wagged his hand. “It is nothing, Elder. Hua Gezi and I are practically blood brothers. His money is my money. His shifu is my shifu. His shifu’s money pouch, therefore, is my money pouch.”

Hua Qing: “You got it backwards.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Hahaha.” After he laughed, Kongkong’er realised what Ming Feizhen implied, so he reached for his money pouch, only for his hand to rivet. “Impressive, Young Hero.”

“Brother Ming?! You also pickpocketed my shifu?!”

“Qing, it’s cool.”

“Shifu?”

“We haven’t lost.” Kongkong’er smugly pulled out a small brocade box from his sash. “Honesty deserves to be repaid with honesty. Due to his old habits, he took this from you, as well.”

“This is nothing for you to brag about! What are you two even competing in?! Stealing someone’s property in their face is only going to earn you a beating!”

Ming Feizhen laughed. “I admire your quick eyes and hands, Elder; however, the box does not belong to me.”

“Wait, isn’t it mine?” Hua Qing voiced.

Ming Feizhen swiped the brocade box off Hua Qing some time ago.

“You amaze this old one again, Young Hero. That being said, this old one doesn’t have any money in his pouch. Does that not make it your loss?”

“Not at all. My family is poor and undereducated, so we do not put money in money pouches. As an inheritor of my family’s teachings, I remember the teachings deep in my soul.” Ming Feizhen tossed two strings of gold pieces onto the table.

Recognising the gold he hid in his footwear, Kongkong’er conveyed, “Bloody hell, you have fast hands!” He opened the brocade box and money pouch in front of him, grumbling, “They’re really empty… Who trained you? God damn, this is underhanded…”

Hua Qing lamented, “It’s true when they say every exchange is lethal when adepts compete. I had no idea you were a better thief than my shifu, Brother Ming.”

Kongkong’er: “… But I pinched two items. Two to one. Who one?”

“Shifu, stop trying! You got completely wrecked, okay?! Do you not care about your reputation?!”

Ming Feizhen’s face read, “Damn, this is your counter?”

Hua Qing: “Don’t acknowledge him! You won! You completely won! Stop this nonsensical contest!”

Ming Feizhen took a deep breath. “Hoho, Elder, is your vision deteriorating? You only have two items. Look again how many I have?” Ming Feizhen slammed the table, revealing another pouch of money and jade tablet.

Hua Qing: “Aren’t those mine?!”

Kongkong’er gasped. “… So what? Watch this!”

Ming Feizhen: “What?! Doesn’t that head cloth belong to Hua Gezi?! Amazing, but watch this!”

“His belt?! Hmph, watch this!”

“When did you get his robe?! All right, watch me!”

“Oh? That undergarment! All right, watch me!”

“Can you two stop?! Hey, st-stop!” Hua Qing gripped the top of his underpants until his hands were as white as a sheet.

Ming Feizhen and Kongkong’er: “Tsk, what a nuisance.”

“You two are the nuisances here! Leave me out of your nonsensical contest! What’s that sound? Hey! Wait! Wait!”

Rip!

Kongkong’er affably offered up a palm-fist salute. “This old one never expected there to be someone so talented in the young generation.”

Ming Feizhen reciprocated the salute in kind. “With age comes experience. I must seek your wisdom on your Empty Hand Headskinner technique.”

The two discarded the respective bits of cloth in their hand, then laughed heartily.

“Just you two wait!” Hua Qing, covering himself with a bed sheet, was the only one who wasn’t enjoying the situation.

***

Following a full-course meal, Ming Feizhen inquired, “Elder, why did you suddenly decide to seek out Hua Gezi? Has something unpredicted come up?”

Kongkong’er gave Ming Feizhen a thumbs up. “Very perceptive of you. Qing’er, learn from him.”

Hua Qing spat at Ming Feizhen’s feet, then pulled up the lapels on the new clothing he requested from the brothel proprietor. “You two wait. I’ll slap both of you one day! I can forgive this set of clothes for being small, but what is with this bizarre design?”

“Stop complaining. Be thankful you have something to wear.”

“If it wasn’t for you two ruining my clothes, would I be forced to wear this? I swear this set of clothes is uncannily familiar.”

“Elder, you were saying?”

