Uncle

Hearing how much he admired his father, Hu Fei was delighted. But when he saw his mother smile, his eyes darted as he said, "Who knows whether you're only praising my father because you met us mother and son?"

"Not at all!" Song Qingshu's expression turned solemn, and his tone was utterly sincere. "These days, the title of great hero seems to be everywhere. But among all the men in the world, there are only two and a half whom I acknowledge as truly worthy of it."

"Oh? With so many heroes in the world, which two and a half are worthy of such an honor?" Madam Hu's interest was piqued as well, and her formerly icy expression softened.

"Guo Jing, who guards Xiangyang, serves his country and its people. He is unquestionably worthy of being called a great hero." Yet Song Qingshu thought to himself that it was a pity Guo Jing devoted all his energy to great affairs of state and had inevitably neglected his family somewhat.

"Great Hero Guo truly is a hero of his generation." Mother and son both nodded.

"As for the remaining half," Song Qingshu deliberately kept them in suspense before saying, "it would be Beggar of the Snow, Wu Liuqi. He truly repaid even a single meal's kindness with lifelong gratitude. He was indeed a rare and extraordinary man." As for why he counted as half, Song Qingshu was unsure whether Wu Liuqi of this era was Jin Yong's Wu Liuqi or the historical one.

"I have never heard of this man, but if he was as you say, then he too deserved the title of great hero." Madam Hu had always admired such heroic figures, and a gleam appeared in her eyes.

"What about the other one?" Children were impatient by nature. Seeing that Song Qingshu still would not continue, Hu Fei hurriedly asked.

Rather than answer directly, Song Qingshu recited a poem: "In Liaodong lived a hero bold, Great Hero Hu Yidao. His martial arts could pacify the realm, his spirit soared to heaven's height. Loyalty filled the world, while tenderness wound through his heart. He made scholars envy him, wishing only to become his friend."

Madam Hu's beautiful eyes shone brightly at his words. She looked deeply at him and said, "This widow thanks you, young master, for the poem on behalf of my late husband." Only then did she truly set her mind at ease. If he were not genuinely familiar with and admiring of Hu Yidao's life, he could never have composed such a fitting poem. In only a few lines, Madam Hu seemed to hear her husband's hearty laughter again, and her heart ached.

Hu Fei found Song Qingshu more pleasing the longer he looked at him. Hearing the regret in his poem over never having met his father, a surge of heroic spirit rose within him. Tugging solemnly at Song Qingshu's sleeve, he said, "I admired your bold spirit back at the tavern. Though you lack the strength to truss a chicken, you possess an unyielding backbone. If my father had met you, he surely would have regretted not meeting you sooner. Since your words are full of regret, I am willing to form an Oath of the Eight Bains with you on my father's behalf. Would you be willing?"

Madam Hu was greatly alarmed and hurriedly tried to cover her son's mouth. "Fei'er, don't be foolish!"

As expected of Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain—he had such towering spirit even as a child. Song Qingshu laughed heartily. "As expected of Great Hero Hu's son! I could not wish for more." He pulled Hu Fei toward the northeast and knelt down, scooping up a handful of yellow earth to serve as incense. "I, Song Qingshu, have long admired the bearing of Hu Yidao of Liaodong. I am willing to become his sworn brother, though we are not of the same blood. Let heaven and earth bear witness, let mountains and rivers be our pledge. Heaven above and earth below, attest to this heart of mine."

Hu Fei knelt as well and said with great seriousness, "I, Hu Fei, shall form a brotherhood with Song Qingshu on behalf of my father, Hu Yidao. Um... we do not ask to be born on the same year, month, and day, but only to die on the same year, month, and day..." Hu Fei was still young and could not think of any suitable oath, so he simply recited what he had heard in opera tales.

"Nonsense, your father already..." Madam Hu had failed to stop him just now, and his absurd oath left her utterly embarrassed.

