Time flew like a white colt flashing past a crack; half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
Wang Gang spent those days peacefully, reading and practicing his swordsmanship. He could now thrust a thousand times in one breath, and his body had grown stronger than before. The outlines of his muscles were faintly visible, and his right arm was particularly thick and powerful.
He had not neglected his internal power either. Each time he circulated it through a full cycle, he tried adding another thread of internal power to widen his meridians. The process was painful, but the gains were considerable. At this rate, he would be able to circulate all his internal power through a full cycle within a month.
Early that morning, Wang Gang practiced his swordsmanship, washed, and changed as usual. Just outside his courtyard gate, he met Wang Zhong waiting beside it.
"Keeping calm whenever great matters arise! You're better than me at that, young master!"
"What great matter is this? I'm only using them to get some practice!"
Talking as they walked, the two boarded a boat, then rode straight for Suzhou City.
Suzhou City was one of the Great Song's famous prosperous cities. Naturally, this was not Wang Gang's first visit, but seeing it now with his knowledge from a later age presented a different picture.
The walls were not imposing enough, the gates were congested, and the streets were not spacious enough. Shops along the roadside occupied the roadway, some even hanging their signs out into the middle of the street.
There were certainly plenty of people on the streets, rubbing shoulders and brushing heels. The two mingled with the crowd and arrived at a restaurant. They had barely gone upstairs when a man in a short tunic approached them.
"Master, that matter you instructed me to handle-it's done?" The man handed over a small booklet.
Wang Gang took the booklet and nodded, casually picking up a money pouch and tossing it over.
"Oh! This... Second Master Gongye said I couldn't take money."
"It's a reward!" Wang Gang found a seat and sat down.
"Thank you, Master!" The man in the short tunic left with profuse thanks.
It was nearly noon. Wang Zhong called over a waiter and ordered several dishes before asking, "You went to the Murong Family's people?"
Leafing through the booklet, Wang Gang nodded. "Gongye Qian. He's doing quite well for himself in the city!"
Wang Zhong hesitated for a long while before saying, "That business of theirs always feels wrong somehow!"
"Don't worry. They won't accomplish it. It's destined to come to nothing!" Wang Gang looked up with a smile. "Success depends on secrecy. Now that even you have noticed, what can they possibly accomplish?"
Wang Zhong said worriedly, "It's still better not to get too involved."
"A gentleman's nature is no different from others'; he simply makes good use of outside things!" Wang Gang tucked the booklet into his robe and smiled. "Just because I don't think they'll succeed doesn't mean they have no value! Besides, my sister is in their household. There's no cutting all ties!"
As they spoke, the waiter came over with the dishes.
Wang Gang took a few bites and frowned slightly.
Wang Zhong said, "The cooking at little eateries like this is nothing special. All the capable cooks have gone to the major restaurants and wealthy households!"
Wang Gang put down his chopsticks and commented on a plate of red crispy chicken. "Little places like this aren't suited to making such labor-intensive dishes. They should keep one or two things they make well as signature dishes and make stir-fries for the rest!"
Wang Zhong laughed at that. "How would a little place like this know how to stir-fry? Even among the major restaurants, only Fan's Tower has cooks who can stir-fry, and they guard them like treasures! How would they ever let that skill spread?"
"Oh, I know how." Wang Gang calmly sipped his wine and took another bite.
"Hahaha... You're a scholar, young master. Kitchen work like this... Don't..." Wang Zhong laughed at his words, but his laughter gradually stopped.
He knew this young master of his well. Whenever he spoke with dancing brows and expressive glances, he was usually boasting!
But once he spoke in this flat tone, it meant he was about to show off! And there was a good chance it was true!
"You really know how?"
Seeing Wang Gang nod as though it were nothing, Wang Zhong grew excited. He caught Wang Gang's hand and said:
"In that case, once we've finished our business here, let's go to our restaurant. I'll have Wang Yi kowtow to you first, and from now on he can call you Uncle!"
Wang Gang waved his hand. "There's no need! No need! It's hardly a big deal!"
Wang Zhong obligingly played along with the praise. "You're different from the rest of us, young master. Your talents are Heaven-given, and you're a star lord descended to earth. Ordinary people like us can't compare! He ought to kowtow! Even then, he's getting a bargain!"
