Chapter 147: Old Acquaintances Meet, Changchunzi Speaks of Chivalry
The autumn wind blew gently, and the water made a tinkling sound at the turn of the small bridge in the courtyard.
The hoofbeats of the “Night-Shining Jade Lion” and the chestnut horse, along with the sound of water, approached the courtyard.
The two dismounted and tied the reins to a willow tree.
Zhou Yan bought “Chrysanthemum White” from an old brand wine shop in the city, and Yang Miaozhen bought some pastries.
Mu Nianci set up a wooden table and cups under the old tree in the courtyard. Hearing footsteps, she turned her head.
“It’s Leader Yang.”
“Sister Mu, long time no see.”
Zhou Yan took the pastries for Yang Miaozhen. She quickly stepped forward, took Mu Nianci’s hand, and said, “Sister, you’re getting more and more radiant and beautiful. Your skin looks like it could drip water.”
“Leader Yang, please don’t tease me.” Mu Nianci said quickly, “Leader Yang, please sit down, I’ll pour you some tea.”
“Thank you, sister.”
“You’re welcome.”
Yang Tiexin walked out from the hall and cupped his hands, saying, “Leader Yang, greetings.”
Yang Miaozhen, being straightforward, laughed and said, “I came to Zhongdu on business and missed Sister Mu dearly. I happened to meet the Head Escort, so we came together. Please don’t mind the intrusion.”
“Leader Yang, you say that, but Nianci often mentions you.”
“Really? Thank you, Sister Mu.”
“Father, why do you say everything?” Mu Nianci blushed.
“Sister Mu is just shy.”
“I’ll pour tea.” Mu Nianci, unable to handle the teasing from the forthright Leader Yang, quickly used pouring tea as an excuse to escape.
Zhou Yan put down the wine jar and pastries. Just as he was about to call Shagu over to eat pastries, a loud voice came from outside the courtyard: “Young Friend Zhou, where is my Brother Yang?”
Zhou Yan looked and saw four people walking quickly. The Taoist priest at the front had a long beard like ink and a radiant spirit. He carried a long sword on his back. It was Qiu Chuji. Behind him were Yuyangzi Wang Chuyi and Danyangzi Ma Yu.
The Golden Saber Consort Guo Jing followed at the end.
When Zhou Yan was in Lin’an Prefecture, he had made an appointment with Qiu Chuji and others for the Mid-Autumn Festival. He had naturally informed them of Yang Tiexin’s residence.
In the morning, he encountered Yang Miaozhen, and they went to the escort bureau together. Yang Miaozhen drank tea and rested, while he washed up and changed his clothes. When they returned to Yang Tiexin’s place after buying wine and pastries from the street, they happened to run into Qiu Chuji and the others who had come directly to Zhongdu.
Qiu Chuji’s internal energy was profound, and he looked ageless. Although eighteen years had passed, his appearance had not changed much from before. Yang Tiexin recognized him at a glance.
He stepped forward quickly, about to bow, “Taoist Priest Qiu.”
Qiu Chuji quickly supported him. He saw that Yang Tiexin before him was weathered by wind and frost, with graying temples. He was no longer as heroic and robust as he was in his youth. He trembled and said, “Brother Yang.”
“It is I, Taoist Priest.”
“It is indeed you. You have suffered.”
The words “You have suffered” contained too many sad stories. Yang Tiexin’s eyes welled up with tears.
Qiu Chuji pulled him and said, “Look, this is Guo Jing.”
Guo Jing had been waiting to be recognized, but he was naturally simple and respected his elders. Without Qiu Chuji, Ma Yu, and the others speaking, he waited with proper etiquette. Having traveled from Lin’an Prefecture, his emotions had been building up. Hearing Qiu Chuji’s words at this moment, they erupted.
He knelt and kowtowed, “Jing’er greets Uncle Yang.”
Yang Tiexin looked at Guo Jing with his thick eyebrows and large eyes, vaguely seeing his sworn brother. He quickly helped him up. Tears flowed before he could speak. He felt as if a huge stone was pressing on his chest. A thousand words turned into a few simple sentences.
“Good, good, nephew, please rise quickly.”
Yang Tiexin wanted to help him up, but Guo Jing’s martial arts were not weak. After traveling north from Lin’an, he had also received some guidance from Qiu Chuji, and his cultivation had improved considerably.
Guo Jing’s body sank, and he kowtowed several times with a “bang, bang, bang.”
He had even more unspeakable words. He got up and quickly walked towards Zhou Yan, “Benefactor, please accept Guo Jing’s bow.”
Zhou Yan steadily supported him, and Guo Jing could no longer bow.
“Brother Guo, please don’t be so polite.” Zhou Yan changed the subject and said, “Senior Yang has been waiting for a long time. Please, all you Taoist priests, take a seat, and we can chat slowly.”
“Yes, yes, please, all you Taoist priests, and Nianci.”
Yang Miaozhen was straightforward and said that Mu Nianci was getting more radiant and beautiful. She was shy and speechless, but having traveled far and wide and working at an escort bureau, her etiquette was impeccable.
At Yang Tiexin’s summons, she stepped forward generously and bowed, “Nianci greets Taoist Priest Qiu, Taoist Priest Ma, and Taoist Priest Wang.”
