Chapter 8, The Performance in Times of Crisis

What? Gao Yingmei was so enraged that she was speechless, "Do not try to play tricks, I will not comply with you... This fortune telling was indeed told to me by your grandmother through my elder brother, how could it be false?"

The words spoken seemed as if they were parting for life and death, yet he could not squeeze out a single tear. Instead, it was Gao Yingmei whose eyes turned red. She bit her silver teeth and then reached to take off the exquisite jade pendant that she had worn close to her body for twenty years, giving it to him, saying, "You must take good care of this pendant; it has served me for many years. If I die today, you shall accompany me in death as well."

Thinking this way in his heart, An Jing nonetheless said, "I have caused trouble for Captain Gao, and it is difficult for me to find peace even in death. You must not get involved in this matter."

The sound of hooves thundered down the long street, and in just a moment, the main entrance of the Hejian Inn was filled with a hundred armored soldiers of the Longwu Brigade. Lu Jingwu dismounted, hand resting on the hilt of his sword, and under the escort of the fierce soldiers, he strode into the inn. A group of soldiers, wielding rifles and spears, charged in from both sides.

Uh? Gao Yingmei was not aware of the etiquette in this regard, although she had heard of the mutual exchange of tokens as a pledge of brotherhood. But what could she offer from her own possessions? It seemed that apart from the jade pendant around her neck, she had nothing else. Could it be that she had to take it off and give it to him? Upon thinking of this, she couldn't help but show a hesitant expression of difficulty.

When the topic of age came up, An Jing felt a bit gloomy. Gao Yingmei claimed that she was older, but An Jing retorted, "How could that be? How do you know my birth date and time?"

An Jing was unwilling to be called 'younger brother', and insisted: "It must be that the captain Gao made a mistake. Just look at my stature, I am taller than you, how could I possibly be smaller? I have forgotten quite a few things, including my birth date and time. Let's wait until I have the leisure to return home and clarify everything. For now, it is better for you to obediently accept being 'younger brother'. Let's leave it at that."

An Jing's face was as沉 as water, and he calmly said: "My father and I will never bear the name of treason. Do not persuade me otherwise. Wen Gong would rather have his jade shattered than seek to preserve a broken tile. If death is to come, so be it"

At this moment, An Jing is still acting; he cannot stop. He has seen through the weaknesses of "Gao Junshi". The more he behaves this way, the more it will draw her heart back to him. At the very least, it will attract the beautiful expert to come closer. Even if he truly falls out with the guard army, he could use her strength to escape. There should be a fifty percent chance of success, right

In the hall, Ma Tai was standing respectfully in the front courtyard. Upon seeing Lu Jingwu enter, he hurriedly stepped forward and said: "Ma Tai, the military officer of the left wing, pays his respects to Commander Lu."

An Jingyi noticed the firmness in her eyes and realized that it was futile to argue. He forced a smile and said, "I acknowledge my defeat, having met my elder brother here, I kindly request you to bestow a token of your favor first..."

Ah? An Jing was taken aback, thinking to himself, how can you not act like a younger brother? If you take on the role of an older brother, how can I command you?

The more this is said, the more it makes Gao Yingmei unable to betray her principles. Moreover, Lord An governs the county with a good reputation and is beloved by the people. To share life and death, to endure hardships together, is not to bring shame to the Gao family. Having firmly resolved this in her heart, she declared: "There is no need for further words in the yamen; my mind is made up. I vow to share honor and disgrace with Lord An and the yamen, and I will never abandon them"

