Chapter 0007: The Day of Miracles (Three)
Upon hearing this, A Chou was greatly alarmed. Although he knew that this big man had stormed into the governor's mansion as if it were unguarded, he never expected that in the blink of an eye, he would enter the hall and actually behead the governor of Guangzhou, returning unscathed. The fact that the master he had taken on as a mentor possessed such formidable skills was simply akin to the legendary sword immortal or wandering hero. To have such a master...
Zhang Bao proudly declared: "In the chaotic times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, many heroes rose to power. My ancestors also aspired to seize the world, but later yielded to my righteous brother, Li Shimin, who went overseas to establish himself as king. At that time, the person known as 'Qiu Ran Ke' was indeed him"
The man took out a bar of red gold from his bosom and handed it to A Chou, laughing heartily: "Young man, wealth should not be flaunted, hurry away, hurry away!" After saying this, he leaped into the air, resembling a giant frog, and with a whoosh, he soared two zhang into the sky, landing with a thud at the bow of the boat
Zhang laughed heartily and said, "It's just a broom star, what's all the fuss about?" After saying this, he pinched his chin, tugged at his bushy beard, and murmured, "However, a broom star this big and this bright is indeed rare, it is quite strange..."
The people on the ship had long been poised and ready. As soon as the burly man stood firm, the sailors began to hoist the sails and raise the anchor. At this moment, the people at the dock were still unaware of the events that had transpired at the governor's residence, busily engaged in loading and unloading goods. Only a few nearby merchants noticed the bloodstains on the burly man; although surprised, it did not yet cause much commotion.
A Chou recalled the more than one hundred lives unjustly lost in Taoyuan Village, and felt quite uneasy about the association with this large broom. He defended himself, saying: "Master, you are wronging your disciple. When I encountered you, the incident had already occurred!"
The tall man stood at the bow of the ship, laughing heartily, and called out: "You little rascal, do not indulge in fanciful thoughts, quickly depart to avoid unnecessary trouble!"
It is the year, the first year of Guangzhai!
Zhang turned his head away and said: "Look at the stars! The celestial phenomenon tonight is truly strange"
Ah Chou was in a hurry; he originally intended to chat a bit more with the burly man to build a closer relationship before discussing serious matters. However, the mustached giant was as fiery as a raging flame, moving with such urgency that Ah Chou barely had a chance to speak. In a rush, Ah Chou knelt down on the dock, holding up the piece of pure gold high and exclaimed: "Warrior, I wish to become your disciple and learn martial arts."
The man laughed heartily and said, "I have not yet made any business, where would I find great wealth for you? Here is a gold ingot, I will give it to you!"
Brave warrior, please accept this humble offering
Ah Chou, Ah Chou, since you have become a disciple of someone, it is only fitting that you have a formal name. Tonight, the stars race across the vast sky, a rare phenomenon. I shall name you after this star, calling you Xingchi. How does that sound
In various ways, whether in joy or sorrow, in sadness or hatred, his thoughts surged and ebbed, making it difficult for him to fall asleep despite tossing and turning. He simply got up and quietly left the cabin. The starry river was brilliant, and the ship sailed through the vast night, with the sound of waves crashing in his ears, rising and falling, just like the ripples of his heart
The man kicked out without looking back, striding down the steps, ready to leave. Suddenly, A Chou mustered the courage to rush in front of him, spreading his arms to block his way
He was filled with joy, able to become a disciple of the grandson of the mustached master, and learn extraordinary martial arts, which would allow him to avenge his deceased father and mother, as well as his tragically slain sister. All along, the deep-seated blood feud that he had suppressed in his heart, even daring not to think about, surged forth. He would never forget the sight of his sister's severed head, that heavy pain!
If A Chou were to speak of others, Zhang Bao might not care, but in Zhang Bao's heart, he has only ever admired his grandfather. A Chou's words struck a chord with him, and Zhang Bao laughed heartily, saying: "Haha! You may not know much about my father, but when it comes to my grandfather, the phrase 'a great hero known throughout the world' is certainly fitting. His reputation is one that even you, little one, must have heard of."
A Chou looked forward at the towering waves rising at the bow of the ship, the faintly shimmering white foam, then turned back to gaze at the dark night. Amidst the sound of the waves, he raised his head to see the sail billowing with wind, cutting through the night sea, and exclaimed with determination: "Disciple has thought of a name! Master, I shall be called... Yang Fan!"
A Chou, on his first boat journey, lay in the cabin, his thoughts in disarray, struggling to fall asleep for a long time. He missed Niu Niu and wondered when he would be able to return, and whether Niu Niu would be able to find him. If he were to return to Guangzhou one day, the road governor would be dead, and he would not know whom to inquire about the identity of Madam Pei, who took Niu Niu away.
