Chapter Ninety-Three: The Deputy and Brother Ma

For three days and three nights, East Continent City was washed by torrential rain. On the morning of the fourth day, the sun blazed overhead, drying every puddle on the ground and settling the dust that had been hanging over the city.

Jiang Pingchuan stood at the gate of the Gong residence, holding the brocade pouch Lord Gong had given him. In this time, the once-grand gates had become shabby and ruined, and the infant’s cries from the stone screen wall had fallen silent.

Jiang Pingchuan waited there while Lord Gong set a table at the entrance, spread a small woolen blanket upon it, and took the little fox from Jiang Pingchuan’s arms, placing it gently on the blanket.

Then, with great care, he lined the fox’s side with teacups. He personally hauled out a huge vat of hot tea from the manor and set it beside a stool, then picked up a ladle and slowly, meticulously filled each cup on the table to the brim.

“If you’re not careful, you’ll boil yourself alive,” Jiang Pingchuan said, watching Lord Gong lounge comfortably on the stool, fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

“What do you know? This is called life. Look at you, living so hard. You should learn how to enjoy yourself.”

Lord Gong was in exceptionally high spirits. Ever since Jiang Pingchuan had sent a strange surge of true qi into his body, his strength had actually improved again.

Over the past two days, he had happily drunk three full vats of water. Jiang Pingchuan even suspected the old man had been standing in the latrine while drinking, the way he kept at it.

“I have a friend who knows how to enjoy himself too,” Jiang Pingchuan said with a smile, gazing down the street.

He was thinking of Maoqiu. When he had gone looking for Maoqiu after his enlightenment in the Scripture Pavilion, that fellow had known how to enjoy life far better than Lord Gong.

A host of ghostly beauties, vats upon vats of fine wine. It was a pity that fellow was a cat. Otherwise, how could he have resisted all those lovely ghost girls just to sit on his throne and watch?

“Is he as good at enjoying himself as I am?” Lord Gong said, shooting Jiang Pingchuan an unhappy look.

To him, this was already indulgence enough. Who would have thought Jiang Pingchuan would claim that his friend knew how to enjoy himself? Wasn’t that a naked slap in the face?

“What you call enjoyment is just child’s play to him. He dares to consort with ghosts and demons. Dare you?”

Jiang Pingchuan gave the old man seated before him a look of disdain. Lord Gong nearly blew his top when he heard that.

“If I get the chance, I’ll go meet this friend of yours. So what if he fools around with ghosts? Haven’t you even gone after a fox?”

Lord Gong looked at the sleeping fox on the table and chuckled. Jiang Pingchuan’s expression darkened at once, and Lord Gong hurriedly shut his mouth and said no more.

At that moment, the sound of hooves rang out in crisp unison from not far away. Lord Gong set down the fan in his hand and rose to his feet. Together with Jiang Pingchuan, he looked toward the street.

It was an old acquaintance: You Liang.

No, he should now be called Han Liang. By then, Han Liang had already become the new city lord of East Continent City, respected and admired by all. The former beggars’ disciples had become his personal guards and the new defenders of the city.

“Greetings, City Lord.”

Lord Gong cupped his hands toward Han Liang, who had dismounted and walked over. Han Liang quickly rushed forward to help, his face filled with awkwardness as he looked at the two men. He could not possibly deserve such courtesy from them.

“There’s no need for the Second Boss and Lord Gong to be like this,” Han Liang said, embarrassed.

After speaking, he stood a little stiffly before Jiang Pingchuan. Without these two men, he would never have been able to kill Han Zhen, let alone become city lord of East Continent City.

More importantly, without Jiang Pingchuan and Lord Gong, he might have gone his entire life without learning that his true father was Han Qing, and he would never have had the chance to avenge his father, mother, and grandfather.

“So now it’s Second Boss? He’s not a beggar, and neither are you. Why are you being so familiar?”

Lord Gong dropped the pretense as well and reverted to his usual manner, teasing Han Liang and Jiang Pingchuan. His tone, however, carried a sour edge, and the people standing behind Han Liang could not help feeling that Lord Gong had been wronged somehow.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Lord Gong became even more annoyed. How could he not feel wronged? Han Liang had greeted Jiang Pingchuan as Second Boss the moment he arrived, as warmly as could be, while still addressing him only as Lord Gong. Was that not looking down on him? In his heart, Lord Gong thought: I am very wronged, but I shall not say so.

“Then how do you address me?” Jiang Pingchuan asked. “It is only right that I become the deputy city lord of East Continent City, though I will do little more than hold the title. I will not be able to make much contribution to the city, and of course I will not accept any salary from it.”

Han Liang hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Lord Gong snorted, downed five cups of water in a row, and sat back down.

“From this day forward, the Second Boss will be our deputy city lord of East Continent City. As for the second matter, Han Liang would like to invite Lord Gong to serve as the city’s guardian. I wonder what Lord Gong thinks?”

