The Ma father and daughter did not follow them. The late-summer rain continued, and Wang Shuyong invited the three imperial fugitives back to his estate outside Jiyang in the dead of night. By the time they arrived, it was very late, so he naturally refrained from disturbing everyone further and simply had Zhang Sanlang and his two companions turn in early. The next morning, with the rain still pattering down, the estate began slaughtering pigs and sheep. By noon, the feast was ready.
Clearly, this Fifth Wang Lang, reputedly the finest archer on the Ji River, seemed impatient to hear something unheard-of from the world-renowned Zhang Sanlang, to gain something that would open the doors to a new world for him.
And he was plainly far too impatient.
"Third Brother Zhang, I've long heard of your name."
Fifth Wang Lang was about Xu Dalang's age, with a somewhat longer, redder face. His eagle-like eyes alone gave him an aggressive air. The moment everyone sat down, before they could exchange pleasantries, he yielded the seat of honor and stated his feelings outright.
"These aren't empty words. There's a brother up north in Puyang called Niu Da, an old acquaintance of mine. When he came back from the Eastern Capital, he spoke of nothing but your loyalty and generosity. This spring, when the tyrant launched his third expedition and the whole realm seethed, you single-handedly saved Xu Dalang's family in Lihu... But back then, I only thought you an extraordinary fellow, someone I hoped to meet and befriend. Never did I expect you to cast aside the prospect of governing a commandery, solely to rid the world of a villain! Only then did I realize that Third Brother Zhang was a hero of the very highest order! It was pitch-black last night,