... ...
A Chou steadied himself, filled with great joy, and bowed down, knocking his head to the ground, saying: "Disciple pays respects to the Master!"
A Chou walked to the bow of the boat against the evening breeze, where he saw a tall figure standing at the bow. That dark figure resembled a boulder, firmly rooted in place, motionless.
A Chou mustered his courage and said: "If a public official is unjust and one kills him out of anger, that is the act of a hero. However, if one kills for the sake of evading a debt of ten large coins, then I must conclude that I have misjudged you"
A Chou's heart trembled, and he exclaimed in a lost voice: "Qiu Ran Ke!"
A Chou let out a sigh and hurriedly said: "Yes!"
A Chou hurriedly bowed his head, but the big man paid no attention. At this moment, the boat slowly departed, already four or five zhang away from the shore. In the distance, a cacophony of shouts and cries for battle could be heard
A Chou respectfully said: "Master possesses such astonishing martial skills, the ancestral master must surely be a renowned hero of the world."
Ah Chou, in a state of urgency, gritted his teeth and shouted, "The warrior seeks revenge at the governor's mansion, yet why must this young man lead the way? In the city, many have witnessed the warrior leaving with me, and should the warrior depart, the grave sin of murder will fall upon my head. If the warrior does not kill me, I will still die because of the warrior!"
Seeing the pursuers drawing closer, the Han warrior did not have time to think much. He leaped into the air, his garments fluttering like a hawk, and swooped down towards the dock. Many merchants and sailors on the dock, witnessing this imposing presence, exclaimed in unison
A Chou stood still, bowed, and said: "Disciple cannot sleep, thought to go to the bow of the ship to clear my mind, did not wish to disturb Master."
The man chuckled and said, "You little rascal, have you been reading too many legendary tales? What sect or school are you talking about? My family name is Zhang, with the single character 'Bao' as my given name. This skill of mine is a family heirloom."
He pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned his head and smiled, saying: "I haven't asked you yet, what is your name?"
Just as they were about to catch up with the Han, there were still two or three zhang away, when those guards suddenly stopped, forming a dense line, appearing as if they were facing a formidable enemy
Ah Chou was held under the armpit by the burly man, feeling the scenery on both sides flashing by like a blur. The man spread his legs and surprisingly moved faster than a galloping horse. For a moment, the jostling left Ah Chou speechless, only able to feel the wind howling and rushing towards him, forcing him to tightly close his mouth and hold his breath. Even so, the man's blood-soaked clothes still filled his nostrils with the stench of blood.
The man stood at the bow of the ship and gazed into the distance, where banners fluttered and the sounds of shouting men and neighing horses converged into a long, dust-laden dragon. It was unclear how many soldiers were among them. He raised his voice and shouted, "Young man, do not leave yet! The officials here are greedy and corrupt; be careful not to become a scapegoat for their misdeeds!"
The great Han laughed heartily, suddenly kicking up a leg and striking heavily against a large door that was half-covered in the chaos of war. With a loud "bang!", dust flew up, the door hinge shattered, and half of the door whistled as it crashed towards the soldiers.
The man set aside A Chou and, glancing at him with a smile, said: "Knowing full well that someone has committed murder, you still dare to reach out for money. Young man, you have quite a bit of courage!"
A Chou respectfully said: "Disciple does not dare to conceal anything from Master. Disciple has no grand name, only a childhood name called Chou Er. Disciple originally came from a respectable family, but has now fallen to the status of a beggar, burdened with deep-seated enmity, yet unable to seek revenge. As long as I do not avenge this grudge, I feel ashamed to bear my ancestors' surname. Master may simply call me A Chou."
The robust man rushed to the dock, where the Kunlun merchants had already gathered on the ship, eagerly looking this way. Upon seeing the appearance of the robust man, they all cheered enthusiastically.
A Chou felt anxious and, in a moment of desperation, blurted out: "Because you haven't paid yet!"
The ship sails across the vast sea, shrouded in the dimness of night
A Chou could not help but exclaim: "What a big star!"
At that moment, half of the door panel flew out, injuring or killing more than ten people. The remaining soldiers gathered their courage and continued to fight. The Han heard the chaotic footsteps behind him and suddenly leaped forward, grabbing A Chou, laughing heartily: "What a little brat who wants money but doesn't care for his life! When we reach the dock, I will pay you what I owe!"
