Yang Ge suddenly asked, "Did Li Jincheng give you a heads-up?"
Wu Eryong shook his head without thinking, like a bobblehead, "No, no, what are you talking about, sir? I don’t understand at all..."
Yang Ge laughed, stood up and said, "Fine, since you don’t treat me as a friend, I won’t say much anymore. Do whatever you please!"
He turned to leave, and Wu Eryong hurriedly followed him, bowing repeatedly and saying, "Elder Brother, our young master didn’t mean that. He thinks that for a person of your rare caliber to routinely sully your hands over our trivial family matters, it gives too much face to those short-lived and also unjustly demeans your status!"
Yang Ge stopped in his tracks and turned around to look at him, "Didn’t you just say that Li Jincheng did not give you a heads-up?"
"This..."
Wu Eryong sheepishly said, "I was mistaken, mistaken."
Just then, someone brought in two bowls of tea. Yang Ge casually took one and turned around to sit silently in the hall.
Seeing this, Wu Eryong quickly took the remaining bowl, waved his hand to the tea server and said, "Get out, guard the door, no one is allowed in."
Finally, he too, holding his tea bowl, turned and cautiously sat down with Yang Ge.
Yang Ge slowly swirled his covered tea bowl and said softly, "Let’s hear it, what exactly is going on?"
Wu Eryong forced a smile and said, "It’s just... just the usual jianghu affairs, you know it isn’t about dragons crossing the river or the strong overpowering the weak..."
Yang Ge couldn’t help but laugh, "And you still listen to your young master!"
Wu Eryong sheepishly remained silent.
Yang Ge said, "Fine, you think I care about meddling in your messy affairs? I came to ask how Uncle Li is doing. Someone told me that Uncle Li can hardly hold on anymore, is there any truth to it?"
"This... that..."
Wu Eryong stammered, sweating profusely from anxiety.
Yang Ge sternly raised his voice, "Speak up!"
Wu Eryong, startled, blurted out, "The old master is indeed barely holding on!"
"Sigh..."
Yang Ge gently exhaled, placed the tea bowl next to him on the small table, and said helplessly, "You really don’t treat me as a friend, do you?"
Wu Eryong hurriedly said, "Elder Brother, our young master didn’t mean it that way, but he truly believes that this small matter isn’t worth troubling you... Our old master also said, ’People of jianghu age as jianghu does, everyone has their own fate,’ this is his fate, he accepts it, and we shouldn’t perpetually extend the grudges of the older generation."
Yang Ge said, "So what? You plan to also keep Uncle Li’s funeral from me? Is that how you treat a friend?"
Wu Eryong had nothing to say.
"Enough, stop the nonsense!"
Yang Ge stood up and said, "I’m going home to settle things, and first thing tomorrow morning, you will take me to Lianhuan Fort!"
Wu Eryong also stood up, "Ah… this… I..."
Yang Ge started to walk out, "Ah nothing, stop dilly-dallying or I’ll beat you first and then your young master!"
Wu Eryong quickly said, "Yes, yes, not another word, not another word, hey, Elder Brother, have some food before you go!"
Yang Ge said, "Eat your sister!"
Wu Eryong said, "Someone, quickly bring my sister here..."
Yang Ge stopped in his tracks, rolled up his sleeves, and strutted toward Wu Eryong, "It’s clear now, you’re just asking for it today!"
Wu Eryong cowered, "Elder Brother, spare my life..."
...
Lianhuan Fort headquarters.
Dressed in hemp and mourning, Li Jincheng knelt vacantly in front of his father Li Changjiang’s spirit, mechanically burning paper money.
Just then, an executive from Lianhuan Fort briskly entered, poised before the spirit tablet, bowed three times, and then moved a step closer to whisper in Li Jincheng’s ear, "Young master, Fenshuizhai reports that at dawn Jinfanwu launched a fierce attack on Fenshuizhai, and despite Wang fighting hard, he was overwhelmed and captured by Jinfanwu warriors..."
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Upon hearing these words, Li Jincheng’s grip tightened on the paper money, his veins bulging, before he finally spoke softly, "Order our men to abandon the sub-forts and retreat to headquarters, defend our doors at all costs!"
"Yes!"
The Lianhuan Fort executive complied, moved two steps away, then with some reluctance moved closer and whispered, "Young master, you need to hold on, the brothers are all waiting for you to lead them back, the old master’s efforts must not be in vain!"
Li Jincheng, head bowed, said, "I’m fine. Everything... will wait until the old master’s burial is settled!"
"Ah!"
The Lianhuan Fort executive stepped away quickly, looked back from a distance at the lonely figure in the shrine, and suddenly sighed deeply.