An Jing was busy expressing his emotions, reaching out to pat Gao Yingmei's "fragrant shoulder," and sighed: "Brother Gao, with your loyalty and righteousness, if you do not abandon me, let us become sworn brothers in life and death at this moment... come, come, come..." Without further ado, he took Gao Yingmei's hand and knelt down on the ground. "Heaven above, today An Wengong and Gao Yingyi swear brotherhood here. We do not seek to be born on the same day of the same month in the same year, but we do seek to die on the same day of the same month in the same year. From this day forth, we shall share both fortune and misfortune, and face life and death together. Should we violate this oath, may heaven punish us and the earth destroy us, with all past deities as witnesses..." He unilaterally completed the oath, forcing the flustered Gao Yingmei to kneel beside him and repeat his vow. This time, An Jing was overjoyed, saying, "Hey, Gao MM, we have sworn before heaven and earth; I dare you to sprout wings and fly away." "Heaven above, today An Wengong and Gao Yingyi swear brotherhood here. We do not seek to be born on the same day of the same month in the same year, but we do seek to die on the same day of the same month in the same year. From this day forth, we shall share both fortune and misfortune, and face life and death together. Should we violate this oath, may heaven punish us and the earth destroy us, with all past deities as witnesses..." He unilaterally completed the oath, forcing the flustered Gao Yingmei to kneel beside him and repeat his vow. This time, An Jing was overjoyed, saying, "Hey, Gao MM, we have sworn before heaven and earth; I dare you to sprout wings and fly away."

Ha... Gao Junshi believes that there is still reason to take them into the prison camp. I fear that after a round of torture, my father and I will end up in the gates of hell. At that time, they will attribute the name of treason and all sorts of charges to us. How could the Empress allow them to bring the dead to the court for trial? How significant is the attack at Xiaofengkou? If they do not find one or two scapegoats, how can General Gao justify himself? Do you think he would take the initiative to bear the responsibility? Would those cowardly rats who flee in the face of danger have such courage?

What is this and that ... ... yet the official does not recognize it? Gao Yingmei will not yield; she was never willing to become sworn siblings with him, how could she allow him to take advantage of her again

Uh... An Jing held the warm, fragrant jade pendant in his hand, feeling an unusual emotion in his heart. He touched his own chest and found that he also had a similar jade pendant. He hurriedly took it down and said: "Elder brother, the pendant given to me by you is a gift that cannot be returned. This jade Buddha, I shall present to you, may the heart of the Buddha be as my heart, and may it always accompany your heart"

Lu Jingwu did not even glance at him, standing with his legs crossed in front of the courtyard and snorted, "You, Ma Yuhou, have such audacity, daring not to follow the military orders of this official? Why don't you capture the two thieves, the An family father and son? This time, you can redeem your past mistakes with merit..." With a loud shout, the atmosphere in the inn changed dramatically, and in an instant, swords were drawn and the air was filled with the aura of killing.

An Jing glanced at Gao Yingmei, whose complexion had changed, but he once again forced a bitter smile and spread his hands, saying: "Unfortunately, An Wengong is a frail scholar, unable to wield a three-foot green blade. I wish to ask who the hero is, yet I have the will but lack the strength. I intended to enter officialdom through literature to support the Song court, but alas, treachery fills the court. Before I could even step out of Leshou, I was met with disaster... Gao Junshi, the imperial guards will arrive momentarily. You should go to the front hall to meet with your brother. Do not resist; do not let thoughts of my father and me cloud your judgment. The Gao family of Bohai, led by Prince Gao Huaide, is known for its loyalty and righteousness. You brothers must not tarnish your ancestral honor because of this matter. Wengong should not implicate you in the charge of colluding with the enemy. All blame shall rest on my father and me."

Hearing such remarks, Gao Yingmei was greatly shaken; undoubtedly, every word spoken by the young master was a piercing truth. However, his insights also earned Yingmei's admiration.

An Jing feigned a sigh, deliberately putting on a sorrowful expression and said: "Wen Gong is already facing great peril, and my elder brother is willing to forge a bond in this time of crisis, which brings comfort to my heart. Whether or not there is a token of trust is of little consequence. One must understand that today’s parting may mean we do not know when we will meet again... Alas, my elder brother, please remember, the moment my father and I are captured is the moment you must wield your blade to escape. The world is vast, and with your martial skills, you can secure your own safety and livelihood. If I am fortunate enough to survive, I will surely seek you out in the farthest corners of the earth in the future!"