"Ah... That's an exaggeration!" Wang Gang said with feigned displeasure. "I, Wang Gang, am only an ordinary man. Compared with others, I'm merely a little more learned and steadfast in my aspirations!"
Bang!
"You're Wang Gang!"
The slap of a table and a woman's shout rang out together. The two looked toward the sound and saw two young women as lovely as flowers and the moon sitting at a nearby table, their pretty faces covered in frost.
Wang Zhong secretly gave Wang Gang a thumbs-up. The young master certainly had a good eye!
Wang Gang looked utterly bewildered. He did not know either of them and guessed they had mistaken him for someone else, so he saluted them. "I am Wang Gang, Wang Yukun. Are you two young ladies looking for me?"
"You're the despicable scoundrel! Die!"
One of the young women, coldly beautiful, drew a pair of sabers and lunged straight at him.
"Ah! Murder!" Cries erupted upstairs at once, and diners from several tables scrambled and crawled toward the stairs.
Wang Gang narrowed his eyes. The woman's sabers were short and curved, their blades a pale purple, clearly coated in poison. Not daring to be careless, he moved, and his sword left its sheath.
The One-Character Lightning Sword was characterized by speed and ferocity. With the support of a formidable internal art like the Lesser Formless Skill, his thrust flashed with cold light, truly like a bolt of lightning.
First, he thrust diagonally to draw the young woman into blocking. Before the stroke was spent, he abruptly accelerated and swept his sword back.
With a swish, cold light flashed before the young woman's eyes. By the time she recovered her senses, the sword tip was already against her throat. Another inch, and her fragrance would fade and her jade would shatter.
"Ah! Senior sister!" the other, timid-looking young woman cried in alarm. "You scoundrel, let my senior sister go!"
"Baobao, don't beg him!" the coldly beautiful young woman snapped. "Kill me if you will. There's no need to beg this despicable scoundrel!"
Wang Gang asked in puzzlement, "Young ladies, we've had no grievances in the past and no enmity of late. Why are you shouting about beating and killing me?"
"No grievances or enmity? You ambushed Brother Chun and made his cultivation dissipate, yet you dare say there's no grievance or enmity!" the young woman called Baobao cried. "We came to avenge him!"
"Brother Chun? Duan Zhengchun!" Wang Gang's expression darkened. Looking at the two women, he said coldly, "Baobao? You're Gan Baobao! Then you must be Qin Hongmian!"
Both women were shocked. "How did you know?"
Wang Gang did not answer. He sneered. "Duan Zhengchun forced his way into my bridal chamber on my wedding night. Afterward, not only did I spare his life, I even sought doctors and medicine for him. Tell me, how was I despicable?"
"Impossible! Brother Chun is open and honorable. He would never do such a thing!"
"He's open and honorable? Hmph! If I were despicable, how could he have walked out of Gusu?"
"Ah! Well..." The two women looked at each other, both at a loss for words.
Wang Gang continued, "Besides, even if someone were to avenge him, it should be Dao Baifeng. In what capacity have you two come?"
"As his close friends, naturally..." Qin Hongmian's voice grew weaker as she spoke.
"Who is Dao Baifeng?" Gan Baobao looked thoughtful.
"You don't know Dao Baifeng?" Wang Gang was somewhat surprised too. "Duan Zhengchun's lawfully wedded wife! The daughter of the Baiyi People's chieftain!"
"Ah! Brother Chun is married!" Both women looked astonished, their expressions turning rather ugly.
Seeing this, Wang Gang withdrew his sword. Guessing that their relationship with Duan Zhengchun had not yet reached that stage, he said earnestly, "It seems you young ladies were deceived as well! You must act cautiously in the future. Don't behave as you did today!"
"Indeed, young ladies. I don't know what sort of man this Young Master Duan you speak of is, but our young master is absolutely a man as clear as the wind and the moon after rain!"
Wang Zhong leaned forward to lend support, and Wang Gang revealed a calm smile at just the right moment.
Just then, a fierce glint suddenly flashed in Qin Hongmian's eyes, and she raised her arm slightly.
Not good!
Wang Gang's heart lurched! He instinctively leaped aside.