Chapter 7

Standing motionless at the classroom door, Ah Chou didn’t know how long he had been there. When the chills running through his body gradually subsided and the warmth of the sun returned, the large man suddenly reappeared at the door, followed by a swarm of soldiers, their weapons forming a forest of spears and swords.

Just as he was about to catch up with the large man, who was still a few yards away, the guards suddenly stopped, forming a dense formation as if facing a formidable enemy.

The large man stepped over the threshold, turned back, and the soldiers let out a chorus of frightened gasps, retreating several steps in unison.

The large man laughed heartily, then suddenly kicked the half-closed door with great force. With a loud “Boom!” the door shattered, sending dust flying and the door hinge breaking. Half of the door crashed into the soldiers.

After kicking the door, the large man didn’t look back, and strode down the steps. Just as he was about to leave, Ah Chou mustered his courage, rushed in front of him, and spread his arms to block his path.

Seeing Ah Chou, the large man was surprised and asked, “Young man, why haven’t you left?”

Ah Chou’s heart raced, and in a moment of desperation, he blurted out, “Because you haven’t paid me!”

The large man was taken aback, then burst into laughter, saying, “Interesting! Interesting! As my grandfather said, the Central Plains indeed have many remarkable people!”

At that moment, the half-door flew out, killing and injuring over a dozen people. The remaining soldiers, mustering their remaining courage, continued to charge forward. Hearing the chaotic footsteps behind him, the large man suddenly leaped forward, scooped up Ah Chou, and laughed, “What a brave little boy, willing to risk your life for money! When we reach the dock, I’ll pay you what I owe!”

Ah Chou, held under the large man’s arm, felt the scenery flash by as the large man ran faster than a galloping horse. The wind rushed past his face, and he had to close his mouth and hold his breath to avoid the strong smell of blood from the large man’s blood-soaked clothes.

The large man ran all the way to the dock, where the Kunlun merchants had already gathered on the ship, eagerly watching. Upon seeing the large man, they cheered.

The large man set Ah Chou down and smiled, “You knew I was a killer and still dared to ask for money. Young man, you have some courage!”

Ah Chou gathered his courage and said, “If you kill to avenge injustice, that’s heroic. But if you kill to avoid a debt of ten large coins, then I must have misjudged you.”

The large man laughed, reached into his chest, and said, “I haven’t done any business yet, so I don’t have any large coins. Here, take this ingot of gold!”

The large man took out an ingot of gold and handed it to Ah Chou, laughing, “Young man, don’t show off your wealth. Go quickly!” With that, he leaped like a giant frog, landing on the ship’s bow with a thud.

The sailors on the ship were ready, and as soon as the large man landed, they raised the sails and lifted the anchor. The people on the dock, unaware of what had happened at the governor’s residence, were still busy loading and unloading goods. Only a few nearby merchants noticed the large man’s bloodstained clothes, but it didn’t cause much commotion.

Ah Chou was in a hurry. He had wanted to chat more with the large man to build a rapport before discussing the main matter. But the large man, with a fiery temper, left as quickly as he came, leaving Ah Chou no chance to speak. Ah Chou quickly knelt on the dock, holding up the gold ingot, and shouted, “Hero, I want to be your disciple and learn martial arts!”

The large man laughed from the ship’s bow, shouting, “Don’t be ridiculous, boy! Leave quickly, or you’ll cause trouble!”

“Hero, please take me as your disciple!”

Ah Chou bowed hastily, but the large man ignored him. The ship slowly moved away, already several yards from the shore. The sound of battle cries grew louder in the distance.

The large man, standing on the bow, looked into the distance and saw a long line of dust and smoke, with flags waving and horses neighing. He shouted, “Young man, leave quickly! The officials here are corrupt and greedy. Be careful not to become a scapegoat!”

Ah Chou, in a panic, steeled his resolve and shouted, “Hero, if you’re going to seek revenge at the governor’s residence, why not let me guide you? Many people in the city saw you carrying me away, and if you leave, the blame for the murders will fall on me. If you don’t kill me, I will die because of you!”

The large man frowned, muttering, “What a persistent brat, truly annoying!”

Looking back, he saw the soldiers getting closer, and muttered, “I’ve always admired my grandfather as a hero. He never harmed an innocent person. Can I harm this boy and tarnish my reputation?”

Seeing the soldiers getting closer, the large man didn’t have time to think. He leaped back to the dock, his clothes flapping like a hawk’s wings. The merchants and sailors on the dock were shocked by his presence.

Ah Chou saw the large man suddenly appear in front of him, and then felt his waist tighten as the large man lifted him. The sea breeze was cold, and with a thud, they landed on the ship’s bow.

Ah Chou, regaining his composure, was overjoyed and bowed, “Disciple greets Master!”

The large man grunted, “Persistent brat, get up!” He stood at the bow, looking at the soldiers, ignoring Ah Chou. The soldiers arrived at the dock, commandeering merchant ships to try to catch up. Ah Chou, seeing the large man not refuse, was delighted and bowed three times, then stood up. Seeing the soldiers boarding the ships, he worried, “Master, Governor Lu has sent people to chase us.”

The large man laughed, “You mean that corrupt dog? I’ve already cut off his head! If he dares to chase, I’ll cut off his soul! These leaderless fools won’t chase for long.”

Ah Chou was shocked. He knew the large man had entered the governor’s residence like it was no one’s business, but he never imagined that in a short time, he had entered the hall, cut off the governor’s head, and returned unscathed. This master he had chosen was truly as powerful as a legendary sword immortal. Being his disciple...

