You Can Always Count on Ming Feizhen
“Come up with a nickname?”
“Yes, one that stands out, is memorable, and someone would be proud to say with their chest.”
Su Xiao did not have the foggiest idea why Bai Lian suddenly had such an embarrassing idea, but based on his nigh-non-existent experience in the field, he urged her to drop the idea.
“Tang Ye has ‘Heaven Shocker Holy Hands’. You have ‘Violent Young Maiden’. Even Ming Feizhen has… Forget it; he has too many to remember.”
Hardly anyone in the pugilistic world or realm of commoners recognised the name “Ming Feizhen”, but it was quite the household name in the capital. Thanks to reliable and unreliable news sources in the capital, virtually every government official recognised the legend who hit on anyone and everyone – even eunuchs. By this point in time, he had more nicknames than anyone else in the capital.
“The rest are fine. Everyone remembers their nicknames, right?”
“B-but mine is wrong! It doesn’t describe me at all!”
Ever since Emperor Yuansheng conferred Su Xiao the nickname, he had tried in vain to have it changed. At this point, he had given up on having his desired nicknames attached to him.
Su Xiao lethargically tapped his horse to catch up with Bai Lian. “Why do you want a nickname?”
“After meeting Miss Xie and company, I’ve had a thought.” Bai Lian whipped her horse, prompting it to cheerfully pick up the pace a little. “Prior to leaving the imperial palace, Brilliant Consort told me to find my own goal and to live for myself. I didn’t understand how to carry out those orders, so I always accompanied Lord Zi. After meeting the five of them, though, I thought of something I personally want to do: I want to help people.”
Speaking her thoughts aloud bolstered Bai Lian’s confidence in its feasibility. She had never experienced being in such high spirits before; she did not understand the concept of oneself and could not clearly define what friends were.
As happy as Su Xiao felt for Bai Lian from her change before they went on their “adventure”, he still had misgivings. Head laterally tilted, he voiced, “But a nickname…”
“What’s the big deal? Giving yourself a nickname is only the first step. You have to form your own team in the future, like the people who start their own sects and factions. Even if you’re not up to scratch, ‘Deities Without Five Hands’ isn’t a bad one, right?” Bai Lian scrunched up her face, “Though that is an ugly name. What were they thinking when they picked it? No wonder why they’re still not really famous despite all they’ve done.”
“I think that’s the shortened version of ‘Deities without five fingers’.”
“Song Wei’s shortened naming style is really handy. I’m not picking that sort of nickname.”
Su Xiao raised his hand. “Me, me, me! I have an idea. How about ‘Xiao Bai Warriors’?”
“Why have you inserted yourself into the equation?”
“You mentioned starting a group, didn’t you? The more the stronger. It sounds nice and has that beginners-in-the-pugilistic-world vibe to it.”
Bai Lian cancelled her instinct to first object to the name that degraded her and questioned, “Hang on. Why is it ‘Xiao Bai Warriors’ and not ‘Bai Xiao Warriors’”
“Is there a difference?”
“Of course there is. You’re ahead! Even if we’re a team, I should be ahead, shouldn’t I? It’s my group.”
“What does it matter who’s in front? You’re being childish.”
“Why are you ahead, then?”
“Because it’s cooler.”
“Then what do you mean there’s no difference?”
The were still debating their group name by the time they arrived back at the capital. Upon arriving at Liu Shan Men, Su Xiao detected some changes, though he could not point out what exactly they were.
“‘Hibernating During Spring. Whose Silhouette is Seen’ is too long, too. Wait. Doesn’t that mean you’re still in front? Xiao Han, what’s the matter?”
Eyebrows knitted, Su Xiao halted in his tracks and called Zha Pi over. “What happened here?”
“Yo, Master Su.” Zha Pi held his hands up in salute, scanned the surroundings, took out a letter from his shirt, then quietly informed, “This is a letter Master Ming left for you. He said he was heading off with Master Tang and leaving matters here to you. You are to promptly head out with the group here.”
“He wants me to promptly head out? Where has he gone?” Lowering his volume, Su Xiao queried, “Don’t tell me…”
Maintaining his smile but conveying a serious tone with his gaze, Zha Pi answered, “You must be tired from your journey. Thank you for your hard work. Why not come in and rest? We can talk inside,” whilst using his hands to signal, “Don’t listen to me. Leave now.”
