79

The three of them had not been practicing long when Tong Yuan came up at an unhurried pace. Seeing him approach, Wang Bo immediately drew himself to a stop and bowed. Tong Yuan, accustomed to such courtesy, waved him off. Wang Bo did not continue with his training, but lingered to one side, hesitating.

Noticing his uncertainty, Tong Yuan asked with interest, “What is it, Xiao Bo? Is something wrong with your boxing practice again?”

“No, there is no problem at all. It is just that...” Wang Bo wavered, unable to decide whether to speak.

“Just what? Don’t be so roundabout.” Tong Yuan had waited a long time, but Wang Bo still had not said anything clear, and his impatience grew.

“It is only that I have been away from home for a long time, so...” Even as he spoke, Wang Bo remained somewhat bashful.

At this, Tong Yuan laughed. “Ha! I thought it was something serious. So you are homesick. If you want to go home, then go. Besides, you have learned all your boxing; you no longer need my guidance.”

“But I cannot bear to leave here.” Wang Bo looked around, his face full of reluctance.

“Parting and reunion are the common lot of men. What is there to bear or not bear? You cannot bear to leave this place, but can you bear not to return to your own home? Go home. You have been away for a long time, and your family must miss you dearly. And if you miss this place later, you can always come back.” Seeing Wang Bo’s expression, Tong Yuan comforted him.

“This boy has been taught a lesson. I will go prepare at once.” Wang Bo turned to leave, but Tong Yuan stopped him.

“Just now you were so slow and hesitant. Why have you suddenly become so eager?” Tong Yuan drew him back. “After lunch, let Xiao Yun escort you down the mountain. You cannot even make it down on your own, so are you not afraid of running into danger again? Go practice your boxing for now.” He smiled at Wang Bo, yet to Wang Bo that smile seemed terrifying beyond measure, and cold sweat broke out across his back.

“I was too hasty.” Wang Bo wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at Tong Yuan timidly. “Then I will go train first.”

All through the morning, Wang Bo was distracted, making mistakes again and again in his practice. Tong Yuan knew his heart was already flying home, so he did not reprimand him and simply let him be. Time passed inch by inch, yet Wang Bo felt it moving painfully slowly. For one who longed for home, even a little more than a month had been a long while indeed.

At last noon arrived. After a perfunctory meal, Wang Bo could bear it no longer. He hastily packed his things, though in truth there was little to pack, only a few clothes he had brought when he came. Once everything was in order, he went to bid Tong Yuan farewell. When he reached Tong Yuan’s room, Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan were both there.

“Master, I have come to take my leave. During these days, I have been greatly cared for by you. Please accept my bow.” As he spoke, Wang Bo bent his knees and was about to kneel in full prostration before Tong Yuan.

“Xiao Bo, no.” Tong Yuan hurriedly reached out to stop him, even bracing Wang Bo’s knees with his foot. Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan each supported him from either side. Tong Yuan frowned and said, “One kneels to Heaven, to Earth, and to one’s parents. I am neither Heaven nor Earth nor your parent. How could I accept such a bow?”

“Master has taught me martial arts. Though you did not take me as a disciple, it is no different from master and student. Therefore, you deserve this bow from me.” Wang Bo did not heed Tong Yuan’s words. His expression was resolute, and he insisted on kneeling.

Seeing his determination, Tong Yuan had nothing left to say. After all this time together, he knew that once Wang Bo made up his mind, not even a team of horses could drag him back, let alone persuasion. He looked at Wang Bo again, then with a helpless sigh withdrew his hands and foot. “Very well, then. Enough, enough.” With a long sigh, Tong Yuan waved his sleeve and turned away. Zhao Yun also let go of Wang Bo.

“Please accept my bow, Master.” Wang Bo solemnly knelt and performed the full rite.

“Enough, get up. You have bowed, so now say your farewells and let Xiao Yun escort you down the mountain.” Tong Yuan waved them out. Wang Bo rose, brushed the dirt from his trousers, and went out with Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan.

The mountain path remained as rugged as ever. Walking it again, Wang Bo’s heart was full of emotion. With what feelings had he once climbed this mountain? What had he felt when he met the tiger in the deep forest? What had he felt when he escaped the tiger’s jaws? What had he felt while studying here in the mountains? Every bit of it swirled in his heart. Though the journey had been full of twists and turns, the result was still good enough. Thinking of that, Wang Bo’s mood improved considerably.

At the foot of the mountain, Wang Bo looked back at the ranges behind him. Then he turned and said to Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan, “All right, brothers, please escort me only this far. I can walk the rest by myself.”

“Are you really all right on your own? You have never even left the village before.” Zhao Yun was worried; he did not want anything unexpected to happen to Wang Bo.