"Sister-in-law, it is nothing. This little brother of yours should have died long ago. It is only by great fortune that I still cling to this life." Song Qingshu was not lying; the real Song Qingshu truly had died already.

When she heard him call her sister-in-law, Madam Hu's heart skipped a beat. Somewhat awkwardly, she said, "Fei'er is being far too mischievous."

"I rather admire the heroic spirit he has had in his heart since childhood. If I had not already sworn brotherhood with his elder, I would have wanted to swear brotherhood with him as well." Song Qingshu smiled. "Fei'er, when we are alone, we can treat each other as equals."

Hu Fei had acted on impulse and used his father's name to swear brotherhood with him. Only now did he realize he had suddenly dropped a generation in seniority, and he had been feeling rather depressed. At those words, he was overjoyed and stepped forward, calling, "Good big brother!"

Watching one adult and one child fool around like that, Madam Hu shut her eyes in pain. She could only change the subject. "Un... Uncle, I see that your breath seems weak. With the physique of a young man, you should not be like this."

That one "Uncle" made half of Song Qingshu's body go numb. He hurriedly replied, "Sister-in-law, you see clearly. I was severely injured before, and now all my meridians have been severed..."

Madam Hu was startled. "Uncle, may I take your pulse?" Now that he had sworn brotherhood with her husband, she no longer cared so much about the distinction between men and women.

Though he knew it would be useless, Song Qingshu politely extended his hand. When Madam Hu's soft, fair fingers rested on his wrist, he felt their touch—cool and smooth—and his heart stirred.

"Who dealt Uncle such a vicious blow?" Before long, Madam Hu's expression changed drastically.

Song Qingshu reluctantly withdrew his arm and gave a bitter smile. "I once committed a grave mistake. What happened to me is simply what I deserved. Sister-in-law need not concern herself with it."

"You are quite open-minded," Madam Hu said, looking at him in surprise at his magnanimity. Then she seemed to think of something, and her eyes lit up. "That's right. We are on our way to visit the Poison Hand Medicine King. I hear that not only is he skilled with poison, but he is also a master healer. Perhaps he can cure Uncle's injuries."

"What a coincidence. I came to Dongting Lake to find him as well." Song Qingshu sighed at how fate worked.

"If Uncle does not mind, let us travel together," Madam Hu said gently.

"I could not ask for more!" Song Qingshu was overjoyed. How could he possibly mind? Realizing he had shown too much enthusiasm, he quickly added, "Does Sister-in-law know where the Poison Hand Medicine King lives?"

"My son and I searched for many years. Only a few months ago did we learn that he was somewhere around Dongting Lake, but we do not know his exact location." Madam Hu's delicate brows rose slightly as she spoke helplessly.

"I do know that he is at Baima Temple near Dongting Lake, but I have asked many people and none of them know where Baima Temple is exactly." Song Qingshu was quite troubled as well.

"Mother, didn't we pass through a small town a month ago that was called Baima Temple?" Little Hu Fei suddenly cried excitedly.

After so many years, the answer to their doubts was finally close at hand. Joy appeared on Madam Hu's face, and Song Qingshu let out a long breath of relief. He went to the lakeshore to wash himself, wiping the bloody footprints from his clothes and face. Once he had cleaned himself up, Madam Hu's eyes brightened. She thought to herself, Uncle is such a handsome man. Who would have thought that his heart was as bold and heroic as Big Brother's?

"Sister-in-law, why are you and Fei'er looking for the Poison Hand Medicine King?" Song Qingshu asked Madam Hu as he wiped the water from his hair.

"Back then, Big Brother Hu died from poison. After much investigation, I learned that the poison he suffered was Black Fiend Cold Ice, a secret poison of the Poison Hand Medicine King. Yet my husband and I had never had any grudge against him, nor any reason to harm him. It must have been that someone else obtained his poison. I want to ask him in person who else possesses this deadly substance." Remembering her husband again, Madam Hu's lovely face could not conceal the sorrow in her heart.