“Right. I searched for Qing’er because, last month, a man I met at a rundown shrine outside a city told me…”

“Ming Feizhen! Isn’t this the clothing for brothels’ security?! What did you tell them?!”

“Quiet, boy. I’ll hit you!”

“We’re busy talking business! What is wrong with you?”

Hua Qing silently went to cry in a corner.

“Last month, when this old one dressed up as a beggar to loiter at the city outskirts, he came across an old monk who had one foot in a coffin. He would’ve been dead already if it wasn’t for his advanced internal strength. He was immobilised on the ground, so he hadn’t drank or eaten in several days. This old one is no philanthropist, and he’s been on the receiving end of many daoists’ anger. On account of the pugilistic world’s unwritten rules, this old one decided to leave after leaving some food and water for him. This old one was about fifteen metres away from the monk when the monk suddenly opened his eyes to thank this old one. According to him, he is a monk from Shaolin.”

“Shaolin?” Hua Qing hurried back once Ming Feizhen and he looked to each other.

Kongkong’er had a nip of tea. “He said his dharma name is Kongcang. Back in this old one’s younger days, he had the fortune of interacting with Shaolin Temple’s monks. Naturally, this old one thereupon made sure to take care of him because this old one recognised the name. The only concern this old one had was that the monk was an imposter. Thankfully, he could answer all the questions this old one posed, including questions only someone of his rank in Shaolin Temple could answer. We then switched roles, with him testing this old one. Since it was evident that this old one was an ally of Shaolin Temple, Venerable Kongcang explained what happened to him.

“He told this old one he unknowingly walked into a big conspiracy in the midst of investigating a crime that took the lives of two Shaolin disciples. Upon learning of this old one’s identity, he urged this old one to find Qing’er as soon as possible, then join Shaolin for protection. Shaolin is one of the three biggest sects, not to mention they’re still going strong after all these years. As long as Qing’er could join them, even if he couldn’t clear his name, he would be safe. That’s why this old one hurried here.”

Ming Feizhen could virtually hear the respect Kongkong’er held for Shaolin.

“Indeed, Shaolin would be able to protect him. That does not explain why you are starving, though.”

“This old one had to wait and couldn’t deploy money, so he starved for five days. If he deployed cash, it would be the same as telling people where he is. It’s no big deal, nevertheless. Back when the foreigners from the north invaded, this old one didn’t bat an eye even when he had to go fifteen days without food. Anyhow, that’s about it. Qing’er, go scout the situation outside. If it’s safe, let’s dash.”

“Okay.” Hua Qing tip toed out.

Within seconds, Ming Feizhen and Kongkong’er heard, “Hey, security, where are the girls?!” putting smiles on their faces.

“Elder, how do you see Zhuo Fengru?”

Kongkong’er flinched subtly. “Why do you bring him up?”

“I am sure you did not just learn of where your disciple is today, but you must have chosen today to make contact with him because we are off Zhuo Fengru’s radar.”

“What do you think of him?”

“90% likely to be bad news.”

“True men don’t beat around the bush.” Kongkong’er whacked the table with an open hand. “This old one has met all sorts of people during his time in the pugilistic world. Zhuo Fengru’s actions and words contradict each other. One of them has to be a lie. Even if he isn’t a nefarious villain, he’s definitely not the upright man he poses as. Him, a hero? What a lousy joke.”

“Hua Gezi trusts him.”

“Qing’er has the physical skills, but he’s too honest and trusting. Are you not the same?”

Ming Feizhen cast his gaze to the ceiling. “Otherwise, I would not have saved him.”

Hua Qing, from the door, notified, “We can leave.”

Ming Feizhen: “Let us pay a visit to the venerable monk.”

***

“What do you think?” Contrary to her prior bright personality, when Ming Feizhen and Hua Qing were in the room only a while ago, Ruisi looked statically stoic.

“Martial Prowess or wits?” Likewise, Yungu’s tone suggested a lack of emotional investment in the subject of discussion.

“Wits.”

“A white sheet.”

“Martial prowess?”

“Immeasurable.”

“… Your evaluation?”

“Although he is strong, he’s not perfect. He’s not proficient at currying favour for gains and scheming. While he’s not stupid, he is young, so he’s prone to be driven by his emotions. We can make use of that.”

“What should we report?”

“We’ll say… He may be the best son-in-law candidate for Her Highness Sacred Maiden.”

Glossary

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