“No problem, Brother Yun. Though I have never left the village, I still remember the way home.” Wang Bo spoke with great confidence, patting his chest to prove he could do it.

“Are you really sure?” Zhao Yun still was not reassured.

“Rest easy, Brother Yun. I truly can do it. You and Brother Lan should go back.” Wang Bo’s tone remained unwavering.

“All right. Let us trust Xiao Bo once.” Seeing Zhao Yun about to speak again, Xiahou Lan raised a hand to stop him. Zhao Yun looked at Xiahou Lan, then at Wang Bo. Wang Bo kept nodding. In the end, Zhao Yun could only give a helpless nod. “Very well. Just follow this road.”

“Then I am off. Brother Yun, Brother Lan, please go back.” With that, Wang Bo tightened the bundle on his back and set out on his first solitary journey.

Watching Wang Bo’s receding figure, Zhao Yun could not help but turn and ask Xiahou Lan, “Can Xiao Yun really manage?”

“Probably. He looks so certain that he should be fine.” Xiahou Lan was not entirely confident himself, but seeing Zhao Yun’s worried expression, he did not dare say anything else.

Wang Bo hummed a tune as he walked cheerfully along the road home. “I wonder how my parents and Duo’er are doing. I wonder what has become of the household while I have been away these many days. Forget it—I will not think about it. Better to hurry on.” He tightened his bundle again and quickened his steps.

Little by little, the sky darkened, and with it Wang Bo’s expression grew more and more lost. Seeing the night deepen, his heart sank to the bottom. Looking around at the barren wilderness, he regretted everything again and again. Damn it, if only I had known it would be like this, why was I pretending back then? They say showing off gets you struck by lightning—serves me right. Out in the middle of nowhere, there is not even a soul around. Forget it; I will take it one step at a time. And so Wang Bo stumbled onward, never knowing where he was going.

“Hm? There seems to be some light ahead. There should be people there.” Seeing a faint firelight in front of him, Wang Bo’s spirits rose at once. He quickened his pace toward the glow. The nearer he drew, the brighter the light became, and the happier he felt. At last, there were people.

By that dim light, Wang Bo seemed to make out an estate, a great estate.

He hurried toward the light. Soon a massive gate towered before him. Looking up at it, Wang Bo could not help feeling deeply impressed. Was this a county seat or an estate? If not for the plaque above the gate declaring it an estate, he would truly have mistaken it for a town wall.

Standing at the entrance and staring at the imposing gate, Wang Bo hesitated. He did not know whether he should go up and knock. Nor did he know what sort of master lived here. If he went up so abruptly, would he be driven away? After all, servants in great households were infamous for bullying the weak and cowering before the strong. Wang Bo had seen many plays and shows over the years, and none had ever portrayed the servants of a large household as anything but oppressive. Should he simply give up? Yet when he looked at the pitch-black surroundings, a chill ran through him again. A distant howl sounded, and Wang Bo instinctively stepped back several paces.

He looked at the darkness around him, then at the gate behind him. After much thought, he decided: forget it—if he was going to risk it, so be it. Even if they would not take him in, asking for directions would be good enough.

Clenching his teeth, Wang Bo stepped forward and knocked. “Is anyone there?” he called softly. After a while, he heard nothing from within. Could it be no one is home? No—that cannot be. With torches lit, how could there be no one? Was my voice too low, and no one heard me? Fine, I will try again. He struck the door harder and raised his voice. “Is anyone there?”

After a little while, sounds came from within. Wang Bo grew even more anxious, unable to guess what manner of person would appear—tall and imposing, or sly and sharp-eyed?

With a creak, the great gate opened, and an elderly man with white hair stepped out from within. Seeing such a kindly old gentleman, Wang Bo immediately felt much more at ease and hurried to bow. “Greetings, elder.”

“There is no need for such formality. Do you need something?” The old man glanced around, then studied Wang Bo for a while. Seeing that Wang Bo was only a child, and one without the strength to truss a chicken at that, and with no one else around him, his guarded manner relaxed somewhat. Still, he remained watchful.

“It is like this, elder. I am from a small village in Zhening, in Changshan. A few days ago I left the village to visit friends, but on the way home I lost my direction. Now night is falling, and seeing firelight here, I wanted to trouble your household for a night’s lodging. At dawn tomorrow I will leave. I hope you will grant me this convenience.” As he spoke, Wang Bo bowed again and put on a pitiful expression.

Hearing this, and seeing the bundle on Wang Bo’s back, the old man more or less believed him. “I cannot make such a decision myself. Young sir, please wait a moment while I go in and ask the master.”

