Chapter 52 (2/2)
Ning Que stretched out his hand and gently shook once and let go, saying, “My surname is Ning, the ‘Ning’ from AnNing (peaceful). Ning Que.”
“My surname is Chao, the ‘Chao’ from Great Tang Chao (Dynasty), Chao XiaoShu.”
“Such an arrogant surname, such a gentle name.”
“People of ChangAn all call me Spring Wind Pavilion’s Old Chao. You can call me brother Chao.”
“Chao XiaoShu sounds a little better….I say XiaoShu, are you the leader of the Fish Dragon Gang?”
“You can call me Old Chao……also, I have never admitted that I was Fish Dragon Gang’s leader. I just gathered up a group of brothers, and did a few things that were inconvenient for the Imperial Court, that’s all.”
Ning Que finally confirmed his ident.i.ty. Smiling and patting his shoulder he said, “ChangAn’s number one gang’s leader is still so modest. XiaoShu, with that it seems too fake.” …… ……
Pulling out an ordinary styled blade from a pile of firewood, searching for a yellow poplar hardwood bow and a quiver, picking up a big black umbrella wrapped in layers of worn cloth from a crude blue ceramic pot, then fastening everything on his back, he continued to grope around the bottom of a chest for quite a while. He felt out a black mask that who knows how long since it was last washed.
Carefully putting on a tight-fitting flexible armor, on the outside he wore a tight-pressuring short-sleeved robe. He parted his hair and fastened the full moon style commonly seen among the men of the country. Using the black mask to cover half his face, Ning Que carefully looked it over for a while in front of a bronze mirror. Confirming that there were no gaps, he went out to beyond the small kitchen and stuck his head inside and said, “I’m leaving.”
Sang Sang was tidying the kitchen stove, and was.h.i.+ng pots, bowls, and brushes. Her face had no emotion whatsoever. Her willow thin, slender eyes had a vaguely childish irritation, and without knowing why, today the little maid was very much done with the motion of putting away bowls and cleaning brushes big time. From time to time the m.u.f.fled sound of slamming could be heard, and she rubbed a pot with force like she wanted to rub right through the black pot’s bottom.
Ning Que slightly paused, then he understood a bit. Gently explaining he said, “Being able to earn some silver is always good, and it looks to me like that guy should have quite the backing. Giving the other side a favor is something I can use in the future.”
With a bang, Sang Sang heavily threw the rag on top of the stove. Carrying a heavy metal wok, she went by herself and poured the dirty water with a twist of the little maid’s waist – unexpectedly like she didn’t see him, and hadn’t heard his explanation.
Ning Que rubbed his brow. After a bit of silence he said, “Little Black that idiot carelessly left one word and then let out a fart. Even if I make excuses I have no way of going to the afterlife to look for him, then tonight can be considered paying him back in his place.”
After saying this, he no longer concerned himself with little Sang Sang’s little sulking. After going directly out of the back residence, he went to the front of the shop.
Spring Wind Pavilion’s Old Chao, as the leader of ChangAn’s number one gang, the Fish Dragon Gang, drifted in the JiangHu for years. Who knows how many exceptional strange types he had seen, and he knew that the Old Brush House’s young boss definitely was one among exceptional people. Being mentally prepared for a while, but now seeing Ning Que with this outfit, he still couldn’t help but to feel a bit of surprise. He looked at that mysterious rag-wrapped stick thing on Ning Que’s back, and with a slightly wry smile said, “Looking at your outfit it doesn’t look like you’re going to kill people. Instead it’s like a rascal that owes a gambling debt about to flee the same night. Perhaps you plan to take all of the things in your home and put it on your back?”
“I only have a blade on my back. You happy with it?”
Ning Que walked to his side, taking a glimpse of the wind and rain on Forty Lane. Noting that the ends of the alley didn’t have a trace of anyone, he couldn’t help but frown and say, “I hope that there are no traitors among your brothers. I don’t hope to follow your winds to the scene of killing people and tomorrow turn into a wanted poster of the ChangAn government.”
Spring Wind Pavilion* Old Chao lowered his head and glanced at this black mask that covered more than half of this youngster’s face, and with a smile he said, “In truth you don’t need this kind of precaution. If after tonight you and I are still alive, then in the future as long as you don’t violate Tang law and commit crimes, in the entire Tang Dynasty that this Chang An City sits on, you wouldn’t have anyone that dares to come looking for you for trouble.”
Hearing these words, Ning Que thought, who said that ChangAn’s number one gang didn’t have backing, but he still didn’t have the thought of taking off his mask and killing people clear as day. A clear young voice separated by a black mask sounded out. “I’m used to a low profile.”
Spring Wind Pavilion Old Chao smiled, and didn’t again comfort him of anything.
The peace of a spring night had long been disrupted by the sound of rain. At the moment, there were many sounds of footsteps. Ning Que walked out from the door sill, and Chao XiaoShu opened the oil paper umbrella, that seemingly was unable to break the wind. The two people simultaneously raised their steps towards the night scene and walked into the rain.
Sang Sang charged out. She stood inside of the entrance, with both hands carrying that big heavy metal wok. Seeing that bowl on the table still had a lot of noodles left, and seeing the back of a figure in that windy and rainy little alley she anxiously yelled, “Master, you still haven’t eaten all your noodles!”
Ning Que turned around with a smile gazing at her, and then said, “Just leave it there, when I come back I’ll continue eating.”
Sang Sang carried that big metal wok, leaning her thin little shoulders against the rain-soaked shop doorway, and loudly called, “When it’s cold it isn’t good!”
Ning Que waved his hand forcefully; smiling he loudly replied, “Then make another pot, and wait for me to come back to eat.”
Sang Sang tightly pursed her little mouth. Seeing him turning to go, she finally yelled out, “I’ll put more chopped green onions. Master you have to remember to come back to eat!”
Ning Que didn’t respond, but behind the black mask both his eyes had a smile that became more and more strong. Seeing the darker and darker scenery of the alley, and seeing the harder and harder rain, he suddenly spoke up asking, “XiaoShu, where are we going now?”
“Spring Wind Pavilion.”
Old Chao calmly replied, “My home is over there…..enemies are also there, and I still suggest that you call me Old Chao, because you are the XiaoShu.”
In the alley the wind and rain was as before, not knowing where that Spring Wind Pavilion place was.
*Chun Feng Pavilion = Spring Wind Pavilion
(Note: Wen Rui’an (an author) <said hero,=”” who’s=”” the=”” hero?=”” (t.i.tle=”” of=”” one=”” of=”” his=”” works)=””>> w.a.n.g Xiaos.h.i.+, Bai ChouFei first meet Su MengZhen. (all are characters who are sworn brothers in the novel above, 说英雄谁是英雄 Shuō yīngxióng shuí shì yīngxióng)
Sang Sang carrying a big metal wok standing at the slightly moist shop door finally yelled, “Weekly nomination list is exploding! Need recommendation votes!))
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