Thinking of this, Ah Chou was elated and respectfully asked, “Disciple has yet to learn Master’s esteemed name and lineage.”

The large man laughed, “Have you read too many legends, boy? What lineage? My name is Zhang, and my given name is Bao. My skills are family-taught.”

Ah Chou respectfully said, “Master, with such remarkable martial arts, your ancestor must be a famous hero.”

If Ah Chou had said something else, Zhang Bao might not have cared, but in Zhang Bao’s heart, he only admired his grandfather. Ah Chou’s words struck a chord, and Zhang Bao laughed, “Ha! You might not know my father, but if you mention my grandfather, he is indeed a famous hero. Even a child like you must have heard of him.”

Ah Chou eagerly asked, “Who is your grandfather, the famous hero?”

Zhang Bao proudly said, “During the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, many heroes rose up. My grandfather also had ambitions to rule the world, but later he supported his sworn brother Li Shimin and went overseas to establish his own kingdom. He was known as the ‘Bearded Guest’ at the time!”

Ah Chou was stunned and exclaimed, “The Bearded Guest!”

At that moment, Ah Chou felt as if he had been struck by a revelation, and his entire body was filled with joy.

...

The ship sailed on the vast sea, the night dark and mysterious.

Ah Chou, on his first boat ride, lay in the cabin, his thoughts swirling, unable to sleep. He missed Niuniu and wondered when he would return, and if Niuniu could find him. If he returned to Guangzhou, with Governor Lu dead, he didn’t know who to ask about the identity of the woman who had taken Niuniu.

He was filled with joy, knowing that by becoming the disciple of the Bearded Guest’s grandson, he could learn extraordinary martial arts and avenge his parents and sister. The deep-seated grudge he had suppressed for so long now surfaced, and he could never forget his sister’s severed head and the heavy pain.

These thoughts, whether joyful or worrying, whether sad or hateful, kept him tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He got up, quietly left the cabin, and walked to the bow. The stars were brilliant, and the ship sailed through the dark night, the sound of the waves rising and falling like the waves in his heart.

Ah Chou walked to the bow, facing the night wind, and saw a tall figure standing there, like a rock, unmoving.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Zhang Bao didn’t turn around, just asked casually.

Ah Chou stood still and bowed, “Disciple can’t sleep, so I came to the bow to clear my mind. I didn’t mean to disturb Master.”

He looked back at the dark sea, and Zhang Bao, without turning, said, “Don’t worry, the pursuers returned at night and won’t chase anymore.”

Ah Chou breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Yes!”

Zhang Bao stood steadily at the bow, still looking up at the sky. Ah Chou couldn’t help but ask, “What are you looking at, Master?”

Zhang Bao, without turning, said, “The stars! The sky tonight is truly strange.”

Ah Chou looked up, following Zhang Bao’s gaze, and saw a very bright star in the sky, pointing east, like a pearl with a white core and a bright blue halo. The pearl stretched across the sky, trailing a long blue tail that gradually faded into the sky.

Ah Chou was amazed, “What a big star!”

Zhang Bao laughed, “It’s just a comet. What’s so surprising?” He pinched his chin, pulling his beard, and muttered, “But such a big and bright comet is indeed rare, quite strange…”

He paused, then turned and smiled, “I haven’t asked you, what’s your name?”

Ah Chou respectfully said, “Disciple dares not hide from Master. Disciple has no proper name, only a nickname, Chou. Disciple comes from a good family but has fallen to being a beggar, carrying a deep grudge, unable to avenge it. Until I avenge this grudge, I am ashamed to mention my family name. Master can call me Ah Chou.”

“Ah Chou, Ah Chou, now that you’re my disciple, you need a proper name. The stars tonight are rare, so I’ll name you after this star, Xingchi. How does that sound?”

Ah Chou pondered, “Xingchi… it’s a good name. But if Master names me after a comet, won’t I become a big broom?”

Zhang Bao laughed heartily, “This is my first time in Tang, and I didn’t do any business or sightsee. I even killed someone, such bad luck. Aren’t you a big broom?”

Ah Chou thought of the over a hundred lives lost in Taoyuan Village and felt uneasy about the broom analogy, defending himself, “Master, I was already in trouble when I met you!”

Zhang Bao laughed, “If you don’t like Xingchi, you need a name. My disciple can’t always be called Ah Chou. Think of a name and tell me.”

Ah Chou looked at the surging waves at the bow, the white foam, the dark night, and the full sail cutting through the night sea, and said excitedly, “Disciple has a name! Master, I’ll be called… Yang Fan!”

That night, in the Eastern Capital Luoyang, a woman of the Wu family stood on the high palace terrace, gazing at the two-zhang-long blue comet pointing east, finding it quite unusual. The comet remained in the sky for forty-nine days before disappearing, causing shock throughout the land.

The Wu family woman saw it as a good omen, changed the era name to Guangzai, granted a general amnesty, renamed the Eastern Capital Luoyang to Shendu, and changed the names of the Three Provinces and Six Ministries. The Secretariat became the Phoenix Pavilion, the Chancellery became the Phoenix Terrace, and the Ministry of Works became the Wenchang Terrace. The six ministries of “Personnel, Revenue, Rites, War, Justice, and Works” were renamed “Heaven, Earth, Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.”

That year was the first year of the Guangzai era!

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