Chapter - 482 Descending From the Sky (3) (1/2)
Guo Jing then told the three visitors the reason of Ouyang Feng's visit. Lu Youjiao said, ”He said Huang Bangzhu is in our army, that's nonsense. If the Huang Bangzhu is here, how could we not know? Besides …”
Guo Jing sat back down, one hand supporting his cheek. ”I actually think what he said is very reasonable. Oftentimes I have a feeling that Miss Huang is by my side; no matter how difficult the problem I am facing, she always gives me a wonderful solution. Only no matter what I think, I still can't see her.” Speaking thus his eyes welled up with tears.
Lu Youjiao tried to console him, ”Sir, please don't worry, to be separated but for a moment, to be united forever in the future.”
”I have offended Miss Huang,” Guo Jing said, ”I am afraid she won't be willing to see me again. I don't know what I must do to pay for this guilt.”
Lu, Jian and Liang three people looked at each other without saying anything.
Guo Jing continued, ”Even if she is not willing to talk to me, if only she would let me see her once, I will be very much comforted.”
”Sir is tired, better go to bed soon,” Jian Zhanglao said, ”Tomorrow morning we will discuss how we are going to deal with Ouyang Feng if he stirs up trouble again.”
The next morning the army continued their journey to the west. That evening after they pitched camp Lu Youjiao came and said, ”Years ago Xiao Ren bought a painting in Jiangnan. I am a rough uneducated man, how could I comprehend the meaning behind this painting? While Sir is lonely in this army, Sir may enjoy this leisurely.” While speaking he put a roll of painting on the table.
Guo Jing unrolled the painting to take a look, he could not help but feeling astonished. The painting depicted a young maiden with a flower on her hair; she was sitting weaving silk on a loom. Her appearance resembled Huang Rong's, only she looked distressed; her eyebrows were knitted together and her face looked thin and pale.
Guo Jing looked in surprise for half a day, he saw next to the picture were two lines of poem. The first one read, ”Seven looms, in the springtime silkworms spit their raw silk, it is not easy to weave them into silk cloth. Do not use a pair of scissors so recklessly, otherwise the immortal 'luan' [a mythical bird] and the phoenix will be separated on two sides of the clothes.” The other one read, ”Nine looms, a pair of flowers, a pair of leafs, and a pair of branches. From ancient time a shallow love often parts. From head to toe two hearts are bound together, passing through a strand of silk thread.” These two stanzas resembled the 'si zhang ji' [four looms/weaving machines] poem of Ying Gu, but the pain they carried was twice the 'four looms' had.
Although it was hard for Guo Jing to interpret the poem, he understood the 'From ancient time a shallow love often parts' part. After pondering it for half a day he thought, ”This painting must be Rong'er's handiwork; where did Lu Zhanglao get it from?”
He raised his head to ask, but Lu Youjiao had left early on. Hastily Guo Jing ordered his personal guard to summon him back. Lu Youjiao was persistent with what he said earlier, that he bought that painting at a bookstore in Jiangnan. Even if Guo Jing was ten times dumber, he'd know something was wrong. Lu Youjiao was a straightforward and rough warrior; how could he stroll into a bookstore and buy a painting? If the painting was a gift, he would throw it away without giving it a second thought. If he did buy it at a bookstore in Jiangnan, how come the maiden in the painting bore a very close resemblance to Huang Rong? But Lu Youjiao was determined not to reveal the truth; there was nothing he could do.
While he was hesitating, Jian Zhanglao walked in and whispered in his ears, ”Just now Xiao Ren saw a shadow of a man moving on the tent toward our northeast; it swiftly disappeared without any trace. I am afraid that old scoundrel Ouyang Feng is going to sneak in tonight.”
”Good,” Guo Jing said, ”We, four people will cooperate here to capture him.”
”Xiao Ren has an idea,” Jian Zhanglao said, ”Let's see if Sir will agree.”