Wang Chuyi and Ma Yu greeted Mu Nianci.
The two said in unison, “Miss Mu, please don’t be so formal.”
Qiu Chuji asked, “Is the young lady the adopted daughter of Brother Zhou’s sworn brother, Yang?”
“That’s right,” said Zhou Yan.
“Good, heroic and dignified,” Qiu Chuji praised.
“Thank you, Taoist Priest.” Mu Nianci curtsied gracefully, then turned to Guo Jing, “Nianci greets Brother Guo.”
“Hello, sister.” Guo Jing, born on the grasslands, was also straightforward and generous. He directly called Mu Nianci “sister.”
However, their conversation was brief. Zhou Yan, acting as a bridge, invited everyone to sit and said to Qiu Chuji and the others, “This is Yang Miaozhen, the leader of the Cuya Mountain Righteous Army.”
“My daughter greets Taoist Priest Ma, Taoist Priest Qiu, and Taoist Priest Wang.” Yang Miaozhen, possessing superior social skills, bowed gracefully and said, “Today, I am fortunate to meet the three Taoist priests, which fulfills a long-cherished wish.”
“What do you mean by that?” Qiu Chuji asked curiously.
Yang Miaozhen smiled without answering and looked at Zhou Yan.
“Leader Yang’s father repeatedly wished to see you, the three Taoist priests, but never had the chance. He named his daughter ‘Miaozhen’ with this in mind,” Zhou Yan explained.
“《Miaozhen Jing》?” Ma Yu blurted out.
“Precisely, hence I said my wish is fulfilled.”
The Quanzhen Three Masters sighed upon hearing this. They had indeed not expected that a leader of a righteous army would have such past events connected to the Quanzhen Sect.
Qiu Chuji, a straightforward man who hated Jin soldiers, said, “Old Daoist admires Leader Yang’s righteous and brave actions in resisting Jin. I will definitely visit Cuya Mountain one day.”
“This junior is honored and will await your visit.”
“Certainly, certainly.”
“Please, Taoist Priest.”
“Please, Leader Yang.”
Everyone sat down. Mu Nianci busied herself serving tea and pastries, arranging all the dishes and wine on the table. Yang Miaozhen pulled Mu Nianci to sit beside her.
Shagu squeezed in next to Zhou Yan.
Yang Miaozhen resisted Jin, and Guo Jing wanted to kill Wanyan Honglie. The conversation naturally turned to the current situation.
Qiu Chuji said, “As we travel south and north, there are frequent beacon smoke and battles in Jingdong Road and Hebei Road. Leader Yang, did you come to Zhongdu this time to inquire about the Jin soldiers’ encirclement and suppression of the righteous army?”
“I intercepted a corrupt Jin official heading to Kaifeng and learned that Mongolia will march south. I came specifically to investigate. If that is the case, we will coordinate to attack the Jin from both sides.”
Guo Jing was stunned upon hearing this, thinking to himself that the Khan was going to march south.
Ma Yu and Wang Chuyi, knowing that Guo Jing was ordered by the Khan to bring Wanyan Honglie’s head, looked at him involuntarily.
Guo Jing quickly said, “This disciple knows nothing of this matter.”
Yang Miaozhen was quite curious, wondering why Brother Guo said that.
Zhou Yan suddenly said, “What if Mongolia becomes another Jin Dynasty?”
Yang Miaozhen was confused, “Brother Zhou, what do you mean by that?”
“In the past, the Song allied with Jin to destroy Liao. Later, Jin soldiers marched south, causing widespread suffering. The shame of Jingkang led to the court relocating to Lin’an Prefecture. Mongolia marching south might either destroy Jin on its own or join forces with the Lin’an Court to destroy Jin, and then what? Would it be like the Jin Dynasty back then?”
This was a question no one had considered.
Zhou Yan’s words were naturally meant for Guo Jing to hear.
Guo Jing blurted out without thinking, “It won’t happen.”
Zhou Yan smiled, “I was just thinking of this out of the blue, based on what Sister Yang said.”
Yang Miaozhen said straightforwardly, “If Mongolia becomes as wicked as the Jin and covets the Han lands, we righteous armies will fight against Mongolia just as we fight against Jin.”
Qiu Chuji greatly admired Yang Miaozhen’s words and praised her highly, “This old Daoist hates evil and loves righteousness, acts chivalrously, and helps those in distress, but this is merely the lesser chivalry.”
“What is the greater chivalry?” Yang Miaozhen asked.
“It is like Leader Yang, who acts for the country and the people. That is the greater chivalry. Leader Yang is a woman who is not inferior to men. This old Daoist admires you.”
Yang Miaozhen quickly said, “This junior is merely causing trouble on Cuya Mountain and cannot possibly bear the title of ‘greater chivalry.’ However, this junior will take your words as encouragement to do good and eliminate evil.”
Guo Jing was in a daze, and for a moment, he remembered what his Second Master had said by Taihu Lake.
“When I return, I will reclaim our old mountains and rivers, and face the heavens.”
“Where are the soldiers? Their blades are sharp. Where are the people? They fill the ditches. Alas, the mountains and rivers remain the same, but the villages are desolate.”