An Jing could not help but let out a bitter smile, casting a deep glance at Gao Yingmei, and sighed: "Throughout history, there have always been a few power-hungry eunuchs. Without going far, just take the recent incident of the attack at the wind-swept mouth as an example. The head of the family risked his life to protect us, yet in the blink of an eye, he was framed by the treacherous scoundrels who fled the scene, becoming a scapegoat. When they want to add a crime, what words are there to defend against it? Once subjected to severe punishment, how can a severely injured father care for his own life? The power-hungry disrupt the court and the order of books, harming the loyal and good. The officials do not think of governing the country, but only indulge in admiring flowers and viewing stones, setting up tribute and fabrication bureaus in Suzhou and Hangzhou to extort the people's wealth, leading to the destruction of families and the displacement of the populace. If they do not rise up in rebellion, are these people gnawing on tree bark and eating grass roots? The country is based on the people; if the people are not prosperous, the country will not be strong. The monarch does not think of ways to enrich the people, spending all day in revelry and entertainment within the palace, favoring treacherous and deceitful individuals. When the ruler looks down on the people to this extent, if the country does not perish, it is against the natural order... Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it; the people can support a ruler, but they can also bring about his downfall. How did the strong Han dynasty perish? How did the prosperous Tang dynasty decline? History serves as a mirror; does the current court have this level of awareness? Alas... Great Song, if you do not strive diligently, the fall of the nation is foreseeable!"

She bit her silver teeth, gazing steadfastly at An Jing, and said: "If the magistrate has the resolve to resist treachery and deceit, then Gao Ying... Gao Ying is willing to accompany you with her life!"

This is not merely a token of brotherhood; it is clearly a private agreement for life. An Jing thinks this way, and Gao Yingmei also vaguely senses this aspect. She snatched the jade Buddha pendant and turned to run, and in that moment, a faint blush appeared on her fair face. At this moment, An Jing sighed softly, saying, "Do not blame me for dragging your siblings into this. Without your siblings by my side, how could I have the strength to confront the guards? Now that you are here, Gao Chong cannot escape either. That filthy Gao Qiu, does he even count for anything?"

Ah? My grandmother? That... it must be that the elderly have gotten on in years, and their minds are confused and they remember things incorrectly. Let me clarify this matter before we discuss it further, you should take care of it for now.

Then... the official should endure this moment of humiliation... Lord Zheng will surely come to assist you and your father. Did you not also say that as long as the green mountains remain, one need not fear the lack of firewood

"In the yamen... could it be that we truly have to draw our swords against the imperial guards?" Afterward, in front of the courtyard, Gao Yingmei looked at An Jing, who stood with his hands behind his back, and asked.

Gao Yingmei is also quite stubborn, and with a fierce glare from her beautiful eyes, she said: "If a brother does not act like a brother, how can it not disrupt the order of human relationships? With such a way of relying on others, we might as well have not sworn brotherhood just now!"

Indeed, Gao Yingmei was moved by his words, but she was not a fool. She furrowed her brows and said, "Why must the young master be like this? Rather than arguing..."

"A token?" Gao Yingmei was taken aback, while An Jing, with a serious expression, said: "As brothers who have just sworn brotherhood, shouldn't we exchange a personal item as a token of our first meeting?"

An Jing felt delighted in his heart, just waiting for your words. If you fall for the trap, your brother Gao Chong will not escape either. With the formidable Gao Chong bearing the brunt, he is not afraid of causing a stir throughout the city. As long as Her Majesty the Empress and Lady Jingguo are aware of this matter, they will surely speak on behalf of their savior. Moreover, they harbor extreme dissatisfaction towards Gao Qiu. Hmph, old thief Gao Qiu, do you really think you can cover the sky with one hand? This time, let you suffer a setback first. An Young Master is not someone to be trifled with.

Gao Yingmei felt an underlying sense of unease, yet she could not refuse the young master's overwhelming "hospitality." She also pondered how, being a woman, she could have become "brothers" with him. How would this muddled account be settled in the future? But by the time these thoughts crossed her mind, the bond had already been formed, and the raw rice had turned into cooked rice, alas

At this moment, Gao Yingmei was truly moved by her 'husband's' demeanor, never expecting that the filthy person in her eyes possessed such character.

Gao Yingmei's face flushed, and she stammered, "It, it was my elder brother who said it..." In fact, it was her mother, the Gao family, who had learned about An Jing's birth date from the old lady An.

In the hall, Gao Chong had just been whispering with his sister Gao Yingmei when he saw the guard Ma Chong rush in, his expression turning grave. Just at that moment, however, a member of the yamen stepped forward...