"Pure suit, fishing with a golden hook, with a concealed kong and drawing a winning tile, paying off three families!"
Yang Ge slammed a one-dot tile onto the mahjong table and laughed loudly with a flush on his face, "Sixty coins each, pay up, pay up!"
Xiao Baoqi and the others around the table grumbled discontentedly, "Did you not wash your hands after using the toilet or what?"
"It’s definitely because Huang gave him a big one this morning!"
"We haven’t even finished this round, and you’ve already made six full hands... This is too wicked!"
Yang Ge clapped his hands, "Less nonsense, pay up, pay up..."
At the entrance of the inn, Zhao Hong swept lazily while sneakily observing the high-spirited Yang Ge, whispering to Zhao Cha who was cracking melon seeds behind the counter, "Big sister, is he always this idle?"
Casually eating seeds, Zhao Cha chuckled, "It’s better when he’s idle. If he’s not idle, that might spell trouble..."
Zhao Hong quickly replied, "No no, I mean... doesn’t he practice martial arts? Those in the martial arts world all have this saying ’keep the verse close, never leave your fists idle, train in the cold of winter and the heat of summer’. Does he practice at home every day then?"
Zhao Cha looked at him and suddenly laughed, "What, trying to sneak some lessons?"
Zhao Hong: "I didn’t mean that..."
Zhao Cha: "Just drop that thought, I’ve heard from Li that when it comes to martial arts, reaching the level of a brother like Yang Ge means you don’t need to shut yourself away for rigorous training every day, every sit and stand, every word and action, is cultivation!"
Zhao Hong: ...
While the siblings were whispering, several impressive jianghu figures wearing military attire and leading horses arrived outside the inn’s entrance, looking up at the inn’s sign.
Seeing this, Zhao Cha immediately put down her seeds, stepped out from behind the counter with a smile, and went to greet them, "Welcome, sirs, are you stopping by for a rest or staying over... Xiao Hong, what are you standing there for? Take the horses!"
"Ah?"
Zhao Hong, startled, finally snapped back to reality. He dropped the broom with a rigid face and went out to greet them, muttering helplessly to himself, "Xiao Hong?"
The young man in golden clothes held up his hand to stop Zhao Hong from taking the reins and said with a friendly smile, "This horse of mine is quite temperamental and doesn’t take kindly to strangers, no need to trouble yourself, Xiao Hong... Shopkeeper, is Yang Ge in?"
Upon hearing his address, Zhao Cha immediately knew that the visitor must be an old friend of their Yang Ge, and gestured towards Yang Ge who was dominating the mahjong table inside, "There, he’s playing mahjong... Yang Ge, you’ve got guests!"
The young man in golden clothes, upon hearing Zhao Cha’s reference to Yang Ge, also looked at her with a hint of surprise.
Over there, hearing the commotion, Yang Ge turned his head and immediately saw Yang Tiansheng standing in the sunlight outside the door. He quickly rose and walked briskly towards him, "Yo, what a rare visitor!"
He teased in a strange tone and, chuckling, strode out the door, punching Yang Tiansheng in the chest, "You’ve been invited so many times, and you finally decide to show up, huh?"
Rolling his eyes, Yang Tiansheng laughed, "Cut the crap with me!"
Yang Ge expressed surprise, "What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word."
Yang Tiansheng: "Keep pretending, just keep pretending!"
Yang Ge: "I, Yang Ge, am straightforward and honest; what have I pretended?"
Yang Tiansheng: "I saw you that day!"
Yang Ge: "Which day are you talking about..."
Arm in arm, the brothers laughed heartily as they entered the inn. Some of the salty regulars, recognizing Yang Tiansheng, stood up with amused smiles and saluted from afar, "I was wondering who it could be, our Second Master even abandoned his plaque to greet you in person, turns out it’s King Yang himself!"
"It’s been a while, haven’t had the chance to congratulate King Yang for becoming the head of the four great masters of the Ming Sect!"
"Congratulations, King Yang, congrats..."
Yang Tiansheng, still walking and smiling, returned their gestures, "It’s nothing, it’s nothing... I was wondering why the martial world seemed so quiet lately, turns out you’ve all been cooped up here watching the spectacle, huh?"
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"Hahaha..."
The hall erupted with laughter, a vivid rush of martial world’s spirit washed over everyone.
Yang Tiansheng gestured expansively, "It’s better to meet by chance than a formal invitation, nobody leaves today! Later, I’ll take over my brother’s treasured spot here and set up a few tables. We won’t return until we’re all drunk!"
"You have my word!"
"Not going home unless we’re drunk..."
The salty regulars responded in a cacophony.
Yang Ge stood by Yang Tiansheng’s side, hands behind his back, smiling and waiting for him to finish exchanging pleasantries with the salty regulars.
After the small talk had ended, he pulled Yang Tiansheng and started heading towards the stairs to the second floor, yelling towards the backyard, "Er Niu, get out my frozen beef and beef offal to thaw..."
Having returned behind the counter, Zhao Cha heard the shout and took another glance at Yang Tiansheng’s retreating figure.
Zhao Hong approached her, his face filled with shock, whispering, "Sis, is that guy the rebel leader of the Ming Sect?"
Zhao Cha nodded, "Yeah, didn’t you just hear them all? Oh right, I remember now, a few days ago Baoqi and the others talked about him, this should be the ’Sword Master’, Yang Tiansheng... He’s the one who faced three moves from the Sect Hierarch and claimed the position of next Sect Hierarch of the Ming Sect... So it’s him, Yang Tiansheng, no wonder!"
Zhao Hong’s shock intensified, "The next Sect Hierarch of the Ming Sect? And he just strolls in so boldly?"
Zhao Cha, bemused, "What else? Should he have come sneakily and skulked in secret?"
Zhao Hong: "But he is a rebel!"
Zhao Cha: "But this is Lu Ting!"
Zhao Hong: "And what of Lu Ting? Under the vast sky, all lands belong to the king; along the shores of earth, all are subjects to the emperor!"
Zhao Cha opened her mouth, wanting to explain but feeling at a loss for words, so she just pointed to the pancake stall opposite the inn, "See that guy selling pancakes over there?"
Zhao Hong, still quite baffled, nodded, "I see him, what about it?"
Zhao Cha: "He’s an imperial guard, go report to him if you must!"