The Legend of the Condor Heroes – Chapter 24

Yin Zhiping was startled, “Your grandmaster? Hmm, looks like what we wrote down are the same after all. Isn’t Huang Yaoshi the Master of the Peach Blossom Island?”

“Oh! So that’s how it is,” Cheng Yaojia said.

Yin Zhiping said, “Since Lu Xiong is a Peach Blossom Island’s disciple, then the reason you are looking for the Six Freaks of Jiangnan is certainly not in their favor.”

“That’s not true,” Lu Guanying said.

Yin Zhiping noticed Lu Guanying spoke with reluctance, he was unhappy, he said, “Since Lu Xiong does not regard Little Brother as your friend, then it’s useless for us to talk much longer. I’ll take my leave now.” He stood up and turned around to leave.

Lu Guanying busily said, “Yin Shixiong, wait! Little Brother has a difficulty and I wish for Shixiong’s help.”

Yin Zhiping just loved it when others came to him for help, he happily said, “All right, then talk to me.”

Lu Guanying said, “Yin Shixiong, you are a disciple of the Quanzhen Sect. If you know someone is in danger, you will certainly forewarn that person to guard against the danger, since that is part of your duty as a chivalrous person. But what if your own superior wanted to harm innocent people; would you still warn those innocent people to guard against your superior?”

Yin Zhiping slapped his thigh and exclaimed, “That’s right! I know you are a Peach Blossom Island disciple; so you must have a great difficulty in this matter. All right, let us see what I can do.”

Lu Guanying said, “In this matter, if Little Brother does not do anything, I am not doing my duty in upholding righteousness; but if I do something, I am betraying my own school. Even though Little Brother wishes to ask Shixiong’s help, in all honesty, I cannot open my mouth.”

Yin Zhiping had more or less guessed what he wanted, but since he was not willing to say it out loud, Yin Zhiping did not quite know what to do. He lifted his hand to scratch his head, his face looked awkward.

Cheng Yaojia remembered something: when a girl was too shy to say her heart’s content, usually the mother or her sisters would ask her questions, and determine what she really wanted by her nodding or shaking her head. Although it was not the best method, it usually would reveal the content of the girl’s heart in the end. For instance the mother would ask, “Child, are you in love with Zhang San’ge [Third Brother surnamed Zhang]?” The girl would shake her head. “Is it Li Silang [Fourth lad of Li family]?” The girl would shake her head again. “Then it must be the Wang family’s cousin.” The girl would hang her head low without saying anything; that meant the guess was correct. Thereupon Cheng Yaojia said to Yin Zhiping, “Yin Shige [martial brother Yin], you ask Lu Dage [big brother Lu] questions. If it is correct, he will nod, if wrong, he will shake his head. That way he won’t say anything to betray his own school.”

Yin Zhiping was delighted, “Shimei, that is a wonderful idea. Lu Xiong, let me tell you first about my business. My Shifu, Changchun Zhenren, happened to hear that the Master of the Peach Blossom Island hates the Six Freaks of Jiangnan to his bones and that he is going to wipe out the entire six families from the face of the earth. My Shifu immediately set out to Jiaxing to deliver the warning, but the Six Freaks were actually not home; they were traveling somewhere. Thereupon my Shifu visited the six families one by one and told them to escape, so when the Island Master Huang arrived, he did not find a single person. He was livid and leashed out his anger to the air; then he went north. I don’t know what happened afterwards. Do you know this matter?”

Lu Guanying nodded. Yin Zhiping continued, “I think the Island Master Huang is pursuing the Six Freaks to the north. Initially there was a friction between my Shifu and the Six Freaks, but first of all this friction has been taken care off, secondly my Shifu greatly admires the Six Freaks’ chivalrous deeds in helping others in distress; and finally my Shifu thinks this matter is not Six Freaks’ fault at all. It just so happened that the Quanzhen Seven Masters were having a meeting in Jiangnan, hence they spread out to find the Six Freaks, to warn them against this danger. It would be best if they could just go into hiding to faraway place so that your Grandmaster won’t be able to find them. Don’t you agree that we are doing the right thing?”

Lu Guanying repeatedly nodded his head.

Huang Rong was puzzled, “Jing Gege had already fulfilled his promise to come to the Peach Blossom Island; why would Father still want to settle the debt with the Six Freaks?” She did not know that her father heard Lingzhi Shangren’s lie and believed that his daughter had died on the sea; therefore, in his grief he wanted to vent his anger on the Six Freaks.

She heard Yin Zhiping continue, “Since he could not find the Six Freaks, my Shifu then remembered the Six Freaks’ disciple, Guo Jing. He is a native of the Ox Village in the Lin’an prefecture, and most likely had returned to his hometown; thereupon my Shifu sent Little Brother to find him here. Chances are he would know his six masters’ whereabouts. Did you come to this place also over this business?”

Lu Guanying again nodded his head. Yin Zhiping said, “Who would have thought that Guo Xiong had not come home yet. My Shifu is very fond of the Six Freaks, but since he could not find them, he did not know what else he could do. But since that’s the case, apparently the Island Master Huang might not be able to find them either. Lu Xiong wanted to ask for my help, is it concerning this matter also?”

Lu Guanying nodded. Yin Zhiping said, “Whatever order Lu Xiong might have, please tell me. Little Brother will do my best to fulfill your wish.”

Lu Guanying did not open his mouth, but his face looked quite awkward. Cheng Yaojia said with a smile, “Yin Shige, you forgot that Lu Xiang Gong cannot open his mouth to speak frankly.”

Yin Zhiping smiled, “That’s right,” he said, “Lu Xiong, do you want me to wait for Guo Xiong in this place?” Lu Guanying shook his head.

“Do you want Little Brother to quickly find the Six Freaks and Guo Xiong then?” Yin Zhiping asked. Again Lu Guanying shook his head.

“Ah, I get it,” Yin Zhiping said, “Lu Xiong wants Little Brother to spread the news in the Jianghu. Those Six Freaks are natives of Jiangnan, once the word is out, sooner or later they will hear it.”

Lu Guanying still shook his head. Yin Zhiping presented seven, eight more guesses, but Lu Guanying kept shaking his head. Cheng Yaojia also asked him twice, but none of her guesses was correct either. Not only Yin Zhiping was confounded, Huang Rong at the adjacent room was also confounded. Three people were in a deadlock situation for half a day. Finally Yin Zhiping laughed and said, “Cheng Shimei, you can slowly talk with him, I cannot play this riddle game anymore. I am going out for a walk, I will be back in a couple of hours.” With that he went out the door and left.

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