Su Xiao understood what was being communicated, but it was too late once he heard the laughter behind him.
“Look who we have here. If it isn’t Su Xiao.”
There were roughly sixty people approaching without any semblance of a formation despite them appearing to be well-equipped warriors. Su Xiao could not put a name on a single face, but he was able to put a name on the individual who ambled out from the middle of the crowd.
After receiving permission to form his own squad, Song Ou left the capital to build his team using the imperial family’s resources and his own network. The one thing he was itching to do was to get back at everyone who got on his bad side in the past. Unluckily for him, Ming Feizhen and Tang Ye had departed. Shen Yiren had the female constables join Shuntian Bureau to support poor Sir Bao, who had always taken the blame for everything. Therefore, there was no way he was going to easily let Su Xiao off the hook.
“Where are you going? Where is your salutation for your superior?”
In spite of the few times they clashed, Su Xiao did not take everything to heart, so he saluted Song Ou as demanded.
“Hi, Captain Song.”
Song Ou simpered. “Hi? Is that appropriate language when speaking to your superior? Constable Zha, arrest him.”
“Ah?” responded Zha Pi.
Song Ou frowned. “‘Ah’ what? Arrest him.”
“Uh, Captain, that order is… impossible to fulfil. I cannot beat him.”
“Hmph, you’re useless. Watch and learn.” Song Ou marched towards Su Xiao and proclaimed, “I’d like to see him resist!”
As Song Ou reached for Su Xiao, Bai Lian pulled Su Xiao behind her.
“You have a problem?”
Song Ou exclaimed, “Who are you?! How dare y, eh? General Manager Bai?”
Bai Lian was not somebody anyone could have the honour of meeting in the imperial palace; however, Song Ou had seen her before and knew that His Majesty liked her.
“Um, why are you…”
“What’s wrong with me being here? Su Xiao is my friend. I’m here to treat him to tea. Is something the matter?” Xiao Han, let’s go.” Bai Lian pulled Su Xiao along, leaving Song Ou standing there awkwardly.
Bai Lian would not risk posing as the General Manager eunuch of the imperial palace anymore in case it caused Lord Zi problems. Song Ou was the one who assumed she was still the General Manager, so it was his fault, not hers. It had not been the first time Song Ou had to submit, so it was nothing new to him. Plus, Su Xiao’s departure would have reduced the amount of opposition he faced at Liu Shan Men, so it was no skin off his back. Hence, he was ready to let go when he heard, “Huh, what a pompous attitude.”
Bai Lian swiftly spun around upon sensing danger, catching the tip of a sword aimed at the back of her neck between two fingers. Although she stopped the attack, her hands felt numb.
“Who was that?! Step out!” thundered Su Xiao.
Considering the aura they felt, it would not have been surprising if nine titans stepped forwards.
Song Ou urged, “St-stop, stop! Let them go!”
The aura receded following Song Ou’s panic episode.
Knowing they were outnumbered, and on account of not knowing how many dangerous warriors were among them, Bai Lian deemed it wise to discard the sword in between her fingers and quickly leave with Su Xiao.
Once they were a safe distance away from Liu Shan Men, Su Xiao said, “It’s only been a few days, yet Song Ou is out for us… I wish I knew how Big Brother Ming and the others are doing right now. Sister Lian, you…”
Su Xiao patted Bai Lian on the back until Bai Lian stopped sweating. Thanks to his Yijin Jing, it was not long before Bai Lian exhaled a breath of relief.”
“Something is odd about him.” Bai Lian took two deep breaths before she could continue, “That’s Nanjiang’s style of martial arts. I don’t know what sort of people Song Ou has recruited for his team, but it’s in your best interests to not clash with him.”
“But Big Brother Ming…”
“Don’t you have a letter from him?”
“Oh, I do, too.’
“Plus, despite how he looks, Ming Feizhen is a disciple of Mount Daluo and a veteran of the pugilistic world. When it comes to experience, he’s hard to beat. Song Ou wouldn’t be able to scare him off.”
“That’s true. He must have something important to deal with. He wouldn’t clash with them over pride. You can always count on Big Brother Ming.”
The thought of Ming Feizhen was enough to fill them with infinite energy and make Song Ou seem insignificant.
Su Xiao did not mind letting Bai Lian read Ming Feizhen’s letter with them. On the large sheet of paper were just two sentences: “A debtor has come knocking. An urgent retreat is prescribed.”
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