The man laughed and said: "Are you referring to that corrupt official? I have already taken his head! If he dares to pursue me, I will cut down his very soul! Hmph, these headless dragons are nothing but useless trash; they won't be able to chase for long"
He turned to glance at the pitch-black sea surface. Zhang Bao did not turn around, yet seemed to perceive his actions and said: "Rest assured, by nightfall, the pursuers will have returned and will no longer chase us"
A Chou busily asked, "Do you know which renowned hero of the world is our ancestral master?"
Zhang Bao did not turn back, merely asking a question in a faint tone
Zhang burst into hearty laughter and said: "On my first visit to the Tang Dynasty, I failed to conduct any business, did not get to explore the local customs, and even lost a life. Such misfortune, are you not just a big broom?"
Ah Chou saw the burly man suddenly appear before him, and immediately felt a tightness around his waist as he was lifted by the man. A gust of sea wind rushed in, chilling his face. Then, with a loud "thud," the bow of the ship swayed slightly, and he found himself brought to the front of the ship by the burly man
Raising his eyes again, he saw the soldiers kicking up a cloud of dust, drawing ever closer. The man murmured to himself, "In my life, I have only regarded my grandfather as a hero. My grandfather never harmed an innocent person throughout his life. Should I take this young man's life and tarnish my family's reputation for all eternity?"
Zhang Bao stood steadily at the bow of the ship, still gazing up at the sky. A Chou could not help but ask, "Master, what are you looking at?"
Upon reaching this point, Ah Chou's heart blossomed with joy, and he hurriedly and respectfully said: "Disciple has yet to inquire about the esteemed name and title of the master, and from which school or sect your art originates."
Upon seeing A Chou, the young man could not help but exclaim: "Young man, why have you not yet left?"
Why are you still not asleep
A Chou pondered, "Xing Chi... is indeed a good name. However, if the master names his disciple after a broom star, wouldn't the disciple then become a great broom?"
A Chou stood there motionless, not knowing how long he had been standing. When he felt the waves of cold shivers gradually dissipate and the warmth of the sun returned to his body, that burly man suddenly reappeared at the door, followed by groups of officials and soldiers rushing in, their swords and guns forming a dense forest of blades and a mountain of weapons.
A Chou looked up, following the gazes of Zhang Bao and the books, and upon glancing at the brilliant galaxy, he suddenly discovered a particularly bright star at the edge of the sky pointing towards the east. It resembled a pearl with a white core, surrounded by a shimmering blue halo. That large pearl spanned across the vast sky, trailing a long blue tail behind it, the blue halo of the tail gradually fading until it completely dissolved into the vastness of the sky.
The burly man at the bow furrowed his brows and muttered to himself: "What a troublesome little rascal, truly persistent!"
The Han soldier stepped over the threshold, turned back with a fierce gaze, and immediately a chilling gasp of fear arose, causing the officials and soldiers to instinctively retreat a few steps.
On this night in the Eastern Capital, Luoyang, a woman of the Wu family stood high above the palace, gazing into the distance. She stared intently at the blue comet, which stretched two zhang long and pointed towards the east, pondering its peculiarity. This comet appeared suddenly, spanning the vast sky, and would not vanish until after forty-nine days, causing great astonishment throughout the realm.
At that moment, Ah Chou felt as if he were the Monkey King, who had received three strikes of the戒尺 from the Bodhi Patriarch, with all thirty-six thousand pores in his body filled with joy
The burly man let out a heavy grunt: "Rascal, get up!" He stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the ship, only glancing at the officers and not looking at him again. The officers rushed to the dock, hastily commandeering merchant vessels in an attempt to give chase. A Chou, seeing that the burly man did not refuse, was filled with joy. He bowed three times and got up, but upon seeing the officers boarding the ships one after another, he couldn't help but worry: "Master, the road governor has sent people to pursue us"
The Han man was taken aback for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter and said, "Interesting! Interesting! What my grandfather said is indeed true; there are indeed many remarkable individuals in the Central Plains!"
Zhang laughed heartily and said, "If you say Xingchi is not good, you must at least have a name for it. Hehe, how can a disciple of a certain family always be called 'Ah Chou'? You should come up with a name for me to hear."
The woman of the Wu surname, who gazed at the stars from the top of the tower, regarded it as an auspicious sign. She announced the change of the era name to "Guangzhai," granted a general amnesty throughout the realm, renamed the Eastern Capital Luoyang to "Shendu," and altered the names of the three provinces and six ministries. The Ministry of Central Affairs was renamed "Fengge," the Ministry of the Interior was renamed "Luantai," and the Ministry of Personnel was renamed "Wenchangtai." The six ministries of "Li, Hu, Li, Bing, Xing, Gong" were renamed "Tian, Di, Chun, Xia, Qiu, Dong."