In the ancestral hall, Li Jincheng raised his head, staring fixedly at the spirit tablet before him, suddenly, the agonizing screams of his father dispersing his energy echoed in his ears, and tears suddenly gushed like a fountain...
His father had been on the brink of death already.
Yet, he had bitterly suppressed the backlash of his internal injuries, counting the days and enduring until the very last moment before dispersing his energy.
Some had said that the agony of dispersing one’s energy was like being scraped all over every inch of the body with a red-hot steel knife, every inch of flesh and every bone.
His elder had not needed to suffer this plight, he could have earlier gradually dispersed his energy bit by bit.
But until his dying breath, he was still regretting not being able to help him one last time.
He had died without being able to close his eyes...
"Unfilial son!"
Li Jincheng heavily knocked his head on the ground, sobbing voice barely audible: "I am unworthy of father’s nurturing grace."
A gust of wind entered the ancestral hall, causing the everlasting lamp before the spirit tablet to flicker.
...
The next morning, Yang Ge, holding the squawking Wu Eryong, traveled southward down the river, soaring towards the headquarters of Lianhuan Fort.
By mid-morning, they successfully arrived at the headquarters of Lianhuan Fort located in the midst of Taihu Lake.
Before even landing, Yang Ge saw below banners of mourning and paper money everywhere on the water fort, and around the periphery of the island in the lake center, a large number of boats were arranged to encircle the entire island.
Yang Ge furrowed his brows: "Didn’t you say your family’s head was just barely holding on?"
Blown by the cold wind all the way, Wu Eryong, now gazing down at the banners and paper money, was entirely befuddled: "Yes, just three days ago, I received a letter from home, it still just ordered me to guard the Luting Wharf tightly..."
"Ah!"
Yang Ge sighed lightly, holding Wu Eryong and swiftly descended towards the center of the water fort.
"Who goes there?"
"They’ve gone too far, brothers, grab your knives and let’s fight them..."
As soon as Yang Ge landed, countless angry and sorrowful roars erupted all around, and in an instant, numerous robust men in disheveled clothes, armed with all kinds of weapons, surged from all directions.
Seeing this, Wu Eryong hastily stretched out his hand and shouted: "Hold, own people here, I am Wu Eryong, and this is Yang Erlang, Second Master!"
"Second Master?"
Hearing this name, many strong men simultaneously slowed their pace, eyeing Yang Ge with suspicion and curiosity.
A few experts from Lianhuan Fort who had been with Yang Ge to Dongying stepped out, rejoicing as they hurried forward to clasp their fists and bow: "Second Master, you’ve arrived!"
Yang Ge, expressionless, nodded slightly to a few of them, turned his head to discern the direction, and walked towards the ancestral hall.
The crowded throng, splitting like waves before his advancing steps, opened up before him, and Li Jincheng, having heard the commotion and come out, instantly saw Yang Ge.
The moment he saw Yang Ge, his eyes reddened, yet he still forced a smile, stepping forward to clasp his fists and bow, calling softly: "Second Brother..."
"Slap."
Yang Ge, without expression, slapped him to the ground, striding past him without a backward glance: "I’ll settle accounts with you later!"
He strode meteorically to the entrance of the ancestral hall, unslung the Cold Moon precious saber from his back, sheathed it into the bluestone slab, then solemnly adjusted his clothes and slowly walked into the ancestral hall, knelt before Li Changjiang’s spirit tablet, and bowed deeply.
Seeing this, Li Jincheng struggled to his feet and rushed into the ancestral hall, kneeling before the spirit tablet.
Yang Ge paid his respects.
He returned the gesture.
Seeing this, Wu Eryong kicked the person dressed as the master of ceremonies to the ground, cursing: "Are your eyes just for breathing?"
He sprinted to the front of the ancestral hall, tearing his throat shouting: "Marquis of Luting, ’Manifest Saint’ Yang Erlang, has arrived...family responds with courtesy!"
The loud voice carried far out.
The boats encircling Lianhuan Fort, hearing this shout, immediately stirred.
Just then, two more cries came from a great distance: "Yang Ge, you live farther from us brothers, how come you arrived even earlier than us?"
The voices, fast approaching, as they finished, Yang Tiansheng with his sword and Xiang Wudi with his spear, simultaneously leaped over the wall of the water fort and charged in.
In front of the ancestral hall, seeing this, Wu Eryong immediately tore his throat and continued shouting: "Hall Master of Qingmu Hall of Ming Sect, ’Sunrise Sword’ Yang Tiansheng, has arrived!"
"’Gun Master’, ’Tyrant Spear’ Xiang Wudi, has arrived!"