“Then I will trouble you, elder.” Wang Bo bowed again. The old man withdrew behind the gate and closed it.

Wang Bo stood there uneasily, hoping the master of this house was a good person and would allow him to stay the night. He waited a while, but the gate did not open. Looking at the blackness all around him, Wang Bo grew anxious, pacing back and forth before the door and rubbing his hands incessantly.

With another creak, the gate opened again, and the old man reappeared. At the sound, Wang Bo hurried over and seized his hand. “Well? Did your master agree or not, elder?”

Seeing his excitement, the old man laughed heartily. “Ha ha, young sir, do not be anxious. My master has already agreed. Come with me. I shall lead you in.” With that, he brought Wang Bo inside and shut the gate behind them.

“Thank you, elder. I am deeply grateful.” Wang Bo thanked him at once.

“Young sir, you are too polite. Do not keep calling me elder. I am the steward here. Just call me Uncle Zhang.” The old man smiled warmly at Wang Bo and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Then I shall obey, Uncle Zhang. By the way, where is the master? I should thank him personally for taking me in, or else I would have had to sleep out in the wild.” Wang Bo said sincerely. It was hard for him to imagine that the master of such an estate would be so easy to approach, and he wanted to see him for himself.

Uncle Zhang looked at Wang Bo with a somewhat strange expression. But seeing how sincere Wang Bo seemed, he said, “It is already very late, and the master has gone to rest. Still, I will convey your feelings to him.”

Hearing this, Wang Bo looked disappointed. “In that case, then thank you, Uncle Zhang.”

“You are too courteous, young sir. From the moment you arrived until now, you have already thanked me many times. You are so well-mannered; your upbringing must be excellent. I imagine you must have come from a once-prosperous family that has since fallen on hard times?”

“Not at all, not at all. I learned much of this from our village head.” Wang Bo chatted idly with Uncle Zhang as they walked. This estate was truly immense. Uncle Zhang had already led him a good way, yet they still had not reached the place where he would sleep. As he spoke with Uncle Zhang, Wang Bo looked around as well, marveling at the estate’s grandeur. Coming from a village and never having left it before, he had broadened his horizons quite a bit. Gazing at his surroundings, he could not help sighing inwardly. Ah, how much would it take to build such an estate? And if it were used for storing grain, how many people could it feed?

“All right, we are here, young sir.” Uncle Zhang’s words interrupted Wang Bo’s wandering thoughts. “Though it is a bit humble, I hope you will not mind.”

Looking at the room before him, Wang Bo muttered to himself: humble? Where is it humble? If this counts as humble, then my own room would not even be fit to call a latrine.

“Thank you, Uncle Zhang. Then I will rest first.” Wang Bo bowed again and turned to push open the door and enter.

Taking a careful look at the furnishings inside, Wang Bo could not help sighing, “So this is the life of the rich. Compared with this, my own home is not even fit to be called a dog’s den.” As he muttered to himself, waves of fatigue welled up in him. “Forget it—better sleep first.” Setting down his bundle, he lay upon the bed and drifted off at once.

The next day, Wang Bo rose early again. Pushing open the door and breathing in the fresh air outside, he felt wonderfully refreshed. He stepped into the courtyard and resumed practicing his Five-Element Fist. But he did not know that a pair of lively eyes was already watching him intently.

“Haha, this is simply too funny. What is he doing? Now he is a monkey, and now a bird—oh, and it looks like a tiger too! And a big stupid bear. What on earth is he? Why is he making such strange movements? But it is really too funny. Hee hee hee.”

Outside the moon gate, a little head was peering fixedly at Wang Bo, all the while letting out soft laughs. Wang Bo, absorbed in his practice, did not notice.

When he finished the set, Wang Bo drew to a stop, exhaled deeply, and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Hey, you boy, why did you stop? This young lady has not finished laughing yet—how can you just stop?” A clear voice came from behind Wang Bo. Startled, he nearly jumped out of his skin. “Who is it? Who is there?”

Seeing his reaction, the youngster could not help giggling again. “Hee hee hee, this is just too funny. I have never seen such a foolish person. Hee hee hee.”

That silver bell of laughter sounded again. Following the voice, Wang Bo walked toward the moon gate. Seeing a figure behind the doorway, he did not think twice and reached out to grab it, pulling hard until the figure was dragged out.

“Ah!”

Startled by the pull, the figure lost its footing and crashed straight into Wang Bo’s arms. Wang Bo was left momentarily dazed by the collision.

“Ah!” Another shriek rang out. Like a mouse startled in a trap, the figure sprang away at once, cheeks blazing red as it pointed at Wang Bo. “You, you, you—”

It stammered and stammered, unable to get the words out.

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