Han Liang smiled at the man seated on the stool.

Lord Gong blinked at that, twirling his beard and pretending to think deeply.

“He would be delighted,” Jiang Pingchuan said with a cold laugh before Lord Gong could keep up the act.

Han Liang burst out laughing at once. Lord Gong’s face turned red with irritation as he sprang to his feet, glaring at Jiang Pingchuan. The two of them stared each other down.

Jiang Pingchuan’s lips were slanted in a mocking smile, while Lord Gong puffed his cheeks in anger. Han Liang obediently shut his mouth. These two were not people to be trifled with in East Continent City.

“I’m telling you, Jiang Pingchuan, you...” Lord Gong began in a fury, nearly blurting out the matter of the little fox and the Thousand-Seal Blade, but he swallowed the rest when he saw Jiang Pingchuan’s calm expression. He secretly let out a breath of relief. If he had slipped up, Jiang Pingchuan’s hard-won good mood might have darkened again at once.

“Then what does Lord Gong mean?” Han Liang asked cautiously once the two men stopped arguing.

Lord Gong glanced at Jiang Pingchuan, and seeing nothing unusual, finally turned back to Han Liang.

“The city lord’s kindness, I shall not refuse. Protecting East Continent City is my duty.”

He cupped his hands and spoke with perfect seriousness.

To Jiang Pingchuan, Han Liang’s arrival had been a most wise choice for making Lord Gong the guardian of East Continent City. At present, Lord Gong was the only Foundation Establishment expert in the city; one could say he could now stride through East Continent City with complete impunity.

Then came a sharp, forceful clatter of hoofbeats.

Everyone turned toward the street. A proud and majestic horse came galloping over. Jiang Pingchuan picked up the little fox from the table and tucked it into his arms, then looked at the Listening Cloud Horse, which had already stopped at the gate of the Gong residence.

Everyone present was talking nonstop about Jiang Pingchuan’s horse. Lord Gong was even more exaggerated, clutching the horse’s leg as though he had met a long-lost relative and rubbing it over and over while marveling in wonder.

Seeing this, Jiang Pingchuan made Listening Cloud Horse bare its teeth and sneeze at Lord Gong, spitting a mouthful of horse saliva all over his face. Only then did Lord Gong reluctantly let go.

“Friends, today we part, and who knows when we shall meet again. Take care.”

Jiang Pingchuan mounted Listening Cloud Horse, cupped his hands to the others, and patted the horse’s neck. Listening Cloud Horse took a few steps, then suddenly stopped again. Jiang Pingchuan turned back and saw Lord Gong standing there with a face full of sorrow.

“Old man, I only know you as Lord Gong. What is your actual name?”

Jiang Pingchuan asked with a smile.

Up to now, he still did not know Lord Gong’s name. Once he asked, everyone present perked up their ears as well. None of them knew what Lord Gong’s true name was.

“Cough cough. Do I really have to say it? With so many people here, isn’t that a little improper?”

Lord Gong felt awkward at the question. With so many eyes on him, he was suddenly a little embarrassed. Jiang Pingchuan curled his lip and gave Listening Cloud Horse a slap. The horse raised its forelegs and neighed, then bolted toward the city gate.

“I am the lord of East Continent City. My family name is Gong, and my given name is one single character: Gong. Remember that, boy!”

Seeing Jiang Pingchuan depart without another word, Lord Gong grew anxious and shouted after him. After he did, his face was red as a monkey’s rear.

“Hahaha! Lord Gong, Princess Gong—what a lovely, delicate princess. I, Jiang, have remembered!”

Without turning back, Jiang Pingchuan called out loudly from atop Listening Cloud Horse.

At that, Lord Gong grabbed a teacup from the table and flung it straight toward Jiang Pingchuan’s departing figure.

“Three days and nights of rain in East Continent, yet it cannot compare with a single glance from Lord Gong. I take my leave.”

Jiang Pingchuan raised a hand behind him in farewell and rode straight out through the city gates.

Lord Gong sighed heavily and handed Han Liang a cup of tea. Han Liang smiled in the direction Jiang Pingchuan had gone. He had a feeling Jiang Pingchuan would return again someday.

After Jiang Pingchuan rode out of East Continent City, the guards at the gate were already men of the Beggars’ Gang. Order at the city gate had become steady and calm, and no fees were being collected anymore. When they saw Jiang Pingchuan ride out, the two guards straightened and watched him go.

“May the Second Boss and Horse Brother have a safe journey...”

Jiang Pingchuan and Listening Cloud Horse had no idea how far they had run when they suddenly heard the voices of the two guards behind them. Listening Cloud Horse stumbled and nearly threw Jiang Pingchuan off.

Jiang Pingchuan smiled faintly and patted its mane. Then Listening Cloud Horse accelerated even more, racing toward Yin-Yang City.

A trip to Yin-Yang City, with a fresh round of clowns waiting ahead—more to come.