In terms of wulin savvy/streetwise, was Cheung Mo Gei "dumber" than Gwok Jing?

[Ken Cheng]

Gwok Jing is notorious as the "dummy" of Jin Yong wuxia while Cheung Mo Gei, though not brilliant, is generally regarded as a fairly intelligent person.

In terms of being wulin savvy/streetwise, however, was Cheung Mo Gei actually "dumber" than Gwok Jing? Although it's true that early in LOCH, Gwok Jing was as naive as they came, by the end of LOCH (and certainly by ROCH), it wasn't easy to deceive or take advantage of him...or expect him to blindly walk into a trap. By comparison, Cheung Mo Gei, from the beginning of his adventures to the end of HSDS, still seemed to be an easy mark for wulin tricks and deceptions. Although it's true that Gwok Jing had Wong Yung to offset his naivety, Cheung Mo Gei also had wulin-savvy people such as Yeung Siu and Chiu Mun, but he never seemed to internalize an independent wulin savvy the way Gwok Jing did.

[Ren Ying Ying]

I'm not sure GJ could ever be considered wulin "savy"...even when he got older.

I would give ZWJ more benefit of doubt since he had to deal with more scheming folks (particularly women) from Zhu Jiuzhen down to Zhao Min and Chen Kun and Zhou Zhiruo. Yang Xiao and folks were experienced but even they never were quite able to figure out ZM, CK, ZZR, etc. The worse GJ got was perhaps YK...whom HR took care of handily for him.

ZWJ was never displayed saviness in the likes of WXB or HR nor a great schemer, but he was at least able to at least put two and two together most of the time. Sometimes you get the feeling that when he does fall for the "tricks", he does it half conciously and deliberately chooses to fall for it instead of taking the alternative which may end in harm for his opponent. For example, in the whole ZZR fiasco, he knew she was up to no good, but chose to give in to her hoping that she would turn back. He's a little bit more optimistic about human nature.

GJ on the other hand, you get the impression that he falls for it simply because he has no idea what's going on.